Who Invented Forgiveness Anyway?

As a follower of Christ, forgiveness is at the very foundation of my faith.  Is the same true for you? Do we understand the full context of forgiveness and how it impacts our ability to have a relationship with Jesus Christ?  How about the way forgiveness impacts our eternity?  We have spent the last four weeks hearing from Pastor Charles about forgiveness and what the bible has to say regarding this topic.  Were you impacted by this series?  It has served as a great reminder to me, a reminder that I need to forgive.  I need to forgive each and every day and sometimes I need to forgive every five minutes. 

When I consider all I have done in my life that requires forgiveness I cannot imagine a life in eternity separated from Christ, the Forgiver!  See, I have spent the last three weeks trying to change my perspective about the sin in my life and how it impacts me.  I want to be more concerned about how my sin impacts Jesus!  I want to understand that when I have sin in my life that others are affected and that is not a good thing.  But more importantly, when I sin I break the very heart of God.  I want to be able to experience that same brokenness.  I do not want to throw around the word forgiveness like I throw around the word hello!  Forgiveness always comes at a cost, and for those of us that know Jesus as our personal savior that cost was death!  Death on a cross that was brutal and awful and painful and humiliating.  And He did it because He loved you and me and because He wanted us to be together with Him forever and ever.  We must understand the cost of forgiveness, and we must understand the importance of forgiveness.  We must understand the freedom that comes from forgiveness.  We must follow the example that was set for us by our savior.  Be reminded of what we read in the book of Colossians in Chapter 3:13
“bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive”  There is a Godly example of forgiveness that is not open to interpretation and alteration.  Jesus forgives us and if He lives in us, we must overcome unforgiveness if we expect to experience all He has for us.  Sometimes it is not easy to forgive, remember, it was not easy to hang on a cross.  On a final note, please keep in mind, forgiveness is for the benefit and well being of the forgiver not the forgiven.  You are not having any impact on those that hurt you by harboring unforgiveness.  But, where do I start?  On your knees!  Ask the inventor of Forgiveness to help you get started.  Maybe you need to forgive yourself before you can extend forgiveness to others. I would love to pray with you and for you. 

Waiting on Him,

ML

Its Hard to Come Home...

Well,
It is so hard to imagine that a week ago we were on buses beaded to FL for SummerCamp. What an awesome week we had! It happens every year... months and months of planning, praying, rethinking, replanning, more praying, summer camp lands upon me like a ton of bricks. As usual, God works out the details that I try to struggle with. As usual, our students come through with signed release forms and balances due. As usual, an incredible team of adult leaders raise their hands and say "here I am, send me". Then they take time off of work or time away from family and they come serve in ministry. As usual, my wife stands by my side and fills the gaps and helps with my shortcomings. As usual our church family prays fervently and gives generously so nobody has to stay home. And... as usual, God was waiting on us when we got there. He had prepared the hearts of our hosts and the worship team and our speaker. He prepared the weather and the local people we would encounter.

And as usual, the lives of our students were changed. At least 4 of them were changed for eternity and several others commited to regain what they had allowed to fade. As usual, God was smiling at the work He did through the obedience of His people. As usual I am humbled by having the blessing of youth ministry as my life's work.

Waiting on Him,
ML

Michael P. Lane
Student Minister Grace Comm. Church
912.661.0548

Hang on For Life

Can you believe that we are in Day 3 of camp?  Why is it that 1 week of schools seems to drag on for 3 ½ months and 1 week of camp goes by in less than 15 minutes?  I am not ready for it to be over.  I am not ready for us to go back home and get back into our same old routines.  I am not ready to stop living life by the lake with the boats, tubes, skis and kayaks.  I am certainly not ready to leave the relationships that I have been allowed to build here, or the worship and teaching we have experienced. But, we have responsibilities and lives back in Rincon so tomorrow we will have our final session and head home.  So…, what are you going to do differently when you get back home?  Will you continue the sale old ways, doing the same old things, thinking the same old thoughts and living the same old life?  Or, will you take to heart what you have heard this week?  Will you remember those passages from Galatians, John, Matthew, Acts and others?  Will you apply these principles in your life?

As I was driving the boat yesterday and pulling the kids around on tubes, floats and hot dogs I began to think about how similar our walk with Christ is to being behind the boat.  See, there are a number of factors that determine how long the ride will last.  There is the condition of the water, the speed of the boat, the skills of the driver (Mine were great), other riders.  In life, we are faced with rough waters making a relationship with Christ difficult.  Jesus is driving the boat and He has all the needed skills.  Others in life can either encourage and build up or they can move around and make the tube get flipped over.   See, you need to keep your eyes firmly fixed on the driver and regardless of what circumstances are, HANG ON FOR LIFE!  Just know, when you get flung off and shot across the water, Jesus will circle around and pick you up.

mr mike  

FLAT TIRE-INFLATED GRACE

Well, day 1 of camp is officially behind us.  Where to begin?  What an amazing day we had yesterday here in Lake Placid FL.  This is a beautiful place on Earth that God has created and we are thankful that we get t spend a few days enjoying it. 

So yesterday our plan was to spend the morning doing some community outreach here in LP.  A local pastor here had arranged some projects for us to work on before the group from the other church arrived.  So as we get ready to leave one of my adult leaders, notices that one of the rear tires on the bus he is driving is dry rotted and has lost all of its air.  Now, it has dual wheels and the inner tire is fine.  We determine that is it safe to drive the 1.5 miles to the meeting place and then we will get it taken care of.  So as we are forced to change plans due to transportation issues we end up setting up a car wash at the local church.  This is a free car wash where no donations are accepted.  We talk about how hard it will be for some folks to accept a free gift.  We discuss how sometimes the person giving is the one being blessed.  I emphasized how important it was for people to understand that the Jesus in us compelled us to serve them in this way.

So, we are referred to a local tire shop by the pastor and when we arrive he had already called so we were expected.  The owner greeted us outside, knew the exact tire we needed. (It takes 4 days to order and receive this type of tire)  He happened to have a used tire in exactly the size we needed.  At this point he asked his employee to stop what he was working on and take care of the bus tire.  So in 20 minutes or so we were ready to go.  When I asked the total he shook my hand and said to have a great week!  I began to argue and insist that he allow me to pay him and his words stopped me in my tracks as he squeezed my hand a little harder he said, “Be blessed”.  Wow, who am I to argue with the guy trying to be an extension of God’s grace.  You know, some people have a really hard time accepting a free gift. 

Waiting on Him,

ML

Howdy Stranger!

Well, I am sorry that it has been so long.  I have truly missed sharing what God has been doing.  It has been a craze 6 weeks and I will not make any other excuses.  What I will do is tell you that GCC Student ministry has arrived in Lake Placid FL for our summer camp.  If you have not been to this facility, you should check it out.  It is beautiful

We have along with us 34 students and 9 adult leaders.  What a blessing to see so many willing servants and so many students that desire a closer with with HIM.  We will be joined later today by some students from First Baptist Church of Rincon and will spend the next 4 days with them.  Our theme this week is "Turning the World Upside Down for Christ" based on Acts 17:6.  In addition to worship, teaching, fellowship and studying God's word, we will be boating, skiing, tubing, kayaking, canoeing, swimming and just having more stinkin' fun than the law should allow!

So, if you have a few minutes each day this week, will you please pray for our adult leaders and our kids.  Pray that God would reveal himself to us in a mighty way.  Please check back soon for more updates.  I promise to not stay away so long!

Waiting on Him,

ML

Wet Paint

I have about a dozen of my students here to paint the exterior of our 2 youth buildings.  You know what excites me about this?  They are not here because they love to paint.  They are not here because they love working in 89 degrees with 150,000% humidity.  They are here for a couple very important reasons. 
1. They love Jesus and hence they are willing to serve in the kingdom even if it means painting in the heat.
          Ephesians 6:7 tells us to, "Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people"

2. They love being together.  They truly cherish their brothers and sisters in Christ and enjoy the                     fellowship.     
             1 John 1:7 " But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin."

3. They want to be good stewards with the resources God has given us.                                                              
          1 Peter 4:10 (B)¹⁰ "as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms"

On top of this, the youth rooms are going to look awesome and allow us to show our kids that we value them enough to make sure they have a suitable place to assemble.  I love Grace Community Church!

What a privilege to see the hand of God forming and fashioning our next generation into Men and Women of God. 
God thank you for allowing us to see you at work in the lives of young people.  Help us not to be a stumbling block to them but rather empower and equip us to pour into them and to be a Godly example for them.  Selfishly, I thank you for allowing me to be in ministry and have a front row seat.  I am living a dream!  Amen.
Waiting on Him,
ML

OH GOODY- More trials!!

James 1 verse 2 tells us to "consider it great joy whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance"  Ok, so it's not enough to consider it joy, we have to consider it GREAT joy?  Really?!!  Well, I seem to struggle with this.  Anyone else?  Who like to have trials?  I much prefer smooth sailing.  I want everything to go my way the first time.  I want traffic to cooperate, the check-out line at Wal-Mart to move faster, peace and harmony in my home, enough money to pay bills and still have fun on the weekends.  You know, just the basics.  Is that too much to ask?  Seems like there might be a little bit too much, I, ME, MINE in this list of wants.

As I read through James 1 this morning I am again reminded that it is NOT about ME! (or you, I hate to be alone!)  We sure want it to be about us don't we?  I felt relieved when I continued on past the great joy part and got to the part about the long term benefits of trials.  See, in verse 1 it did not say "IF" you have various trials but rather "WHENEVER" you have various trials.  The implication here is that trials WILL indeed come. 

We have to decide whether we will allow those trials to mold and shape us into the men and women God desires for us to be or will we allow them to derail us and cause us to be seperated from our Lord and Savior?  James 1 goes on to give some wise counsel about dealing with these trials and promises wisdom if we will only ask and then beleive in faith.  Are you ready to face the next challenge?  Are you ready to grow through it?  Are you ready to be joyful in the midst of it? 

God, thank you for your word.  Thank you that you make provision for us and that you help us to grow closer to you during difficult times when surrender ourselves to you.  Help us to count it joy when you refine our faith with trials and help us to ask in faith for your wisdom.  Make us a bright light in a dark world.  Amen.

Waiting on Him,

ML