Happy Resurrection Day! This time of the year presents for us an opportunity to reflect on reality. You could call it a time for a “Reality Check.”
Reality Checks are not always fun and they are not always easy, but they can be very beneficial. When I was a teenager I wanted to be a professional “body builder.” One day I had a reality check and realized that would not be my profession! Years later I sensed God’s call on my life into full-time ministry - time for another reality check! Reality told me that God indeed was calling me. Reality also told me that I was woefully unprepared. And reality informed me that through God’s power, I could do all that He had called me to do!
So what does all this have to do with this season of the year? The resurrection of Jesus is a reality that continues to have positive, life-altering effects today. Reality Check: Jesus did in fact rise from the dead over 2000 years ago. Reality Check: Jesus’ resurrection continues to have powerful effects today on those who believe in Him. Reality Check: Has Jesus’ resurrection made a difference in you? Have you embraced the reality that Jesus can make a positive difference in you today?
Happy Easter - Happy Resurrection Day - Happy Reality Check!
Loving and Leading,
Jeff Powell
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Sharing Jesus in India
You ARE making a difference! Fellowship Church supports Joesph Matcha’s ministry in India. Be blessed as you read about how you are making a difference...
“Dear Brother Jeff Powell,
I am so happy to meet you through this mail. How are you brother and family? I and Sony are keeping faith in the Lord for His vision He gave to us, and the vision is " PARTNERING WITH YOU FOR GOD'S KINGDOM ON THIS EARTH". I would feel privilege to work with you, in extending His Kingdom on this Earth and in reaping the harvest.
Last Week we had 24 hour fasting prayers in the church. God has been doing miracles and wonders in the church. People are testifying about the Good things God is doing in their lives. Many people got deliverance from the power of darkness, and many got healed and so on... I personally shared your testimony with the church in these prayers. All of them together prayed for your health, family and ministry.
This month 30th I am conducting a Gospel Rally in Krishna District. There is a village called Kankatava which consists of 5000 population which is 450 k.m away from us. There is only 1% Christianity in that village. In this village itself there are 12 temples of Hindus God's and Goddesses. My desire is to touch all of the people in the village through the Gospel. Please pray for these Gospel rally.
This month support has been very helpful to me. I was praying in the presence of God as I was planning to conduct Gospel rally, to meet the ministry needs. God is very faithful, through your support I have been able to meet my ministry needs. Thank you very much brother for funds.
Thanking you,
Pastor Joseph Matcha
India.”
We are missionaries to our community as we express the love of Jesus to others through THE BIG SERVE and other ministry opportunities! Thank you for making a difference around the world and here at home!
Blessed to be your Pastor,
Jeff Powell
“Dear Brother Jeff Powell,
I am so happy to meet you through this mail. How are you brother and family? I and Sony are keeping faith in the Lord for His vision He gave to us, and the vision is " PARTNERING WITH YOU FOR GOD'S KINGDOM ON THIS EARTH". I would feel privilege to work with you, in extending His Kingdom on this Earth and in reaping the harvest.
Last Week we had 24 hour fasting prayers in the church. God has been doing miracles and wonders in the church. People are testifying about the Good things God is doing in their lives. Many people got deliverance from the power of darkness, and many got healed and so on... I personally shared your testimony with the church in these prayers. All of them together prayed for your health, family and ministry.
This month 30th I am conducting a Gospel Rally in Krishna District. There is a village called Kankatava which consists of 5000 population which is 450 k.m away from us. There is only 1% Christianity in that village. In this village itself there are 12 temples of Hindus God's and Goddesses. My desire is to touch all of the people in the village through the Gospel. Please pray for these Gospel rally.
This month support has been very helpful to me. I was praying in the presence of God as I was planning to conduct Gospel rally, to meet the ministry needs. God is very faithful, through your support I have been able to meet my ministry needs. Thank you very much brother for funds.
Thanking you,
Pastor Joseph Matcha
India.”
We are missionaries to our community as we express the love of Jesus to others through THE BIG SERVE and other ministry opportunities! Thank you for making a difference around the world and here at home!
Blessed to be your Pastor,
Jeff Powell
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
You Make a Difference in Pakistan!
As a church we support missionaries in hostile places, such as Pakistan. In spite of persecution, Imran Sadiq has continued to expand his ministry in Pakistan. Recently, we helped him expand. Below is his response to your help...
“We are really so much thankful to you, Church, staff and all brothers & sisters for your precious funds for TV Video Camera & TV mission support, we received these blessed funds with bundle of thanks. This is a great contribution for proclamation the gospel through Media in Pakistan. Through this we will be able to reach thousands of thousands saved and unsaved souls for Christ Jesus.
Our father God is so good and going to fulfill our dream what we have for salvation of all nations of Pakistan and God poured this passion, love burden into your blessed hearts and you became the special once to accomplish this project. Amen
We pray that Lord bless richly to you, family and all brothers & sisters all of you in every area of your life and he open the blessed heaven for you. We are praying for other funds that Lord supplies us soon so we could buy this TV Camera soon.
My brother say our special thanks and greetings to all brothers & sisters. Please keep us in your prayers. Thank you very much.
Your Brother,
Imran Sadiq”
We are blessed to have partners all over the world such as Imran. As we serve others Saturday, March 27 (8AM) through THE BIG SERVE, we will be missionaries to our community as we express the love of Jesus to others!
Thank you for serving,
Jeff Powell
“We are really so much thankful to you, Church, staff and all brothers & sisters for your precious funds for TV Video Camera & TV mission support, we received these blessed funds with bundle of thanks. This is a great contribution for proclamation the gospel through Media in Pakistan. Through this we will be able to reach thousands of thousands saved and unsaved souls for Christ Jesus.
Our father God is so good and going to fulfill our dream what we have for salvation of all nations of Pakistan and God poured this passion, love burden into your blessed hearts and you became the special once to accomplish this project. Amen
We pray that Lord bless richly to you, family and all brothers & sisters all of you in every area of your life and he open the blessed heaven for you. We are praying for other funds that Lord supplies us soon so we could buy this TV Camera soon.
My brother say our special thanks and greetings to all brothers & sisters. Please keep us in your prayers. Thank you very much.
Your Brother,
Imran Sadiq”
We are blessed to have partners all over the world such as Imran. As we serve others Saturday, March 27 (8AM) through THE BIG SERVE, we will be missionaries to our community as we express the love of Jesus to others!
Thank you for serving,
Jeff Powell
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Daily Hurricanes?
One of my earliest memories of serving others was after Hurricane Andrew. After Andrew tore through Florida, Louisiana got hit. My best friend Chad and I along with his dad loaded up a truck with ice and chainsaws and headed to the coastal regions of Louisiana to help others.
I will never forget the look on one couple’s faces. We saw several trees that had fallen all over their property making it impossible for them to use their vehicles. One had also fallen on their house. We stopped and asked if we could cut their trees up. They immediately asked “How much will you charge?” We told them it was free. Tears literally filled their eyes when we told them it was free.
We cut, made piles and cut some more. Before we knew it we were done. Afterward Chad’s dad shared the message of Jesus with them. We prayed for them and left.
Decades later, I can still see their faces - they were touched, but obviously so was I. As we made the three hour drive home, Chad and I laid in the back of his dad’s truck. I tried to sleep, but I couldn’t get my mind off of the help we gave.
Over the years, I’ve had many opportunities to serve others all to share the love of Jesus. Nearly every time, you can see it on their face: wonder, humility, thankfulness, curiosity, openness. And every time, it happens to me: I get touched and blessed so much so that I’ve often wondered who has received more - me or the one I’ve just served?
It does not have to take a disaster to serve others in need. Every day, all around us, opportunities abound to help others. Will we have eyes to see? Will we have ears to hear? Will we have hands ready to help?
What would happen if we saw the needs around us as a “hurricane” to the one with the need? Would it cause us to stop and listen? Would it move us with compassion? For the person in need, their world has been hit by a hurricane.
Let’s be Jesus to those around us in need. Let’s have eyes to see, ears to hear, and hands to help those in need. Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to fill us with His power to help others!
Still touched by serving others,
Jeff Powell
I will never forget the look on one couple’s faces. We saw several trees that had fallen all over their property making it impossible for them to use their vehicles. One had also fallen on their house. We stopped and asked if we could cut their trees up. They immediately asked “How much will you charge?” We told them it was free. Tears literally filled their eyes when we told them it was free.
We cut, made piles and cut some more. Before we knew it we were done. Afterward Chad’s dad shared the message of Jesus with them. We prayed for them and left.
Decades later, I can still see their faces - they were touched, but obviously so was I. As we made the three hour drive home, Chad and I laid in the back of his dad’s truck. I tried to sleep, but I couldn’t get my mind off of the help we gave.
Over the years, I’ve had many opportunities to serve others all to share the love of Jesus. Nearly every time, you can see it on their face: wonder, humility, thankfulness, curiosity, openness. And every time, it happens to me: I get touched and blessed so much so that I’ve often wondered who has received more - me or the one I’ve just served?
It does not have to take a disaster to serve others in need. Every day, all around us, opportunities abound to help others. Will we have eyes to see? Will we have ears to hear? Will we have hands ready to help?
What would happen if we saw the needs around us as a “hurricane” to the one with the need? Would it cause us to stop and listen? Would it move us with compassion? For the person in need, their world has been hit by a hurricane.
Let’s be Jesus to those around us in need. Let’s have eyes to see, ears to hear, and hands to help those in need. Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to fill us with His power to help others!
Still touched by serving others,
Jeff Powell
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
An Incident On 441
Recently a man was driving down Hwy. 441 from High Springs headed towards Gainesville. While he was driving, he had a flat tire. He had no spare tire and he had no cell phone to call for help. As he waited, a car pulled up. He was hoping that they would help him, but instead they beat him up badly, robbed him, and left him for dead.
Later, a pastor of a prominent local church happened to drive by. He saw the badly beaten man, but because he was in a hurry to attend a church function, he changed lanes and acted as though he had not seen the man.
Shortly after this an active member of another prominent local church was heading to Gainesville to purchase some literature for her Bible Study. She too saw the bleeding man. Because she was a woman and it was getting dark, she too acted as though she had not seen the needy man.
As dusk settled in, a non church-going, non-religious man happened to be headed to Gainesville where he worked as a bar tender. As he approached the bleeding man, he pulled over on the shoulder and got out to help.
Even though it would make him late for his job, he drove the badly beaten man to the Emergency Room. Thankfully the man who had driven him to the hospital, paid for him to receive medical treatment and gave a deposit should the man require an overnight hospital stay.
Early the next morning, the man stopped by the hospital as he was heading home from work. He discovered that the man was admitted into the hospital. Thankfully he would recover, but it would take a few more days in the hospital. Graciously the man paid for his medical expenses.
Fellowship Church, which of the three people acted as a true neighbor to the beaten man in need of help?
May we go and do likewise as followers of Jesus! Plan now to be a true neighbor by participating in The Big Serve on March 27. See Luke 10:25-37 for Jesus’ original telling of this parable.
Seeking to be a true neighbor,
Jeff Powell
Later, a pastor of a prominent local church happened to drive by. He saw the badly beaten man, but because he was in a hurry to attend a church function, he changed lanes and acted as though he had not seen the man.
Shortly after this an active member of another prominent local church was heading to Gainesville to purchase some literature for her Bible Study. She too saw the bleeding man. Because she was a woman and it was getting dark, she too acted as though she had not seen the needy man.
As dusk settled in, a non church-going, non-religious man happened to be headed to Gainesville where he worked as a bar tender. As he approached the bleeding man, he pulled over on the shoulder and got out to help.
Even though it would make him late for his job, he drove the badly beaten man to the Emergency Room. Thankfully the man who had driven him to the hospital, paid for him to receive medical treatment and gave a deposit should the man require an overnight hospital stay.
Early the next morning, the man stopped by the hospital as he was heading home from work. He discovered that the man was admitted into the hospital. Thankfully he would recover, but it would take a few more days in the hospital. Graciously the man paid for his medical expenses.
Fellowship Church, which of the three people acted as a true neighbor to the beaten man in need of help?
May we go and do likewise as followers of Jesus! Plan now to be a true neighbor by participating in The Big Serve on March 27. See Luke 10:25-37 for Jesus’ original telling of this parable.
Seeking to be a true neighbor,
Jeff Powell
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