Ever Faced a Headwind?

Posted on November 7, 2016 by Pastor Jesse

Worship Gathering Saturday 11/5, 6:30pm in the St. Johns Room of Faith Community Church, 3450 CR210.

Have you ever felt like you’re doing exactly what God has asked you to do, but it’s like you are rowing against a headwind?  That’s what happened to some of Jesus’ friends.  Jesus compelled them to get in a boat and work their way across a big lake in a headwind without him.  Have you ever wondered why Jesus would ask anyone to do such a thing?  Suffice it to say that Jesus had good reasons.  This Saturday, we’ll explore some of those reasons and consider how God might be calling us to respond.  If you want to read ahead, take a look at Matthew 14:22-33.

Interested in discipleship?   Huddles meet Wednesdays, Friday lunch, and Sunday lunch.

 

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Until We’ve Prayed…

Posted on October 29, 2016 by Pastor Jesse

Read these three scriptures, and ask yourself this question: How can I do this?

Jesus said, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”   (Matthew 7:7)

“Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:18)

“First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be offered on behalf of all men for kings and all those in authority, so that we may lead tranquil and quiet lives in all godliness and dignity. This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior.” (I Timothy 2:1-3)

We have a lot to prayer about!  Here’s a list of questions aimed at stirring your imagination for prayer.  God has placed you where you are and given you perspectives on the world for a reason.  He is prepared to take action, and invites you to be a part of that through prayer. Take about 15 minutes. Get out a sheet of paper or some other note taking technology.   Using this sheet as a guide, ask the Lord to bring things to your mind, and when you are done, pray.

Who has God shown himself to be in your life?  (e.g. Provider, Sovereign Lord, Great Physician, Friend, Comforter, Guide, Helper)

 

What are some of the great things God has done in your own life or in history?

 

What are one or two of the great problems in the world?  God’s people are there.  What do they need to be faithful given what they face?

 

In addition to the upcoming election, what are one or two of the big problems facing our nation?  What do God’s people in our nation need to be more faithful given the problems?

 

What are some of the problems facing the First Coast?  What do the churches across the First Coast need to faithfully respond?  Can you think of ministries that are engaged?  What are their needs?

 

You have neighbors, networks, and places in your life.  Identify one or two and jot down and idea or two about how they could be more like heaven than earth.

 

What needs to happen in your own life in order for you to respond faithfully, consistently, and effectively?

What are the needs close to your heart for yourself or loved ones?

You are God’s child!  What, if anything, is making it hard for you to remember that?

You have been given authority by God to be his representative!  What, if anything, is saying otherwise?

Compared to a year ago, how’s your love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control?

Is there anything you are seeking guidance for?

“You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed”  (attributed to the founder of Gordon-Conwell Seminary, A.J. Gordon)  Now… take some time and pray!

 

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Prayer Gathering Saturday Night

Posted on October 24, 2016 by Pastor Jesse
This Saturday (10/29) we are holding a prayer service at 6:30 PM at Nicholl’s Barn (3445 SR13, 32259).   We’ll be praying for God’s Kingdom to come and God’s will to be done here in our nation, our city, our community, our church, and among our neighbors as it is in heaven.
If you are reading this, you are invited and welcome to join us.
“You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed”  (attributed to the founder of Gordon-Conwell Seminary, A.J. Gordon)
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Worship in the House

Posted on October 13, 2016 by Pastor Jesse

This Saturday at 6:30, we’ll be gathering for worship at the Alexander house (320 S. Buck Board Dr, 32259).  As part of our time together, we’ll share a meal.  Hope you can make it – and if you can bring something to share, send me an email (pastorjessealexander@gmail.com).

 

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Matthew’s Wrath and God’s Love

Posted on October 12, 2016 by Pastor Jesse

Worship Gathering This Saturday at 6:30pm: Stay Tuned for Details

Hurricane Matthew has come and gone and left its mark.  The day after the storm, my family and I got in touch with or visited friends from our church.  All of us were affected by the storm, some more than others.  Everyone wanted to know the same thing: is everyone okay?  Like a lot of folks in our part of St. Johns county, we experienced minor property damage and power outages – some more than others.  But it warmed my heart to see brothers and sisters in Christ loving each other like family.  We were loving God by loving one another and loving our neighbors.  Invitations and offers to help were going back and forth.  Meals, showers, shelter – whatever was needed was available.  When God made people, he made us for community.  Sometimes a storm can clarify that.

The people of the First Coast are pretty durn awesome.  I saw people from the area stepping up to volunteer their time to help clean up.  I was encouraged to see many area churches taking the lead in this, electing not to hold worship services the Sunday following the storm and encouraging members instead to find a way to help out.  My wife and I took that to heart. When our friend Jordan put out a call for help with clean up in her beach neighborhood for 11:00am on Sunday, we decided to go.   About a dozen or so friends and family showed up and we got to work.  Another family just happened to be in the area with their two small kids.  They were looking for a way to help out and wanted to teach their kids about serving.  They saw what we were doing and just jumped in.  In a few hours, we’d rebuilt part of a fence, cut the grass, cleared a sidewalk, and gathered a big pile of seaweed and trash.  It was satisfying to see things visibly improved.  A side benefit, we connected with friends and made new ones.  By the way, Jesus endorsed that sort of thing as a valid form of worship.  Check out Matthew 12:11-12.

On Monday morning, my friend Alan posted a video on social media about cleaning up.  (He attends one of those churches that encouraged its members to help neighbors.)  But he didn’t just go out on his own, though.  Very intentionally, he included his two young daughters.  He didn’t want to miss the opportunity to pass on something important to the next generation: that in times of need, the right thing to do is to help.  We do for others what we’d want them to do for us.

This storm called Matthew has left us with a lot of work to do.  Some areas on the First Coast have been hit very hard.  And it may be true that storms can bring out the worst in people, but I have a lot of hope on the First Coast, because from where I sit, the darkness of the storm allowed people’s light to shine.

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