Kicked In The Stomach

We had a good service this morning.
At first I thought it was going to be a difficult day when I couldn't find the pants I planned to wear and put on some others - only to discover they didn't fit. Since I leave the house early on Sunday mornings, I didn't want to disturb Gill, so after some hesitation I took one more look and of course the khakis I was looking for were right there in my closet, but a little nearer the back than I had expected. Wardrobe sorted out, it was all plainsailing from thereon in!!!

This was the last week of our Survivor: Long Island series and I was speaking on Staying The Course. In opening I mentioned that over the past few weeks we had looked at some of the tough things we have to attend to if we are going to come out winners and I mentioned that today's subject was difficult too. Then, I can't believe I said this, but I know I did, I added - "And if you leave here today feeling kicked in the stomach, I'll know I did my job!"

When things were getting put away at the end of the service, someone told me that a lot of folks had mentioned to her they were going home feeling kicked in the stomach! A lot of people went home with the tape of the service too. In fact one of our pastoral team suggested to me that everyone in the church ought to hear the message and said we should get CD's made and mail them out.

So that's what we'll do. For the sake of the many who were not with us as this is unofficially the last weekend of summer and also so that those who were there can be doubly sure they got the point, we are getting copies made for the whole church and will mail them out.

That's not because it was a particularly brilliant sermon. It's because Long Islanders probably need to hear the heart of the message more than most. In a world where we run ourselves ragged, it really is necessary to follow the example of Jesus and focus on the one thing that should direct our lives -
Philippians 3:13-14 - One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Too often God is tacked on in the little space that's left - if any - when everything else is done and everyone else's demands on us have been met. But there's a better way, putting our desire for him first and letting everything else take its place behind that.

So, look out for the message in the mail - we hope to get it to you within the next seven days. It's essential stuff if we want to be winners.