Expect, Believe, Achieve!
Recently I saw a poster that really caught my eye. It says, "Expect the unexpected, believe in the unbelievable, achieve the unachievable." I love this thought. A little bit of yeast will make a whole loaf of bread rise. A small rudder will turn a huge ship. And the stapes, the smallest bone in the body, conducts sound vibrations to the inner ear, allowing us to hear. When you think about it, this is what being a "Christ Follower" is all about. In fact, Jesus speaks of this when he shares his parable of the mustard seed. Matthew 13 has several parables that compare sharing and growing in our faith to seeds. In verse 31-32 Jesus says... "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches". Later in chapter 17, verse 20, Jesus tells us "For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you."
It is so exciting to see how God uses the little unexpected parts of His awesome creation to make a giant positive impact. The mustard seed, yeast, the stapes bone in the ear, the beauty of that small flower blooming through the rock, and so much more. Or how about the young six year old, fighting an incurable cancer, smiling and saying "I only have joy on my face." Or those folks who spread kindness without anyone ever knowing. It is even more beautiful when we see how God works in our lives - when we allow Him. The list is long and unending of what God will do in our lives when we are faithful in our walk, seek His wisdom and direction, and grow in our understanding and relationship with Him. Growing from the "mustard seed" into the strong, rooted tree, in our lives. Nothing is impossible. And the real unexpected (that God expects) is when we really, unconditionally love, just like He does!
Let's expect the unexpected, believe in the unbelievable, and achieve the unachievable because of Christ in our life - individually and together, unified in the Body of Christ. As Paul says in Ephesians 3:20: "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
There is a lot going on at FCC. November is going to focus on "Thanksgiving and Celebration". Jeremiah 30:19 (HCSB) is our theme verse: "Thanksgiving will come out of them, a sound of celebration. I will multiply them, and they will not decrease; I will honor them, and they will not be insignificant." On Sunday, November 3, we will start our month of "Thanksgiving and Celebration" with Matt Blount sharing about his life changing experiences in Uganda, the ongoing ministries there, and how we can continue to be a part of it. Make plans to be there for this special Sunday. On Sunday, November 10, we will Celebrate with our "Cornucopia Potluck". On Saturday, November 16, ladies make plans to participate with the "Recipe for a Festive Holiday". It will be a fun time. Also, continue to pray for the sister church family that God is going to connect us with in the hurricane ravaged area. (As I mentioned earlier, we are getting close to finding our "partner in ministry".) Plus there is much more coming in November.
We would love for you to join us THIS Sunday. Exciting Bible Study on Proverbs is at 9:30. And at 10:30 we will continue our look at "Mystery" in Ephesians "Living and Loving Unified". I look forward to seeing you then. Let's expect the unexpected, believe the unbelievable, and achieve the unachievable! And...
Always Remember,
You ARE Loved!
Pastor Lonnie
"More in '24"
(You can reach Pastor Lonnie by calling or texting 615-496-2502 or send an email to lonniecastle@gmail.com)