“You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them and you listen to their cry.” Psalm 10:17.
An umbrella of protection is made by prayer. Whether you need protection from judgments, gossip, or your mother in law, prayer will protect you from negativity. When Martin Luther felt stretched with time he would purposely get up early to make sure he had extra prayer and meditation time. He was able to get more done in his day because of this extra prayer time.
The easiest prayer to feel freedom and protection with is this simple fear prayer. “God, please remove my fear of…direct my thinking to what you would have me be and do.” When we focus on prayer and what God wants us to do with “our” time, we don’t give energy to the meaness of the world. We automatically have more time to accomplish the important things (and surprisingly less desire to watch tv!)

Last week in “Engine Check” Pastor Seth reminded us we need to be LIVING the faith we are learning, and that if we are honest, we can watch our lives jump off the starting line, we can allow God to pop open our hood and know our hearts. Yesterday Pastor Seth pointed out some tools we need to have in our garage in order to live a restored life. Surprisingly, the tools are NOT found behind that bartender or in the backseat of that car or in that mall. They are not found behind that desk or with those people.
Take a good look at the areas of YOUR life that are in need of restoration- your finances, your loneliness, your grief, your broken sense of identity and inability to trust in your relationships, there are areas in our lives that break down and we are constantly searching for the right tool. There is only one mechanic that has really paid the price for it and has the ability to use it; his name is Jesus and two tools he uses to build us are Forgiveness and grace.
When you are faced with temptation to pick up other tools, bring these three thoughts to the chop shop…
CONSIDER THE CROSS: Remember that Jesus bought us with His life. He suffered and died for you. Get some proper perspective of your problems, get out of the self-pity, the resentment, the anger, the defeat and into the strength and love in the fact that Jesus died for us GLADLY.
RESENTMENT DOES NOT WORK: The emotion of resentment eats away at everything positive in our lives. It kills the hope and faith that God takes care of us, it kills the knowledge that God will take care of them, and it will twist our reality into thinking WE are the ones that need to control our situations, and pretty soon we forget about God completely. When that happens Satan wins. Ask God to help you in your unbelief. Ask God to take care of the resentment, ever remind you that He is the judge.
REALIZE YOU AND OTHERS WILL MAKE MISTAKES: God’s grace is sufficient for you. We have the opportunity to give ourselves grace and give grace to others because this is what God whispers to us when we are broken. We are worth the restoration. We are worth the time and energy and work to create THAT life we only dream of. By God’s grace and power we have a life that is valuable and beautiful and that He will restore with us- if we let Him.

One of the purposes of the Church is to rally around those in need. If church was just a spot to sit at for an hour, sing a few songs, say hi to a few people, drop a few coins in the bucket, I could do that at home with more freedom to sing at the top of my really bad voice. If church was just for me to get connected to God I could do that on a walk in the woods on a cool fall day with colors falling and rivers rushing. But I firmly believe church is designed to rally around those in need.
One of the most important things we can do as a church is to pray. Every weekend at Evergreen, our prayer team is waiting at the front after service available for those in need of prayer. Many weeks no one goes up to our prayer team because (gasp!) someone might think my life isn’t perfect, that I may need something I can’t handle on my own and need to, as a last,final resort have someone pray for me! The horror! Are you kidding?! The very first thing we should do is PRAY. THERE IS NO SHAME IS PRAYER.
Often we think we need to try everything else and then with a defeated heart say, well, I tried everything else, I might as well pray. Or we feel powerless over someone’s situation so we say, well I can’t fix you or your situation so I guess all I can do is pray. THIS IS BACKWARDS THINKING. I recently heard a list of ‘types’. When we do come across someone that admits they need praying for (and btw-we ALL need prayers!) here are reactions we may do…
Busy people ignore (they just don’t have the time- rushing out of church quickly to get on with life.)
Gossips use juicy details from your problem to gossip about.
Judgemental people think your problems are your own fault. (Well, I guess she shouldn’t have married HIM then should’ve she?)
Mean people make fun.
Religious people pawn you off to the Pastor.
Academics give you 5 reasons for your poor situation.
Co-dependents think your problems are THEIR fault.
But if the very first thing we do in need for ourselves or others, is to pray, we enable the supernatural of God to work in us. God is not looking for perfect people, he is looking for willing people. Your destiny is determined by how well you handle your pain. Your relationships are determined by how you respond. We can pray first and foremost for those in our families, in our church, in our work. We can create prayer warriors in our friends, and start creating real change in our lives. Pray up.

Pray to Slay the negativity of the day
Seek Him, Speak Him, motivate to Leak Him
To everyone, everywhere, in every home on every square
Of land of farms with all their charms
To change the lives of those who’ve harmed
Their potential through sin and slain but dat true pain
Need not disdain the daily dose of true propose
For one who still can be the pill to swallow not wallow
But hope and pray and pray away that negativity of today.

When we surrender our lives to the will and care of God we are free. Free to participate in the will of the Holy Spirit. Free to live the life we were meant to live. Free to be made new. So much of the Christian life is about surrender. Since childhood, through my sin and self-abuse I acquired many masks- extra pounds, walls, protective habits, compulsions and addictions. I used them to hide from reality. I used them to hide from my true self because I didn’t know who she was, all I knew was she wasn’t good enough to share with anyone else. Putting on the mask was a good front. Until it wasn’t.
Michaelangelo chipped away at a piece of stone for months and months before David arose as one of the greatest masterpieces in history. As I put my life in the care of Jesus day after day and month after month, God helps me to chip away everything that isn’t of Him. In 2Cor. 5:17 “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” To grow spiritually we don’t have to be brilliant or saintly or anything more than we are. The emerging person has always been there inside us waiting to be released and reborn even though we feel like new creations. And we finally see just as God made us to be-we are enough.
As I surrender my life, and my will… all of me to the control of the Holy Spirit who lives within me, I live a life of power, a life of victory, a life of love instead of a powerless , defeated and loveless life. That is some crazy good news.

Happy Monday! I’d like to share some volunteer reflections with Evergreeners as we begin our week on this fine fall day…
1. In order to move forward in our spiritual journey we must connect to make a difference. The people that make a difference are those who take initiative and ask how they can be of help. This weekend at Evergreen Community Church I saw initiative ALL OVA THE PLACE! My Yeah God’s go to Mr. Brayden Doble, one of our jr. volunteers for helping in the café learning how to serve coffee and cashier. This fourth-grader was open to learning, listening and paying attention to the needs of others! Another thanks to Miss Kim Hinrichs for asking how she could be of help at the perfect time in a classroom, making for smooth transitions for our Evergreen Kids Jr. attendees. Her willingness to help on an “off weekend” is something that is much appreciated by the entire ministry! Thanks to everyone who remembers “the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Matthew 9:38. When we get intentional with our help and desire to do God’s good works, positive interactions bleed outward. Serve someone today!
2. “Pray for each other so that you may healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” Take a close look at this scripture, we pray for each other so the person we are praying for can be healed, but we can also take James 5:16 this way; we are healed when we pray for others. By paying attention to the needs of others our focus is on God and not on ourselves. Often, I just need to get over my stuff, outta my head and pray for someone who may be hurting (not to mention who I may have resentment over!) Email the evergreen office at info@evergreenpinecity.org to let us know situations you have prayed over this week.
3. A first time visitor should ALWAYS feel welcome. Every volunteer is part of the weekend experience and we each play a role in what God is doing here at Evergreen. Our greeters have been doing a great job making people feel welcome. By introducing yourself, buying people coffee, asking others about their morning and reserving the back pews for them-YOU create the atmosphere and when we go outside of ourselves and stay present to the Holy Spirit, hearts can be open and lives can be changed.
4. Attend the COMMUNITY OF LEADERS meeting (formerly Leadership Summit) the last Tuesday of Every month 6:30pm in the Worship Center. This is a great way to connect with other Jesus-followers and learn outside of the weekend experience how to LIVE YOUR FAITH. This month’s COL meeting is SEPTEMBER 27- NEXT TUESDAY!!
5. Never forget: God, who never changes, is all about change. We do this for the lost people in the room. We do this for an audience of one. We do this because the church of Jesus is the only hope in the entire world. Together we can Create some Good changes in Our lives!

There are so many nuggets of truth and wisdom that Pastor Seth shares with us on a weekly basis at Evergreen Community Church; here is a breakdown of this morning’s message for readers who need a refresher like me.
1. As we defer to God; as we listen to Him and walk with Him, we experience restoration. I need to work in the natural for God to work the supernatural. This means I need to put into action what I learn on Sunday and practice applying it at home, work and in quiet time (and yes, you NEED to be taking quiet time daily!) Practice your God-fidence anywhere and with anyone you come into contact with.
2. When we feel restored we find ourselves being drawn to people who encourage us, challenge us, who pray for us and bless us instead of bad-mouth us, defile us, discourage us or just plain drag us down. Making decisions to let go of relationships that are unhealthy is a big step in spiritual development.
3. We need to go through CHANGE and CONFLICT before we can GROW. Isn’t it funny that God, who never changes, is ALL ABOUT change? I find that crazy scary, yet as I grow in Christ, there is also mad safety in this idea. In order to improve we must change, and to know that God is there to back us up every step of the way makes it easier to take the risk, to go through the mistakes and the conflicts to get to the real deal which is living a life useful.
4. If you don’t know why habits aren’t changing, relational patterns and your work attitude aren’t getting better and your giving amount is still what it was when you went to Sunday School,  you aren’t HONESTLY trying to learn and study the Scriptures! We need to practice spiritual disciplines, not just cover up the jalopy of  life with a new coat of paint. Work at pulling that engine apart and fixing what is broken deep inside.
5. Jesus is NOT the bearded lady. He is not the soft-spoken quiet man with lambs prancing around him and cherubs flittering over his head. He is a BOLD, COURAGEOUS SAVIOR who wants you to know that there IS stuff going on in your life that only he can fix.
You can also watch Pastor Seth’s entire message online on Evergreen’s vimeo channel by selecting the vimeo link on this blog! Happy Restoration!

“A miserable heart means a miserable life; a cheerful heart fills the day with song.” Proverbs 15:15

If you’re not walking in the joy of the Lord, you are walking in the discouragement of the devil. I have been known to be a slave to fear, anxiety and worry. I lived enslaved a really long time. I didn’t want to try something new for fear of failure or looking an idiot. I didn’t want to make anyone upset so I didn’t voice any opinion or disagreement. I didn’t want to be rejected so I built a wall of fat by overeating so no one could enter and destroy my heart. By the grace of God I was able to escape the fortress which was really a prison and see my value through Him. In Romans 8:7 it teaches, “Focusing on the self is the opposite of focusing on God.”
To combat fear and stress, worry and anxiety I have found it useful to remember God-fidence: Confidence in God. This looks different than a braggart. It says I am strong in the Lord, I will listen to what He wants for me and do what He tells me and I will succeed and not second guess my judgment, not because I’m all powerful and awesome and super smart but because He is all powerful and awesome and knows the end game. Therefore, instead of going on a walk with the devil, I must ask “What’s next?” In Romans 8:15 “This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next Papa?” Not asking in fear but in wondrous expectation. Our life is not determined by our circumstances, our life is determined by our mental ability to handle our circumstances.

Some things I have learned to keep my head on straight and need to remind myself to do today …
Pray. This seems like a no-brainer. I don’t just mean a pray-before-you-eat and go to bed prayer time, but I also need to start my morning with prayer and believe me, I (and those who have to be around me) will tell you, when I don’t take the time to do so, it is noticed! I also try to continually pray throughout the day. When I’m at work, every stretch and bathroom break is a time to just be still and quiet to know Him. If we take the time to remind ourselves to follow His will and not ours, the day’s decisions seem easy and manageable!

Connect. At least three times a day I call or talk with others to check in on positive thoughts. For many reasons (most of them my own making) I can remember every negative thing ever said to or about me, but the posivitive affirmations are often lost. By developing friendships where you are expressing gratitude, we are following the word of God, for it says in 1 Peter 4:11 ,”if anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.”

Study. The Bible is the most important book we could ever study from. By focusing even just a few minutes each day to the word of God, we can find nuggets of wisdom and gain self-realization in scripture. 2 Peter 1:20-21 “above all, you must understand that no prophecy of scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. for prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” We CAN trust what it says to be TRUE!

Practice. I try to be intentional with all that I learn. Either by practicing a new computer program, practicing an exercise routine or practicing by saying something new to someone new, we get to practice what the bible teaches us to do. James 2:17 “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is DEAD.” For me, this means I cannot spend every Sunday just sitting in a pew, contemplating the word of God and not do anything with it. The things I learn are useless if they are not applied to life.

Have an Attitude of Gratitude. Here are some points I learned at a recent conference on Gratitude:
1. Gratitude is never invisible nor Silent. Tell those around you, “I appreciate it when you…” Unexpressed Gratitude is a lost opportunity to give praise to God.
2. Gratitude sustains Joy and Blessing. Instead of the downward spiral of negativity (my life is crap, therefore I am crap, and pretty soon it IS crap) Spiral Upward (Focus on What I have, not what I don’t have)
3. Gratitude begins where my sense of entitlement ends. (Nuff said)
4. Find a Blessing. Enlarge a Blessing. Create a Blessing.

I am blessed to get to serve at church. I am grateful I found a church home in which the things I say are held in love and confidence. I am blessed at the opportunity and the grace I am given by all the volunteers and all the attenders (not to mention the staff!) to learn and grow in Christ. I am grateful to be able to share Jesus with my community. It feels Great to be Grateful!!!

I just wasted seven minutes of my life. It’s my own fault, really. But, dang, what trickery in the editing room, I allowed these people into our home and assumed I knew them. In reality we only see what the producers of the show want us to see. A script from pop culture where the goal is to lie, cheat, manipulate and throw everyone under the bus for money.
This show I was watching may just be the antithesis of the teachings of Jesus. We learn from David in Psalms that God designed us before we were in the womb, that he knows our innermost feelings and has a plan for our life and by making the right choices in life we will have rewards way better than any game show winnings, that our sins are forgiven and our real home is with Him. We learn how to be straightforward instead of insincere, trust instead of jealousy and faith instead of fear.
Most television isn’t evil- just bad entertainment. Watch it with discernment, watch it with a careful eye, recognize it is not real even if the genre is categorized as “reality television.” Hmmm…. A fat gay man slipping in a kiddie pool? Ooh,Yeah, that’s entertainment!