Church today......

WOW...yeah today's church service was really awesome...God has really begun to show me a LOT of things...both morning and evening services we're very good...and i enjoyed both of them very much...I even got something out of church today...which usually doesn't happen very often...but then that might be my fault...but anyways back on subject...well this mornings service was titled "24" and this was part 3 of Pastor Al's series...well I ended up missing part one and part two but I think this one was intended for me to hear...well okay wondering why it was titled "24"...well we all have 24 hours in a day and we must decide how we are going to spend it...well this was the first "point" that Pastor Al said and I was like 'gee.........do I really spend my 24 hours wisely?' well Pastor Al said that we need to invest ourselves in eternal things......Loving God/Loving People (this should be the passion of the church)....once we truly love God we will then be able to love people....really personally I think that the second sounds impossible...but I’m beginning to really see if I really do love God then it won't be so hard to love people....now I need to check my life to see if I really love God.....b/c if I don't then it is going to be impossible to love people. We must begin to build bridges in our lives and others live.... NOT walls...and yeah...I have become very good at building walls so I will not get hurt...but well I’ll talk about this a little later. Well Pastor Al gave us three ways to love people... 1. is SERVE PEOPLE....Jesus had the greatest impact b/c he served people. Jesus lived a life of counter-culture. We must model our lives after Jesus and it starts with serving...In today’s world serving is a foreign idea.... but when we do people will turn their heads and then turn their hearts.... Serving may be hard at times but it will be worth it...How can we serve? ~ We need to look for the little needs.... ~look for the physical needs in people’s lives.... ~look for financial ways to meet needs even if it may seem small.... I’m pretty sure I need to work more on serving others this was the first thing that really stood out to me...okay on to number 2...we must share with people...I need to invest my life in sharing Jesus with others...This is not only and investment but it is a command...God doesn't need us to know all the answers but just to be a witness for him...some practical ways to share Jesus...~look for ways to share my own story...(although I do wonder how mine can help.... I don't even know)...~look for 'divine appointments’...~now for number 3.... step along side people...it is the Great Commission NOT the Great Suggestion...we have to help people grow...we have to be a part of the discipleship process.... It’s not enough to just bring people to Christ we must help them grow.... But we ourselves have to be growing...(I think this ones hard for me...cause half the time it seems like I’m at a stand still and not growing...but if I’m not moving forward I’m going backwards.... so I don't know)...ways to step alongside people...~be willing to slow down and take time with people...~accept the challenges of discipleship...~let people in your life (okay this one really caught my attention.... casue I really don't like to do that one.... I’m too afraid I’ll get hurt.... but pastor Al said...yes you may get hurt but then in the long run it will be worth it...~make sure your growing (yep this one is just as hard too)...~make sure you are not alone...get an accountability partner...so yea in all this was a very good message...and yeah...if I am actually able to put it into action in my life...well that would totally rock...but I think before I can even do any of this i must determine if I really truly love God...cause when I know I do.....then loving people won't seem as impossible......okay well that was Sunday morning.......I might post more later.....but yeah church was really awesome today.....I loved it........Thanks Pastor Al.........can’t wait for the coming series of sermons.......and cant wait till you do the one for Facing your Giants.......I’m sure it will be very good.....