Big Game This Saturday

Notre Dame at (#12) Pittsburgh

My Dad lived his entire life in Pittsburgh, went to Notre Dame for his undergrad, then went to Pitt for his Masters in Business. So this game had always been a controversial one for him. His famous line, when asked who he was cheering for in this rivalry that dates back to 1909, was “I cheer for the team that needs the win the most.”

That is debatable, after ND’s loss last week to Navy, Weis’ job is on the line. But Pitt needs a victory to keep their BCS hopes alive. One of my favorite memories with my Dad is going to the final game at old Pitt Stadium in 1999. The Panthers beat the Irish 37-27 and we sat 10 feet away from Tony Dorsett. Very cool.

Check out the ESPN write up here: espn.go.com/ncf/preview?gameId=293180221

 

Sozo

SOZO

One of the most fascinating words in all of the NT is the Greek word “sozo.”

I was reading today in the book of Acts and stopped at an amazing story in chapter 14.

The Apostle Paul is in Lystra and a crippled man, lame from birth who had never walked, was listening to Paul preach. Verse 9 & 10 says:

Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be made well and Paul called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.

There is a little footnote in my Bible beside “made well” that says “Literally: saved.” This is the Greek word sozo. Paul looked at the man and saw that he had faith to be HEALED or sozo.

Jesus uses the word sozo in John 10:9 when He says “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be SAVED.” The beautiful thing about sozo is that NT writers used it in one way, but three different ways. Saved. Healed. Delivered. Sozo is used to express the Victory of the Cross transforming a person’s body, soul and / or spirit.

In the famous story of Luke 8, Jesus meets a demon-possessed man from Gerasenes who is filled with a legion (or 7,000 – 10,000) of demons. In v.36, the Bible says that the man had been MADE WELL or sozo. This man’s soul was dominated by demonic powers, but Jesus offered him “sozo,” peace and victory for his soul.

God’s grace is not only for salvation of your spirit and cleansing from sin. Jesus Christ went to the Cross for the healing (sozo) of your physical body from ALL sickness and disease and Christ offers victory for your soul to be healed (sozo) from sinful patterns of addiction, bitterness, anger, anxiety, sexual immorality, worry, doubt and fear.

What part of your life today needs the sozo of Jesus Christ? His cross releases victory over sin, sickness, demonic powers, bondages, strongholds, illness, bitterness — EVERYTHING that afflicts the human body, soul and spirit.

 

Empty Tomb

Empty Tomb

 

Such a great verse…

Acts 13:29-30

²⁹they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb.

³⁰But God raised Him from the dead!!

 

Answered Prayer

I’m looking through some of the answered prayer notes on our bulletin board in our 24/7 Prayer Room…

> a couple weeks ago I filled out a prayer request for my dad to find Jesus, God is awesome, as I now sit here next to my dad in church!
> last week I asked 24/7 to pray for a job for me asap, God is good! I start my new job tomorrow. Thank you Father God and thank you to all that prayed
> I was prayed for in church regarding upcoming hand surgery to remove a cyst. Later that day I noticed the cyst was gone.. did not need surgery!

 

MCM Ministry School Experience

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Go to http://mcmministryschool.com to register.

 

Salvations & Healings at US festival

Tens of thousands of people from all over the United States of America gathered last June in the state of Kentucky to see some of the biggest bands in the world at the Ichthus Christian Music festival. In the midst of the thousands gathered several students took up residence in the most unlikely of places… a 24-7 Prayer tent. The team was made up entirely of students involved 24-7 Prayer USA’s Campus America vision from across the state of Kentucky. Throughout the festival, the team prayed for and with other revelers almost 24 hours a day.

Read more – click here

 

Believe

I believe in the sun even when it isn’t shining.
I believe in love even when I am alone.
I believe in God even when He is silent.

Graffiti found in 1945 on the wall of a basement in Koln, Germany, where a Jewish believer is thought to have been hiding from the Gestapo. [found on the first page of Pete Greig's book "God On Mute"]

 

Worshipping You

I’ve been listening to this song for the past few weeks and Kristian and Shannon Walker closed out our services this past weekend with this. I’m pretty sure we posted this before, but it never gets old   My favorite line in the song is “my life’s nothing without You“

 

Practicing Gratitude

I know that I have posted on this topic before – but I am reminded again of the importance of gratefulness.

After such an intense week with the passing of Chris’ father – Chris & I are reminded that we have so much to be thankful for.  These next few days, we will be taking some time to express our appreciation to all of those who have stood by us during our time of need.

1. Thank you Jesus that you are our sustainance & our strengh – our ever present help. 1 Corinthians 5:16-18: Be joyful always; ¹⁷pray continually; ¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

2.  Thank you Jesus for the cross – that you have defeated sin & death. The grave has no hold on us because you have given us the gift of eternal life!  1 Corinthians 15:57: But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

3.  Thank you for friends & family in Christ. Our commitment & appreciation for those closest to us has grown through this whole experience because you are continually binding us together in love.  2 Thessalonians 1:3: We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing.

What is the fruit of being a grateful person? Here are some immediate benefits:

1. Our confession changes - we begin to focus on & speak of the positive instead of the negative. We become a much more enjoyable person to be around.

2. Our emotions are aligned – depression is overcome with gratefulness & joy & peace overtake anger & defeat.

3. Our faith is strengthened – it takes courage & faith to worship even when our circumstances aren’t ideal.

4. Our God is pleased - God loves it when we take the time to stop & say “thanks”.

 

My Dad in the Trib-Review

Here is the link for the article about my dad.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/obituaries/s_644338.html