Season of Service in San Diego

Luis Palau is working with San Diego to bring about a change in the entire county. City Fest is on the move with its Season of Service in San Diego, so check out what is happening by the bay. We at Bayview Charities are working with Treasure Box on a major donation for the Season of Service's Not on This Day. This will address the large numbers of those who go hungry each day in San Diego.

We need your help. How can you help?

We need prayer. Please pray for God to lead us in our planning, keeping with His purpose. Pray that those who are in need are able to be fed both physically and spiritually. Pray that the Spirit unifies those who volunteer in service with harmony and love for one another as they serve. Pray that god becomes known by those who do not know Him as a result of this effort.

We need volunteers. Go to City Fest and register to Get Involved. Whether you sign up as a church, small group or an individual, get signed up and show up. Join the effort to do more than we can do on our own. Come together as one body and serve the Lord with gladness.

Inspired by God

I am honestly inspired by God as I prepare for an unconventional sermon today. Street preaching, as many will agree, requires one to say what needs to be said and shut up and get out of the way. The Lord will lead you further once you get started, but He gives you enough to get started and share with the people in order to make a real connection with them. At least twice per month, we rotate among 3 to 4 preachers to share a brief inspirational message before a line of people seeking food items and clothes from our community giveaway. Our presentation of the gospel has shifted as hearts have been opened by the Word and our own eyes have been opened to the degree of blight and poverty that exists within our community. As I prepare for my message, I see images of black, brown and yellow faces with hope in their dark eyes. I can't help but hear the Lord's words the "least of these" echo over and over again in my spirit. Keep us in prayer as we serve the people once again.

Bayview Charities Food Giveaway
Sponsored by Feeding America
Every 1st & 3rd Friday
8 AM-10 AM
www.bayviewcharities.com
www.bayviewbc.org
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Visit Rev. Bruce's other blog, too. http://revbruce.wordpress.com

Back on Track

Hip-hop's Rakim made real noise when he would start out with the words: "It's been a long a time. . ." I felt the same way as I started on this blog entry. It seems as if I have neglected some sacred duty, but I have been very busy doing some productive work for both the church and community.

• I have really gotten into Twitter and at least hitting up an update daily if not more than once. Follow me tweet by tweet at www.twitter.com/lifepath01/
• I am preaching every Wednesday night at Bayview Bapttist Church for the month of June. I preached last week on "Being Blessed Beyond Belief" about Elijah and the widow of Zarephath. . .where is God sending you and to whom for your blessing? I've got two more to go. We crank it up at 7 PM.
  
• I've got to give all of those who preach and teach with the Good News, the Word of truth. This is no small thing. Preaching and teaching take a lot out of a person. Each requires a great amount of study and commitment. You are in my prayers daily.
• I am putting finishing touches on my latest book of inspirational poetry entitled Lamentations in the Storm. I am planning a few book-signings this summer for this and Words from the Underground.

What's next? I cannot say yet. The baby is keeping us on our toes and that's expected. I have a few plans underway for some new ventures in ministry and community services, so I stay prayerful. Andrew Murray said,"I pray, expecting an answer." Yes, and I pray for clarity and understanding to follow my obedience and acceptance of what God has to say. Amen.

In Prayer

Pray without ceasing.- 1 Thessalonians 5:17

We must become and stay rooted in prayer. Why? Prayer is our direct connection with God. It is our main line of communicating with Him on a spiritual level in accordance to His Word. This economy needs prayer as well as the people who are suffering within it. Our newly-elected president is in need of prayer just as many of us stand in the need of it. In this information age, it still holds true that we need prayer for a prayer-hearing God. We may need it now more than ever.

Pray without ceasing are the words of inspiration and instruction penned by Paul to this small, struggling church dear to his heart. They are easy to keep in mind because they are short, straightforward, and succinct. The inspiration is to pray without ending or stopping, never losing your connection and communication with God for an instant. The instruction is to pray without ever stopping, to pray relentlessly. It is by such a prayer life that we learn how to make many strides in life while on our knees.

Keep me in your prayers as I continue to share inspirational messages with the congregation of the Bayview Baptist Church every Wednesday this month for WNL.