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What's the Good News? |
Stewardship, the only boat that will float in this economic seaPastor Randy HillLuke 16:10(NKJV) “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.”
Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Deal or No Deal, the bright lights of the casinos in Las
Here is the test of what you would do if you were to receive such a blessing overnight. What are you doing right now with the hundred dollars you have? That is the test. If you are not faithful with the little you will not be faithful with the large. And while we focus upon the financial wealth needed to function in the real world there is a superior reality. If God cannot trust you with money He most certainly will not trust you with the greater riches of the Kingdom. Many of us are not moving in higher levels of spiritual power and blessing because we refuse to be faithful with our finances. Jesus said in Luke 16:11(NKJV) “Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon (worldly wealth), who will commit to your trust the true riches?”
The Kingdom Stewardship Principle is anything given to me by God that I steward faithfully will be increased and eventually God will give me my own. Jesus goes on to say in verse Luke 16:12 (NKJV) “And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?”
All that we have is the Lord’s and He is watching to see what we will do with what He has given us. The question remains what would you do with wealth? You would do what you do with little. The promise remains the faithful man will be blessed and increase. The call is BE FAITHFUL with what you have been given and the Lord will reward you and make you steward over more and will also give you the blessing of ownership.
Proverbs 28:20(NKJV) “A faithful man will abound with blessings, But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.” |
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March 2009 |
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Volume 1, Issue 2 |
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The Real Deal Amy Padgett
"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." -- Phillip K. Dick, 1978
I stumbled across this quote recently and it made me smile. Being a fan of science fiction, I’m very familiar with the concept of altered realities. Star Trek routinely toyed with reality. Movies such as Total
Even our ancient ancestors examined the very concept of reality. The Greek philosopher Parmenides taught that the only things that are real are things which never change. His contemporary Heraclitus taught that everything changes. If you follow those two lines of philosophy to their combined logical conclusion, it would seem that nothing is real. And in one sense, that’s true. Even science – which strives to find absolutes upon which theory can be based and measured – often revises long-held “truths” which, in the light of new understanding, are found to be inaccurate.
Fortunately, as Christians, we do have one truth, one reality, which never changes. Malachi 3:6 says, “For I am the LORD, I do not change.” God is the one thing that is perfect, resolute, steadfast and utterly unchanging. Taken with the above philosophies, that makes God the one thing that is real. Even if you stop believing in Him, God doesn’t go away.
When I first read the quote that I started with, it got me thinking. What if we stopped believing in what isn’t real and started to focus on what is? What if Kingdom reality became more tangible to us than our circumstances? It’s essentially what we’ve been striving to grab hold of for the last year or more. When we say, “Your Kingdom come,” and we believe it, God’s reality actually supplants our circumstances. We start seeing miracles, signs and wonders when we stop believing in our own perceptions and start standing on the reality that we can do all things through Christ.
This may be a difficult truth for some to understand. I’m not even sure I understand it myself, but I’m certain that it is truth. God’s reality is bigger than my circumstances and greater than my perceptions. I choose to challenge myself to stop believing the lies that surround me so that the truth of God’s Kingdom can become real in my life. I challenge you to join me on the journey. |
Worship His Majesty
N-Gage Worship Conference Worship is more than just a good idea. It is more than the preparation for hearing the Word of God spoken in the service. It isn’t just something we do to pass the time. Worship is an act of reverence to God that we choose to offer just because He is worthy of worship. Anything we do can be an act of worship if it is done with a willing heart as a service to the Lord.
At the Summit, we take worship seriously. We believe it is a central and integral part of everything we do. Worship isn’t just about singing a few songs on a Sunday morning, it is a way of life.
Anyone interested in digging deeper into the freedom and power that can be found in worship is encouraged to come to the N-Gage worship conference being held at the Summit on March 27th and 28th. There will be general teaching sessions, breakout technical sessions for those currently participating in worship ministry, and evening worship sessions to express our heart to the Father.
The cost of the conference is only $8. More information and on-line registration is available at: http://www.summitchurchwylie.org/worshipconference.html
Burn 24-7 On May 15th and 16th, the Summit will again be hosting a 24-hour Burn. The Burn presents a unique opportunity for us to soak in God’s presence individually while we work together to change the spiritual atmosphere of Wylie, Collin County, and all of North Texas. The Burn in February was outstanding. Let’s make this one even more successful. http://www.summitchurchwylie.org/burn.html |
What’s going on right now? Catherine Steitz
As the Easter season fast approaches, what is going on in our church body right now? Last Sunday, I saw many of our body in tears. For some, blatant sin is being revealed. I myself repented to two people last week, for my heart had grown withdrawn and distant instead of flowing in love and grace. What’s going on?
It’s the approaching Easter season. Mark 15:24 says, “And when they crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots for them to determine what every man should take”. Seldom do we ponder the fact that Jesus was laid bare while dying on the cross. But what does that mean for us today? If we’re submitted to it, this is a time of hidden things in our hearts being laid bare. Allow the Holy Spirit to reveal any hidden hurts, lies and sin that have previously been hiding deep within your heart. Yes, it is uncomfortable being exposed and vulnerable to the Holy Spirit!
Some would say, “why would I want to go through that kind of pain?” Because we’re looking forward to the resurrection part of the Easter story! Now, what would the resurrection really like for you and me personally? 2 Corinthians 2:14-15 says, “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.” Now that’s a fragrance I’d like to wear! How would you like to exude with the fragrance of His knowledge! Submit to Holy Spirit exposure and the result will be a resurrected heart and mind that will exude His fragrance!
The key is to look ahead to the promises, that you might endure the trials of today. So be encouraged. While this short season is uncomfortable and we are exposed and naked, soon we shall lay hold of and be cloaked in His glory and exuding His fragrance!
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the lies you believe and the sin not repented for. We’ll see you on Sunday and we’ll all have a good cry together and pray for one another that we might endure. |
Tour Guide or Security Guard? Lisa Tate
1 Corinthians 4:1-4 “Don't imagine us leaders to be something we aren't. We are servants of Christ, not his masters. We are guides into God's most sublime secrets, not security guards posted to protect them. The requirements for a good guide are reliability and accurate knowledge. It matters very little to me what you think of me, even less where I rank in popular opinion. I don't even rank myself. Comparisons in these matters are pointless. I'm not aware of anything that would disqualify me from being a good guide for you, but that doesn't mean much. The Master makes that judgment. “(The Message)I was reading this passage of scripture and the Lord showed me that there are 2 types of Christians described in this passage, journey guides and security guards.
What are the characteristics of a good guide? A good guide is friendly, knowledgeable, flexible, a communicator, helpful, understanding, responsible.
When I was a child my family took at trip to Mammoth Cave in Bowling Green, KY. The guided tour we went on was 8 hours long. We spent most of that time entrusting our lives to our tour guides. We were several hundred feet below ground. We had never been there before. Our guides led us along paths that were dark and, of course, unfamiliar. But they knew where we were and where we were going. They had spent years learning about the cave and leading others through the darkness. We weren’t experts by any means when we left the cave, but the wonders we witnessed were so awesome. I remember studying about caves for years after that, learning about stalactites and stalagmites, bats, and spelunking. They opened an entirely new world to me.
A few years ago, I went scuba diving in Cozumel. Now I’m not saying that without a guide I wouldn’t have been fascinated. There’s no way you can dive without seeing the awesome hand of God in the oceans. However, because we had a guide for our dives, we were able to see an octopus, a sea turtle, a coral reef that we may not have seen without someone guiding us. The guide showed me a flounder, and I promise you I would never have seen it without assistance.
Proverbs 25:2 (Amplified Bible) says “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the glory of kings is to search out a thing.” I remember how excited I was to see and know things that had never been revealed to me before. Those things wouldn’t have happened without a guide along the journey showing or explaining them to me. Have you ever been on a tour for a land development company that is trying to sell you property, a time share or a house next to a beautiful 18 hole golf course? That tour guide can make you want to buy at least 2 of everything being offered for sale. Their enthusiasm makes it so appealing that you cannot imagine your life without that item. They make you feel like you’ve known them for years, that you can trust them with your finances, your very life.
We have something to offer that’s more precious, beneficial and eternally valuable than any worldly guide. We are to be guides to lead people to Jesus. Matthew 5:16 (NKJV) says “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
We live in a world of restricted access and passwords. Most of us have come in contact with a security guard occasionally who prevents us from going where we want to go. So what is the purpose of a security guard?
Security guards prevent intrusion, restrict access. They keep out all unauthorized people and access. They protect from outside communication, keep doors locked and protect secrets.
In Matthew 5: 14-15 (NKNV) Jesus says, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.” 1Timothy 2: 4 (NKJV) says God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
So it’s time to take inventory.
Are you a security guard, hiding the truth and secret things of God, warding off all seekers of the truth, hiding your light under a bushel?
Or are you a tour guide: enthusiastic, knowledgeable, helpful, friendly, helping others to find the secret things along their path to salvation? Jesus says in Matthew 28 : 19- 20a (NKJV) “19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you”. |
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The Summit Church 207 Security Court Wylie, TX 75098 |
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Phone: 972-578-9999 |
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Got something to say? Email amy.padgett@summitchurchwylie.org to find out how to get your message out. |
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Links, Events, and Information April |