Sep 13, 2021 | #MotivationMondayatCapri, Devotion, General, Post
By: Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
I will always remember watching the 2013 Stanley Cup Eastern Conference final when Gregory Campbell of the Boston Bruins broke his right fibular as he blocked a slap shot during a penalty kill and still stayed on the ice for a minute longer so as not to leave his team another man down! That is playing while hurting! We all suffer hurts throughout life, be they emotional, physical, relational, financial, things happen, but we go on. When you became a Christian you weren’t promised a bed of roses, in this life. We’re told there will be trials and tests and they will make us stronger to keep on going. Look at Paul’s account to the Corinthians. ” … in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prison more frequently, in deaths often; from the Jews five times I received 40 stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day in the deep; in perils often, in perils of waters, perils of robbers, perils of my own Countrymen, perils of Gentiles, in perils of city, perils of wilderness, perils of false brethren, in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness …” Dude! Paul knew how to play hurt, he knew how to serve hurting! As pampered Americans, we have no idea how much hurt many of our brothers and sisters in other parts of the world are going through to serve the Lord. They know how to serve while hurting! While we are alive, we should never grow weary of serving the Lord, hurting or not! We should never grow weary of doing good. We all have different abilities and gifts, don’ t stop using them because you may be hurting. We have an eternity of joy before us, but maybe only one more slap shot to stop. Make your time on the ice count!
Sep 11, 2021 | #MotivationMondayatCapri, Devotion, General, Post
One of the saddest days in history was twenty years ago this month, on the 11th day of September, and I never saw it coming. Do you remember where you were and what you were doing on that day of tragedy? Were you ready for that news when it hit and unfolded throughout the day? President Bush sat in on a primary school activity and informed what had just happened; he never saw it coming. American flights were all banned from entry as planes over the US were grounded. Most of us watched the footage repeatedly as the planes flew right into the towers. Then, with horror, we watched the towers collapsing with the realization of the thousands who were not ready for that day. If only we had been warned of the events of that day, we could have prepared, and no one’s life would have been lost. May we never forget.
The Bible tells of the ultimate saddest day that we can prepare for – the great day of judgment. Though no one knows the exact day or hour, we have been instructed to be ready whenever it happens. God has paid the way through the death of Jesus Christ for no one to perish. The sad truth is that many will be standing outside the gates of heaven and denied entry. They did not prepare for this day as they have rejected the payment of Christ on their behalf. The Apostle Paul said that God “…has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31). What a sad day for those not prepared and who will be lost (see Matthew 25:1-13). Are you ready for Judgment Day?
Associate & Music Pastor, Steven Dawes
Sep 7, 2021 | #MotivationMondayatCapri, Devotion, General, Post
The woes of the world can give one angst. Tragedies piled upon tragedies, people fleeing their countries, viruses killing wantonly, it isn’t pretty. We all need some encouragement. Read Psalm 46 and focus on verses 1-3 and verse 10. “God is our refuge and strength. A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear.” Who is our strength and refuge? Are we going to work out all our own troubles and everyone else’s? What are we scared of? He tells us over and over He is there for us, to lean on Him, He’s got it under control. What can we fear if He is for us? Then there’s verse 10. “Be still and know that I am God.” Isn’t it so much easier to run around willy nilly and know that He is God than to sit patiently and quietly and let Him do His thing because HE IS GOD? You have to love Peter because he represents so many of us so well. I get Peter. I would rather do something wrong than nothing at all. When Peter was on the Mount of Transfiguration and getting all excited, wanting to build tents (better to do something wrong than nothing) and God spoke, “This My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him,” it was for our sakes as much as Peter, James, and John’s. Be still, I am God and so is My Son, listen to Him, We’ve got it covered! We’re not going to change the world’s situation, He is! We can’t get rid of the angst, but He can! Try being still, being alone with Him in quietness, listening and leaning on Him, letting Him be in control, because you know, He is God!
Aug 30, 2021 | #MotivationMondayatCapri, Devotion, General, Post
By Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
Encouragement is something we all need. When was the last time you really read Psalm 23? “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want … He restores my soul … I shall fear no evil for Thou art with me … You comfort me … You prepare a table for me … You anoint my head … my cup runneth over … goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life … I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” That encouragement from the Lord is just what I needed today, and everyday. Life isn’t all peaches and cream, we all go through some rough times and that’s why the Bible is full of encouraging words and why we need to encourage one another. Some people are more gifted at it than others, but anyone can be an encourager. We need to encourage each other in many ways, including to be growing spiritually mature. There is a lot more to being a Christian than sitting in a pew once a week. What you do and how you act the other six days is what the world sees and that’s how they will judge us. Does the walk match the talk. We need to encourage one another to be involved in serving others, being kind to everyone we encounter, helping someone who didn’t ask, little things that can really mean a lot. We need to encourage one another to be thankful for all He has done for us, for all we have. Whether we are rich in worldly goods or not, we are abundantly rich in Him! Make it a goal to encourage at least one person a day, be it a brother or sister or not, with a word or simple act of kindness. You’ll be surprised how little it takes to make someone’s day!
Aug 23, 2021 | #MotivationMondayatCapri, Devotion, General, Post
By, Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
In this hurry up, fast paced, high speed internet world, sometimes it’s hard to understand why God is so slow in answering our prayers. If Google can answer in miliseconds, why can’t God? He can, but in His wisdom, He doesn’t. And He never answers late! His timetable, like everything about Him, is perfect. Many times when we don’t get answers right away, our emotions take over, and our emotions are unreliable! They tend to lead our thoughts astray. Because His timing doesn’t meet our expections, we give ourselves angst. Time to let the angst out and His promises in! He never sleeps on the job (He does not slumber), wherever you go, He is there, He knows what you’re going through, He has searched you and knows you, He formed you! He understands your thoughts and the path you are on. He promises that all things work together for good to those that love Him. If you have accepted Him and love Him, no matter what, it will be okay! It’s easy to know these things, but when you’re in the midst of troubles, they don’t always seem to be in the forefront of your thoughts. Think about this though. “God demonstrated His love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!” He loved us that much before we accepted Jesus, how much more is the Father’s love for His children now? He will never be late, He knows what you’re going through, what you need and when you need it. Don’t listen to your emotions, listen to your heart which is held safely in His hands.
The woes of the world can give one angst. Tragedies piled upon tragedies, people fleeing their countries, viruses killing wantonly, it isn’t pretty. We all need some encouragement. Read Psalm 46 and focus on verses 1-3 and verse 10. “God is our refuge and strength. A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear.” Who is our strength and refuge? Are we going to work out all our own troubles and everyone else’s? What are we scared of? He tells us over and over He is there for us, to lean on Him, He’s got it under control. What can we fear if He is for us? Then there’s verse 10. “Be still and know that I am God.” Isn’t it so much easier to run around willy nilly and know that He is God than to sit patiently and quietly and let Him do His thing because HE IS GOD? You have to love Peter because he represents so many of us so well. I get Peter. I would rather do something wrong than nothing at all. When Peter was on the Mount of Transfiguration and getting all excited, wanting to build tents (better to do something wrong than nothing) and God spoke, “This My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him,” it was for our sakes as much as Peter, James, and John’s. Be still, I am God and so is My Son, listen to Him, We’ve got it covered! We’re not going to change the world’s situation, He is! We can’t get rid of the angst, but He can! Try being still, being alone with Him in quietness, listening and leaning on Him, letting Him be in control, because you know, He is God!
By Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
By, Tim Irving – Evangelism Team