Preparing for worship on the first Sunday of 2014

On Monday this past week I posted on Facebook:  Standing between two calendar years is a good place to evaluate our lives. Looking back, we remember the past year—its delights and disappointments fresh in our memories. Looking around, we see clearly where we are—able to make good choices based on present circumstances. Looking ahead, we anticipate another year of possibilities and high hopes. 

Tomorrow is the first Sunday of 2014 and I am praying a for new guest to join us to begin a new year.  I am exited about the new teaching series I will launch tomorrow:

 

Each of us has a desire for new things. We start each "new" year with a desire to change things and make this year better than last. The reason we struggle to actually make those changes is that we try to change things from the outside rather than let God change us from within. The great news we are discovering in this series is that God desires to make us brand new!

Here are the songs planned for the worship set:
 

We join together in the first time of communion of 2014:

As we bring our first offerings of finances to the Lord I plan to offer the congregation to take a 30 days love test. Love the Lord with all your heart, soul and mind... begin by bringing an offering that is pleasing to the Lord of at least 10% of your income.  If God does not honor your commitment and pour out a blessing to you - we will gladly return all the amount of offerings you have given to the church during the month of January 2014.  The Lord says: Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse ( your local church) ..."Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it..." ( Malachi 3:10)

I have asked the worship team to bring this song in worship as a testimony of our changed life and that we will never be the same again.  Please note the Scripture at the beginning of the song:



Now, I am ready to preach in the power of the Lord....