Month: January 2016

God will take care of you

Written by Guest Fruit Cove on . Posted in Equip The Church.

I was sitting in a worship service the Sunday after I retired in 1991 from the Florida Baptist Convention after 27 years of service; and before that, 13 years in the pastorate. The thought kept running through my mind:” What will I do now, what’s next for my life?” We began singing “God Will Take Care of You.” Right!?  “Be not dismayed what e’er betide, God will take care of you.”

I sang, I prayed, I trusted. And you know what, God has taken care of me and my family! As I sought the Lord’s leadership in prayer, He opened up many doors of opportunity: teaching ESL classes, going on mission trips to Jamaica, serving as interim Director of Missions in a nearby association, directing the Jacksonville Extension Center for Theological Education, working with Senior Adults at Southside Baptist Church, and the last 11 years serving as Senior Adult Minister here at Fruit Cove.

During these years I’ve been much in prayer for my family. They have been a wonderful support. I’ve seen our children and their families grow in the Lord; the grandchildren grow up, great grandchildren being born and wonderful times at family get togethers.
Then, there were those challenging days I prayed, and others prayed, when my wife, Carolyn, was diagnosed with Alzheimers and struggled with this disease over a period of several years. Three years ago she had a couple of strokes and died a few weeks later.
It’s so easy to ask ‘why?’ or ‘what if?’ or say ’if only’, but when you pray “Lord not my will, but Your will be done”, you may not understand, but you must go on praying and trusting in God’s leadership in the difficult times as well as the good times. I realized God loves me and He is still in control. For as the song continues: “No matter what may be the test, God will take care of you.” And He does!
Charles Ragland

That we pray…

Written by TimMaynard on . Posted in Equip The Church, Pastor Tim's Blog.

THAT we are praying is far more important to our Father than HOW we are praying. WHY we are praying outstrips how long we are praying in significance. And to WHOM we address our prayers means more than where we pray.
Visiting St Patrick’s Cathedral during our trip to New York last fall was profound,  impressive and impactful. The front of the cathedral was cordoned off from the rest of the massive complex to allow room for the faithful to pray.  Candles could purchased and offerings given to gain Gods special attention.
And yet if we understand Scripture correctly God’s ear was equally if not especially inclined to hear the prayers of the homeless woman on the front steps or the young business man hurrying down the street praying for his family as he passes by out front. God, you see, will not be manipulated by our posture or position. His concern is not with the physical address from which our prayers originate but with the condition of the heart which is praying.
This is the wonder, the mystery and sometimes the frustration of prayer for us. We want prayer to be a formula to get our needs met.   God calls us into relationship that through it He may meet our deepest need…
The need for a Father.
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But you when you pray go into your closet and close the door .  Your Father Who sees in secret will reward you openly. (Matthew 6:6)

FOR REFLECTION:  Try and be aware today of God’s Presence in unlikely places and circumstances.

 

PRAYERLIFE

Written by TimMaynard on . Posted in Pastor Tim's Blog.

One of the privileges people lost when Adam and Eve sinned was the privilege of unhindered, unbroken fellowship with God. Because of their sinless state prior to the Fall, they were able to enjoy face-to-face intimacy with their Creator. Each day they walked together “in the cool of the day.” But among many other things sin broke that relationship, that conversation, that intimacy with God. Adam and Eve cut themselves off from Gods gracious presence. (See Genesis 3:1-6)

But as we pray, a part of that curse is reversed. The last thing the Enemy wants us to know is the potential joy of unbroken, unhindered fellowship with our Creator. Satan desires to sow discord, doubt, and distraction in place of the fellowship we could know in prayer.

As we pray we begin to return to the place God intended us to be…wants us to be. He wants us to draw near to Him that He can draw near to us.

It is there and only there in prayer we can be what He wants us to be. It is there that we can be empowered to live.

It is there we can be…

Home.

“Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.” (James 4:8a)

FOR REFLECTION: As you reflect on the year that has come and gone are you closer to God now or further away?

Giving God Our Best!

Written by Brian Woofter on . Posted in Equip The Church, Uncategorized.

The Christmas season has just come to a close and as I reflect back I am reminded of a devotion I read pertaining to a very popular Christmas song, “The Little Drummer Boy.” The devotion explained how although there isn’t any reference to a drummer boy in the Christmas story in Matthew 1-2 and Luke 2, the point of the carol goes straight to the heart of the meaning of worship. A young boy being summoned to the scene of Christ’s birth realizes he has no gift to present the newborn King. So the young boy gives what he has. He plays his drum, saying, “I played my best for Him.”

Come they told me…
A new-born King to see…
Our finest gifts we bring…
To lay before the King…

So to honor Him…when we come.

Little baby…
I am a poor boy too…
I have no gift to bring…
That’s fit to give a King…
Shall I play for You…on my drum
Mary nodded…
The ox and lamb kept time…
I played my drum for Him…

I played my best for Him…

Then He smiled at me…me and my drum.

Are you giving your best to Jesus as you worship Him? You may feel you have nothing to offer Him. When we worship Christ we should empty ourselves and give Him our very best. Pray and ask God to show you how you can worship Him more.
 

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