"Building Gods Kingdom one person, one family, one neighborhood at a time"
We are located at 23-35 Broadway, Astoria. 11106
Our Worship time is Sunday at 10:30 AM
New Wine in an Old WIne Skin
As many of you have heard, I have a new phone. It is a “Droid” - a so called “smart phone”. The problem I am having is that my “Droid” is smarter than I am. I have decided that I either need to go back to school and get a degree in computer engineering, or I need to find a time machine that lets me go back to being under the age of 14 so I can use my new phone.
I find myself in a similar place as I work to write my first BLOG. Where do I start? What do I say? Is there a right way and wrong way to write a blog? The folks I have talked with who are over a “certain age” ask me, “What’s a blog and why do you need to write one?” Those who are under that age look at me and ask, “What’s the big deal? You just write what you think and post it.”
Our church is in much the same place as we look at all the changes we have been through and the new ways we are “doing church”. The much loved old facility has been torn down and we are heading towards our new facility that will have a new church within a building that will provide over 90 units of affordable senior housing. In the mean time we are in our converted doctor’s offices and learning that we can still be a church in a very meaningful way. We have helped launch a music and arts conservatory in our space; fed over thirty people on Thanksgiving who had no place to go and share the day; begun a two day a week program called “Play Time/ Mommy & Me”; and soon we will open our computer lab so people can learn both basic computer skills, but also work on Rosetta Stone to learn both English and Spanish.
And there is that new email site I learned about that lets us send out email newsletters, event announcements, and surveys that we want to use to stay in touch and improve who we are as a church. And, oh yeah, there is this cool website that has translation capabilities, a way for us to post audios of sermons (if I can figure it all out), and soon we will have online classes in personal spirituality. Career planning, and other courses you can do at your own leisure.
We are doing all this for one reason - to help you in your spiritual journey. As our Mission Statement says, We are “Building God’s kingdom one person, one family, and one community at a time.” I am glad to have you as a partner in this mission and on this journey.
Now how do I sign off on a blog?????
Don
Today's Reading: 1 Kings 8-9; Luke 21:1-19
So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 1 Corinthians 3:7-8
As Christians, we have different gifts that produce different fruit for God's work. We can accept this in Scripture but we question why some Christians are more successful in ministry than others, such as when one's church is so much larger than another's. We tend to look at the "successful person" and try to pattern ourselves to be like that person, instead of keeping our focus on the Lord. Paul's point emphasizes the fact that ultimately God is the reason for any of our success.
Paul is making a piercing statement that should penetrate each of us right into the depths of our heart. The focus of ministry needs to be about God—period. Without God, there is no increase, no success, and no value to our work. Without God, there would be no gifts, skills, or fruits. Without God, there would be no us. Because of God, one person is given certain talents while someone else is given the complement to those gifts, both designed by God to fulfill His purpose only (1 Corinthians 12:11). In these verses, Paul is planting while Apollos is watering, both chosen by God to perform His service.
In Matthew 15:13 Jesus says, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted." Unless God is our Farmer, nothing that we plant will ever bear fruit. Most of the time, however, we forge ahead with the planting and then ask God to bless our work with good fruit. Jesus says that the Father will not allow those plants to remain; He will remove them completely.
How much time do we waste in trying to complete our plans, meet our standards, control our progress, and make our deadlines? How do you personally plant and water specific areas of your life? Is God your Farmer? If you are feeling frustrated, fatigued, and frazzled, comparing yourself to others, then you are missing what God has for you. You must realize that He has given you the talents and skills to plant and water, but all for His purposes and to His glory. Without Him, there will be no growth and no success.
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
That's it!
We have soooo much to be thankful for. If you ever find yourself wondering whether your life is important, just have a look at the nearest flowerbed. Yes, that's right down there in the dirt. Up from the mire and compost spring the most beautiful and inpiring things. Flowers and plants of all kinds and every size and shape. These entities are well taken care of by our Heavenly Father. He knows how important they are to creation. Without them we would have no oxygen. We as Gods children are no less important. Our prayers are a beautiful scent to God and we are promised in his word that He will take care of us.
So Remember.....
Keep Growing, you smell nice to God.
Last Updated ( Thursday, 30 April 2009 18:28 )