Think on Truth

     It is so much fun to be able to share some Truth that God can use to encourage as well as affect the lives of the folks at Christ in the Park in their day to day living.  And this Sunday we started a look at the great verse in Philippians where God gives eight (8) “things” to THINK ON.  This is a very interesting proposition…  Each week we will look at one.

     It is not surprising God begins by telling us to be thinking “on truth.”  Without Truth (Jesus) there is no Life.  Everything else is a lie.  Everything else can bring death to the situation.

     We discussed how Truth can not only improve their lives, but also bring God’s power into their issues. 

     There was one person in attendance that has not been in quite a while, needing God to bring His power into their life.  I can’t share a name, but let me ask you to pray for that priceless victory from the unfathomable riches of God’s grace for this person.  God is the God of miracles.  They need one.

     Well, you can see how important your prayers are, and the support you give this ministry.  May the Lord pour out His grace on you also.

To receive each post to this blog, go to www.christinthepark.blogspot.com and register in top right corner.  Follow instructions to start getting an email of each post.  To look at ALL posts, look at LOG of posts on blogsite.

Christ in the Park ministry

a ministry of

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

(email) leemccm@gmail.com

(blog) christinthepark.blogspot.com 

(Facebook) Christ In The Park

P.O. Box 633244   Nacogdoches, TX 75963              936-559-5696

God has a plan

     God always has a plan.  Isn’t that wonderful!  He tells us in several places in the Bible that “man makes plans, but God directs our steps.”  When something happens unexpectedly from our plans I always remember our friend Michael Wells’ statement: “God permits what He could prevent, and He prevents what He could permit.”  Nothing happens without the hand of God on it…one way or the other.

     Two things changed directions for me this weekend.  One I will share here, the other I will share on my personal ministry blog: leemccmviews.blogspot.com

     What I will share here: today at Christ In The Park we were having one discussion, then the whole thing changed to another.  And it did so because of who was there, and who was not.  That in itself is always interesting each Sunday!  The end result today was that God took our thoughts and words to a discussion on bible texts, translations, and word meanings.  There was no end to the discussion, which is perfectly fine.  But, one thing is certain, every Christian I have ever known who really is interested in communicating with God has a desire to hold in their hands THE Word of God (written) and to speak to & hear from The Word (Christ) of God.  So, it is important that all Believers do due diligence to search for Well, amen.

     The temperatures have been very warm.  The fellowship just as warm.  Thanks to God’s presence each and every Sunday.

     p.s. be sure to go to the “views” blogspot…I promise you it will be a huge blessing for you!  And besides, I will give you some info on a prayer need I want to share with you and ask you to share with as many as you can.

To receive each post to this blog, go to www.christinthepark.blogspot.com and register in top right corner.  Follow instructions to start getting an email of each post.  To look at ALL posts, look at LOG of posts on blogsite.

Christ in the Park ministry

a ministry of

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

(email) leemccm@gmail.com

(blog) christinthepark.blogspot.com 

(Facebook) Christ In The Park

P.O. Box 633244   Nacogdoches, TX 75963              936-559-5696

Every CitP participant a minister

What a great day for gathering in the park…cooler, comfortable weather with a nice breeze.  And warm fellowship sharing Christ with each other.

This is the handout from Christ in the Park this morning.  Does it speak to you?

Every Christ In The Park participant a minister

2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”

Our God is the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.

He comforts us in all our tribulation.

So that we may be able to comfort others who are in any trouble…

Every one of us has been comforted by God, or experienced His mercy.  We now are ministers with a ministry to go tell someone else how they can experience the same from God.  It begins with recognizing and accepting that YOU are a minister according to God.

Go share!

     Moving forward we are challenging ourselves to “be” ministers and be accountable.     We discussed that each Sunday we will give an account of how we have been “ministers” in sharing the mercy and comfort God has given us…that we shared with someone God brought across our path that needed His mercy or comfort.

     Pray for these folks to become MINISTERS of God’s mercy and comfort!

To receive each post to this blog, go to www.christinthepark.blogspot.com and register in top right corner.  Follow instructions to start getting an email of each post.  To look at ALL posts, look at LOG of posts on blogsite.

Christ in the Park ministry

a ministry of

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

(email) leemccm@gmail.com

(blog) christinthepark.blogspot.com 

(Facebook) Christ In The Park

P.O. Box 633244   Nacogdoches, TX 75963              936-559-5696

CitP 3rd Anniversary!

     It was a beautiful morning at Festival Park in downtown Nacogdoches, and it was the 3^rd anniversary of Christ In The Park.  Wow!  3 years of lifting up Christ in this public setting.  And as usual, the diversity of participants was one of the most beautiful aspects of this celebration.

     This was an excellent day to talk about three things “we must do” in our walk with God.  (It is not very often that we use that phrase!)…

BELIEVE GOD, TRUST GOD, EXPECT GOD to…

Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.”

     It is a must that every time we read a verse the first thing WE MUST DO is BELIEVE GOD.  God has said it, we must believe it (Him).  Period.

     The second thing WE MUST DO is TRUST GOD.  Trust Him with all our heart.  The “heart” is the mind, emotions, and will acting together.  For Christians, we get to operate in Christ’s Mind, with His emotions, and His will to lead us.  We must trust God with these three in agreement.  What we don’t do is lean on our understanding in our natural mind.

     The third thing WE MUST DO is EXPECT GOD TO do what He said He would do.  God has said what He would do, we believe Him and trust Him…then expect Him to do it.  Doing the first two, He directs our paths.

     So, God has told us that like THE GOOD SHEPHERD He is, HE WILL DIRECT OUR PATHS.  Believe Him, trust Him, and expect Him to do so.

     See how easy it is to live as one of God’s sheep.

Well, amen!

To receive each post to this blog, go to www.christinthepark.blogspot.com and register in top right corner.  Follow instructions to start getting an email of each post.  To look at ALL posts, look at LOG of posts on blogsite.

Christ in the Park ministry

a ministry of

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

(email) leemccm@gmail.com

(blog) christinthepark.blogspot.com 

(Facebook) Christ In The Park

P.O. Box 633244   Nacogdoches, TX 75963              936-559-5696

summer heat

CitP blog, 8-30-18, summer heat

     Things have been hot and humid at the park the past two Sunday mornings, but a nice breeze made things comfortable and that led to some great fellowship around the tables with iced tea, snacks, and the Word of God.

     One discussion was about the revelation of SELF and the revelation of GOD.  This was an area of thought that few had ever heard of.  It is absolutely encouraging to see the faithfulness of those whose hearts are hungering for a fellowship with God and with other Believers.  These are hungry for God revealing Himself to them, and also His revealing who they truly are.

     This past Sunday we talked about “gathering little by little” and how they could get an idea of having something in hand sometime down the road, instead of letting everything that passes through their hands disappear like a mist in sunlight.  It was a beautiful exchange of ideas, questions, and thinking about what can be.

     Two verses were the focus of this last discussion:

          Proverbs 13:11, “Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labor shall

            increase.”

          Ephesians 4:28, “He that labors, working with his hands, shall so increase as that he shall have to

            give to him that needs.”

One thing I have seen for three years now, these park people are the most giving people.  They may not have much, they share with each other like family.  And they are laborers with their hands.  God once again made a connection these past two weeks.  Well, amen.  Made me think of Michael Wells and Greg Wray and how Christ in the Park got started.  This Sunday is our 3^rd anniversary.

To receive each post to this blog, go to www.christinthepark.blogspot.com and register in top right corner.  Follow instructions to start getting an email of each post.  To look at ALL posts, look at LOG of posts on blogsite.

Christ in the Park ministry

a ministry of

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

(email) leemccm@gmail.com

(blog) christinthepark.blogspot.com 

(Facebook) Christ In The Park

P.O. Box 633244   Nacogdoches, TX 75963              936-559-5696

Inner Peace

There was a somewhat somber mood in our group this morning as a sister of one of the participants passed away Friday from a long illness.  As only God could orchestrate, the topic for discussion was "inner peace," of which our man openly stated he had none of that coming to the park this morning.

But, God spoke to his heart, and to all in attendance, with another look at our verse from the previous week...

Romans 15:13, “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”

I do not know of anyone who does not want PEACE.  Whether that is “world peace” or “inner peace,” all want PEACE.  God promises INNER PEACE for Christians who desire such.  In fact, it is another GIFT He wants to give us.

But, rest assured, it is not anything like “world peace.”  Listen to what Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, MY PEACE I GIVE UNTO YOU : NOT AS THE WORLD GIVETH (capital letters for emphasis), give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).

So, let us focus on 5 things from these two verses:

1.      the God of hope is the one who can fill us with HIS PEACE, if we are “believing.”

2.      it is HIS power that provides His peace.

3.      He gives, not like the world.

4.      Let not our hearts be troubled (agitated, stirred up)

5.      Let not our hearts be afraid (timid, fearful to extent of backing off)

“World peace” is based on circumstances and human beings.  INNER PEACE is based on fellowship with God.  If we are not experiencing INNER PEACE, all must take a look at two things:

1.      am I a child of God?  Once that is settled, we must ask…

2.      what is wrong with my fellowship with God?

With a proper fellowship with God, HE can fill us with all joy and peace if we believe and trust Him.

To receive each post to this blog, go to www.christinthepark.blogspot.com and register in top right corner.  Follow instructions to start getting an email of each post.  To look at ALL posts, look at LOG of posts on blogsite.

Christ in the Park ministry

a ministry of

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

(email) leemccm@gmail.com

(blog) christinthepark.blogspot.com 

(Facebook) Christ In The Park

P.O. Box 633244   Nacogdoches, TX 75963              936-559-5696

Hope

Sunday, 8-5, was a positive day at the Park ministry.  Thank You, Lord, for those who were present and participating.  And for showing us how You are making a difference in some lives.

The following is the handout for the day…about “Hope.”  It hit the mark with at least two of the people struggling with such…

Romans 15:13, “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing,

that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”

True or False? – A person without HOPE in something or someone, is a person with not much to live for.   ___________

The word, hope, means to “have expectation, confidence, trust.”  It can be as much as a “confident expectation of good.”

Two things are important for us to know:

1.      HOPE comes from our believing

2.      HOPE is sustained by Holy Spirit  (His power)

·         1 Corinthians 13:7-8, love believes  &  hopes

“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never fails.”

Whose LOVE is this love?

·         Proverbs 13:12

“Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life

Q – What or Who are you believing & hoping in ?

The fellowship was good as usual.  The fellowship always leads to “other” discussions that involve spiritual matters.  Amazing how quickly two hours goes by!

Thanks always for your prayers!

To receive each post to this blog, go to www.christinthepark.blogspot.com and register in top right corner.  Follow instructions to start getting an email of each post.  To look at ALL posts, look at LOG of posts on blogsite.

Christ in the Park ministry

a ministry of

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

(email) leemccm@gmail.com

(blog) christinthepark.blogspot.com 

(Facebook) Christ In The Park

P.O. Box 633244   Nacogdoches, TX 75963              936-559-5696