Living with Interruptions
Read: Mark 10:46-52
Wednesday 2/25/15 Day 7
Ponder: Our culture seems to be defined by interrupting communications. We can experience constant phone calls, text messages, and emails. It is not unusual to be interrupted by all of these things as you are trying to get out the door to an appointment. Can you relate to having interruptions when you have someplace else to be? How do you respond to the demands for your time?
Interruptions as Opportunity
ReRead: Mark 5:34
Tuesday 2/24/15 Day 6
Ponder: The very day this desperate woman reaches out to touch Jesus she is healed. Her life is forever changed in that moment. Joy permeates her being; truth flows from her lips. However, I’m also very sure, even in the midst of this joy, she remembers how she felt for the past twelve years. She remembers how she was treated by others and how she was shamed. She will not forget where she has been. This healing did not erase the pain she had felt, nor the rejection she had experienced; it did change the way she looked at God, herself, and others. She received a new glimpse of love.
Interruptions as Opportunity
Monday 2/23/15 Day 5
ReRead: Mark 5:30-33
Ponder: Please notice that both the woman and Jesus is aware of the healing. Jesus is actually on his way to touch Jairus’ daughter when he is interrupted. This woman falls at the feet of Jesus (just like Jairus) and tells him what she has done; she touched him. Jesus gives this broken and hurting woman and opportunity to be real with him; to tell him the truth.
Interruptions as Opportunity
ReRead: Mark 5:27-29
Saturday 2/21/15 Day 4
Ponder: Are you quick to interrupt Jesus by asking for help? Do you think about the magnitude of other people’s problems and decide your’s are not worth bothering the Master? Or, maybe you think you can handle your own problems by yourself.
Interruptions as Opportunity
ReRead: Mark 5:24-26
Friday 2/20/15 Day 3
Ponder: I cannot answer for you, but I will confess that my cell phone brings constant interruptions. Sometimes the calls are simply casual or informative; sometimes the calls mean painful life changes for those whom I love. Can you, or those you love, relate to painful news and the need to search for answers from God?
Interruptions as Opportunity
ReRead: Mark 5:22-24
Thursday 2/19/15 Day 2
Ponder: Jesus welcomes our interrupting prayers. How might you describe what you need from Jesus?
Interruptions as Opportunity
Read: Mark 5:21-34
Ash Wednesday 2/18/15 Day 1
Ponder: How do you handle interruptions? Does it unsettle you when things do not go as planned? Could you benefit from looking at interruptions differently?
Interruptions
Forty days may seem like a long time, but compared to eternity it is a vapor. Make a decision today to get quiet before God; invite the Most High into your stillness by opening your heart to His Word each day. Allow the Spirit to guide you into all Truth.
From Ash Wednesday to Easter, Connect2Christ Church will provide a daily devotional to move us closer toward God. Reflect on how the Scripture is relevant to your life of faith. Pray and allow the Word to wash you with revelation so you can enjoy greater fellowship with God in Christ.
Devotions include excerpts from Interruptions by Jacob Armstrong. Upper Room Books.
{tab What We Teach}
Christianity Is About Getting into Agreement with God.
We teach God’s story that is spiritually revealed in the Bible. We believe we are ordinary people who know, love, and serve an extraordinary God.
The Beginning: The Story of God and Humanity– A Divine mission.
Our triune God–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit–is the Creator of all things and has ultimate authority. We were made in the image of God to live in harmony with the Creator and His plans for the creation; that we would all live for God’s glory. (Genesis 1:1, 26-28, 31)
The Blunder: Mankind Sins Against God’s Plan and Mission
Mankind sinned against God’s authority–God’s way of living–and was separated from living in the presence of God and cooperating in His mission. We needed a Savior–our Bridge to Life and Fellowship with God; a new connection with direction and purpose. (Romans 3:23)
The Bridge: Jesus Christ brings Connection and Correction for the Mission.
Jesus Christ is the sinless Son of God; fully divine and fully human. Christ paid the price for humanity’s sin against God by dying on the cross. Jesus died, was buried and rose again. He is now seated with God in heaven until he is sent to gather the believers. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to guide every believer. We can now fulfill our purpose, through partnership with the Spirit, for God’s mission. (John 3:16)
The Business: The Holy Spirit Gives Energy and Guidance to finish God’s Mission.
The Holy Spirit is our Power for Living. When a person believes in the work of Jesus Christ as Savior, the Holy spirit comes to live with him or her. It is the work of the Spirit to bring and manifest truth. We witness to the truth of God’s love for us and for others. The Spirit teaches and helps us to mirror the holiness of Christ–love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, thoughtfulness, and self control–as we live out God’s mission to lovingly connect with humanity worldwide. (Acts 1:8)
{tab Our Pastor}
Welcome to Connect2Christ Church
As the pastor of Connect2Christ Church in Seminole, Florida, let me be the first to welcome you! I am so happy you have taken the time to visit our website.
At Connect2Christ in Seminole, we believe life was created to be lived in connection to God through Jesus Christ–our Bridge. Therefore, this church is a warm and welcoming place where you can explore and grow in your relationship with God. Ask the hard questions. If we are going to grow spiritually, we must gather wisdom by nurturing our connection with God, as well as establish new connections with members of God’s family to gain insight from their spiritual experiences.
The call of God on my life is to serve as a spiritual guide; to help you connect and fulfill God’s unique plan for you!
It seems we are always hearing about ways to connect to God. The Bible reminds us, however, that we can only gain connection to God through Jesus Christ; God’s Son. As we connect to Christ, we can then begin an authentic journey of discovery and learning; begin to understand the heart and ways of our Creator. Life can be challenging and difficult at times; we have questions. God has the answers. I want to know the truth from my Maker. Don’t you?
We are all learning together–in connection. If you do not know Christ, have only known Christ a short while, or have been a follower of Christ for years and years you will still find the Holy Spirit calling you to embrace change and growth. Meeting together with God’s family is a wonderful gift for this learning and growth experience. So come and connect!
Rev. Mary L. Haley, M.Div.
{tab Our Core Beliefs}
The Church Is To Foster The Worship Of God and His Mission to the World Connect2Christ Church focuses on two things that permeate everything Scripture teaches about the followers of Christ: Worship and Mission. Worship is our way to exalt and honor the authority of God; we call it the fear of the Lord but it is really about respecting our Creator and how He created us to live.
In worship, revelation of God’s love heals, restores, and influences our souls (mind, will, emotions). Worship changes our perspective and motives; we are invited to connect and become a community of Christ followers.
We know we are loved and adored by Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; we chose to love one another based on the common ground experience that God is love. A sense of peace and well-being comes to the worshiper. Worship is essential, because authentic Mission flows out of it.
Mission is when we choose to become Christ’s hands and feet to a world who may not recognize God as love. We want others to know this extraordinary and Living God who fills and permeates our being. The world is filled with hurting, broken, and needy people who could benefit from an encounter with unfailing love and endless mercy. Mission is not about judgment, it is about loving others in God’s direction.
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