Holy Spirit Chasers

I am convinced that if God’s people will be faithful to Him and each other, and if they will allow themselves to become empty vessels in which the Holy Spirit can inhabit, we will look like the church spoken of in the bible.

 Many who identify as Christians today are searching for something. They say that they wish to find a place of worship if only for one night to feel the Holy Spirit. What however are these people doing to help their own church homes where many identify as a member?

The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit is like the wind, He can come and go as He chooses. Many who claim to have an encounter with the Holy Spirit are only caught up in the emotionalism of the Preachers preaching style, or the quality of the music.  In fact, those are the two things that most Holy Spirit chasers pursue. While they are driving all over the place searching, their own church family goes without the spiritual gifts that the searcher has been given to uplift them.

Acts Chapter 2 verse 46 says, "Daily they frequented the temple together and ate their meals at home together. So they received nourishment, 47 praising God with happy and sincere hearts, and enjoying the good will of all the people, while daily the Lord added to the group those who were being saved.

Let us stay together, meeting together every chance we can, to praise our almighty Savior. Let us find repentance in His shed blood. Let us celebrate that He is risen and that we will someday to. Let us all be found together when the Holy Spirit decides to fill us and blow through our midst like a mighty rushing wind. 

Esther Fleece - White Chair Film - I Am Second®

Under Cover Neighbor

Julie and I as most of you know have left our home and family in the beautiful piedmont of North Carolina for the community of Rocky Point, NC about 12 miles from Wilmington, NC. We are new residents in a brand new subdivision called the Knolls at Turkey Creek. If you are wondering if there is an actual creek near the neighborhood, the answer is yes.
In our 19 years of marriage we have lived in four previous neighborhoods. We have had neighbors that we loved and cared for greatly and others, well let's just say we had to call the police on more than one occasion. So back to the new neighborhood. When we first looked at the house we now live in we met the first couple that moved into the subdivision and I told them that I was a local pastor.
Many of the neighbors approach me with, "We have heard that you are a Pastor." I'm not ashamed to be a follower of Jesus Christ, however sometimes people don't give you the benefit of the doubt and actually fear you to the point that they go the other way when they see you coming without even knowing anything actually about you.
So my new approach with our new neighbors that have moved in on either side of us is not to mention what I do for a living. I have invited one of them to church and mentioned to the other that I have a great faith in Jesus, but I haven't told them that I am a minister. I guess I want them to get to know us before they find out. So many people put up such a bogus façade when they know what you do and you never get the opportunity to get to know them. I have always been quick to let everyone know what I do in the past, but this time we will see if we make better friends and good neighbors for how we live instead of telling people what we do and setting the bar so high in the first encounter that you never get that chance. After all, we are just people like everyone else, we just have a great responsibility when it comes to humanity.

To club or not to club that is the question?

Recently my family took a trip to Virginia Beach. To make the trip more special, I thought it would be nice to eat at some interesting places perhaps off the beaten path. My wife and I watch a show on the Food Network called, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, the show showcases the restaurants that usually seem to be exceptional at making something different. Before we left for our trip I found that the show had been to the area at least four times. To make a long story short, we ate at two of them and they both were very different than what we may have chosen had I not tried this approach.

Living in North Carolina we have an excellent magazine called, "Our State." I was thinking of starting a club in the Asheboro area that would travel together to the restaurants featured in the magazine. The approach would be the same as my trip to Virginia Beach, however it would be a chance to meet other foodies, (people who like to eat something different and exceptional). I guess my question is, who would be interested in being in my club?

Sensitivity Training Needed at Bottom Dollar

Tonight I ran out to Bottom Dollar to pick up a short list of things that my wife and family needed. Once in the door I looked in the bin where they normally keep the boxes to box your groceries. One very large box was present and with only 5 things on my list I chose to look for a smaller box somewhere in the large expanse of the grocery store. Just as I was walking to the checkout counter I spotted a half empty box that contained apple juice. I guess my background in the grocery business was enough in my own mind to think I could use the box and stack the remaining bottles of juice nicely into a display. Just as I was completing my perfect display, a store employee approached me and told me that I couldn't have the box. She told me that the display must stay even and that if I used the box the display would be wrong. I was really disappointed in her. As I walked away I told her that I really appreciated her response and started wondering how I would get my items home. Eight cents bought me the one plastic bag that held the majority of my items. I really hated buying that shopping bag, knowing that the free box that I had in my hand would eventually find it's way into the box bin. Someone should teach the employees of Bottom Dollar a little sensitivity.