fo'CAL' pointes

HE IS....AWESOME!

I know that I don't post very often anymore...To be honest, my priorities have been in other places. However, i just had to get on here today and share what happened Sunday after the second service.
As I was standing in the corridor, my eye caught a man coming out of the auditorium in a hurry. Then, I saw him almost run to me as his eye caught mine. I wasn't sure what was about to happen...As he came up to me, I could see that he had been very emotional. He began to tell me of a dream that he had Saturday night and woke in a panic. He woke his wife and children up and told them that they were all going to church that morning. He hadn't been in church since a boy. He couldn't believe that what I was speaking about is exactly what his dream was all about!!! Before the service was over, he had committed his life to Christ and knew he needed to tell someone what had just happened. As he walked out of the auditorium, he saw me standing in the distance and that's when he came up "real fast".
Jesus brought an entire family to the cross and washed them white as snow!!! He is...Awesome!

Before I get off today, since I'm not sure when I will post again, I need to tell you that this years Christmas Service is going to be way over-the-top! Planning is now over and execution has began! You and your friends and family are going to be blown away! Start inviting them NOW!

MIRACLE UPDATE

This past Sunday was absolutely unbelievable!!! I will be posting throughhout the week several "miracles" that happened on Sunday and since. The offering as of now stands at $45,000.00 and counting! That is a miracle. We are turning that into a 'seed' for our community!

Also, let me give you an update on Archie and Rebekah... Our son-in-law and daughter planting a church in California. They are now very settled into their new home in San Jose. They have recruited 24 people who have committed to be on the launch team. That is HUGE!!! They have had 3 neighborhood cookouts with as many as 50 people showing up!!! God is doing some awesome stuff there! Keep praying for them. I'll try to put some pictures up soon.

MIRACLES NEEDED

I'm sitting here on a rainy chilly Friday morning with Tina, after just getting off the phone with my dad. The conversation with him prompted me to put this post up. You've obviously noticed that blogging has not big a priority for me recently. Today is the exception...
Dad is 75 yrs old and just received new that he has developed a cancerous spot on his face. The doctor called this morning and confirmed it as a melanoma tumor that needs to be removed immediately. Dad has a calmness in his voice that only Jesus can give. His trust in God is very reassuring to me.
It is not a coincidence that we are only two days from Miracle Sunday. Let me just list a few things that have "popped" up in the lives of our PNCC family just this week...

• two people lost jobs and need to find work.
• a husband left and this marriage needs restored.
• a dedicated volunteer was diagnosed with breast cancer.
• a mother is having "balance" issues...possibly vertigo.
• a family is having deep financial needs and looking at losing their home.
• a precious lady just discovered that she needs major surgery.
• another one of our precious volunteers had to take her mom to a neurologist for serious problems
• a family needs a daughter to come home

Friends, the Bible tells us, "with God ALL things are possible"!!! This Sunday is going to be an awesome day...I hope you are coming expecting a miracle. I AM!!!!!!

CAN'T WAIT

I'm sitting here WAITING for my car as the oil is being changed, and since I do not like to wait I thought I would post a small blog...
This past Sunday was awesome! People standing everywhere during both morning services, admitting to God they are not able to take care of life on their own. WOW, the tears and emotions that were flowing as God genuinely swept through our hearts to begin the healing process.
This week we are going to talk about the HOPE that we have as we continue to give our hurts, habits and hangups to Jesus! I CAN'T WAIT!!! (did I mention I hate to wait).
Then Sunday night!!!!! First Sunday should be every week. I can't wait for November......
Hey, this Sunday will be a great day to invite and drag ALL your unchurched friends that do not have Jesus as Lord...especially if they've been hurt or burned. A great Scripture to look at for this Sunday is
Isaiah 43:2-3.

A QUICK LOOK AT SUNDAY

Yesterday was, by far, one of the most amazing days we've ever had at PNCC!!! It has been a long time since the Holy Spirit "interrupted" our service. However, in the first service it was obvious that God wanted to take care of some things in people's lives. The RUSH to the front was incredible!
Then He did it all over again in the second service! People were crying and allowing God to genuinely lift their burden.
With anticipation, I waited during the third service last night to see what God would do. It was so different than the two morning services. I can't say that I wasn't disappointed when nothing happened...UNTIL the end of the service. WOW!!! Here I was speaking on the subject of money and nearly 30 hands went up at the end to say..." I want to put my FULL trust in Jesus"! People are going to heaven because we did a message on giving...Only God!!!
A few other things to note...

• Brooke was outstanding filling in for Ricsha  leading us in worship! The entire worship team was incredibly sensitive to the move of the Holy Spirit...Great job as always!
• I mentioned that we would be taking a team to Texas for rebuilding lives in the wake of hurricane Ike...Already 20+ people on the list! PNCC, YOU ROCK!  (stay tuned for exact details)
• I unashamedly challenged people to give liberally to the work of God...To take steps to get out of debt, and the best way to start that process is GIVE. (look for a financial freedom class real soon)
• I shared a partial "blessing" list from mine and Tina's 30 years of committed giving. Every service that just made me more aware that God has fulfilled His promises and fired me up to give even more!
• Reminded people that giving is the only place in the entire Bible that God says "TEST ME"... Clint Eastwood stole His line when he made famous, "Go ahead...Make my day". God said that in Malachi 3:10!!!
• I challenged everyone to prepare the entire month of October to give liberally on the last Sunday as we have officially named October 26..."MIRACLE SUNDAY". You will see reminders and encouraging thoughts about this all month long.
• We will be using that HUGE offering from "Miracle Sunday" for Benevolence, disaster relief in Texas, Children in our community, and other special needs within our community.
• "Miracle Sunday" will be ONE SERVICE at Berkeley High School (I can't wait). The service will be at 10:30am. We will then all go to Santee Canal Park for our annual Fall Festival!!! Did I already say I CAN'T WAIT!!!! I love it when our entire family gets to come together.
• Remember...What we are doing is - "Storing up treasure in Heaven"!!!

A FEW THOUGHTS

Since my blogging has really become so sporadic I thought that I'd take a moment to just spill out a few thoughts...

• Archie and Rebekah have now settled in their new home in San Jose, California. It has been a busy few weeks for them, yet adapting a new life has been a little tough. They are meeting with some launch team people this Sunday night... Let's all pray for the turn out. If you want to keep up with them, check out their blog sight... archieandrebekah.blogspot.com
• Our new educational Journey Classes have been awesome! If you haven't checked one out and desire to grow in your walk with God...Go for it! You can choose on our website.
• Speaking of our website...how do you like the new look?  Hats off to Mike Doty for doing a great job putting it together.
• Over the past three weeks we have had 52 new guest families visit with us at PNCC...WOW!!!        Let's all pray that these families see Jesus in all of us as they look for a new church home.
• Small Groups have kicked off with a huge bang! More new people are in groups than ever before. If you haven't found one yet, don't stop looking. Remember, we all need each other. My group on Monday nights have had the best discussions I can remember. This past Monday night we had a guest couple from Honduras, Rene' and Brooke. We also celebrated Chris and Kristie Mills new baby boy...Cleveland.
• Our second First Sunday is only just a little over a week away!!! I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!
• Sunday October 26th is our 5th annual Fall Festival. We are also going to do something else real awesome on that day - stay tuned!
• This Sunday is going to reveal a promise that God has given His children that most people do not know about....See you there!

WHAT'S THE PRIZE?

Now that the Olympics are over and just a memory for all of us, I thought I would reflect a little...
If you know me at all, you know that I am VERY competitive. I hate to lose at anything, much less something that I am representing more than only myself. I was thinking about all the athletes that wear the colors of their country...

There are literally hundreds and hundreds of athletes from about 203 countries, competing in about 302 events in 28 sports. Most do NOT go home with a medal. Now I realize this is a statistic that any logical brain could figure out on its own. But I was struck – dumbfounded even – by the fact that so many athletes would spend years training for an event that they know would lead them to nowhere. They would be privileged to be part of the Games, celebrate with other teammates or even other countries as they win medals. But a large majority in fact, would walk away with just a great memory of competing against the world’s best but ultimately, losing.

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Hebrews 12:1

What are WE doing, what is our purpose in this ‘race’ called our spiritual journey? Do we know what we are working towards? Do we know we’ll win the prize?

LETTING GO

I thought that once my girls were married that I had dealt with the whole "it's easier to not be a part of their daily life" thing. I just found out that I was only kidding myself. Because they both live within a 15-20 minute drive from me and Tina, in my mind they were 'right next door', and I could see them everyday if I so chose. That deception is now coming back to bite me! Since they lived so close and I 'could' see them whenever I chose to, I had this sense that they would always be "right there" even if they no longer lived in our house.

Well, yesterday Rebekah and Archie (my youngest daughter and her husband) left for a new home in San Fransisco, California. CALIFORNIA!!!! My little deceptive tricks are no longer applicable. I'm not sure when I'll see them next! They are NOT right next door and my heart is extremely heavy! Don't get me wrong, I am way PROUD of why they are going to the Bay area...Planting a church! (not sure where they got that idea from). It's just that I love my daughters more than I've ever been able to tell them and this distance is really going to be tough!
 
They left around 10am yesterday and I called them four times before they got to their first leg(Nashville).

Today, as I'm studying for Sunday, God is reminding me that this is all in His plan and He really does have Archie and Rebekah right where He wants them...It's just hard LETTING GO!

SURPRISE

Well, if you're looking at this, it means you haven't given up on me and blogging! There have been quite a few 'other' things on my menu the last month that has kept blogging a low priority. I have set a date for Sept. 1st to get back at it...

However, today, or for that matter, whenever you get to it, I would love to hear from all those who were at ACCESS this past Saturday. WOW!!! What a day!

If you would, tell me your favorite part of Saturday...

PASSION AND PASSIONATE LIVING

In Psalm 119:32, David declares, "I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free." What a different perspective David had on the relationship of God's truth to our personal freedom. It is because God set his heart free that he's even able to run in and pursue a life of truth. David unlocks for us the reality of TRUE freedom. See, most of what we call freedom actually 'imprisons' us...For example, we are free to spend our money as we wish - but that may take us into a prison of debt.

It is only when God sets our hearts free from these passions that imprison us that we are finally free to be fully alive. In Psalm 37:4, David gives us another secret to living a life of passion..."Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart."  When you make God your PRIMARY passion, He will transform ALL the passions of your heart. When God is truly our desire, we can trust the passions of our heart.

This brings me to a question that might make us think differently about what we have a passion for: Adam and Eve...What were they doing hanging around that ONE tree that was forbidden? I mean, this was the Garden of endless delight. They were FREE to eat from any tree in the Garden but that ONE. I wonder how big the Garden actually was? Here's the BIGGER question:

Is it possible that Adam and Eve fell into the same trap that we do - a view that freedom is to go and experience that which God has forbidden rather than to FULLY experience all that God has created for our pleasure?