Pac-Man Softball Team won the Championship!
Pac-Man Softball Team won the Championship!
They finally did it! The
Gateway Baptist Church Pac-Man Softball Team won the Championship against Heritage Baptist Church
Pac-Man Softball Team won the Championship!
They finally did it! The
Gateway Baptist Church Pac-Man Softball Team won the Championship against Heritage Baptist Church
The Collins Life Group initiated “Always a Time to Serve” in July and August to piggy-back off of our “Time to Serve” events that we always plan in December. A few Saturdays ago, we had a 3-on-3 Black Top Basketball Tournament. God blessed this event in amazing ways. Many people from the church came out to volunteer and help. The Brighton Estates Homeowner’s Association donated two extra goals to our church because so many people form the neighborhood came out to play ball throughout the year. We had 8 or 10 teams sign up to play in the tournament. Volunteers helped with registration, setting up tents, music, cooking and serving food and it was a day of community celebration. The Montgomery Advertiser (local newspaper) was on hand and created a video (see below). It rained on Saturday so we continued the tournament on Sunday. It rained Sunday too, but about 4:00 pm the rain stopped and all of the teams came back including the old-timers (so they called themselves) who won all of their games. We set up tables and had hot dogs on the lawn Sunday and many expressed interested in growing closer in their walk with the Lord.
Read more:
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009906140304
I drove through one of Montgomery’s most impoverished sections of town this morning (Rosa Parks from Downtown to Fairview Avenue) and then I stayed on Rosa Parks all the way to the South Blvd.
Those not from Montgomery only need to know that this area of town is rough. Once beautiful homes are in disrepair. People are standing around with nothing to do and nowhere to go. I drove by a drug deal, I think. (Parked car, money exchanged, you tell me). There are several housing projects in this stretch.
The whole time I felt like God was moving me to make this drive. I did not have to go down Rosa Parks as it was not even the fastest route to my job from where I had a meeting downtown. The whole time I was moved to compassion for a destitute area with very little hope.
Except…
The Gospel of Jesus Christ has hope for these people and for this community. Ultimately, people are selfish and even the best among us will revert to selfishness but for the work of Jesus Christ in the hearts of people.
The Bible says:
For the needy shall not always be forgotten, and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever. – Psalm 9:18.
Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor. – Proverbs 14:21.
Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him. - Proverbs 14:31.
These samples are just part of an overall picture in Scripture of a God who loves the poor and calls us to love them as well. Yet we who are privileged have a tendency to sit in our ivory towers and look down on the world. We say that they have done this to themselves.
We are probably right in some cases, but God has not called us to pass judgment on the poor. He has called us to help the poor and to love them as he loves them. He has called us to take his truth that changes the soul to these people.
The sins of pride and selfishness affect the wealthy as much as the poor. The Gospel changes our hearts and moves us to seek a higher goal, Jesus. He is the solution for poverty. We can trust government programs that may fill the belly temporarily, but true and lasting change only comes from Jesus.
Do we have a heart for this city, for Montgomery, Alabama? Do we understand what it means to love our neighbors?
I do not, but I pray that God will continue to turn my heart toward the poor.
Thanks,
Jeff Moody
Jesus has an interesting episode with the Pharisees in Matthew 12:9-14. The issue is whether or not it is lawful for Jesus to heal on the Sabbath. The Pharisees interpreted Sabbath law to the point that it was unlawful to do ANY work on the Sabbath.
Matthew 12:7
Jesus constantly makes those who hear his voice look at their hearts. When his disciples grabbed heads of grain on the Sabbath, the Pharisees (already challenged by Jesus' words and looking to trap him) thought they had something against Jesus.
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. -- Matthew 11:28-30.
I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have
hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little
children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been
handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and
no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to
reveal him.
How do you approach God?
Do you come to him with an attitude of pride? Do you bring your understanding
of the world and your gifts before God and think of how much you can be used
for the kingdom?
This is not the attitude we should have before God. Our mindset must be one of humility. This passage shows us two things about the truth of Christ:
1. It cannot be gained by earthly wisdom and
understanding.
2. It cannot be discovered without the work of God in someone's heart.
You tell me, which of these two things are we capable of performing by ourselves? Neither. Then what reason do we have to approach God as though he needed us?
Our attitude before Christ must be one of complete humility. We bring nothing to the table. This truth is hard for us to grasp because our society is built on the concept of self-accomplishment. But we have to say to Jesus, "I have nothing. You have everything. I need all of you."
This is the true
Christian attitude.
Peace,
Jeff Moody
jeffmoody82@gmail.com
What do you do with Jesus?
Matthew 11:18-19
Hello Everyone,
Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and the one who receives a righteous person will receive a righteous person's reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a dsiciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward. - Matthew 10:40-42.
Do not think I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. -- Matthew 10:29-30.
Jesus suffered at the hands of men. So will his followers. He tells his disciples as much in Matthew 10:16-25.
We have a few prevailing thoughts in our society. Jesus was a good teacher and a good example and should be followed. Or, Jesus exists to make you happy and everything he does is to bring you blessings and you will not be fulfilled if you do not take his gifts.
Have you ever considered the 12 apostles? They were used by God to create his church after the ascencion, so needless to say they would need to be perfect examples of life and godliness, right?
Hello Everyone,
Immediately after we see the Jesus' compassion on the crowds, he turns to the disciples and says: "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."
Do we, as believers in Christ, have the same heart for people that he did? I think we would answer honestly, no. But as we grow closer to Jesus Christ, he gives us his heart for the nations. This compassion for the world does not come from within us but from the work of God in us. We begin to pray earnestly for these people and for God to move in their hearts as we see their need for God and feel the compassion of Jesus for them.
That said, do you have compassion on the lost? Do you see a world harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shephard, and desire better for them? Are you praying to God, earnestly, to send people into these places to bring the good news of Christ?
The Holy Spirit gives us compassion and leads us to pray for these people. If you do not have this compassion or do not pray for these people, ask God for his heart for the nations. We are so callused to things going on away from our lives that we miss the incredible work God is doing all over the world.
God has not called everyone to a foreign mission, but he has called everyone to compassion and prayer.
Peace,
Jeff Moody
As Matthew 9 draws to a close, Jesus has spent a considerable amount of time healing. Yet, at the end of the miracle of casting out a demon, the Pharisees say: "He casts out demons by the prince of demons." This Jesus has done nothing wrong and has shown tremendous power and grace and he meets opposition. Verses 35-36 tell us something about the character of Christ:
And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harrassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
We already see a verse earlier in the text that Jesus meets opposition, yet what is his heart for the people? Compassion. Every single person who Jesus encounters in the gospel has at some point disobeyed God's law and deserves judgment. Yet, Jesus shows compassion. The one person who has the right to not show compassion because he has never sinned shows compassion.
Let's not miss the heart of God for people who are suffering both under spiritual and physical oppression. Jesus comes proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, providing everlasting life and he heals every disease and infirmity brought before him. The only people Jesus says no to are those who have no real need of him. They either feel they are righteous already (the Pharisees) or they are unwilling to give up everything to follow Christ (the rich young ruler).
Those who bring to Jesus a broken and contrite spirit and a broken body, God does not turn away. He has limitless compassion on those who come to him now as much as he did when he walked the earth. What are you bringing to God? Are you still clinging to whatever sliver of righteousness you have, hoping that it is enough to earn God's favor? Stop! God wants you, not your filthy righteousness. Come and receive compassion. Are you still clinging to whatever is keeping you from coming to God wholeheartedly? Stop! Come to Jesus with nothing and receive everything that will not perish. Remember the compassion of Christ for you and for me and come to him.
Peace,
Jeff Moody