Living the New Life

I will be completely honest and tell you that I am spent.  I am wiped out.  I am so tired that when I laid down to take a nap this afternoon, I couldn’t sleep.  It was like my mind was going through a whirlwind.

This morning as a whole went well.  I started this morning speaking to a group of men at a Church here in town called Grace Chapel.  They have asked me to come back in a few weeks and preach a revival.  I am looking forward to it.  After I finished at Grace, I drove across town and spoke at New Life. 

We had 151 in attendance this morning and there was a sweet spirit present during the service.  I spoke on “Are you listening?”  My heart is broken at the scripture found in 1 Samuel 3.  I am afraid that too many Pastors are like Eli, who even though the lamp was growing dim, was not worried enough that He couldn’t  go to sleep.  Pastors, we have a responsibility to watch over the sheep, but we are also the keepers of the flame.  May the fire of the Lord never go out!

I am looking forward to a regular week.  Praise the Lord!

I have been trying to learn how to create a website the last couple of weeks and it has really taken a toll on my blog updates.  I have realized through this that making a website is very difficult.  It will take some time, but in the end I will have some knowledge of another area.

The church has been going really well as we have seen so many new people come into the congregation these last couple of months.  It is very exciting, but I also get nervous because when things happen like this you know that God is up to something.  It is a cool nervous feeling—almost like going on a first date.

This Sunday we are going to be recognizing our graduates.  This is always a special time, so we are doing our best to make it a special day.  Here is what we are doing:  Giving them each a personalized Bible, a grad book, we are doing a full color program with their grad pictures, and also a video production of each of them.  After service, we are taking all of their families out to a private meal.

In closing, I have had the opportunity this week to speak somewhere every night but Monday.  Sunday morning I am going to be speaking at a men’s fellowship at a church called Grace Chapel at 8:30.  Then we are going to come back and rock it at New Life with the beginning of a new series called “Are you listening”.

Thought for the week:  God will do the super, but we must still do the natural.

I will go back later and catch up some details but it was a really busy weekend.  Sunday was Mother’s Day and also my wedding anniversary.  The weather was terrible with really bad storms and tornado’s touching down in nearby towns.  We had a faithful crowd of 148 that braved the wind and rain. 

I tried to do a lot of extras Sunday and I was stressed out as a result.  I learned some lessons that I will share later.

This has been an interesting week so far.  I have spent a good bit of time trying to get our services on itunes through this site.  After a lot of time, I learned that while we can post our services on itunes, it is not going to be the quality that I desire for it to be.  I will have to move my blog to wordpress.org if we are going to have our album art and other information available.  I don’t really know what I am going to do.  If you have any advice, I am open for some feedback.

We had two people give make a commitment to Christ during the service.  That is awesome. 

BTW, My weight loss is now over 27lbs.

Please be in prayer for Sarah and I tomorrow around 2:15.  Thanks

This is a link to this week’s message.  We are in the process of having it on itunes.  Let me know what you think.

http://ryancarnes.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/no-bread-in-the-house-of-god.mp3

It has been a great day.  If not for a few rain showers ( that we needed) it might have been perfect.  Sarah was off work today due to it being a holiday for state employees.  Bethany had school but we kept Andrew with us.  I did some studying this morning and then we went and walked.  Since I made my first goal on my diet, today was treat day–We went to my favorite Mexican restaurant and I ate some good food.  I noticed two things- 1)  I was full a lot quicker 2) I have been dried out the rest of the day.

After it stopped raining, we went and walked again.  If I am going to eat a lot, then I have to exercise a lot.  For supper I was back to my love affair with lean cuisine.  I am now about to go walking again.  It is my day off and I can do what I want to!

Advice for the day:  Never hand your 2 year old little brother a big rock when He is standing above you.  This is advice that Bethany will probably listen to from now on.

One of the things that I love to do as a Pastor is to greet the people.  I make sure that I am at the back as they leave service.  I believe that Pastors need interaction with the people of the church.  We can learn a lesson from Christ that He walked through the crowds.  I know way too many Pastors who never step foot into the sanctuary until after service has already begun.  When service is over they retreat to their office.  I think it is poor taste and also an insult to your sheep.  Take the time to get to know them.

If you think that your church has problems, then you should think about the early church.  Their Pastor (Christ) was literally taken and beat down in front of them and then crucified on a cross.  Some of the leaders spread out and ran away, while others just flat-out denied that they knew Him. 

I am thankful for the cross.  Christ rose again and spent some 40 days with those people in His tribe and left them saying….I will come again.  In the meantime wait.  Wait?  For what?  The comforter is coming.  Sometimes we have to pray and wait before we get what we need.  To many people can’t wait for God and they miss out on what He has for them.

This weekend was very eventful.  I went to my first cycling race (think fast and the furious on bicycles) and I enjoyed it.  I told Sarah that analogy and she asked were there any Asian people there.  Actually there were.  I met a cool IT computer guy named Eddie.  He continually was telling people “kill it!”  I think it is a cyclist thing.

I have not followed much College Basketball this year, but how bout them Dawgs!  Georgia had a weekend that must be described as a miracle.

While watching one of the games, I saw a mouse in our home.  That meant that I had to break out the mouse trap.  I placed peanut butter on it and set the trap.  The next morning the peanut butter was gone.  The only thing is that so was the mouse trap!  I was afraid that the Rats of Nimh were living at my house, but later Sunday afternoon we finally found it.  The mouse had dragged it at least 5 feet under the stove.  Thankful it had gave up the ghost there.

I normally have the day off on Monday, but I ended up working today.  I was at the hospital this morning, wrote a ton of cards, and also did 4 visits.  I also got the Celebrate Recovery sign up.  Not bad for Monday, Monday…

BTW, If you are from the church don’t forget your 48 hour challenge!

There was a such a sweet spirit in the church today.  The music was rocking and I felt that there was just a vibe of love. 

There was 136 in attendance, and we had 6 guest cards turned in.  God is so good!

I spoke on how God can turn our mistakes into His miracles.  I spoke out of Joshua 10 and how the Joshua made an alliance with the Gibeonities (who he was supposed to destroy).  Since the alliance was made he was fighting a battle that God never intended for him to fight.  Joshua prayed for the Sun to stop, and God hit the pause button.  I love DVR!  We can pause the TV, but God has the power to pause the world.  God can do miracles in situations that we have no business being in.

Many came forward for prayer and I felt the Sun Stand Still moment for some in the altar today.