I NEED YOUR HELP

This Sunday we will be focusing on Jonah 2 as Jonah prays for his rescue. I need some rescue stories!

Please read through Jonah 2 (printed below) and think of a time when life had given you a difficult turn and you prayed for God to rescue you. I would love for you to write your own rescue Psalm and give me permission to read it annonymously on Sunday morning.

Please send me your psalm(story) by Thursday morning at dhamlin@shelbychristian.org You don't have to me a member of the church or even attend for that matter, just send me your story.

1-9 Then Jonah prayed to his God from the belly of the fish. He prayed:
"In trouble, deep trouble, I prayed to God. He answered me.From the belly of the grave I cried, 'Help!' You heard my cry.You threw me into ocean's depths, into a watery grave,With ocean waves, ocean breakers crashing over me.I said, 'I've been thrown away, thrown out, out of your sight.I'll never again lay eyes on your Holy Temple.'Ocean gripped me by the throat. The ancient Abyss grabbed me and held tight.My head was all tangled in seaweed at the bottom of the sea where the mountains take root.I was as far down as a body can go, and the gates were slamming shut behind me forever—Yet you pulled me up from that grave alive, O God, my God!When my life was slipping away, I remembered God,And my prayer got through to you, made it all the way to your Holy Temple.Those who worship hollow gods, god-frauds, walk away from their only true love.But I'm worshiping you, God, calling out in thanksgiving!And I'll do what I promised I'd do! Salvation belongs to God!"

Rain

Wow! Did it ever rain hard this morning? Kim and I are getting ready for our LIFE group tonight and we are actually using Rob Bell's Nooma series for a few weeks. Guess what video one is ... RAIN. Rob does such a great job of explaining why it has to rain in our lives and how God works through the rain. Then I read my friend Brittany's blog who is serving God in Guatemala where it is supposed to be the rainy season and it is not raining. People are dying because they need the rain. I am not always the sharpest guy but I am beginning to think God is trying to teach me something through the rain. I can't wait to see my small group tonight. I missed being with them. They were such a help when we found out that we were going to be grandparents and now it could happen any day. I am not old enough to be a grandparent and Shaun and Erin aren't old enough to be parents, but it is what it is, so God let it rain!!! And I will praise you in the storm!

What a Sacrifice

Let me first say that I love the interaction to this blog that appears in my notes on Facebook. It seems that is where the majority of people tend to respond.

Today I just have to direct you to Mark Batterson's blog for today ... great thoughts.

Check out http://bit.ly/1asSu6

Got to go read some word ...

Will They Ever Know

Yesterday was going along just fine until 4:00. Around 4:00 I received another message from an annonymous blogger who wants to argue the validity of scripture. But yesterday as I was deleting the message as I do with all anonymous communication I began to wonder why does this individual want to argue over obscure points and miss the obvious that Jesus loves them and died for them. As I pondered that point I drove across town to pick up some things and was met in the parking lot by two very, very nice young men. They were so polite in offering to help me load my truck while dressed in their white dress shirts and ties. They wanted to know what I was doing with the heavy stones I was loading and so I told them about the time when God told Joshua to have the people build a memorial of twelve stones to remind them of where they had been. They simply responded oh and then began to explain they were missionaries. My response was great so am I. I told them that I was the preacher at a church down the road (apparently the hawaiian shirt and sandals threw them), and I invited them to come worship with us on Sunday. They remained polite, but suddenly seemed less interested. These guys were so nice, so dedicated and so deceived.

As I sat under a tree for a couple hours in the evening on the first day of dove season I missed a lot of birds because I couldn't quit thinking about these three young people that had been in my world that afternoon. One hiding behind the anonymity of a computer and the other two deceived by the teaching a man history has proven to be a plagerist. My heart hurt that they can't simply see Jesus. Not manmade credes and supposed contradictions in scripture. Just the simple truth of a creator that has spent virtually all of created history trying to bring His created beings back into a perfect relationship with him. Ultimately allowing His only Son to die for their sins.

Then the very first thing I did this morning was spend two hours on the phone with a wonderful young lady in India who was fixing the connection problems with my laptop that I am tying on right now. I was amazed she could do that and we were worlds apart. Then it hit me we were probably worlds apart on understanding Jesus.

I can't these people off my mind. Jesus died for these people just like me and every person that comes to every church on Sunday. And yet many who come every week couldn't care less about those young people. They show that by sliding in and out church whenever they want never serving, never tithing, never really loving.

So my thought what would it take for the four young people that I came in contact with to know the love of Jesus and what would it take for those of us who claim him to understand that love?