Just Pin It and Follow Me!

Follow Me and Invite Friends

For my two children ages 11 and 18, social media is second nature to them.  As I think about how churches today have become fewer and less crowded, I can begin to understand some of the reasons for that.  I don’t quite qualify as the baby boomer generation, but as an older generation, it was and is our responsibility to share our faith and values with younger generations and generations to come.  In the past, we could stop by a friend’s house for coffee, write a letter, or pick up the phone and dial a number, just for someone to talk to.  Some folks still do all these things, but I can guess that those still using these methods of communication are not younger than 40+.  Today, communication happens by text, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Pinterest, etc.  If we don’t reach younger generations and invite them to church, soon there will be no church.  Some of you have probably heard the phrase, “be a witness  and spread the word”.  When you hear that phrase, you might picture someone in a suit walking down the street, holding a bible in their hand, talking about God to everyone they see.  Today, if someone is doing this, chances are, many would not even notice; however, if you become friends on facebook, like a page, pin a board, tweet a message, snap a chat, or Instagram, everyone will notice.

I am learning how to use Pinterest.  I have created a Board called Thomaston Assembly of God on my site.  In this board I have pinned items I felt might be a resource for you and your everyday walk with God.  I also have resources that the church can use to help promote volunteerism, etc. I encourage you to check out my site: Be sure to follow me and invite your friends to follow me as well.

https://www.pinterest.com/brownwinterbott/thomaston-assembly-of-god/

Some of the pins that I have included on this site include the following: Teaching Kids a 5 Step Method for having their own Personal Bible Study Time.  I thought this might be helpful, as I have sometimes found it difficult to hold my child’s interest in devotion time.  Sometimes it can be difficult for children to understand the scripture.  This pin will help provide you with ideas on how to teach your child to have their own time to read God’s word and pray.

How to Make the Most Out of Your Daily Bible Study:  This pin provides you with resources for your own bible study time.  It offers you free bible journal pages, uplifting scripture images, and devotionals available for all to use! Color Coding Bible scripture during Bible studies is a great idea that it offers. Check it out.

One of my favorite pins is “The Prayer Jar” Such a good idea to remind us to give our worries to Jesus and leave them there!   Sometimes we need that physical act of letting go and what better way then to write it down, tear it off, and throw it in a jar to rid yourself of the burden and give it to God.

A last featured pin I want to point out is the Pastor Pins.  You will find photo’s of the Pastor of Thomaston Assembly of God; Jon and Heather and the Assistant Pastor; Josh and Hepsi.  These are precious people who will be a support to you and your family.  I encourage you to check it out and make a date on your calendar to stop by and visit them some Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m. on 14 Roxbury Street.  See you soon!!!

#SavedByAPin#

Lord, Show Me How To Love Like You!!

 

 

 

 

Pastors of Thomaston Assembly of God

Pastor Jon and Heather

Assistant Pastor Josh and Hepsi

Why Such A Hurry?

You can’t open your e-mail, go to the mailbox or walk into a retail establishment, where you won’t see advertisements that say; “FREE”, “Hurry Coupons Expire”, Double Your Savings”, “Chances to Save”, “Win This”, “Sweepstakes”.. “Feel Groovy” and “Enjoy!”

What does all this say about our society?  It says, we can’t be happy unless we have it all, “today”.  Is it any wonder that so many people feel depressed, disappointed and victimized?  Not only does our environment create an atmosphere of “I must have it all; but, I have it all today!”  Who could maintain all that quick fortune for any length of time? Not me.  We wouldn’t be honest if we didn’t admit that at some time or another, we have tried to have it all today.  Just today, I entered my e-mail address for the chance to win one of HGTV’s Dream Home Sweepstakes.  Can you imagine?  I had to ask myself, why?  What would that do for me and my family?  Well, we would have a new house, in a town we didn’t know anyone, and maybe a possibility at a new future and a fresh start in life.

As I thought about that, I also thought about how I could possibly expect a sweepstake to provide  a new future and a fresh start for me.  I also thought about my mother and how she was saying to me in the back of my head, “now Rhonda, you know gambling is a sin”, and I rationalized it in my head by saying, well, “it’s not like I am going to lose anything if I don’t win”.  Right? Wrong!  I have lost precious time.  I have lost a chance to find the ways that will help me to reach my goals; to be where God wants me to be in this life.  The thought of winning that dream home may have made me feel good for the moment; but, then reality stepped in and I didn’t feel so good-looking at the dirty dishes that needed to be washed, the homework that needed to be done, the child that needed to be checked on, and the house and laundry that needed to be cleaned.  What was I thinking?

I was thinking what we all think about from time to time; I want all of this to be over already, I want to rest and I want someone else to do it for me; oh, and I don’t want it to cost so much either.  Notice a pattern here? “I want!”

I thought, I wonder what the bible has to say about this?  So, I googled “What does the bible say about “I Want”.  Surely a prophetic word must be found there.  Here is what I found:

Romans 7:  15I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.^c For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

I guess the moral of that story is what?  “I am selfish, sinful, unable to change myself…”  How depressing is that.  But wait,

24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Oh hallelujah! What comes next is amazing and gives us hope and joy to live our life as intended

Romans 8: 1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you^a free from the law of sin and death. 3For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh,^b God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.^c And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

5Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.

So see, it is normal to want that instant gratification that we all desire; but we don’t need it.  God has given us everything we need.  We need to remember that through Jesus we have the power to slow down, rest in Him, and produce the fruit of the spirit that He has asked us to do.  What is that fruit?  the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

We don’t need to hurry.  We can be still.  While we are still, read God’s word, carry on with our daily lives, and listen to that sweet spirit that God uses to speak to us with.   Refresh and join together with your brothers and sisters to worship, at Thomaston Assembly of God of course.

Why hurry when we can double our savings today, that we may all enjoy the future and fresh start tomorrow that our savior died for.

Be Happy and see you at church!

When He Calls, I Will Answer….

#Blogging for Jesus

So, as I prepared the first post to this blog, I came across many challenges.  Partly because I have never blogged before.  Designing the blog and then trying to make it meaningful was the goal.  Of course the first goal is to invite you to visit the Thomaston Assembly of God Church.  The second goal would be to post things that would interest you and also provide spiritual and uplifting resources for your every day life.  Part of my challenges were to design eye pleasing pictures, but also to strategically place them in a way that would send you a message that “our church is your church”.  You can see in one of the pictures, a group of young people standing outside.  These people were Faith Bible School students who visited our church during a crusade last month.  They were a great blessing to us.  There is also a photo of a man looking out over the ocean, “looking for you”.  That man is the pastor of Thomaston Assembly of God; Jon Cuthbertson.

I chose blogging because it was an avenue that allowed me to design on various different media platforms.  In this blog you can post pictures, music, videos, stories, and put them all together to provide a theme.  The theme is to compel you to take advantage of various actions on this site;  read, interact, share, encourage, and most of all make Thomaston Assembly of God your own church.

Not only do I want to encourage you to share and post on this site; go ahead and like the page and share it on your own site as well.

I will leave you with a quote the pastor made in his last sermon;

“Prayer is the place where burdens exchange shoulders“.  If you have a prayer request, leave your request on this site and we will take it to God in prayer with you.

#beaprayerwarrior