Jesus does the same thing for us. He made us, created us and formed us in our mother’s womb, and yet through sin and its penalty, we were lost. Jesus, with His own blood, purchased us back again and redeemed us. Now as I said in the beginning, this ring holds two stories, not just one.
About a month ago I looked for my class ring because several people in our church were giving their jewelry as a donation for our “Lids 4 Kids” offering. And then, out of the blue, I received a phone call from the person I sold my house to fourteen years ago in Yucaipa. While digging in the backyard, he had come across a class ring with my name engraved in it. Three days later, he mailed my 1974 high school class ring back to me. My ring was once lost, but now it’s found. It was mine once, twice, and now three times. This Sunday, I will be preaching about how we can have peace with God, how the lost can be found, and how we can be redeemed through the blood of Jesus Christ. I hope to see you there as we celebrate in song and sermon with the Lords’ Supper, and I might even show you my class ring!
In Christ,
Pastor Mark
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( 3 / 5 )The Season of Service for San Diego is in full swing now. Over 300 churches are cooperating together during the summer to meet the needs of our community. Then on Saturday, September 11 at Mission Bay Park, evangelist Luis Palau will be wrapping up a day filled with festivities for everyone by sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It will be a great day as together we celebrate all the victories of the summer. Be sure to click on the following links to find out more and how you can be involved right now.
San Diego City Fest http://www.sandiegocityfest.com
Service Projects http://www.sandiegocityfest.com/season_ ... e/projects
San Diego’s Festival Event http://www.sandiegocityfest.com/the_fes ... nformation
Luis Palau http://www.sandiegocityfest.com/luis_palau
For those of us at Gateway and East County, we are holding a prayer meeting THIS EVENING at Gateway Church, 7pm to help intercede for this special time when we all are choosing to work together as Christians to make our communities the best that they can be and impact the lives of others by sharing the love of Jesus. Now of course people can pray alone and in their own home, but in the New Testament, there were also times of intense prayer together. One of them was when Peter was imprisoned, God moved in a mighty way and allowed him the miracle of walking out of a jail unharmed and undetected to meet Rhoda at the door. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?se ... ersion=NIV
So tonight, Janet and I will be at the church praying with Pastor Thomas Bush, fellow pastors, and leaders, asking the Lord to have a special blessing on our community, Summer 2010 and beyond. We invite you to be there with us tonight, 7pm at the church!
On Sunday, Pastor Sam will wrap up his summer series, GATEWAY AT THE MOVIES http://www.gatewaychurchonline.com/stories/movies with a message on redemption and responsibility, and you will not want to miss that!
In Christ,
Pastor Mark
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Just a few days ago, I had the opportunity to meet Ali Vincent, the first female to be the Biggest Loser.Just a few days ago, I had the opportunity to meet Ali Vincent, the first female to be the Biggest Loser. For those of you who don’t know, I have been a fan of this TV program, and two years ago, I watched as Ali completely turned her physical life around by losing 112 pounds, 48% of her body weight! While standing in line to meet her at Famous Footwear in Grossmont Center, I was able to talk with several people also waiting to see this former champion of weight loss. The one thing all of us found in common was that we are Christians. On reflection, I think part of the appeal of The Biggest Loser program is that transformation is possible. Someone’s daily decisions, however small, can make huge differences in their life. Of course, I don’t watch a single episode without thinking this is exactly what Christ wants to do in our hearts; and what we are about at Gateway. The transformations that we have seen are absolutely amazing. God wants to inspire us from being ineffective, and enable us to be His ambassadors. Come Sunday to hear Pastor Sam Williams preach. http://www.gatewaychurchonline.com/stories/movies/ Make this summer a summer of remarkable change for the good. I’ll see you at Gateway Church. In Christ,
Pastor Mark
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( 3 / 5 )Coach John Wooden just passed away. He was born October 14, 1910 in a little town called Hall, Indiana. He went on to become a three time all American basketball player at Purdue University, and then Player of the Year in 1932, leading Purdue to a national championship; however, none of his accomplishments as an athlete became the impact that his life would have on others. The shadow that John Wooden cast was never as competitor, but as a teacher, coach and leader of men. As a coach at UCLA, his teams went on to win ten national championships, four of those seasons being undefeated. Some have called him not only the greatest basketball coach but also the greatest coach of all time, and this man had a real influence on my own life. How can someone whom I have never met help change my life’s direction? Coach Wooden simply focused tenaciously on a few important key elements of life. In his book, They Call Me Coach, he states his “pyramid of success” which include “industriousness and enthusiasm as its cornerstones: faith, patience, loyalty and self control were the building blocks leading to competitive greatness.” [Beth Harris, AP] John Wooden clearly took his faith into the marketplace of ideas, and we as Christians should never be afraid to do the same. When asked what he hoped to hear when he gets to the other side of life, Coach Wooden would always respond, “I want to hear, ‘Well done,’” echoing the same phrase the Apostle Paul said when he finished his life as a preacher and a missionary. Truly whatever our vocation, we should pursue with excellence and wholeheartedness the life God has asked us to live. This Sunday I will continue preaching from the Proverbs in both services, so with the Holy Spirit living through us, we can be the best that we can be.
In Christ,
Pastor Mark
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( 2.8 / 66 )On Sunday, there will be a double feature at Gateway Church. When I was a child, I always liked going to the movies and especially when there was a double feature: two movies, two shows completely unrelated but doubling the fun. Tomorrow, Pastor Eric Mukwenda from Tanzania will be preaching at the 8:30 service, giving us a report on the work there. I will be speaking at 10:15, continuing the series Get Wisdom, Get Understanding, Get Smart, looking at advice from the Proverbs. My hope is that you are continuing to read a Proverb a day and that all of us can benefit from God’s wisdom. So whether you are an early bird that likes the blended style or a member that prefers the contemporary sound, my prayer is that this Memorial Day Weekend, you’ll come and celebrate with us at Gateway. Read further for two important announcements.
Beginning this Sunday for adults...Crown Financial Course, Discovering God’s Way of Handling Money, 9:00 AM in the Bistro. Join Associate Pastor of Women and Family Life, Linda Lilyquist, and Pastor Steve Tillman as they provide practical wisdom on how to manage your financial resources God's way. Want more information? Contact Linda at (619) 444-1612 or linda@gatewaychurchonline.com.
Welcome Team Opportunity for 8:30 Service If you are an early riser, have an easy smile, warm handshake, and a desire to make everyone feel welcome, Gateway Church needs YOU! Please contact Steve Tillman, (619) 328-6349 or stevetillman@cox.net for more information.
Have a blessed Memorial Day Weekend,
Pastor Mark
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