Why God?

We live in a world where answers to our questions are always on hand. But when it comes to God, there is so much we just don't have the answers to. Many times God will call us to do something without any real explanation.  Have you ever found yourself asking, "But why God?” It’s actually a good question. Why should we obey God when we have no clue what he's doing or how things will turn out? 

I am reminded of a story from 2 Kings 5 about a man named Naaman. I won’t tell the whole story so I encourage you to go read it. Namman had leprosy and Elisha, a Prophet of God, told him that to get rid of his leprosy, he needed to dip in the Jordan River seven times. But Namman didn’t want to do it. He thought it was silly and didn’t make sense. He expected to have to do so much more to cure himself of this awful disease. But eventually his servants were able to convince him to do what the prophet had told him to do. And after dipping into the river seven times the scripture says he came up the seventh time and his skin had become as healthy as the skin of a child, but more than that, his heart changed as well. That day in the river God revealed himself to Naaman and from that day foreword he served God with all his heart. 

Naaman almost missed having his whole life transformed because what God had told him to do didn’t make sense and didn’t fit his plan and expectation of how God was going to heal him. I believe that so often we completely miss out on what God is wanting to do in our lives because we don’t have the answer to our “Why God?” questions or because it doesn’t go according to our plans. The truth is the only way we are going to truly experience God for who He is, is to obey Him even when there is no explanation.  Is there something today (big or small) that God is leading and prompting you to do but you have yet to act because it just doesn’t make sense? What is God telling you to do that you have yet to do? The reason we obey God is not because of the answer or outcome, but because He is God. And until that is your reason for obedience then you’re never going to truly experience Him for who He is.  Would you be willing to obey when the only answer you’re given is “Because I am God”?

-Brad Snipes

Middle School Pastor

God's Joy

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.” – John 15:11

God’s joy.

Think about it.

What can extinguish it? What can douse it?  Traffic jams or bad moods or long lines or disappointments?

No.

God’s joy is limitless and not dependent on circumstances. His joy springs from His eternal and unconditional goodness, righteousness and love.

And when we abide in that love, His joy is inside us, filling and satisfying our souls.

Abide in Him and obey His commands today, and find a steady fountain of peace that the ups and downs of our day-to-day routines cannot steal.

Have a blessed day! Don’t forget about MidWeek tonight as we continue our Secret Church series on “Marriage, Family, Sex, and the Gospel.” We’ll see you at 6:30 PM following the 5:30 PM MidWeek meal! 

West Africa Trip to "Guinea-Bissau"

“Sing to the Lord, bless his Name; proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day. Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples” Psalm 96:2-3

Why do we ‘do” missions? Why should we go around the corner and around the world to tell people about Jesus? Well because He is worthy of all the earth knowing and worshiping Him! We sing His praises and bless His name most days (at least every Sunday) because we believe this, but according to this Psalm shouldn’t we also proclaim the good news of His salvation each and every day? And not only here but shouldn’t we go out among the nations and tell them how great God is and share with everyone (no matter where they live or how expensive it is to get there) what wonderful things God has done for all of us? The Bible makes it clear that this is the type of worship God desires from us and is only right when we stop and think about how much He has done for us in Christ. That is why we go to places like Guinea-Bissau. Its not because we like to travel or enjoy the adventure, but we go because we have experienced God’s love and are compelled to “Go and Tell” everyone how they can experience it too.  So Monday April 23 a team of five, two from Brevard Community Church and three of our Gambian partners, plan to travel into Guinea-Bissau to proclaim the Gospel to the Manjak people of Guinea-Bissau. BCC is helping sponsor the translation of Scripture into the Manjak language. The Manlak are an  Unreached People and as far as we know, no one  is engaging the Manjak of Guinea-Bissau with the Gospel. That is why we must go to them. We want them to come to know the love of God which can only be  found in a relationship with Jesus Christ. Then they too can go singing and blessing His name as they proclaim what he has done for them among the rest of the nations and on and on until people from every tribe and tongue are praising Him out of thankfulness for His Son.  He is worthy of that isn’t He? Please use the prayer guide below and keep this team covered in prayer during their trip. Pray especially for their safety as Guinea-Bissau is experiencing civil unrest and could be in the first stages of a civil war.

Prayer Guide: 

1. Pray for Alan Perry, Charlie Shook, Louie Mendy, and Martin Barnaba by name asking that they would be ready as pure, humble, courageous vessels for the Spirit to work through and that they will be sensitive and obedient to the Holy Spirit's leading immediately. 

2. Pray for God's presence to be with them in such a way that it is unmistakable to those who they come in contact with. 

3. Pray for safe travel and health for them both to and from Africa and that God will both guide and protect Alan, Charlie, Louie, and Martin, especially while in Guinea-Bissau working every circumstance for their good and for His glory. 

4. Pray for the families of these missionaries while they are away. Pray that God will grant them His peace and the assurance of His grace and sovereignty over the lives of their love ones. 

5. Pray that they will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to speak boldly with all confidence as they share the mystery of the gospel. 

6. Pray that God will soften the hearts of those who hear. 

7. Pray that the enemy will not be allowed to steal away the Word from their heart. 

8. Pray that they will understand and receive the good news of God's love for them. 

9. Pray that the Holy Spirit will draw many  people to Him and that they would by Faith be reconciled to God and find forgiveness for their sins. 

10. Pray that new churches would be planted that glorify God in the way they love one another and that carry the Gospel forward among their own people. 

Thank you for your prayers and continued partnership in the Gospel, 

Alan Perry and Shannon Compton

BCC Missions Pastors

Symbols

“Less is more.” 

It seems that is now our new standard of communication. Because of texting, we have developed symbols to communicate just about everything. I guess you have to when you are limited to talking to someone in 160 characters or less! When you think about Christianity, what symbol do you think of? The cross is what comes to my mind. The cross is just another symbol but what does it represent? You see the cross everywhere: around people’s necks, tattooed on men’s arms, on church signs, in logos and names of organizations like the Red Cross. 

So what does the Cross mean to you? Over 2,000 years ago on this day it meant torture and death. For those who gathered that day to see Jesus crucified, the cross was the end; there was no hope in that symbol of the cross. Without Jesus the cross is just that, a symbol of death, destruction and hopelessness. That is what all of us deserve. Nothing in our lives has earned us a pass from that death on the cross. Because of our lives we deserve that death on the cross. But, Christ chose to die in our place on that evil symbol of death and destruction.  When we accept Christ as our Savior, that punishment that we deserve is gone!  Because of that, we now have hope in Jesus Christ! It is so beautiful how God takes something that symbolizes death and hopelessness and transforms it to something that means life and freedom. What Christ did for us on the cross must never be forgotten. 

If you are a Christ follower, the cross is a symbol of ultimate love!  The cross should motivate us to go and share what Christ did for us. This Sunday we will be singing a new song called “Jesus Son of God.” I heard this song when it was first performed at Passion 2012.  The lyrics tell us exactly what Jesus did for us on the cross; read and meditate on them below and never let the cross just be another symbol but a representation of Jesus, the Son of God, our Salvation! Go and lift the Cross high telling everyone what Christ has done for you!

You came down from heavens throne

this earth you formed was not your home

love like this the world had never known

A crown of thorns to mock your name

forgiveness fell upon your face

love like this the world had never known

On the altar of your praise let there be no higher name

Jesus Son of God

you laid down your perfect life

you are the sacrifice

Jesus Son of God

you are Jesus Son of God

You took our sin

You bore our shame

You rose to life

You defeated the grave

love like this the world had never known

Be lifted higher than all you've overcome

Your name be louder than any other song

There is no power that can come against your love

The cross was enough

The cross was enough

The cross was enough

-Chris Tomlin & Christy Nockels

"Jesus, Son of God" 

Passion: White Flag

- Marty Burgess 

College Pastor