Anderson Hills

As we look towards investing in our spiritual growth and living exponentially for God, there are two questions that we should wrestle with: how would your life change knowing that everything belongs to God and how would your life change knowing you will give an account to God for what you do? When we begin to see ourselves as kingdom investors rather than earthly spenders, it changes us and exponentially grows heaven. Knowing that everything belongs to God and that we are responsible for what we do with all we’ve been given pushes us toward holding nothing back from God. All we have can be used for God’s glory and kingdom growth.

We all have dreams and hopes for our lives. We start out thinking big and expect great results, and then when things don’t go as expected, we pull back, down-size, settle for less. We often do that with our expectations of God, too. We pray and ask for big things, and then over time when we do not see results, we down-size our expectations. When it comes to faith, we need to remember that just because we don’t see anything doesn’t mean that God isn’t doing something. We tend to think addition. We hope to add something to further the kingdom. We hope that God will bless us—just a little. But God doesn’t think like we do. He thinks multiplication. He takes a small seed planted in faith and multiplies it exponentially.

We all have dreams and hopes for our lives. We start out thinking big and expect great results, and then when things don’t go as expected, we pull back, down-size, settle for less. We often do that with our expectations of God, too. We pray and ask for big things, and then over time when we do not see results, we down-size our expectations. When it comes to faith, we need to remember that just because we don’t see anything doesn’t mean that God isn’t doing something. We tend to think addition. We hope to add something to further the kingdom. We hope that God will bless us—just a little. But God doesn’t think like we do. He thinks multiplication. He takes a small seed planted in faith and multiplies it exponentially.

It is amazing how many things happen as a result of being in the right place at the right time. When our plans fail, it’s the unexpected circumstance or encounter that becomes the catalyst for propelling us into a new and better place. God’s Word tells us that being faster, stronger and wiser does not automatically make you a winner in life. It is actually being at the right place at the right time with the right response that causes you to receive a blessing and to be a blessing. Jesus said that He only does what He sees the Father doing. When you join where the Lord is working, how He is moving and what He is blessing, He puts you in the right place at the right time

As we reflect on what we accomplished as a church in 2018 and make plans for 2019, we need to consider the two-fold mission of the Church: helping people find Jesus and helping followers grow in their faith. All that we do needs to be measured against these two biblical charges. In 2019, we want to do all we can to fan the flames of revival here at Anderson Hills, making ourselves available to God to be used for exponential kingdom growth.

As we reflect on what we accomplished as a church in 2018 and make plans for 2019, we need to consider the two-fold mission of the Church: helping people find Jesus and helping followers grow in their faith. All that we do needs to be measured against these two biblical charges. In 2019, we want to do all we can to fan the flames of revival here at Anderson Hills, making ourselves available to God to be used for exponential kingdom growth.

It is easy to get distracted in our world. Busyness is a modern illness from which many of us suffer. Rest is its opposite and one of the things the Lord came to offer. We tend to get caught up in the false belief that we prove our worth through what we do, whether it’s “doing” for our family, for ourselves, or even for God. In this doing mode, we often become physically, mentally and spiritually tired. Jesus is the only one who can give rest to our souls. If your soul is in turmoil, tired, exhausted and heavy laden, remember that Jesus came to give you rest. You will not find rest when you get married, when your kids are grown, or when your bank account gets bigger. You need to put your burdens in Jesus’ hands.

The Jewish people understood that the promised Messiah would come to save them—but not the way that Jesus did. They firmly believed that the Messiah would be a strong and glorious earthly king who would deliver them from their Roman oppressors to be a great, independent Jewish kingdom. The Jews expected a conquering savior, but Jesus came as a spiritual Savior. His Hebrew name, Yeshua, means "the Lord Saves." He is called the Lamb of God, who came to take away the sins of the world and to save all people from the consequences that result from our sinful nature—eternal separation from God. Accepting Jesus as your personal Savior is the most important decision of your life.

The Jewish people understood that the promised Messiah would come to save them—but not the way that Jesus did. They firmly believed that the Messiah would be a strong and glorious earthly king who would deliver them from their Roman oppressors to be a great, independent Jewish kingdom. The Jews expected a conquering savior, but Jesus came as a spiritual Savior. His Hebrew name, Yeshua, means "the Lord Saves." He is called the Lamb of God, who came to take away the sins of the world and to save all people from the consequences that result from our sinful nature—eternal separation from God. Accepting Jesus as your personal Savior is the most important decision of your life.

AHUMC Cantata 2018