No Accidents

Lots of stuff happens. As I was praying, I recognized my tendency for wanting circumstances changed. My tendency is to believe I know how things should be changed rather than wondering what God wants to do in the midst of those circumstances. If this sounds like a tendency you have, I invite you to think along with me this weekend as we look at the life of Philip (Acts 8). This guy was a real normal guy living the normal Christian life and God used him in (what we would say) small but extraordinary ways. I want that to be true in my life!

I hope you were able to be with us last weekend. What a wonderful challenge by both the Livesay's (Haiti) and Pastor David Kiamu (Liberia). You can listen his message online at www.constancefree.org. I encourage you to do it.

Deb and I watched the movie "The Princess Bride" recently. I have seen the movie probably 100 times. It's the only movie I believe is an all time classic. I am sure you disagree and all I can say is ... well ... nothing. You either get it or you don't. Anyhow, during the Miracle Max scene (my favorite scene) he ask's our "mostly dead" hero, "What do you got to live for?" What comes out of our mostly dead hero sounds like "true love." A noble cause of course but not enough to motivate Max. He eventually responds to an opportunity for revenge. It's a great reminder to live for something that truly exceeds the norm.

Helen Keller once said, "Many persons have the wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self gratification but through fidelity to a worth purpose."

So "what do you got to live for?" Perhaps a better question: what are you living and giving your life for right now that will last forever? I believe a follower of Jesus has the greatest opportunity in the world to live for the cause of Christ, a worthy purpose that will exceed all time and history.

What a privilege to do that together as the body of Christ. "He is no fool to give what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose! - Jim Elliot

It's my hope and prayer that your desires continually grow for the worthy purpose of the name and cause of Christ.

"I once thought all these things were so very important, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ and become one with him. Philippians 3:7-9

See you this weekend!

God Bless,

Pastor Randy

A Special Week!

This week at Constance we will get to experience the book of Acts present tense. Speaking this week will be David Kiamu. David is a leader in our Liberian Free Church and a point person for our partnership in Liberia as well as Reach Africa.( consortium of African countries working together to reach Africa with the Gospel). David has been to Constance before to meet with our Global team and it's a joy to welcome him to our pulpit this weekend. I heard him preach at our Congo Conference last July(in English) and was inspired by the Word he preached and His heart and passion for our Lord.

We also welcome for a Grace Story this weekend Troy and Tara Livesay. Troy and Tara have been ministering in Haiti for several years, have adopted three Haitian children and recently went through the earthquake in Haiti. You will be inspired by their first hand reports of what God is doing in Haiti. Tara's parent's Randy and Carolyn Porter and sister Tina and husband(Matt and Tina CLeary) all are regular attenders at Constance. Recently Matt and Tina adopted Annie from Haiti. You can find out more at Livesayhaiti.blogspot.com

I am always amazed at how God uses ordinary, avaliable, powered by His spirit people. It's the normal Christian life as we learned last week by examining Stephens Life. It's my prayer that our time together this weekend will inspire you by means of God's Spirit to give yourself totally to God.

My wife recently alerted me to this quote, "There is a cost to following Jesus, but there is a greater cost in not following Him. Whatever you give up to follow Christ will be more than made up to you in this life and certainly in the life to come." As a Pastor almost daily I get to see first hand the high cost of not following Jesus in real life circumstances. It saddens me because I know Jesus died to bring us life. Sin always has as a purpose separation and death.

I encourage you with the words of the Apostle Paul, " to live a life worthy of the calling you have recieved.... and whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus....

I close with some of my favorite AW Tozer words, " Everyman is as close to God as he wants to be, he is as holy and full of the Spirit, as he wills to be...

Hope To See You This Weekend!

God BLess

Pastor Randy

It's Official-Kinda

Recently Deb and I became empty nesters. It's been a process. So now we begin to ponder what is next? It's a big question. I think many times Christian parents become "empty nester's" without contemplating how God can now use them in different or more intense ways. I intend to pursue God and his intentions for my life more intensly and deliberately with these new circumstances. If this is your situation I hope you will do the same. I have seen many do the opposite and truthfully it relegates kingdom work and God's call to an after thought rather than the first and best thought.

This weekend we will investigate the life of Stephen. Stephen is the first martyr in Church History. Take some time to read his story in Acts 6-8. Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you to live and serve with the same joy and grace as did Stephen. As believers though few of us are asked to give as Stephen the ultimate witness(a martyr) all of us are asked to lay down our lives for the sake of the name of Jesus.

Stephen teaches each of us to "lead a life worthy of your calling" in a gentle, humble and patient way. The writer of Hebrews speaks of those who willingly lay down their life for Jesus as those "of whom the world was not worthy". It is my prayer that the life of Stephen will ignite in each of us a desire for God to be glorified in our lives. What a privilege.

"To this end I always pray for you, that our God will make you worthy of the life to which he called you and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power. Then everyone will give honor to the name of our Lord Jesus becasue of you, and you will be honored in him, becasue of the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thess. 1:11-12)

Hope to See You this Weekend!

God Bless

Pastor Randy

It's Official

According to most Memorial Day is the unofficial beginning of summer. Whether it is true or not most of us recognize a mental and physical shift this time of year. That of course can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. One thing I know-Regardless of your shifts one thing should not change-Your walk and pursuit of God.

Whether you are reading in the Old or New Testamnet of the bible one thing is always clear-God never takes second place. So I want to encourage each of you not to allow the "summer slump" to get to your walk with God! Use the summer to allow the Holy Spirit access to speak to your life. Continually ask God what He is trying to teach you through his Word. In what ways does He desire to deepen and change you. I encourage you to use some of your down time to read larger portions of the Bible just to allow the Holy Spirit to speak into your life.

This week, walking alongside Peter as a leader of the early church we will ask the question "What would be different if Jesus was really First? in my life? church? community?"
What do you think? We will be taking stories from Acts 3-4, I encourage you to read these passages and see what difference Christ wants for you.

June will be a great month at Constance. We have some special guests coming to share I think you will enjoy. This week Larry Backlund representing Dr. Pat and Newsservice 2000 will share in our services. This is a ministry we support as a Body that is focused on encouraging the Persecuted Church.

I also want to encourage you if you have not done so yet to make a commitment to our Church of Influence Fund. Your gifts not only encourage our ministry here but throughout the world. I know as well from my own life the great joy in being able to give to our local body and see the impact we bring to our communities as we unite together. I am continually thankful for the generous heart of our Body.

"Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ...that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel." Philippians 1:27.

See You this Weekend

God BLess

Pastor Randy