In God We Trust

This time last week, I was in the beautiful country of Haiti.  It was an honor to be a quest of Convoy of Hope along with about 14 other Senior Pastors.  I have shared about my experience with many people and many different ways already in this short week's time.

Here's what I sent to my sister...
Haiti was eye-opening.  I have been to Mexico and seen pockets of horrible poverty but Haiti is the opposite.  There are pockets of plenty rather than pockets of poverty.  80% of the people live on $2 a day.  A thought that we can barely comprehend when we spend twice that or more for a fast food meal.

Even in the midst of that mess, God has given many Haitians visions and dreams to reach their people.  One man took his own home and transformed it into an orphanange, one lawyer stopped her work to rescue kids from the streets and created another orphanage.  One felt the divine call to be a teacher to 4th-5th graders.  One just graduated and plans to build homes for those without homes or have the need for new homes.

I went to one of the mass graves and was told by one man that the earthquake swallowed their spirit, but that there is a revival happening in that country and their very own president dedicated the nation to God shortly after the earthquake.

I believe that God's Spirit, the Holy Spirit is changing that nation and can do that for us too!
It is a beautiful place that is taking it's mess and creating a message!  May this be what you needed to hear today!

...as we draw closer to our Presidental election, we can get back to living out that phrase "In God We Trust."  All we need to do is see how a nation with so little has decided to trust in the same God that the Haitians have placed there trust in!

Live Out Loud!

If you are not aware yet of what our students from Momentum Youth Ministries are doing, you will this Sunday. They have been wearing the same shirt these past 5 days and will continue all the way through the month of October. Why? They are raising money for missionaries that need transportation and other equipment to share more effectively about the Gospel through what is called, Speed The Light. If you have yet to make a pledge to help raise funds with one of the students or youth leaders I encourage you to find one of them and start. It won’t be that hard, they all will be wearing the same shirt! :-)

I am so proud of them!  We all should be proud of them. This is just one step in reaching their goal this school year that says, “Don’t live life on mute, but learn to live out loud!” That goal echoes our mission at New Life – Helping people BECOME completely COMMITTED, Holy Spirit EMPOWERED FOLLOWERS of Jesus!

You cannot live out loud without the Holy Spirit’s empowerment! Acts 1:8 shares some of Jesus’ final words..."You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.” What were they to do with this power? Be witnesses, live out loud!!

We need to encourage our students to live out loud and there is no better way than to model it for them. When something just doesn’t seem right, don’t just say it, do something about it! When someone seems to need prayer, don’t just say you will pray for them, PRAY for them right then! When someone has a need, don’t just feel bad for them, let the compassion of Jesus lead you to help meet their need.

Peter and John had seen a crippled man near the Temple entrance, who knows how many times, but this time something was different. They were not silent, they were empowered by the Holy Spirit to live out loud and said they didn’t have money but they would give what they DID have! They didn’t simply pray that the crippled man MIGHT get healed. They told him to stand up, IMMEDIATELY and BE healed in the name of Jesus!

Let us strive to live a Holy Spirit Empowered life! It is a life that is not on mute but a life that is lived out loud!

See you this Sunday!

Chasing Him,

Pastor David