Author: admin

In a world plagued by religious fanatics, many are prone to thing of the Holy Spirit as optional equipment for the Christian life. Jesus, however, makes the Holy Spirit absolutely necessary for the life and mission of the church (favor with all the people).

• Empower ministry ( healing, exorcisms, miracles)
• Teach and illuminate truth
• Convict of sin and the need for repentance
• Deepen and make fellowship possible
• Live upright lives in the community (favor with all the people)

The Holy was sent to enable the church to carry out its mission. That means if Woodbine is going to accomplish its God given mission, we, too must receive the enabling of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will enable us to:

• Reach out in the name of Jesus
• Grow into the likeness of Jesus
• Live all for Jesus

How do we open ourselves to the power of the Holy Spirit so we can accomplish the mission God has given us?

First we make sure that we have made Jesus the Lord of our lives and ask God to fill us with the Holy Spirit…then:
• Pray – continue to maintain our connection with Jesus
• We must spend time in the Word and apply what you learn so that we can continue to grow in our relationship with Jesus
• We must make ourselves available to used in ministry by the Holy Spirit. This is how we experience the power of the Holy Spirit in ministry

Preparing for Pentecost

By admin

On May 27, 2007

In Sermons

With this post I will begin to summarize the past Sunday’s sermon and talk about the action points. If you are a part of Exciting Woodbine feel free to comment and I will try to respond as often as I can. Not all comments will be posted online. I reserve the right to allow only those comments which will benefit us all.

The text from Joel 2:28-32 is one of several where God promises to send the Holy Spirit (Isa 32:15; Ezek 36:25-28). The prophet Joel was calling the people of Israel to repentance in preparation for the Day of the Lord. One of the blessings The Lord says he will grant is the giving of the Holy Spirit to young and old, male and female, slave and free. If we look closely, we will be able to discern some of the things we can do to prepare for Pentecost.

In the Sermon on May 20 I outlined three things we can do to get ready for Pentecost.

1. We get ready for Pentecost through repentance. Joel’s message was a message of repentance. “Rend your hearts and not your garments” Joel said. Repentance brings us to the point of humility we need in order to see our sin and for the Holy to move in our lives.

2. We get ready for Pentecost by allowing god to begin the restoration in our lives. When God points out sin in our lives in is not so he can gloat over how sinful we are, it is so that we will allow him to begin a work of restoration on our lives. In God’s eyes repentance in a means to an end and the end is reconciliation and restoration.

3. We get ready for Pentecost by giving God control of our lives. This means God wants to guide our live into fruitfulness. We often think of giving God control of the big areas, but maybe we need to start to give God control in the small things of our lives.

Four challenges as we prepare for Pentecost:

– Make prayer a priority

– Bring our brokenness to the Lord

– Ask God to restore us and change us

– Open ourselves to new opportunities

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Alan

Which Bible is the Right One?

By admin

On May 2, 2007

In FAQ's, Woodbine Methodist Church

From time to time I am asked about the best Bible translation to buy and read. That is a difficult question. Let me tell you my personal preferences and then give you some links to do some research on you own.

I personally use the English Standard Version (ESV). The ESV as the publisher says is an “essentially literal” translation. It is a revision of the older Revised Standard Version (RSV). I like it because it takes a more literal approach to the translation process and therefore is a better starting place for detailed study of Scripture. Other translations in this vein are KJV, NKJV, NASB and the NRSV to some degree. The New International Version (NIV) is a good translation as well. However, I prefer a more literal translation when doing detailed study.
I also enjoy two more dynamic translations. The New Living Translation (NLT) and the New Century Version (NCV). These two attempt to render the original Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek in a more contemporary style. They are very helpful for understanding difficult passages.

Here are a few links that will help as you make a decision. (These are chosen because of their balanced content, not because I endorse everything in the article or on the website.)
Here is a good article that gives an overview of the different translations that are available.

The article Choosing a Bible offers a good over view of translation methods. It is produced by the company that publishes the ESV. It is in PDF format.
This site Which Bible is the Word of God offers a general overview of the reliability of the Greek text of the New Testament as well as an article on the work of Textual Criticism . Textual Criticism, also called lower criticism, is the analysis biblical manuscripts in order to determine as far as possible the original wording.

The Bible Choices article shows a chart of popular Bible translations with a view to grade level and reading difficulty. The article is a little dated in that it doesn’t mention some of the newer versions.

After you decide on a translation then comes the task of choosing what kind of Bible. A good study Bible is a necessary tool.

How to Choose a Study Bible gives a brief overview of the different types of study Bibles classified by their doctrinal orientation.

eHow offers a good overview what to look for in a study Bible.

Of course when it is all said and done, the best Bible translation is the one you actually read!

The Blog of Pastor Alan Cassady

Author: admin

The Purpose of Pentecost

Preparing for Pentecost

Which Bible is the Right One?