Ben Arment shares a great story about an unlikely winner.

“At the Kentucky Derby in 2009, the absolute least-likely horse to win the race blew away the competition.

"Mine that Bird" had a long-standing losing streak. So he surprised everyone by pulling ahead of the pack and actually winning. "An impossible result," according to the announcer.

When the jockey was asked how the horse won, he said, "I rode him like a good horse ."

The answer from the jockey made me think of church and ministry.  We are not responsible for what we don’t have.  We are not responsible for not having enough gifting.  What we are responsible for is to do the best we can with what we’ve got.

We may not have the best of facilities or equipment, but we have to ride it like a good horse.  We may not have the greatest of ability in certain areas of our life, but we have to ride it like a good horse. 

Too often we tend to focus on the things that we cannot do much about.  We must ride like we are riding a good horse.  I am a firm believer in the Scripture that says, “When you are faithful in the least, I will make you ruler over much.”  If we do the best we can with what we have, God will give us more.  When we ride an unlikely horse like a good horse, God will make that horse a winner.

We must try to expand our abilities.  We must try to enhance what we have, but ultimately, it is in God’s hands to help us get to the next level.  If you feel incapable of greatness, know that the underdog wins often.  Do your best with what you have and God will give you increase.

Last night, we had a great time with special guest, Pastor Ron Woods. It amazes me how God works so perfectly. Pastor Ron shared a great message of encouragement to our leaders and then preached a great sermon to our congregation during service.

He shared from the story of Joseph and helped us understand that all the negatives in our life can work together for the positive if we will let it. He challenged us to let go of the disappointments, bitterness, unforgiveness and hurts and allow God to use us to touch other people. Pastor Ron challenged us to look forward as we follow God’s plan for RFA.

What a night! We had great attendance for both the leader’s dinner as well as for service. I am pumped about what God is doing in our church. 2010 is going to be an incredible year.

Sunday we will continue our rebuild series and talk about Rebuilding Lives. You don’t want to miss it. I believe it is a word from God for our church.

Please pray for Sonya, she will be having surgery Friday morning. We are believing God for good reports and a speedy recovery.

God is a big God.

”He parted the Heavens and came down, dark clouds were under His feet.
He made the darkness his covering, His canopy around Him.
Out of the brightness of His presence clouds advance, with hailstones and bolts of lightning.
The Lord thundered from Heaven, the voice of the Most High resounded.
He shot His arrows and scattered His enemies, great bolts of lightning and routed them.”

God is a mighty God.  An all-powerful being.  He sits enthroned in Heaven above.  Great power exudes from His presence.  He is a God to be feared, to be in awe of. 

Yet in spite of that power and might, there is a tenderness in the heart of God.  The words at the beginning describe the power of God.  His power over His enemies.  The Psalmist describes this God of might and then interjects the tenderness of God. 

“He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of the deep waters.”

This God who is in Heaven far above us; who throws out bolts of lightning and thunders His voice across the Heavens, reached down.  Not only does He reach down, but He takes hold of us and pulls us out of the deep waters.  When we feel like we are drowning, when we feel like we cannot hang on any longer, He takes hold of us and pulls us out.  When we are treading water and hanging on for dear life, He pulls us out.

I was struck by the beauty of this verse.  That phrase “took hold of me” overwhelmed my heart.  Imagine the God of the Universe, reaching down and taking hold of us.  Securing us, stabling our lives, tenderly caressing us as we stumble through life.  He is not an unconcerned, angry God.  He is powerful, yet caring and loving.  No matter what you face, He can reach down and take hold of you.

What are you thinking about?

Many people today are thinking of the many things that need to be done.  The endless list of to-do’s, the many issues of life that we face and the hopeless state of the world.  Sounds depressing, huh?  More than a few people are plagued by thoughts that cloud their mind with endless clutter.

What your mind stays thinking about will determine your joy or unhappiness.  Our tendency as human beings is to constantly think on negative things.  The thoughts that we have that are focused on the negative will cause us to fear and grow in despair. It is easy for us to think of all the bad things in life because there are so many.  Sickness, disease, financial troubles, family problems and even WORK!  Dwelling on these will replace hope with despair.

The enemy of our souls reminds us of all the bad things in life.  He knows that if you focus on those you will not focus on God.  Satan destroys a Christian’s joy by making them dwell on the negative.  Colossians 3:2 says, "Set your mind on things above, not on things of the earth."  What a thought!

We must dwell on the provision of God.  We must dwell on the promises of God.  We must dwell on the power of God.  All of these are guaranteed for the believer in the Scriptures.  Why not think on these things?  Take your mind off the chaos of the world…the fears of what is happening around us.  Think of how God said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

God gives peace to those who focus on Him not their circumstances.  Isaiah said, "God keeps them at perfect peace whose mind is stayed upon the Lord."  Keep you mind on God and watch everything work out around you.  God will work on your behalf.  Think on the good things.  Think on things from above.  You will find joy instead of confusion.

Yesterday, Port Au Prince, Haiti was hit by a devastating earthquake that registered 7.0 on the Richter Scale.  Immense devastation, tragic deaths and suffering now reign in the capital city.  Pictures describe the physical damage, but the horror and pain that the nation feels is beyond words.

2 years ago I took a missions trip to Port Au Prince.  It was a life changing experience.  It was my first time out of America and to see the horrific poverty changed my heart and life. 

In a country of 9 million there are over 800,000 orphans.  I suspect there will be even more orphans now.  The country is the poorest in the Western Hemisphere where one out of 5 children die before the age of 5 and the average life span is in the mid thirties.  To be hit by this earthquake only sinks the already impoverished nation into deeper despair.

My heart is grieved as I look at the pictures of Haiti and see the very same places we went through on our way to the surrounding villages of Port Au Prince.  When I see the pictures of the children I am reminded of how the children of the villages would flock to us and would hold our hands as we walked through their villages.  God help them!

Please pray for the Haitian nation that God’s mercy would sustain them and that they would find healing and peace.  Pray that God would draw them to Christ during these hours of need and that they would find hope in Him.  Pray for the missions organizations who are at work there.

If you are interested in giving to the Relief efforts for Haiti you can donate here.

Yesterday, we began our rebuild series by looking at the decree to rebuild God’s house that is found in Ezra.  King Cyrus was called by God to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.  Cyrus had a passion to rebuild God’s House after its destruction by the Babylonians.  He put his political power and his resources behind the effort.  The Bible records that God stirred up Cyrus and moved on the people of Israel to join him.

To rebuild RFA we must be stirred up.  Moved by God to build His house.  I sense, within  our church, a stirring up.  I left yesterday morning’s service energized and feeling that God is up to something great.  This year is going to be an incredible testimony of God’s working in Rogers First Assembly.

Over the next month, we will be looking at the theme of rebuilding and then at the beginning of February we will be unfolding our plan for the future.  I am pumped!

I have been journeying through Genesis this week and noticed something perplexing.

Noah built an altar to the Lord after the flood.  This is before God instituted the Mosaic law which described altars.  Abraham built numerous altars to the Lord before the law was instituted.  Why? How did they know? Who had told them or showed them the altar and it’s use?  They just knew!

After the law, after Christ, after Redemption, why is it so hard to build an altar in our lives?  Why is it easier to build up idols than it is to build an altar? 

If Noah innately knew and built an altar.  If Abraham did the same, then why can’t we? It is a matter of the heart.  Their hearts were bent more toward altars than idols.  They knew God.  They built an altar in their hearts before they ever built one on earth.

The challenge to us is to build an altar in our hearts.  To seek God with all we are and all we have.  Why is it so hard?  Because we have torn down the altar and put up idols.  Godly men and women tear down idols and put up altars.