Calendar of Events coming up!

This Sunday…Communion Sunday and we will also be collecting food for the Glen-Ed Pantry. Please  bring items to help stock the Pantry. We will have a collection box at the service.

Wednesday Mornings….Mens group meets at Breadco Edwardsville at 8:00am every Wednesday. All are invited.  And yes that means girls too! So why do we call it a mens group? Because it started with men. Anyone can join us!
So what is it about? Anything and everything. Like I tell people, we try to solve a few problems and usually end up creating a few more new ones.

October 31st  PCF will be hosting a food and music booth at Barb Joiners office at the Halloween Parade. We will be setting up a grill and serving Hotdogs and drinks to the public as well as having the band provide music a couple of hours before the parade begins. The Edwardsville Halloween Parade is one of the most well attended parades in Madison county. Thousands of people show up. This will be  a great way to let people know who we are. I will have much more information as to what we need and what you can do to be part soon.

Confirmation Class It was brought to my attention at the PCF picnic that there may be a need for us to have a confirmation class for our young people. I think this could be a wonderful way to get more young families involved in our church. I will be happy to do a class but we have to get a handful of children/ and young families into our church. And here is my thought on this class. It will only meet for about 5 weeks. As you are all well aware, I am not into tradition for traditions sake. I am into introducing the living God to people. Whether it is done traditionally, or radically, or ridiculously, I really don't care as long as it accomplishes the objective. And at the end of our confirmation class it won't be an automatic thing that you are now a member of the church. At the end of the class it will be an individual decision as to whether you are ready to become part of Gods family or not. Because that is the reality of Gods way. He gives us an individual choice!

Other Groups At our last Wednesday mens meeting a suggestion was made that maybe we should start other groups to get more people involved.  Some of the suggestions were a photography group, a fishing group, a golfing group, a wood working group, a bible study, etc….I'm all for it. Now here is the million dollar question. Who wants to start one and run with it?  Just let me know and I will get the information on the blog. Now remember, these groups don't have to be made up from just people in our church. May I suggest that before volunteering to start a group that you pray about it and make sure you feel called to see it through. Remember this bible verse as you go to God:

Luke 14:28-30

28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? 29 For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, 30 saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish."  Wise words for all church projects!

Fill your life with Gods word, with Love, with Forgiveness and Compassion, and you will be able to enjoy the Kingdom of God here and now as well as in the life to come! Don't Worry, Be Happy!

Love, pastor kent

Wouldn't it be Great?

Have you ever thought about how great YOUR life would be if everyone else would just do what YOU want, when YOU want it and how YOU want it? In other words so YOU could be happier, and more joyful. I mean why do certain people have to rain on MY parade?  Why do certain people have to bring ME down? Why do certain people think they have a right to interfere with MY happiness? Why do certain people have to always be a roadblock to what "I" want to do? It isn't fair. Doesn't anyone see how unfair this is?

I think Isaiah said it well:

Isaiah 26:3  "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."

And when combined with Peters words: 

1 Peter 3:9-119 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 10 For "whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him speak peace and pursue it." 

Stop worrying about what others are thinking and saying about you and focus on Jesus who can give you perfect peace. And then take it a step further and bless those who curse you. 

For "whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him speak peace and pursue it." 

This scripture was written to YOU! Do you desire to love your life and see good days? If the answer is yes, here are the instructions! Follow them. Do you want to make an outstanding chocolate cake that everyone loves and raves about? Follow the recipe that is proven to work!

Prayer request: Please pray for God to bless the people of the Well, The Illinois South Conference, and our future as a group of believers who want to follow and obey Gods leading in all that we do. If you are struggling with strife of any kind, let it go. Give it to God. Pray for the person who is causing you to have anger in your life. Pray that God will change your heart and give you the heart of a servant and a heart that is filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. Strife stifles the Holy Spirit. Strife prevents Holy Joy and Peace from filling your life. Ask and you shall receive, just ask!

Look inside!  Love, pastor kent

Messages Sent

Psalm 19

1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
    the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Yesterdays PCF picnic at Township Park, the launch of balloons! Beautiful day and a fun time!

Pastor, kent

Picnic at the Park

Today 4:00PM PCF picnic at Edwardsville Township Park on Center Grove Road Edwardsville.

What to bring…Lawn chair if you have one or two. Side dish or desert if you choose. Bring a ball or ring toss or any other favorite outside activity.

See you there!

Love, pastor kent

Come be a Part of something Wonderful

Tomorrow at 4:00PM at the Edwardsville Township Park located on Center Grove Road,  Praise Community Fellowship family and friends will gather for our Fall Church Picnic. I have invited the members of the Well to join us. Bring a friend, all are welcome. This will be a great time to enjoy and to get to know one another better, to discuss our future, and to build relationships with one another.

Brad Joiner will be manning the grill and there will be others bringing side dishes and deserts. Bring a ball glove and ball, a frisbe, horse shoes…a real pony?  Ok just kidding. The main thing is, just come and enjoy.

See you tomorrow. If you can help bring balloons that I have purchased from ToDO's please let me know because I have 60 balloons filled with Helium ready to be picked up at 2:00.

See you tomorrow, and yes you can come early if you want. Just look for our church banner!

Love, pastor kent

But How Will They Know?

When do you feel loved? I guess there could be many different answers to that question since we are all unique. So let me make it a little more specific. When you go into a new group of people, what would make you feel accepted and cared for?

Recently, a cousin of mine who I have not seen in quite some time came back home from California for a visit. My cousin lived in the Collinsville area for years and he and his wife were involved in a couple of the areas main line Christian churches that you would all be very familiar with. But while visiting with them I was moved by something they said. They said they joined a small non-denominational church in California and for the very first time ever in more than 40 years of going to church together, they were actually asked by members of this church to join them at their table when they met before church at the social hour and then….drum roll please...were actually asked to come to dinner at some of the members homes!  Unheard of!   Outrageous!…Utter blasphemy!  Can you imagine!

40 years of attending large main line Christian churches and they have to go all the way to California to find fellowship and acceptance?  Don't pat yourself on the back yet. The story is not over. I have been having lunches and dinners with some new members and also with some people we haven't seen in a while.  Guess what? We too have missed the boat. Now I see this as an amazing opportunity!

Look at our home web page. Praise Community Fellowship A place where unconditional love changes lives! 

What does that mean to you?   This Sunday 4:00PM Airplane Park Center Grove Road, church fellowship picnic. Lets mean it!  Lets become it! Lets show it! Because we all want people to have their lives changed with God's unconditional love!  Lets never have any one ever say, "I left because I just didn't feel welcome!

Big things are coming for those who wait on the Lord!  See you Sunday, bring a friend, a neighbor, a stranger.  See you there. Bring a side dish or a desert if you would like.

Love, pastor kent

A Great "Why" Question

Question: Why would God allow the disciples to go through such trials of pain and suffering when they gave up everything to spread the teachings of Jesus after His crucifixion?

Possible Answer: To show that with the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, external circumstances do not matter. The joy and peace of God given through the Holy Spirit is more powerful than external circumstances. If the disciples had been blessed with power, and wealth, and health, and fame, the peace and joy they showed could have been attributed to the worldly blessings. But no one in their right mind would have had joy and peace and sang hymns while going through what the disciples went through UNLESS God had blessed them with a supernatural power!

And the best thing is, that same power is available to you and me.

How?  Repent of your sins.  Accept Jesus as the son of God who died as your savior and was raised from the dead. Be Baptized. Ask for the filling of the Holy Spirit. And then be led by the Spirit for the rest of your life!

There is power in the Spirit and it is fed by the word of God!

Have a great day. Hope to see you and some friends on Sunday at 4:00pm Airplane park on Center Grove Road. Hot dogs, Brats, and drinks provided. If you choose bring a side dish or a desert. We will not be having a formal service but we will come together to get to know one another better and to share ideas, dreams, and suggestions about the future of our Fellowship.

See you soon! Love, pastor kent

PCF Family Picnic is on GO!!!! But new location!

This Sunday we will meet starting at 4:00 at the Airplane Park located on Center Grove Road. We will have a pavilion with water, electric and a grill. I will have our church banner up so you will be able to find us easy. I will get more information out tomorrow on what to bring, so hold onto your horses until I get that info out to you. It's supposed to be a beautiful day so hopefully you can plan on bringing friends and family. More to come tomorrow.

Let me give you something to think about as we move toward this Sundays church picnic. When the disciples of Jesus received the Holy Spirit, they were changed. They came together and shared and had a new love for one another. A church picnic is more than just a time of eating, but a time for us to get to know one another better. To invite others into our PCF family. Make it a point to get to know at least three people this Sunday a the picnic that you really don't know that well yet. Take the time to talk and to listen as we all share in an afternoon of fun and fellowship. Hopefully each of us will have several new friends after this picnic. Let's get the word out! Face book or invite a neighbor or a friend that you think could benefit from the love of the PCF family.

Christianity is an internal thing that manifests itself externally! Many try to do just the opposite. We work at the externals; we strive to be good, we spend immense amounts of money on buildings, programs, facilities. We try to say the right things and do the right things SO THAT God will accept us and hopefully manifest Himself in our life in some rewarding way. But this is not Gods design. He wants to come into you now in all your brokenness and sin and do His repair work on the INSIDE first. And then, after you are repaired on the inside, you will reflect what He has done naturally to the outer world.

See you soon! Love, pastor kent

Monday Morning Thoughts and Announcements

Galatians 5:22-25
"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is the only way we can love as Jesus said we should love both God and others. The Holy Spirit is the only way you will be able to read the bible and understand Gods message to you personally. The Hoy Spirit is who can decode the infinite spiritual wisdom contained in the bibles words.

Question: "But why do I care if I have the fruit of the spirit or being able to understand what God is telling me?"

Answer: " I cannot totally answer that for you other than to say I have lived my life separate from God without the power of the Holy Spirit and I now live my life with the power of the Holy Spirit and I can tell you that having God within me is much better! It removed my fears and worries and gave me Godly confidence in this life because I now know that no matter what is happening to me or around me God is 100% in control! His perfect will is unfolding and my responsibility is to continue to read His word, to listen and obey His spirit which lives within me. God has removed the burden of me having to "act" like I'm in control or need to be in control. Now I only have the duty of submitting to His will and prompting.  But the only way I will be able to submit and obey is if I can hear and understand His voice and directions. That is why I need the book He supplied to us, and his Holy Spirit, and a designated daily time to spend with Him.

The blessings of walking in the Spirit are not about getting goose bumps or tears at church. The true blessing of the Holy Spirit  is being able to face all the stuff of day to day life without fear or depression or anger and having Holy Spirit Joy in your heart in all circumstances. That is why I think you should care if you receive the power of the Holy Spirit.  I think all Christians would live a whole new life if they would make their top prayer priority to be filled with His Spirit. "Ask and you shall receive!"  

ANNOUNCEMENTS: 
I found out this morning that Glik Park is NOT available this coming Sunday. They are booked up until Oct. 11th. However, I am not giving up yet. If anyone has a suggestion of where we still might have our family outing this coming Sunday let me know. I will keep everyone posted.

MEN: We will resume our Wednesday Morning Breakfasts at Breadco starting this Wednesday Sept. 24th. All are invited. We usually meet at 8:00 for those of you who are available to attend. It is an informal get together where we basically solve the worlds problems and create a few more!

PCF Youth: PCF youth Group will have a kick off meeting on Oct. 8th at 6:30 pm Sheryl Burian's home. This group is planning on meeting 2 times each month to start. All youth from 8th grade thru 12th Grade are welcome to attend this meeting.  You can contact Sheryl by email at rburian@hotmail.com or by her cell 618-806-4623.

See you soon! Love, pastor kent

Thank God It's Friday!……. Literally!

It's absolutely beautiful out and here are my words for you on this amazing evening.

"God Fascinates the living daylights out of me!"  I think that is going to be my sermon title for this Sunday!  I have been studying Gods word the past couple of hours and all I can say is "WOW!"
I Hope you will join us this Sunday because it going to be a "WOW!"

OK several important things!

Mark your calendars because Sunday September 28th we are going to have a family fellowship cookout at Glik Park Edwardsville.  I will be putting out more details this next week on what to bring but I am going to have fishing poles for the kids..Gary get with me about that…there is volleyball, basketball courts, walking paths, which are also great for roller blades. I think we will have a free throw contest. We will have a good old fashion food, fellowship, laughter, fun, games fellowship day.  We are thinking about starting around 4:00 but I'll you keep posted on all the details.  This would be a great event to invite friends and family.  I am going to invite some of the neighbors that live by the park.

AND  In October we are planning a booth at Barb Joiners Office for the Halloween parade.  We are going to be handing out hot dogs, chips, …we will determine what all we are going to do and we will have the band set up to play a little music. We are going to let the town know who we are, that we are a loving, fun, active, group of Christian people who welcome others with open arms. There is room for everyone to help and be a part.  More on this coming soon. I will get the dates and times.

OK get on with your evening and remember, this amazing evening is from God!

Love, pastor kent

Youth Group News

To all interested in joining PCF Youth Group:

I am sorry, I will need to cancel PCF Youth Group on Thursday September 18th due to illness.

I am asking that anyone interested in joining PCF Youth Group to  briefly meet with me after church service on Sunday September 21st.

You can email me at rburian1974@hotmail.com or call/text 618-806-4623.

Thank you,

Sheryl Burian 

Something Very Important!

For those of you who have gotten to know me, you know I am one who questions almost everything.  That's how I learn. I have been reading the book of Acts. Today I get this question popping into my mind and I began journaling on it.

 The question is: "What is the point of church?"

Now some of you are probably saying to yourself about now, "Our pastor does not know the point of church? Man are we in trouble!"

Well I will confess, as I have been doing for quite sometime, that I struggle with church as I see it today. I have a hard time with what appears to be literally a multi billion dollar industry that seems to be failing in so many ways. BUT…as I meditated on my questions something significant and important happened. God gave me some answers which I wrote in my journal.

I will give you what I received just a few minutes ago. And these answers, I believe, are something we as PCF need to really look into and see just how vital and important they really are!

Question: "What is the point of church?"

Answers:
1.) To provide a special place for the Holy Spirit to work with people!
2.) To give people a place to discover God!
3.) To give people a place to come to know what Holiness is!
4.) To give people a place of refuge that is different from other places in the world!
5.) To give people a place of Hope!
6.) To give people a place to practice Love!
7.) To give people a place to practice Charity!
8.) A place unlike any other where we can go with our Hurts and Brokenness when no other place will do!

I think we have our work cut out for us. PCF can be very important not only to each of us but to people we have not even met yet. There is much to do for Gods Kingdom here and now and for the Kingdom to come.  See you at church!    Love, pastor kent

Note for Tuesday

John 13:35

35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

But! How do we get this capacity to actually love those who hate us, who persecute us, who drive us nuts? It sounds good, and wonderful, but practicing it is next to impossible isn't it?

It's not impossible! I'm telling you, it is very doable but only if……you spend time communing with God. He is the source of this kind of love, not you. "But how? My schedule is from sunup to sundown now!"

It is a choice. When you are ready to experience God, He will gladly oblige your desire.

James 4:8

8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.

When you are ready!  When YOU are ready!

Hope to see you soon!  Love, pastor kent

Tonight

Prayer continued……We will look at some very interesting things the bible has to say to us that I think we have completely overlooked when it comes to "Understanding Gods Voice!"

When you come to church tonight, come just as you are. Don't put on your religious face.

Come with your brokenness, your anger, your pain, your fear, your questions, your concerns, as well as with your happiness, and joys, and triumphs. Just come to meet God.

You are important to Him just as you are right now.

Hope to see you tonight! Love, pastor kent

It's Friday!

And God is still in charge of absolutely everything! To me it doesn't get any better than that.

Isaiah 41:13
"For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you."

John 16:33
"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Hope to see you Sunday evening where we will continue our series on Prayer!
Love, pastor kent

Where are We Going?

I think that is a very reasonable question for members of a congregation to ask their pastor. "Where are we going?"  I also think it is a very good question that everyone should ask themselves. "Where am I going?"

Some time ago, Jeff Wiles our acoustic guitar player, asked me a wonderful question. Right before he and his wife Christine became active in our fellowship Jeff asked me what my Doctrine was? In other words, what is the foundation of my beliefs about Christianity. What do I base my teachings on?  Jeff wanted to know about his leader before he decided to follow and I think that is a very good, healthy and intelligent way to decide where one wants to "feed!"

Let me give you an update on what my priorities are as your pastor.
1.) My top priority is for everyone who comes through our doors to meet the living God.
2.) Second, it is my desire to introduce people to Jesus and help them to get to know Him personally.
3.) Third, it is my desire to help individuals nurture that personal relationship with the living God to the point where they are living their life with complete and total confidence that God is absolutely in control of everything, and that His love for us is so absolute and complete that there is nothing that can separate us from His love and care….Nothing! And, that He is more than willing to communicate to you personally as you get to know Him better and better.

That is is it! I have no other priorities.
Question: But what about having our own place, our own church?
Answer: Having our own place would be wonderful. It would certainly make Bob Ahrens job much easier since he and Ken Winchester spend several hours each and every week setting up all the musical equipment and then tearing it down. God knows exactly where we are, what we are doing and what we need to do! My prayer is for God to grant me wisdom as to what to teach each week. I trust Him completely for our future. I live by faith.

I read somewhere a real good question about all that goes on in churches today.
The question was: "If everything we build, accomplish, and do at church can be attributed to our own effort, ideas, talent, and ingenuity, why do we need God?  To that I say BINGO! In other words maybe we are not allowing God to do what He wants to do because we are constantly doing everything for ourselves always in the way we want to have it done! Is that really honoring God?

All one needs to do is read the many stories in the old and new testament and you will see how God works in ways that man cannot comprehend. "The Egyptian army is bearing down on the Israelites, they come to the Red Sea. There is "NO WAY" to escape…or is there? The "Wandering Hebrews" are now out in the desert, they are thirsty, there is no water. Now what? Enter God and a willing servant. Hit a rock with a stick and out pours water for everyone.  God is the supplier!

Over and over God provided for His people.  Are we, PCF, His people?

I want to experience what only God can do!  Sure we could all pool our money and buy a piece of property and then start a huge financial campaign to build what "Our Hearts" desire. But what if we continue to pray for direction and then just "wait" on God? What does He desire?  I'm convinced that the reason we do not witness many, if any miracles today, is because we do not have the faith or the patience to allow God to be God. We have become self sufficient to the point that we do not need God. We can do it ourselves!

Church, as we all knew it and grew up with, is not working. People are leaving the traditional church in droves.  God desires one thing from us and it has nothing to do with a building. God wants our hearts. He wants to be THE priority, THE treasure, and THE love of our life!

I want to be part of whatever God wants to do in this world. He is the only one with an absolute plan. His plan is the only one that will succeed.

Where are we going?  My answer: "Where ever God leads us!"  I hope you will stay the course and continue with me on this journey!

Hope to see you soon. Love, pastor kent

Knowing the Rules to the Game is NOT the Game!

When was the last time you played Monopoly? For me it has been years, but I used to love that game. Somewhere along the line someone, (probably my mom) sat down and taught me how to play Monopoly. We learned all about the board, how much money to deal out at the start of the game, how to purchase property, roll the dice, buy houses and hotels and why Park Place and Boardwalk were the ones to own! Collecting rent was fun too!

I don't remember how much time it took to learn about that game, but once we knew how to play we played it regularly and for hours! It was fun.

Now imagine teaching someone today how to play Monopoly, (does anyone still play board games?) You teach them all the rules, how to set up the board, about the tokens, how to buy property, everything. Then you invite them back in a week. Again you go over all the rules of how to play the game, the strategies, etc. Then you invite them back the next week. Again you teach them how to play the game, get them excited about how fun it is to get four players competing and trying to win. But they still have not gotten the game and actually engaged in playing. Week after week you go over the rules, strategies, the tactics, and stress the fun and challenges of playing the game but most are not playing, only listening how to play.

Knowing the game is not the game!
Knowing about Jesus, about God about the bible, about the Holy Spirit is not knowing them personaly.
Church…….you……God.

Get into the game! Your life will never be the same!
See you soon! Love, pastor kent

Letters From God

Last night I introduced a way that God can speak to you. Journaling. I recommended that you find a bible reading program that would allow you to read the bible in one year. Just google "One year bible reading program." Get yourself a notebook to start your journaling, find a time that works for you, and read the given passages for that day. Tell God you are ready for a personal relationship with Him and that you want to learn to know His voice.

Now, when you are finished reading, open your mind to God. Ask Him to give you wisdom for your life. He knows everything you are going through. He knows because He is control of everything.

Here is what is so interesting about journaling. What comes to your mind may or may not have anything to do with what you just read. But go with it.  God wants to communicate with you through the Holy Spirit. What ever you feel coming to mind, begin writing. Like I said last night, sometimes I only get one sentence. Sometimes I get a paragraph, and then there are times when I will write several pages of notes. And there are times when I don't write anything. Writing is the key because it allows you to focus on what is being given. When you just allow the thoughts into your mind without writing them, it is just too easy to become distracted. PLus it is always fascinating to go back over your journal and see how God has been leading you.

I hope you will give this method a try because I believe that it will change your entire reality of God and Christianity. Reading the bible and journaling will draw you into a personal relationship with the living God. I want each and everyone of you to experience the Joy and Peace, and guidance that God has to give.

If you have any questions, call me or email me. Let the relationship begin!

Love, pastor kent

Tonight!

What if you could receive a hand written letter from God almost everyday that gives you insight and wisdom into your personal circumstances? Wouldn't that be amazing? And I'm not talking about the bible!

Tonight I am going to show you a way you can enjoy such a letter from God, written to you personally! I have been receiving such letters for 40 years now and I want to get you on His mailing list!
And yes I mean a hand written letter!  Sounds crazy I know but I can assure you when you leave the service tonight you will know how to start receiving such a letter.

See you tonight! 6:30pm Crystal Garden. Praise, Communion, Fellowship, Fishing lessons! Love, pastor kent

Effective Prayer

Let me give you a huge clue about effective prayer. It's not about what you want, It's about what God wants!

Join us tomorrow as we continue our series on Prayer. We will come to gather for Praise, Communion, Fellowship and Worship.

See you tomorrow at 6:30PM, Crystal Garden, 1230 University Drive, Edwardsville.

See you there. Love, pastor kent

Are you Missing God's Answer to Your Prayers?

The Jews of Jesus' time had extensive knowledge of the scriptures yet completely missed Jesus.  How could that be?  Here is what Jesus said to the Jews of His day:

John 5:39-44New International Version (NIV)

39 You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.41 “I do not accept glory from human beings, 42 but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

We are still blind and deaf when it comes to spiritual things but it does not have to be that way. We have a choice, but that choice requires change. Change makes people uncomfortable. People don't like to be uncomfortable. 

I am recuperating from my surgery and a lower back injury. I have to make myself uncomfortable by exercising to get stronger. I would rather relax and rest but the longer I do that, the weaker I become. I must push, sweat, make my muscles burn, and continue to increase the "uncomfortable" zone so as to strengthen and grow.

Gods way of life is like that. You must be willing to leave your comfort zone to discover the treasure.

This Sunday, September 7th, Communion, Praise, Fellowship, and more on Prayer.

PCF youth I invite you to come to the service this Sunday with questions about prayer. I may just call on you! See you at 6:30 Crystal Garden.

See you Sunday, love pastor kent

Tuesday Morning Thoughts on Hearing God in a Noisy World

This coming Sunday we will resume our series on prayer. All of us have experienced "failed" prayers. We prayed with as much faith as we can muster but to no avail. Now what?

Effective prayer requires you to know the God you are praying to. This Sunday we will try and open the door to that understanding. We are going to get involved in getting to know God.

To give you a little teaser about how our God operates, let me take you to a story from the Old Testament found in 2nd Kings chapter 5.

We meet a man named Naaman, a commander in an army. He was a big shot but also a man of valor according to the bible. Naaman could represent any one of us today. Naaman was stricken with the dreaded disease Leprosy, the cancer of the time. Naaman hears about a guy named Elisha, a guy who would pray to the God of Israel, who would then heal the person he prayed for. Naaman hears of Elisha thru a young girl that his army had captured on one of his raids. A young Israelite girl.

Naaman decides to go see this Elisha deciding that he would give it a try!  He shows up a Elisha's house but Elisha does not even come down to greet him. Instead, Elisha sends Naaman a message by one of his servants. The message read, Go wash in the Jordan river seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean."

Now ask yourself, if you had a serious disease, would you pay any attention to let's say a 10 year old little girl? A girl that you don't even know? And imagine if this 10 year old little girl came up to you and said, "Go see so and so and he will heal you?"  Be honest. Would you give that suggestion any credible thought? ….probably not!  

But what if you did? You go see this probable crack pot who won't even see you in person, and he sends you a hand written message that says, "Go to the Mississippi river down by the Arch and wash in it seven times to get healed."  Now how many of you would still be with the program?

We worship an interesting, mysterious God. If you don't know Him you will miss Him which means you are probably missing the answers to your prayers! A life that is committed to knowing God will be a very interesting and amazing journey!

Bring someone to church this Sunday to get in on this amazing series on prayer. Praise Community Fellowship is about helping people get to know and enjoy God in their daily life!

You can read the Bible account of Naaman Here.

See you this Sunday.  Love, pastor kent