Happy yet sad to announce!

     I have said this to some of you, but to others it is a surprise. When February comes around, I will begin working as the middle school director at Livingway Church in Firewheel. This could very possibly turn into a full-time job within a year, as the church is quickly growing. Between now and February, I will visit there once in a while on Sundays, so that my new boss can introduce me to people while I start to get a feel for their church. He is being very respectful of the fact that I am hesitant to leave Northrich in a hurry because of the fact that I have such deeply rooted friendships here.

     I am so sad to leave Northrich. But I know that God is in the midst of this, and I know it's Him calling me to move on to this new position. I thank God and am so grateful for the relationships I've found at Northrich. I know they will last a lifetime, because God is the center of our lives and He will keep us connected! I will continue to pray for Northrich and to visit whenever possible. I am not leaving town; I will remain in Garland and touch base with all of you. Within the next month or two, my car will be running, and I will be able to come visit more often!

     I want to thank all of you for showing me Christ. Northrich is a very small but VERY mighty, God-centered church, and I have been so blessed to be a part of the congregation for three years. This church has showed Christ to me and my family in ways that many churches never would! Again, I am not moving away, so I will remain in your lives and want to continue our relationships, even though I won't be at church anymore as February comes. This message has brought tears to my eyes because I love every one of you so, so dearly, and all of you have a special place in my heart, and that place will remain!

     This new endeavor in my life is already very hard and very sad, which is how I know it's of Christ. God is moving me onto a new place in my life, and since it's of Him, I know it's going to be great. Again, I love all of you, and please keep in touch!! :) 

     "Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians3:12)

In Christ,

Kevin McCracken

DESIRE

Have you ever been to chilis? Do you like the chips and salsa there? They have the best chips and salsa! I can’t get enough of it. I could keep eating that stuff all day and not even order any food. In fact, I’ve done that before. Are there any other types of food that you can't seem to get enough of?
 

I also can’t seem to buy enough deodorant. Ask anyone who knows me, I have a drawer full of deodorant and however much I buy, I can’t buy enough. It’s not because I’m afraid of stinking. I’m never satisfied! Do y’all ever feel that way? Well, there’s verse that I kind of put together with this concept.  God is greater in power than any man. “If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land” (Isaiah 1:19)  “The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.” (Jeremiah 31:3) And it goes on to say that underneath are the everlasting arms.

He is telling us that He wants us to be happy with what we have, right? Why can’t we? It’s human nature to crave more and more! We can’t help it! We have to trust God that He will provide the things we need and not the things we want! Do you think God was like I need more shoes, clothes, friends, money! NO! He was human too! But He was perfect.

DESIRE - Everything is never enough. The truth is, we live life to satisfy ourselves. "I am Number One" is how we live. The problem is that once we achieve or accomplish the things we thought would bring us happiness, we find ourselves as empty as before. It never seems to never be enough. Why? Because the emptiness we feel is spiritual, not just physical or emotional.

John 8 – Compassion

I know there are times in middle school when you are really embarrassed. Trust me, it’s happened to me and I’m fully aware that it happens. It still happens to me and most people, even people who are like super old. When I was in middle school, I was in orchestra. First, being in orchestra? You don’t get much nerdier than that!! Well, to make matters worse, we had a concert one day and I knew my music pretty well, I was in first chair which in orchestra is a big deal. So we get on stage and I’m like oh, I got this, I can do it…hello, because I know my music!! Well, anyway we are fixing to start and my director asked me for my rosin which it something that we use to help make the violin sound better. So, I kind of stand up holding my violin and bow in one hand and the rosin in the other, handing it to him and my foot slips….knocking my stand over into the director…he fell down, and I fell of the stage! It was very embarrassing! So, of course my director is ticked off and I got into huge trouble with him! But, unlike my director and worldly consequences, God has compassion for us when we mess up!!

Jesus has compassion on a woman caught in the act of Sin;
John 8:3--‐11

^“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group ⁴ and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. ⁵ In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” ⁶ They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. ⁷ When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” ⁸ Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. ⁹ At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. ¹⁰ Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” ¹¹ “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:3-11).

Focus Points!

·        This woman has committed adultery – and committing adultery, or having an affair with someone other than your spouse, was a huge crime back then. You were an outcast and stoned.

·        No one will ever know what Jesus wrote in the sand.

·        God  has compassion for us

·        Jesus won’t condemn us

·        “Go now and leave your life of sin!!” vs. 11

·        She still will sin but Jesus forgave her!

·        We will never fully leave our life of sin

·        But because Jesus died on the cross we are forgiven of all our sins but that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t intentionally sin because we know we are forgiven.