Let's Make a Shift

Happy Sunday!

The theme for this year at Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church is "Maximum Impact".  Every message that Bishop has preached is following that theme.  Today's Message was entitled, "Let's Make a Shift".  He used 1 Peter 2:9 and 1 Corinthians 12:18

1 Peter 2:9-10 (The Message)

But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God's instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.

In order for us to maximize the life we have been given, we must be honest with ourselves.  We have to admit that we have come a long way but we have much, much farther to go.   Years ago I loved the artist Eric Benet, before the Halle incident.  LOL.  Anyway, he sang a song called "True to Myself".  You can google the lyrics, but the stanza that applies to us today says, "Some people live their whole life,  And they'll never see, The only way to find true happiness, Is to thine own self be true".   We can see ourselves like no one else.  We know.  We can't compare ourselves to others, we must look at ourselves through the mirror of the Word.  Bishop talked about how tough it can be as a pastor if you spend your time comparing your church to other churches.  The same applies to everyone of us in our respective places.  The passage from 1 Corinthians reminds us that no matter what we are called to do it is important in the Body of Christ. 

1 Corinthians 12:14-18 (The Message)

I want you to think about how all this makes you more significant, not less. A body isn't just a single part blown up into something huge. It's all the different-but-similar parts arranged and functioning together.  If Foot said, "I'm not elegant like Hand, embellished with rings; I guess I don't belong to this body," would that make it so? If Ear said, "I'm not beautiful like Eye, limpid and expressive; I don't deserve a place on the head," would you want to remove it from the body? If the body was all eye, how could it hear? If all ear, how could it smell? As it is, we see that God has carefully placed each part of the body right where he wanted it. 

You are special and unique!  We need you, just the way God created you.  Your strength and personality are just right for what he has called you to do.  You were born in the right place at the right time, no matter what they said!  You can still do it!  You can make it!  You will make it!

Within You Is The Strength 
To Meet Life's Challenges!
You are stronger than you think,
remember to stand tall.
Every challenge in your life
helps you to grow.
Every problem you encounter
strengthens your mind and your soul.
Every trouble you overcome
increases your understanding of life.
When all your troubles weigh
heavily on your shoulders,
remember that beneath the burden
you can stand tall,
because you are never given
more than you can handle...
and you are stronger than you think.
~ Lisa Wroble ~ 

Have an awesome week! Love Cynthia