July 2009

STOP!!!

We live in a very fast pace culture. It is a world of flashing media, high speed internet, fast food, long days and short nights. We are flooded with information, advertisements, and things that keep us stimulated from Red Bull to Rock-n-roll. It's a very chaotic world! Always contemplating, calculating and exasperating.

If there has ever been a message that our culture needs to hear, it is this:

"STOP!!!"

Psalm 46:10, when the nations are in an uproar, 
"Be still and know that I am God."

"STOP!"

Not just a 3 minute traffic light stop.
Not just a quick 4 way stop.
Not just a traffic jam stop.
But get off the highways, pull over, park your car, 
get out and lay in the grass kind of stop!
Stop talking, listen, hear, and know that He IS God!

Here are a few more things we need to STOP.

1. We need to stop leaning on our own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
   Stop trying to figure it all out and stop calculating without God.

2. We need to stop and wait for the Lord. (Isaiah 40:30-31)
   Remember where our strength really comes from.

3. We need to stop following the crowd. (Romans 12:1-2)
   This is not a time to conform, but rather, to be transformed by the power of God.

4. We need to stop running after everything in this culture and run after God. (Matthew 6:25-34)

5. We need to stop believing the lies of Satan and start believing the words and promises of God. (1 Kings 8:56)

6. We need to stop putting our hope in all the wrong places. (Isaiah 49:23) "Those who hope in Me (God) will not be disappointed."

7. We need to stop looking in all the wrong places. (Hebrews 12:2)
   "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith."

Our hope is in getting off the wide, fast paced highway of this world's thinking, and get on God's highway of holiness. We do need to STOP and STAY in His presence until we KNOW His peace, His provision, His truth, His power, His will, His healing, His hope, His assurance, His glory, and His reality in our lives!

Oh, and last but not least,

We need to stop sinning!
(2 Chronicles 7:14)

Thank-you for all you do for the Kingdom of God.

Continue to pray for this ministry, for one another, and for those who are serving as pastors and leaders, as well as those God is calling into the ministry. These are strategic days in the church and in the kingdom.

Know that you are loved.
Pastor Rick Messer / Pastor of a church without walls