Sunday Night Reflections

A Few Thoughts from an Amazing Day...

• Worshiped at FCC Kissimmee today. Wonderful message from the prophet Zachariah today. Jim has done an excellent job with the "Foretold" series. As a former preacher I know how hard it is to come up with fresh material every Christmas.
• Thank you Tony for a wonderful time of worship, if you are filling overwhelmed this Christmas listen here. 
• Looking forward to Candlelight Service Wednesday evening - Christmas is almost here.
• Back in the pulpit next week at FCC Seminole.
• Christmas is a time of two extremes, if you watch carefully you will see acts of kindness, but you will also see acts of selfishness - especially in the Mall parking lot. 
• Dolphins keep showing us little rays of hope, what will 2015 bring?
• Kathy's radiation therapy is catching up with her fatigue is becoming a way of life - Oh how I hate cancer.
• Shot my first video for JUFL this week, special thanks to Alex for making look good! You are the best.
• What movie will you go see on Christmas Day - lots of choices out there!
• Kohl's is open 24 hours through December 24th, is that really necessary? 
• Something to Chew on; “Remember, if Christmas isn't found in your heart, you won't find it under a tree.” ~ Charlotte Carpenter

Sunday Night Reflections

A Few Thoughts from an Amazing Day...

• Another two-fer this weekend, Worshiped at FCC Kissimmee this morning and then worshiped at New Life Christian Church in the Villages tonight.
• Great message this morning from the book of Micah. Jim you are right the prophecies continue to point to only one - Jesus Christ.
• "You are holy" is a very moving song, you cannot help but be joyful as you run though the titles of our savior.
• Having a church home is one of the great blessings of our faith!
• New Life Christian is one of the most generous churches I know - From the sharing of resources to the encouraging words after tonight's Night of Noel program they continued to be a blessing.
• How can one not stand when the Hallelujah Chorus is sung?
• Friday night was Night of Noel at JUFL - great music, great crowd - truly a special night!
• I have seen Disney's candlelight processional at least 5 times and each time it is more powerful than the last!
• One thought that washed over me this year at the candlelight processional was Isaiah 55:11. During the Christmas season thousands hear the story of Christ's birth, I am sure seeds are planted in the lives of the listeners. 
• Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays, think about it without Christ there are no Happy Holidays!
• 1 more week of school - please pray for our students it is finals week!
• Question for Kathy; which is worse, the chemo or the radiation - Answer, the radiation! Oh how I hate cancer.
• My granddaughter is in her first Christmas program this week - time to break out the camera. She is playing an angel - now that is what I call type casting!
• Having some football withdraw - but bowl season is just around the corner.
• Something to Chew on; "The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God." C.S. Lewis from“Mere Christianity”

Sunday Night Reflections

A Few Thoughts From an Amazing Day...

• Worshiped at First Christian Church of Orange Park this morning. Great message from the book of Hebrews.
• Not your ordinary Christmas text, yet Hebrews 1:1-3 contains powerful truths for the Christmas season. 
• The illustration of the "Jesus Bolt" was truly amazing!
• Spent last weekend with Kathy's family celebrating Thanksgiving in the mountains of North Georgia, wonderful place to unwind. 
• Not having cell phone service on the mountain can be a blessing and a curse.
• Kathy has finished her radiation treatments so thankful for the women who acted as her chauffeurs the last 33 days!
• Favorite Christmas Snack #1 Oreos dipped in white chocolate, you only get 24 in a box but they are so goooooood! 
• Seeing Kathy's recovery from cancer has made me realize I really have a short Christmas list this year! In fact, I think I have everything I need!
• All I want for Christmas is a parking space at the Mall!
• Other than Easter, this is my favorite time of the year to preach, and yes I have a Christmas series I am writing - but I have no where to preach it. 
• Can't wait to watch "It's a Wonderful Life" this Christmas season.
• Have you noticed how much theology is found in the old Christmas carols?
• Well the college footballs season is over, that was a fast 13 weeks! Now the bowl games, only a few perk my interest.
• Favorite Christmas Snack #2 Homemade Party Mix, make sure there are peanuts in the mixed!
• Spending time with my granddaughter always perks me up.
• This weekend was the Tison Christmas party in Jacksonville, so blessed to have a large close family. 
• Visited our family cemetery while in Jacksonville this weekend, We can trace our family tree back 5 generations through the cemetery. 
• 1 full week of school left and then finals, August seems so long ago.  
• Favorite Christmas Snack #3, Cheese Ball and Crackers!
• Something to Chew on; Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him.  He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. ~ Apostle Paul, Colossians 1:15-17

Sunday Bight Reflections

 A Few Thoughts from an Amazing Day...

• Worshiped with the Church family of River Run Brevard this morning. Great time of worship and a great message on THANKSLIVING.

• Dan and his team have made great strides in a church that was on the ropes just a few years ago. 

• If you want a testimony about how to revitalize a church contact River Run Brevard. They honored God through their actions and it is apparent God is pleased with their progress. 

• One of the most powerful videos on gratitude was palyed this morning - it is true, images often move us better than words. 

• Savannah celebrated her 2nd Birthday today. Great Fun!

• I melt when she calls me Papa!

• Changes coming to Gainesville. If I were a Seminole, I would be leery about the upcoming game with the Gators - Sometime Emotion can overcome skill.

• Radiation is a pain - it is taking it's toll on Kathy, Oh how I hate Cancer!

• Missed vision night at church tonight, but from all I hear we are moving forward with some amazing things!

• There are only 3 weeks left in the college football regular season - season moved by way too fast.

• Why do stores need to be open on Thanksgiving Day?

• Did you know in 45 days it will be 2015? Whatever happened to Y2K?

• My heart breaks for a couple of preachers who are currently in a storm. 

• Seeing the generosity of people always warms my soul.  

• Everyday I want to pray as John; Come quickly Lord Jesus! 

• Did I tell you how much I hate Cancer? Come quickly Lord Jesus!

• Something to Chew on; Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. ~ Jesus, John 16:33

Sunday Night Reflections

A Few Thoughts from an Amazing Day...

• Worshiped with Vero Christian Church this morning. 
• The Vero Church is filled with friends of JUFL and many alumni have come out of the church, because of their generosity they are truly changing the world for Christ. 
• I had planned to be there as a missions representative but was pressed into service to preach. Preaching minister was hit with a case of Laryngitis. Hope you are feeling better, Steve!
• Today's message focused on the power of the word of God. 
• Call it a "God Moment" but It was pretty amazing the worship set fit my message perfectly. Thank you Scott for a wonderful worship set!
• In a world that questions all authority, one must remember there is one true source of authority and He has given us  a guide to live by.
• Our oldest son  turned 34 this weekend - As Kenny Chesney sings; Don't Blink!"
• My traveling days are over, for 2014, this year I visited a church running 3,200 in attendance and a church running 19. Traveled as far south as Naples and as far north as Jacksonville. It will be good to worship with the FCC Kissimmee family for a few weeks.
• Here is a telling stat in May of 2013 JUFL gave me a car to use for school travel, the odometer read 37,555, today (18 months later) the car has 72,200 miles. Call me the Road Warrior. 
• Babysitting the granddaughter is such a joy.
• When I see all Kathy goes through with this cancer I get angry at this fallen creation!
• I would like to celebrate Thanksgiving before  before jumping into the Christmas Hype!
• You have to admit it is nice not receiving all those political ads in the mail!
• Doubly nice not being flooded with political TV ads. 
• Are the Gators finally getting it together?
• Something to Chew On; “Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.” ~ Epicurus 

Sunday Night Reflections

A Few Thoughts from an Amazing Day...

• Spoke at Dade City Christian Church on Saturday evening at their night of worship.
• Great group of folks trying to reach a new generation for Christ. 
• Message for the evening focused on our Amazing Race. In this life we have to keep running!
• Also enjoyed great worship with some 'up and coming' worship bands in the area!
• Saturday JUFL hosted the Healthy Elder conference on the campus, great to see such a large number of men interested in becoming better leaders in the local church.
• Staggering Stat from the conference; 4,000 churches will close in America this year simply because they have forgotten their mission. 
• What is the mission, here is a clue.
• I wish I would have attended a Healthy Elder conference when I first started out in ministry.
• Dolphins and Gators win on the same weekend - did not see that happening.
• Extra hour of sleep was nice last night, but I will be hating it come Spring!
• November, already!
• Something to Chew on; No Mission, No Cause, No Leadership, No Opportunity for significance or success ~ Anonymous  

Sunday Night Refections

A Few Thoughts from an Amazing Day...

• Doubly blessed today, attended worship at FCC Kissimmee this morning then spoke at Winter Haven CC for their Faith Promise tonight. 
• Today's message was spot on regarding how to handle conflict in the local church, every church leader should get a copy of Jim's message this morning.So much pain and frustration could be avoided if they would simply follow God's principles from Acts 15.
• Jim's illustration regarding Titus as a new convert was a powerful illustration of the importance of handling conflict correctly.
• Tonight's message focused on missions; the need and the alternative to missions. What a unique perspective taken from the prophet Jonah.
• Healthy churches are mission minded churches.
• Missions does not always mean you are taking the gospel overseas, but missions is taking the gospel to someone!
• I was able to travel with some of the students from JUFL today - great bunch of students, our future is bright.
• A new office allows for a fresh start, spent the weekend going through some old files - why do we hold on to so much meaningless stuff?
• Well the Gators did not lose this weekend!
• I will be so glad to see the election process come to an end next week - according to all of the negative commercials if either party gets in we will either have a zombie apocalypse or life as we know it it will be over - We desperately need leaders!
• Speaking of Leaders; JUFL is hosting the Healthy Elder conference on the campus this Saturday, November 1 - remember EVERYTHING rises and falls on leadership.
• Panara Bread makes one good cinnamon roll.
• Something to Chew on; We must arrange life so sin no longer looks good to us. ~ John Ortberg, The Life You Always Wanted.