Balance

  

As we begin preparing for the Christmas season, let’s not forget to approach it with balance and humility. There will be a lot of demands on you as a Christian, and if you are in leadership there will be even more during this season. Maintaining a healthy balance can get really difficult during times like this, but it can also cause you to examine, evaluate, and adjust your priorities. Here are some things to keep in mind as you approach this specific value as it relates to God Honoring Living: 

God enjoys using our gifts, but He will accomplish His purposes even without us: And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. Matthew 16:18 (NIV) 

There are certain things that you are uniquely called to do that God designed only you to accomplish: Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her Ephesians 5:25 (NIV) 

Prayer and transparency are key in maintaining balance: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6–7 (NIV)

Make sure to check out this week's video blog: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ViBqTNyfvk&feature=youtube_gdata_player 

Think about these principles and evaluate how you balance them with the ebb and flow of ministry, work, and family. Then come ready to discuss Thursday night. Have a great week!

Announcements:

Christmas Services (Updated with Rehearsal Blocks)

• Christmas Service (Block 1)
• Thu Dec. 19th 7:00pm, Fri Dec. 20th 7:00pm
• Full Dress Rehearsal: Tuesday 6:30PM to 8PM, Wed 6:30 to 8PM, THUR 5:30 to 6:30PM
• Christmas Service (Block 2)
• Sun Dec. 22 3:00pm, Sun Dec. 22 5:00pm, Mon Dec 23rd 7:00pm
• Full Dress Rehearsal: Sunday 1:00PM to 2:30PM
• Christmas Service (Block 3)
• Tue Dec. 24th 3:00pm, Tue Dec. 24th 5:00pm
• Full Dress Rehearsal: Tuesday 1:00PM to 2:30PM

Post-Christmas Vacation 
I will be taking a post-Christmas vacation from 12/26 – 1/8. I will try and schedule all the way up through 1/12 with assignments. Please respond as early as you can to these assignments so that I can ensure that the ministry is able to function well while I am on vacation.

Thanksgiving

As we all gather this week with our families to share in a meal, I hope that you share one of the traditions that my family has. We each say one thing we are grateful for before we pray and thank God for the food. I know it sounds corny to some, but as I get older it is something I find my heart longs for.

Even now as I write this quick blog, several of your faces come to my mind and I find myself filled with gratefulness for your friendship, your partnership, and the joy in sharing a common journey with you! I find that I am not able to express my gratitude deeply enough for how the Lord has burdened my heart for each of you. But I feel that the Apostle Paul says it better than I could. 

Make sure to check out this week's video blog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYEOqPBl1RE

Please read the passage below and know that I feel this way for you and am thankful for your partnership in ministry with me.

I thank my God every time I remember you.  In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:3–11 (NIV)

Come ready this week to share one thing that you are grateful for and let’s share in the Lord’s table as a reminder of the incredible ways He has blessed us all.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

Announcements:

Rehearsals This Week are on TUESDAY NIGHT: 

All venues will be moving to a Tuesday night rehearsal for this week (Tues. November 26 for the service of December 1)!

Christmas Services (I am hoping to have a rehearsal schedule this TUE night for you)

Thu Dec. 19th 7:00pm

Fri Dec. 20th 7:00pm

Sun Dec. 22 3:00pm

Sun Dec. 22 5:00pm

Mon Dec 23rd 7:00pm

Tue Dec. 24th 3:00pm

Tue Dec. 24th 5:00pm

There will be no devotions this week; instead we will share a time of thanksgiving and communion.

It’s all About Heart

In the course of ministry, work, and life you will find yourself feeling like you should be in certain positions and that you have been passed by for some reason. Or that your gift hasn’t gotten noticed the way that you hoped. Thoughts like these can lead us to a place that can take us off of our focus and off the best path Christ has for us. This week I want to look at a some passages we have looked at before and then talk about them on Thursday.

Make sure to check out this week’s video: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsA7Nejz1Y4

Then read these two passages: Philippians 2:1-11 and Matthew 20:20-28

Think about these questions:

1. What does it mean to serve like Jesus in my home, my work, my church? 
2. What is the balance between what I do and how I do it when it comes to serving like Jesus?
3.  What is one area that I can change to serve more like Jesus?

Can’t wait to hear from you about how all of us can serve and be more like Jesus when we get together on Thursday.

Announcements:

Rehearsals This Week:

- I’ll be playing in the Video Venue this week and am looking forward to playing with you!

Christmas Service Time

Thu Dec. 19th 7:00pm

Fri Dec. 20th 7:00pm

Sun Dec. 22 3:00pm

Sun Dec. 22 5:00pm

Mon Dec 23rd 7:00pm

Tue Dec. 24th 3:00pm

Tue Dec. 24th 5:00pm

Ways you can connect to the campaign:

If you've missed a message, see it online at http://salisbury.orbc.net/sermons

Check out the daily series devotions: http://salisbury.orbc.net/fod

Sign up for the classes: Check a previous e-mail from me and the links for Saturday’s Class 101 and Sunday’s class are in it.