January 11, 2012

Dear CLF Family and Friends,

Are your New Year’s Resolutions already beginning to fade? We begin the year with a desire to do better things and be better people. We make commitments and then realize we have challenges beyond our control.

Too much of life happens a la carte. We pick a little of this and that as we go along with little consideration of the overall picture. We cannot control everything but we can bring focus and vision into the process. God is over all and sovereign in the universe. He rules with love for each of us. Somehow he has a plan and desire for each of us to become like he is, modeled in the life of his Son Jesus. How?

Paul tells us in Colossians 2:6-7: “as we received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith and overflowing with thankfulness. He explains how in 2 Corinthians 5:14: “Compelled by the love of Christ.”

How God works in our lives is a mystery. I marvel at where I was, where I have been and where I am now. I marvel as I see what God has for the future. Somehow in the mystery, God desires we live with a focus of intentionality. As we make our New Year’s resolutions we need to focus them to insure we “continue to live in Him” and that we become “rooted and built up in him?”

God desires that we spiritually mature to become like Jesus. He designed the process to follow the path of our physical life. As Jesus enters our path and we respond, we are changed. As we participate with Jesus, we see the picture of how he deals with this physical life and are given power to deal with it ourselves.

God reminds us in Isaiah 55:8-11: “My ways are not your ways.” We seek instant but God is not in a rush. He sends rain and snow and it disappears into the earth. When the time is right the seed he provides becomes bread to the hungry. The process takes time. God’s word has come into our life. God says it will achieve its purpose. We do not work independent of God, we work in cooperation. We are to wait on God: “Be still and know I am God” (Psalm 46:10).

May we be new and renewed people as we begin the New Year.

~ Pastor Eric
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Business/Career Dedication Service

January 21, 2012; 6:00 p.m.

Community Life Fellowship

Questions: eric.shaw@gci.org

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Upcoming at CLF

January 21, 2012

Business/Career Prayer Service

Invite friends as we pray for God’s blessing and presence in our businesses and careers. May we not only make a living but live and work to God’s glory. “Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and prosper for us the work of our hands – O prosper the work of our hands!” (Psalm 90:17).

Join us for worship: 791 E. Calaveras St.; Altadena, CA 91001; Saturdays at 6:00 p.m.