The Local Church

For those who actually stay tuned in to these ultra-infrequent postings, I'd like to update that I finally finished the CPA exam and I have just concluded my sixth tax season…Therefore, I actually have a moment to let you all know what is going on in my life…
 
The theme that God has been impressing on my heart lately is the importance of His local church The Church is the single greatest organization on Earth. It is Jesus' bride and what He cares about most. Jesus will accomplish His plan through the local church. Not through the world. I believe that no matter what I am facing in the future as far as demands on my time, talent and treasure, that God wants me to continue to stay close to the heartbeat of my local church. Not just fit it in on a Sunday morning...I say this at a time when I am involved in what is going on in the local church from a serving and participation standpoint. I believe it is important to cast vision and set priorities during a time when my head is clear and my priorities line up with where I believe they should be.
 
Attaining the CPA is the single greatest feat that I have accomplished in my life. It came through tremendous hard work, discipline, a wonderfully encouraging wife, great friends and prayer partners and of course by the grace of God. Overcoming this has given me the ability to seek God for vision for the future. Opportunities are opening up all around me and it has got me thinking about where my place is in the local church; or where my church-life fits into my future. It caused me to reflect on my church-life over the past few years.
 
My career outlook is very promising at this point in time…which is great and all, and there is no doubt that it will take me places that I never thought were imaginable. But in it all, I want to remember that it was before the CPA and new opportunities that God already swept me off my feet and showed me His love. He already has given me better experiences than most people have in a lifetime. He gave me friends and something to be apart of at Celebration church. He redeemed me through coming to know His son, Jesus in a personal way. He restored passion for living and gave me legacy goals to live for. He allowed me to travel internationally for missions multiple times. I am most thankful for Him giving me Jen, my wife who I met at church, in a small group, where I was simply trying to get connected with similar single adults. All of these experiences were fostered through the local church. The church has impacted my life in an amazing way, and I never want to lose focus of the fact that Jesus cares so much about getting His message out through the local church.
 
As I was reading this morning God reminded me of this point in Ephesians 1:23 MSG "The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ's body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence."
 
Wherever I go, and whatever I do, I will be committed to the local church. Building His church and seeing the Kingdom established on earth is all that I want to live for.

--
Jonathan Bajalia

Awakening 21 Day 3

Our Church is in full-swing of this years Awakening 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting. This is a time of the year where we collectively set aside 21 days to fast and seek God. In order to get where God wants to take us we must seek Him through prayer and fasting.

Psalms 2:8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.

• God says that all we have to do is ask and He will give us the nations.

Rev 2:26 To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations.

• We must have these two characteristics:

1. Overcoming attitude
2. Patience

In my endeavors 2010, I learned that anything worth accomplishing will come with pain and trials. I learned that I must not focus on short-term setbacks but that I must keep my eyes fixed on the prize and run with perseverance. God's word says that He will give us the nations (everything that we could imagine and more) if we ask Him (seek Him), overcome challenges and wait patiently.

I pray that God will impress upon you an overcoming attitude that will not back down in the face of challenges.