Significance or Waste?

SO AS WE TALKED ABOUT THE OTHER NIGHT, JUDAS ISCARIOT, WHO BETRAYED JESUS CHRIST WITH A KISS, HAS BECOME THE MOST DETESTED PERSON IN HISTORY. THE NAME "JUDAS" ITSELF BEARS SUCH A STIGMA THAT NETHER CHILDREN NOR PETS CARRY THE NAME. THE NEW TESTAMENT WRITERS HAD SUCH A DISDAIN FOR JUDAS THAT EVERY TIME YOU READ A LIST OF THE DISCIPLES IN THE GOSPELS, JUDAS IS ALWAYS LISTED DEAD-LAST.

IN JOHN 17:12, JESUS CALLED JUDAS, "THE SON OF PERDITION." THE GREEK WORD FOR PERDITION LITERALLY MEANS "WASTE." AN INTERESTING FACT THAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW IS THAT THE NAME JUDAS COMES FROM THE WORD "JUDAH" WHICH LITERALLY MEANS "PRAISE". HIS LIFE, LIKE EVERY LIFE, WAS MEANT TO BE A LIFE LIVED IN PRAISE OF GOD, BUT INSTEAD IT WAS A COMPLETE WASTE.

YET, ONE THING WE LEARN BECAUSE OF JUDAS - KEY TAKE AWAY: EVEN WHEN WE BETRAY GOD, GOD WILL NOT BETRAY US.

SO I ASK YOU TODAY: IS YOUR LIFE LIVING FOR SIGNIFICANCE OR IS IT A WASTE?

I AM SO THANKFUL JESUS NOT ONLY CALLS US TO A LIVE OF SIGNIFICANCE, BUT HE ALSO EMPOWERS US TO LEAD THAT KIND OF LIFE!

pcraig

The Betrayal

Call Night was that and a bag of potato chips! Can I get an amen for that?!?!

I am posting the message recap slides from tonight - I hope the message was a blessing to you!

TONIGHT!

Tonight is the NIGHT!

CALL NIGHT is going to be out of this world - believing for our biggest and best night ever here at theTURN! I hope you can feel the momentum swell.

Just going to give you a little hint of what will be taking place if there are 300 people in the sanctuary tonight! Bring one, bring everybody! I got some peeps coming with me!

Who You Bringing?

Who are you bringing? CALL NIGHT is now less than two days away, and we are gearing up for the greatest night ever here at theTURN!

I caught wind of some people out at McDonald's and Wal Mart yesterday evening handing out invites to people. I love it!

Let's pack the place out - we need your help! We have free giveaways ($50 visa, $25 visa), free food, some incredible music, and a message that we believe will transform your life!

It's all set! We just need you to bring people!

And if we hit the attendance barrier - 300 - I will be in bad shape. Let's just say this, "Octopus Shake!"

See you soon!

pcraig

Guest Blogger: The Potter's Hands

Have you ever thought about the significance of a potter and his clay? If so, then you know that we are the clay and our Daddy God is the ultimate Potter. We are pottery; we have been formed from clay. Genesis 2:7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. It says here that God formed man…just like a potter forms his clay.

Paul referred to our bodies as ‘jars of clay’ in 2 Corinthians 4:7 (NIV) But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. It also states in Job 10:8-9 (NIV) Your hands shaped me and made me. Will you now turn and destroy me? Remember that you molded me like clay. Will you now turn me to dust again?

God wants to spiritually fashion us into vessels fit for His use, molded as images of Christ.

2 Timothy 2:21 (NKJV) Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.

God uses the events we encounter each day to shape and form us into the image of Christ-whether it is to add or even take away.

Our lives are suppose to resemble a clay pot. Inside, God pours His love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control – Galatians 5:22-23

And on the outside, we are molded like Christ. God’s hands form us, His hands are over our lives. All that His hands do is to make a vessel for His use…not for ourselves.

They form, mold, and use us to be what He wants us to be. There are even times where it seems like we’re in the fire, but that’s for our good. In the fire is when we get refined. Going through a hard period in your life can be similar to being refined by God. During these trials, there are pains, hurts, and it’s only because God is preparing us for the next step. He may be remolding the cracks, bumps, and hurts we have experienced.

I want to encourage you right now that if you are going through a hard period in your life, don’t give up. Allow God to mold you into what He wants. Allow Him to smooth, rub, and reform you into His image. Yes, it may seem like you are no where near the end but I promise you God has a reason for all of this. Allow Him to take you through fire. He’s right there with you; He will never leave you.

Isaiah 64:8 But now, O Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You are our Potter; and all we are the work of Your hand.

Anita Szaller

TURN Leader since '09

Week 11 - "My Food at the Table"

It is a beautiful Monday again – sending out this week’s part of the prayer!

Chilcote took this prayer that is divided into four roughly equal parts and provided a theme for each section:
Part 1: Who is God to me? (first paragraph of prayer)
Part 2: What can I give to and ask of God? (second)
Part 3: How does God shape my life? (third)
Part 4: How do I live as a disciple of Christ? (fourth)

Today, we continue with part one from Chilcote.

Scripture

“The Lord upholds all who are failing, and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand, satisfying the desire of every living thing. The Lord is just in all his ways, and kind in all his doings. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desire of all who fear him; he also hears their cry, and saves them.” - Psalm 145:14-19

Meditation

When I was in high school, our church choir sang an amazing anthem based on Psalm 145:15-16. Every now and then the haunting melody of “The Eyes of All Wait Upon Thee” floats into my consciousness, bringing with it a flood of memories and a sense of God’s presence and provision. The psalmist envisions a world in which God provides for our needs – both physical and spiritual – and God’s plentiful gifts satisfy everyone. The human family struggles to realize that vision in a broken world, despite the fact that we are united in our need. Perhaps this is one reason why Jean Berger composed his anthem with all voices singing the same rhythm at the same time – one united chorus.

Like the anthem, the needs of the world often build to a climax until we realize that only God can satisfy the desire of every living thing. In the midst of our need, one fact remains clear: God provides enough to satisfy every person on this globe in every possible way. Whenever we gather around the Lord’s Table to celebrate our Family Meal, God reminds us through a sign-act of love that Christ satisfies all our needs. But the Table also stands as a reminder to us of those who have no food. The Bread of Life offers himself for us, satisfies the desire of every heart, and invites us to become his body – God’s provision – in the world. That is part of what it means to grow up to Christ in all things (Eph 4:15).

Prayer

Gracious Lord, you are the Bread of Life, who provides for all my needs and satisfies the deepest longing of my heart: graft me into the very center of your great tree of life; feed me, nourish me, and care for me like a tender vine that I might grow into Christ in all things. Amen.

As a recap if you would like to read it, here is the great prayer from Elizabeth Rhodes:

"Grant me, gracious Lord, a pure intention of heart, and a steadfast regard to your glory in all my actions. Possess my mind continually with your presence, and fill it with your love, that my whole delight may be to repose in the arms of your protection. Be light to my eyes, music to my ears, sweetness to my taste, and full contentment to my heart. Be my sunshine in the day, my food at the table, my repose in the night, my clothing in company, my succor in all necessities.
Lord Jesus, I give you my body, my soul, my substance, my fame, my friends, my liberty, and my life. Dispose of me, and all that is mine, as seems best to you, and to the glory of your blessed name. I am not my own, but yours; therefore claim me as your right, keep me as your charge, and love me as your child. Fight for me when I am assailed, heal me when I am wounded, and revive me when I am destroyed.
My Lord and my God, I ask you to give me patience in troubles, humility in comforts, constancy in temptations, and victory over all my ghostly enemies. Grant me sorrow for my sins, thankfulness for my benefits, fear of your judgments, love of your mercies, and mindfulness of your presence for evermore. Make me humble to my superiors and friendly to my equals, ready to please all and loathe to offend any; loving to my friends and charitable to my enemies. Give me modesty in my countenance, gravity in my behavior, deliberation in my speech, holiness in my thoughts, and righteousness in all my actions. Let your mercy cleanse me from my sins, and your grace bring forth in me the fruits of everlasting life.
Lord, let me be obedient without arguing, humble without feigning, patient without grudging, pure without corruption, mercy without lightness, sad without mistrust, sober without dullness, true without duplicity, fearing you without desperation, and trusting you without presumption. Let me joyful for nothing but that which pleases you, and sorrowful for nothing but what displeases you: that labor be my delight which is for you, and let all weary me that is not in you. Give me a waking spirit, and a diligent soul, that I may seek to know your will, and when I know it may I perform it faithfully to the honor and glory of your ever blessed name. Amen."

Part Twelve coming next Monday...

pcraig

Faith, Hope, and Love

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." - 1 Corinthians 13:13

Faith, hope, and love - these are the habitual dispositions of maintaining and leading a life of holiness. Each of them are habitual dispositions - it takes training to create the character of Christ in our lives.

Let's break them down:

Faith: a habitual disposition of trust. This means the more we understand the truths of the faith, the more we foster habitual trust in God.

Hope: a habitual disposition of reaching out towards the ultimate good or end of one's life. This is best seen in marriage.

Love: a habitual disposition to cling to God and to our neighbor. This is the summation of the fruit and virtues of the Spirit.

So are you growing in faith, hope, and love? The character of Christ is only constructed in the life of a believer by their cooperation with the Spirit's transforming presence. We MUST be open and consistent every day. Christlikeness is developed daily, not in a day.

Much faith, hope, and love!

pcraig

The Prayer That's Always Heard

Alright I will say it - tonight at theTURN I think was the most powerful altar time we have ever had! Lives were changed and people were called by the grace of God! I have already heard of several people sharing that tonight God beckoned their hearts for vocational ministry and even ministry with missions around the world! It will forever be etched in my mind - enjoy the message slides from tonight! Don't forget the details to praying a prayer that's always heard!

Thanks!

pcraig