Aug 17, 2021 | #MotivationMondayatCapri, Devotion, General, Post
By Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
“My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor My ways your ways says the Lord. For My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.” That pretty much explains why we don’t understand everything that happens to us. We only see a frame of the movie reel while He’s already directed the whole picture. In Psalm 13, David, the man after God’s own heart, filled with sorrow, cries out feeling abandoned by God, but that was, again, because he hadn’t seen the whole film! Jesus tells us “In the world you will have tribulation.” Not maybe, you will have, but He also assures us that “I have overcome the world.” Things will happen but He will be there with us. Paul, an authority on tribulations, wrote these sobering words to Timothy. “You and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus, will suffer persecution.” Comes with the territory but also comes with huge rewards. It should be no surprize, that when you get closer to God, the devil attacks. Even though he knows he’s lost, the devil will cheap shot you whenever he can. Guess that’s a way of finding out which is the good seed and which seed never gets any roots. Plant your roots in the good soil, let them dig deep and grow strong in Jesus. He’ll be with you through the tribulations, He’ll be with you in the peace, and you’ll be with Him on the streets of gold!
Aug 9, 2021 | #MotivationMondayatCapri, Devotion, General, Post
By Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
Pastor Curt started a new series yesterday on a much needed topic that is revelant to non-believers and believers alike entitled When God Doesn’t Make Sense. We may not like to admit it,, but we all have inwardly, and maybe openly, at one time or another, thought God made some questionable choices. The old why do bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad? Here’s the rub though, we’re questioning God! The pot questioning the Potter! The created questioning the Creator? How can finite minds begin to truly comprehend the infinite? God tells us through Isaiah, “My thoughts are not your thoughts nor your ways My ways … My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.” Paul relays in 1 COR 2 what Job said, “who knows the the mind of God,” and Job, if anyone, had a definite cause to question God … but he didn’t! Instead, Job said, “… though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.” Do you have a Job like trust? These are strange times. With politics, Covid, and who knows what’s next, your faith could very well be tested in the days to come. Don’t take it personally, it happens, but remember, God never gives up on you, don’t you ever give up on God! Keep strong in your prayers and when all your requests are made, end with the most freeing words, yet Thy will, not mine, be done!I
Aug 2, 2021 | #MotivationMondayatCapri, Devotion, General, Post
By Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
Something many of us lack and something we need to instill in our children is confidence. Not a worldly self righteous, egocentric, bragadocio attitude, but a Godly confidence of who we are in Him. Confidence because we are known by a holy, awesome God, who knows His sheep and calls them by name. Confidence because we belong to Him and are a part of His family. Saying we accepted the Lord always seems backwards to me. He accepted us, adopted us, filled us with the Holy Spirit, and has made us heirs of His kingdom! Confidence because we have been forgiven of our sins and cleansed by His blood. They have been removed as far as the east is from the west, and He will continue to forgive our failings when we confess them to Him. Confidence because we can change. He is working in us and will continue till the day He brings us home. Forgiven doesn’t mean perfect, we are a work in progress, some progress slower than others, but He will help us grow. Finally, we have confidence knowing we can make a difference because if “God is for us, who can be against us?” Read Romans 8:31-39. Okay, read it again. If those verses don’t fill you up with earth shaking confidence, I don’t know what will! He is for us, nothing, that is nothing can seperate us from His love. Now stand tall and go out and change the world around you! These key points on confidence are what the children will be learning this week in VBS. Thanks Pastor Wes for giving the adults their own mini VBS and a much needed confidence boost!
Jul 26, 2021 | #MotivationMondayatCapri, Devotion, General, Post
By, Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
Pastor Wes finished his two part sermon, Compassion on the Crowds yesterday with some challenging thoughts. While we may be willing to serve in many different areas, what prevents us from really stepping out with compassion on the crowds? Is it a lack of faith? We have faith that He saved us, we believe He loves us, we have witnessed His hand on our lives in a personal way time and again, and we see His awesomeness everyday in His magnificent creation all around us. There is no doubt that all things are possible with Him! So do we think if we step out He won’t be with us? If we try to do things in our own strength, maybe, because He doesn’t want us trying to do the impossible without Him! He wants us to lean on Him in everything. He’ll give us the strength we need, He’ll be there to pick us up if we fall. It doesn’t matter to Him if we fail, only that we try. He will never leave us nor forsake us, whether we win or lose! I know I can’t have compassion on the crowds without Him. When Jesus asks you to love someone who seems impossible to love, offer what you can and allow Him to do the rest. He knows your talents, He gave them to you. If you have two bad knees, He won’t ask you to run the hurdles! Be open, be willing, seek His strength daily, and He will bring the crowds to you and fill you with enough of His compasson to love them!
Jul 19, 2021 | #MotivationMondayatCapri, Devotion, General, Post
By, Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
Sheep are thought to be stupid, defenseless creatures that mope aimlessly on hillsides but actually sheep are surprisingly intelligent with impressive memory and recognition skills. Sounds like two different animals. Maybe that’s the difference a good shepherd makes. A shepherd like Jesus! That’s a good analogy of those that don’t know Jesus and those that do. The Good Shepherd has compassion and cares for His sheep. Jesus’ compassion drove Him to action, always meeting needs. He was always teaching His sheep, but teaching and leading His disciples first. The constant throng of people would tire anyone, but even when He tried to get away into the wilderness for some peace and rest, the crowds still followed Him. So what did He do? He had compassion on them! First He taught them, meeting their spiritual need and then He feed them, meeting their physical need. Five thousand men plus women and children! He led by example, encouraging His disciples to do more, to meet people’s needs where they were at, to take care of the crowds in their lives. So, how are you doing with the crowds in your life? Do you have compassion for them? Do you make time for them or blow them off? Do you try to meet their spiritual needs and then their physical needs? Crowds can come in all sizes from families to neighbors, two or more can be a crowd. Jesus set the bar pretty high. He doesn’t expect us to raise it but at least be trying to meet it. So, are you?
Jul 13, 2021 | #MotivationMondayatCapri, Devotion, General, Post
By, Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
Can you imagine strolling down 5th Avenue, looking at all the overpriced shops and restaurants, and suddenly there is a lion crouching on the sidewalk in front of you lettting out a heart piercing roar? Seems implausible huh? Well, according to Peter, it happens all the time. He warned us, “Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour,” and you look pretty tasty! So, how do you defeat your adversary? Know him, know his ways, his tricks. The devil is a liar, the father of lies, and he loves to deceive people, especially by telling them they are worthless. Yet God puts so much worth on you He let Jesus die for you! How else can we defeat our enemy? Take advice from those who already have! When the devil tried to tempt Jesus with his lies, Jesus calmly and correctly quoted Scripture back at him until he fled. Get in the Word daily, know what it says so you can stand firm in its truth. The Bible isn’t called the sword of the Spirit for nothing! Peter and James tell us to be sober, vigilant, and resist the devil and he will flee from you. Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world! Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches … without Me you can do nothing.” Call on His strength, not your own, this is an adversary you don’t want to take on by yourself. Keep your guard up, let it down and you will be attacked, he is always looking for an opening. So stay strong in Him, and know, even though you may have some skirmishes, the battle is already won!
Jul 5, 2021 | #MotivationMondayatCapri, Devotion, General, Post
By: Tim Irving – Evangelis Team
Pastor Steve and the Praise team let freedom ring loud and clear yesterday to begin a joyful celebration of our country’s birth. It was an outstanding performance honoring our nation, those who have fought to preserve our freeoms, and honoring to the Lord. “Freedom echoed down lonely streets” and every nook and cranny of the church. Another inspiring and moving experience, thanks guys. And as if that were not enough, we had our first church dinner in over a year and a half, prepared by Cathy Mc and her hard working crew. She made everything from scratch including hand seasoned and rubbed BBQ, potato salad, beans, cole slaw, and handmade stuffed and iced patriotic cupcakes!Thank you Cathy and crew! While we may only celebrate the birth of our country once a year, we should celebrate the freedom God has given us every day! The cleansing, amazing grace that has freed us from the penalty of sin! We are so blessed to have both physical and spiritual freedom! Let your freedom ring! Let the world know of your spiritual freedom and of the Hero who set you free and wants to do the same for them! Let your spiritual freedom shine so bright that it will attract others. Freedom is a God given gift, let us thank Him for that special blessing now and forever!
Jun 28, 2021 | #MotivationMondayatCapri, Devotion, General, Post
“The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath.” Man has an amazing ability to take something and twist it to fit his needs and have it lose its original purpose. The Sabbath (Sunday for us, Saturday for the Jewish culture) was meant to be a day of rest, a time to worship, a day to spend with family. For many of us, Sunday was a day when stores didn’t open, restaurants were closed, and liquor stores were locked. Families looked forward to Sunday dinners, houses were filled with the aroma of cooking roasts and hams, time was spent together. Then the states started abolishing the blue laws and slowly the importance of the Sabbath ebbed away. The best attack of the enemy is the slow subtle one and this was one of his most successful and destructive attacks to our culture and families. We became like a frog in a pot of slowly heating water, not knowing it is being cooked, until it is! Yet, nothing really has changed. The Sabbath is still meant to be observed. We still need a day of rest, we still need to spend time together as a family, and we definitely need to spend time worshipping with fellow believers, now there are just more obstacles to do so. We can’t turn back the clock but we can get out of the pot of water and do whatever we can to observe the gift of the Sabbath and help others to understand its importance. Not an easy task to do in our fast paced society with families spread all over the country, but it’s worth the effort to honor the Lord of the Sabbath and the day He gave us!
Jun 21, 2021 | #MotivationMondayatCapri, Devotion, General, Post
By, Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
A few words of wisdom for fathers
1 Love your children unconditionally
2 Love your children so much that you discipline them for wrong. behavior
3 Let them see you love their mother so sons will know how to treat a woman and daughters will know how they should be treated by men
4 Let them see you pray
5 Pray for them constantly
6 You teach them about the Lord
7 Tell them repeatedly what God has done for you
8 Teach them to seek wisdom
9 Be able and ready to admit when you are wrong
10 Spend as much time with them as you can
11 Pray for them some more
12 Take an interest in what they are interested in, don’t force them to be mini mees
13 Pray for patience
14 Pray for God’s strength every day
15 Never let your daughters out of the house alone till they are 18
16 Pray for strength when it’s time to let them go
Being a father is a gift from our Heavenly Father, albeit one with awesome responsibillities. Never stop seeking His help in raising your children because, it doesn’t matter who sings, it ain’t ever over, plus before you know it, you’ll be a grandfather!
Happy Father’s Day
Jun 14, 2021 | #MotivationMondayatCapri, Devotion, General, Post
By: Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
When Peter, James, and John, went with Jesus up on a high nountain and saw Him transfigured, they must have been awed and frightened. I mean, who wouldn’t be. I’m sure that’s not what they were expecting, yet, they shouldn’t have been surprised. For 1400 years they knew what Moses said about how God would raise up a prophet like him. For 450 years, they knew the words from Malachi foretelling of a prophet like Elijah coming that would prepare the way of the Lord. They had seen Jesus perform miracles and heard the voice when He was baptized, and while it may have been shocking to see Him transfigured, it should not have been surprising. Then the confirming voice from the cloud, “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him,” must have been totally awesome! Talk about a deal sealer. Peter, James, and John should have ran down the mountain as super evangelists, but Jesus still had work to do and they still had much to learn. We have known the truth for 2000 years, we know all the predictions, the confirmations, we know the beginning and the end, we have the victory,! So, why aren’t we all super evangelist? Well, we’re not all super and we’re not all called to be evangelists. But, we are called to share the Gospel, share love and kindness, care and concern, whenever and wherever we can. And don’t forget God’s command, “Hear Him!” For us that doesn’t mean listening for voices but reading His Word, knowing what it says, and obeying it! And when talking to others, as Pastor Curt pointed out, we have two ears and one mouth for a reason. Listen twice as much as you speak and your wisdom will abound!
By Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
By Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
By, Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
By, Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
Can you imagine strolling down 5th Avenue, looking at all the overpriced shops and restaurants, and suddenly there is a lion crouching on the sidewalk in front of you lettting out a heart piercing roar? Seems implausible huh? Well, according to Peter, it happens all the time. He warned us, “Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour,” and you look pretty tasty! So, how do you defeat your adversary? Know him, know his ways, his tricks. The devil is a liar, the father of lies, and he loves to deceive people, especially by telling them they are worthless. Yet God puts so much worth on you He let Jesus die for you! How else can we defeat our enemy? Take advice from those who already have! When the devil tried to tempt Jesus with his lies, Jesus calmly and correctly quoted Scripture back at him until he fled. Get in the Word daily, know what it says so you can stand firm in its truth. The Bible isn’t called the sword of the Spirit for nothing! Peter and James tell us to be sober, vigilant, and resist the devil and he will flee from you. Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world! Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches … without Me you can do nothing.” Call on His strength, not your own, this is an adversary you don’t want to take on by yourself. Keep your guard up, let it down and you will be attacked, he is always looking for an opening. So stay strong in Him, and know, even though you may have some skirmishes, the battle is already won!
By: Tim Irving – Evangelis Team 
“The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath.” Man has an amazing ability to take something and twist it to fit his needs and have it lose its original purpose. The Sabbath (Sunday for us, Saturday for the Jewish culture) was meant to be a day of rest, a time to worship, a day to spend with family. For many of us, Sunday was a day when stores didn’t open, restaurants were closed, and liquor stores were locked. Families looked forward to Sunday dinners, houses were filled with the aroma of cooking roasts and hams, time was spent together. Then the states started abolishing the blue laws and slowly the importance of the Sabbath ebbed away. The best attack of the enemy is the slow subtle one and this was one of his most successful and destructive attacks to our culture and families. We became like a frog in a pot of slowly heating water, not knowing it is being cooked, until it is! Yet, nothing really has changed. The Sabbath is still meant to be observed. We still need a day of rest, we still need to spend time together as a family, and we definitely need to spend time worshipping with fellow believers, now there are just more obstacles to do so. We can’t turn back the clock but we can get out of the pot of water and do whatever we can to observe the gift of the Sabbath and help others to understand its importance. Not an easy task to do in our fast paced society with families spread all over the country, but it’s worth the effort to honor the Lord of the Sabbath and the day He gave us!
By, Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
By: Tim Irving – Evangelism Team