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The Five “C’s” – Pastor Rick Sinclair, March 19, 2008
By Mandee Widrick

Stability is something everyone desires. The world wants answers to their questions and logical reasoning for everything that happens. When the answers aren’t available, sometimes people panic, and look for those answers in all the wrong places. This seeking usually leads downhill and causes further destruction. At that point, the world looks back, even more confused than when they first began their quest of truth.

We’ve been given eyes to see, ears to hear, mouths to speak. We have hands to reach, and feet to go. We have the ability to see those in need and hear their heart’s cry. When we find those people, we can speak hope to the lost and reach out to them. We’ve been equipped by God with all of these abilities…why? To change lives.

1 Peter 3:15 talks about being ready with a defense for our faith, a reason for why we do what we do. I like the translation from the Message: Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you’re living the way you are. It’s put plain and simple. Be ready with an answer when you’re asked.

When you do something to someone, whether it be a spoken offense or an act that another person doesn’t agree with, that person may perhaps expect an apology. But what really is an apology? “Apology” originates from the Greek word, “apologia,” meaning, “a speech in one’s own defense.” It’s more than just saying you’re sorry. It’s actually an account of why we behaved or believed in that particular way. Therefore, we become the apologist, answering for our actions.

There are five “C’s” of an effective apologist for Jesus.

1. Converted – You must have completely given your life over to Christ.
2. Character – Be the individual person that God has made you to be.
3. Content – Know God’s words well enough to provide solid answers.
4. Communication – Learn how to get your point across successfully.
5. Conviction – Keep your heart right with God!

In order to be effective, we first have to make the effort. Shrinking back and never trying won’t bring new life to those around us. There are souls depending on us. The saying, You can’t fail if you don’t try, is so true. You certainly can’t fail if you never make an attempt in the first place. But you can’t win either! If you don’t try, then basically, you’ve already failed. THE WORLD CANNOT FIND JESUS IF YOU DON’T SHARE HIM! You never know what small things may make a difference in a person’s life, so don’t be intimidated. Follow God’s calling on your own life, and He’ll take care of the rest.

We’re totally stoked to have the Julia Marie Band at New Life Christian Church on Saturday, March 22nd @ 7pm, sponsored by 33 Live. Come see one of the US’s top classical guitarists perform with her full band for one night only! From rock to folk to flamenco, Julia Marie, at just 17 years old, is one of the most remarkable phenoms to hit the stage in Jefferson County! She’ll also be making a special guest appearance at 33 Live Wednesday Night on March 19th (7pm), so make sure to invite your friends! Tickets for the Saturday night concert are just $5 (at the door only!). Don’t miss it!

Sowing and Defending Your Inheritance, Part 3 - March 5, 2008
By Mandee Widrick

God says if we are faithful in few things, He will give us charge over many things. He created us to be responsible for what He sends our way. Whether the task be big or small, God never gives us anything that we can’t handle with His help.

Jesus shares a story with His people in Luke 19:11. He tells of three servants that are each given one mina (three months wages) by a king and instructed to invest the money while he is away. The first servant earned ten minas with the one he was given, and when the king returned, the servant was rewarded charge over 10 cities. The second servant earned five minas, and was given charge over 5 cities. The third servant remained with only one mina. When confronted why he did not invest the money, the servant claimed he was afraid. Oops! Wrong answer. The king took the mina away from the third servant and gave it to one who would be responsible for his valuables.

God is asking us to invest our gifts into the areas where He has called us to. It is my desire to be the servant that handled his king’s gift with wisdom and courage, because that servant received a great reward for his faithfulness. Do not disqualify yourself from your inheritance because you are too preoccupied with sin. Satan is just waiting for us to sit back and say it’s too hard to figure out where God wants us. It is the devil’s intention to make sin look easier than following Christ. Are we called to shrink back and make excuses, or are we called to stand up and fight for what belongs to us?

“It’s too hard.” No it’s not.

“I’m too afraid.” Why are you afraid when you have Christ?

“I don’t have time.” Make time!

“I could never do that.” With God, you can do anything.

WE ARE NOT A GENERATION OF EXCUSES!!

If you believe any of those lies from the enemy, then this is why you’re having such a difficult time receiving what God is trying to give you. The blessings are there! And they’re your’s for the taking! Start believing in what God is going to do in your life and you might be surprised at the changes you’ll begin to see. Get out there and start doing things for other people. Share the love of Jesus that He’s put inside of you. Do you want God to do something for you without having to ask Him? Prove that you can do something for someone else without them having to ask YOU! Invest in people! Start with one, and watch that one person turn into 5, then 10, a whole highschool, an entire county! Don’t let your “mina” sit dormant because you weren’t willing to step out and make a difference. Nehemiah 4:16 says the people worked with a sword in one hand and a trowel (small hand-held tool) in the other. The people built a wall with the trowel and defended their work with the sword. Defend the field God has called you to pour your efforts into. A trowel in one hand, a sword in the other. Build. Then defend.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THIS PODCAST!

Being Tricked Out of Your Inheritance, Part 2 - February 27, 2008
By Mandee Widrick

It doesn’t feel good when you find out someone has taken advantage of you. When they step in the way, trick you, belittle you, and all for their own benefit. And what feels even worse, is when you realize you actually allowed that person the authority to have control. It’s an “ouch” when we finally see that it never would have happened in the first place if we’d just stepped up to the plate and said…“No.”

The decisions we make today will be the repercussions of tomorrow. Hold that thought for one second and take a look at the definition of REPERCUSSION: “An unintended consequence occuring some time after an event or action, especially an unwelcome one.”

Read the story of Jacob and Esau. In Genesis 25:29 it says: “One day Jacob was boiling a pot of vegetable soup. Esau came in from hunting in the fields, weak from hunger. So Esau said to Jacob, ‘Let me eat some of that soup, because I am weak with hunger.’ But Jacob said, ‘You must first sell me your rights as the firstborn son.’ ” Esau agreed, giving away his rightful inheritance from their father, just for a bowl of soup!! Fast forward to Genesis 27:35 where Isaac and Esau discover that Jacob has fooled them both: “But Isaac said, ‘Your brother came and tricked me. He has taken your blessing.’ Esau said…’He took my share of everything you own, and now he has taken away my blessing.’ ”

Jacob got in the way and took what belonged to Esau. Unfortunately, Esau enabled him to do so, all by his initial act of trading his birthrights away for something as petty as soup.

Don’t trade away your God-given inheritance!

Satan can only succeed in making us miss out on what God has for us when he’s able to partner with someone who gives him authority. Don’t give him that chance! God gives us the authority to say no to the enemy. NO to sin. NO to the lies. NO to giving in. “No” is the key word here! We all have hopes, dreams and ideas that God has put inside of us. Satan is battling to put a stop to every plan God has for you. Satan is the ultimate deceiver, the king of all tricksters. DO NOT BE FOOLED!

2 Samuel 21:1 says, “So David sought the Lord…” Why? Because decisions made without first consulting Him are decisions made by us alone! In other words…decisions made hastily without God could have lasting effects, even on generations to come. Put God first in everything you do, and be part of a generation that simply can’t exist without him. Ask God to show you what He has for you. I promise it will be worth the tough times. Be strong, and don’t trade your inheritance for “a bowl of soup.”

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THIS PODCAST!

What Is Your Inheritance? Part One - February 19, 2008
By Mandee Widrick

Do you ever wonder why God has you where you are? What your purpose is? What awaits you in the future? Do you ever feel like your life is headed no where in particular, and you’re just floating around life waiting for something stable and meaningful to pour your heart into? Not knowing where to go next is a tough place to be. So…the question is….

How do we find out?!?!

“Um…we pray…and ask God…”

Ok, great start. HOWEVER! There is so much more to it than just prayer on our part as Christians. The truth is, God has a future for each and every one of us, a future so amazing that we can hardly picture it in our minds. Knowing this, how come we sit around mumbling a whispered prayer here and there while nothing happens?

Because we drag our feet and don’t believe in the inheritance God has placed on our lives.

Why did the people of Israel wander for 40 years, searching for the land that God had promised to them? God gave the Israelites their “Promise Land,” His blessing to those who were faithful to Him. There was only one problem though…His people did not have enough faith to accept that blessing. For 40 years, Moses and the Israelites sat back…intimidated by the people of Jericho who got in the way and scared them off. They did not trust their God to take full control of the situation. God gave them their inheritance and said “I want these good things for you! Take what I have given you!” but they encountered obstacles along the way, and they were not willing to fight for what was rightfully their own. Really, that’s pretty sad.

Fight, fight, fight!! If life was a piece of cake, well, why would we need a God? Fight to receive what God has waiting for you and don’t give up when things start to freak you out. The more you fight, the more results you will see, and the easier it will be to do the hard things. Don’t take the wrong road just because the path looks smooth and like easy travel. God never said it would be easy…but He did say he’d never leave us alone. He wants us to see how simple His plan truly is for us when we just trust…..believe…..and have faith. He’ll come through for us in the tough times. So stick it out and believe in what He is going to do in your life…and don’t forget to look at what He has already done. We are not underdogs to be shoved beneath a rug and tucked away from the world. Stand up for what you believe in and HAVE FAITH.

Let’s get Hell worried.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THIS PODCAST!

Attention 33Live!

If you would like to go to Delta Lake next weekend, Frebruary 29th - March 1st, Please contact Hillary at snarph[at]mac[dot]com.

The cost is $90.00

This is a GREAT conference and I dont think you would want to miss it.

-33Live Web Staff-

Handmade - February 6, 2008
By Mandee Widrick

No two people are alike. Each and every person has been handcrafted by God to have his or her own unique appearance and personality. It’s an unmatched creativity that only God can put into His people.

Kent Murawski, executive director of B.A.S.I.C. college ministries, visited 33Live last night with a powerful message of life. His message was one of a topic that is too often looked upon with silence: abortion.

Since abortion was made legal in 1973, an estimated 50 million babies have been aborted, roughly 4,000 lives a day. I want you to take a moment and let that number sink in. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said: “A time comes when silence is betrayal.” As Dante stated, “The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who in times of great moral crisis maintain their neutrality.” These two quotes alone speak volumes beyond measure. God is asking us to stand up and fight for those who cannot fight back. Are you ready to stand?

When we make something out of our own two hands, it’s something special that we put careful thought, effort, and love into developing. Let’s use a birdhouse as an example. You have built with your own hands a beautiful birdhouse. It’s been handcrafted in a way that no one can identically copy, because it’s unique, like its creator. You then give the birdhouse to the bird because you treasure the life that it will bring into the world. The bird accepts this gift, and lays her eggs inside the birdhouse where they should be safe from harm. Now, imagine that one day while the bird is gone, a thief comes and invades that safe haven you have blessed the bird with. The thief snatches the unborn eggs away and casts them aside to die while the bird does nothing. They have no chance for survival. They cannot fight the inevitable.

This is what happens to that young life that’s just waiting inside its mother. The baby, even unborn, feels a security in the womb, a knowing that it is the safest place to be until the day arrives when he or she is ready to venture out. Abortion invades that safe haven, and steals away the life that is waiting to become someone special.

Kent asked that we join with him in believing for waves of Americans to stand in the largest Pro Life movement ever. See…we can’t just be against something, we must also be FOR something. God has a plan for each and every unborn baby, and His heart breaks every time one of those lives is taken away. Let’s be a generation for saving those unborn lives, for the end of abortion, for the healing of every man and woman involved.

Let’s stand in the gap and start using the voices God has given us. Love on these unwed mothers, fathers, these doctors and nurses, and share with them the compassion that will change lives and save lives. It’s time to stop standing back and expecting others to do it for us. We are God’s chosen ones, so let’s do this thing He’s asking. Don’t betray His people!

Silence is betrayal………………….

We have a new social network for 33Live!

Go to the navigation bar at the top of the site and click on “33Live Network”.

Clicking that will take you to an online social network, where you are able to post on a forum, upload pictures, videos and music. Create your own page where you can have your own profile picture, blog, gadgets, widgets and a place for comments.

We already have members joining, so come and enjoy the fun. Feel free to upload your own pictures onto the site from 33Live or 33Live events. Even create your own topics on the message bored.

Come join 33Live online!

~33Live Web Staff~

33Live has been canceled for todays meeting at 7:00 PM due to bad weather.

Also,  a travel advisory has been announced for Jefferson County with blowing snow, and high winds. 

Try not to drive if possible.  

Enjoy your night home with your family and we will see you next Wednesday at 7:00 PM!  

 -33Live Web Staff- 

Broken Guitars - January 23, 2008
By Mandee Widrick

I sat tonight wondering what title would be appropriate for tonight’s 33Live meeting, with idea after idea flying through my brain. Should I use this one? Nah. That one? Uh uh. Finally after flipping through four pages of scribbled notes taken during the meeting - that I could actually read for once - I settled on “Broken Guitars.” If you missed out on David Lugo’s sermon, you’re probably thinking that sounds a little weird, but now I’ve got your attention, which was the whole idea in the first place.

David was asked by a snowed-in and stranded Christopher to speak tonight….and what a blessing it turned out to be. (Not that Christopher being stranded was a blessing! But you know what I mean.) David opened up tonight with some great verses from Psalms about humbling your heart and leaving your pride behind. Psalms 51:16 (from the Message) reads: “Going through the motions doesn’t please you, a flawless performance is nothing to you. I learned God-worship when my pride was shattered…” Shattered is a frightening term. When I hear it spoken, I think of glass falling to the floor and breaking into a thousand pieces. Why would I want something inside of me to shatter like glass? Hmmmm. Something to think about. We quickly moved on to the next passage where David again challenged us. Psalm 139:23 reads: “Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about…” I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t tell just anyone to examine my life! David pointed out that, yes, it’s a scary thought, but better to know what’s truly in your heart and deal with it, verus let it sit dormant where those things can grow into giants. In his own words (and I loved this analogy): FACE THE GIANTS OF TODAY BECAUSE THEY ARE THE MIDGETS OF TOMORROW! We can overcome those giants! Satan is battling hard for us because he knows what a threat we are to his kingdom of darkness. If we really knew what we were capable of with Jesus, the talents He has put in us, the plans He has for us….we probably would never believe Him. How cool is that? VERY cool.

Brokeness was also a big part of David’s message tonight. A broken and humble heart before the Lord is a heart that is of His own. God is looking for us to be humble and lose our selfish ambitions. If I write because I’m looking to become rich and famous…well…I know that’s not what God is asking of me. Search yourself and see what gifts God has put in you and ask Him how He would have you use those gifts. At the same time, if you know what gifts He’s put in you, and you aren’t using them, it’s not much different than if I use mine for the wrong reasons. Brokeness. Humbleness. God is just waiting for us to step out of the way so He can put us where He wants us. Don’t be afraid to let go and allow God to give you your wings. You’ll be amazed at where you might fly.

Oh yeah. And as for broken guitars? David brought his old guitar with him tonight, and told us its story. The guitar had once been broken at the top, only to be stuck back together with some tough superglue. Unfortunately, because of the guitar’s little mishap, it requires tuning each time David picks it up to play. We are like that guitar. Living our lifesong….waiting for God to play something beautiful out. Along the way, we slip up, break, and allow ourselves to get out of tune. God’s tune. And each time He lovingly picks us back up, and tunes us back to His song…but only if we’re broken…..humble….and willing to be part of His song.

~Mandee~