Love Your Neighbor As Yourself

"Love your neighbor as yourself..." Mark 12:31, Luke 10:27, Romans 13:9, Galatians 5:14 and James 2:8. I did not realize until I started this post that the Lord asks us at least 5 times to love our neighbors as ourselves. It is vital that we as believers share the love of Jesus Christ to those who live around us.

Good neighbors are here at Grace Point for example the person who felt compelled to help their single mom neighbor who did not have a washer machine to wash her daughters clothes for school, to the person who felt led to help a coworker fix their roof, to the person who saw a need for a handicap ramp for a person just a stones throw from our church building.

I want to encourage you, as Christ asks us, to Love your neighbor as yourself and do it in big ways and in small ways.

Grace to you, Matt

Fireproof

Beginning on Sunday, September 14th we will introduce a three week sermon series entitled "Fireproof." In conjunction with the soon to be released movie by the same title, we will take the time to explore the practical steps we can all take to make our marriages "Fireproof." In a world that routinely places unbelievable pressures on our homes it is vitally important for us to remain alert and proactive in our efforts to protect our marriages and family. As a Celebration to close our emphasis, we have reserved an entire theater for a private showing of the movie "Fireproof" on Wednesday, October 1st. Let me encourage you to make two very important commitments;

1) Make the commitment to be present for each of the sermons in this series.
2) Invite your friends to come along on this journey with you.

Together we can ensure for the future that our marriages will stand strong regardless of the flames the world sends our way.

Phil

Marriage

I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19



Is there anyone out there that can say I don't need be a better husband or wife? Some might say I need a better husband or wife but the only ones that can honestly say that are those that aren't married. Fireproof the movie comes out the end of September and we as a church with your help are going to buy out a showing at our local theater. This movie has a strong message that will speak into the lives of husbands, wives, children and even those who are single. Stay tuned for how you can be a part of this important time.

The Grace Point Women's Ministry will kick off A Woman's Heart, God's Dwelling Place by Beth Moore Monday, Aug. 18th. There will be a morning study along with and evening study with Childcare available in the morning. Please call the church or sign up on the bulletin board at Grace Point.

True Honor

May we honor God with all he has entrusted to us.

I wish I spent more time working!

No one ever said on their deathbed, "I wish I had spent more time at work". The cliche was then followed by "they always wish they had spent more time with their family." I came across this recently reading a book where it was a determining factor in a young dad turning his focus from himself and his desires toward what he was called to do. How easy it is for us to get caught up in one thing and neglect another. What about your family, the unit that speaks louder than words. Here are five helpful ways that I want to invest in my family and I hope you will too.

1. Spend quality time together (dinner) without distractions i.e phones, tvs, computers....
2. Build each other up with words of affirmation.
3. Husbands love your wives, wives respect your husbands.
4. Parents lead, teach, instruct and hold your children accountable in word and action
5. Children honor your father and mother.

May your family be richly blessed and speak loud and clear.

Matt

Missy's House

The Lord went before us, was with us and we know he will continue to build Missy's house. It was overwhelming to see the hand of the Lord on our Trip to Gulfport and Pass Christian. I am not one who is brought tears very easily and I am sure that is by my own fault but during our trip to Gulfport I was humbled by God's provision for a team of fourteen who simply wanted to do something outside our backyard for the kindgdom of God. Our project was to step in and help Missy rebuild a house that was destroyed by Katrina. Missy has been and will continue to live in a small trailer next to the house she once inhabited until the house that the Lord will build for her is completed. Thank you for your prayers as they were answered.

"Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain....."

Psaslm 127:1

In Christ, Matt