The orchid is one of the most beautiful flowers, but it grows out of an environment of fungus. It is a mystery of science how something of such beauty can grow out of something so ugly. In England after world war two, new species of plants began to bloom out of the desolation of war and the bombing that London endured. These seeds had always layed dormant in the soil, but they were not discovered until after the harsh conditions brought about by war. God knows what it takes in order to bring beauty into existence. What seed are hidden within us that adversity will bring forth? The adversity that our church is currently going through, will produce a beautiful growth that will move us to the place where God wants us. Whatever the storm might bring, the ark of God is capable of enduring it. Ideal conditions are not usually ideal for growth. It takes a turning of the earth and an upheaval of the environment to produce real growth. Spiritual greatness does not come from easy times, it comes from facing adversity. When the waters began to fall and the water began to rise the earth perished, but not all of them . The God built men and the God built ark rose above the waters and were saved. The waters overcame everything except the ark. The more it rained and the higher the waters got, the higher the ark got. The more that comes against us, the more we will be raised up by God. What buried others, raised the ark higher. The waters not only lifted the ark, but it moved it. That is what this storm has done to us. It has forced us to move to a new location. It does not matter where we are, we can worship God just the same. We do not have to have a particular building, we only need His presence. Our second text says the the in the face of mounting pressure, the children of Israel multiplied. God protects his People. Trouble can sink us or save us. When we are God built, it does not matter the rain or the pressure, God will rise above it. God's people will survive and rise as the water rises. Whatever happens, it will turn out for the good. We can withstand anything when we are God built. What can keep us down, when God is trying to raise us up?

The orchid is one of the most beautiful flowers, but it grows out of an environment of fungus. It is a mystery of science how something of such beauty can grow out of something so ugly. In England after world war two, new species of plants began to bloom out of the desolation of war and the bombing that London endured. These seeds had always layed dormant in the soil, but they were not discovered until after the harsh conditions brought about by war. God knows what it takes in order to bring beauty into existence. What seed are hidden within us that adversity will bring forth? The adversity that our church is currently going through, will produce a beautiful growth that will move us to the place where God wants us. Whatever the storm might bring, the ark of God is capable of enduring it. Ideal conditions are not usually ideal for growth. It takes a turning of the earth and an upheaval of the environment to produce real growth. Spiritual greatness does not come from easy times, it comes from facing adversity. When the waters began to fall and the water began to rise the earth perished, but not all of them . The God built men and the God built ark rose above the waters and were saved. The waters overcame everything except the ark. The more it rained and the higher the waters got, the higher the ark got. The more that comes against us, the more we will be raised up by God. What buried others, raised the ark higher. The waters not only lifted the ark, but it moved it. That is what this storm has done to us. It has forced us to move to a new location. It does not matter where we are, we can worship God just the same. We do not have to have a particular building, we only need His presence. Our second text says the the in the face of mounting pressure, the children of Israel multiplied. God protects his People. Trouble can sink us or save us. When we are God built, it does not matter the rain or the pressure, God will rise above it. God's people will survive and rise as the water rises. Whatever happens, it will turn out for the good. We can withstand anything when we are God built. What can keep us down, when God is trying to raise us up?

On May 12, 2015 a thunder storm in the Houston area produced heavy rain fall. Our church building was damaged by flood waters. For the first time in 22 years of pastoring, Greater Life church was unable to have service in our own facility. Life changes quickly and unexpectedly. Things happen in a moment that can be devastating. We may hve been surprised by these event, but God is not. There are no accidents with God, only appointments. We are not a victim of chance, because God's hands are in everything. Our text says "I know the plans I have for you." Some would look at the events and see defeat, but God sees an opportunity. Often we pray for God to move, but we do not expect the path that God will take to make that move. The flooding of our church building can be described as a disaster, but God has a plan He knows what He is doing. We must look at our "troubles" and see the divine hand of God and know that He has a plan. He knows the way that we take. Before the storm clouds gathered over our city, God knew what was to come and the end that He has in mind. God's plans always require faith. We cannot understand His operation with the human mind. We must not get lost in the process and trust that God knows. God's plans trump all other plans; even the devil's. God plan has an end; a good end. We will be better, stronger, more caring and wiser when His plan is done. God’s plan will be fulfilled and when we reach the end, we will say Thank you Lord for the blessing us. Here is what we need to do: Pray, Work, continue to support the work, and find out where we fit into The God Project.

On May 12, 2015 a thunder storm in the Houston area produced heavy rain fall. Our church building was damaged by flood waters. For the first time in 22 years of pastoring, Greater Life church was unable to have service in our own facility. Life changes quickly and unexpectedly. Things happen in a moment that can be devastating. We may hve been surprised by these event, but God is not. There are no accidents with God, only appointments. We are not a victim of chance, because God's hands are in everything. Our text says "I know the plans I have for you." Some would look at the events and see defeat, but God sees an opportunity. Often we pray for God to move, but we do not expect the path that God will take to make that move. The flooding of our church building can be described as a disaster, but God has a plan He knows what He is doing. We must look at our "troubles" and see the divine hand of God and know that He has a plan. He knows the way that we take. Before the storm clouds gathered over our city, God knew what was to come and the end that He has in mind. God's plans always require faith. We cannot understand His operation with the human mind. We must not get lost in the process and trust that God knows. God's plans trump all other plans; even the devil's. God plan has an end; a good end. We will be better, stronger, more caring and wiser when His plan is done. God’s plan will be fulfilled and when we reach the end, we will say Thank you Lord for the blessing us. Here is what we need to do: Pray, Work, continue to support the work, and find out where we fit into The God Project.

Over the years the expectations of mother's have changed. Times changing do not change the need for woman to understand the important role thy play in life. Their influence is greater than any other influence in the world. Our text paints a rather different picture of motherhood than does our world. This is God's standard, and God's standard does not change based on the worlds opinion. The woman described in our text is priceless. She is trustworthy, creative, and proactive. The woman described may be of different vocations, but there is a common thread that runs through out. What is described all begins on the inside. What is outside can change and beauty will fade. What is inside will last. The bible describes a knowledge and wisdom that would shine through to the outside. Two words sum up the character of this women and they are found in verse 25: Strength and Dignity. She is not just a strong woman, but a woman of strength. The strong woman may be physically strong, but a women of strength is spiritually strong. Proverbs 31 is the blue print for the mother that is clothed with dignity.

Over the years the expectations of mother's have changed. Times changing do not change the need for woman to understand the important role thy play in life. Their influence is greater than any other influence in the world. Our text paints a rather different picture of motherhood than does our world. This is God's standard, and God's standard does not change based on the worlds opinion. The woman described in our text is priceless. She is trustworthy, creative, and proactive. The woman described may be of different vocations, but there is a common thread that runs through out. What is described all begins on the inside. What is outside can change and beauty will fade. What is inside will last. The bible describes a knowledge and wisdom that would shine through to the outside. Two words sum up the character of this women and they are found in verse 25: Strength and Dignity. She is not just a strong woman, but a woman of strength. The strong woman may be physically strong, but a women of strength is spiritually strong. Proverbs 31 is the blue print for the mother that is clothed with dignity.

We can read about Joseph's life and learn something every time it is read. His story and life are epic. Joseph did not see the road that he would have to travel to see his dream fulfilled. Yet he traveled it. Life turns every person upside down at some point. None will escape the ups and downs of life. In our text are the extremes of life: Good and Evil. Man's life plays out between those two. One of these will weave the garment of his character. Joseph suffered much evil in his life. Joseph understood that the very things that his brothers meant for evil, God meant for good. If there is anything that Joseph learned in his life, he learned that we can never go where God is not. No matter where we go, God is already there. Joseph learned that in the well waiting to die, on the auction block, in Pottifer's house, or in prison, God was there. No matter where he was, God blessed him. Joseph's life demonstrates that a dream may define our destiny, but it does not reveal the path to get there. The word meant in our text comes from the root word that means to weave. Evil will try to weave a garment of sorrow, meanness, hardness and destruction. God can take the same threads, and weave them into a garment of praise. We do not get to choose the treads in our life, but we do get to choose who gets to weave them. When we get God to do the weaving, we can say as Paul did: "All things work together for the good of those who love God." He did not say EACH thing, he said ALL things. If we allow all the parts of our life to work together, we find the good end. Like the ingredients of a cake, everything comes together for something good. The individual ingredients may not be tasty, but when the all work together, we get something that is. The outcome of Joseph's life was the result of choices that he made on this journey to his dream. He could have become bitter, mean and hard. He could have let vengeance rule his life. If he had, his outcome would have been very different. We can learn from Joseph's life. First in verse 17 he asks: "am I God?" He learned that he could not play God. It was not up to him to explain and understand everything in life. We do not have the vision that God does. We do not know what He knows, and how it all works together. Secondly, Joseph put himself into God's hand from the beginning and he kept himself there. The only way he could have survived the things that happened to him, was to leave his life God's hands. Joseph regarded everything that happened to him as coming from God. Thirdly Joseph never let his circumstances define him. He was a slave, a prisoner, and in charge of Pharaoh's kingdom. But more importantly, he was a child of God. We are not what our problems are. We are not alcoholics, drug addicts or failures, we are children of God. Do not sell out life to the moment, because the moments change. Joseph did not give into short term thinking. Forth, Joseph learned to make the best of the moment. He went to Pottifer's house as a slave, but his attitude soon elevated him to high places. Everywhere he went, he was blessed, because he applied himself and tried to do good. He stayed busy and active no matter where he was, and God blessed him. He did what he could where he could. Finally Joseph did not let what people did to him cause him to lose sight of that God was doing through him. If we are not careful we can get so caught up in people that we miss what God is doing. God can re-weave whatever man has woven.

We can read about Joseph's life and learn something every time it is read. His story and life are epic. Joseph did not see the road that he would have to travel to see his dream fulfilled. Yet he traveled it. Life turns every person upside down at some point. None will escape the ups and downs of life. In our text are the extremes of life: Good and Evil. Man's life plays out between those two. One of these will weave the garment of his character. Joseph suffered much evil in his life. Joseph understood that the very things that his brothers meant for evil, God meant for good. If there is anything that Joseph learned in his life, he learned that we can never go where God is not. No matter where we go, God is already there. Joseph learned that in the well waiting to die, on the auction block, in Pottifer's house, or in prison, God was there. No matter where he was, God blessed him. Joseph's life demonstrates that a dream may define our destiny, but it does not reveal the path to get there. The word meant in our text comes from the root word that means to weave. Evil will try to weave a garment of sorrow, meanness, hardness and destruction. God can take the same threads, and weave them into a garment of praise. We do not get to choose the treads in our life, but we do get to choose who gets to weave them. When we get God to do the weaving, we can say as Paul did: "All things work together for the good of those who love God." He did not say EACH thing, he said ALL things. If we allow all the parts of our life to work together, we find the good end. Like the ingredients of a cake, everything comes together for something good. The individual ingredients may not be tasty, but when the all work together, we get something that is. The outcome of Joseph's life was the result of choices that he made on this journey to his dream. He could have become bitter, mean and hard. He could have let vengeance rule his life. If he had, his outcome would have been very different. We can learn from Joseph's life. First in verse 17 he asks: "am I God?" He learned that he could not play God. It was not up to him to explain and understand everything in life. We do not have the vision that God does. We do not know what He knows, and how it all works together. Secondly, Joseph put himself into God's hand from the beginning and he kept himself there. The only way he could have survived the things that happened to him, was to leave his life God's hands. Joseph regarded everything that happened to him as coming from God. Thirdly Joseph never let his circumstances define him. He was a slave, a prisoner, and in charge of Pharaoh's kingdom. But more importantly, he was a child of God. We are not what our problems are. We are not alcoholics, drug addicts or failures, we are children of God. Do not sell out life to the moment, because the moments change. Joseph did not give into short term thinking. Forth, Joseph learned to make the best of the moment. He went to Pottifer's house as a slave, but his attitude soon elevated him to high places. Everywhere he went, he was blessed, because he applied himself and tried to do good. He stayed busy and active no matter where he was, and God blessed him. He did what he could where he could. Finally Joseph did not let what people did to him cause him to lose sight of that God was doing through him. If we are not careful we can get so caught up in people that we miss what God is doing. God can re-weave whatever man has woven.

None of us got to where we are by our selves. There are people in each of our lives that have invested in us. These people poured things into our life that we needed to become who we are. Who we are is a result of the sacrifice and work of our parents, pastors, Sunday school teacher and countless others. Because of the life that these people who lived before us, we have example of how to live for God. The reason that we are here is because someone stood in the gap and pointed us in the right direction. This is sobering allows us to reflect and be grateful for these people. The next question is, are we going to be that for some one else? Paul was a life that was turned around. He was keenly aware that he was in debt to a Lord that loved him when he was unlovable. His life was not one that was easy. He suffered imprisonment, beatings, shipwrecks and many other things in his life. No matter what happened, he felt that we owed that and much more because of the debt he owed. We are all in debt as was Paul. Not only are we in debt to the people who touched our life, but we are in greater debt the word of God which should govern our life. We have a debt not only to those who came before, but to those that come after us to pass that same debt to them. We have been given too much to go back on what the bible promises us. We have an obligation to our children and to those that are lost to teach them the gospel of Jesus Christ and to live a life of scriptural principles.

None of us got to where we are by our selves. There are people in each of our lives that have invested in us. These people poured things into our life that we needed to become who we are. Who we are is a result of the sacrifice and work of our parents, pastors, Sunday school teacher and countless others. Because of the life that these people who lived before us, we have example of how to live for God. The reason that we are here is because someone stood in the gap and pointed us in the right direction. This is sobering allows us to reflect and be grateful for these people. The next question is, are we going to be that for some one else? Paul was a life that was turned around. He was keenly aware that he was in debt to a Lord that loved him when he was unlovable. His life was not one that was easy. He suffered imprisonment, beatings, shipwrecks and many other things in his life. No matter what happened, he felt that we owed that and much more because of the debt he owed. We are all in debt as was Paul. Not only are we in debt to the people who touched our life, but we are in greater debt the word of God which should govern our life. We have a debt not only to those who came before, but to those that come after us to pass that same debt to them. We have been given too much to go back on what the bible promises us. We have an obligation to our children and to those that are lost to teach them the gospel of Jesus Christ and to live a life of scriptural principles.