Dave White

In our history, and in the history of any great event, the patriots and founders often spoke of the “Cause” to remind each other of what they were fighting for.  In our American situation, the Cause was seeking liberty from tyranny.  So, what is our Cause, as followers of Jesus?

For the Christian, our Cause is the Gospel.  (“Gospel” is a tricked-out word that means “good news” [but not just any good news, the Good News].)  The Gospel is incredibly simple and, at the same time, immeasurably deep.  The Gospel motivates us and makes our work more effective by the power of its message.

God Almighty is holy, eternal, sovereign, and good.  Out of His magnificent character and power, He created us to glorify and delight in Him.  But we have all rebelled against His good orders to honor and enjoy Him.  We have all sinned.  There are deadly consequences of sin: temporal pain and eternal judgment.  But Jesus, the Anointed Savior, came to us, in fullness of deity.  He bought us reconciliation to the Father through His sinless life, substitutionary sacrifice, and victorious resurrection and ascension!  If we will repent and believe in God’s work through Jesus, we can be liberated from the slavery of sin.  Through the active work of the Holy Spirit, we get to live an abundant life now and an eternal life to come!

That is the Gospel!  That is the Good News!  That is our Cause and Constitution.  We rejoice in the grace of God, poured out on us by Jesus’ work and washing us clean by the regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit!  Volumes have been written and will be written flowing from the joy of this Good News.  I hope that you are able to join with the throngs of worshipers rejoicing in what God has done!

Steve Timmons

This week, I’m sharing a devo from my buddy, Steve Timmons.  Enjoy!  -Dave

“Do you think you’re good enough to go to Heaven?”

This is a question people hear a lot when being witnessed to. However can it be possible to focus too much on where we’re going and not on who we’re going to see?

The Bible is all about being close and intimate with God. He is holy and sovereign and good. He is also relational, as it is even shown in the three separate persons whom He is composed of. They are all individuals, but all work and commune harmoniously together.

God desires a relationship with us. And it is not because God needs a relationship with us. He doesn’t need us at all, and really wouldn’t want us after we have sinned and screwed up so many times against Him. However for some strange reason, God chose to desire us. That is one of the reasons why He sent His Son to die for us.

Nahum 1:2 says, “The LORD is a jealous and avenging God.” This does not mean that God is an obsessive, abusive control freak. What this verse is saying is that God is jealous for our affection and will do absolutely anything to obtain it. This is almost like a man seeking the affection for another woman as his bride. He will do absolutely anything he can to win her affection: buy her dinner, get her flowers, buy a $3,000 engagement ring, etc. The same goes with God. His jealousy also went as far as sending His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to provide that way for us to freely seek Him. Jesus Christ died a brutal death and bore the wrath of God. He took that vengeance that God should rightly have against us. He took it and through Him we are set free from our sins.

Remember, there is more to Christ’s selfless sacrifice than just our sins being wiped away. We are now free to seek God no matter where we are. We could be in a church service lifting our hands, or we could be at home eating breakfast in a bathrobe with morning breath and bed-head hair. God meets us where we are. He hangs out with us; He encourages us; and He just plain shows affection to us, not because we deserve it, but because we don’t! Our God is good!

Have you ever felt the warm embrace of God? There was one time a few weeks ago when I woke up in the middle of the night feeling really distressed. I was worried about a lot of issues concerning money and what was going to happen to me in the next few months. I broke down confessing my sin to God in tears. I felt so insufficient because I knew this anxiety was wrong, but I couldn’t let it go. As I was weeping, I felt God’s warm embrace and His peace all around me. I felt warmth like no blanket or heating system has ever given me before. All my muscles relaxed and I felt peace. This was God’s peace. I believe He was holding me close and comforting me with His love.

So will Heaven be nice? Absolutely. But Heaven won’t be nice because of tricked out streets of gold, seeing old friends long gone and not having to deal with the burdens of this sinful world. Heaven will be nice because of Jesus Christ! I’ll be able to see Him face to face! I’ll be able to walk with Him, talk with Him, ask Him questions, and did I mention WORSHIP HIM?! I’ll be seeing that beautiful throne like what John describes in Revelation as Jesus sits upon it. Not only that but I can freely approach that throne without fear of rejection or punishment because Jesus Christ has washed me clean of my filthy sin.

Heaven is not just about comfort. It is about Jesus Christ. If you think Jesus Christ is not in Heaven, then you are not thinking about Heaven.

“Whom have I in Heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My heart and my flesh may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
-Psalm 73:25-26

We need volunteers! Would you like to help during our schools week or be a part of our main event? Here are some of the areas that you can serve:

• Stage Crew – Work as a stage hand and help the main event to flow smoothly.
• Set up/Break down – Help us get the main event venue set up before the concert or help us pack up at the end.
• Security – Help us usher people in to the auditorium safely and keep people in designated areas.
• Ticketing/Will call – Help us get people through the door as quickly as possible.
• Media – Help us make the show more exciting by working with our media crew.
• Merchandising – Help us run all the tables associated with the bands/ministries to sell their products.
• Hospitality – Help us feed the bands, provide host homes, or keep the Green Room supplied with refreshments during the event.
• Childcare – Provide a gift to other adults with children who want to serve at our event by looking after their little ones during the concert.
• Prayer – Be part of a special team committed to praying throughout the event for the main event attendees.
• Counseling – Volunteer to minister to decision makers during the call to action.

Fill out the form below to get involved:

Collect pledges to support your Overtime 2010 event. Together, we can rock the region for Christ!

When: Saturday, March 27th from 3-5 pm
Where: Holiday Bowl – Groton, CT Minimum Pledge to attend/bowl: $11 (to cover the cost of the day)
Who can participate: Teens (young adults and parents are welcome to collect sponsors and join us as well!!)

3 Great Reasons  to “Soul Bowl“:

1. COOL Prizes! Download the prize sheet showing all the stuff you get just by bowling!  Bring in the most money and you could win a Wii Gaming Console!!
2. We can get the ball rolling for Overtime 2010 months in advance, both financially and spiritually!
3. Soul Bowl is a great opportunity to empower our teens, young adults and parents to “own” Overtime with us, contributing directly to the quality of the event and the impact it will have on their family and friends!

To register, fill out the form below and download the following forms: (the forms will be available by Feb. 8th)

• Instructions & Prize Sheet
• Pledge Form

Happy Bowling!

Day two of the NGA re:FUEL Summit got started 9:30 Thursday morning. After a light breakfast Jeff Pieper got started with a brief overview of the Next Generation Alliance. He shared some of the resources and networking opportunities available such as Livin It Action Sports Ministries and how the NGA is using media and creative arts as evangelistic tools.

Next came worship artist and Jerimae Yoder who opened with simultaneous prayer and guitar loops ala Phil Keaggy. Jerimae was a one man band armed only with a Seagull acoustic electric guitar and various effects boxes that he creatively utilized with amazing results.He adeptly lead us in many fresh modern worship standards. Leading out from worship, we had an extended time of prayer lifting one another’s needs up before the Lord.

After this we heard some closing remarks and encouragement from Dr. Tim Robnett. Speaking to the young Evangelists and Ministers attending. He admonished us to not allow distractions to sidetrack.”Be yourself. Be who God made you to be… Cultivate real relationships in the digital age… Use technology as a tool, but don’t forget quality ‘face time’ with one another… Our mission is to open the eyes of blind, to turn from darkness to light, from Satan to God… It’s a Spiritual battle. Like Marines, we need to mobilize the troops.”

He advised us from the book of Luke. In the account of Mary & Martha, Jesus said, “Only one thing is needful, Mary has chosen which is better and it will not be taken from her.” We need to sit at Jesus’ feet and we also need community. To hear His voice and the counsel of others. He also quoted King David from the Psalms, “One thing I ask the Lord – this is what I seek, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.”

Dr. Tim stressed the importance of allowing the Holy Spirit to guide like GPS, to listen to His voice, to recalibrate or turn back if neccessary, allowing Him to provide clear vision. He spoke of leadership as often like herding cats, a difficult task at best. Encouraging us to, “focus and stay focused. Clarify your calling. Sharpen the saw. Spend time equipping yourself first. Then, you can share vision and lead, guide and direct others.”

Finally, he warned, “Fatigue makes cowards of us all. Weakness, weariness and depression can defeat us. Take time out. Make time to rest. Take longer periods of rest. For one day each week, let God save the world. Make plans to play.”

Those were just some highlights from Dr. Tim’s talk with us, as he had many words of wisdom from our Father’s heart. It’s now apparent to me why he is affectionately called “coach.” I found that Dr. Tim’s talk was the most impactful part of the summit. Second to that is all the networking that takes place. There were many intentional extended breaks that allowed us to connect with one another. I really enjoyed catching up with old friends like Don Doré from Rock the Sound. The entire summit was a huge success. The summit concluded with this same philosophy with some more great food and fellowship.

The first day of the Summit was intense. We went from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. NGA members from around the country gathered at our home church – Calvary Chapel of Southeastern Connecticut. Those represented traveled from across our state and other parts of the country including California, Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Indiana. We had some great worship from Justin Kendrick’s team, Out of Hiding and some great talks from Dr. Tim Robnett, Jeff Pieper, Chris White and even our own, Joe Paskewich (Pastor of Calvary Chapel and Chairman of our Board of Directors).

I think the most exciting thing about our time with NGA is not just the great talks and worship, but the relationships that form at these functions. These relationships are formed through extended intentional breaks as well as conversation over great food. The Palau team has done a great job mentoring and encouraging those who express the call of evangelism and it’s exciting that they are willing to invest in the next generation to further the work.

We saw old friends as well as new ones. Representing hip-hop evangelism was Scott Free and Mike Foster. We had some pro-bmx guys here too (Mike Mancuso and Schwinny). Jerimae Yoder also joined us to lead worship on day 2. It was great seeing a few of our regional guys there too like Paul Fuller, our network Coordinator and Don Doré from Rock the Sound. Thank you NGA for putting Connecticut on the map!

Jeff Pieper is the Director of Strategic Relationships for Luis Palau’s Next Generation Alliance (of which, f2fmi is a proud member). Jeff’s role is to promote collaboration, team work and to build the network of ministries that work together.

A wise teacher said, “…it is really awesome when God’s people hang together in unity (my interpretation of Psalm 133.1). How excellent is it when we all serve together in order to accomplish something that is way bigger than anyone could do alone. “There is more that unites us than divides us.” One of my professors said that in a class about church leadership. It really stuck with me.

When I joined the Next Generation Alliance staff of the Luis Palau team, this became even more evident when collaborative missions and conferences were being conducted. At the core, the alliance ministries of the Palau organization exists to identify, affirm and equip those who believe that they are to declare the amazing transformational power of God and invite others to experience a relationship with Jesus Christ.

I was in Petionville, Haiti in December of 2009 for a collaborative mission between over a dozen separate organizations who chose to come together. The local association of churches represented a diverse denominational cohort and hundreds of local pastors and church members collaborating. The week of ministry that included conferences, humanitarian work, radio and television programs, music and proclamation reached all over the city of Petionville awe well as the national capital of Port Au Prince. Something like this can only happen when people come together and work in unity. Together, we can go so much further and accomplish so much more than we ever could alone.

It takes all types of ministries to be able to connect with the diverseness of people in this world. To suggest one method or approach would be to suggest that the entire world speaks a common language with a common understanding of all of life. Sometimes we get skeptical about working with others and can yield to what a majority of times is fear. At times we may imagine that if we collaborate with others, we’ll lose our place or our “voice” in the midst of others. Unity doesn’t mean we all have to look the same, talk the same or eat the same pizza. Can you imagine only one type of pizza? No way! Ministry, for that matter the Christian life as well, does not have to be that way either. God says it’s rad when we all hang together in unity. He gives us props when we dismiss the things that most people use to separate and divide.

That’s why collaborating with others is such a great thing. We realize that there is so much more uniting us than dividing us. People all over the world are similar in so many ways even though we all have our own unique attributes about us. Having experiences with other people who are passionate about declaring the goodness of Christ is a blessing. Traveling together, supporting one another while each other are speaking and teaching is empowering. Sharing meals or some cookies and milk is something anyone in the world – and right here at home – would totally dig. I mean, come on, who doesn’t like cookies? Cookies can unite the world under a peaceful banner of love! (Okay, I digress.)

Whether in Kigali, Rwanda, my home of Portland, Oregon or around the world, collaborating with others has been an amazing experience for me. So many people from all walks of life all over the world coming together to serve. Everyone with different background and life experience; people from various economic situations, and so many different cultural and ethnic environments have been represented. Everyone unified to serve something bigger than their own self! All God’s created people can come together in unity and harmony to share the hope and restoration that God provides. At the end of all the collaborative mission trips, it was clear that living out the love of Jesus Christ through word and actions is the most important thing we can do for the world. And anyone can do that… anywhere in the world! Everyone has the power to do the work of an evangelist in the manner God has called you.

Together we can go farther than we could alone. It’s ok to hang alone and chill, turning inward for reflection and solace. When it comes to connecting with a city, a region or a nation, we all have to put down the nonsense that divides and as the Beatles sang, “come together.”

Dave White

Hey,  guys!  I sat at my desk for some time trying to come up with what I would share with you all this week.  After a while of staring at a blank screen, I decided to give it a break and come back to it later.  Shortly thereafter, I was encouraged by an email sent out by my friend Mike Masterson, who is serving as the president of 180 Christian Fellowship at Eastern Connecticut State University, my alma mater.  It seems that God doesn’t want me to share with you this week, but to let Mike encourage at least one of you readers.  So, with that, I’ll shut up.  The following is part of the email I received from Mike:

Hey all!

So this week the rain was crazy wasn’t it?? I did not mind the rain all that much until Thursday night, when we were driving to UConn. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed going to UConn, spending the time with all of you and Craig Smith who did an awesome job that night. The rain though, oh man, driving in that was not fun. It was dark; I could not see the yellow lines and the lights on the van didn’t show too much in front of me.

Even though those lights in front of me didn’t show much, it gave me comfort having them and they helped me get to my final destination. This reminded me a lot of our faith and relationship with God.

Psalm 27:1 says “The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my light; Of whom shall I be afraid?”

The verse tells us that the Lord is our light; if we follow Him we will have nothing to be afraid of.  On Thursday night, He was literally a light for me to get back to Eastern safe and sound.  There are many times in our life that we don’t have that literal light showing us the path to our home. We do have one constant light (the Lord) in our life that will always show us the path, giving us the strength and courage to go forth in any trial we come across.

If any of you all have a devotional you would like to share with me (Dave), I’d love to hear it.  Feel free to email me at prayer@f2fmi.org.   God bless you all!  I’m praying for you.  Pray for me, too.

Only 18 days left to register for Soul Bowl. Collect pledges to support your Overtime 2010!

Soul Bowl happens on Saturday, March 27 from 3 – 5 p.m. at Holiday Bowl in Groton, CT.

Think about the impact that Overtime 2009 had on your life and the lives of your friends – that’s worth telling some people about and asking for their support.

The SE CT Youth Leaders Network and f2fmi need your help to make this year the biggest and best Overtime ever!!!

Bowling, music, pizza and prizes, including a chance to win a Wii gaming system!

Sound good to you???  Then go for it right now – Register HERE!

SEE YOU THERE!!

Dave White

And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is,’Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ – Mark 12:28-30

As I compose this week’s little devo, I am ill.  I bring this up because this particular illness is affecting my ability to think, breathe, and balance.  I am not my usual witty, oxygenated, and well-balanced self.  My heart, soul, mind, and strength are not as hearty, soulful, cognisent, and strong as they usually are.  What’s cool about God is that He’s ok with that.  Our God meets us where we are and ushers us into His Presence because of the work He has done through the cross – not by our work or morality, but by His grace.  Love God with all that you have.  Our God does not demand any more than we are able to give.  Jesus takes care of the rest.

No matter what your emotional condition, God will take you as you are.  Even if we are angry at the Sovereign God, He will take us as we are.  From the depths of despair, He will welcome us into His hope and love.

No matter what your spiritual condition, God will take you as you are.  Whether someone has served the Lord for decades or been in rebellion against Him, God calls all people to turn to Him.  To be welcomed by God, one does not need to have a perfectly clean moral record.  I’ll add here that my illness has weakened my ability to fight temptations today and that the Lord knows my weaknesses and that His grace covers it.  (The Holy Spirit’s strength is not weakened, and His power is made perfect in our weaknesses.)

No matter what your mental condition, God will take you as you are.  It does not matter whether you have an IQ of 0 or 160, God will take you as you are.  God welcomes forgetful people and those with photographic memories.  God grace covers people with autism, schizophrenia, ADD, OCD, PTSD, and every other acronym.

No matter how much strength you have in body or will, God will take you as you are.  One does not need to be able to climb a mountain, swim a river, run a mile, or hog-tie a bull in a rodeo.  You don’t need to be in perfect health or a certain height or a particular build in order for God to pour out His abundant grace on your insufficient strength.

These truths apply to both those who have and those who have not accepted Christ as their personal Savior.  For those who have accepted Christ, we walk with Him knowing that He will continue to meet us where we are. As we walk with Him, we do become more like Him in heart, soul, mind, and strength; and we should strive for holiness; but we also have full confidence that He accepts us in our current state because of Jesus’ finished work of redemption on the cross.

For those who have not accepted Jesus Christ as Lord (Boss of your life) and Savior (Rescuer of your soul), God invites you to give Him your all, your everything.  Your sin weighs you down and separates you so much from a good and holy God, that you can never reach Him by your own efforts.  Even more than that, the only right response of the perfectly good God against your sin and rebellion is justice.  But God, who is so generous with His mercy, has actually taken upon Himself the penalty of our sin so that, through Jesus, our relationship to our loving Creator can be restored.  A restored friendship with God is the best thing that can happen to anybody!  God invites you to that.  Accept God’s gift of rescuing and restoring through Jesus Christ, and love God with everything you have!