FIVE REASONS TO VOTE
November 2, 2010 will be here in less than one month. If you are not yet registered to vote, now is the time. Let us not complain about what we have the opportunity to change. Here are 5 reasons YOU should vote on November 2...
1. Be part of making history. The 2010 election will have impact for years/decades to come, every vote is even more important. As Floridians, we know how close elections can be!
2. Pollsters do not determine who wins elections; YOU do. Predicting the outcome of elections, especially close ones, is at best an inexact science. Pollsters and political pundits have their roles, but like each of us, they only have one vote.
3. Voting is now more convenient than ever. Early voting forms and the wide availability for alternative and absentee ballot voting makes it all the easier for us to participate.
4. To honor those in our military who courageously fight for us and our law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency workers who respond to our needs and defend the peace at home. Those who sacrifice their personal well-being in the name of our safety and security deserve our respect. Voting is a way of giving them and their families our vote of honor for their heroism.
5. To honor people who struggled for civil rights; women’s suffrage; the Americans with Disabilities Act; and the ideals of justice for all who’s diverse voices are essential for our nation’s moral health and community vitality. Freedom needs affirmation. Voting is a way to assure that our rights are protected by strengthening the voices of those for whom rights are sacred and need to be defended.
Planning on Voting November 2,
Jeff Powell
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Celebrating Differences
On October 3rd, I begin a new message series called Family Feud. We’ll learn some great truths and hopefully have fun in the process. Men and Women are obviously and thankfully different. Some of those differences are quite funny. For fun today, see if you can add to this list...
Women have a dedicated part of their brain for remembering every piece of clothing that they have ever worn, where they wore it and who they wore it with. Men can't remember what they wore yesterday.
A man will sleep through any sound. A woman will hear any sound and be worried about burglars.
Men will identify the need to find something and say that they have lost it before they have even looked, hoping that their wife happens to know where it is. A woman will spend 15 minutes looking for something that she doesn't really need to find.
Men forget almost every birthday, anniversary or appointment. Women have a built in diary that triggers a 'card alert'.
A man can find a pair of shoes that they like on the internet and buy them within 5 minutes. A woman will take 1 hour deciding which out of two pairs of shoes she likes the most before buying a shoes that don't fit her properly.
Women take 20 minutes to choose food from a take out menu, Men will take 1 minute. When the food arrives, women always decide that they want to eat the man's food..... and subsequently do!
Loving and Leading,
Jeff Powell
Women have a dedicated part of their brain for remembering every piece of clothing that they have ever worn, where they wore it and who they wore it with. Men can't remember what they wore yesterday.
A man will sleep through any sound. A woman will hear any sound and be worried about burglars.
Men will identify the need to find something and say that they have lost it before they have even looked, hoping that their wife happens to know where it is. A woman will spend 15 minutes looking for something that she doesn't really need to find.
Men forget almost every birthday, anniversary or appointment. Women have a built in diary that triggers a 'card alert'.
A man can find a pair of shoes that they like on the internet and buy them within 5 minutes. A woman will take 1 hour deciding which out of two pairs of shoes she likes the most before buying a shoes that don't fit her properly.
Women take 20 minutes to choose food from a take out menu, Men will take 1 minute. When the food arrives, women always decide that they want to eat the man's food..... and subsequently do!
Loving and Leading,
Jeff Powell
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
What Can A Bird Teach Us About Food?
Once there was a widow who lived alone. She was terribly lonely. She went to a big pet shop and after looking at the various pets available, she bought a prize talking parrot.
“This will cheer me up,” she thought as she excitedly brought it home.
Several days went by and the parrot hadn’t uttered a sound. She went back to the pet shop owner and complained.
“What it needs is a ladder for the cage,” the man said. “When it goes up and down, it’ll start talking.”
But the parrot didn’t utter a word. So the widow returned and complained.
“Ah, what it needs is a swing,” the owner said. But a week went by, and still the bird didn’t talk.
Another week passed and the woman went back to the pet store, this time mournful. She reported inconsolably that the expensive parrot had died. The owner was embarrassed. “Didn’t it say anything at all?”
“Yes,” said the widow. “As it drew its last breaths, it said feebly: “Don’t they have bird food in the pet store?” The owner was so preoccupied with the bird’s various needs that she forgot the one most basic need — food!
We also need food - physically and spiritually. The Word of God contained on the pages of the Bible, is food for our entire being. Heed these words from God...
“...man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” Deuteronomy 8:11
“How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Psalm 119:103
“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11
Loving and Leading,
Jeff Powell
“This will cheer me up,” she thought as she excitedly brought it home.
Several days went by and the parrot hadn’t uttered a sound. She went back to the pet shop owner and complained.
“What it needs is a ladder for the cage,” the man said. “When it goes up and down, it’ll start talking.”
But the parrot didn’t utter a word. So the widow returned and complained.
“Ah, what it needs is a swing,” the owner said. But a week went by, and still the bird didn’t talk.
Another week passed and the woman went back to the pet store, this time mournful. She reported inconsolably that the expensive parrot had died. The owner was embarrassed. “Didn’t it say anything at all?”
“Yes,” said the widow. “As it drew its last breaths, it said feebly: “Don’t they have bird food in the pet store?” The owner was so preoccupied with the bird’s various needs that she forgot the one most basic need — food!
We also need food - physically and spiritually. The Word of God contained on the pages of the Bible, is food for our entire being. Heed these words from God...
“...man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” Deuteronomy 8:11
“How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Psalm 119:103
“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11
Loving and Leading,
Jeff Powell
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Fire And Love
A media firestorm has erupted in our area over Pastor Terry Jones’ plans to burn Korans on Saturday. It is amazing how much attention this has generated. Even a friend of mine who works for a paper in South Florida covering Gator Sports here in Gainesville has been reassigned to cover the planned burning on Saturday rather than the football game!
From General Petraus to Secretary of State Clinton, from here locally to the other side of the world in Afghanistan, the world is watching and wondering what to make of this planned event. So what should our response be as followers of Jesus? Should we condemn it? Should we embrace it? Should we ignore it?
Although burning the Koran is a great offense to Muslims, it is a book that can and no doubt will be reprinted time and time again. Even though the Bible is a book containing God’s words on its pages, one could also burn it - and many have. Thankfully it can and has been reprinted time and time again. The real power of the Koran and the real power of the Bible is not in the physical presence of each contained in the form of a book, but rather in the message of each lived out among its adherents.
Before we do anything else, let us be sure that we ourselves are living expressions of the message of the book we adhere to, the Bible. Its message has the power to counter hate, murder, violence, lust, greed, shame, poverty, confusion, and all other results of sin. Its message has the power to bring peace to troubled hearts. Its message of love embodied in Jesus and expressed through us as followers of Jesus, is a message that the world is in desperate need of seeing.
Muslims and Christians will ultimately be judged by others based on how their followers live. Has the message found in the physical pages of the Bible, God’s Word, found its way onto the living pages of your life? I sincerely pray so!
Loving and Leading,
Jeff Powell
From General Petraus to Secretary of State Clinton, from here locally to the other side of the world in Afghanistan, the world is watching and wondering what to make of this planned event. So what should our response be as followers of Jesus? Should we condemn it? Should we embrace it? Should we ignore it?
Although burning the Koran is a great offense to Muslims, it is a book that can and no doubt will be reprinted time and time again. Even though the Bible is a book containing God’s words on its pages, one could also burn it - and many have. Thankfully it can and has been reprinted time and time again. The real power of the Koran and the real power of the Bible is not in the physical presence of each contained in the form of a book, but rather in the message of each lived out among its adherents.
Before we do anything else, let us be sure that we ourselves are living expressions of the message of the book we adhere to, the Bible. Its message has the power to counter hate, murder, violence, lust, greed, shame, poverty, confusion, and all other results of sin. Its message has the power to bring peace to troubled hearts. Its message of love embodied in Jesus and expressed through us as followers of Jesus, is a message that the world is in desperate need of seeing.
Muslims and Christians will ultimately be judged by others based on how their followers live. Has the message found in the physical pages of the Bible, God’s Word, found its way onto the living pages of your life? I sincerely pray so!
Loving and Leading,
Jeff Powell
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Are We Making A Difference?
There are times when I wonder if I am really making a difference in this world. And there are times when I wonder if we as a church family are really making a difference in this world. As followers of Jesus we are called to be light in dark places. Are we really shining His light in those dark places?
Last week I received an e-mail from Bishop Patrick Baligasima in Uganda, Africa. He informed me that he was battling with malaria. I inquired further and discovered that he did not have the funds for the needed treatment. We were able to send funds to Africa to meet this need. Over 300 churches and 1,500 children will prayerfully continue to receive ministry. Yes, you and I are making a difference!
A few weeks ago I received an update from Joseph Matcha in India. Fellowship Church financially supports his ministry each month. Pastor Joseph informed me that because we have supported him, he has been able to expand his ministry into areas that have never heard about Jesus. At the end of July, he had baptized over 180 people in the Indian Ocean! Yes, you and I are making a difference.
This past week I received a report from Imran Sadiq in Pakistan. Fellowship also supports him each month. Imran recently hired a doctor, purchased medicines, and traveled to an area affected by the recent flooding in Pakistan. Over 270 Muslims and Christians received medical care all in the name of Jesus. Yes, you and I are making a difference!
And the difference we are making is not just on the other side of the world. Lives here have been touched by Jesus through the ministry of Fellowship Church (and, remember you are the church!). Our efforts are not in vain. Thank you for making a difference! Your giving and your living for Jesus makes a present and eternal difference in the world.
Loving and Leading,
Last week I received an e-mail from Bishop Patrick Baligasima in Uganda, Africa. He informed me that he was battling with malaria. I inquired further and discovered that he did not have the funds for the needed treatment. We were able to send funds to Africa to meet this need. Over 300 churches and 1,500 children will prayerfully continue to receive ministry. Yes, you and I are making a difference!
A few weeks ago I received an update from Joseph Matcha in India. Fellowship Church financially supports his ministry each month. Pastor Joseph informed me that because we have supported him, he has been able to expand his ministry into areas that have never heard about Jesus. At the end of July, he had baptized over 180 people in the Indian Ocean! Yes, you and I are making a difference.
This past week I received a report from Imran Sadiq in Pakistan. Fellowship also supports him each month. Imran recently hired a doctor, purchased medicines, and traveled to an area affected by the recent flooding in Pakistan. Over 270 Muslims and Christians received medical care all in the name of Jesus. Yes, you and I are making a difference!
And the difference we are making is not just on the other side of the world. Lives here have been touched by Jesus through the ministry of Fellowship Church (and, remember you are the church!). Our efforts are not in vain. Thank you for making a difference! Your giving and your living for Jesus makes a present and eternal difference in the world.
Loving and Leading,
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