Warehouse727

Happy Birthday Warehouse 727!!

Pastor Jeff — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 12:26:59 GMT

Officially it was last week (July 28); however, this SatPM we are celebrating our first birthday @ Warehouse 727!! I cannot believe it has been a year! It's been a year of healing, adventure, faith, personal growth, learning, admiring, missing friends who passed, celebrating new life, witnessing God change lives, leaving the past behind, dreaming new dreams, enjoying new friends, deepening established relationships, & leaning on the LORD for everthing!

This Saturday night (Aug. 9) we will look back, look around, & look forward - all the while, recognizing God's gracious acts of kindness & appreciating all He has done! If you're a friend of Warehouse or a part of the family, come & enjoy the celebration with us!

Grace & Peace, Jeff

Attitude Check!

Pastor Jeff — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 04:11:03 GMT

Have you ever been around someone who was negative? Did your attitude change while you were around them? Did you feel like your joy was totally sucked away? It doesn't take long for our mind to begin having negative thoughts - critical, cynical, & pitiful! That's a long way from what God wants from us. Philippians 2:5 says that our attitude should be the same as Jesus'!!

What can we do to get our attitude back on track? This Saturday we're beginning a new teaching series titled "It's All In Your Mind" - in this week's message I'll share 3 things I chose to do to protect my heart from being negative - Attitude Check! We're going to have some fun over the next 4 weeks as we explore the issue of spiritual warfare, how it affects our attitude, & what we can do to have our heart realigned with the heart of Christ.

It has been a great year @ Warehouse 727! I am honored to be one of your pastors!

Grace & Peace, Jeff

Offending Others / Influencing Others

Pastor Jeff — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 21:35:51 GMT

Linda is my favorite waitress at a restaurant that Charlene & I often go to. She's been attending Warehouse 727 about 3 months. She's already brought a handful of friends with her. I love to see her face, especially when she has a new friend with her. She is smiling ear to ear. She doesn't have to say a word to me & we are communicating to each other. She is thinking, "I got another friend to come with me!"

For the last year Christina has been praying for a friend & inviting her to come to church. Her friend finally came with her this week! I got to pray with her after the service...

God wants to use YOU in the process of changing someone's life, just as He used someone else in the process of changing your life!

Do you have any stories to share? What do you think are some important things to remember as we allow the Lord to use us to influence others? I immediately think of 3 words: REAL, RELATIONAL, & RELEVANT.

Until next Saturday, "The Church has left the building!" Jeff

Lord, Make Us Offensive - One Prayer, week #3

Pastor Jeff — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 20:50:08 GMT

Lord, Make Us Offensive – One Prayer, week #3

Randy Smith, Discovery Church, NJ

We have the Power, the People, & the Promises, so let’s make a difference!

Matthew 16:13-18

Jesus took his disciples on a field trip to Caesarea Philippi - this place is no monastery! Caesarea Philippi is a very sensually driven city in a very sexually driven culture! Jesus' disciples were looking at all types of vulgar & offensive behavior.

Jesus tells His 12 followers that His Church will be established to influence & change the very culture & people they are watching right now!

If we are to make a difference in the world…

1) We need to show God’s Power

Romans 8:11; 6:14; 8:31; 8:39; Philippians 4:13; Ephesians 1:20

How do we experience God’s power in our lives?

1. Spend time with God

Practice “10/10/10” = each day spend 10 minutes reading Scripture, 10 minutes praying, & another 10 minutes (with no distractions!) thinking about the Scripture & listening to the Lord.

Hebrews 13:5 God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”

2.Spend time serving God

Scripture tells us that God has given us His divine power & presence. To not use the power we have is similar to the difference between a battleship & a toy boat. A battleship might as well be a toy boat if it chooses to not use the firing power that it has!

3. Spend time with God’s people

2) We need to be supported by God’s People

2 Timothy 2:22 Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

I am not to walk alone with God. God created us to walk with others; we need the church!

3) We need to personally stand on God’s Promises

Our culture values diversity & so does Jesus! However, we must not confuse our acceptance of all people (diversity) with the belief that we must accept all beliefs! Our culture may promote the belief there is no such thing as absolute truth; however, Scripture teaches us differently. We must stand for truth even if we offend others.

We can be “offensive” in one of two ways: 1. Being “odd for God” or 2. Speaking the truth in love.

The 2^nd way is the manner we should embrace!

Matthew 16:25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.

Who in your life are you to influence for Christ? You already have God’s power; make sure to use it!

Dreaming...

Pastor Jeff — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 03:55:53 GMT

Last SatPM's message was from Mark Batterson - National Community Church in DC. His message was titled, "Lord, Make Us Dreamers."

God wants to give dreams, or pictures of His preferred future for our lives. These are given to show us that we do not have to stay content with where we are (currently) & we should pursue the God opportunities!

We want to hear - what dream(s) has the LORD given you?

Shame sucks...

Pastor Jeff — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 01:00:30 GMT

Last Saturday Night, in our first week of One Prayer, we were taught by Rick Bezet.

Lord, Free us from Shame

One of the biggest hurdles that keeps so many of us from experiencing the totality of the Christian faith is shame. Shame is a spiritual disease that prevents us from being spiritually healthy (having joy, peace, confidence about the future, etc.) & keeps us stuck in bad habits, bad attitudes, & bad expectations. In short, shame sucks... the life out of your soul.

Share your thoughts on shame...

What do you think are the biggest sources/reasons of shame?

How should the Church respond & what can the Church do to help those who struggle with shame?

Notes - Free Us From Shame - One Prayer #1

Pastor Jeff — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 21:43:46 GMT

Make Us Free from Shame – One Prayer Week 1

Pastor Rick Bezet – New Life Church, Little Rock, AR

June 7, 2008

Sin & the shame from sin create a big space between God & I.

Romans 8:37-39

Romans 7:15-25

Wretched = total exhaustion

If I feel shame after I have embraced Christ, it is illegally attached to me.

In the beginning, before sin entered our world, there was no shame.

Genesis 3:7-8

After sin, the shame caused Adam & Eve to hide from God.

Shame does the same thing to us. In the times that we should run to God, shame causes us to hide from Him.

Shame will be the real deal in my life when:

1)I have regret from a past sin or secret

Acts 7:54-58 – Saul / Paul oversaw the killing of Steven & many other Christ-Followers.

Paul should be on the top of the list when it comes to feeling shame; yet, he fully understood the reality & depth of God’s forgiveness. He is the person who wrote Romans 8!

2)If I allow shame to be attached to who I am

Truth says you have made a mess. Shame says you are a mess.

Truth says you have failed. Shame says you are a failure.

3)If I don’t allow God’s forgiveness to cover my sin

To be close to God you have to allow Him to forgive you.

If you do not allow Him to forgive you, you are hopelessly stuck where you are.

Let’s say you want to change this…

Shame will leave me when:

1)I must honest with myself & with God

Psalm 51

Psalm 32:1-5

2)I know who I am (the new me) once Christ comes into my life

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Do you want to stay stuck where you are?

Will you allow God to forgive you, taking care of your sin & shame?

You must allow God to take away your sin & shame. You must allow Him to take it away from you!

In prayer, simply tell Jesus that you are tired of staying where you are, stuck to shame. Tell Him that you refuse to continue to carry this around any longer & you are allowing His forgiveness to remove it.

One Prayer starts tomorrow!

Pastor Jeff — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 19:50:14 GMT

Forgive me for not posting anything in a couple of weeks. A lot has gone on & I'll eventually post on some of those events. However, here's what is happening now @ WH727... One Prayer!

I am so excited - this weekend we are joining over 1000 churches, considering what is the "one prayer" we should be praying for the global Church!

Over the next few weeks, we will be taught from 4 different pastors through specially made video messages. We will conclude this teaching series with me teaching what I sense is the greatest issue Warehouse 727 should be praying for our specific church family.

The message for June 6 will be from Rick Bezet from New Life Church in His message is titled, “Lord, Free Us from Shame.” It is excellant - a very appropriate message to kick off this series!!

For more info check out the website of One Prayer.

My love to the Warehouse Family!! I'll see you tonight at our volunteer banquet!

Grace & Peace, Jeff

SatPM Re-Wind - 08 May 10

Pastor Jeff — Sun, 11 May 2008 14:59:02 GMT

Last Night was so much fun! It was great to see all of the families dedicate their children to the LORD! Bobby & I felt so honored to be a part of that ceremony. We were pretty full (especially 1st service!) seeing some old friends & meeting a lot of new friends. As I saw so many people serving, volunteering, & enjoying ech other's comapany I felt so proud to be a part of Warehose 727!

Last night's message was about Esther & the life or death risk that she took. She is our example of how God wants to use us IF we choose to accept God's challenge & call. We have just a few "kairos" moments in our life. God gives us the option of accepting or rejecting our part in the story. If we accept the challenge of a "kairos" moment, the results will not only forever change the outcome of our life, they will ripple out, changing the lives of many, many people. THAT is the way that God wants us to be involved in His Story! I've included the message notes are located in the article section; just click on the link.

Next Sunday - Beach Day @ Redington Shores, starting around 4pm. Bring your favorite beach toys (volleyball, football, etc.) - we're going to have a blast! If you'd like to be baptized call the church office.

New teaching series coming in June on SatPMs - One Prayer

We have a lot of great family events planned for the summer. Stay up to date at the Warehouse web page & here on the blog.

Blessings!

Grace & Peace, Jeff

Mother's Day

Pastor Jeff — Thu, 08 May 2008 01:09:35 GMT

Hey Guys

Mother's Day is this coming Sunday. What are the best Mother's Day gifts you've given or heard of others giving? My mother would usually ask that I not fight with my younger sister & I would reply, "Forget it Mom. How about a card?"

I'm sure some of you have some great ideas - share with us what you've done!

Grace & Peace, Jeff