Oct 18, 2021 | #MotivationMondayatCapri, Devotion, General, Post
By Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
The world is awed by flash and glitter. Like the Forest Lawn cemetery worker who exclaimed as they lowered a deceased businessman into his grave, sitting upright in his Jaguar convertible wearing an Armani suit with a stogie in his mouth, “Man, that’s living!” Or like rock and hip hop recording artists, covered in gold chains and jewelry, flaunting their excessive lifestyles which capture the eyes and minds of impressionable children. Or sadly, even like the speaker at an Amway convention who wowed the crowd holding up a two foot jewel studded solid gold cross and proclaiming, “you too could own one of these,” if you sold enough of his products. Why would anybody possibly need a two foot solid gold cross? I do believe Jesus’ was made of rough hewn wood! Flash and glitter, doesn’t take much to attract people’s attention. People are like a cat chasing a red laser dot around the room, trying to catch what’s not really there. The world measures success in different ways but you want to know who one of the most successful people in the Bible is? Look at Mark 12:43,44. Probably the least flashy person the Apostles had seen all day, but when the poor widow dropped what little she had into the pot, she was exalted by Jesus and is still being exalted today! Want to be successful? There’s no flash and glitter involved. Give from your heart! Give to be seen by the Lord, not man! Give from what you have, be it abundance or lack. Give with a cheerful spirit and we’re not only talking about money here, We’re talking about the giving of your time, your abilities, your special gifts and skills, the giving of yourself! You want to be really successful? Give the Lord your heart in every aspect of your life!
Oct 12, 2021 | #MotivationMondayatCapri, Devotion, General, Post
By Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
Some people love power, control, and to use it to influence the thoughts of others into their way of thinking. Sadly, because people have wealth and power, they can do just that, regardless of how many people they may have thrown under the bus to get where they are. You don’t see a lot of humble people doing that. People that know their sinful heart has been cleansed by the blood of Jesus tend to walk in humble thanksgiving. Humble people many times think they have nothing to offer, yet they have the riches of heaven at their finger tips. Christians should be the most influential people in the world. We have the wealth of eternity to offer lost and hurting souls. We are the salt of the earth, time to get seasoning! Let the world see your light, see His love through you, and first and foremost, let your children, grandchildren, see it, feel it, be taught it. We need to be a major influence in the lives of our children, because if we aren’t, the world surely will be! Help us Lord to be who You created us to be, saved us to be, to do what You have for us to do. Help us to obey Your Word, teach our children to do the same, and to be the influence that turns hearts to You.
Oct 4, 2021 | #MotivationMondayatCapri, Devotion, General, Post
By Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
James is one of my favorite NT books. It is full of practical advice on how to live and James doesn’t worry if he’s being politically correct or not in his delivery. He hits it hard when it comes to the topic of the tongue. “The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity.” Yeah, that pretty much sums it up. I would wager that more people have gotten in trouble for things they’ve said than for things they’ve done! You need to use some thought to take an action but words can flow out of the mouth with little thought at all! As Christians, we need to be aware of what we say. The world is watching, and listening too! Take heed to what Jesus said, “that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.” David, far from perfect in his actions, sincerely wrote from his heart, “let my words be pleasing to You.” Are we concerned about the Lord’s opinion before we speak, does it ever occur to us? Solomon tells us in one of his Proverbs “a kind word makes a glad heart.” Are we striving to make glad hearts, in everyone, everywhere, with both our words and actions? We have opportunities, small and large, everyday to show kindness with our words and actions, and we should constantly be taking advantage of them. As James said, you can’t have fresh and salt water coming from the same spring. Don’t allow the woes and worries of the world turn you brackish! Strive to be a fresh spring of kindness, encouragement, and hope and then you won’t have to worry about being in the long line on judgment day!B
Sep 27, 2021 | #MotivationMondayatCapri, Devotion, General, Post
By Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
There are many heroes in the Bible that are great examples of someone to look up to, but Samson really isn’t one of them. Yeah, he may have been the first superhero, incredible strength, took out a 1000 Philistines with a donkey’s jawbone, toppled a temple, but he was suppose to be a spiritual leader more than just a warrior. He allowed his ego and his lust to control him until in the end he was left blind and bound with chains at the hands of his enemies. Only through the grace and power of the Lord was he able to make amends and exact justice on his Philistine captors. Instead of being the truly great leader he should have been, he became broken, defeated, and humiliated. Playing in the fields of sin will do that! Pastor Curt made three points yesterday that we need to take to heart and teach others. Sin will take you farther than you want to go! Sin will keep you longer than you want to stay! Sin will cost you more than you want to pay! The world constantly lures and lies to us. Try this, do that, what’s the harm? Don’t listen to God, He’s a killjoy, you can handle it. From the beginning, that old snake in the grass has been trying to tear us down. He’s good at his job and we are pretty soft targets. That’s why Jesus had to do what He did, we couldn’t be reconciled any other way. Rely on Him, His strength, His help. Ask Him to create a clean heart in you. Don’t be like Samson and think you can play in the fields of sin and win! Instead, play in the fields of the Lord and you will never lose!
Sep 20, 2021 | #MotivationMondayatCapri, Devotion, General, Post
What is the most valuable thing in your life? What can you not live without? What is the first thing you think of when you awake? Apparently, for the average American, it’s their cell phone! I don’t know how or who comes up with these statistics, but supposedly, the average American touches their cell phone 2,617 times each day, spending 2 1/2 hours staring at the small screen! And that’s not counting computers and tv! Technology has trapped the world into instant mindless entertainment and gratification! How many people, as they lie on their deathbed, will be reaching for their cell phones to check how many likes they got on their last, very last, picture? Too many I fear. Instead of the small screen (except for reading this) let’s take a look at King David. A man like us, certainly not perfect (we won’t go into his major blunders), but even in his youth, he was a man after God’s own heart … and God honored him for that! Over and over, David wrote the same theme in Psalms. “My soul longs for You, early will I seek You my soul thirsts for you, I shall be satisfied when I wake in Your likeness, how sweet are Your words to my taste sweeter than honey in my mouth, Your word is wonderful my soul keeps them.” David was sold or souled out for the Lord! We can say we are distracted by the pressures of modern day life and providing for a family, but that doesn’t wash. David had the same to many more pressures than we do, and like us, he failed many times, but he still, as should we, had a heart for God. This life span is miniscule compared to eternity. Get your eyes off the small screen and onto the big picture of forever which starts now with your personal relationship with the Lord!
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.
By Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
James is one of my favorite NT books. It is full of practical advice on how to live and James doesn’t worry if he’s being politically correct or not in his delivery. He hits it hard when it comes to the topic of the tongue. “The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity.” Yeah, that pretty much sums it up. I would wager that more people have gotten in trouble for things they’ve said than for things they’ve done! You need to use some thought to take an action but words can flow out of the mouth with little thought at all! As Christians, we need to be aware of what we say. The world is watching, and listening too! Take heed to what Jesus said, “that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.” David, far from perfect in his actions, sincerely wrote from his heart, “let my words be pleasing to You.” Are we concerned about the Lord’s opinion before we speak, does it ever occur to us? Solomon tells us in one of his Proverbs “a kind word makes a glad heart.” Are we striving to make glad hearts, in everyone, everywhere, with both our words and actions? We have opportunities, small and large, everyday to show kindness with our words and actions, and we should constantly be taking advantage of them. As James said, you can’t have fresh and salt water coming from the same spring. Don’t allow the woes and worries of the world turn you brackish! Strive to be a fresh spring of kindness, encouragement, and hope and then you won’t have to worry about being in the long line on judgment day!B
By Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
What is the most valuable thing in your life? What can you not live without? What is the first thing you think of when you awake? Apparently, for the average American, it’s their cell phone! I don’t know how or who comes up with these statistics, but supposedly, the average American touches their cell phone 2,617 times each day, spending 2 1/2 hours staring at the small screen! And that’s not counting computers and tv! Technology has trapped the world into instant mindless entertainment and gratification! How many people, as they lie on their deathbed, will be reaching for their cell phones to check how many likes they got on their last, very last, picture? Too many I fear. Instead of the small screen (except for reading this) let’s take a look at King David. A man like us, certainly not perfect (we won’t go into his major blunders), but even in his youth, he was a man after God’s own heart … and God honored him for that! Over and over, David wrote the same theme in Psalms. “My soul longs for You, early will I seek You my soul thirsts for you, I shall be satisfied when I wake in Your likeness, how sweet are Your words to my taste sweeter than honey in my mouth, Your word is wonderful my soul keeps them.” David was sold or souled out for the Lord! We can say we are distracted by the pressures of modern day life and providing for a family, but that doesn’t wash. David had the same to many more pressures than we do, and like us, he failed many times, but he still, as should we, had a heart for God. This life span is miniscule compared to eternity. Get your eyes off the small screen and onto the big picture of forever which starts now with your personal relationship with the Lord!
By: Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
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