I heard a Voice…

And I heard the voice of the Lord say, “Who can I send and who will go for us?” (Isaiah 6:8) . These words still echo down through the millennium to the people of God today.  God is searching for those who will take His cause as their own and enter the battle for the souls of men.

Deborah and Barak were raised up by God to lead Israel into battle over His enemies.  In the book of Judges we see how the different tribes of Israel responded to the call to arms.

Nine tribes responded with a definite yes, but three tribes gave excuses.  In Judges 5:15-17 we see what these tribes said to the messengers.

“In the tribe of Reuben there was great indecision”…(v.15).  When the messenger came to the tribe of Reuben to ask for help their leaders must have called for a committee meeting.  “Let’s have a study”.  Let’s get some reports”.  “Let’s figure out and rationalize whether we should join in the battle.”  After all that they declined to fight.

The Word says, “Why did Dan remain in ships”… (v.17). These guys were merchants who carried merchandise in ships on the sea.  They were businessmen.  When the call came to Dan, the head of the tribe whose priority was his business said, “Tell Deborah we are sorry.  Tell her we will be there in spirit, but our business is doing real well right now and our priorities are right here.”  They also declined.

There was one other tribe Asher.  In verse 17 the Word says, “Asher continued on the seashore”…  Was Asher on vacation or what?  Here it was time to assemble and fight, time to run with Deborah’s vision and all of Asher’s folks are taking their leisure at the beach.  It’s okay to take a break, but if we are not careful it can become a permanent vacation from the fight.

Get in the battle with your faith, your prayers and your testimony!  Be present and accounted for when the troops assemble for fresh orders and direction.  Be present to drill and learn how to use the weapons of God.

People are perishing and God has commanded.  Are you responding in obedience or making excuses?  Stir yourself up and keep your passion alive for the cause of Christ!

 You can make a difference if you will join in the battle.

 Pastor Norris

Dear Man of Faith…

Fall is just around the corner… I know it’s hot but it really is just around the corner!

School will be starting up, football games will be back on…hurray… and everyone will be getting back on more of a regular schedule.  With all things of Fall in mind, I am glad to remind you that we will be kicking off our men’s quarterly meetings for 2009-10 here at Grace.

Our men’s ministry will take on a different name and will be called Man2Man rather than Men of Faith, but our goals and objectives will be the same… building strong men of faith to lead their homes and this church as godly examples and disciples of the Lord Jesus!

I know how busy we all are and how difficult it is to fit one more thing on our schedule so we will only meet quarterly as a group for teaching, encouragement and prayer, but I would like to see some other men step up to host some small groups to meet in between the quarterly meetings.  Brother Rick Cross already has such a group and it is thriving, but I would like to see it multiplied in the upcoming calendar year.

Guys we need each other as well as the Lord to become the mature, strong men of God needed for this hour.  We will learn to lead our homes in spiritual things, how to pray powerfully and effectively, how to hear the voice of God and how to come together in unity to defeat the enemy and advance the Kingdom!

There will be a list in the lobby of Grace and I would like you to find your name and highlight it with the marker.  If your name is not on there or your information is incorrect or incomplete please fill out a GCC directory form found on the table.  If you know any men who would like to be added to our list, fill out a form for them and put it in the box also.

Let’s make this a year when we will go farther in our spiritual growth in God and be more productive in reaching out to hurting and hopeless men in the power of Jesus Christ.

Our first quarterly meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 8, 2009 at 7 p.m…  A fellowship time with light refreshments will begin at 6:30 p.m.

 Let’s have the best year ever in the Lord!

 Pastor Norris

Time of Transition…

Transition is defined as a movement, passage or change from one position to another state or stage.  I believe this is where the church has been for the last two years.  It is a place where one stage is ending and the next one has not yet fully begun.

Whether we move forward in our vision, purpose and growth will depend in large part on our ability to recognize and move past this transition time.  Israel was able to come out but unable to go in because they did not handle the transition stage from Egypt to the Promised Land.

There are three characteristics of transition that must be handled properly if we are to move successfully through this stage into the land of promise.

The first one is “unfamiliar territory”.  In Israel’s case it was represented by the wilderness.  It was completely unfamiliar to them and it called for a walk of faith if they were to survive it.  The temptation at this point is to give up and go back to the familiar rather than trust God.  We too will be tempted to listen to the voices of those who say, let’s go back where it was better.  We must by faith press on.

A second challenge in transition is “uncomfortable circumstances”.  The children of Israel found themselves in an inhospitable environment where their every need had to be met by God.  The temptation at this point was to complain and murmur about the direction and leadership of Moses.  The cure for this temptation is obedience to God.  God says to move forward never backward.  There is no retreat in God.

The third challenge in transition is “uncertainty about the future”.  The children of Israel were moving on to a new place where none of them had ever gone.  They had only God’s promise to assure their future.  The temptation here is to take matters into your own hands rather than trust God to take you in.  This is the time to allow God’s promise to envision you with the future and not rely upon your own wisdom.

In all three of these challenges during transition the temptation is to fear.  Fear God’s provision will not be enough, fear that our uncomfortable circumstances are an indication we have missed God and a fear of the future rather than trusting in the vision of God.

We must resist fear and move forward trusting God, His call, His provision and His leading.  Together we can go into the Promised Land!  Let us encourage one another and resist the temptation to fear!

Pastor Norris

New Site Grand Opening

 

NEW SITE, NEW DESIGN, SAME GREAT PEOPLE

We are pleased to announce our new web site! Our new address is www.graceonthemove.org . Our previous address www.graceonthemove.us  will be up just a few more months, allowing everyone to make the transition.

The site is completely interactive, and offers current news and events. We hope that everyone will register for the several news letters we will be sending out regularly. We look forward to bringing to you powerful messages which can be accessed at anytime of the day. Please check back regularly and watch us grow!

Devoted…

New Ministry

“DEVOTED”

Coming Soon! Date and Times to be Determined

Building a solid foundation for a successful marriage on God’s Word and Fellowship.  Devoted is the Newlywed’s ministry of Grace Community Church for couples married 0-3 years.

Bible study, prayer and fellowship, and monthly for couples events. Study topics include the following:

• Understanding God’s plan & purpose for marriage
• Overcoming the challenges of becoming one
• Defining the roles of husband and wife
• God’s Word on finances, sex, family and children

“Monthly get-togethers starting in September 2011!  Contact Derrick and Lavinia Brown for more info.”  Or contact the Church Office -561-369-4387 or devoted@graceonthemove.org for additional information. Coming Soon, date and times to be determined.

New Ministry…

“IGNITED”

Coming Soon! Date and Time to be Determined.

Equipping young adults to overcome the challenges of today’s world through God’s Word and fellowship.  Ignited is the college to career ministry at Grace Community Church for young adults between the ages of 18 to 30 years old.

Praise & worship, prayer, Bible study and fellowship. Study topics include the following:

• Discovering who we are in Christ
• Understanding God’s plans for our lives
• How to make the successful transition to adulthood
• God’s Word on drugs, alcohol, dating and sex
• Victory in the battlefield of the mind

Contact the Church Office -561-369-4387 or
ignited@graceonthemove.org for additional information.