Friday, December 18th at 6pm we are having pizza followed by a viewing of the movie, “The Nativity Story”. You are invited to join us! Watch the trailer on youtube at:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbjNnq1BkRw

This video is not made for our home extension, but it reflects the values we love about church in the home. Enjoy!

Proverbs 21:3 “To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.” So many times we try to accomplish something for God that we think will please Him, and we think that the more it hurts the more happy with us He will be. While sacrifice is a part of the Christian walk, this verse makes it plain that God is MORE pleased when we simply DO RIGHT AND JUST things. Every day, every moment, every situation to do right and risk the consequences will be more acceptable to Him! Don’t make your relationship with God a works based trade-off. Just do the right thing. It is usually the obvious thing.

A new baby has entered our family, our church, our world. Marie gave birth to Leighton on monday the 5th and we couldn’t be more excited! God is so good to those who obey him! God asked us to trust Him with our fertility and He has been faithful to provide. What is God asking you to do for him? If you don’t know, will you seek to find God’s plan for you with everything you have? Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you. You don’t need to know your whole lifes’ destiny. Just start with today. No matter what you are going through, make today a day that will count for the kingdom of God!

Four of us engaged in spiritual warfare on thursday night. We went prayer-walking in Bourbon. It was the first time I had ever done this and I want to thank Sharon and Becky for joining my mom and I. Prayer-walking is simply that; praying and walking, believing God to tell us what to pray for and about. God told Joshua that wherever he put his foot would be his. We are to make a difference where we are. Our weopens are not of this world. Our weopens are spiritual. We are trying to change the spiritual climate in Bourbon to be open to what God wants. Are you changing the spiritual climate where you are?

It was a great night at home-extension tonight. I want to share the notes from the message tonight. These are not complete thoughts, only notes so you will have to look up the scriptures to follow along. God bless!!

Get out of the rut. Get into the groove.
Do you ever feel like you are stuck in a rut, just going through the motions? You are trying to get somewhere but have no sense of direction? We all have times when we feel like this. I find comfort knowing that even the greatest Bible heroes had the same struggles as we do. This lesson is a highlight walkthrough of Peter’s life during Jesus’ ministry leading up to his big “rut”.
MATT 4:18-20 Peter was a fisherman. Jesus called for Peter to follow him and Peter responded immediately.

When the same story is told by different people , you get more detail in one version than another. Luke has more detail….
Luke 5:1-11 Peter feels unworthy to be called.

Peter follows Jesus for 3 years. He witnesses miracles, healings, calming of storms, the fighting of cultural barriers (Samaritan woman), the fighting of man-made religion, raising people from the dead, etc.

Peter’s experiences:
MATT 14:22-33 Peter walks on water, then fears
MATT 16:13-18 Peter calls Jesus the Son of God
MATT 16:21-23 Jesus rebukes Peter for being earthly minded
JOHN 13:2-17 Peter misunderstands Jesus washing his feet
JOHN 13:31-38 Jesus predicts Peter’s denial

-As Jesus is being betrayed by Judas…….
JOHN 18: 10,11 Peter cuts off ear and is rebuked by Jesus

-3 denials JOHN 18:17, 25-27
(Jesus died, resurrected, appeared to disciples and left)
–NOW WHAT???????

Peter is in a rut. His vision is lost. All he knows is fishing.
JOHN 21:1-19 Peter is back to his old life- fishing. The very life he gave up to follow Jesus.
—He denied Christ 3 times. Here he is reinstated 3 times.

Jesus’ final command was the same as his first…….FOLLOW ME!!!!!!!

Buy the truth and do not sell it; get wisdom, discipline and understanding- Proverbs 23:23. Aquiring truth sometimes costs us something. When we have truth, we are not to sell it for something else. Something else could be comfort. Truth sometimes results in uncomfortable confrontation and we are not to sell truth just to “keep the peace”. Relationships in our lives can come and go in this catagory. When people wont face truth it can wreck a relationship. We should not use truth as a cannon, going around blasting people. But we should be open and honest with each other, no matter how painful it may be. Truth will set us free! Without truth, you cannot get wisdom, discipline or understanding. I’ve seen many situations where people chose a lie over a friendship, and the relationship was destroyed forever – what a shame. Let’s not be like an ostrich. Instead of hiding our head in the sand hoping the problems will go away, lets be honest with ourselves, communicate with each other, and let God intervene in our lives.

We had a small group at home-extension tonight, but that didn’t stop the Holy Spirit from showing up. Pastor Herb continued last weeks message about grace and freedom from obligation. It was a timely message, as usual, that brought great conversation after service, and I believe it brought freedom to several of us who needed it right now. To all who couldn’t make it tonight, we missed you, but we hope you enjoyed your holiday weekend. To Brittney we say God bless and keep in contact with us. Love you all!

Communion….. What does that word mean to you? To some, it may mean grape juice (or wine) and bread. To others, it may be the time in church where you are very reverent and quiet, remembering all the terrible sins you have committed and are asking God to forgive you for so you can partake without getting God more angry at you. The truth is, communion is relationship. Jesus met with his closest friends for a holiday meal (passover). During this meal he established the sacrament we call communion. But the heart of it all is not the juice or bread; it is the connection we have with each other.   

That is what we experience here at home-extension; relationship. Communion is not a ceremony, it is a way of life. We share each others burdens and joys. We laugh and cry together. We agree and disagree together. We eat together. That is the beauty of being a part of Church of the Heartland. We are free to “do life together”.  

So how do you spell communion? R-e-l-a-t-i-o-n-s-h-i-p

I looked at the sunrise this morning as the sun showed its first glimpse above the horizon. It hit me that Adam, the first man, saw that same sun. So did Noah, Moses, David and the rest of humanity. The sun will out live us, but it will also die someday and not be restored. We, on the other hand, will be resurrected to new life.  The Bible says that our life is like a breath, or like grass- very short. How are we spending the days God has allotted for us? The sun spends its time glorifying God. So should we.