The Africa Missions team discusses their trip and the impact that our church has made on others in this Wednesday evening service.
Africa Missions Update
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
www.churchatmirrorlake.com
A Life-Giving Church for People Just Like You!
Whether you are full of questions or ready to jump right in, there is a place for you at The Church at Mirror Lake. Our church is a place where you can build relationships with others, experience God in worship, be empowered by practical, life-giving teaching from God's Word, and have fun doing it.
Together, we are living the Winner's Life as we learn to love, serve, reach, grow and connect. So whether you're a spiritual seeker starting to ask questions about God, or a committed Christian looking to sink your faith roots even deeper, you'll feel at home at The Church at Mirror Lake.
If you believe Jesus really meant it when He said, "I came so people can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of," (John 10:10 Message Translation) then join us this weekend at one of our Jesus Celebrations. Until then, browse our website (a link is on the right of this page) where you'll find lots of helpful info and feel free to download one of our service messages or subscribe to our weekly podcast where you will receive the fresh, life-giving Word of God.
_________________________________________________________________
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
2 Corinthians 9:10 “For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer
and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your
resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.”
Protecting Your Harvest:
You have planted your seed; you’ve given your offering. You have expectations of a harvest from your seed. So now it’s all in God’s hands and your responsibility is over, right? No way. The offering is not the end; in fact it is probably more of a beginning. As we see in Paul’s writing to the Church at Corinth, it is God’s desire to see a continual harvest of generosity in our lives.
He gives us the seed so that living open-handed becomes a lifestyle rather than an event. It is important to Him for us to receive the intended harvest so we can truly live generously.
Most of us know the Parable of the Sower from the Gospels. In it, Jesus explains how the key to Kingdom harvest is our hearts, our souls. The parable is also a practical look at effective sowing and reaping. Let’s look at some tips from Jesus on making sure your seed produces a harvest.
o Key Thought #1: Matthew 13:4 “As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them.”
The birds are eating the seed on the path. The birds represent our enemy-satan and the forces of darkness, and the path represents the choices we make. Our harvest is dependent on protecting our thoughts. As we walk our “path” we will encounter “crossroads” where choices are made. It is here where our enemy seeks to steal our seed. Our choices cannot be driven by fear, doubt or unbelief. They must be a response to God’s Word. Protect your seed by speaking the Word over it. When wrong thinking comes—thoughts like “I should not have given” or “I could have used that money somewhere else”—immediately respond with God’s promises. Note that when Jesus was tempted by satan in the wilderness there is no gap, no hesitation, between satan’s words toward Him and His response with God’s Word. Stay on the path to a full harvest by filling your soul with God’s promises concerning you and your harvest.
o Key Thought #2: Matthew 13:5-6 “Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died.”
Here, Jesus lets us know that our seed will be attacked and the key to victory is deep roots. In Ephesians 3:17 Paul tells us that sinking our roots deep into God’s love will release the power of Christ in our faith. In Colossians 2:7, Paul teaches us that thanksgiving is how we become firmly established. In the “heat” of the attack—negative thoughts, fear, doubt or unbelief—sink your roots deep by giving thanks to God for His unconditional love towards us. Fill your heart and your mouth with His praise. In Leviticus 19:19, God warns us that planting two types of seed in the same field will destroy the harvest. When we live with an attitude of gratitude, we keep the negative seeds of doubt, fear and unbelief from messing up the good seed in our field.
o Key Thought #3: Matthew 13:7 “Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants.” Jesus describes the thorns as allowing things to become complicated by the worries and concerns of this world. In Jeremiah 4:3, the Lord warns us that these complications will harden our hearts and choke our harvest.
So how do we keep it simple—
o First, remember a seed cannot produce unless it dies. Release your ownership of the seed. It never was ours to begin with, but we sometimes take ownership of it with our thoughts. It was God’s before you had it, it was God’s when you had it, and it is God’s now that you have planted it. Don’t dig it up by taking ownership of it with worry. Don’t allow complications—bills, unforeseen circumstances, etc.—to birth worry and concern that will dig up the seed. Thank Him for being trustworthy. Remember His promise of a guaranteed harvest. Galatians 6:9 “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”
o Second, stay focused. You were focused with the seed. Be focused with the harvest. God’s defined harvest is generosity. Keep finding ways to be generous. When you receive harvest, use it to position yourself for greater generosity. Don’t just spend it thoughtlessly. Be as thoughtful with the harvest as you were with the seed. Give generously, pay off debt. Put yourself in a place where God can pour more harvest through you to advance His Kingdom!
o Key Thought #4: Matthew 13:8 “Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
Jesus is challenging us to think in Kingdom realms. Think bigger, expect bigger. Our God wants to release a harvest in us and through us that is bigger than we can ask or think. Train yourself to be fertile, rich soil by thinking God-sized thoughts. Pray expectantly, speak expectantly, plan expectantly. Don’t settle for a minimal harvest. Our God is faithful and our enemy is on the prowl for unprotected and unclaimed harvest. Live by faith. Challenge yourself daily by believing and confessing greatness. Jesus plainly states here that we should not only be expecting a harvest, but that we should be expecting big!
and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your
resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.”
Protecting Your Harvest:
You have planted your seed; you’ve given your offering. You have expectations of a harvest from your seed. So now it’s all in God’s hands and your responsibility is over, right? No way. The offering is not the end; in fact it is probably more of a beginning. As we see in Paul’s writing to the Church at Corinth, it is God’s desire to see a continual harvest of generosity in our lives.
He gives us the seed so that living open-handed becomes a lifestyle rather than an event. It is important to Him for us to receive the intended harvest so we can truly live generously.
Most of us know the Parable of the Sower from the Gospels. In it, Jesus explains how the key to Kingdom harvest is our hearts, our souls. The parable is also a practical look at effective sowing and reaping. Let’s look at some tips from Jesus on making sure your seed produces a harvest.
o Key Thought #1: Matthew 13:4 “As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them.”
The birds are eating the seed on the path. The birds represent our enemy-satan and the forces of darkness, and the path represents the choices we make. Our harvest is dependent on protecting our thoughts. As we walk our “path” we will encounter “crossroads” where choices are made. It is here where our enemy seeks to steal our seed. Our choices cannot be driven by fear, doubt or unbelief. They must be a response to God’s Word. Protect your seed by speaking the Word over it. When wrong thinking comes—thoughts like “I should not have given” or “I could have used that money somewhere else”—immediately respond with God’s promises. Note that when Jesus was tempted by satan in the wilderness there is no gap, no hesitation, between satan’s words toward Him and His response with God’s Word. Stay on the path to a full harvest by filling your soul with God’s promises concerning you and your harvest.
o Key Thought #2: Matthew 13:5-6 “Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died.”
Here, Jesus lets us know that our seed will be attacked and the key to victory is deep roots. In Ephesians 3:17 Paul tells us that sinking our roots deep into God’s love will release the power of Christ in our faith. In Colossians 2:7, Paul teaches us that thanksgiving is how we become firmly established. In the “heat” of the attack—negative thoughts, fear, doubt or unbelief—sink your roots deep by giving thanks to God for His unconditional love towards us. Fill your heart and your mouth with His praise. In Leviticus 19:19, God warns us that planting two types of seed in the same field will destroy the harvest. When we live with an attitude of gratitude, we keep the negative seeds of doubt, fear and unbelief from messing up the good seed in our field.
o Key Thought #3: Matthew 13:7 “Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants.” Jesus describes the thorns as allowing things to become complicated by the worries and concerns of this world. In Jeremiah 4:3, the Lord warns us that these complications will harden our hearts and choke our harvest.
So how do we keep it simple—
o First, remember a seed cannot produce unless it dies. Release your ownership of the seed. It never was ours to begin with, but we sometimes take ownership of it with our thoughts. It was God’s before you had it, it was God’s when you had it, and it is God’s now that you have planted it. Don’t dig it up by taking ownership of it with worry. Don’t allow complications—bills, unforeseen circumstances, etc.—to birth worry and concern that will dig up the seed. Thank Him for being trustworthy. Remember His promise of a guaranteed harvest. Galatians 6:9 “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”
o Second, stay focused. You were focused with the seed. Be focused with the harvest. God’s defined harvest is generosity. Keep finding ways to be generous. When you receive harvest, use it to position yourself for greater generosity. Don’t just spend it thoughtlessly. Be as thoughtful with the harvest as you were with the seed. Give generously, pay off debt. Put yourself in a place where God can pour more harvest through you to advance His Kingdom!
o Key Thought #4: Matthew 13:8 “Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
Jesus is challenging us to think in Kingdom realms. Think bigger, expect bigger. Our God wants to release a harvest in us and through us that is bigger than we can ask or think. Train yourself to be fertile, rich soil by thinking God-sized thoughts. Pray expectantly, speak expectantly, plan expectantly. Don’t settle for a minimal harvest. Our God is faithful and our enemy is on the prowl for unprotected and unclaimed harvest. Live by faith. Challenge yourself daily by believing and confessing greatness. Jesus plainly states here that we should not only be expecting a harvest, but that we should be expecting big!
Monday, October 26, 2009
10/25/09 - GameDay PT3 - Generosity - Pastor Tony Ashmore
Pastor Tony Ashmore continues the series "GameDay - Are You Playing To Win?" with part 3 - Generosity "Living With An Open Hand".
GameDay PT3 - Generosity
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, October 25, 2009
www.churchatmirrorlake.com
Sermon Notes:
Turn Loose and Score
- Deuteronomy 15:7 “Live with an open hand. Don’t be tight-fisted with the blessings the Lord gives you.”
* Note what living with a closed hand does to your body. Open your hand and the whole body feels more relaxed. You cannot hit the long bomb and score profusely unless you turn loose of the ball!
Follow the Playbook
- Psalm 145:16 “You open Your hand And satisfy the desire of every living thing.”
* When we live with an open hand, we are living in the image of our Father—like Jesus did (“I say what I hear Him say and I do what I see Him do.”). His plans for us are better than our plans for us and His plans benefit the whole Kingdom, not just our kingdom.
Open Up the Field
- Proverbs 11:24(Message) "The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller."
* Scoring in the “Redzone” is tougher because the field is smaller and easier for the defense to protect. Living with an open hand creates more opportunities, keeps our enemy on his heels, and is just more fun. It is the faith race instead of the rat race. It is a grace-filled life of wonder instead of a stress-filled life of worry.
Final Word
We all have things we hold with an open hand and things we hold with a closed hand. There’s a big difference between the two. To hold something with an open hand is to have it in your possession, to have rights to it, but not to protect it or view it as an entitlement. To hold something with a closed hand is to clench it and refuse to let it go. There are few things we hold with a tighter fist than money. Or what we call our money. Yet there is no better indication of someone’s heart than holding their money with an open hand and generosity for kingdom work. How closed is your hand on money?
You can know how tightly you hold things when they are threatened to be taken away. We want to be in control. We want to self-manage everything. This is where Paul’s example of missional, Christ-focused living is so helpful. For Paul, his rights were things he held with an open hand. If it is best for the kingdom of God, I’ll give them up. Go without. Make tents. Not have a wife along. Not receive support. Open Hand. Anything for the Kingdom. He said it this way in Philippians 1:21, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” He held his whole life with an open hand. Was Paul a fool or did he realize something we often don’t?
In the words of Jim Elliot, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” It only seems like we can hold on to anything. What do we really control? Nothing. God is glorified when we trust Him enough to hold everything with an open hand. God, you can take these from me because I believe what you will do with them is better than what I would do with them. I want what you want, therefore all I have is yours. I have trusted you with my eternity; I can offer everything else to you as well.
GameDay PT3 - Generosity
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, October 25, 2009
www.churchatmirrorlake.com
Sermon Notes:
Turn Loose and Score
- Deuteronomy 15:7 “Live with an open hand. Don’t be tight-fisted with the blessings the Lord gives you.”
* Note what living with a closed hand does to your body. Open your hand and the whole body feels more relaxed. You cannot hit the long bomb and score profusely unless you turn loose of the ball!
Follow the Playbook
- Psalm 145:16 “You open Your hand And satisfy the desire of every living thing.”
* When we live with an open hand, we are living in the image of our Father—like Jesus did (“I say what I hear Him say and I do what I see Him do.”). His plans for us are better than our plans for us and His plans benefit the whole Kingdom, not just our kingdom.
Open Up the Field
- Proverbs 11:24(Message) "The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller."
* Scoring in the “Redzone” is tougher because the field is smaller and easier for the defense to protect. Living with an open hand creates more opportunities, keeps our enemy on his heels, and is just more fun. It is the faith race instead of the rat race. It is a grace-filled life of wonder instead of a stress-filled life of worry.
Final Word
We all have things we hold with an open hand and things we hold with a closed hand. There’s a big difference between the two. To hold something with an open hand is to have it in your possession, to have rights to it, but not to protect it or view it as an entitlement. To hold something with a closed hand is to clench it and refuse to let it go. There are few things we hold with a tighter fist than money. Or what we call our money. Yet there is no better indication of someone’s heart than holding their money with an open hand and generosity for kingdom work. How closed is your hand on money?
You can know how tightly you hold things when they are threatened to be taken away. We want to be in control. We want to self-manage everything. This is where Paul’s example of missional, Christ-focused living is so helpful. For Paul, his rights were things he held with an open hand. If it is best for the kingdom of God, I’ll give them up. Go without. Make tents. Not have a wife along. Not receive support. Open Hand. Anything for the Kingdom. He said it this way in Philippians 1:21, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” He held his whole life with an open hand. Was Paul a fool or did he realize something we often don’t?
In the words of Jim Elliot, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” It only seems like we can hold on to anything. What do we really control? Nothing. God is glorified when we trust Him enough to hold everything with an open hand. God, you can take these from me because I believe what you will do with them is better than what I would do with them. I want what you want, therefore all I have is yours. I have trusted you with my eternity; I can offer everything else to you as well.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Talking Money and Making Sense Series Doc's
Following are the links to download documents associated with the "Talking Money and Making Sense Series". You will need Adobe Reader to open the files. The "Filing System" document is the setup for the system that Pastor Tony utilizes and demonstrated during the series.
Poverty or Blessing
Filing System
Poverty or Blessing
Filing System
10/21/09 - Talking Money and Making Sense PT6 - Pastor Tony Ashmore
Pastor Tony Ashmore continues the series "Talking Money and Making Sense" with part 6 in this Wednesday evening service.
Talking Money and Making Sense PT6
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
www.churchatmirrorlake.com
Sermon Notes:
* Not enough that we survive—God wants us to thrive. His ultimate goal is for us to live in the land of more than enough—a land of sowing and reaping.
* 2 Kings 4:1—widow’s husband was a man who loved and served God, but died broke.
5 Precepts for Financial Freedom
1. Keep Good Records
- Know what you are stewarding. Proverbs 24-3-4—Profit comes when we stay abreast of the facts.
2. Tithe and Give
- Proverbs 3:9-10. Keep seed in the ground. Sow little, reap little
3. Save for the Future
- Prov 6:6-8. Saving is a Biblical principle. Pay God, Pay yourself, Pay who you owe
4. Develop a Spending Plan
- Proverbs 16:3-9—a plan (supernatural part) + hard work (natural part) = success Luke 14:23. Do you have a 5 year spending plan. ING’s ad—What’s your number?
5. Enjoy What You Have
- Prosper where you are planted. Hebrews 13:5-6 “Quit waiting until you can make a big dent. Start making small dents now.” Dino Rizzo Proverbs 13:11 “little by little makes it grow”
Bible’s 10 Financial Commandments
- 1 Corinthians 10:11—The things that happened to Israel in their journey were as examples for us in these later days.
1. Be a tither and giver. The tithe is the first and the best 10%. Malachi 3:10
2. Provide for your own family’s needs - 1 Timothy 5:8
3. Purchase a home for you and your family - Jeremiah 29:5
4. Leave an inheritance for your children and grandchildren - Proverbs 13:22
5. Give to missions and ministers - 1 Corinthians 9:9-11
6. Pay your debts and your taxes - Romans 13:8; Mark 12:17
7. Give to the poor and organizations that help the poor - Proverbs 28:27
8. Give generously to every good work - 2 Corinthians 9:6-12
9. Work hard with your own hands - Ephesians 4:28
10. Lay up treasures in your Heavenly bank account - Matthew 6:20-21
a. Souls are the only thing we can take to heaven
b. Influence for the Kingdom wins souls
Practical Application
* Order precedes Increase
* If you measure it, it will improve.
* Budgeting is a Biblical principle
If we don’t budget to tithe and give, we will find ourselves at the end of the month with nothing or little to give, thereby robbing God of an opportunity to bless and us of an opportunity to be blessed.
We are sentencing ourselves to a life lived in the Land of Never Enough.
Talking Money and Making Sense PT6
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
www.churchatmirrorlake.com
Sermon Notes:
* Not enough that we survive—God wants us to thrive. His ultimate goal is for us to live in the land of more than enough—a land of sowing and reaping.
* 2 Kings 4:1—widow’s husband was a man who loved and served God, but died broke.
5 Precepts for Financial Freedom
1. Keep Good Records
- Know what you are stewarding. Proverbs 24-3-4—Profit comes when we stay abreast of the facts.
2. Tithe and Give
- Proverbs 3:9-10. Keep seed in the ground. Sow little, reap little
3. Save for the Future
- Prov 6:6-8. Saving is a Biblical principle. Pay God, Pay yourself, Pay who you owe
4. Develop a Spending Plan
- Proverbs 16:3-9—a plan (supernatural part) + hard work (natural part) = success Luke 14:23. Do you have a 5 year spending plan. ING’s ad—What’s your number?
5. Enjoy What You Have
- Prosper where you are planted. Hebrews 13:5-6 “Quit waiting until you can make a big dent. Start making small dents now.” Dino Rizzo Proverbs 13:11 “little by little makes it grow”
Bible’s 10 Financial Commandments
- 1 Corinthians 10:11—The things that happened to Israel in their journey were as examples for us in these later days.
1. Be a tither and giver. The tithe is the first and the best 10%. Malachi 3:10
2. Provide for your own family’s needs - 1 Timothy 5:8
3. Purchase a home for you and your family - Jeremiah 29:5
4. Leave an inheritance for your children and grandchildren - Proverbs 13:22
5. Give to missions and ministers - 1 Corinthians 9:9-11
6. Pay your debts and your taxes - Romans 13:8; Mark 12:17
7. Give to the poor and organizations that help the poor - Proverbs 28:27
8. Give generously to every good work - 2 Corinthians 9:6-12
9. Work hard with your own hands - Ephesians 4:28
10. Lay up treasures in your Heavenly bank account - Matthew 6:20-21
a. Souls are the only thing we can take to heaven
b. Influence for the Kingdom wins souls
Practical Application
* Order precedes Increase
* If you measure it, it will improve.
* Budgeting is a Biblical principle
If we don’t budget to tithe and give, we will find ourselves at the end of the month with nothing or little to give, thereby robbing God of an opportunity to bless and us of an opportunity to be blessed.
We are sentencing ourselves to a life lived in the Land of Never Enough.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
10/18/09 - GameDay PT2 - Disappointment - Pastor Tony Ashmore
Pastor Tony Ashmore continues the series "GameDay - Are You Playing To Win?" with part 2 - Disappointment.
GameDay PT2 - Disappointment
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, October 18, 2009
www.churchatmirrorlake.com
Sermon Notes:
Disappointment
Why are we disappointed? What's going on in us that makes it so tough?
What is the root cause of the pain, fear, anger?
What is fueling our reaction?
Dis-appointment—to undo the appointment or to frustrate expectations
* Are we putting too much into the wrong appointments? When they are undone they wreck us, set us back, throw us into confusion. Stake your life (righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit) on appointments that cannot be undone.
* When can we expect disappointment to disappear? 2 Thessalonians 1:7 “…when Jesus returns…”
Romans 5:4-5 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
Jeremiah 29:13 Message “When you come looking for me, you'll find me. "Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed."
Disappointment:
* Unanswered questions—goal: erode trust and attack faith which leads to insulation which leads to isolation
* Hurt, pain, disillusionment—goal: withdrawal and depression, paralysis which lead to insulation which lead to isolation
* Cynicism, inability to trust—goal: self-sufficiency and insulation which leads to isolation
Antidote:
* Trust in appointments made by God—those that will be kept—“though the fig tree fail to blossom and no fruit be on the vine…” “…I will never leave you or forsake you…”. Example—You choose who you make yourself vulnerable to. You choose to be a victim or a victor. There is one, and one alone, who will always keep His appointments and always be by my side, even when I don’t see Him and understand what is going on.
* Unwavering trust in God and His Word—“not moved by what I feel or what I see”. “In Christ, His promises are yes and amen.” Example: When it looked like people we loved, our kids, were making choices that were taking them away from us and God, knowing that the Word of God we had sown in them was good seed and would come up. Opinions, good human practices and principles, all that good stuff were not working, but we knew God’s Word has stood the test of time, has always proven faithful and will always be faithful.
* The ability to look beyond the moment, to believe that in all things God is working and that even though I don’t understand what is going on right now, I will land on my feet and maybe even see the hand of God in what has happened. Example: all the years that led up to where I am now—years of knowing I was called to pastor yet no opportunities, working a job I knew wasn’t my destiny, doing things that seemed like a waste of time. Every one of those things has proven to be helpful—understanding processes, leadership development, group therapy with behaviorally challenged kids.
Sometimes, there will be no answers to our questions, at least not on this earth. That is when we encounter a “crisis of faith”—do we really trust God with our lives, our hurts, our disappointments or are we once again going to depend on our own abilities to meet those needs. Is living for God really what we want or does it just sound good to us? When we say “It is no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me”—does that only apply when it is going the way we want it to go? I am not my own, I have been bought with a price and the One who bought me loves me unconditionally and cares for me with more love than I can fathom. If He knows when a sparrow falls from the sky, how much more does He know and care about my hurts? If he knows the numbers of hairs on my heads and has collected every tear I have ever cried, how can I not believe he knows my pain, my aloneness, my rejection and depression and is working to turn what is meant to bring me harm into good?
GameDay PT2 - Disappointment
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, October 18, 2009
www.churchatmirrorlake.com
Sermon Notes:
Disappointment
Why are we disappointed? What's going on in us that makes it so tough?
What is the root cause of the pain, fear, anger?
What is fueling our reaction?
Dis-appointment—to undo the appointment or to frustrate expectations
* Are we putting too much into the wrong appointments? When they are undone they wreck us, set us back, throw us into confusion. Stake your life (righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit) on appointments that cannot be undone.
* When can we expect disappointment to disappear? 2 Thessalonians 1:7 “…when Jesus returns…”
Romans 5:4-5 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
Jeremiah 29:13 Message “When you come looking for me, you'll find me. "Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed."
Disappointment:
* Unanswered questions—goal: erode trust and attack faith which leads to insulation which leads to isolation
* Hurt, pain, disillusionment—goal: withdrawal and depression, paralysis which lead to insulation which lead to isolation
* Cynicism, inability to trust—goal: self-sufficiency and insulation which leads to isolation
Antidote:
* Trust in appointments made by God—those that will be kept—“though the fig tree fail to blossom and no fruit be on the vine…” “…I will never leave you or forsake you…”. Example—You choose who you make yourself vulnerable to. You choose to be a victim or a victor. There is one, and one alone, who will always keep His appointments and always be by my side, even when I don’t see Him and understand what is going on.
* Unwavering trust in God and His Word—“not moved by what I feel or what I see”. “In Christ, His promises are yes and amen.” Example: When it looked like people we loved, our kids, were making choices that were taking them away from us and God, knowing that the Word of God we had sown in them was good seed and would come up. Opinions, good human practices and principles, all that good stuff were not working, but we knew God’s Word has stood the test of time, has always proven faithful and will always be faithful.
* The ability to look beyond the moment, to believe that in all things God is working and that even though I don’t understand what is going on right now, I will land on my feet and maybe even see the hand of God in what has happened. Example: all the years that led up to where I am now—years of knowing I was called to pastor yet no opportunities, working a job I knew wasn’t my destiny, doing things that seemed like a waste of time. Every one of those things has proven to be helpful—understanding processes, leadership development, group therapy with behaviorally challenged kids.
Sometimes, there will be no answers to our questions, at least not on this earth. That is when we encounter a “crisis of faith”—do we really trust God with our lives, our hurts, our disappointments or are we once again going to depend on our own abilities to meet those needs. Is living for God really what we want or does it just sound good to us? When we say “It is no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me”—does that only apply when it is going the way we want it to go? I am not my own, I have been bought with a price and the One who bought me loves me unconditionally and cares for me with more love than I can fathom. If He knows when a sparrow falls from the sky, how much more does He know and care about my hurts? If he knows the numbers of hairs on my heads and has collected every tear I have ever cried, how can I not believe he knows my pain, my aloneness, my rejection and depression and is working to turn what is meant to bring me harm into good?
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Africa Blog Saturday Night
Final Blog:
The team is on the night bus to Kampala, arriving there at 5 AM Sunday. They will check into the YWCA for a shower and nap before seeing some of the city with an in-country missionary. They will board their flight to Amsterdam Sunday night at 10 PM and, after changing planes in Amsterdam, will arrive in Atlanta Monday at 1:40 PM. Here is the report from Sheryll for the last 48 hours:
Friday was an off-day for the team and they went on a safari. Again, for our team, no day is ordinary. They saw lots of animals, climbed a waterfall, and took a boat up the legendary Nile River. While on the boat trip along with other sight-seers, a big storm with thunder and lightning developed. Their boat captain mistakenly ran their vessel aground in the middle of the river on a sand bar. He needed help from volunteers to jump in the hippo and croc filled river with him and push the boat free. Our men jumped in while all the others sat there watching. They pushed while our ladies guided the boat and watched for crocs. They freed the boat and got the passengers out of the storm. Ever the heroes, our group! Then it was off to a café in Arua for dinner.
The team spent Saturday working in the HIV orphan project. Sheryll said it was the best day yet, and that we would be very proud of our team. Back in camp, the overseer of the group of bush churches the team met with Sunday hiked to see our team before they left. He wanted them to know that the things they had shared with the pastors Wednesday were already being put to use and people who had left the churches were committing to return! He walked all that way because it was important for our team to know of their impact in those churches.
They spent the rest of the day packing for their trip home, then gathered together with the base camp team for a party, complete with beef and rice and a cake cooked over the open fire. Then it was on the bus to begin the long journey home.
Please keep praying for their safe travel and return home.
The team is on the night bus to Kampala, arriving there at 5 AM Sunday. They will check into the YWCA for a shower and nap before seeing some of the city with an in-country missionary. They will board their flight to Amsterdam Sunday night at 10 PM and, after changing planes in Amsterdam, will arrive in Atlanta Monday at 1:40 PM. Here is the report from Sheryll for the last 48 hours:
Friday was an off-day for the team and they went on a safari. Again, for our team, no day is ordinary. They saw lots of animals, climbed a waterfall, and took a boat up the legendary Nile River. While on the boat trip along with other sight-seers, a big storm with thunder and lightning developed. Their boat captain mistakenly ran their vessel aground in the middle of the river on a sand bar. He needed help from volunteers to jump in the hippo and croc filled river with him and push the boat free. Our men jumped in while all the others sat there watching. They pushed while our ladies guided the boat and watched for crocs. They freed the boat and got the passengers out of the storm. Ever the heroes, our group! Then it was off to a café in Arua for dinner.
The team spent Saturday working in the HIV orphan project. Sheryll said it was the best day yet, and that we would be very proud of our team. Back in camp, the overseer of the group of bush churches the team met with Sunday hiked to see our team before they left. He wanted them to know that the things they had shared with the pastors Wednesday were already being put to use and people who had left the churches were committing to return! He walked all that way because it was important for our team to know of their impact in those churches.
They spent the rest of the day packing for their trip home, then gathered together with the base camp team for a party, complete with beef and rice and a cake cooked over the open fire. Then it was on the bus to begin the long journey home.
Please keep praying for their safe travel and return home.
Friday, October 16, 2009
10/14/09 - Talking Money and Making Sense PT5 - Pastor Tony Ashmore
Pastor Tony Ashmore continues the series "Talking Money and Making Sense" with part 5 in this Wednesday evening service.
Talking Money and Making Sense PT5
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
www.churchatmirrorlake.com
Sermon Notes:
Two Economies:
You get paid for 2 things—what you know and what you do. Find your gift, invest in your gift. God Expects us to succeed in both—You can love God and die broke 2 Kings 4:1 The widow had nothing.
Keys to Success in World’s Economy:
* Hard Work
* Knowledge
* Visions and Plans
Natural + Supernatural = Biblically Blessed
3 Lands:
* Just enough—Egypt—all human effort
* The Wilderness—Just Enough—all supernatural—quail and manna
* More than Enough—The Promised Land—a land of sowing and reaping—human effort combined with the supernatural.
Living in the Land of More Than Enough:
* Keep God and money in the right place.
* Work with a spirit of excellence.
* Be generous.
* Be a cheerful giver.
* Be a strategic giver.
* Recognize seasons.
* Dream Bigger.
* It is OK to fail.
* Live with an abundance mindset.
5 Precepts for Financial Freedom:
1. Keep Good Records
- Know what you are stewarding. Proverbs 24-3-4—Profit comes when we stay abreast of the facts.
2. Tithe and Give
- Proverbs 3:9-10. Keep seed in the ground. Sow little, reap little
3. Save for the Future
- Prov 6:6-8. Saving is a Biblical principle. Pay God, Pay yourself, Pay who you owe
4. Develop a Spending Plan
- Proverbs 16:3-9—a plan (supernatural part) + hard work (natural part) = success Luke 14:23. Do you have a 5 year spending plan?
5. Enjoy What You Have
- Prosper where you are planted. Hebrews 13:5-6 “Quit waiting until you can make a big dent. Start making small dents now.” Dino Rizzo Proverbs 13:11 “little by little makes it grow”.
Talking Money and Making Sense PT5
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
www.churchatmirrorlake.com
Sermon Notes:
Two Economies:
You get paid for 2 things—what you know and what you do. Find your gift, invest in your gift. God Expects us to succeed in both—You can love God and die broke 2 Kings 4:1 The widow had nothing.
Keys to Success in World’s Economy:
* Hard Work
* Knowledge
* Visions and Plans
Natural + Supernatural = Biblically Blessed
3 Lands:
* Just enough—Egypt—all human effort
* The Wilderness—Just Enough—all supernatural—quail and manna
* More than Enough—The Promised Land—a land of sowing and reaping—human effort combined with the supernatural.
Living in the Land of More Than Enough:
* Keep God and money in the right place.
* Work with a spirit of excellence.
* Be generous.
* Be a cheerful giver.
* Be a strategic giver.
* Recognize seasons.
* Dream Bigger.
* It is OK to fail.
* Live with an abundance mindset.
5 Precepts for Financial Freedom:
1. Keep Good Records
- Know what you are stewarding. Proverbs 24-3-4—Profit comes when we stay abreast of the facts.
2. Tithe and Give
- Proverbs 3:9-10. Keep seed in the ground. Sow little, reap little
3. Save for the Future
- Prov 6:6-8. Saving is a Biblical principle. Pay God, Pay yourself, Pay who you owe
4. Develop a Spending Plan
- Proverbs 16:3-9—a plan (supernatural part) + hard work (natural part) = success Luke 14:23. Do you have a 5 year spending plan?
5. Enjoy What You Have
- Prosper where you are planted. Hebrews 13:5-6 “Quit waiting until you can make a big dent. Start making small dents now.” Dino Rizzo Proverbs 13:11 “little by little makes it grow”.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Africa Team Update
Sheryll and I had the days mixed up. The team did not go on safari today. That is tomorrow. Today they spent the morning recuperating. Then, they visited the hospital in Arua again. They had a soft drink in a café and ordered some goat but it was going to take an hour to prepare because of their commitments for this afternoon. This afternoon, the ladies are meeting with Muslim ladies in a village to talk about what the Word of God says about family. The guys have been doing manual labor at the base camp, unloading sand and blocks, installing a sink and repairing some faucets.
Tomorrow they get up very early in order to have the best chance to see lions on the safari. The temperatures have been at or above 100 degrees so the lions go to the watering holes early and then stay out of sight during the heat of the day.
Tomorrow they get up very early in order to have the best chance to see lions on the safari. The temperatures have been at or above 100 degrees so the lions go to the watering holes early and then stay out of sight during the heat of the day.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Africa Team Report 3
Africa Team Blog
Yesterday the team visited a government hospital and prayed with people in the TB ward. The hospital provides free care but the conditions are horrible. There are mangy dogs and cats wandering through the wards, the operating rooms have open windows and the patients are wheeled out of operations to recover under the trees. Many of the people told the team they were hungry. Upon investigating, the team found out the hospital is not able to provide food, each patient’s family is responsible for that. Since many of the patients are refugees from Sudan or Congo, they have no family and subsequently often starve. The team bought what food they could find and will purchase a large bag of rice and some cooking oil when they return Thursday. One of the nurses said people could be found to cook for the patients if the food was supplied.
Yesterday the team visited a government hospital and prayed with people in the TB ward. The hospital provides free care but the conditions are horrible. There are mangy dogs and cats wandering through the wards, the operating rooms have open windows and the patients are wheeled out of operations to recover under the trees. Many of the people told the team they were hungry. Upon investigating, the team found out the hospital is not able to provide food, each patient’s family is responsible for that. Since many of the patients are refugees from Sudan or Congo, they have no family and subsequently often starve. The team bought what food they could find and will purchase a large bag of rice and some cooking oil when they return Thursday. One of the nurses said people could be found to cook for the patients if the food was supplied.
Last night the team slept in a mud hut in the bush about 2 miles from the Congo border. There were poisonous snakes, large spiders, and stories of The Lord’s Army activity nearby in the Congo. Needless to say, not much sleeping. Today was spent conducting training for a group of pastors representing churches in over 70 bush villages! Sheryll said it was one of the most rewarding days yet. She reported that, even with the language barrier, there was camaraderie, a family feel, among them as they talked about being a part of the Body of Christ. The people were very receptive and asked if the team could come back and spend 2 to 3 weeks with them in the bush training church leaders. Dana also participated in the preparation of lunch by killing the chicken at the invitation of the group! Sheryll said that went well when they replaced her dull knife with a sharp one.
Tonight the team returned to the base camp and is enjoying the evening together relaxing after bathing in their outdoor bucket showers. Tomorrow they will take the day off and go on safari. They will rise at about 4 AM, pile in the back of a pickup truck and drive to the national park where a guide will join them for a day of seeing animals, climbing waterfalls and lunch in a restaurant. Les, our YWAM team leader, knew what he was doing when he strategically placed this break in the team’s schedule.
Please continue praying for the team and those to whom they are ministering.
Please continue praying for the team and those to whom they are ministering.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Africa--Monday Night
The day started with the team meeting with the camp missionaries to brainstorm a strategy for a tribe in a remote area of Sudan that has never heard the Gospel. This tribe was cut off from others during World War II when all the roads and bridges to their area were destroyed and never rebuilt. The YWAM team we are supporting found them and our team helped develop plans to reach them.
Next, the team went to men and women’s prisons and spend several hours there ministering to the prisoners. The women were allowed to take the female prisoners outside under the trees for a time of sharing and encouragement. The men’s prison was more strict and the male members of the team participated in a program inside the unit.
Several members of our team gave some of the camp mothers a break by caring for their malaria infected children—giving the moms a much needed time to rest. Most of the families have 5 or 6 kids and malaria infections are common so it is a continual cycle for them. If a child is infected, the mom loads them up on her back, walks about 6 miles on a dusty road in over 100 degree heat to stand in line at a little shack so their child can receive the needed treatment. If treated, most recover within a few days. Malaria is the biggest killer of children in the world.
Tomorrow the team will spend the morning ministering to the sick and hurting in hospitals. Then they will travel to another village to spend the night in order to lead a 5 hour seminar with about 60 pastors who are anxious to spend the day with our group. Our team has been told that this group will be greatly encouraged by their stories about CAML.
Sheryll said that when they first arrived in Uganda and stayed in a hotel in Kampala, they would have described their hotel as minimal at best. It was located on a dark, dirty, dangerous looking alley. The rooms had paper thin walls and the noise outside was non-stop. Now she said they would consider it luxurious!
We are not sure what our communication will be like for the next 2 days, but as soon as I hear more I will give you an update. Keep them in your prayers.
Next, the team went to men and women’s prisons and spend several hours there ministering to the prisoners. The women were allowed to take the female prisoners outside under the trees for a time of sharing and encouragement. The men’s prison was more strict and the male members of the team participated in a program inside the unit.
Several members of our team gave some of the camp mothers a break by caring for their malaria infected children—giving the moms a much needed time to rest. Most of the families have 5 or 6 kids and malaria infections are common so it is a continual cycle for them. If a child is infected, the mom loads them up on her back, walks about 6 miles on a dusty road in over 100 degree heat to stand in line at a little shack so their child can receive the needed treatment. If treated, most recover within a few days. Malaria is the biggest killer of children in the world.
Tomorrow the team will spend the morning ministering to the sick and hurting in hospitals. Then they will travel to another village to spend the night in order to lead a 5 hour seminar with about 60 pastors who are anxious to spend the day with our group. Our team has been told that this group will be greatly encouraged by their stories about CAML.
Sheryll said that when they first arrived in Uganda and stayed in a hotel in Kampala, they would have described their hotel as minimal at best. It was located on a dark, dirty, dangerous looking alley. The rooms had paper thin walls and the noise outside was non-stop. Now she said they would consider it luxurious!
We are not sure what our communication will be like for the next 2 days, but as soon as I hear more I will give you an update. Keep them in your prayers.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
10/11/09 - GameDay PT1 - Communication - Pastor Tony Ashmore
Pastor Tony Ashmore begins a new series entitled "GameDay - Are You Playing To Win?" with part 1 - Communication.
GameDay PT1 - Communication
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, October 11, 2009
www.churchatmirrorlake.com
Sermon Notes:
GameDay PT1 - Communication
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, October 11, 2009
www.churchatmirrorlake.com
Sermon Notes:
Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone. Colossians 4:6
Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. James 1:19
By your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned. Matthew 12:37
Communication—Keys to the Game
- Where’s My Headphones—Great Listening Skills—watch out for interceptions like TV and other distractions
- What’s the Play—Clarity—make the vision plain, write it down, make sure you know what you are saying
- Uneven Playing Fields—I know what I am saying! But does everyone else?
- Where’s the endzone?—What is the goal, the purpose—don’t lose sight of the goal. Do we have the same goals? Watch out for distractions like feelings, scoring points for you while the team loses.
Winning Habits
We may think we need to communicate better and that it is a biggie—but that is not where we start with better communication. The solution to better communication begins with addressing what is inside that is driving our communication. Learning to express hate, wrong priorities, etc more eloquently will not solve our communication problems.
- Words make us “known”. The word we translate as sex means “to be known”. The ability to know each other and be known, those skills, are what make or break our relationships.
- 2 pillars of communication—grace and truth. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17 NKJV
- Grace—love, compassion, mercy, tenderness, etc.
- Truth—standards, responsibility, honesty, describing the “gap”—the space between what things are like and what they should be, principles, spiritual laws that are just as true as the physical laws, values.
- If we were communicating in the Heavenly way the two are inseparable. When we separate them we love without judgment which results in abuse, hurt lack of accountability and pain or we judge without love resulting in condemnation, shame, hurt and pain.
- I love you and want to be your friend, spouse, etc AND we both have boundaries, values or standards that are important and will present obstacles that must be addressed in love.
- 3 options:
- Split without expression—not deal with it but become symptomatic—no longer talk, retreat to garage, immerse yourself in other things or people
- Split with expression—most of the time withhold but regular eruptions
- Heaven and hell—“to be known”—knowing each other without hiding, fear, judgment or control is like Heaven. Sometimes you have to go through hell to get there—We are dynamic and there are dynamic principles involved in everything we do. We don’t like the storming but if we learn to handle it with the goal of knowing and being known, then we will see real creativity and life in our relationships and communication.
A Worship Lifestyle Changes Everything—Practice doesn’t make perfect—Perfect Practice makes perfect—Communication is a thing of the heart—
“And then he added, “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness.” Mark 7:20-22
Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.” Isaiah 6:5-7
Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life.” John 6:68
10/07/09 - Talking Money and Making Sense PT4 - Pastor Tony Ashmore
Pastor Tony Ashmore continues the series "Talking Money and Making Sense" with part 4 in this Wednesday evening service.
Talking Money and Making Sense PT4
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
www.churchatmirrorlake.com
Talking Money and Making Sense PT4
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
www.churchatmirrorlake.com
Africa Team Report 1
This is as reported from Sheryll to Tony. The team has had very little internet access and will have none for the remainder of the trip. They are able to talk via Skype on a cellphone purchased in Uganda.
The team’s camp in Arua is less than 6 miles from the Congo border. There are thousands of Congo and Sudan refugees everywhere, fleeing the violence in their countries. The team is housed in a brick house with an outhouse through the woods. There is no running water and sporadic power supplied by a solar panel. The kitchen for the camp consists of a firepit. They are sleeping on camp mats they brought with them that they will leave behind for others. Sheryll returned from a trip through total darkness to the outhouse and was greeted by a mouse occupying her sleeping mat.
She reports that the conditions there are desperate. If the people want to wash their hands, they pray for rain and go outside. The outhouse is simply a hole in the ground. One of the camp missionaries is named Eric. He is 24 and is from Rwanda. His parents were killed in the genocide and his sister’s arms were cut off. He survived by sleeping among the dead bodies at night because the killers came during the nights to kill again. Now he is serving others in the name of Jesus. Pastor Sam, the founder of the camp, started a church in a major African city that grew to 8 campuses and thousands of people. He left it to start this outpost in the middle of tens of thousands of hurting people. The YWAM missionaries staffing the camp have moved here with their families to live among these people and offer hope. They have taught Muslim women how to sew so they could earn a wage to support their kids. As a result, 16 of them have come to know Christ.
Today in the camp 3 children and 1 adult were taken to the hospital with malaria. Our team all brought repellant with them, but there is no repellant available in the country. Our team attended an Anglican church today that had 3 services—all of them packed with people sitting outside. They then met with the camp leaders to receive their assignments and plans. Tomorrow they will minister to men and women in the prisons and encourage a group of Christians. They were also told they will be meeting with a group of 60 pastors who are anxious to talk to them about the principles we are using at The Church at Mirror Lake.
Sheryll said she now knows a great way to increase the fervor in your prayer life. Simply get on a 1966 bus from Kampala to Arua for 7 hours going 126 kilometers/hour and being driven by a man with one hand texting and the other outside the window blowing the horn at the thousands of people crowding the narrow road!
More reports to come as we are able to communicate. Keep this team and these people in your prayers.
The team’s camp in Arua is less than 6 miles from the Congo border. There are thousands of Congo and Sudan refugees everywhere, fleeing the violence in their countries. The team is housed in a brick house with an outhouse through the woods. There is no running water and sporadic power supplied by a solar panel. The kitchen for the camp consists of a firepit. They are sleeping on camp mats they brought with them that they will leave behind for others. Sheryll returned from a trip through total darkness to the outhouse and was greeted by a mouse occupying her sleeping mat.
She reports that the conditions there are desperate. If the people want to wash their hands, they pray for rain and go outside. The outhouse is simply a hole in the ground. One of the camp missionaries is named Eric. He is 24 and is from Rwanda. His parents were killed in the genocide and his sister’s arms were cut off. He survived by sleeping among the dead bodies at night because the killers came during the nights to kill again. Now he is serving others in the name of Jesus. Pastor Sam, the founder of the camp, started a church in a major African city that grew to 8 campuses and thousands of people. He left it to start this outpost in the middle of tens of thousands of hurting people. The YWAM missionaries staffing the camp have moved here with their families to live among these people and offer hope. They have taught Muslim women how to sew so they could earn a wage to support their kids. As a result, 16 of them have come to know Christ.
Today in the camp 3 children and 1 adult were taken to the hospital with malaria. Our team all brought repellant with them, but there is no repellant available in the country. Our team attended an Anglican church today that had 3 services—all of them packed with people sitting outside. They then met with the camp leaders to receive their assignments and plans. Tomorrow they will minister to men and women in the prisons and encourage a group of Christians. They were also told they will be meeting with a group of 60 pastors who are anxious to talk to them about the principles we are using at The Church at Mirror Lake.
Sheryll said she now knows a great way to increase the fervor in your prayer life. Simply get on a 1966 bus from Kampala to Arua for 7 hours going 126 kilometers/hour and being driven by a man with one hand texting and the other outside the window blowing the horn at the thousands of people crowding the narrow road!
More reports to come as we are able to communicate. Keep this team and these people in your prayers.
Monday, October 5, 2009
10/04/09 - What Gets Your Attention - Billy Hornsby
Special guest speaker Billy Hornsby, President of the Association of Related Churches, teaches on "What Gets Your Attention Gets Your Life" in this Sunday service.
What Gets Your Attention
Billy Hornsby
Sunday, October 4, 2009
www.churchatmirrorlake.com
You can read Billy's blog at: www.billyhornsby.com or get more information about ARC (Association of Related Churches) at www.relatedchurches.com
What Gets Your Attention
Billy Hornsby
Sunday, October 4, 2009
www.churchatmirrorlake.com
You can read Billy's blog at: www.billyhornsby.com or get more information about ARC (Association of Related Churches) at www.relatedchurches.com
Friday, October 2, 2009
09/30/09 - Talking Money and Making Sense PT3 - Pastor Tony Ashmore
Pastor Tony Ashmore continues the series "Talking Money and Making Sense" with part 3 in this Wednesday evening service.
Talking Money and Making Sense PT3
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
www.churchatmirrorlake.com
Sermon Notes:
7 steps to poverty:
1. be lazy and half-hearted
2. fools, drunkards, gluttons and wasteful people
3. prideful and haughty during prosperity
4. hiding sins
5. love of money (never satisfied)
6. selfishness, greed, stingy, hoarding
7. A scarcity mindset/fearful (I was afraid so I hid my talent—Matthew
25:25) Fear is giving place to the kingdom of darkness since there is no
fear in God’s presence.
Talking Money and Making Sense PT3
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
www.churchatmirrorlake.com
Sermon Notes:
7 steps to poverty:
1. be lazy and half-hearted
2. fools, drunkards, gluttons and wasteful people
3. prideful and haughty during prosperity
4. hiding sins
5. love of money (never satisfied)
6. selfishness, greed, stingy, hoarding
7. A scarcity mindset/fearful (I was afraid so I hid my talent—Matthew
25:25) Fear is giving place to the kingdom of darkness since there is no
fear in God’s presence.
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