Hey guys, just a reminder concerning this Sunday night: We will be sharing a meal together! There will be a time of worship and a short devotion, then it’s all food and fellowship from there. We will also be discussing our part in the upcoming “Odyssey” Outreach here at the church. We have a big role to play so we’re going to need lots of help! That’s this Sunday, October 2.
Also, don’t forget that October 6 is fellowship night at our (Mat & Jen’s house). We ask that you bring either a snack or drink to share.
You can also sign up for the Fall Retreat here, please do so as soon as possible and don’t forget $25 is due October 23!!
Hey guys! Here’s a quick promo for this Sunday! Title of my message is “There’s An Enemy Among Us”… Who could it be? Come Sunday and find out… it might be you!! Love and Blessings, PM
So Sunday night I preached a message from a tough portion of scripture – 1 Samuel 15. In this passage, amongst other things, we have God telling King Saul to go and totally obliterate an entire people group, the Amalekites. When Saul fails to obey fully, Samuel finishes the job by hacking the opposing Amalekite king to death! What the hack, er, heck!?
I’ve always had a difficult time with that passage, because it’s hard to reconcile such a gratuitous act with a loving God. I shared my thoughts on this Sunday night, but here’s a quick recap:
1. The Amalekites were a war-like nation that didn’t fight their opponent. They raided them at moments of vulnerability with guerilla tactics and looted possessions. This is exactly what they did to the children of Israel as they were leaving Egypt on their way to the Promised Land. God promised then to deal with the Amalekites and in 1 Samuel we see that promise come to fruition.
2. There were hundreds of years between that first raid on the fleeing Israelites and this final defeat. The scripture does not share this, but I would imagine God dealt graciously with them and sent them prophets to warn them of their impending judgement and gave them ample time and opportunity to repent. Remember Ninevah in the book of Jonah? They too were the enemies of Israel and God sent Jonah to share with them a message of repentance, which they accepted, and God spared them. So, it’s safe to assume God probably did the same for the Amalekites… which they obviously refused.
3. What would you do if the doctor told you cancer was in your body? Would you be content to remove some of it? Of course not! You would, as anyone would, want to remove it all so it couldn’t spread and infect any other area of your body. Well, likewise, the Amalekites were a cancer. They were spreading their infectious way of life and it was eating away at the people of God. So, like a skilled surgeon, God made the difficult decision to operate and remove all of the cancer no matter how difficult or devastating it may be.
I realize these observations do not reconcile completely this difficult passages (at least not for me), but, in the end, God is God. He’s allowed to do what he wants, and honestly, he doesn’t owe us an explanation! (That’s not an easy truth either, I know.)
Anyways, the point of the message was to draw out the reality that we all have “Amalekites” in our lives. The Amalekites harassed the children of Israel from the moment they left bondage in Egypt. Saul was tasked with destroying them, and instead, he kept the king alive and the best of all the livestock. This wouldn’t have been a bad thing but, as harsh as it may have been, those were not the instructions of God.
So, Saul compromised, he settled, he negotiated and he failed in his assignment. You wouldn’t get confession from him though. We actually see him building a monument to himself after “his victory.” And that’s the root problem – Pride. Saul didn’t obey God completely because Saul failed to remove himself from the equation. Once Samuel confronted Saul, the excuses begin to pour out, “the people took them…”, “I was going to sacrifice them…” Samuel just shook his head and said, “Obedience is better than sacrifice.” Here’s the problem, we’re no different. We have struggles in our lives, and instead of ridding ourselves of them, we hold on to them, and then when we’re finally confronted with the reality of our sin, we make excuses as to why we’re justified in our sinful actions.
Back to what Samuel said, “Obedience is better than sacrifice.” Why? Because like the hypocrites of the gospels, sacrifice is often time accompanied with prideful motives, which in essence makes null and void the sacrifice. However, if we fully obey God, we remove ourselves out of the equation and in so doing remove the issue of pride as well. Not only that, but full obedience to the Lord will, without doubt, always involves sacrifice. So sacrifice without obedience can be contaminated with pride and impure motives. But, total obedience cannot be without sacrifice and the removal of pride. So, that’s why.
In the end, Samuel hacks the Amalekite king to pieces. Ouch and gross, but good lesson for us. We don’t have to struggle with the “Amalekites” in our lives. If we can get to the place of total obedience, do what God tells us to do, there will be no struggle because the struggle will be over! And, if we have to get radical and drastic and extreme in order to conquer the “Amalekites” in our own lives, then that’s what he have to do!
Hey Guys! Just a reminder, this Sunday night, August 14, is a game night across the street at the St. Pete Christian Gym. We will begin at our normal time of 6:30 PM. Drinks and pizza will be provided! Bring a friend, game nights are always tons of fun. See ya Sunday! Blessings, PM.
Hey guys… I’m excited for tonight’s Gathering for several reasons:
1. I get to hang out with you guys! I can’t thank God enough for each and everyone of you… We don’t get to spend enough time together, so just know how much I value each of you! You’re all blessings in my life and in my family’s life!
2. Worship time! I love to worship with you guys! God has blessed us with talented people who are in love with God who also love to facilitate His presence during worship. I believe so much can happen in your life during times of corporate worship… its not about who’s playing, what’s being played, or anything of this earth – it’s all about us pressing in together, seeking God’s face in the midst of all the other distractions of life. I look forward to pressing in tonight with you!
3. Tonight I’m talking about Spiritual Heritage. This is a word the Lord gave me months ago… I shared a bit of it in Ireland, but even since then the Lord has dealt with me more concerning our spiritual heritage. I’m excited to share this word tonight because I believe the Lord wants us to claim what is ours based on our relationship with him! No, I’m not talking about “name it claim it”, but I am talking about living with the understanding that we have a father in heaven, living in faith and without fear, and living with a destination in mind…
Hey Guys! I’m excited to announce next Sunday, July 24, comedian Jonnie Wethington will be joining us in The Gathering! Not only is he hilarious, but he’s also a college pastor in Tennessee. So you’ll laugh, but you will also be challenged with the word of God. I hope you can make it, I hope you can bring a friend… it’s going to be awesome!
Don’t forget guys, next Tuesday night, July 19, we are meeting at Airheads in Tampa at 7 PM. The cost is $10 at the door. Make sure you fill out the waiver this Sunday at The Gathering and leave it with me. If you need a ride, meet at the church at 6:30 PM. Contact me and let me know if you need a ride, 727.504.0888. Thanks! PM
All I can say is… WOW! God is so good. My wife said it best, “This was the best trip I’ve been on…” Our trip to Ireland this year really was amazing. God used each of our team members in very simple, but profound ways. We were all extremely blessed to be a part of what God is doing in Ireland. Such a strong presence, sincere love, and a hunger amongst the body of Christ.
Pastor James did an amazing job running the pre-teen services each night, Ben and Christian did phenomenal helping with the sports camp and pre-teens each day and night. Viet, oh my Viet (Zen)! How that man has grown in the Lord! It blessed me tremendously to see his spiritual growth, his zeal, his knowledge of the word of God and his leadership. He has grown so much and God is still doing an amazing work in his life! Jen and I were used in unexpected ways as we were able to share not only our testimony, but also God’s heart for purity amongst his children. From those talks we were able to minister one on one with lots of individuals. We walked alway from this trip with not only a hope, but with the evidence that our ministry made a difference. Jen also had an impromptu opportunity to speak and she did an amazing job. It was so incredible having the opportunity to minister along side my wife!
It was a real blessing reconnecting with our Irish friends from last year and building some new relationships that hopefully will continue to grow as the years go by. Jen and I were so excited to sit under the ministry of Gary Wilkerson, Nick Cassidy, and Carter Conlon. Three men of God who have walked it out and speak with an authenticity and from a place of prayer. It was so refreshing. And of course, my time, although short, with Pastor John Bailey was just what I needed. He has no idea what he means to me, and to countless others, but I cherish the time we had. Got to play a bit of soccer with the lads. Although our team didn’t advance, we held our own and under different circumstances things may have been different… we’ll just leave it at that! Ireland will be in my prayers and I simply cannot wait to see all that God has for that island!! See you all next year! P. Mat
Hey guys! Here’s our first Ireland update… it’s brief because other than travel and meet we haven’t got to the fun stuff yet… keep praying and we’ll keep you all informed with what’s happening! God Bless! PM
Hey Guys! I’m excited to announce next Sunday, July 24, comedian 
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