by Clarence E. Stowers | Jun 16, 2009 | Christian, Christianity, Empowerment, Preaching, Sunday Worship Experience, Worship
When you hear the phrase “God is closer than you think,” what comes to mind? Personally, I’m overwhelmed with a sense of joy and confidence!
The Bible is filled with examples of an intimate God keenly interested in connecting with ordinary people. He promises to be with us. He says He will personally guide us. Yet somehow, intimacy with God eludes us. I believe my new series Can You See Him struck a nerve with God’s people. This series shows how you can enjoy a vibrant, moment-by-moment relationship with your heavenly Father. Not some abstract theological concept, but an intimate connection with a personal God.
Sunday’s message, Seeing is Believing (Acts 9:1-17) traced the Apostle Paul’s conversion experience. Paul was hell-bent on destroying Christians and Christianity. While on the Road to Damascus, he sees a light brighter than the sun and ultimately looses his sight for three days (Acts 9:1-4). When Jesus asks: “Why are you persecuting me?” Saul responds by asking, “Who are you, Lord?” For me it’s comforting to know, regardless of where you are in life:
GOD ALWAYS INITIATES SALVATION!
Here’s a popular saying: “If you take one step towards God, He’ll take two steps towards you.” NOPE, that’s not in the Scriptures. Truth is, we’re utterly lost (Romans 3:23; 5:8) and God sends The Spirit to “quicken” or awake us to SEE we’re lost and in need of a savior. I’m glad God chose to initiate Paul’s salvation and ours. Remember, no one would ever expect Paul to become a Christian and his conversion experience shows why it’s important to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-40).
Thirsty for more…tune it tomorrow for Part 2…
by Clarence E. Stowers | Jun 9, 2009 | Christian, Christianity, Preaching, Sunday Worship Experience, Worship
We had another incredible worship experience this past Sunday! I started a new series entitled: “Can You See Him?” Life usually sets us on a path that’s almost robotic and we forget to see God in all things – the good, the tragic, or even the mundane.
As the two disciples traveled to Jerusalem, Christ came along side them and began walking and talking to them (Luke 24:13-35). In fact, He was close, but they couldn’t see Him. Additionally, He was there before they even realized they needed Him! The two travelers were sad because their Messiah was crucified and what they had hoped for (a reigning king to overthrow Rome) didn’t happen as they wished. The same could be said about us. We live our lives framed by the reality of five words: “I had hope…but instead.”
- “I had hoped I’d be married; but instead I’m still single.”
- “I had hoped for a job after college; but instead there aren’t many viable options.”
- “I had hoped we’d live together in retirement; but instead he became terminally ill.”
Although it’s comforting to know that God is with us before we need Him. It’s equally comforting to know when He reveals Himself to us it’s not to inform, but to CONFIRM. Jesus confirmed He was the resurrected Messiah when He sat at the table and broke the bread (Luke 9:13-17; 22:17-19; 24:28-31a). The two disciples may not have recognized Jesus’ face, but, they recognized his actions! How were they able to see?
INTIMACY
Intimacy with God allows you to notice the details – the small things others often miss. As Jesus opend the Scriptures to them, their eyes were opened and they recognized Him. Becasue they could see they know themselves that Jesus was alive!
CAN YOU SEE HIM?
I invite you to join our congregation in studying this passage together. The following questions were taken from Sunday’s outline and I invite you to “dig deeper” with us. Please feel free to post your thoughts, comments, or questions and we learn together in community.
- Sometimes it is easier to see God’s work as you reflect back over your life. Encourage others with an example of how you can see God at work through a challenge from the past.
- The two men’s eyes were opened to see Jesus in their midst. Describe a time that you’ve had a spiritual awakening. How did God give you “eyes to see” something you missed before.
- You (or someone you know) may be in the middle of a painful season where it is more difficult to see God at work. Take time to pray for each other and ask God to give you eyes to see His hand in your lives.
by Clarence E. Stowers | Jun 3, 2009 | Christian, Christianity, Church Issues, Communication, Politics, Prayer, Vision
The longer I serve as pastor of a thriving church, the more I realize how VITAL prayer is! Prayer is the link to a vibrant and fruitful ministry.
What if God granted you an opportunity to go back in time and speak to the wisest people who ever lived (people such as Moses, Apostle Paul, Solomon, Sojourner Truth, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and Fredrick Douglass)? However, once you reached your destination, you sat at their feet and proceeded to do all the talking? Would it be a worthwhile endeavor? Did the aforementioned people need to know all you had to say? Upon leaving would you wish you had talked less and listened more? Incredibly, many people enter God’s holy presence in prayer and then do all the talking!
What God has to say to us is infinitely more important that what we have to say to Him, yet we generally monopolize the conversation. God already knows everything we plan to tell Him, yet we continue talking rather than allowing Him to tell us things we don’t know. Why? Our American individualist mindset tricks us to believe that we can dominate our conversation with God. Prayer is two-way communication, but it is not communication between two equal parties.
Tonight (7PM) we’ll gather @ the Mars Hill Baptist Church for our 1st Wednesday Worship. This worship experience allows us to spend more time worshipping God and listening to the Word. During tonight’s service, I will pose 5 Questions that will revolutionize the prayer lives of those in attendance. The questions are as follows:
- What is Prayer (the definition may surprise you)?
- Why Pray (it’s not what you think)?
- To Whom Do We Pray (is it God, Jesus, or The Holy Spirit)?
- What Do God’s Answers Look Like (it’s more than, “God give me a sign”)?
- What If There Is Silence?
Please come and join us!
by Clarence E. Stowers | Jun 1, 2009 | Christian, Christianity, Church Issues, Leadership, Preaching, Vision, Worship
Yesterday, we celebrated our 46th year anniversary & the Lord blessed it tremendously. What a day at Mars Hill Baptist Church…here are some of the highlights…
- During our 8AM Worship Experience, we were blessed to have a long-time friend of my father & our church preach the Word.
- Dr. W.H. Foster, Sr., preached with passion and power as he encourage our members to continue to build on the legacy and expand for the Glory of God. He blessed us by singing “Father, I Stretch My Hand To Thee.” And yes, he ripped it & shouted EVERYTHING in our church. What a mighty man of God!
- During our 10:30AM Worship Experience, personally, I thought the music was UNBELIEVABLE!!! WOW!
- The Praise & Worship period blended contemporary praise peppered with traditional hymns. From the response of the audience, I knew we were in for another awe-inspiring worship experience.
- I sensed many in our congregation were carrying heavy burdens and needed a breakthrough. Therefore, I preached “A Second Wind” from Isaiah 40:29-31 and saw how the words bypassed their intellect and pierced the very core of their souls!
- To catch a Second Wind is to have increased energy or strength after feeling tired or weak.
- A Second wind is a phenomenon in distance running, such as marathons (as well as other sports), whereby an athlete who is too out of breath and tired to continue suddenly finds the strength to press on at top performance with less exertion. I FEEL A SHOUT COMING ON!!!
- The phenomenon has come to be used as a metaphor for continuing on with renewed energy past the point thought to be one’s prime, whether in other sports, careers, or life in general.
A Few in Need of a Second Wind:
WIDOWS
SINGLE PARENTS
THOSE FACING HEALTH CHALLENGES
THOSE FACING LAYOFFS/DOWNSIZED
COLLEGE GRADS FACING A DIFFICULT JOB MARKET
As we wait on the Lord, we’ll find more strength (2ND WIND) to REST (while God prepares us for our next assignment), REFLECT (look around and see God’s faithfulness), and WORSHIP (to make Him the center of our affection). Worship ended with a POWERFUL altar call for those who were ready to give up. God interceded and gave them a “SECOND WIND” to go on! As I prayed & laid hands, I felt the power of God breaking yokes & strongholds and people walked away with renewed strength.
Mars Hill…I love you guys…I am so blessed to be here and serving as your pastor. I am BLOWN away by all that God is doing…and I can’t wait to see what happens next around here. Ephesians 3:20 is becoming more and more real to all of us…we serve an amazing God!
Next week I begin a new series
“Can You See Him”
Here’s An Overview:
Daily life usually sets us on a path that’s almost robotic and we forget to see God in all things – the good, the tragic, or even the mundane. Think of your day today. Did you see Him in your kids’ laughter, the homeless person on the corner, or even the papers you stapled? He was there. Join me as we discover how to see God in everything.
