“Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD;
let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.” Psalm 95:1

Have you ever been to a major sporting event? If you have not, it is a sight to see. A couple of months ago, I had the opportunity of attending the World Baseball Classic. This was not just an ordinary baseball game… it was a game like none other. The event takes place every four years (just like the Olympics).

The best of the best from various countries are represented. Unlike other major league games, in the World Baseball Classic, the fans are allowed to bring instruments, flags, foghorns; you name it, into the stadium. Fans are encouraged to show their pride for their country and team by shouting, singing and being the loudest they can be. Can you just picture a stadium filled with thousands of people with their flags, dressed in their team colors, playing their instruments and cheering to the top of their lungs?

In the Bible, there are many scriptures that talk about singing, shouting and making our praises unto God. When we attend sporting events or concerts, we have no problems with shouting and showing our emotions. We want everyone to know who we are cheering for and have no qualms about it. When it comes to praising the Lord it becomes a totally different “ballgame”… no pun intended.

We have a tendency to hold back our emotions. We become reserved and don’t give Him the praise He so deserves. Where does all that motivation and pride go? Doesn’t our Heavenly Father deserve much more? We need to be crazy fans for our Lord! We need to show Him how much we love Him and how proud we are to be His chosen children. He longs for our shouts and praises. I encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and toss those reservations out the window.

I guarantee that He will pour down His love upon you like never before and you’ll always be a winner!

Reminder:

1) Leaders and Sunday School Appreciation Day this coming Sunday, June 7th during our combined service at 11:00am. We will also be recognizing our 2009 High School Graduates!
2) Following the service, there will be a youth fundraiser lunch. Join us, bring a friend and show your appreciation and support!

Filed under: Uncategorized by Yani Avila
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“This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” Hebrews 8:10

Most of us have either purchased or leased a vehicle, a house or an apartment. Those who have know that an agreement must always be signed. Depending on the purchase, there are all sorts of stipulations involved.

Let’s take a car for example. When leasing a car, a decision regarding the terms has to be established. What kind of mileage per year do you need? How many years will the lease be for? Will maintenance of the vehicle be covered? And the list goes on. While the types of stipulations vary depending on the item, there are always decisions to be made related to the terms. Once the agreement is signed, you are bound to those terms. If you default, there are always related consequences.

As Christians, we are called to be good stewards of our money but are we applying the same principles to our covenant with the Lord? Do we make Him promises and then don’t keep them? Are we meeting the terms of our agreement with Him or are we constantly changing them to conform to our schedules, our wants, our needs?

We can be so disciplined for things of this world. However, when it comes to our Heavenly Father we think we can easily alter our terms with Him. The Bible tells us that Jesus established a new covenant with us. He does not make amendments to our agreement. He does not change the stipulations based on what we do or don’t do. The question is have you been changing your terms? Make a pledge today to honor your covenant with the Lord, not just for a short period of time, but continuously and insistently. After all, the benefits are eternal.

Do you struggle with keeping your agreement with the Lord? Share Your Comments.

REMINDERS

1) Tonight we continue with our Couple’s study at 7:30 pm. We are on week 5 and will be discussing “Guarding Love.” Join us for a time of learning, growing and great fellowship!

2) The deposit for the Youth Mission trip is past due. Please contact Hilda for more details.

Filed under: Commentary, Reminders by Yani Avila
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