Further, if God does will or desire something to happen then because He is all-powerful and all-knowing that which He wills and desires will happen. It’s our responsibility to respond rightly to the direction He is leading us. There are several reasons why it’s hard for us to discern what God is calling us to. Some of these include, sin, brokenness, lack of community and discipleship, subjective wants and feelings, pressure from the world and others, all of these things and many more can hinder our ability to know with assurance what God’s purpose for our lives is. One thing is for sure, God wants to be known and because God wants to be known, we are free to know Him through His Spirit and through His Word.

I would like to give us a framework for determining what God’s will is for our lives. The following are some practical tips for seeking God’s will.

1. Does it glorify God? God will never ask us or lead us to do something that doesn’t ultimately bring honor and praise to Himself. So, when faced with a situation, ask will this decision bring glory to God. Does it honor Him? Does it make much of Jesus—or me?

2. Has God confirmed this desire/want in Scripture? Let me be clear, I’m not talking about us first having a desire or feeling and then searching through Scripture to confirm it. In a sense, that’s treating Scripture like a magic eight ball. I’m saying that in your personal time with the Lord is God confirming in Scripture what He has laid on your heart. Is he confirming it through the preaching and teaching of others? Does want we think, line up with what the Bible reveals about God, mankind and the world? In short, our thinking doesn’t inform the Scripture, the Scripture informs our thinking.

3. Have I consistently prayed about it? I’m not talking about praying once and then making a decision. Before making a decision I need to be saturating myself in prayer. We need set aside specific times and moments to earnestly seek God through prayer. Ask him, ‘What do you want me to do? What will bring glory to yourself?’ If the decision affects more than just you, we need to be gathering together regularly with ALL of those it will affect. Ask God for wisdom and discernment, He promises that He will give it to us.

4. Have I fasted? Fasting is a spiritual discipline that had been forgotten in some circles of the Church. Recently, it has become a vital discipline in the life of some churches. Richard Foster has said that, ‘More than any other Discipline, fasting reveals the things that control us.’ Fasting is a powerful way to rid one’s self of the flesh, which is what we need when seeking God.  Fast in such a way that it will cost you something. Meaning, give up something that will force you to continually go to the throne of Grace. This could be food, technology, or a particular activity. Fasting, along with prayer, drives us to the foot of the Cross.

5. Be patient. We live in an instant gratifying world. At times, we’re not willing to actually wait on the Lord. Be still before Him, wait for Him to speak. Don’t make a rushed decision. When we do make hurried decisions it’s easier for our own selfish ambitions to master us. Patience is not passive. It is an active pursuit of waiting on the Lord to speak and act. God’s time is just that—His time. He doesn’t always speak when we want him to. He speaks when we are ready to receive what He has for us. This takes patience.

6. Seek godly counsel. It’s been said that no man is an island. So, we need others to speak into our lives. Proverbs 18:1 says, ‘Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment’. We need deep relationships with others in order to help us have sound judgment when making decisions. Go to those who know you best, who are walking with the Lord and seek their counsel. Remember, we first seek God’s counsel but after this allow others to be a part of the process. Surround yourself with people who are able and willing to speak truth in love. Don’t be too proud to ask for advice. Pride comes before the fall. (Proverbs 16:18)

7. Will this decision be for the good of others? Remember, you’ve been blessed with all spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3) SO THAT you can be a blessing. How will this decision affect others? Will they see more of God because of it? Or, will it profane His name? (Ezekiel 36:20, 23) If the decision you’re making hurts many it may not be what God is calling you to do.

8. Will it break prior commitments? Generally speaking, God doesn’t lead us to break the covenants and commitments we’ve already made. Generally. If you’ve made a prior decision in faith don’t dig it up in doubt now. (John Piper) There are always exceptions but normally God doesn’t ask us to break commitments.

9. Peace. Do you have a peace about the situation? Philippians 4:7, promises that if we go to God in prayer that ‘the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your mind in Christ Jesus’. God’s peace is an inward reality that only He can offer. Upon thinking about all the consequences of your action do you still have a peace about it?

10. Use your head. Not everything God calls us to will make sense from a human perspective. In all actuality, the opposite tends to be true. At the same time, God requires us to love him with ‘all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ (Luke 10:27). Meaning, God expects us to use our brains. Our critical thinking and reason is a gift from Him that separates us from the rest of creation. So, don’t be afraid to write a list of pros and cons. Ask God to give you the measure of wisdom and reason that you need to make the decision that most glorifies Him. Some of us are far too emotional when it comes to making decisions. Slow down, be patient and use your mind. As mentioned though, there may be times when God ask us to do things that don’t make a lot a sense to others. Know that you’re in good company when this happens.

11. One more for the road. I want to be careful even mentioning this. So, taking in context the previous tips, God does speak through our emotions. In my own personal journey, I’ve went through two extremes. Making decisions solely based on emotions, in other words what I feel. To the other extreme of thinking every emotion is sin-based. The truth of the matter lies somewhere in the middle. Psalm 37:4 promises that if ‘we delight ourselves in the Lord, He will give us the desires of our hearts’. Further Jesus states, that once we have abided in Him and are bearing fruit ‘whatever you ask in my Father’s name, He may give it to you’. So, there is a sense in Scripture that once we have sought and delighted ourselves in the Lord we can be assured that the desires we have (if God glorifying) are from Him. I would suggest however, that making decisions based on how we ‘feel’ always be done in the context of practicing these other practical tips. As a Pastor, it drives me crazy when I ask why people made a particular decision and they answer with only emotionally based feelings. Be careful. Our feelings and emotions can deceive us but God’s Word never will.  So, make sure that the feelings/emotions/desires you have align with what God has already revealed about Himself in Scripture.

I pray that these practical tips will help you discern God’s will for your life. As a Church leader, I am always going back to these tips for guidance. Before we start or do anything at Grace Church we always practice these guidelines in order to ensure that our church is square in the will of God, living out the mission of God. God desires you to know Him. If you are a Believer, He has given you all that you need so that you can.

Over the next few months, I will be posting devotionals over the Gospel of Mark. My hope and prayer is that through these devotionals we will gain a better understanding of who Jesus was and what he came to do. In short, I want us to come face to face with the Vintage Jesus. These devotionals are intended to challenge our thinking about the identity and mission of Jesus and hopefully move us to align our faith and practice to the Person and Work of Christ.

The Gospel of Mark
Typically, when a person starts an organization, company or even church, most tend to start by recruiting the most popular, driven, gifted and talented individuals. It’s in our nature to look at the external and not the heart.

Interestingly enough, when Jesus recruits his first followers he didn’t pick the most influential or talented guys. He is enlisting the very people who will carry his identity and mission to the ends of the earth and yet he starts this recruitment process with an invitation to fishermen. Contrary to popular thought, fishermen were not necessarily the scum of the earth. In fact, the fishing industry was largely made up of family owned businesses that were passed down from generation to generation. So, generally speaking, fishermen were somewhat middle class in the 1st century. Simon and Andrew’s father did well enough that he could employ both sons as well as some servants. At the same time, they were definitely not the religious leaders of that time. They weren’t scholars and they weren’t learned men. They knew their Old Testament but these Jewish fishermen had been pasted up by local Rabbis for further study. So, they weren’t the Religious cream of the crop, which is likely the reason Jesus invites them to be a part of his MISSION.

The Gospel of Mark moves through the life of Jesus like a sprint. So far in Mark 1, we have been introduced to the last and greatest Prophet, John the Baptist. John came preaching a message of repentance but also a message that looked ahead to the one who would baptize people with the Holy Spirit. This baptism of the Spirit was a fulfillment of Ezekiel 36:25-30 and looks forward to the New Covenant. Ezekiel envisions a time when the people of Israel as well as the Nations will be washed and filled with the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist sees Jesus as fulfilling this promise. Mark 1 also showcases, Jesus being baptized and tempted. Immediately following his baptism, the Spirit drives Jesus to the wilderness where Satan tempts. Following his baptism and temptation Jesus begins his public ministering of the Word by proclaiming, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’ (Mark 1:15) Much can be said about Jesus’ first words but suffice to say that Jesus saw himself as fulfilling Daniel 7:11-14 and Isaiah 61:1. Essentially, because the Kingdom of God had landed on earth now was the time that the ‘The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;’ (Isaiah 61:1)

I have tried to give some of the historical background and context of our first passage in Mark. I pray that this will help us understand the significance of Jesus’ calling of the first disciples. I would now like to make some observations, interpretations and application of Mark 1:16-20.

Mark 1:16-20 16 ¶ Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

The Big Idea
One of the first things we observe in this passage is the initiation and invitation of Jesus. Unlike Rabbis of his day, Jesus initiates the discipleship process by inviting the disciples to drop everything and come and follow him. Later in Mark 8:34, Jesus says, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’ Jesus’ invitation is an invitation to come and die. To follow him is to die to our selfish ambitions and desires and commit our lives to him and his Kingdom. But in order to follow him, the disciples have to drop their nets. They can’t say yes to Jesus’ invitation and stay where they’re at and neither can we. The dropping of the nets are a symbol of them leaving their old lives and starting a new life with Christ. The fact that these fishermen were middle class citizens adds to the drama of the scene. They were able to provide a nice life for their families. It was hard work but they were comfortable. Most likely, they would become the owners of their father’s business. Instead, they give it all up in order to follow Jesus. Comfortable lives exchanged for committed lives.

What nets do you need to drop so that you can follow Jesus? What aspects of your old life are you holding onto? The Apostle Paul understood this principle in Galatians 2:20 he says, ‘20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.’ Again in Philippians 3:7, 8 he states, ‘7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.’ The invitation to follow Christ is an invitation to die.

There are two final observations I’d like to make. First, in Mark 1:17, we tend to pass over an incredibly important word. In fact, the other accounts in Matthew and Luke don’t mention this word but it’s an important one. ‘Become’. Notice, what Jesus says, ‘follow me…and I will make you ‘become’ fishers of men’. Do you see the connection? They weren’t fishers of men yet. But, Jesus sees something else in these men. He sees not only who they are but more importantly he sees who they will become—all great leaders do this. The same is true for us. God doesn’t just see who we are now but he sees the finished product of who we will become. In order to become who they were created to be, they have to follow him. It’s been said that God equips the called. This passage definitely teaches us this. If God has called you to something he will give you the means to fulfill what he’s called you to do. Drop you’re nets and follow him and he’ll do the rest. The promise is we’ll become who we were created to be. The last observation is the requirement to follow Jesus. Really, the only requirement to follow Jesus is willingness. God uses people who are willing to be used. You don’t have to be a scholar. You don’t have to be the most talented and gifted person in the room…just be willing to be used and God will do the rest. 2 Chronicles 16:9 says ‘ 9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.’ God is looking for people who are wholly dependent on him, who are willing to follow him anywhere, anytime. He gives his support to people like this.

The Take Home
~ It’s by following Jesus we become who we are created to be
~ You can’t follow Jesus and hold on to your old life. Let go of the past so you can embrace your future.
~ The chief characteristic of following Jesus is a willing heart. Are you willing? Isaiah 6:8 ’8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

This week’s message is a call for the men of Grace Church to love their wives as Christ has loved the Church. It’s a tall order but by the grace of God we will seek to love with wisdom and courage. Please note, this blog entry is not an attempt to define or argue complementary and egalitarian positions. For more information regarding Grace Church’s stance on this debate please contact www.grace@GraceOK.com.

Well, without further ado, here is PART 1 on practical ways for men to ManUP.

1. Take the Initiative~
• Ask how you can be praying for her and what God is doing in her life…this is an amazing opportunity to hear what God is doing in her heart and it allows you to be a part of this.
• Share what God is doing in your own life. Even if it seems small, share anyways.
• Look for ways to serve together as a family.
• Ask your wife if she’s happy with your marriage and be prepared to take her answer like a man. Then, seek to improve where you can. Don’t get defense. She’s sharing her heart with you. ManUP and do/be better for God and for her.

2. Lead Humbly~
• Ask your wives opinion. See what her perspective is. It’s probably different than yours and will help you communicate and lead more effectively.
• Don’t be afraid to say, ‘I don’t know’. This is an amazing opportunity to lead your family to the throne of grace by saying ‘I don’t know but I trust God does so let’s pray and seek Him.’
• Empower your wife. Don’t withhold or take power from your spouse. She’ll resent you for it. Instead, know her well enough to encourage and challenge her to use and refine her gifts and talents.
• Consider her better and more important than yourself. Take on the role of servant.

3. Serve Faithfully~
• Do the dishes. Take out the trash. Get up with the kids in the middle of the night. Your wife will love and respect you for it because she’ll see your heart and faithfulness. This is more important than sleep, your IPhone or the game on TV. Nothing shows love like laying down your life for another.
• Don’t complain. Do all things with a joyful heart, praising God for the opportunity to bless those who you hold most dear. Or if you can’t do that…just don’t say anything and do it anyways.
• If you say you’re going to do something…do it. Be a man of your word so she can trust you.

4. Provide Diligently
• Work hard. God will honor your integrity and character in providing for your family.
• BUT don’t forget your primary job is to provide spiritually and emotionally. This is essential.
• Keep in mind why you work hard and who you work for. You’re working to bring glory to God and good to others. This attitude will spur her on to love and good works. Lead by example.
• Learn to say no to work and yes to rest. If you don’t have time to rest, cut things out of your budget so you can.
• Give your wife the best part of yourself. Do this by protecting your time with her and prioritizing your life around the things that really matter to you and her.

5. Speak and Live Gently
• Don’t be harsh or critical of your wife. She needs to see you be tough but also tender.
• Build her up don’t tear her down. Use your words to encourage and edify your family. Don’t be sarcastic. They don’t need or deserve it.
• Be careful with your words. Think of it like this…your wife’s spiritual and emotional health is like a bank account. It’s hard to withdraw from this account if you haven’t put anything in it. Lead with your words.
• Don’t ever try to intimidate your wife. A real man is self-controlled and doesn’t need to act like a jerk to gain respect. Love her like Jesus loves the Church and you’ll be respected.

Check out PART 2 on Friday! Men, God is calling you to be a leader in your household and by His grace He will empower you to do it!

One of my favorite things in life right now is the way my daughter snuggles with me. Yeah, I know I’m a softie. I can’t help it! And I can assure you, I haven’t always been this sympathetic! It’s funny how the Lord uses a baby girl to soften your heart! Recently, we’ve stopped swaddling her. Meaning, we’ve stopped tying down her arms and legs. So, she’s having to learn what to do with her arms and legs…which is actually pretty funny to watch. At times, she reminds me of a turtle lying on her back with arms and legs flaying about. But, the awesome part is now that her arms are free, when I pick her up in the mornings she instantly wraps her arms around my neck as she snuggles her head into my shoulder, which is usually followed by an affectionate beard tug. I’m telling you, if that doesn’t melt your heart—you need to check your pulse!

It’s this imagery that somewhat describes the word abide. Now, stay with me for a moment. In John 15:1-11, Jesus uses the word ‘abide/s’ 10 times. I think he may be trying to make a point. He wants his disciples to understand that if they want to be his followers, if they want to bear fruit that lasts, if they want to carry out the mission he has left for them—they must abide in him. They can’t do it on their own, in their own strength. They must dwell in him. Abide, literally means to ‘await, remain, dwell or to rest, sit or tarry’ (Louw-Nida Lexicon). So, the picture behind abide is to rest and dwell with Jesus. The promise behind it is that we will be fruitful when it comes to eternal matters. Jesus, the true vine, is our lifeline to being fruitful branches. Branches not in the lifeline (i.e. Jesus) don’t produce fruit, those who abide in the True Vine, produce fruit that will last. In short, I think God wants us to continually nestle our heads on his shoulder. And as much joy and happiness I have when my daughter snuggles with me, our Father has infinitely more joy and happiness when we abide in him.

For some of us, it’s hard to imagine that the God of the universe wants us to abide in him or more so that he takes delight and pleasure when we do abide in him. Don’t confuse want and need. He doesn’t need us to abide; really, he doesn’t need us for anything. Instead, how much more of a privilege and mystery that he wants us to abide in him. Let me be clear, I’m not trying to reduce God to encompass all the humanistic emotions we have. I’m not trying to read God through my own lens of personal experiences…because I understand that every analogy we have with regards to God will ultimately fall short to encompass and communicate a ‘wholly other’ God. But, I believe my point is still valid. Zephaniah 3:17 is a verse that has been taken out of context countless times. Yet, the point of this verse is clear ‘God rejoices over his people with gladness…and exalts over us with loud singing’, when we as his people, as his Bride, seek his face wholeheartedly, when we abide in him, God Almighty enjoys us.

I’d like to challenge you this week to focus on abiding in Christ through His Word, His Spirit, and service to others. If we abide in the love of Christ then we are free and empowered to in turn love our neighbor as God has called us to. Abide in Christ this week. Share the love and mercy you experience through abiding in him with a broken and lost world.

In Christ,
Pastor Brent

I’m not talking about your kids, spouse or even salvation itself…hopefully those are a given. I’m talking about the greatest present you’ve ever received. Over the years, I’ve had some pretty awesome gifts. Four-wheelers, which I wrecked, bikes, which I also wrecked, remote control airplanes, which, wait for it, I also wrecked…all of these were definitely mint gifts. But, my favorite gift I ever received was my first BB gun. There’s just something about a boy and his BB gun that says I AM a MAN, I AM EIGHT…and no, I didn’t shoot my eye out, well, at least not yet.

One of the reasons my BB gun was my favorite was because I had to wait for it, for what seemed like an eternity. From the time I was 5 yrs old I asked Santa for this bad boy every single year and frankly every year Santa dropped the ball. In fact, it wasn’t until I turned 8 yrs old that I finally received my Crosman 760 Pumpmaster. Three whole years I waited, which for a kid is an eternity. Oh, there were definitely times when I thought it was never going to happen, times that I had lost all hope of ever getting my Crosman 760 Pumpmaster. But, then, at the perfect moment, the moment when I could wait no longer…BAM, there it was right in front of me! It was amazing! Looking back, that Crosman 760 Pumpmaster changed my life…maybe, I want go that far. The fact that I had to wait for this gift is what made it my favorite and also now I could shoot things. You see, sometimes it’s in the waiting that you realize just how bad you want something. Or put another way, sometimes it’s in the waiting that you realize how much you NEED something.

This week at Grace Church we are celebrating Emmanuel, God with us at our Christmas Eve Service. God with us. God with us. Can we even begin to comprehend what that statement means for us? The Maker of Heaven and earth, the Creator of all things, the Covenant God, the One who parted the Red Sea and delivered Jonah from the whale, that God is with us and crazier still WANTED to be with us. But, what about for the Jewish nation in the 1st century? What did Emmanuel mean for them?

Throughout the OT, God in His grace is always hinting that something BIG was coming. There are prophecies from the Torah, the Psalms, the Prophets, even the Historical books, which point to the coming of the Messiah. The Messiah. The One would come and finally rescue Israel from her captors, the one who would come and restore Israel back to God once and for all. And then, what would follow would be the restoration of all nations through Israel because the Messiah would come from Israel.

What would the Messiah look like?

Would the Messiah be a mighty warrior like David? Would he, once and for all, destroy Israel’s enemies? Would he be more powerful and wealthy than Solomon and all of his splendor? Could he really be greater than Moses and Abraham? He surely, would come from a powerful and prestigious family; perhaps he would be a Levite?

What would the Messiah look like?

Well, Israel waited and waited. And waited some more. A hundred years pass, five hundred more, even a thousand years. There would be a few Messianic candidates that would rise up yet they failed time and time again. Still, Israel waited. In the meantime, things go from bad to worse. Nation after nation controls and enslaves them. Kingdom’s rise and fall and Israel still remains in Exile. Yet, they hold on to the HOPE God had given them. He would establish a New Covenant, an everlasting Covenant, one that would even transform them from the inside—out. He would set things right. Sometimes it’s in the waiting that you begin to realize how much you want and need something.

Then, after being silent for over 400 yrs, a baby is born in a manger. A baby? Born in a manger? Really? How could this be? How could a baby born in the manger be the Messiah? How could he be the One they had waited for? He was supposed to bring knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of sins (Luke 1:67-80). This baby would be the greatest gift. The greatest gift God has ever given. God gave the gift of salvation through His only begotten Son, the Messiah, the Son of Man, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ.

Salvation. Forgiveness. Reconciliation, Restoration. Right Relationship. Atonement. Remember, ‘The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance’. (2 Peter 3:9) God is a promise keeper. He promised Israel that He would one day provide redemption and He did. Not in their timing but in His perfect timing. He does the same for us. He keeps His promises. And He is still offering the same free gift to us. Sometimes, it’s in the waiting that we realize how bad we want and need something.

This Christmas, remember the greatest gift ever given. Christ. Remember to tell your children and grandchildren that the gifts they receive on Christmas are just symbols and reminders of the greatest gift ever given. The good gifts we receive should lead us to the Giver of the greatest gift. I hope and pray you have a wonderful Christmas!

Pastor Campbell

1. God’s greatest joy is found in himself~ True joy stems from Him. No other something or someone can satisfy the longing of our hearts for true joy but God himself. God can’t fill us with something He lacks. God is joyful, and as such He is our source for joy. But, don’t confuse this joy with apathy or the Santa Clause complex. God may be completely joyful but he’s also just, righteous, holy, and a consuming fire. We must be careful not to praise one attribute of God over another and so lessen all of them. (1 Chronicles 16:27)

2. God finds joy in his people~ God finds joy in his people because His people have His joy. Think about that. God enjoys you. For some of us, this is hard to believe. The idea that God enjoys or is joyful towards me is a hard pill to swallow mostly because I know what a ‘joy’ I can be sometimes. Yet, remember he doesn’t enjoy us because you and I are such great conversationalists. He enjoys us because when he sees us—he sees Christ. He enjoys us because He’s placed His joy in us through the dwelling of the Holy Spirit. (Zephaniah 3:17, Galatians 5:22)

3. Our strength comes from God’s joy in us~ Notice, our strength is NOT found in our own ability to create or sustain joy. If we’re honest with ourselves, we all know how exhausting it is to try and conjure up some kind of joy, especially the kind of joy we put on for others to see. The moment we place our joy and satisfaction in anything other than God we lose our strength. Personally, I think this is why we have so many defeated, bitter, unhappy ‘Christians’ walking around because we’ve traded true joy for feel good happiness. Ultimately, this is when we lose our joy, when it’s placed in something outside of God. (Nehemiah 8:10)

4. We worship those things that bring us the greatest joy~ The truth being, if we place our joy and trust in something other than God than we become idolaters because inevitably we will worship whatever brings us the greatest joy. This is why God has designed you and me to worship Him alone because He, in His grace, is pointing us to the one thing that can satisfy the longing of our hearts— Himself. This doesn’t mean we don’t find joy and happiness in God’s good and perfect gifts. Instead, it means we are careful not to trade the worship of the Uncreated for the created. (Romans 1:25, Psalm 20:5)

5. We can be joyful in every circumstance when our joy is found wholly in God~ If my joy is truly placed in the God who never changes, who is always joyful…this means that no matter what my circumstances are, I can be joyful. Circumstances come and go but God is my constant. Debbie Downers and Life itself will try and steal your joy. This is a fact. But, when my joy comes from God’s joy resting in me—I no longer need anyone’s or anything’s acceptance and approval to be joyful. This kind of joy is an internal reality produced by being united with Christ. (James 1:2)

My prayer is that today you would come to taste and experience the joy of the Lord. That no matter what life throws at you—you would have peace and joy because you have placed your trust and satisfaction in God alone. Remember true joy stems from our joyful God, not our circumstances.

1. Exaltation-Is Christ being exalted above and beyond everything else? Is God receiving all the praise and glory due Him in every sphere of ministry at the church? Are people encountering life change through the presence of God? Or are people worshipping methods and tools over the Risen Christ? Is the Spirit of God evident and free to move and empower people for love and good works? Does this exaltation carry over to holiness and personal application? In short, are people being drawn to the glory of God or the glory of men? (Romans 11:33-12:2)

2. Equipping-Is the Church raising up leaders from within its midst? Are people growing in faith, hope and love? Is there a clear process for how disciples are made and matured? Do people understand this process? Are leaders in the church investing in other Believers? Is the Word of God the center for this process? In short, are the Saints being equipped for the work of ministry, for the building of the Body of Christ? (Eph. 4:12)

3. Evangelizing-Are people regularly coming to Christ through the church’s mission and ministry? Is the Gospel in both word and deed being spread to the lost and broken, both locally and globally? Is each believer telling the story of reconciliation? Is there urgency in the church for the lost? Are people actively praying for those who need Jesus? Does each Believer know how to share their faith in truth and love? (Matthew 28:18-20)

I would like to submit to you, that IF these three characteristics are prevalent in a church then that church is successful and fruitful in mission and ministry regardless of more concrete indicators. The reason being, that church is being faithful to the principles of a being/doing church set forth in the Scripture. My prayer for Grace Church is that we would be an exalting, equipping and evangelizing church into every sphere of ministry and mission. In fact, this is why our core values at Grace Church are: worship (exalting) community (equipping) and outreach (evangelizing/serving).

So, let’s get to it! Let’s build a gathering of people who love GOD, love OTHERS, and serve the CITY for the glory of God and the good of the City.

If I only had 5 minutes to tell you who we are…

1.Grace Church exists to bring glory and honor to God…contrary to popular belief we don’t exist to make much of ourselves, none of us do. We realize God is already glorious no matter what we do or don’t do. Our prayer is that we would respond rightly to this TRUTH in daily offering our lives as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. This is worship.

2.Grace Church genuinely loves people…community isn’t just something we talk about. It’s something that we all crave and as a result we are intentional and committed to creating and cultivating authentic relationships in our church. Church is more than just what happens on Sunday. It’s sharing our lives together. The good, the bad, the ugly. This is Church. This is community.

3.Grace Church preaches and lives out the Gospel of Jesus Christ…we believe that Jesus changes everything. So, we preach this every Sunday. Abundant and eternal life is offered through trusting in Jesus for salvation. Forgiveness is offered through trusting in Jesus for salvation. Right relationship with God and others is possible and available through trusting Jesus for salvation. But, the Gospel isn’t just about words. It is loving and serving the poor. It is caring for the widows and orphans. It is sharing the transforming love of God with family, friends and neighbors. It is making much of Jesus with every breath we breathe. This is outreach.

4.Grace Church wants to see and be change…one of our deepest desires is to see change in our daily lives but also in the life of our City. We long to see relationships healed, addictions crushed, and abuses broken. We believe this happens by being ‘in Christ’. This happens through the Church being the People of God in the world, the hands and feet of Jesus. It happens through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is our vision. This is transformation.

5.Grace Church is about equipping…if you have relationship with Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit you have been given gifts and talents to use for the glory of Father and the good of others. In other words, ministry is not something that should ONLY be done by a few. Grace Church is a place for you to come and grow in the gifts the Spirit has given you. One of our goals is raise up a generation of people who know their gifts, who use their gifts, and as a result are completely satisfied in their relationship with God BECAUSE they are doing what they were created to be and do.

This is who we are. This is what we are about. We’d love for you to come and be a part of what God is already doing here at Grace Church.

1. Integrity – A godly man keeps his word. He does the right thing even when no one is looking. He is trustworthy and reliable to all who call upon him. (Ps. 24:3-6)

2. Courage – A godly man is not afraid to stand alone in the midst of adversity. He isn’t afraid to face his enemies head on. It takes courage to stand up for what is right. A godly man doesn’t choose the easy way out but has the courage to do the right thing even when it’s hard. (Josh. 1:6-9)

3. Self-control – A godly man is in control of his emotions. This doesn’t mean he doesn’t show his emotions. It means his emotions are under the influence and control of the Spirit of God. He doesn’t allow his emotions to get the best of him. (Galatians 5:19-24)

4. Faith – A godly man trusts the Lord in EVERY season. His faith is fixed upon Jesus the author and perfecter of his faith NOT on his circumstances. He’s not tossed to and fro. He’s not deceived by falsehood. He realizes that the most important thing he can do is lead his family to grow in their faith. (Ps. 37:3-7, James 1:6)

5. Diligent – A godly man doesn’t put off tomorrow what needs to be done today. He works hard to provide for his family spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally. (Prv. 10:4, 12:24, 21:5)

6. Patient – A godly man is patient in tribulation. He realizes that God is refining and molding him to look more like Christ. He is gentle and kind with others, especially his wife and children. When he wants to be selfish or impatient, he chooses instead to be patient because God has first been patient with him. (Col. 3:12-17, 1 Cor. 13:1-4)

7. Servant – A godly man first and foremost serves his family. He places the needs of others above his own. He doesn’t complain when he doesn’t get his way. He doesn’t make much of himself but seeks to build others up. He realizes that pride comes before the fall so in humility he considers others more significant than himself. He humbly serves others out of the overflow of ‘Christ in him’. (Mark 10:45, 2 Cor, 5:17-21, Philp. 2:3)

These are marks of godliness for everyone. They are traits that all of us should seek to live out. Although, we will fail from time to time, these marks (as well as several others) should be the habit of our lives. When we live these out in our daily lives, it’s easy for others to respect and follow us.

I wanted to take a few moments and share about some amazing ministry opportunities we have coming up at Grace Church. Over the past few months, we have laid the foundation for the vision God has given us here at Grace. We’ve looked at how Biblically, the Church isn’t something that you go and have done to you, like surgery, but instead it’s who we are in Christ—it’s our identity as the Body. As a result, our heart is to not only go to Church but to be the Church in our community. We’ve come to understand that we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Eph. 1:3) so that now we are called to go forth into all the nations and be a blessing. And now, the time has come to put our passion into action.

On September 7th from 6-8pm, Grace Church will be volunteering at the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. This is just one way that we’re getting involved in our community and making a difference for Christ. I would like to encourage you to plug into this great ministry opportunity. In order to volunteer at the Food Bank you will need to fill out a volunteer application, which is available >>HERE<<, at the church, or at www.regionalfoodbank.org. This is just the beginning of our mission to reach out and serve others for the glory of God and the good of the City!

There are awesome things happening here at Grace Church. People are growing in their relationship with God, authentic community is being built between one another and the restoration of the lost and broken is happening. God is moving in the hearts and lives of people and we are so excited about what God is doing in and through us. I’d like to take this opportunity to invite you to come be a part of our church. Come be a part of our mission to build a gathering of people who love God, love others and serve the City for the glory of God and the good of the City! In every sphere of life, we want to make much of Jesus.

If you’re interested in learning more about our church or ministry opportunities please contact us at office@graceok.com or by phone at 405-286-3766. We look forward to seeing you Sunday @10:30a.m. Each one bring one!
In Christ,
Pastor Campbell