A moment of Reflection

It has been on my mind lately that not one of us is perfect. Well, duh, Jeremy. But seriously...time and time again I hear people beat themselves up over past mistakes. It doesn't matter when they made the mistake, or when they came to the faith. They want to drag out sin #496, relive it, and experience the guilt all over again.

As humans, Satan uses our memory as a weapon against us. He makes us believe that we are not good enough, not worthy enough to receive God's grace. And just when we think we've conquered whatever...he reminds us once again. Just a whisper, a thought, maybe an ad on TV or a song on the radio. And so we slide...further away from God's unconditional love.

As a child of God, you have the right, the privilege to be forgiven. Enter the throne room boldly, confess your sins, and let the God of Abraham, Moses, Jacob and David forgive you. Accept the grace that is freely given and go forth renewed. Let God sit on the throne of your life and don't allow Satan the opportunity to bring up the past.

Romans 3:23 -for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

It's more than a little cheesy, but as Beth will tell you...I am the king of cheesy:

Every time Satan reminds you of your past, remind him of his future.

Remember in prayer:

**Josh and Kayci and baby Truitt

**Russell and Jennifer--newlyweds who left us in December. She has a platelet disorder and is undergoing a splenectomy. Russell was to walk at graduation on Saturday from U of H. Pray for healing and a complete recovery. Please pray that God will calm their fears and be with the doctors.

**Sarah and her impending move to Tyler

**Marc and Molly's move to Birmingham, Marc's graduation from Medical School

**David Rose: Graduation and the police academy

**Bill's Graduation from Medical School

**the unspoken needs

**those needs that my brain has momentarily forgotten

I pray for you now. I pray that you will enter the throne-room boldly and lay at the feet of our Saviour your struggles, your fears, your mistakes. And I pray that you will leave them there and be restored. Justified by Grace. Forgiven because He who was without sin was willing to take on the sins of the world: past, present and future; YOUR sins, that you might not perish, but live with Him for eternity.

Amen.

The Jesus That Doesn't Make Sense

The Jesus That Doesn’t Make Sense
Josh Ross, Preaching Minister
Imagine that for a sermon title, or even worse, imagine that on a church marquee—“Come to our church, where we worship the Jesus that makes absolutely no sense.” (Maybe you are appalled that I’m even playing with the idea.) Unfortunately, some of us are under the illusion that Jesus makes complete sense.

Don’t get me wrong, there are simple truths to the gospel, but still, there is something mysterious about Christ—his appearance, his teaching, his actions, and his life that make absolutely no sense to the average American.

For instance, peek through the blinds of a few of these inconceivable, mind-boggling stories. Jesus tells a story about a Shepherd that leaves his 99 sheep in order to embark on a journey to find just 1! In the story, the shepherd doesn’t even leave the 99 in a safe fold, or in a protected barricade, but rather he leaves them “in the country,” while he seeks out just 1 lost sheep. This story makes no sense…or does it? (Be careful not to take the parable too literally; the point isn’t that a shepherd becomes irresponsible, but rather that lost sheep need to be sought out.)

Next story, Jesus encounters a prostitute who interrupts his dinner by pouring perfume on his feet. It isn’t just any ordinary CK1, Red Door, Beautiful, Channel #5, or Happy. This is a perfume worth “a year’s wages.” Wouldn’t an ounce of perfume have accomplished the task? This story makes no sense... or does it?

In Matthew, Jesus tells a parable about a farmer who hires people to come work in his vineyard for one day. Some clocked in early in the morning, some at brunch, some at noon, and others throughout the rest of the day. Then, one group, after being lazy all day, comes and puts in just a few minutes of work. Everybody seems content until payroll time. How could a boss give the same to someone who labored all day that he gives to someone who worked for barely an hour? This story contradicts everything about the boss/employee relationship. This story makes no sense... or does it?

With eyes that have conformed to the American dream, Jesus makes absolutely no sense; at least his actions and teachings don’t. But with eyes that have been surgically repaired by the Holy Spirit of God to see the world through a kingdom lens, the way of Jesus that ‘makes no sense’ becomes our way, for we are to live as people that ‘make no sense’ to the eyes of the world.
The way of Christ means that we touch the lepers and the despised in the world, we kiss the cheeks of the outcasts, we feed the hungry and give water to the thirsty, we hug the brokenhearted, we invest in the sufferings of people…and before we know it…we have become Christ to the world.

Next Meeting: April 22, 2007

Hope everyone enjoyed their Easter. We will be having 242 at the same place (the wonderful Ross house) and same time (5 PM) next Sunday, April 22nd. See you there.

Your 242 Leadership

Christian Community

"Living in Christian community is not all about comfort and convenience; it is all about hard work and sometimes sacrificial giving in order to fulfill therequirements of Christ's command to love one another. Community is about giving yourself entirely to Christ and to your neighbor. In turn and in time, the investment comes back to you tenfold. The Christian life takes commitment, but in the end the yoke of Jesus is easy."
-Randy Frazee (The Connecting Church)

Thoughts?

Josh R.

2nd Meeting: February 25th, 5-7PM

Our next meeting will be on Sunday, Febraury 25th, from 5-7PM, at the home of Josh and Kayci Ross

Directions to House:

From Church-

1. Go west on W. Belfort
2. Left on Chimney Rock
3. 1st left on Benning
4. Left on Gaymoor
5. 3rd home on right (11319 Gaymoor Dr.)

Google Maps: Ross House

Social Gatherings

There have been discussions of game nights, movie nights, group dinners, and nights of unashamed social mayhem. If anyone would like to setup or participate in a casual, unofficial gathering, then feel free to comment on this post and get a discussion started. Peace.

1st Meeting: February 11th, 5-7PM

We will meet for the first time on Sunday, Febraury 11th, from 5-7PM, at the home of Josh and Kayci Ross. We will meet twice a month, on the 2nd and 4th Sunday. We desperately desire for you to participate. It wouldn't be the same without you. We all have so much to learn from one another.

If you have any questions or comments, please call or e-mail Josh at:
713-667-9417
joshross@swcentral.org

If we don't hear from you, then we look forward to seeing you on the 11th. Our prayers go with each and every one of you that you will come to a greater knowledge and understanding of the love of Christ.

Blessings through Christ.


Directions to House:
From Church- go west on W. Belfort
Left on Chimney Rock
1st left on Benning
Left on Gaymoor (3rd home on right)

11319 Gaymoor Dr.
Houston, TX 77035

Google Maps: Ross House