Crucifying Distractions

Pastor Terry Tatum Our current sermon series, “Crucified with Christ,” was designed to take us through the season of Lent (season of repentance) and prepare us for the remembrance of the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus. In this series we have discussed crucifying unbelief, pride and excuses. Today we will look at the need to crucify distractions that keep us from living an abundant life with Christ.   There are a lot of things in this world that distract us. I wish I could say that things get better as we get older, but that’s not true for me. …

Crucifying Unbelief

Pastor Craig Carter The disciples had been traveling with Jesus for more than three years when He made the astonishing declarations we looked at last week.  First of all, Christ informed them, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” (Luke 9:22 NIV) As disturbing as that news was to His followers, His second announcement was even more troubling.  Then [Jesus] said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple …

How to Pray with Power

Pastor Craig Carter In our current sermon series, we’ve gained insights from Pete Greig’s book, How to Pray: A Simple Guide for Normal People. In the book, Pete suggests the Lord’s Prayer is structured around four basic steps captured by the acrostic, P.R.A.Y. – Pause, Rejoice, Ask, Yield.  First, we pause in prayer by remembering whose presence we’re in – Our Father. We come before the Lord in silence and stillness. Next, we rejoice in prayer because we have a Father in heaven and hallowed, or holy, is His name. We praise Him for who He is and thank Him …

How to Deal with Unanswered Prayer

Pastor Craig Carter  In our current series we are learning how to pray based on a prayer Jesus taught us called the Lord’s Prayer.  Last week Pastor Terry addressed how we need to ask in prayer. He said that in our prayers of petition and intercession we should give God a chance, be bold and specific in our requests, and ask in faith. Since we have a loving Father who wants to give good gifts to His children, in our asking we receive, in our seeking we find, and in our knocking doors are opened. And we all know the …

How to Rejoice in Prayer

Pastor Craig Carter During our current sermon series we are learning how to pray based on a prayer Jesus taught us called the Lord’s Prayer. It is found in Matthew chapter six and Luke chapter eleven. Last week we observed that in order to start praying we actually need to stop praying. We learned how to pause in prayer and spend time in silence and solitude. It is in quietness and stillness that we are able to position ourselves to hear from God and receive all that He has for us.  And that pause is prompted by the way in …

Back to the Basics

Pastor Craig Carter By definition, for a comeback to occur, some adverse circumstances must be experienced. It may be an athlete that suffers a career-threatening injury, a business that faces financial ruin, or a church like ours that loses its facilities in a Cat-5 hurricane. In each instance, a setback occurs that prevents the person or organization from operating at their peak level or the ways in which they are accustomed.  In other words, they are knocked down a notch or two and may even suffer the loss of all that they had accomplished previously. And for a comeback story …

A Winning Battle Plan

Pastor Craig Carter In our current sermon series — reading through the Old Testament books of Joshua and Judges — we have learned some important life lessons on courage, leadership, and faith from characters like Joshua and Caleb.  More than anything the book of Joshua reads like a history book as it describes the Israelites’ invasion and occupation of the Promised Land of Canaan. It chronicles three separate military campaigns that include thirteen battles through which 31 cities are conquered.  Of course, the most famous of those was the battle of Jericho. You’d be hard pressed to find anyone who …

Holy Week Communion and Prayer Service

kris

Please join Lynn Haven UMC on Wednesday, 31 at 6:15 pm for our Holy Week Communion and Prayer Service. This event will take place in the Community Room, in lieu of our regularly scheduled Wednesday Bible Study. This event will be a devoted time of prayer, quiet reflection and the celebration of Holy Communion. All are welcome to step forward, by the leading of the Holy Spirit, to share and receive prayer during this service.   Photo by James Coleman on Unsplash

Develop Great Habits

Pastor Craig Carter How many of you have made a resolution to get in better physical condition this year? How many of you have already broken that resolution? How many of you have given up on the idea long ago and resigned yourself to being flabby and out of shape? I must confess I probably haven’t been in this poor of physical shape since I was about six months old – when I could barely crawl…and I’m not far away from that now! It’s not that I don’t believe it’s beneficial and it’s not that I don’t desire to be. …