The Great Separation

Why Florida is the Lightning Capital of the World.

Gravy. - I saved this picture from yesterday when I was checking on the weather. All those little boxes are lighting strikes here in mid-Florida.

Click on the pic to enlarge.

I grabbed the pic from my favorite weather site. Weather Underground.

This is just mid-Florida. At the time I grabbed the photo we were averaging 120 strokes a minute across the state.

Electrifying!

And why when I see a lightning flash my reflex is to start counting to figure out just how far away it is.

Father's Day Service and My Sermonette Outline.

Proclaiming God's Word. - Well, as those of you on the Christian Bloggers' Prayer Network (CBPN) already know, I was asked to give a fifteen minute message this past Father's Day at our Church service in place of the normal sermon given by my father.

The idea made me rather nervous.

Although, for the past two weeks I felt a message from the Lord percolating in my spirit so that's what I went with for the message.

Our Father's Day service has become rather a tradition at my small Church. We get together a hour earlier than normal and the ladies cook breakfast for everyone. People also bring breakfast breads and fruits. One lady, Alice, makes this to-die-for sausage bread.

We eat and enjoy each other's fellowship (we're an eating church). And then about an hour later we have a rather informal service run by the sons and daughters in the church.

Each year the men (fathers and those not yet fathers) take home a memento that reminds them (myself included) of their value to our Church and their call by God to be men of righteousness.

This year's memento but together by my mother was a CD jewel case with two verses on the cover:

“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.” (1 Corinthians 16:13 NIV)

"Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." (1 Corinthians 11:1 NIV)

Inside each was a picture or two of a particular man in our body interacting in the Church.

Anyway, I thought I would share the outline for the message/sermon I gave.

I guess if I had to title it I would call it, "Talking to the Father":

Sunday's Sermon Devotional.

The Great Commission. - This past Sunday we had a special commissioning for our church and our mission team which is leaving this week for Mexico. Below is the sermon devotional and Scripture which went with the message from our pastor and one of our assistant pastors.

This Friday our mission team will be leaving for Mexico. They are not just going because they want to go, although they do, but they are being sent by God and this Body of Believers to encourage the Church in a small community in Mexico and to minister to others in the surrounding area. We are following the example found in Acts where we read how the Church sent some from their Body to other Bodies. Acts 8:14, "When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them."

We are sending this Team to carry the light of God to those there. Not only are they Ambassadors of God, they are also representing us, the Body here. By their presence and actions they will be telling those there that God cares and we care too. Our team will be ministering to those there in our place. They will be there for us. We have entrusted them with ours and God's reputation. How others there see them will be how they see us.

This team is going for us. We all can't go nor are we all called to go by God, but God has called us all to participate in the work they will be doing in the Lord. We are called to be the warriors here at home by joining in continuous prayer for them and all the others who are going. We are to come against, "the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms". We, through our praying and standing with them, will unleash the power of God in, through and around them. James tells us that, "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective". If we want the team to be powerful and effective we who are here must do our part.

In keeping with that fact the Church building will be open every evening that they are gone from 7 P.M. till 7:30 P.M. for those who would like to join together to pray. For those who cannot travel here set aside that time to join with other in prayer. Remember too that we are to be in prayer for the team throughout every minute of the day until they return.

• EPHESIANS 6
• II CORINTHIANS 5
• PHILIPPIANS 2
• ACTS 13
• ACTS 8
• ACTS 15
• JOHN 13

This Week's Scripture for Study and Devotion.

Good Afternoon,

Here's Scripture and Bible Study questions from out of today's Church bulletin:

• LUKE 8
• MARK 13
• JOHN 14
• II TIMOTHY 3
• HEBREWS 13
• LUKE 9
• HEBREWS 11

QUESTIONS FOR BIBLE STUDY AND THOUGHT

1. What answer do you think Jesus was looking for when He asked the
disciples, "Where is your faith?" (Luke 8:25)

2. How is the disciples respond to Jesus in the incident recorded in Luke 8: 22-25?

3. What is the basis of our faith?

4. What is faith?

5. How do you exercise your faith?

6. How are faith and trust related?

This Week's Scripture for Study and Devotion.

Here is the scripture and questions from today's Church bulletin:

• Romans 3
• Hebrews 9
• Revelation 12
• Acts 4
• Romans 1
• Job 1
• Romans 5
• I Corinthians 3
• II Corinthians 5

Questions for devotions and study:

1. From the above scriptures what do you learn about man?
2. From Job 1 and revelation 12 what do you learn about satan?
3. What does the sacrifice of Jesus do for man?
4. How do you receive salvation?
5. When God looks at a Christian what does He see?
6. What does salvation do for man other than save him?

This Week's Scripture for Study and Devotion.

Hey folks,

Here's what used to be the Sermon Devotional from my church bulletin. Used to be, because the pastor, my dad, is now doing something a little different.

You can call it Scripture for Study and Devotion, because, well that's what it is.

SCRIPTURE FOR STUDY AND DEVOTION

• ISAIAH 46
• MATTHEW 6
• GENESIS 45
• EPHESIANS 3
• PSALM 23
• JOEL 2
• LUKE 12

QUESTIONS FOR BIBLE STUDY

1. What does Isaiah 46:9-10 say to you?
2. According to Matthew 6:33 what can we expect god to provide?
3. What do you learn about what happen to us according to Genesis 45:7-9 and Genesis 50:19-20?
4. From Ephesians 3:10 what do we learn about what god has in plan for us?
5. What do you learn about your life and God from Psalm 23?
6. What do you learn from Joel 2 about God and how He deals with you?In Luke 12:15 what do you think Jesus sees life as?

Today's Sermon Devotional.

Here is this week's devotional taken from my Church bulletin:

Scriptures for Bible Study:

• Jeremiah 8
• Jeremiah 17
• Isaiah 29
• Jeremiah 10
• Deuteronomy 4
• Matthew 15
• James 1

Bible study questions:

1. What is the difference between wisdom and knowledge?
2. What is the difference between knowledge and understanding?
3. What was the problem God was trying to deal with through Jeremiah?
4. How would you describe the people spoken of in Isaiah 29:13 and Matthew 15:8?
5. What is the difference between the knowledge of Jesus and a relationship with Jesus?
6. How might a person think he is saved, yet not be?

Today's Sermon Devotional.

Hello Everyone,

Well here's something a bit different for the normal bulletin sermon devotional that I post every Sunday. Today my father chose to go a different route. He does that every-so-often to shake things up. So here it is:

SCRIPTURE FROM THE MESSAGE FOR STUDY:

• MATTHEW 12
• MICAH 6
• JOHN 15
• JOHN 1
• ISAIAH 1
• JOHN 6
• HOSEA 6
• MARK 3

QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT AND STUDY

1. WHAT TYPE OF PEOPLE ARE TALKED ABOUT IN MATTHEW 12?

2. WHAT ARE WE TO DO TO ACTIVATE THE POWER OF GOD IN OUR LIFE?

3. WHAT IS THE KEY TO GROWTH AND STRENGTH?

4. WHAT ARE WE TO BE IN THE WORLD?

Today's Sermon Devotional.

Afternoon Everyone,

I hope you are having a beautiful day. Don't forget that PAX TV is showing the making of The Passion of The Christ tonight at 9 pm eastern.

Here's the sermone devotional from today's bulletin:

Romans 8 puts a great deal of emphasis on the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is mentioned 19 times in this chapter. We see that through and by the Holy Spirit the way of victory is experienced.

Paul shares with us that because of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit we have a new law, a new Lord and a new life. In this chapter Paul talks about the status of the believer in the Kingdom of God.

Under the new law we live not according to the flesh, but according to the Holy Spirit. As the redeemed of God we have been set free from the law, the bondage and control of sin, and free from the penalty of sin which is death. As Paul puts it, "There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

As the children of God we have a new Lord. We live in a different Kingdom with a different King; King Jesus. Now our mind is set on the things of the Holy Spirit. We never stop looking to the Holy Spirit for guidance, light and power. The Holy Spirit controls the believer's mind, motives and body. It is through the Spirit that our minds are renewed, our motives become pure and our bodies are made alive.

As born again people we have a new life. We are now the Sons and Daughters of God and joint heirs with Jesus. Paul emphasizes our sonship, our being part of the Family of God. Because of Jesus we now have life, abundant and with quality. Because of Jesus we have eternal life and security.

We have so much to be thankful for as God's children. We will not in this life wholly comprehend the fullness of our place in the Kingdom of God.

• ROMANS 8


• I CORINTHIANS 15


• JAMES 4


• LUKE 11


• JOHN 16


• GALATIANS 4


• REVELATION 22


• MARK 4

Written by Rev. Harold M. Paxton, Jr.

Today's Sermon Devotional.

Good Afternoon,

I hope you didn't neglect to join together with fellow brothers and sisters in worship of Christ this Sunday morning.

Here is the sermon devotional from today's bulletin:

Man was created to have a relationship with God. Man was created in the image of God. When man sinned in the Garden of Eden that relationship was broken and the capacity for that relationship, which God filled, became a void. The truth is that no matter how much man strives to fill that void he can't, only God can.

Jesus died not only to save us from hell, but He died to restore the relationship with God for which we were created. Salvation brings us into a new and glorious relationship with the living God. We can come into the presence of the Holy God without fear because of what Jesus did on the cross.

Man without God is under the control of satan and is at odds with God. Man without God will fight God on every front. Man will challenge God and His way because man wants to do what he wants even if it destroys him.

Jesus came to give life, to restore that life which was lost in the garden. Those without Jesus live in darkness and are blind so they think they know what is best even though they are living a life of misery and headed to eternal death. What seems to be true to those in darkness and blindness is in error.
Jesus came and died on Calvary that whosoever believes on Him shall have life, abundant life now and eternal life to come.

• JOHN 3
• COLOSSIANS 1
• ROMANS 9
• ROMANS 6
• ROMANS 10
• ACTS 4
• HEBREWS 2
• MATTHEW 18