Reflections From Sunday

We had a great day at Gateway Fellowship this past Sunday. The worship time was awesome, led by Scott Finch and I had the opportunity to teach on the scriptures in the Gospel of Mark concerning the Rich Young Ruler. The message was entitled, Possessed or Possessor" and it challenged us to answer the question of whether or not we were truly possessors of our possessions or if we were in reality possessed by our possessions. The Rich Young Ruler when asked what he must do to inherit eternal life was given an answer. His response to that was to say that he had done all of those things from his youth. Jesus responds and says, "you still lack something, go and sell all that you have an come follow me" Scripture tell us that the Rich Young Ruler walked away saddened and was grieving for he was one who owned much property. You see, the Rich Young Ruler was possessed by his possessions. Are you?

If we truly are the possessors of our possessions then we understand that everything we have is from God and for God. When we are the possessors, our possessions become tools in our hands. We can use those tools for our own enjoyment, but we could also use those tools to serve other people and to serve God. It means that we can part with our possessions and part with our money. It means that as we make more money, we don't have to spend it all, but we can give it. It means that we can even scale back our lifestyle if that is what we need to do. That's what it means to be a possessor instead of being possessed.

This Sunday, we will be looking at "Money:: Getting It Under Control" "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed."(Proverbs 16) Here is a basic bit of wisdom that says that planning is good and that as responsible Christian's our planning is something we do under the authority of God. So we commit what we do to God and this includes our financial life. So what's the problem?

The problem. We've got no financial plan. What is the solution? The solution is to prayerfully budget. In a healthy lifestyle there is always money left over at the end of the month and if we get to the end of our pay period again and again and there is no money left, and we find ourselves short again, we need to know why.

Sunday Night, we had another awesome time of worship and scripture reading, We looked at the business of the church, our financials, and discussed direction and vision. We launched our Gateway In Gear emphasis. We will be hosting 4 block parties in targeted neighborhoods throughout our community over the next 2 months followed by our participation in the Royse City annual Fun Fest event that is held downtown every year. We are really excited about what is ahead of us and we are praying that lives will be transformed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We finished the worship time by asking the church to join with us in praying for these 9 things:

1. that we would see our problem is not simple moral failure but failure to honor God

2. that we would understand that discipline rarely brings about love, but love always brings discipline.

3. that we would find the fullness of all things in Christ(He's the fullness of all things)

4. that as children of God we are not under wrath but under mercy (God's not "out to get us")

5. that we would recognize God has placed us where we are for His purpose and His glory

6. that we would live in Holy discontentment

7. that we would develop an appetite for truth, even difficult ones

8. that we would embrace Biblical Christianity and not American Evangelicalism

9. that we would we would believe in the power of the Holy Spirit and desire it earnestly



I love our church
I love our people
I love our team
I love what He is doing in us
I love what He is doing through us
I love that He is not done with us

One last thing, if you are not yet involved in a Connect Group get in touch withZach Snow and he can help direct you to the appropriate group