Sunday Reflections - March 30, 2016

AND A GREAT RESURRECTION DAY WAS HAD

AT DEER FLAT…

My Dear Friends,

I have two really important things to share with you, so I’ll get right to it…

#1. WE HAD AN OUTSTANDING EASTER WEEKEND AT DEER FLAT – Between Good Friday and the end of the morning Sunday, we had over 2300 people attend events!  I think you know that I’m not a big numbers guy, but you guys OUT DID YOURSELVES inviting friends!  Saturday at the Kids Egg-stravaganza we had a HUGE turnout of children, parents and grandparents – well over 500!  I had a ball with your kids!  The musical presentation was FABULOUS! Julie and her team knocked it out of the park! The place rocked and the kids heard the story of Jesus like never before. Then, Sunday – WOW!  The Lord’s House was filled twice. Over 1400 people showed up!  And, we had

·         First Time Commitments to Christ

·         Renewed Commitments to Christ

·         Significant Spiritual Business transacted

·         A tremendous amount of prayer requests shared

·         And many new families and friends   - YEA GOD!

None of this would have been possible WITHOUT OUR AMAZING, UNBEATABLE, TREMENDOUS VOLUNTEERS!  You guys are the BEST! We have so much to thank God for.  He’s AWESOME!

#2. A CALL TO PRAY AND FAST – APRIL 4^th-8^th, 6-8 pm

I’m asking ALL DEER FLAT PEOPLE to commit to pray and fast next week.  We need some miracles to happen for a number of our people. The prayer requests from this past Sunday alone are heavy with impossibilities, but as I read through all of them, I found nothing that God can’t do! So, it’s simple:

·         Attend a prayer time any evening between 6-8 pm in the Sanctuary

·         Bring a friend or neighbor who needs prayer

·         One of our Staff will be there each evening facilitating our prayer time

·         If you love to pray, come and pray for those who need prayer

·         If you need a miracle, come believing and we’ll join you in prayer

·         Let’s “go without” (fast) as a way of saying, “Lord, I want to see an answer to prayer more than I want to eat, more than I want anything else.”

·         Why not bring your Life Group/Small Group for an evening as prayer support?

·         Need prayer for healing? Come and let us pray over you

Let’s believe God for breakthroughs, answers to prayer like we only read about in the Bible, and allow God’s Spirit to refresh our spirits!

I can’t wait to see you this Sunday. You already know we’ve got a great day in store. A brand new series: “Little Known Stories In The Bible.” Come expecting!

Loving You and Him,

Pastor D

By The Way – Let me encourage any of you who are serving or are interested in serving in a Leadership position at Deer Flat - whether it be as a LIFE Group Leader, Sunday Class Teacher/Leader, Board Member, Support Group Leader, etc. – I encourage you to attend the Leadership Development Classes coming up on April 10, 17 & 24 from 3-5 pm at City Pointe. This is a wonderful program that will help you obtain a better understanding of who we are as Deer Flat and will also give you great tools to use in your ministry.

Sunday Reflections - March 22, 2016

FIVE THINGS TO GET YOU READY FOR THIS WEEKEND

AT DEER FLAT

This WEEKEND is going to be AMAZING as we celebrate the RESURRECTION of our Savior. We’re going to take a look at the GREATEST STORY ever told. Here are five things you can do to get ready for what is going to be one of our best weekends Deer Flat has ever had.  

#1 – Get here a little early on Sunday. We’re expecting a great turn out!

#2 – Bring somebody. Don’t ask them…bring them. Risk it!

#3 – GET YOUR KIDS HERE SATURDAY MORNING at 10:30 am. Julie and her team are going to fire your kids up with the Easter Story of Jesus in a way like they have never seen it. Bring your kids, the neighbor kids, your grandkids and the neighbor grandkids - they will have an outstanding time. Then, they will enjoy a great morning again on Sunday.

#4 - Pray specifically that Jesus will do something in my heart, your heart...and in the heart of our church.

#5 – Remember Good Friday evening at 7. We’ll be done in 1 hour and it will set you up for a meaningful weekend! 

I Can’t wait!

THEN…

I’m calling the Deer Flat Family to a week of PRAYER AND FASTING

April 4^th-8^th

Here’s what you can do to make this week a breakthrough week like never before:

·         Over the next 2 weeks submit a prayer request for you, your family, your situation, a friend, a relative, a neighbor. Share something that we can join you in prayer for.

·         The Church will be open each evening from 6-8 pm for anyone to come and pray, or to be prayed over, to be anointed, or perhaps just to have someone join you in prayer. You can come any evening, any time during those 2 hours

·         If you’d like to be a part of a prayer team, which we would so appreciate, just be there any evening you’d like from 6-8pm. Your participation and faith will encourage those who are in need of prayer.

·         Each evening, our Staff will be leading the prayer time. Please feel free to invite someone to come with you that may need prayer and we will be glad to pray with them.

·         Plan now for these special days. Let’s pray, let’s fast, let’s expect God to meet us. Let’s believe God for some miracles! The needs are great, so don’t leave it up to someone else to pray. Let’s seize the moment!

I love being the pastor at Deer Flat! I love doing life with you. See you this weekend!

Pastor D

PS - Don't forget The Lizard Butte Easter Sunrise Service at 7:20 am. 

Be sure to dress warm!

Sunday Reflections - March 10, 2016

WHO ARE YOU  vs. WHO YOU ARE

Hello Deer Flat Family!      

Across my years I have encountered so many people and, as you would expect, so many different conversations. One of the most common topics is this very issue – “Who am I?”  So many times our identity is connected to who we are trying to be, who we think we might be, who our culture tells us we are, and perhaps even who our parents want us to be.

If our identity is wrapped up in our talents, skills and abilities, and that’s how we define ourselves, once any of those are lost or dropped, it creates confusion and takes us back to square one. Achievements, talents and purpose are all good. But with or without them, our identity is bigger than our purpose, mission and achievements. Because we already have infinite value and worth.

It is God and His Word that really defines who we are. It’s God who declares our worth and value. He says that, “one soul/person is worth more than all the world.” Wow, that’s an amazing statement. And, it’s true!

I’m inviting you to join me over the next couple of weeks to discover our true identity in Christ. We’ll have a chance to really see who God says you and I are. Because so many don’t know who they are as Followers of Christ, we live way below our privileges and capabilities. I can promise you, we’re going to have a meaningful time as we consult the Bible for clarification on perhaps the biggest issue of our lives. I can’t wait to see you this Sunday!

By the way… don’t forget:

1. Time Change – spring an hour forward this Sunday morning

2.  Men’s Breakfast this Saturday at 8 am at Deer Flat - no charge

3. Woodlawn Movie this Saturday at 6 pm at Deer Flat - free family event

Loving You and Him,

Pastor D

Sunday Reflections - March 2, 2016

SOME IMPORTANT THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS WEEK

1. CAMP CASCADE - THE BEST WEEK OF YOUR LIFE…

Summer camping involves high adventure, lots of fun, great food and excellent speakers who understand and respect high school, middle school and elementary kids. At Camp Cascade, kids are treated to wonderful facilities and a healthy environment.

Our camping program has grown in recent years. The experience, however, is the same — kids getting away from the pressures of everyday life, having fun with friends and great leaders, and hearing the message of God's love in terms they can understand. And the different camps at Camp Cascade are open to kids who often are overlooked: those from financially strapped homes, kids with disabilities and at-risk youth.

Each year, 100’s of kids around the Treasure Valley spend a week or a weekend at camp, having an experience that many describe as the best of their lives.

During a week full of adventure, kids are given the chance to build strong friendships, hear the message of Christ’s unconditional love for them and have someone walk alongside them as they take their first steps in pursuing a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Deer Flat has been so fortunate to own Camp Cascade. Our camp Managers, Chuck and Cindy Vincent, do an outstanding job year ‘round hosting various groups, camps, family reunions and specialty weekends. As you can imagine it takes real effort to keep the camp in good shape. Care for the buildings, landscape, upgrades, remodels and other projects are a part of having a camp.

This is where you can be a HUGE blessing.

This Sunday afternoon is our Camp Cascade Auction. It takes place at Deer Flat at 3:00 p.m. This is an avenue that helps us offset the cost of operating Camp Cascade. I want to ask you to help make this year's auction a true success.

There will be both a live and silent auction. There have been some wonderful things donated, and beyond that, we will have some fun. If you have children or a student, if you have grandkids or love to see lives changed, then I would ask you to make this a priority for Sunday afternoon. Your participation will lead to changed lives!  How great is that!

2. I will be at Deer Flat this weekend and can’t wait to see you!  

We’ll be looking at a very significant set of verses from 1 Peter 5.

3. SLEEP IN THIS WEEKEND – TIME CHANGE ISN’T UNTIL NEXT WEEKEND!

Loving you and Him…

Pastor D