RECALL NOTICE

The Maker of all human beings is recalling all units manufactured, regardless of make or year, due to a serious defect in the primary and central component of the heart.

This is due to a malfunction in the original prototype units code named Adam and Eve, resulting in the reproduction of the same defect in all subsequent units.

This defect has been technically termed, "Subsequential Internal Non-morality", or more commonly known as S.I.N., as it is primarily expressed.

Some other symptoms:
1. Loss of direction
2. Foul vocal emissions
3. Amnesia of origin
4. Lack of peace and joy
5. Selfish, or violent behavior
6. Depression or confusion in the mental component
7. Fearfulness
8. Idolatry
9. Rebellion

The Manufacturer, who is neither liable nor at fault for this defect, is providing factory authorized repair and service free of charge to correct this SIN defect.
The Repair Technician, Jesus, has most generously offered to bear the entire burden of the staggering cost of these repairs. There is no additional fee required.

Call on the Manuracturer and once connected, your life will never be the same.

Not on my own

“The Christian life isn't difficult--it is impossible. If we don't know that, we will try to do things ourselves. Faith is not necessary when we think we can do it ourselves. Faith comes along when we realize that we cannot do it on our own.”

— Joseph Garlingen

Testimonies JESUS > ME

I got these testimonies from two seperate churches from the same event this weekend GREATER This reminds me why I do what I do. I love my calling.

Testimony 1 -

"There's a girl in our group who hasn't been coming to church for several months. Things in her life have been rough. Her dad died of a drug OD when she was about 10 yrs old (and her mom was left with 5 kids -- she's the oldest of the 5). ... We convinced this girl, a senior in high school, to come on the retreat. During one of the altar times on Saturday, in a desperate moment of crying out, she really heard from God. She felt like He was speaking directly to her in a redemptive way. My wife was able to pray with her at the altar - and then back in the cabin for a long time. She is ready to start serving God again, and she's been telling us the past couple days that "enough is enough". She's really excited .... I pray that it will stick! Thanks for your part in it. Just wanted to share that with you."

Testimony 2

"Just wanted to share with you that the two young people that came forward the first night both recently gave their hearts to God like less than a month ago and we as a youth ministry made an investment into them...The young lady (name) since the night she gave her heart to God has been a big ball of fire and she was so excited to go...until we got there. She was sitting outside before the very first service and didn't want to go in, to the point of tears. She told me she felt uncomfortable and we chatted about how much everyone here cared about her and how much I cared about her and she finally went in. She was uncomfortable because she had never worshipped before...like ever. That service she didn't sing at all until she responded at the end I would have thought nothing was working. Since that night she hasn't stopped singing...the whole ride home...everything!!! She went into that service totally closed off and God pulled it right out of her! powerful stuff!!!

The young man ... came to youth cause he liked one of our young ladies. They are now bf/gf. He came and had prayed the salvation prayer before but this weekend he told me he prayed it for real with me. Before he had done it for this girl and now he wanted his own relationship with God! So, proud of him! . . . Thanks so much! Love your heart! Looking forward to ministering in the future with you!"

PRAISE GOD!!
"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."
Jesus in John 15:13

The Great Appeal

WE ARE WARPED! We often have a strange belief in God sometimes don't we? There are times that we think God is out to get us and strike us with His MIGHTY FINGER!! (que thunder) But in reality he was making his appeal through those of us who know Him to others that do not. Your love is key. You are the extension of God's love to this world. There are people all over the world right now that won't come to Christ because the true "love" that should have come from each of us, didn't. I have to commit myself to always asking myself how have I shown the love of God today to strangers, friends and even my own family.

God has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.
— 2 Corinthians 5:19-20 (NIV)

He makes His appeal THROUGH us. You are the channel, the funnel of God's love.

Today, find one person to let them know they are loved. Do that, and then we will begin to see open doors to offer God's love. If we dont love, they can possibly believe that we serve a God who is the person of Love.

~Tony

The Art of Invitation

ARTICLE I READ - ENJOY
I don’t know how to invite people to church.

I thought I did, I mean on the surface, “Do you want to come to church with me this Sunday?” is a pretty simple sentence to say. There aren’t any complicated words in there like “transcendentalism.” It’s a short and simple thought, and yet, I have a hard time saying that sentence.

So when I recently thought about inviting a coworker to church I went through a mental list of possible ways I could ask him:


1. The Sneak Attack
I could just slip the church invite into a long sentence that is otherwise about work, effectively cloaking it amongst other items. For instance, “Hey, did you get those promos done? I need the comps by EOD and the code needs to be in place by Thursday. Do you want to go to church with me and did you get the files you need from the software engineer?” See, you didn’t even notice it did you? You were on your way to church with me, weren’t you?

2. The Production Values
The friend I want to invite to church is a graphic designer so I could always focus on the way the church uses graphic design. It’s not a church invitation, it’s an invitation to experience a graphic design wonderland. I could say something like, “You would not believe the way my church designed the set for this new series they’re doing on ‘The Matrix.’ The graphics are ridiculous. I think you’d really appreciate the production values. You should come with me some Sunday.”

3. All the Single Ladies
I know, I know, for shame Jon Acuff, for shame. But I admit, there have been times when I’ve invited single friends to church and may or may not have mentioned the abundance of singles ladies at North Point Community Church. Which is actually pretty dumb, because it’s not like I know any of them. What’s my plan, to invite my friend and then just point out a group of single girls and say to him, “See, right over there? That’s where they sit. Go talk to them. Go on now, git!”

4. Topic Perfection
I could always just wait until there’s a sermon series that fits my friend to a T. That’s sometimes an easier sell, when you can hand them a postcard or forward an email invite and essentially say, “Hey, you know how you’re a red headed, divorced uncle with a beard? Well this week my church is starting a new series called ‘How red headed, divorced uncles with beards can find meaning in this crazy world.’ I thought you might like it.”

5. Lunch Hostage
Bottom line, people like home cooked meals. So invite them to lunch on Sunday and then say, “Why don’t we just meet at church and then go back to my house from there? My wife makes an amazing fried chicken and it would be a great meal to have after church is over. P.S. Which we both will have attended together.”

6. My Kid
People at work are always bringing in sign up forms for girl scout cookies or popcorn fundraisers. There’s a long, proud tradition of using our kids to spur action in coworkers. So instead of inviting them to a school play that your kid is in, wait until your kid is starring in some sort of church musical. Then casually and calmly say, “Hey buddy at work, you know how I went to your little league game last week? I’d love you to return the favor and come see my kid sing in this musical thing. We’re really proud of her. Here’s the address, just look for the steeple.”

I suppose at the end of the day, you could also try something called “honesty.” Or maybe even “prayer.” I’ve heard both of those approaches have worked for several people in the past. Just walking up to someone you have a friendship with and saying, “Hey, I really think you’d like the church I attend, want to come with me this Sunday?” That radical approach could work.

How about you? How do you invite people to church?


article found at
http://stuffchristianslike.net/2009/12/inviting-people-to-church/#idc-container

Clean Slate

I am so glad that in this new year, God has given us all a calendar clean slate. Even though anyone who is in Christ can start over at anytime, many dont buy into that. However, with the year beginning fresh we can start with a new and clean slate. Can I encourage you with this? Live as though Christ died yesterday, rose from the grave today, and is coming back tomorrow. You'll see things in a whole new light. Follow Him with unbridled passion and chase! Thomas Mann once wrote, "Time has no divisions to mark its passage, there is never a thunder-storm or blare of trumpets to announce the beginning of a new month or year. Even when a new century begins it is only we mortals who ring bells and fire off pistols.”

If you have to, get right with Him now, today. Dont wait. He loves you.

Tony

To all my friends in Leadership

2009

2010 is here so let me share my best in 2009:

Top 3 Best Movies:
3. UP - Great clean and really funny.
2. Star Trek - Not a treky but great cinematography
1. Flywheel - Not technically a 2009 movie but I watched it this year and its a great Christian movie. Low budget, high principle. SEE THIS MOVIE. The first from the makers of Facing The Giants and Fireproof.


Top 3 Best Books:
3. The Shack by William P. Young - Not a theological book but worth it's weight in gold.
2. Grace - The power to change by Dr. James Richards
1. In The Pit with A Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson
*honorable mention: Crazy Love by Francis Chan (a must read)

Top 3 Best Quotes:
3. “Light travels faster than sound - that's why some people appear bright until you hear them speak." ~unknown
2. "There is never enough time to do everything, but there is always enough time to do the most important thing." ~Brian Tracy
1. "The amount of the Word of God you put in your heart will be the amount that defends it." ~me

Maybe more top 3's as the week moves on. Happy New Year.
Tony Cruz