search and rescue

This summer our Pastor has been doing a sermon series on 1 Peter called Search and Rescue, it has been a great series and has made me do some thinking in my life about some things I need to work on and some things I need to change. You can listen to the messages here at www.fbctopeka.org .

Each week there was something that stuck out to me. The first week was about the Great Commission and the 3 realities of it. First is that I've been selected for an opportunity, second, I'm a stranger with an identity and third, I have been scattered with a strategy and I need to live eternally.

The second week we talked about those who put their lives on the line for the Gospel and what they experience:

• they develop a proven and real faith
• they deepen their love
• they discover the joy of their salvation
• they discern their role in the greatest story

The next thing that really hit me was that we are always in such a hurry. We hurry so we can do the next thing, we hurry so we can get to the next place, we tell our kids to hurry, we hurry when we drive so we can get where we are going quicker. We miss so much because we are always in a hurry. I realized that hurry is the enemy of faith. If we/I would slow down a bit and take the time to spend in the word and in prayer our lives would be so much easier and we would be focused on what really matters and not all the things in the world.

Search and Rescue: Operation Marriage was the next topic and David preached that week and did a great job.

The original plan for marriage:

-God created roles in marriage to mirror His image. Gen. 1-2

-A husband's core role in marriage is a servant leader.

-A wife's core role in marriage is helper.

His (God's) best is always blessed when we pursue it.

The next week was about Rescue Heroes. A few things that stuck out that week were that a rescue hero turns away from selfish pursuits to take on the attitude of Christ. We will suffer in the short-term to gain in the long-term. Whatever God gives you use it to be hospitable to others. And the more I take on the attitude of Christ, the more glory God receives.

This past week was about the role of the Elder in the church and how the church is to respond to them. But what really stuck out to me was a question our pastor said, "What have you been chasing outside of the heart of God?" I've really been doing some thinking about that and what are the things that I've been chasing that are outside of the heart of God.

It's been a really convicting summer and I'm still trying to figure out what I need change and do in my life so that the things I choose aren't outside of the heart of God.