Recently someone shared with me about a meeting they were in that had impacted them. During the meeting a name of someone was mentioned and the next thing you know, everyone in the room became as vultures over a dead carcass. They were all chiming in with shots to the character and the performance of this person. Finally, this leader (a real leader) spoke up. ‘Let’s look at the total of this person’s contributions, not just this last performance.’ This leader was then feeling the volley of critique coming at him. This attitude is not unique to his situation but rather rampant in our world. Losing sight of the big picture is the beginning of small-hearted behavior. One of my early pastoral mentors told me: ‘To some people you will only be as good as your last sermon, or wedding or funeral.’ The heart condition present in the meeting  that the leader shared with me and the lesson that my mentor shared are the same. It is a heart condition of pettiness.  It is the exact opposite of generosity. Where pettiness is allowed to grow, it soon takes over the culture of any organization, team or town. It thrives in people who have a propensity of pointing out the flaws in others, and hopes this will shield them from any criticism. In our own hurt and pain, we can be on the attack, rather than protecting one another. Some people have become ‘detectives’ on the search for flaws in others. Pettiness is basically being too fixated on the little things in life, and missing out on the big picture. Pettiness magnifies little things out of proportion. Pettiness lacks the generosity that we so freely receive from God. It lacks grace. Pettiness makes one bitter, not better. It is the result of a small heart. A child comes home and says: “Daddy, Daddy, I got 95 points out of 100 on my Math test” A petty father will say things like, what happened to the other 5 points? Pettiness lets the 5% become so big that it overwhelms the 95% obtained. The parable of the Unmerciful Servant is a lesson on forgiveness on the basis of being forgiven first. Jesus uses this parable to teach the disciples that the essence of forgiveness is to remember that we are huge beneficiaries of the greatest forgiveness ever given to men. A man owes the king 10000 talents. In modern terms, it would be equivalent to several million dollars. This man is unable to pay, so the king orders that he and his entire family be sold to repay the debt. After pleading his case and wanting to be put on some payment plan, the king cancels the debt. Freedom and forgiveness are extended. Unfortunately, the story does not end in gratitude. It ends in greed and ungracious behavior. The servant quickly forgets his canceled several million dollar debt. He pounces on one of his fellow servants over a small debt of a few 1,000 dollars. Imagine someone who just received a several million-dollar gift refusing to forgive another over a few 1,000? Pettiness! Grace is the opposite of pettiness. Like a coin, grace has two faces. The first side receives grace and mercy. The second side gives grace and mercy, gratitude and generosity. Rise above pettiness, live big-hearted and full of grace and forgiveness.

There are people in your life who need an extension of grace and forgivness – go ahead and be the one to bring it.  Be generous.

Grace to you,

Pastor Bernie

 All the lessons are in the past and all the opportunities are in the future.  –Rick Warren

 If you have ever been given a gift card then you know the value is not the card, but the amount placed on the card. The value of the gift is inside and the reason you have the card is that someone placed their gift into it by putting their money in it. In the same way, God has given us gifts – dreams and ambitions and visions and ideas inside of our hearts. He places us in communities, schools, work places and churches for a very specific reason. If you hold onto the gift card and never use it, what value is it really? The giver may even ask you, ‘did you enjoy the card? And you will be pressed to ignore the question of worse yet fabricate some story.

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves” (2 Cor. 4:7).

These dreams and callings and opportunities He places in front of us are not from ourselves, it is God’s heart that we maximize them for the good of others and for the advancement of His Kingdom.

God places these treasures in us and before us. When these dreams and callings arise, we must make the most of them and be good managers of them. When opportunities arise, we must cease them, for they rarely wait for us.

I want to challenge you to decide what you’re going to do with the treasures that God has gifted you with?  I want to challenge you to make an assessment of the experiences and resources God has placed in your heart and hands. Now ask the hard questions: ‘what are you doing with what you have been given?’ The skills and talents, the ability to serve others and a calling to be generous and add value to others are not to be wasted.

I thank God for the wonderful people around LFC who simply felt the nudge to step out and jump in, who decided to use their God-given treasures for others. Our church would not be where it is today, were it not for these great determined servants.

The God-given treasure inside of you is not just hopes, dreams and potentials, but it is also, if not more important, God’s image. It is God’s image in us that ensures the success He intends for us as we do His will.

God’s Pathway to Success

Not only did God place in us the seeds of calling and dreams and realizing opportunities, but He also provides the strength, courage and pathway to move towards success. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10).

Not only did God design us beforehand to be His masterpiece, but He also laid out a pathway that we should walk in. God’s pathway for our success has already been laid out because when God creates anything, He always begins with the end result or product in mind.

God’s Design and Purpose

We get to put our lives together His way so that we can become the people He created us to be. The fact that you are alive means that God has designed you with an intent and purpose. “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. And before you were born, I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations” (Jer. 1:5). The fact that you are alive means you’re very special to God. God has placed in you that treasure in earthen vessels and He has a purpose for your life. Each person has a unique contribution to make and the church only grows stronger and more people are helped when we all use the gifts God has given to us. Don’t let anyone discount your gifts or your contributions. Don’t allow current circumstances and past failures to disqualify you. But the Bible says God looks upon the inner reality and is able to see the diamond in the paper bag, just as He sees the treasure in your earthen vessel. God created you in His image and deposited a treasure in you. You cannot withhold your gift; it was intended to be shared. You cannot love God wholly, live with God daily and obey God fully by taking shortcuts and not embracing each step designed to sharpen the gifts in you and to bring you to the place of being more and more in the image of God.

The Bible says that Jesus is the Author and He is the Finisher. He designs your pathways, walks you through the process and brings to pass your success as you walk with Him. But you must walk with Jesus in His way! You must lay your fears and insecurities aside and allow the seeds of gifting to grow.

We desire to help you find your fit and to grow. Discover your Design class happens on the 21^st & 22^nd of February @ 6:30 pm. We also have many ways you can also go to our website and click on UPDATE YOUR INFORMATION and fill out the form there. There is a section to simply write in what areas of service, ministry or gifting that you would like to find out more about. You can also stop by the Welcome Resource Room after a service or call the office. We desire to help you mine out the treasures God has placed inside of you. God intended for you to use your gifts and that is why He placed the value and treasure right where He wanted it.

Grateful for His gifts in you,

Pastor Bernie 

This past Sunday I taught more than a sermon, I provided a reminder to some and a new life skill to others as I taught on the value of daily devotions, bible reading and SOAP. I am getting tons of great feedback. One mom started her three kids on SOAP just this week. She writes; “It was great to see my kids making the scriptures come alive in their own lives!” She writes further; “My four year-old son wrote this in his journal: ‘God gives me tools to be his soldier. He protects me.’ Although he is young, he is getting the idea of scripture observation and application in his life! I am very excited to be adding this to our devotion time as a family!’   

This really excites me. Early yesterday morning, I noticed three ladies sitting together journaling over coffee. This really excites me too.  The following verse was what I shared on Sunday.

 Amos 8: 11 & 12
The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign LORD, “when I will send a famine through the land— not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD. People will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the LORD, but they will not find it. (NIV)

I believe we are experiencing a great famine these days. If we remain oblivious to it, how many of us will be victim to this famine?  Its time to begin taking our spiritual nutrition into our own hands.  We are the only ones that can be responsible for our growth and daily spiritual well being.  As your pastor, I do all I can to teach you on Sunday’s and to inspire and teach more via this blog. We have classes at our church as well for growth and LIFE GROUPS and more. But with all that, you still need to realize  the value of self-feeding and time with God. He will show you things through His word that He may not show me. He will reveal things to you at times in your life when you need it most – but you must be reading, praying, listening and open. It is terrible to think that we will all remember to feed ourselves food today and that we will remember to drink water when we are thirsty, and we will remember to take care of meaningless tasks much more quickly than we will our souls for eternity’s purpose.  I pray that today, everyone reading this will join me in with this challenge.  FEED YOURSELVES!

The only way to break the spiritual famine is to not sit around and wait for others to feed you, it is to make sure that you have daily time with the Master. Now journaling is not something new around LFC.  Many of us have been doing it for more than a decade. I first learned the principles of SOAP journaling over 15 years ago, when my friend Pastor Wayne Cordeiro taught me. It have become a valuable tool for my life to connect with the bible and with the God of the bible.

The bible is filled with great mentors to teach us. Some who walked with God closely and others who ran from Him. Some that succeeded and others who failed. We can learn from their experiences and gain wisdom.

Proverbs 22:17

Listen to the words of the wise; apply your heart to my instruction. (NIV)

Grace to you,

Pastor Bernie 

This past Sunday was a great way to start the New Year for us. While some stayed away from church, or stayed up too late on New Years Eve to make it to church, others came out. Actually we have a great showing at our two services and Caleb Quaye and Cory Hunter joining the LFC worship team was a great blessing. Caleb is not only one of the best guitar players in the world, but his love for Jesus and his great heart are world-class also. We enjoyed communion and it really was a great site to behold, as our four communion stations were filled with people receiving communion and prayer over their lives. I want to thank our prayer team who really stepped up and made it a great morning.

I am not big on slogans or a word for the New Year.  Some pastors are really into it and rather great at it.  Each year they come up with a new focus or emphasis for the year. Here are some that I have read about 2012:  Focus, Purpose, Joy, Destiny, Grace, Service, Love, Year of Growth, Year of Power, Year of Hope, Year of Generosity, The Year to Choose Joy. The list goes on for sure and includes some great stuff.

This year I sensed a stirring in my heart concerning a focus or purpose for us.  Rather than a word or two, I have chosen instead to give you three simple keys to your spiritual growth. This Sunday we will focus on one that is very important, but you will have to come to find out.

Here are the three keys:

“Love God wholly, Walk with Him daily, Obey Him fully”  

If you are wondering what to focus on for the year, I submit to you that these three things will make all the difference in the world and in the lives of others.
These three keys are really a singular focus that flows out of Deuteronomy 6:5:

And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.  (NIV).

Then Deuteronomy 6:6

And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. (NIV)

This year can be our best one ever if we live out God’s principles and truth and not just know them. It will take discipline on our part, but we can do it, especially when our doing flows out of our loving Him and being with Him daily.

John 13:17 says, “If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.” 

It’s easy to come to church where there is a lot of information, but if it just goes into your head and stays there it’s called information.  If it drops down to your heart that is inspiration – it can inspire you, fire you up, even make you feel good about yourself and life. However, it won’t really change you deeply and certainly not change the world. When we love God wholly with all we are and are becoming and spend time with Him daily, the next thing is to obey Him fully. This is when truth flows into your heart and through your body, flowing into the soles of your feet and soon it becomes incarnation.  That’s when things begin to change.

Deuteronomy 4:1

And now, Israel, listen carefully to these decrees and regulations that I am about to teach you. Obey them so that you may live…  (NIV)

‘Do this and live – Obey God fully and live.’  Transformation does not come through knowing but through doing.  Otherwise we’ll know all the things about love and sing all the songs there are of love and quote all the lines from love movies, but we won’t love when it is hard to love.  We’ll know everything about joy and sing songs of joy, and have joyous stories to tell, but we won’t have joy in our souls that will flow to others. We’ll know everything about forgiveness, even Hebrew and Greek words for forgiveness and historical and doctrinal views on forgiveness and even sing all the songs in the key of forgiveness, but out in the world we can’t forgive.  Edgar Guest has a poem that goes like this, “I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day, I’d rather one should walk with me than merely tell the way.  The eye’s a better pupil and more willing than the ear, fine counsel is confusing but example is always clear.  The lecture you deliver may be very wise and true, but I’d rather get my lessons by observing what you do.  For I might misunderstand you and the high advice you give, but there’s no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.”

Let’s love God, be with God and obey God so that others can see a great sermon lived out in us in 2012.

Now that is really living,

Pastor Bernie 

A good verse to consider is Hebrews 5: 12 – 14
In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!  Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. (NIV)

Chuck Swindoll shares that humans are odd creatures. He says, ‘We run faster when we lose our way. Instead of pausing to regroup, we ricochet from place to place. Three words describe our times: hurry, worry, and bury. In this race called life, when the pressing demands of time are upon us, we need to stop and get oriented. We need to discover that the Lord is God. He will be exalted; He is with us; He is our stronghold.’

I don’t know if your parents had a spot on a wall or door jam where they made pencil marks to show how much you grew each year. My parents did that. It was really great during the growth spurts of my sister, brother or me. At some point the marks stop. We outgrow the being measured by lines. But do we keep growing? If not, why does it stop?

God has given us so many tools for growth. The bible, prayer, worship, gratitude, forgiveness, people who sharpen us….and He has given us our church. This church offers opportunities to grow through Life Groups (coming up) serving teams (growth happens when you give yourself away) relationships, group teachings and more.

There is no one means to instant spiritual growth. It’s a painstaking process that God takes us through, and it includes such things as waiting, failing, losing, and being disappointed and of course, being misunderstood—each one of these experiences is an opportunity to grow and stretch our faith, trust in God, forgive others and forgive ourselves. In your own spiritual growth, where are the marks on the wall or door jam of your life? Where do you stand as you think of 2011?

Christian growth comes through hard-core, gutsy perseverance of applying what you hear and read and obeying it.

 Christian growth comes through pursing God and falling more in love with Him.

Christian growth comes through loving others more and putting them above yourself.

Spiritual growth is not complicated.

Let’s grow in 2012.

See you next to the door jam,

Pastor Bernie

Thanks to all those that helped with free gift-wrapping Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights this week. Hundreds of gifts were wrapped and lots of people were able to see the joy of Jesus through the heart of serving – thank you all. And thanks in advance to an amazing team who have been working on our one Christmas day service at 9:00 am too. It will be a great time. We will have a simple treat for all the kids that come that day too, so break away from your Christmas toys and gather with us for about an hour on Christmas morning.

Christmas time is here

Happiness and cheer

Fun for all that children call

Their favorite time of the year

Snowflakes in the air

Carols everywhere

Olden times and ancient rhymes

Of love and dreams to share

Sleigh bells in the air

Beauty everywhere

Yuletide by the fireside

And joyful memories there

Christmas time is here

We’ll be drawing near

Oh, that we could always see

Such spirit through the year

Oh, that we could always see

Such spirit through the year…

That song has always caught my attention and I love the Charlie Brown version, the Bebo Norman version is great too. I never stopped to take a look at the Charlie Brown version until this writing. I love this, “Christmas time is here, we’ll be drawing near, Oh that we could always see such spirit through the year.” That spirit of hope that seems to fill hearts, since Christmas is about hope in the world as Jesus came to earth. A spirit of joy, sharing, generosity and singing – some who rarely sing, will take an attempt at singing Christmas carols. Most of all, people are more open to hearing about the birth of Jesus in the manger and hopefully the birth of Jesus in their hearts – Christmas time is here. The beauty that you and I can direct people to “The Prince Of Peace”–Jesus! When they come to know Him, new and eternal life is extended to them.

“He Himself is our peace…” (Ephesians 2:14)

So, do I wish you “Merry Christmas”? Sure!

Do I hope for your “Peace, hope, laughter”, and times with family and friends? Absolutely!

But more importantly, I echo the words of the Apostle Paul:

“I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” (Ephesians 3:16-19)

That is my Christmas wish for you…and for all of us!

Christmas Time is Here, embrace it and open to Christ,

Merry Christmas,

Pastor Bernie Federmann

1 John 5:11-13

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. (NIV)

Have you ever told someone  a story and they somehow missed the best parts, or shared your heart with someone and they only caught the superficial stuff and missed the depth of what you shared? I was thinking of how many people will go through this Christmas season, seeing the sights of Christmas, hearing the songs of Christmas and totally missing the real and deeper message of Christmas.

In December 1903, after great perseverance, the Wright brothers were successful in getting their “flying machine” to actually lift off the ground and for those brief seconds, they flew. Thrilled, they telegraphed this message to their sister Katherine: “We have actually flown 120 feet. Will be home for Christmas.” Katherine hurried to the editor of the local newspaper with great excitement and showed him the message. He glanced at it and said, “How nice. The boys will be home for Christmas.” He had completely missed the deeper news of their flight!

Fabricated joy, seasonal sauce, songs of attempted merriness will be played and many will miss the deeper news of Christmas and only know of the side notes of commercialism and gifts and food. They can totally miss the deeper story of the baby that was miraculously born inBethlehem, so that He could eventually be the Savior of the world and give His life for their sins. They do not know of the greatest gift ever given on Christmas, wrapped in cloth, the greater gift of salvation and forgiveness and access to God’s presence.

Jesus was and is not simply a temporary gift. He is not like a new toy that soon may become broken or end up in the bottom of the toy box or the back of a shelf. Nor is Jesus like the new car that someone somewhere will be given on Christmas – a car that will eventually lose its new car smell and someday get its first scratch or ding. All that time and money that their parents put into finding that special gift are easily wasted or all the hopes that the car would always remain so very new and pristine are a pipe dream. But there is deeper news: The gift that God has given us in Jesus Christ is a gift that will last for all eternity. It is the opportunity to spend eternity with Him in Heaven. What a gift! This gift will never break, wear down, fade, get scratched or get old. It is forever!

God has given us the everlasting gift of salvation! Stop a moment and think about that and then give God thanks. Joy to the world the Lord has come – Hark the Herald Angels sing, glory to the newborn King! Kick it up a notch and rejoice!  If you and I believe on the baby born inBethlehemand who died upon the cross ofCalvary, we are accepting and opening the gift of all that Jesus is.

John 3:36
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.  (NIV)

What a great gift! Take time to thank God today for His free gift of salvation. Take time this Christmas season to tell those around you of the true meaning of Christmas-God’s everlasting gift to man.  Think and pray in these coming days of who you will invite and then bring with you to Christmas Eve Services. Bring them with you! Think of those you can pray for who might be missing the deeper message.

I am praying that many will come to open the gift of the Savior this Christmas.

Jesus is the joy of the world.

Merry CHRISTmas,

Pastor Bernie

Scripture:

Colossians 1:6 In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace.  (NIV)

Observation:

• Jesus’ compassion is what fueled His ministry.

Moved With Compassion – Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom (verse 35). “When He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep without a shepherd” (verse 36). At the time Jesus came on the scene, there was no one to guide these lost souls. He was moved with compassion for them and realized what He possessed could change their lives and eternities. In our hearts as Christians, how much compassion do we have for the lost? Are we truly concerned that those around us are dying in sin with no hope for a future in heaven? Are we raising up a church that will go into the harvest? Some churches are concerned on building the church and forgetting to build people to reach out to others.

The Harvest Is Plentiful – There were many at that time who were “waiting for the consolation of Israel” (Luke 2:25). On Pentecost, “there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven” (Acts 2:5). Three thousand of those obeyed the gospel in baptism (verse 41). When Jesus spoke these words, there was not a shortage of people who wanted to know about God’s plan and needed His grace. Jesus said, “Do you not say, `There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Pay attention, (this is the most important thing you have to do and it must be done now) lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!” (John 4:35). As one would see from a distance the crowds of people coming to hear Jesus preach, wearing their whitish outer garments (like a long dress) and they look like cotton fields coming our way. The truth is, it is a bit harder today to find ripe souls, but work the fields and until we find the harvest is what we must do. Jesus did not say, ‘pray for bigger buildings, more property, better music’ though all these things are fine. His priority prayer was for laborers for the field.

Pray For Laborers – To many this marks the end of the story. Since it takes work to bring people to Christ, we simply pray that others will go and we feel complete. We need to be praying for laborers to do every aspect of the work and to be as creative as possible in everyway we can to win as many as we can for Christ. All of the work is not in harvesting. In fact, there can be no harvesting until there has been some planting and some watering. We must plant seeds of prayer, service, love and compassion. We must plant seeds of creativity and excellence in the hearts of others…preparing for the harvest to come. When you are at work or over the back fence, do you give up because you cannot harvest? Don’t give up! Do some planting! Do some watering! Our compassion for lost souls ought to demand that we are working at every stage to cultivate a lost soul for Christ. Let’s keep sharing our faith in practical ways and if you have not yet done so, find a place to serve at LFC where we are working hard to focus on the most important thing – souls.

Let us know how we can help you in finding that right spot for you to serve, or giving you tools to plant and harvest.
In the fields with you,

Pastor Bernie

Psalm 100:4

Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.

The old French proverb says: “Gratitude is the hearts memory.”

I am remembering all the great things God has done for us. Sometimes, you simply have to stop and look back and see all that God has done. We need to go to a place, a vantage point of memory and give Thanks. Thanksgiving presses us to that place, or at least attempts to get us to go there, if we only will.

• A thankful heart remembers!  Takes inventory and says: I am further along than I thought, God has provided more than I believed, life is better than expected.  A thankful heart looks at all the places where God has touched, provided, allowed, saved and protected. An ungrateful hearts misses the moments of God’s intrusion, presence and grace.
• A thankful heart is open to God!  When you are award of all that God has done and thankful for is, you want to be open more fully to God. Being thankful starts with the inside – our hearts.  In unstable times we can be stable, as we focus on God. We need to be more God conscious than trouble conscious.
•  A thankful heart knows the source of all goodness is God.
  James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (NIV)

C. S. Lewis once wrote, “Our delight in what we enjoy is incomplete until it is expressed.” How true that is when we express our gratitude to God. We actually become more complete, more whole, more of who God has made us to be.  There is something even more fundamental to this call to be grateful. It’s more than just an opportunity to give thanks for the many gifts you’ve been given. It’s more than just the fact that it’s good for your soul.

It’s good for you to be able to express gratitude. And if you need a very specific reason for being grateful, here it is; “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.”

What is your view of Thanksgiving? There is nothing wrong with enjoying food, sharing time with family and friends, or watching a ton of football or a parade or even shopping. But please take it further than that. Let me challenge you to stop on this Thanksgiving Day, acknowledge God, and be truly thankful for who He is and for what He is doing and for what He has provided. Have a great Thanksgiving!

Join us this Sunday as we continue our series: Consumed and enjoy a time of worship together with LFC Band and mini-choir and also share in communion.

Thankful for you,

Pastor Bernie