It was good to be in the pulpit Sunday closing out the “Pause” series.  This past Sunday we focused on pausing for cleansing. Saying unto God, “Have mercy on me oh God” and coming to Him with a contrite heart to make us clean is the place to start. Having six people come forward for prayer let me know God’s Spirit was moving in this church. Having Noah and Caleb Mayer baptized that afternoon was also a great example of how we can experience God’s cleansing. This week, go to God for cleansing. Bear your soul to the Lord for sins committed. Confess your sins to the Lord and receive His cleansing. 

This week we start a new series called “Guardrails.” Guardrails are a system put in place to keep vehicles from straying into dangerous or off limit areas. We are going to talk about God’s guardrails for our lives and putting them into place for our protection. This Sunday we’re going to look at God’s wisdom and having that in place in your life. This series could impact your thinking for years to come. It has the potential to help you with the definition for your sexuality. It has the potential to alter the way you think about money and your habits with money. It has the potential to change the way you speak and communicate. The goal is for us to be Christ-like. As followers of Jesus we should act like, talk like, live like, and love like Jesus did. We strive to imitate Him. This series is going to help you to do that. 

Sunday afternoon, you’re invited to join us for a pool party at Wilson’s Beach Club from 4-8. This is a no cost event for you and your family. There will be free food at the event as well. Also, get your life group or other friends together and register online to compete in the sand volleyball tournament. 

As ever, I’m looking forward to a great Sunday worshiping with you. I look forward to this new series of teaching that will be so very practical and insightful for your life. I look forward to the full tilt worship that we experience each Sunday. I look forward to it all. 

Can’t wait to see you Sunday,

Scott

Are you looking for renewal from God? This past week, Tyler Hensley did a terrific job speaking on pausing for renewal. Pausing for renewal helps us renew our strength like the eagle’s to the point where we walk and will not fall, and we run and do not grow faint. He talked to us about scheduling a sabbath because unless we plan it, it won’t happen. One of the best ways to pause for that kind of renewal is coming to church, being active in the Word and in praise in a corporate fashion. Don’t you feel rejuvenated after you’ve been in worship? Don’t you sense refreshing from that event? 

Speaking of getting out of the world and into the scriptures, I went out to High Hill camp yesterday and saw middle school camp in action. Our Forum team was doing exceptionally. Campers were having a blast playing games, worshiping, and hearing God’s word preached. It was a joy to see! This camp week arose because our middle school group was so large that the camp could not fit them all into the originally scheduled week early in the summer. Blake Cohea took the initiative to step forward and say he would put this later week together for our kids. It’s been dynamite for the roughly 90 kids who are attending camp. That wouldn’t have happened had Blake not stepped forward to put it together. Well done!

This Sunday, we conclude the Pause series looking at pausing for cleansing. God is in the business of forgiveness, and it’s important for us to confess and receive cleansing from God’s hand. This Sunday we will focus on this type of cleansing. We’ll take action steps towards this type of cleansing. 

Because of the topic we’ll be covering, this Sunday would be a great Sunday to invite a friend or family member to come to Forum. As ever, I can’t wait to worship the Lord with you this Sunday.

-Scott

Wasn’t Sunday a great encounter in worship and the Word? Bradley brought us to the cross in the sermon on pausing for confession and he reminded us that our sins are nailed there. I was having a talk with a congregant on Monday about the sin he needed to confess and in so doing, he found renewal. There is freedom in Christ taking our sins as far apart as the east is from the west. We pause for this kind of confession and cleansing. 

This Sunday we “Pause” for renewal. Psalm 103:5 says, “He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!” God is good to renew us. When we pause in worship, when we pause for confession, when we pause to be in the Word, when we pause to pray, God renews our strength daily. Isn’t God great? Isn’t His grace in your life phenomenal? Isn’t it awesome God so demonstrates His love for you? His mercies are new every day. His love for us demonstrates and actualizes His forgiveness in your life. 

I got an email this week that says, “I LOVE the pause button, amen!” That is all the email said. I love the pause button too, because when I push pause to think about and to prioritize the right things, my world view comes clearly into focus. Suddenly God and the world make sense and all things are right with the world. I think through how many people are groping and in need of this type of focus. 

Sunday would be a great day to invite someone to come to church - so they can encounter the richness and fullness of God’s tender mercies. So they can “Pause” and worship. So they can “Pause” and meditate on God’s Word as it is preached. So the grace of God can be poured out on their life. 

As ever, I’m looking forward to worshiping with you this Sunday. 

-Scott