Here’s one of Brian’s posts:

Have you ever seen the television show on the Animal Planet called “I Shouldn’t Be Alive”?  If not here’s the basic premise of the show.  A person or group of people starts out on an adventure…sometimes a new one and sometimes one they’ve done before.  A typical adventure might include a kayak trip on a river or on the ocean, a hike up a mountain, a family sailing trip, a day trip into the desert, etc.  The adventures typically start out simple enough, but inevitably something goes wrong and a seemingly-innocent day of fun turns into a fight for survival.

An episode I saw recently was one in which a couple’s first date consisted of a day hike in a desert-like location in Texas.  The couple started out their day of fun embarking on a couple-hour hike that would end back at their car.  However, after a short amount of time they got turned around.  They lost their bearings.  At some point their surrounding became unfamiliar.  They no longer recognized their path.  The fight…the struggle for survival was on.

Soon the young couple was in a fight for their very lives.  The 100+ degree heat soon began to take its toll on the couple.  Dehydration began to sap their energy.  Heat and dryness began to crack their lips.  Their skin soon began to turn red as it cooked in the sun’s rays.  After a couple of days they began to hallucinate…see things that were not there…hear things that were not there.  In their desperation to escape their predicament, they began wandering…looking for a way out…trying to find their way back to safety.Part of their struggle was due to the fact that they were ill prepared.  They carried no water.  Instead of sturdy hiking shoes they were wearing running shoes.  Why not?  They weren’t going mountain climbing.  They were only out for a walk in the desert.  They had no ability to build fire as the sun began to sink into the horizon and the temperatures began to drop to the mid 30′s.  Why would they?  They weren’t planning on being out after dark.  Their adventure was only to take a couple of hours.  They had plenty of time.

As with many of the hour-long episodes, the couple’s relating the details and the staged reenactments of their struggle came down to the last 10 minutes.  They were done.  They had resigned themselves to the fact that there was no way out.  They laid down to die in the desert.  They made peace with each other and themselves.  They gave up and prepared for the worst.

But then there’s a noise…a sound in the distance.  The sound of a helicopter.  The sound of help coming to find them.  The sound of rescue.

Sounds like a good show, although my wife would disagree, but what is my point?

Here’s the point…Think of this adventure as a parable, a story designed to illustrate a spiritual truth.  People start out innocently enough, but somewhere they hit a rough patch.  They make a wrong turn down a path they did not intend to go down.  They end up in a place they did not intend to end up.  They lose their bearings.  They lose their way.  Then the struggle is on.  The fight for survival is on.  I once heard it put like this…It’s kind of like Denny’s.  No one plans on going there; they just end up there.    They fall into a cycle of self-deliverance that, even though physical habits might be broken, the inner, spiritual pain continues.  They are ill prepared for the struggle.  They have the wrong equipment.  They fight and struggle for survival.  They wander around looking for help, a way out.  They try to reason themselves into happiness.  They try to work harder, believing that if they say and do the right things everything will get better.  Work more hours.  Do more good things.  Others try more “spiritual” things…just pray harder, read their Bible more, go to church more, obey the commandments, everything will get better.  But nothing works.  There is no relief.  There is no help.  There is no freedom.  The heat of battle begins to take its toll.  They become spiritually parched, dried up.  They cannot find their way back to a life of peace.
The day must come when we give up.

Stop trying.

Stop fighting.

Stop struggling.

Listen.

Listen.

Hear that sound?

Hear that faint noise in the distance?  What is it?  Am I imagining it?  What is that noise?

Don’t ignore that sound.  It’s the sound of rescue.  It’s the sound of deliverance.  If you listen closely you’ll hear it.  The sound gets closer and closer.  Soon, up over the horizon pops the source of rescue.  In the case of the couple in the desert of Texas, it came in the form of a helicopter.  For us it comes in the shape of the cross.  What Jesus did on the cross is the answer.  It is the deliverance.  It is our rescue.  Hebrews 9:12 (NLT) tells us that, “Once for all time (Jesus) took blood into that Most Holy Place, but not the blood of goats and calves.  He took his own blood, and with it he secured our salvation (or rescue…my emphasis) forever.”

The final scene in the Animal Planet show is usually that of the characters climbing aboard the rescue plane, helicopter, boat, etc. and being taken to safety.  The cross is our rescue vehicle.  Without going into too much detail in this blog entry (look for more of that in future posts!), our complete rescue was provided for on that “vehicle”.  Jesus bore our sins and freed us from its penalties.  We no longer have to wander in the wilderness looking for a way to safety.  Before time began, God knew we needed to be rescued.  He knew you and I would be in dire straits, in need of rescue and provided it in the form of a cross.  All we have to do to find peace and safety is climb aboard.  Allow Him to rescue us.

***We’re in need of bakers. If you’d like to bake 3 dozen cookies to contribute to the meal, let us know at jason@journeykc.com. We’ll even take them down there on Saturday if you can’t make it. It’s a great way for you to get involved even if you can’t be there.***

Come work together as Journey Church reaches out to the homeless through Hope Faith Ministries. Hope Faith serves the homeless from 7:00 am until approximately 3:00 pm. They generally feed 450-500+ each day from their current facility. The needs of homeless have doubled in the last 18 months and we need your service. Don your Journey Church shirt and grab a hat (or a hairnet will be provided for you) and come prepare and serve lunch at Hope Faith.
Donations will be accepted to buy the supplies needed, just write “Hope Faith Meal” on your giving envelope to designate beyond your usual tithe. Contact jason@journeykc.com for more info or to volunteer to gather supplies.

Volunteers enter at the north end of the building through the door under the “705″ awning. http://www.hopefaithministries.org/. Parking in the small southern lot or the lot to the west.

Do you deliver? Bob Sapp does every Sunday morning as he brings a church service to the residents of Kendallwood Assisting Living in Gladstone, Missouri from 8:30-9:30. He said it all started when hear heard the call of God to preach His word. ” You have to have an outlet for that. It’s either stand on a street corner and shout it or this. People are much more receptive in this type of setting. ” Bob explains.

He started the church service at Kendallwood over 3 years ago, just a few weeks after moving his family to the KC area from Houston. Providing a church service in this way just felt natural to Bob. He did it for many years with first, leading worship, then preaching on occasion. “Then, the guy who was preaching couldn’t do it anymore, so I just sort of took over preaching”.
That preaching has helped hold him accountable to consistently reading his Bible to prepare for messages. “It’s really kept me meditating on the Word, trying to hear from God ” acknowledges Bob. “An added benefit is that I’ve stayed consistent with my guitar playing, and been able to develop my worship talents.” With his current setup, he leads worship for thirty minutes and preaches for the other thirty.

It’s evident Bob’s heart has really been touched by what God has been using him for in this setting. “I mean, these are people who have gone to church their whole lives- a lot of them- and they were missing it” said Bob. Thankfully, Bob answered God’s call and brings church to those who can’t venture out. “I always get more out of it, I’m sure, than they do.” he explains. “You get to meet an entirely different population than you normally would.”
Now would be a great time for you to get involved. Bob explains “It’ s about as safe of an environment for someone to develop what they believe God is calling them to that I can imagine.” You could come help with worship time, teach a message, or share a story/testimony. Another way to participate would be just to come out and meet the residents during and after the service, help people to their seats, sit by them and help them find hymns in the book. Bob says that families are more than welcome.
Service Time is Every Sunday from 8:30 till 9:30 and it located off Antioch Road at:
Kendallwood Assisting Living
2801 NE 60th St
Gladstone, MO 64119-2040

Contact Bob at 913-909-2815 if anyone is interested.

Don your Journey Church shirt and grab a hat (or a hairnet will be provided for you). Arrive at 7 to start cooking breakfast. Journey Church is buying the ingredients for the menu. Donations will be accepted to buy the supplies needed, just write “Hope Faith Meal” on your giving envelope to designate beyond your usual tithe or given to Cheryl at the event.
Volunteers enter through the North doors, which is the office entrance (under the awning that says 705).

Contact jason@journeykc.com for more info

Or call Journey Church at 368-1540.

Suggested Donation List: 

• Flashlights
• Batteries
• Bottled water
• Towels
• Blankets
• Toiletries
• Large storage containers
• Breakfast bars
• Canned fruit/veggies
• Can openers
• Work gloves
• New underwear
• Gently used T-shirts, shorts, etc.
• Baby kits – formula, wipes, diapers, baby food
• Kids Fun Kits – 1 gallon bags with small toys, coloring books, games, play dough, etc.
• Chainsaws
• Gas cans
• Dust masks
• Safety Glasses

Starts this Sunday 10-10-10 at 10am

Shoal Creek Elementary

This would be a great time to invite someone to check out Journey Church. See you Sunday!

THIS Tuesday, July 20

7pm @ Area 2

Liberty Fall Festival is coming up September 24th and 25th. We’re having the initial brainstorming and planning meeting to help determine our vision for our ministry there this fall. If you’d like to be a part of the planning team, bring your ideas to Area 2 this Tuesday. If  you can’t make the meeting, but have some good ideas or want to be involved, e-mail jason@journeykc.com.

Sunday, July 4

12:30pm – 5:00pm

8107 NE 113th St. Kansas City, MO 64157

Scott & Summer Taylor invite you to come celebrate the 4th of July at their home. This is a potluck event, so please bring some food and drinks to share! For more information contact Scott Taylor @ 383-1212.

Partnership Meeting

After Service

If you’re ready to learn more about moving from just attending to becoming a faithful partner of Journey Church, stick around after service this Sunday, June 27 for the Partnership Meeting.

Future of Journey Youth

Sunday, June 27 at 6pm

Area 2

Teens and parents of teens are invited to join Pastor Shawn, Jake and Niki for pizza Sunday evening to discuss ideas for the future of Journey Youth.

Riding a bicycle has its own set of gear and ways of doing things. I have learned some roads to ride on that are conducive to riding. I now have routes to get to different parts of the city. And I can talk the talk of bicycling with other people with the same passion.

Following Jesus has its own set of lifestyle and ways. Just as riding a bicycle causes one to think, eat and sleep riding. So following Jesus will cause you to eat and sleep and think of the things of God.

You can’t ride a bike in traffic without being aware of your surroundings. You are aware of the width of the road the # of lanes and the existence of a rideable shoulder. You see in your mirror what is coming up behind you and praying for God’s protection and direction of when and where to ride. Constant watchfulness is useful in the spirit as well. I am looking if there is someone to hand a tract to and share the gospel with. I am praying for the ministry I will be doing in the days ahead and taking authority over the enemy not to take the word that I will share, from people hearts.

My bike that I ride has 27 gears, 3 in front and 9 in back. I am constantly shifting gears to maintain the correct cadence and effort or strength exerted. It can be the same with the spiritual realm. Life throws many things at you. And I try to let the Lord deal with them by bringing them to Him in prayer. I also look to Jesus and the promises He has given me and not the problems of life. I want to be content in all that I do. Yet not to be content to let the enemy steal and ruin peoples lives.

I have seen how food will allow me to ride with more strength. We eat to gain strength. But eating by itself will not produce strength. Eating gives us the ability to use the strength we have. If I don’t eat I don’t have the ability to use strength. To build strength I exercise. This exercising gives strength to my muscles. It is the work that builds strength. Food gives me the ability to work, but by itself, food will just make me fat.

In spiritual life knowledge of the Bible is like food. But knowledge by itself will not bring spiritual strength. It is using the knowledge that builds strength. I have heard it said, It is not what we know, but what we can testify to that is important. The work of faith God has for us, builds strength.

Our knowledge of the Bible without work will build arrogance. 1 Cor. 8:1 I spend a lot of time in the Bible and if I am not careful I become arrogant. Prayer for humbleness and repentance are things I do to guard against this problem of arrogance. But this alone will not succeed if I don’t do what the Bible teaches. Actions are needed if I am to be a workman/servant/disciple for Christ. It is in this prayer and repentance that I get direction on what I am to do for the Lord.

For the bicycle the elements are eating, riding and rest. In the Spirit it’s Bible, prayer/relationship and service, and quietness.

The motto I live by is: Pray and go daily. I pray and get God’s direction, then I go as I am led. The next day I evaluate what I did yesterday and pray over it and get God’s direction again. Then I go again to serve as I am led. I have found that sometimes it takes God a while to get me to do something. But if I pray every day over the issues of my life I have to face up the to the fact that I am living in direct disobedience to God’s direction. To be honest with God is to be honest with yourself. I cry out for His help. Then live and act in faith to what He is leading me to do.