Miracles, Commitment, and the Journey of Faith

Devotional

Day 1: The Power of Participation

Participation in the body of Christ is not just about attending church services, but about being actively involved in the community. It's about serving, contributing, and communicating. It's about dealing with disagreements and working through them. It's about being a part of a family where everyone has a role to play. This active participation strengthens our relationship with God and deepens our commitment to Christ. [28:51 ]

1 Corinthians 12:12-14 - "Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many."

Reflection: Reflect on your current level of participation in your church community. How can you become more actively involved?

Day 2: The Importance of Commitment

Commitment to Christ is not just about believing, but about living out that belief in our daily lives. It's about making our faith a part of our everyday routine, not just something we do on Sundays. It's about teaching our children the importance of commitment and setting an example for them to follow. [30:09 ]

Luke 9:23 - "Then he said to them all: 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.'"

Reflection: How can you make your commitment to Christ more evident in your daily life?

Day 3: The Joy of Teaching

Teaching others about the Bible and the history of the church is not just a responsibility, but a joy. It's about sharing our love for the scriptures and helping others understand and appreciate them. It's about using our knowledge and skills to serve God and His people. [30:59 ]

2 Timothy 2:15 - "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth."

Reflection: What is one way you can share your knowledge of the Bible with others?

Day 4: The Challenge of Change

Change can be challenging, especially when it involves stepping out in faith and starting something new. But these challenges can also be opportunities for growth and learning. They can strengthen our faith and deepen our dependence on God. [31:39 ]

James 1:2-4 - "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

Reflection: Reflect on a recent change or challenge in your life. How can you see it as an opportunity for growth?

Day 5: The Blessing of Community

Being part of a church community is not just about attending services, but about building relationships and serving together. It's about meeting in homes, sharing meals, and learning from each other. It's about being part of a family that supports and encourages each other. [12:24 ]

Hebrews 10:24-25 - "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

Reflection: How can you contribute to building a stronger sense of community in your church?

Sermon Summary

In my sermon, I shared the story of how God has worked miracles in our lives, providing for us in times of need and blessing us abundantly. I reflected on my journey of getting an education while raising three children, working, and building a house. I also spoke about the joy and blessings that our family, including our 10 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren, has brought us. I expressed gratitude for the opportunity to share our story and for the interest in the history of the church that existed before the merger.

In the second part of the sermon, I discussed the growth of our church from its early days in the late 50s and early 60s. I shared the story of our founding pastor, John Stokes, who came to know the Lord in a foxhole during the Second World War and dedicated his life to serving Him. I also talked about the challenges our church faced as our congregation aged and we struggled to reach the community and young people. I emphasized the importance of the church in our lives, not just as a place to go on Sundays, but as a life commitment. I concluded by sharing my hopes for the future of the church.

Key Takeaways

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Sermon Clips

1. "I hope Menlo is successful in getting churches all around the Bay Area and really having an impact in this Bay Area in Silicon Valley. It's a great challenge and a difficult area to bring Church into. It's a tough challenge but that would be beautiful to see." - 32:15

2. "Your faith is a daily thing and people are so busy today it's hard to commit to a lot of things the church might even offer that are out there. But there's sports on Sundays and which we didn't have when our kids were growing up." - 32:15

3. "We used to play baseball on a church our church team. It was a lot of fun. That's a great bonding thing, you know, it's just really, really great. And we mentioned before reaching out to the community, getting and great way to do it." - 35:35

4. "Prayer has been a major part of that Ministry in the church. We did have a pastor whose wife got very ill with cancer and was dying and so we started kind of a regular weekly not something just spasmodically. And that's been going for close to 40 years probably." - 35:35

5. "We've seen many miracles that God has performed in our lives since the very beginning. The fact that we bought this property in Saratoga, the fact that we joined a new church work." - 35:35

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