October/25/ 2020 Filed in:
Storm_StoriesJob’s Storm
Job 1:1-19 NIV “In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. 2 He had seven sons and three daughters, 3 and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East. 4 His sons used to hold feasts in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.
6 One day the angels[a] came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan[b] also came with them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.” 8 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” 9 “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. 10 “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11 But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.” 12 The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. 13 One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, 15 and the Sabeans attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!” 16 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The fire of God fell from the heavens and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!” 17 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!” 18 While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 19 when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
Job 1:22 NASB “In all this Job did not sin or blame God.”
Four comparisons between Job’s storm and our own:
- The storm was a TRAGEDY.
Job 1:3 NIV “…He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.”
2. The storm was a TEST.
a. Your PATIENCE
Job 7:4 NIV “When I lie down I think, ‘How long before I get up?’ The night drags on, and I toss and turn until dawn.”
b. Your RELATIONSHIPS
c. Your CHARACTER
Proverbs 24:10 NIV “If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength!”
d. Your FAITH
Job 13:15 KJV “Though he slay me, yet I will trust Him…”
3. The storm was TEMPORARY.
Psalm 30:5 NKJV “Weeping may endure for the night, but JOY COMES IN THE MORNING”
Job 42:10 NIV “…the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.”
4. The storm became a TESTIMONY.
Job 42:11 NIV “All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him at his house…”
Job’s biggest TEST became his greatest TESTIMONY.
October/18/ 2020 Filed in:
Family MomentsRestored Relationships
Robert Miller
- Past performance does not guaranty future results
2 Corinthians 5:16-19 NLT 16 So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! 17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.
- God sees you somewhere in the future, and you look a lot better than you do right now
Psalm 139:13-17 NLT
13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
16 You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.
17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
They cannot be numbered!
- There’s a purpose to your story
John 13:34-35 NIV 34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” October/04/ 2020 Filed in:
Family MomentsIntentional Living
Pastor Joey Alcala
“The ‘occasionally remarkable’ moments shouldn’t be left to chance! They should be planned for, invested in.“ — Dan & Chip Heath
Matthew 25:14-30 (NIV) ““Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
Manager: a person who conducts business or household affairs
Stewardship: the conducting, supervising, or managing of something especially: the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care
It’s all His and we get to manage.
Psalm 24:1 (ESV) “The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein.”
I Corinthians 6:19-20 (ESV) "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”
John 5:19 (NIV) Jesus gave them this answer: "Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
Alcala Affirmations
- I know People Matter to God, so they will matter to me
- I have favor with God and Man
- I have been given great wisdom & find success in everything I touch
- I judged myself by my actions not my intentions
- I finish what I start
- I am not afraid of failure only afraid of not trying
- I have unwavering faith & give extraordinary effort
- I build the kingdom & am blessed to be a blessing
- I speak the truth in love
- I make decisions that please God
- I continue to grow & do not quit
- I am a fearless leader
- I am more than a conqueror
- I am above and not below
- I am the head not the tail
- I am fearfully and wonderfully made
- I am a His beloved and I am a messenger of His Grace
- I am Called, I am Chosen & I am Loved
- I am an Alcala
It’s all His and we get to manage.
