The Flip Flop

Hello, my name is Andy, and I am a sporadic blogger. The first step is just admitting it.

I haven't been very consistent in my blogging. I can give you all the reasons I've been sooooo busy that I haven't had time to write, but you already know them. I'll just say. This week I'll do better.

What I'd like to do over the next few months is simply blog about going to 2 Worship Services and 2 Sunday Schools. I've been holding lots of emotions and thoughts in over the last few months, but now that the cat is out of the bag I have some freedom to start talking about the plan.

Riverview is a great church. We are 54 years old, and have only had a few pastors. I'm probably 7 or 8 on the list. My wife and I (and the kids) love it here. When I came to Bixby we saw immediately that the church needed to move to dual services. Going to 2 worship services is no big deal, the church has been planning this for a while, but adding a Sunday School has really raised the anxiety level at RBC.

As of today (Monday, September 22, 2008) we have held 2 Town Hall Meetings in which I 'roll out the plan', and then answer questions. My gut feeling about the THM's is that they went very well. I really hope to keep people informed and encouraged about this transiton. There were several questions, and I think they helped me understand the needs at Riverview at this 10 seconds.

I know there is not much meat in this post, but it is just the beginning. If you read this please pray for me. I wan't God's will to be done. I wan't to follow God's leadership, and I wan't God to be glorified. I am the pastor of a great church, and I know God is going to use us to do indredible things for His Kingdom and His Glory.

aj

Why Do I Cry...Everytime...

Every time I watch this video I cry. Why? Maybe its the song. I love this song. Maybe its Dick Hoyt's love for his son reminds me of my love for my sons. Maybe its because I can see Rick Hoyt delighting in his father's love, and I am once again blown away by my FATHER'S love. Sometimes I think it is because I like guys who gut it out. Who sacrfice. Who lay it on the line for others.....nah...it's the love.

Part VII - 2 Chronicles 7:14

Conversations with the Father

If My People…Pray

When I travel I love calling home to talk to my children. Just hearing their voices makes my heart well up with joy. They usually tell me about their day, and what fun they had, or maybe about a new ‘owie’ they have suffered. I then hear Dustie in the background say, “Tell Him what you did.”, and a full confession ensues. I don't even mind hearing them ask, “What are you bringing me?”

However, I don’t like coming home from a long trip to be ignored because the boys are distracted by a video game, the television, or some other toy. Just for a short time I want their undivided attention. I want to know they love me, and that I am important to them. Especially more important than the plastic noise makers that do not care for them nor love them like I do. Somewhere in the back of my mind it clicks; they are captivated by the gift, and not the gift giver.

I wonder how often conversations with our heavenly father resemble the conversations between us and our children. When you talk to God is your main concern what He is going to give you? Do you only go so deep with God so as to tell Him about your most recent ‘owie? Do you ignore God while giving your attention to the trivial things of this world?

I am certain of this; our Father in heaven longs to have a meaningful relationship with His children, and a fundamental part of that is simply spending quality time talking with Him. Will you spend quality time with your Father this week?

aj

Summer Recap

Our first Summer at Riverview has been a wild one. In May our Music Minister Charles Collins retired (it was expected), and we had a great retirement reception for he and Linda in our Fellowship Hall. The best part of the evening was when close to 100 former and current Youth Choir Members came to Riverview to surprise Charles with an encore performance of three of their favorite songs.

In June Dustie and I went to Falls Creek, and my mom came and stayed with they boys for that week. Also in June Riverview called Susan Pisarra to be our new Director of Childhood Ministries, and somewhere in that mix Victor Mendoza also started as our Associate Pastor for Adult Ministries. Not to mention on the Friday of Falls Creek we made a quick trip back to Bixby for David and Ruth's wedding. David is our Interim Music Minister, who, Lord willing will lose the title interim in the next few weeks.

In July Susan started on a Sunday, and we held VBS the following week. Dustie's mom and niece were here from Alabama for 3 weeks during that time, and the week after they left we left town for a week going to Grand Lake, and Ponca City for a short getaway. And then, school started the week following our return.

As of today (August 21st, 2008) - The building project is almost completed, and it will be very helpful as we are making lots of plans for going to Multiple Sunday Schools and Worship Services in January of '09. Sadly enough though we are now praying for God to send us a great Youth Minister. Mike Keahbone has been called to a church in OKC. We will miss him greatly, but we know God has a plan for him and for RBC. No worries.

Dustie is working 3 days a week at OSU Medical Center, Nolan and Mason both ride the bus to School, and OB is going to Pre-School 2 days a week at a local church. In fact...I need to leave to take him here in a few minutes.

Thought I would simply catch you up on the Summer excitement. Hopefully I'll get back into a groove, and can do some more writing this Fall and Winter.

Keep us in your prayers. We need it.

aj

2 Chronicles 7:14 - Part VI

What…Me Wicked?

“If My people…will turn from their wicked ways…”

The trouble with wickedness is nobody likes to think…let alone admit they are wicked. Yet God says He will only hear from heaven, forgive sin, and heal the land when HIS PEOPLE turn from THEIR WICKED WAYS. What then does God consider wickedness? The following are lists from the Old and New Testaments. Notice how the wickedness described in each list wouldn’t even make the six o’ clock news today.

Old Testament

Proverbs 6:16-19
There are six things which the LORD hates, yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: 17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, 19 A false witness who utters lies, and one who spreads strife among brothers.

New Testament

2 Timothy 3:1-5

But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power…

Revival quenching wickedness is the ‘big’ sins that make the hair on the back of our necks stand up; it is the things believers do, or don’t do in disobedience to the Lord. However, God promises revival will come when God’s people turn from their sin, and renew a right relationship with Jesus Christ.

aj

2 Chronicles 7:14 - Part V

Seeking His Face

What does it mean to seek God’s face? In Strong’s Concordance the word seek is defined as searching out by any method, specifically in worship or prayer. The word face is used 2,100 times and most often obviously refers to a person’s face. However, when referring to God the word is not talking about God’s physical face, but is instead describing the presence of God. In fact, in 2 Chronicles 4:19 the showbread in the Temple is called the ‘Bread of the Presence’, and is the place where the Spirit of God dwells. It is interesting the word face in 2 Chronicles 7:14, and presence in 2 Chronicles 4:19 are the exact same word in Hebrew.

So then, if we want to see revival we do not have to seek a new program, a fancier building, or a bigger budget. We simply need to seek God’s face. How can we seek God’s presence? According to the above definition it is through humble, repentant worship and prayer. So what is the game plan?

1.) Don’t attend church next Sunday. (Huh?) Come be a worshipper of God!
2.) Prepare Saturday to worship on Sunday. (Get your clothes laid out, and go to bed early.)
3.) Tune out distractions when you get here. (Leave the cell in the car.)
4.) Treat actively participating in worship as a privilege, not a boring, mundane, chore.

John 4:24 "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

See Ya Sunday - Bro. Andy

2 Chronicles 7:14 - Part IV

Part IV – Making Prayer a Priority

“If My people…pray…”

“I would rather teach one man to pray, than to teach ten men to preach.”
C.H. Spurgeon

During Ramadan devout Muslims pray eight times a day. Orthodox Jews devote three times every day to prayer, and a committed Buddhist will spend hours in meditative prayer and chanting. Christians pray when they are ten miles out side of town and about out of gas.

Every great revival throughout history has been preceded by corporate, fervent, extraordinary prayer. Corporate prayer is people praying together. Fervent prayer is praying with a sense of urgency, and extraordinary prayer is praying at times that do not fall into your regular routine of prayer, such as praying before meals and at bedtime.

Suggestions to help you make prayer a priority in your life:

* Make time for prayer.

* Set aside specific times to give to God in prayer.
* Eliminate distractions.
* Keep a prayer journal.
* Pray through scripture.
* Pray for the right things.

It is a good thing to pray for those who are sick, and those who might have other physical needs, but it is not always the best thing. Make an effort to pray for the spiritual, not just the temporal. Pray for people to be saved, pray for the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and repentance among God's people, and pray for Christians to be bold and genuine in their walk with the Lord.

God says, “If My people…pray…” Let’s be those people.

aj