Sunday Reflections - October 21, 2015

Hello Deer Flat Family,

We’ve been in a series about the Names of God.  Each week we take an in-depth look at one of the amazing names of God and discover some significant insights.  I’m reminded often in studying the Bible, that we lose so much of the meaning and richness of what the Hebrew language says, when it is translated into English.  For instance, in English, most of the titles we bestow upon God are somewhat synonymous with one another: Lord, God, Almighty, Creator, Holy One, etc., are all titles of God that have nearly identical meanings. But in Hebrew, God’s many names are each unique and express a different aspect of His divinity.

Whenever Adonai is given in the Scriptures, it implies a measure of mercy, that God is merciful and gracious. Whenever Elohim is mentioned, it implies there is a measure of justice.

As Moses stood in front of the burning bush (Ex. 3:6) and asked, “When they say to me, ‘What is His Name?’ what shall I say to them?”  And God said to Moses, “I am what I may be.”  The Rabbi’s teach, God said to Moses, “You wish to know My Name?  I am differently called, in keeping with my diverse deeds:  El Shaddai, Tzivaote, Elohim, Adonai.  When I judge created beings, I am called Elohim, ‘God’.  When I wage war against the wicked, I am called Tzivaote, ‘Hosts’.  When waiting for a man to repent I suspend judgment of his sins, I am called El Shaddai, ‘All Nurturing.’  And when I have mercy on My world, I am called Adonai, ‘Master.’  Hence, ‘I am what I may be – I am called in keeping with my diverse works.”

Ann Spangler’s book, Praying The Names of God, is a great devotional book that you can grab off of Amazon, but you can also subscribe to her daily devotional of the same by CLICKING HERE. You can study the Names of God at a deeper level and discover far more than what I can give you on a Sunday morning.

This Sunday, we are tackling another great Name.  I can’t wait to share it with you.  It’s nothing short of amazing, and I promise, it will touch your heart!  NO ONE SHOULD MISS THIS WEEK BECAUSE IT’S GOING TO BE FANTASTIC!  Why not reach out and invite someone to attend with you, especially if you know they are feeling like nothing is working, they must not amount to much, “I’m a nobody” and just feel overlooked by God.  Their heart will definitely be touched!

I can’t wait to see you this weekend.  And I ALWAYS love having a chance to meet your friends, neighbors or family.  May the Great God of Heaven meet your needs and bless your life this week.  And, may all of the Hunters of Deer Flat get their tags filled!  See you Sunday!

You are dearly loved!

Pastor D

Sunday Reflections - October 7, 2015

My Dear Church Family,

I hope you’re off to a great week. I am walking this week with the constant reminder that I have the most amazing Master, the greatest LORD, who is willing to take full authority and responsibility for my life as I’ve surrendered it to Him. This is the God we serve who introduces Himself as our Adonai – the One who desires to be in the “driver's seat” of our lives so that He can maximize His blessings and His will through us. What a blessed Master we have!

I have to tell you, I’m really looking forward to sharing another one of God’s outstanding Names this Sunday. I believe you’re going to appreciate having a chance to meet another side of the God we serve. I hope you’ll come expecting a tremendous morning at Deer Flat. Between now and then, I seek your prayers. Here’s what I know about myself, I need a HELPER. I must have God helping me or I’m in BIG trouble. Your prayers play a key role every week of my life. Thank you! It’s perhaps the best thing you ever do for me and for the rest of the Staff and our families.

Let me move quickly to something that I have on my heart. Like you, I find myself waking up every morning to a world that is rapidly changing. There’s almost a feeling that I’m moving into unfamiliar territory. As I hear what’s going on around me, it is creating growing concerns with the people I interact with. The “stuff” that is supposed to happen someday, seems to be happening now.

Most people respond in one of two ways: Either, “Don’t tell me, I don’t want to know. Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na”, and there is a preference of being uninformed. Or, “I want to know so I can live informed and act wisely.”  Both of these can be carried to extremes. 

This is why NEXT TUESDAY EVENING is going to be such an important time for us. As you know Erick Stakelbeck will be with us and he will be speaking about what is currently happening in the Middle East and beyond. Erick is an expert on Middle East Terrorism and has his finger on the pulse of what is happening in Syria, Iraq and Iran. You will find the evening very informative. It will help you to feel informed and equipped in understanding the current events and a glimpse of the future.

Between now and next Tuesday, I want to ask you to do two things: 1) Keep this in your prayers.  Pray for Erick. 2) Would you be sure to invite someone to attend this event with you.  Because this event is brought to us by CHRISTIANS UNITED FOR ISRAEL, we will be taking an offering, so come prepared to give. You guys ALWAYS are so generous – THANK YOU!

I am so looking forward to being with you this Lord’s Day! In the mean time, I’m thanking God for you!

For The Kingdom…

Pastor D

Sunday Reflections - September 30, 2015

Greetings To My Deer Flat Flock,

I seem to be paying more attention these days to the seasons that arrive at various times throughout the year.  I so enjoyed the warmth of summer and appreciated that the majority of the Farmers had enough water for their crops.  I loved the longer days and the ability to graze my way through all of the different fruits that ripened through the summer.  And now it is Fall.

I love the Fall.  I’ll be sipping a Pumpkin latte pretty soon, catching football, watching the leaves change, enjoying a warm fire and the crisp feel of the air.  I have to admit, I feel like this year of 2015 is sweeping by so fast that I can hardly believe we’re knocking on October’s door.  I’m also reminded that we’ve got an outstanding month ahead of us at Deer Flat.  So, let me brief you a bit…

Baptisms – Every time we do this, I’m so touched by those who take this amazing and bold step to go public with their faith, letting the world know they are linked up with Jesus.  Two weeks ago we had another one of the great groups take the plunge.  Children, students, adults – a great mix.  People who have been transformed by our Lord.  It was fantastic!  I’m so proud of all of you who took this tremendous step of obedience.  I rejoiced with you then and I rejoice with you now!  Way to go Deer Flat Family.  We have lots to celebrate.

Special Guests – Most of you know that we’ll be having ERICK STAKELBECK AT DEER FLAT OCTOBER 13^TH AT 7 PM.  This is one you don’t want to miss.  Erick is so informative and his information will be amazing.  Don’t pass up the chance to invite someone.  I hope we can fill up the place that evening.  Then, we will be having IDAHO SUPREME COURT JUSTICE DAN EISMANN with us on SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8^TH.  This will be a great morning as we honor our Veterans and dispense hope about the future.

We’re in a series on the Names Of God, which I think will make for a really great season for us at Deer Flat.  The way that God has introduced Himself to the world is drenched with insight about Who He is and what His heart is really like.  I’m anxious to tell you about SIX of those amazing names.

I continue to meet so many new people week after week.  THANK YOU FOR INVITING YOUR FRIENDS TO DEER FLAT AND GIVING ME A CHANCE TO MEET THEM!  You guys do an amazing job at this.  I’m so grateful for how God is blessing His Church that sits in the field of dreams.  I am away in New York this week for some meetings, but will be home by the weekend.  I can’t wait to see you Sunday!  Come expecting a great Lord’s Day.  I LOVE MY CHURCH!

For Him and For You,

Pastor D

PS – Don’t forget about the new Ladies Bible Studies on Thursdays at City Pointe. All young moms are invited to join Jill & Paula at 9 am for Mom’s Connect. For more info CLICK HERE

Shelly Henderson will be starting her study on the book Restless on Thursday evenings at 7 pm. REGISTER HERE

Sunday Reflections - September 10, 2015

Hello Deer Flat Family, We've passed the mid-way point of our week and I'm just now sitting down to scratch out a short note to you.  I have to tell you, I'm still basking in the joy of the tremendous Labor Day Lord's Day at Deer Flat.  Talk about an outstanding morning - this was one more of the many that God continues to give us week after week.  I think we're a bit spoiled, and I blame God for it - AND I LOVE IT and ask Him to continue to bless Deer Flat with His amazing presence. Believe it or not, you add much to our Sundays.  You come faithfully, expecting something great to happen, and you enter into the worship and time in the Word with an open and hungry heart.  God loves to inhabit that kind of gathering.  And so do I. I am the most blessed Pastor this side of Heaven!  I loved meeting so many new people and hanging out with my church family.  It made for a great day for me.  Thank you for your faithfulness, for inviting friends and neighbors, and for your heart for Jesus.  You bless me! September is always a great month around Deer Flat.  We've got a great group of people who are being baptized on the 20th.  We've got a Men's Retreat happening at Camp Cascade during the last weekend of the month.  We've got Celebrate Recovery kicking off a brand new year next Wednesday evening.  What a great time to get connected!  New Life Groups are launching, and a new Sermon Series begins September 27th on THE NAMES OF GOD - PT. 2. Everything is in full swing - Children's, Student and Adult Ministries.  If you're new to Deer Flat, let me encourage you to get into the Basic's Class, which happens the first 3 Sundays of each month at 11 am in Room 13.  Secondly, get into a Small Group, either a Sunday School Class or a Life Group or both.  Our College ministry continues to happen Monday evenings at 6 pm at City Pointe, on the Boulevard, and Launch Pad happens at both Caldwell and Vallivue High Schools.  There's no shortage of entry points at Deer Flat.  If you need more information on any of these things or more, please contact us at the Church Office. I can't wait to see you this Sunday! Loving Him and You, Pastor D

Sunday Reflections - September 3, 2015

Greetings To My Deer Flat Family,

It's mid-week and I'm still enjoying the leftovers from last Sunday morning.  What a GREAT morning!  A great topic, a great story, a great response at the close of both services, and a GREAT GOD who understands the unfairness of Life, and wants to be involved in every aspect of our lives.

If you find yourself paralyzed and unable to move forward because you were blind-sided by life, I want to encourage you to read through 2 Corinthians 12.  You're going to get an encouraging word from Paul.  He addresses the issue of, "What if God doesn't change my circumstances?"  One of the possible options you'll hear him describe is the ability to view our situation through a different lens - God's lens.  How God wants to use our experience for His glory and our good.  Think about it.

I was so touched by the sensitivity of the people of Deer Flat as so many responded to the opportunity to be prayed over.  What a great moment in both hours.  The many who responded reminded me again that we all walk through the doors on Sunday looking pretty good on the outside, but so many are hurt, wounded or troubled on the inside.  We ALL remain needy - because God wants us to depend more on Him and less on ourselves.  You're right, it's not always comfortable, but it is a great move.

THIS SUNDAY - I will be speaking about all that's been going on in our world, and the sense of uncertainty that so many live with.  The theme this week is, again, a response to the request of many, "What In The World Is Going To Happen?"  I think you'll find this to be a very informational and meaning morning.  It's one of those topics that is worth inviting your friend or neighbor to check out.

Don't forget - ONE SERVICE AT 10:30 A.M.  FOLLOWED BY LUNCH!  Don't forget to let us know you're planning on staying for lunch so we can be well prepared.  Be sure to include this invitation to lunch when you invite your friends this Sunday.  I'd love to meet them.

September is always a fabulous month around Deer Flat.  Lots of opportunities, great Sundays and fresh encounters with the Living God!  I can't wait to see you this weekend.  Come expecting a great Lord's Day.

Loving You and Him,

Pastor D