Liberty Vineyard,
Happy last day of February to you all! I don’t know about you but I have been so enjoying the strong presence of God and sweet fellowship that we have been experiencing over the last few weeks at church. At the end of Pastor Karen’s message on Sunday there was such a strong holy moment. You could hear a pin drop but the power of the Lord was so thick. I am so thankful for the Word of God that came forth on the theme of the love of God expressed in the body of Christ.
I believe Karen took us to a place of honesty and vulnerability that many of us need. As she shared about some of her own struggles and challenges, it opens us all up to the possibilities of healing and wholeness. I felt the Holy Spirit speaking something at the close of the service but I was not exactly clear on until later. I believe God wants us to know that yes, absolutely yes, healing is possible and awaits for many of us who are in places of difficulty. The second part of the message was that we have been inhibited from joining fully into God’s mission in our community and world though because some of us have not been honest with our own brokenness and need for healing. I believe that as we are honest, vulnerable, and the Lord mends wounds that He will take us to new, risk-taking places in the Kingdom of God. If you would like anyone to process any of this with you, please reach out and someone would love to walk with and pray with you at LVC.
I have also been pondering lately the opportunities each of us have before us to serve and minister to others. I had a handful of opportunities last week that were given to me on a silver platter. I wonder what opportunities each of us are having that are truly gifts from God. How are we responding and making ourselves available. It can certainly be challenging to move into these new opportunities or areas but it is exhilarating thinking of the ways God meets us. Just as we discussed at our community meal, what does extravagant worship look like for each of us and Liberty Vineyard as a whole? I am leaning into that today.
I hope each of you has a hope-filled and joy-filled week. May the reality of King Jesus be yours as you enter into the month of March.
Blessings to you all in Christ,
John
John D. Trotter
Senior Pastor, Liberty Vineyard Church
Sunday’s sermon: Release (Pastor Karen Sculley)