Prestoncrest Internet Ministry

February 24, 2008

My family has entered into the chaos of spring this week and Stacey and I are working hard, and working together, just to keep up. Spring brings the start of new sports seasons and Michael is playing both soccer and baseball. Nicole participates in Girl Scout and takes ballet classes. That means that we shuttle kids, not only to and from school, but now also to practice, classes, friends’ houses, plus anything else that comes up every day of the week. I know many of you currently deal with this in your families or have already dealt with this blessing/challenge in you own lives and know exactly what I am talking about. For us, this is really the beginning of the stage where we both exist, almost entirely, to support the activities of our children, sacrificing many of the things that we want to do so that they can do what they want to do (and some of what we want them to do.)

I tell you all of this to explain something that I have come to appreciate this week about my marriage. I have always thought of Stacey as my partner and my helper, as me as hers, but this week has revealed a new level to that partnership. At this time in our marriage, a primary focus is to work together to serve others, in this case our children. While this has been the case in some way since they were born, it is taking on a new level of intensity as we give up more of our own desires to encourage them in theirs.

It is interesting to me as I look back at our marriage vows. While I remember promising to love her “in sickness and in health,” I don’t remember the minister saying anything about waving at each other in the car while running kids all over town, or how to strengthen our relationship over the phone with a steering wheel in one hand and a Quarter Pounder in the other. But you know what? It makes us appreciate each other more because we know that we are making those sacrifices together, on purpose, for our kids. It is just another cool aspect of marriage, serving others together. While having kids forces us to sacrifice for them, I hope that is something that Stacey and I will continue to do even after they are gone, serve together. I can’t think of a better way of sharing Jesus than to do it through service … together.

You may find the FOTFD online here.

Now join me as we “Focus on the First Day.”

God bless,
Mike

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up… To more than I can be.
 - You Raise Me Up – Brendan Graham

Communion

John 7:2-5

Do you ever wonder what Jesus’ brothers thought of him? I wonder if Mary & Joseph ever told them who Jesus really was. We see a powerful change in Jesus’ brothers, from “not believing in him,” to becoming leaders in the early church. What caused that change? I suspect that Jesus’ death and resurrection had a powerful impact on the lives of not only the disciples we read about frequently, but also his immediate family. Allow his death to have that same impact on you as we share the supper.

Sermon

“What’s It All For?” (Bob Chisholm)
Acts 18:2-3

“Marriage, marriage is what brings us together, today.” What is the ultimate purpose of marriage? What does God want couples to do with their marriages? Join us on Sunday as Bob helps us look at the couple, Aquila and Priscilla, to see how they model the answer to these questions.

Prayer Time

Acts 10:1-2

I am reminded frequently about the benefits of having “quality time” with my family. The greatest thing I can ever to do to strengthen my family is to come together in prayer. Every week, you have the opportunity to do that during Prayertime. On Sunday, take advantage of the chance you have to pray together. Gather your family during Prayertime and bring your family to the Father. Ask Him to lead your family, and then follow.

Sunday Night

“What We Know For Sure” (Matt Mazza)
Ephesians 5:31-32

How can your marriage praise and worship God? On Sunday evening, Matt will help us look at ways in which we can serve God through ministry in our marriage. Join us as Matt shares with us three examples of people you how who minister to others through their marriage.

We are encouraged to be a family of believers that choose to come together each week in worship. Come this Sunday with a desire to not just come to church, but come to truly be the church.

February 17, 2008

Valentine’s Day is pretty small deal in my house. In fact, here is how Stacey and I celebrated this special day last night. After work, I came home and took my son Michael to soccer practice. Once that was over, we came home and ate dinner with Stacey and Nicole, put the kids to bed a little bit later, talked about some of the things going on in our day, and went to bed early.

Yep, I am the great romantic!

Isn’t that one of the truly great things about love though? Relationships are special, whether you go out to a fancy dinner and give an expensive gift or if you spend a “regular” night at home doing nothing out of the ordinary. Either way, you are together. That is what makes it great; that is what makes it special.

What are some of the special moments in your relationship? Maybe it was a very unique evening where you did something big. Perhaps it was a time that would not stand out to anyone else except you, where you just realized that God had blessed you with a “moment.” I would love to hear about a special moment in your relationship. Share your story by adding some comments at the bottom of this page.

You may find the FOTFD online here.

Now join me as we “Focus on the First Day.”

God bless,
Mike

Echoes of careless words and slamming doors
Are still ringing in the night
I’ve taken my side and you’ve taken yours
We’re both wrong and we’re both right
Once again misunderstanding has turned us into enemies
I will forgive you, will you forgive me?
Love and learn, that’s what we will do
 - Love and Learn – Stephen Curtis Chapman

Communion

Luke 22:14-20

We talk about the last supper where Jesus models the communion meal that we share together each week. I imagine that meal was not a particularly special moment to the apostles at the time, since they ate with Jesus all of the time and, I suspect, had eaten the Passover with him before. But think about what the apostles thought about as they ate the bread and wine and remembered that meal with Jesus overt the remainder of their lives. What did they think about when they ate the supper? What were their minds focused on? Put yourself in their place this Sunday as we share this special meal.

Sermon

“Payback or Pullback” (Bob Chisholm)
Matthew 18:21-35

Peter voiced the question, but we all ask it inside. “How many times should I forgive someone?” Why is it that when we hear about concepts like mercy or patience we want to find out where the limits are? How much mercy? How much patience? And do we see what the search for limits really means? Underneath it all we are asking, “At what point can I stop forgiving? Where does it end? How far do I have to go? Come this Sunday as we talk about, not what our limits should be, but how God’s love and our compassion leads us to respond when we are wronged.

Prayer Time

Isaiah 30:29

I think we usually turn to prayer when life treats us hard; we ask God for help to save us, free us, or bless us when we feel we really need him. That is good, because God does all of those things for us. But remember he also wants us to turn to him when life is good, when we feel we are in control. God wants all of you; give him not only your pain and struggles, but also your joy and peace. Share it all with God and each other as we close our worship in a time of prayer this Sunday.

We are encouraged to be a family of believers that choose to come together each week in worship. Come this Sunday with a desire to not just come to church, but come to truly be the church.

February 10, 2008

I don’t know about you, but I really enjoyed watching the Super Bowl this year. Yes, it was a great game, but the most fascinating story line to me was the Giants pull off one of the greatest upsets in Super Bowl history. They came together to defeat a Patriots team that was being considered among the greatest teams of all time. New York was led to victory by their defense, which attacked Tom Brady and the Patriot offense all night.

That game reminded me that we defend ourselves against Satan on a daily basis. I can defend against him in 2 different ways. I can be passive, staying back, hoping that I can endure him and that he does not beat me too badly, or I can attack him first, putting the pressure on before he can ever get set to unleash his offensive attack against me.

Like the Giants, my desire is to defend by attacking. I have my ways to do that, teaming with God daily to prepare myself for battle. Today, I want to ask you how you battle against Satan. What things do you do to attack the enemy? Drop me a quick thought and let me know what things you do by commenting at the bottom of the page.

Perhaps something that you do will help someone else in their battle and we can all win our “Super Bowl.”

You may find the FOTFD online here.

I pray that this new feature will provide a place of blessing where we may gather together and share ourselves. Now join me as we “Focus on the First Day.”

God bless,
Mike

Walk on, walk on
What you got they can’t steal it
No they can’t even feel it
Walk on, walk on…
 - Walk On – U2

Communion

Mark 15:12-15

As we focus on Sunday about protecting our families, remember that God send Jesus right in to the fray, taking His protection away, to allow Jesus to die for you. How much love God must have for me to not only step away from His son, but to also have an intentional plan to send Jesus into a world that would attack Him and kill Him. Let’s thank God for that love as we share the Supper.

Sermon

“We Must Protect This House” (Gary Cochran)
Philippians 4:6-7

“We must protect this house.” It is more than wearing the right shirt to enhance your athletic performance. It is about guarding our most important things. Your heart and mind is the key to your entire being. How do I protect not only my being, but my families as well? Gary is going to talk about how we do this. Be there Sunday to learn how to defend your most critical turf.

Prayer Time

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Paul reminds us to pray continually. One of the ways we keep pray in our lives is to join together as a church during Prayertime. This Sunday, take a moment to go to someone else at church and spend a moment together in prayer. Share with that person something that is going on in your life and ask to hear something about theirs. Bring both of those to God during Prayertime, turning control over to the Father, keeping your life continually in prayer.

Sunday Night

“Our House” (Matt Mazza)
Mark 3:33-35

On Sunday night, Matt will lead a discussion with some families in our church who are “protecting their house.” Come and listen as they share the ways that they defend their family as a team against the attacks from the outside.

We are encouraged to be a family of believers that choose to come together each week in worship. Come this Sunday with a desire to not just come to church, but come to truly be the church.

February 3, 2008

Vision is an interesting word. We use it a lot, but do we really understand what it means? Corporate leads refer to it often, as do leaders in the church. We use it at Prestoncrest as well. You are familiar with our vision, Passion for God … Compassion for People. The purpose of vision is to keep us focused on our big goals. In the case of our church it means loving God and serving others. I have been challenged this week by trying to look at my life, my family, and my ministry and determining how I can better shape them around this vision. I know that I can easily get bogged down in the daily details of life and forget to stretch toward God.

That is what true vision is really about, continuing to “press on toward the goal,” both our eternal goal in heaven, but also in our daily lives here on earth. So don’t get comfortable where you are. Keep stretching to be like Jesus by “reaching up,” “reaching in,” and “reaching out.”

You may find the FOTFD online here.

I pray that this new feature will provide a place of blessing where we may gather together and share ourselves. Now join me as we “Focus on the First Day.”

God bless,
Mike

Comfortable, don’t get comfortable.
I am gonna’ move this mountain
then I’m gonna move you in.
Yesterday, this is not yesterday.
You were standing on my shoulders now;
you’re standing on the edge.
You’ve been looking for a sign all this time.
 - Don’t Get Comfortable – Brandon Heath

Communion

John 19:25-27

Imagine what Mary felt when she saw Jesus on the cross. Not only did she see her son, suffering in pain. She also saw the Messiah, the Savior of the world that she knew He was born to be. Like any mother, I am sure she felt as is she was dying with him. But even at that time of His greatest pain, He thought about her. Jesus made sure that Mary would be cared for, even after He was gone. He called on John to take care of His mother. He also did that for me. His purpose on that cross was to care for me, inviting me to live with Him, under His protection, forever.

Sermon

“Immeasurably More”
Ephesians 3:20

Where are we going? There is only one way to find out; that is to look at the road ahead. We can dream our own dreams of the future, but at Prestoncrest, it means asking God to be our guide. He can do much more than we can ever dream of. We just need to willingly tap into His plan. Sunday morning, we return to our vision to take a special look at the future of Prestoncrest. Our leaders will lay that path before us. Do you know where we are going? Join us on Sunday and see.

Prayer Time

Galatians 6:2

During Prayertime this week, we will ask you to pray together for our church and how we continue to strive toward God and His plan for us. We encourage you to get together with others during Prayertime, sharing you live with one another. Share the good, along with the bad. Bring it all to the Father, whether you do it along, with others, or with the elders. He invites you to come to Him. We invite you to come as well.

We are encouraged to be a family of believers that choose to come together each week in worship. Come this Sunday with a desire to not just come to church, but come to truly be the church.

January 27, 2008

I read this week, in Acts chapter 2, about the Christians gathering together daily and it got me thinking about our church today about how busy and spread apart we are during the week. I realize that our lives in Dallas now are very different then the lives of the Christians in Jerusalem described in Acts, but I’ll ask the question about how we can “meet together” like they did. Sunday is our time to be together as a church family in person. I also know that technology today gives us the chance to get together in different ways that the early Christians never thought about. We us email, cell phones, text messaging and IM to communicate with one another when we cannot be together face to face.

So this week, I am adding a new feature to the Focus on the First Day that I hope you will utilize to communicate with one another in preparation for Sundays. I have begun posting the Focus on the First Day messages online. I do this for two reasons. First, I want to share with all of you some additional things that I currently cannot put in this email each week. In the online version, I am adding links to additional items I find that I hope will benefit you in your preparation for worship on Sunday. These will now include links to the songs and musical artists that I reference in the message so you can hear the songs and see who these artists are, allowing their musical gifts to bless you and provide additional ways to bring worship to God.

Secondly, I want to provide a place for our church to interact and share our thoughts about worship. So at the bottom of each Focus on the First Day (FOTFD) message, you will see an area where you can post comments. I would encourage you to share your thoughts on the message as well as other comments posted by others in our church. I want to provide a safe place for us to “meet together” as we prepare for our weekly in-person gathering on Sunday.

You may find the FOTFD online here.

I pray that this new feature will provide a place of blessing where we may gather together and share ourselves. Now join me as we “Focus on the First Day.”

God bless,
Mike

How misguided I was in my search to know your love
I was working hard in all the wrong ways
Living life chaotically never sitting at your feet
‘Til you taught me the true meaning of grace
Be still there is peace
In your arms I am free
My heart is all you want from me
So I will be still
 - Be Still – Anthony Evans
  (Click on the media page to listen to part of the song “Be Still.”)

Communion

Matthew 26:42

The symbolism of the cross is powerful in so many ways. One symbol is shown in the 2 beams that make the cross. Look at the vertical portion of the cross and see our relationship with Jesus. While we reach up to Him, He reaches down to us. It is our first, our primary relationship, our anchor of life. Without the vertical portion, the cross could not stand. Now look at the horizontal portion and see our relationships with one another. Jesus told His church to be one, a unified family. When you eat the bread and drink from the cup, look first to Jesus and thank Him for reaching to us. But also, reach out to each other, loving each other as he loves us.

Sermon

“Missing in Action” (Bob Chisholm)
Mark 6:31

Are you tired of being tired? Do you know how to say “no”? Is there any margin built into your daily routine? Many fathers, mothers, husbands and wives are “missing in action” because they don’t know that slowing down is not a suggestion from God, it’s a commandment. Come learn how to protect our most important relationships.

Prayer Time

Acts 2:42-47

Prayertime is now a time for our church to really be the family God calls us to be. Use this time to share your life with our church, the good as well as the bad. Take your burdens and your joys to one another, to our elders, our staff, or to the whole church. We welcome you because Prayertime is open, come as you are.

Sunday Evening

“Virtuous Reality” (Bob Chisholm, Matt Mazza, & Mike Collodi)

God blesses our lives in many ways. Join us Sunday evening, as we look at many of the ways that God uses marriage to strengthen and deepen our spiritual lives.

We are encouraged to be a family of believers that choose to come together each week in worship. Come this Sunday with a desire to not just come to church, but come to truly be the church.

January 20, 2008

Each week, as we write this email, I confess that one of the biggest challenges is to find a way to create new words that describe the Lord’s Supper. The varying topics and themes that we create, in the sermon and in prayertime, when planning worship easily lend themselves to new thoughts and ideas that we can share with you each week. While communion is our primary purpose for gathering, it is also the same thing every week. There is power in the simplicity and ritual of that feast of remembrance. But it is also very easy to get distracted because of our familiarity with it. How do we keep the Supper special, keeping the importance God asks of us?

This week, I thought of a song that I like by the group FFH that really helps me to personalize the reason that Jesus died. This morning I share a part of it with you. Take some time and think about the words and what they mean to you. If you like, send your thoughts back and share with me how they affect you as well.

We are excited to be part of this church family with you. I hope that these thoughts help you to come prepared to worship God together this Sunday. Now join me as we “Focus on the First Day.”

God bless,
Mike

Communion

1 Corinthians 15:3-4

Those were my nails
That was my crown
That pierced Your hands and Your brow
Those were my thorns
Those were my scorns
Those were my tears that fell down
And just as You said it would be
You did it all for me
After You counted the cost
You took my shame, my blame
On my cross
- On My Cross - FFH

Sermon

“Yada, Yada, Yada” (Bob Chisholm)
Proverbs 18:21

Our lives in America today are full of noise: TV, radio, IPods, traffic, construction, and talk. I talk, you talk, they talk, we all talk. Technology was enabled us to easily and quickly communicate with anyone in the world with email, cell phones, IM and text messaging. But what are we saying? And is anyone really listening? Sunday morning, Bob looks at how we communicate with one another and that while we have gotten extremely efficient, perhaps we don’t really listen to each other anymore. Join us as we explore the true meaning of the “yada, yada, yada.” It will be “gold, Jerry, gold.”

Prayer Time

Romans 12:1-2

Our Prayertime is relocating within our worship service to now be a time of invitation for us all. The invitation and prayertime that will follow the sermon each week is not just for those that feel called to confess to their brother and seek the prayers of the church, although that is always open to anyone who needs it. It is also a time to share publicly with your spiritual family what God is doing in your life. Seek the prayers of this church or offer praise to God for what He has done for you. Prayertime is open, come as you are.

Sunday Evening

“The Last Man Standing” (Matt Mazza)

American Idol, Big Brother and Amazing Race, why is our society so infatuated with reality TV? We seek to honor above all else the “The Last Man Standing” the man or women who conquerors everything and everyone else to be victorious. The more we strive to do it on our own the more destruction within our relationships and ultimately ourselves we create. God created us not to be alone, but with the essential need for others in our lives. Join us Sunday night as we talk about the dangers of being the “Last Man Standing.”

We are encouraged to be a family of believers that choose to come together each week in worship. Come this Sunday with a desire to not just come to church, but come to truly be the church.

January 13, 2008

We’ve got CD sets and videos, radio and TV shows
Conferences, retreats and seminars
We’ve got books and magazines to read on everything from A to Z
And a web to surf from anywhere we are
But I hope with all this information buzzing through our brains
That we will not let our hearts forget the most important thing
Is love, love, love, love, love It’s all about love, love, love, love, love
Everything else comes down to this
Nothing any higher on the list than love
It’s all about love
 - All About Love - Steven Curtis Chapman

Each and every Sunday we come together as a family and as a body of believers here at Prestoncrest. The purpose of this email, sent to our entire congregation, is to help us focus on the first day of the week, preparing to gather together to share the Lord’s Supper and to praise and worship God.

Communion

John 15:9-17

Jesus showed us the greatest example of love because “he lay down his life for his friends.” As we share the supper, let’s not only remember our Lord’s example, but also commit to follow it and show our love to others.

Sermon

“Ground Zero” (Bob Chisholm)
1 Corinthians 13:1-7

Technology has made communication quicker and easier. But it has not necessarily made it more genuine or real. In fact, it’s possible to be connected with people around the globe without ever really knowing them. And the huge success of Myspace on the internet gives us a look into how many deal with the growing social distance. What can we take into our relationships that will show us how to bridge differences and live a life that pleases God? Join us this Sunday as we begin our new series on marriage and relationships, “Myspace or Ourspace.” We’ll start right where we should, beginning at “Ground Zero.”

Prayer Time

Romans 12:1-2

What does it mean when we ask God to guideguardanddirectus? What are we really asking for? We understand the need to look for and follow God’s will but sometimes struggle to do as we get caught up in our busy lives. Sunday morning, let’s use our Prayertime to ask God to lead us to His will: in our personal lives, in our relationships, and in the future of His church at Prestoncrest. Pray that He will guide our ways, that He will guard our hearts, and that He will direct our path.

We are encouraged to be a family of believers that choose to come together each week in worship. Come this Sunday with a desire to not just come to church, but come to truly be the church.

January 6, 2008

Tonight,
I will take my cross,
Tonight,
I will count the cost,
Tonight I realize to take hold of this very moment
 - Tonight - Jeremy Camp

Each and every Sunday we come together as a family and as a body of believers here at Prestoncrest. The purpose of this email, sent to our entire congregation, is to help us focus on the first day of the week, preparing to gather together to share the Lord’s Supper and to praise and worship God.

Prayer Time

Matthew 6:9-13

What will you do with this time during our worship service? Some people stand quietly in personal meditation, still others sing prayers and praises to God and more and more of you are using this time to pray for and with one another. For so many, this is the only time during the week that you have the opportunity to pray with your brothers and sisters in Christ. However you choose to use this time of pray is up to you, we simply want to encourage you to spend it totally and completely devoted to God.

Communion

Luke 22:19

Thank you God; for the miraculous birth of your son, the amazing example of the life he lived and the eternal salvation that is given to each of us in His death.

Sermon

“The Invitation Paradox” (Marshall Morris)
Matthew 16:24-25

Every time two lives intersect, one or both is irreversibly changed by the event. Each time we are served by a waiter, or pay a cashier at Walmart, lives are altered ever so slightly. Every one of these encounters is immeasurably important, for in those moments each person is given - by the other - an invitation. An invitation to live - or an invitation to die. The smallest kindness can bring joy to the broken-hearted. The tiniest criticism can destroy a fragile soul. On this first Sunday of 2008, what is the invitation of your life?

We are encouraged to be a family of believers that choose to come together each week in worship. Come this Sunday with a desire to not just come to church, but come to truly be the church.

December 30, 2007

To everything, turn, turn, turn,
There is a season, turn, turn, turn,
And a time to every purpose under heaven
 - Turn! Turn! Turn! - Pete Seeger (The Byrds)

Each and every Sunday we come together as a family and as a body of believers here at Prestoncrest. The purpose of this email, sent to our entire congregation, is to help us focus on the first day of the week, preparing to gather together to share the Lord’s Supper and to praise and worship God.

Prayer Time

Psalm 119:89-90

What’s on your heart? Are you anxious? Are you excited? Are you uncertain? Are you overwhelmed? Are you optimistic? No matter what you think or feel about the new year, the one thing we must all remember is the importance of keeping God right in the middle of it. Sunday as we gather for our prayertime begin thinking about what God is laying before you in your life. God has great plans in store for each of us, but first we must be still and know, and then we must trust in Him with all our heart. Bring before God all your hopes, your dreams, your burdens, and your problems. Lay them at His feet and allow Him to carry them for you as He guides your path.

Communion

Luke 24:1-8

We have spent the month of December looking at Jesus, entering this world at His birth as an infant, born with the purpose to die for you, for me, on that cross. Just as His birth was not the beginning, remember that His death was not the end. He carried our sins with Him to the cross, cleansing us with His blood. But also, on that third day, He conquered death, opening the path to heaven for us all. As we gather around the table on Sunday, let us not only remember His love and sacrifice, but also rejoice with the knowledge of the place He has prepared for us. He leads us past death’s door to an eternity in heaven, with Him.

Sermon

“Preparing for 2008” (Bob Chisholm)
Colossians 2:1

The New Year is always a time of change: a time of reflection, a time of planning, a time to look back, a time to move forward. 2008 is an unknown experience for all of us. How will you get ready for 2008? Sunday morning, Bob is going to look at how Jesus prepared his disciples for their unknown experiences. Join us as we apply those lessons in our own lives in “Preparing for 2008.”

We are encouraged to be a family of believers that choose to come together each week in worship. Come this Sunday with a desire to not just come to church, but come to truly be the church.

December 23, 2007

I believe
The wisemen saw
The baby born the angels called the son of God
Heaven’s child
The great I am
Born to take away my sins through nailed pierced hands
Emmanuel has come
 - I Believe - Natalie Grant

Each and every Sunday we come together as a family and as a body of believers here at Prestoncrest. The purpose of this email, sent to our entire congregation, is to help us focus on the first day of the week, preparing to gather together to share the Lord’s Supper and to praise and worship God.

Worship

Matthew 26:26-29

This Sunday, as we conclude our Series, “Breath of Heaven: The Birth of a Savior,” we discuss the final piece of the miraculous story of His birth, “An Act of Mercy.” Every Sunday we sit at the table and “do this in remembrance of me.” We drink of the fruit of the vine, which represents His blood and eat the unleavened bread, which represents His broken body. What does the baby born in a manger in the small town of Bethlehem and the man that hung on a cross on the hill known as “The Place of the Skull” have to do with each other? It was God’s ultimate act of mercy for his fallen people. God came to Earth as a sinless and perfect baby to die on a cross as a sinless and perfect man, all the while gathering the sins of a world and the burden of humanity on His shoulders. This Sunday as we sit at the table and remember our savior and what he did for us all. Remember that the baby in the manger and the man on the cross where God. They were God in the flesh, not to shame, not to guilt, not to prosecute, but to forgive. His death allows us to come to the table and eat with Him just as we are, not perfect, but forgiven.

Celebrate His birth
Emulate His life
Praise God everyday for the “Act of Mercy” within His death on the cross

Sunday Night - Christmas Worship Celebration

Matthew 1:18-25

Come and worship with us as we spend some time together, opening windows and letting his light into our hearts, so that we can be light to the world. We will sing, our children will sing, and we will be enlightened and encouraged as we celebrate the birth of Jesus.

We are encouraged to be a family of believers that choose to come together each week in worship. Come this Sunday with a desire to not just come to church, but come to truly be the church.