ARE YOU GOING IN CIRCLES… BLASTING OFF!

Faith Baptist of Zephyrhills

01 Sep 2021

Hi Church!

If you have ever been lost, really lost, then you know what it is like to have walked in a circle when you thought that you were walking in a line. Years ago my brother and I got “lost” while hunting for elk on BLM land in the state of New Mexico. Now some would argue that you are not really lost in the “big woods” (thousands of acres) until you have been wandering for 24 hours and still haven’t found your way back to camp. I would argue that if you do not know where you are or where you are going – you are lost!

But I still remember the feeling of thinking that we were walking towards our camp destination after a long day of hunting only to realize that we had just walked for about 45 minutes in a big circle! It was a shocking moment for me. I still remember how I felt a moment of panic and my hands and feet got cold and sweaty. I had been following my older brother out of the dark woods, and I was confident that he knew where he was going. He thought he did, but he had gotten turned around, and he took us in a BIG circle! Thankfully I found my compass, and after a few hours, we found our way back to camp.

Who you are following and “traveling” with in life is vitally important. It can even be a matter of life and death. Some time I will tell you about a hike that I went on in Alaska that nearly ended in a catastrophe because our “guide” got confused. Let me ask you, who is in your “circle”? Because the fact is YOUR “CIRCLE” IS DETERMINING THE DIRECTION OF YOUR LIFE. Where are they going? Do they know? What sort of counsel are they giving you? What are they using for a “compass”? How committed are they to you? Do they lift you up, or do they pull you down? Are you “better together”? That is a great question, and it is the 2021 theme for our church.

Whether you are in high school, a young adult, mid-life or retired, the most important decision that you make in your life is WHO YOU CHOOSE TO BE IN YOUR “CIRCLE”. When you read about the first church in the book of Acts, you learn who and what the first believers devoted themselves to. So as we continue our top 10 passages in the Bible, we come to the birth of the church and the gathering of the believers. THis is a very important message and I hope you can join us!

I have some prayer requests for you my praying friends:
– BLAST STARTS TONIGHT! Blast stands for Believing – Learning – And Seeking Truth and is for children k-7th grade. We have the biggest and an amazing staff this year and I AM SO THANKFUL! Ultimately, Please pray that God will use us to help the children come to know and love Him!
– Priscilla needs our prayers! She is at Advent Health in Zephyrhills. It has been a long rehab road for her after back surgery. She is struggling.
– Americans & Christians In Afghanistan! Today’s tech allows us to know who is still there and what they are facing. It is not good. They are hiding and running short on food. Please pray for them.

There are several updates listed on the attached list. Thank you for praying!

By Faith,
Pastor Mike