Church of the Nazarene
WELCOME TO ‘THE LAWN’
Fairlawn Church of the Nazarene | 730 Fairlawn Road | Topeka, KS 66606 | 785.272.6322
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Pastor Steve’s e-
March 19, 2009
Dear Friends
Easter is almost here! Passion play practice is in full swing, people have been painting, cleaning and decoration the church for the spring and Easter season and it is looking nice!
Easter reminds me of new beginnings, fresh starts and life. As we approach this special time I encourage you to do one thing well.pray. Pray about the passion play. Pray about new people coming to our church. Pray about salvation of souls. Pray about the vision of the church and our willingness to reach Topeka for Christ. Pray about your life and all of its' problems and joys. How do we do all those things? Pray until something happens!!
Someone passed this along to me that goes with this idea and with a sermon I shared with you several weeks ago. I asked you to pray for 60 days about three things; a passion, a problem and a person. How are you doing with it? So here is the message.
A man was sleeping one night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light
and God appeared. The Lord told the man he had work for him to do and showed him
a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against
the rock with all his might. So, this the man did, day after day. For many years
he toiled from sun-
Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain. Since the man was showing discouragement, the adversary (satan) decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the weary mind. (He will do it every time!) 'You have been pushing against that rock for a long time and it hasn't moved.' Thus, he gave the man the impression that the task was
impossible and that he was a failure. These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man.
satan said, 'why kill yourself over this? Just put in your time, giving just the minimum effort and that will be good enough.' That's what the weary man
planned to do, but decided to make it a matter of prayer and to take his troubled thoughts to the Lord.
'Lord,' he said, 'I have labored long and hard in Your service, putting all my strength to do that which You have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?'
The Lord responded compassionately, 'My friend, when I asked you to serve Me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock
with all of your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to
you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to Me with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back
shiny and brown; your hands are callused from constant pressure, your legs
have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much, and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. True, you haven't moved the rock, but your calling was to be obedient and to push and exercise your faith and trust in My Wisdom. That you have done. Now I, my friend, will move the rock.'
At times, when we hear a word from God, we tend to use our own intellect to
decipher what He wants, when actually what God wants is just simple obedience and faith in Him.
By all means, exercise the faith that moves mountains, but know that it is
still God who moves the Mountains.
When everything seems to go wrong...Just P.U.S.H.
When the job gets you down...Just P.U.S.H.
When people don't do as you think they should...
Just P.U.S.H.
When your money is 'gone' and the bills are due...
Just P.U.S.H.
When people just don't understand you...Just P.U.S.H.
P = Pray
U = Until
S = Something
H = Happens
Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.
Friends are like quiet angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have
trouble remembering how to fly.
May God Bless You.
JUST HOLD ON.
P.U.S.H!!!
Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
LIFE OUT LOUD,
Pastor STV