DavidGraceBlog

Musing of a Church Planter - Lesson Four

2018-10-15T08:17:00.000-07:00

Today's Lesson - Be Visible! Many people have imagined what being a fly on the wall would be like or having the super power of invisibility. Imagine being invisible and being able to sneak into a place and out of it without ever being seen! You could be the perfect spy. Unfortunately, a lot of church plants, and churches, have this super power. They are perfectly visible to

Musings of a Church Planter - Lesson Three

2018-09-20T08:13:00.000-07:00

Today's lesson is a simple thought: Know your vision! George Barna says that vision is "the ability to understand the history, the present condition, and the potential of the church." Without vision, churches are wanderers. Visionless pastoring is the crock pot for doubt. It slowly cooks the average of situations and turns it into the largest of problems. Without vision

Musings of a Church Planter - Lesson Two

2018-08-23T07:01:00.000-07:00

Harry Truman - "Not every reader is a leader, but every leader is a reader." I have never met a leader who doesn't spend time with books and magazines trying to find new innovations or new product ideas or new leadership developments or just reading for pleasure. Reading is the way everyone levels the playing field. Information is out there in so many venues from actual books to

Stress Free Spending

2018-08-15T07:26:00.001-07:00

In your own words, describe what you think a budget is..... A lot of people would say that budgets are for people with limited resources. The same people are probably living from paycheck to paycheck and suffering under extreme amounts of debt. These people will also believe that their home is an asset and that saving can be done once they have settled down. Think again.

Musings of a Church Planter - Lesson One

2018-08-14T07:07:00.000-07:00

I spent the last four years praying about, learning about, and attempting to plant a church. During this process I feared, hoped, laughed, cried, and experienced any other emotion someone can muster. Unfortunately, the process ended with the closing of the church. There are a lot of reasons why: poor execution of plans, not enough resources, not enough people, not enough leadership

Words That Heal

2018-07-26T06:50:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 16:24 (NIV) - 24 Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. Generally, when I think of wisdom, I think of the sayings found in the book of Proverbs. Today's verse is one of those sayings that can have a profound influence upon the way we communicate with others. Yesterday, we mentioned that anger creates damage to our well-being. The hope we

The Heart of Anger is Unhealthy

2018-07-25T08:21:00.000-07:00

Ecclesiastes 7:9 (NIV) - Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools. Leaders can be quite emotional. Some rely on the emotion of anger in order to get their will to be done or to have their orders followed. Anger in and of itself is a human response to outside forces that they want removed from a situation. Psycholigy Today says:

What Are You Asking, Seeking, and Knocking About?

2018-07-24T08:06:00.001-07:00

Matthew 7:7-8 (NIV) - 7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. This verse is fairly familiar to those who have been in and around those who read the Bible. It is a powerful illustration of God's desire to bring joy to

Are You Satisfied?

2018-04-18T07:06:00.001-07:00

"Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst." - 1 Timothy 1:15 NIV If everything around your position, your job, your life came to a screeching halt, would you be satisfied with who you are? Now I know this seems to be a weird question because most people would be genuinely upset. Losing a job is

Unwavering Trust

2017-03-09T06:30:00.001-08:00

Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord , the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal. Isaiah 26:4 NIV http://bible.com/111/isa.26.4.NIV I am riding on a bus this morning headed to a local science museum with my son's class. I have ridden on school busses all my school life and many times with my kids. In all those times I cannot remember once questioning the safety or the functionality of

Hurt Happens but Hope Endures

2016-12-02T04:48:00.001-08:00

"Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." - Psalm 42:11 NIV There is something to be said about hope. It is the one thing that truly motivates us to keep going when our world is falling apart. The problem exists, however, in defining what hope really is. For the author of the Psalm (King David)

Culture Shift Series - Sermon 1

2016-08-01T08:47:00.000-07:00

Sermon Series: Culture Shift – a Study in Daniel Sermon Title: Ever Changing World We Live In - NOTES Sermon Passage: Daniel 1 (NIV) INTRO: With so many changes in our culture, it’s important for us to maintain a strong foundation in our faith and in our beliefs. In this series, we follow the life of Daniel as he was constantly tested by the dark and broken culture around him. FCFocus: God

What God Has Prepared

2016-07-28T06:50:00.001-07:00

However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” — the things God has prepared for those who love him— 1 Corinthians 2:9 NIV For many kids, waking up on Christmas morning is a treat. Most try to sneak around to find the treasures under a tree which hold their name. All night they had been dreaming and

Saying No - Titus 2: 11-12

2016-06-12T16:47:00.001-07:00

"For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age," Titus 2:11‭-‬12 NIV God, through Christ, offers salvation to all people because He loves us. What does salvation mean? We are saved from are own debilitating

When Jesus Doesn't Make It (part 2)

2016-03-21T03:00:00.000-07:00

II. As we face tragic situations, Jesus renews our strength when we choose life. John 11:7-16 - The men with Jesus show their love for Him by warning Him about the dangers of Judea. Their foresight unfortunately showed the indecision they wrestled with when being asked

When Jesus Doesn't Make It (part 1)

2016-03-20T14:59:00.000-07:00

Sermon Series: When Jesus Doesn’t Make It Right Sermon Title: When Jesus Doesn’t Make It Sermon Passage: John 11:1-37 (NIV) INTRO: Zach was quickly becoming a good friend. He was the bass player in a band my best friend Jason played in and one of the nicest guys you could have ever met. Zach and I liked staying up and playing Nintendo all night. Being college

Intended Consequences (part 2)

2016-03-20T14:51:00.000-07:00

II. God intends for the church to operate in the gifts with edification. 22 Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers. 23 So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who do not understand or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that

Intended Consequences (part 1)

2016-03-12T17:42:00.001-08:00

Sermon Series: Not a Ghost Story Sermon Title: Intended Consequences Sermon Passage: 1 Corinthians 13:8-10; 14 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect

Sound Mind Investing

2016-03-03T20:07:00.001-08:00

Been thinking about retirement? I have. In fact, after shifting jobs I find that I need to move the retirement fund I started a few years back. So where do I move it? A Roth IRA? A good mutual fund? To whom do I trust it? Dave Ramsey has a great blog post you should check out if you are thinking about a Roth: Dave's Blog I am seriously looking at a SMI

2016-03-01T04:25:00.001-08:00

The Power of an Introvert

2016-03-01T04:19:00.001-08:00

I'm introverted. There...I've said it. Some would think that being a preacher and being an introvert could work against each other, but I can tell you that introverts are great leaders. Here is a TED Talk video that may convince you as well: Susan Cain - Power of Introverts http://www.ted.com/talks/susan_cain_the_power_of_introverts?language=en

Date Nights

2016-03-01T03:55:00.001-08:00

Sometimes even I need help with ideas. Husbands or wives here is a great list to add to your date night extravaganzas. And most of these ideas are even great for unmarried couples! Date Night Ideas http://www.focusonthefamily.ca/marriage/great-date-ideas

The Call Part 1 - Sunday Sermon continued

2016-02-29T02:00:00.000-08:00

II. Will we accept the spiritual gifts given? 1 Corinthians 2: 10-12 1 Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. 1 Cor 12:1 (NIV) ⦁ One commentary says some do not have the will or the power to accept the truths revealed by the Spirit. They just cannot bring themselves to admit they are wrong – pride, prejudice, and more will keep people from accepting

The Call Part 1 - Sunday Sermon 2/28/2016

2016-02-28T12:44:00.000-08:00

Sermon Series: Not a Ghost Story Sermon Title: The Call – Part 1 Sermon Passage: 1 Corinthians 2:6-16 I have been rafting a few times down a few rivers – in rafts and on tubes. Depending on the river, you can find yourself floating gently downstream or find yourself being hurdled through water that is crashing over rocks and you have quick choices to be made (do I live or do I die). Never once

Living Day to Day - Part Two

2016-02-26T08:31:00.000-08:00

II. We should respect His power. Judges 14:4-7 (NIV) - Samson fancied a girl in a Philistine village and wanted to marry her. This was God's plan to give Samson a reason to begin taking away the ruling power of the Philistines. - The Spirit of God came upon Samson in power and enabled Samson to kill the lion. Judges 14:19-20 (NIV) - The girl Samson fancied betrayed him. She told the men