• This Sunday at EPIC Church is of great importance. Make sure to join us for the State of the Church Address. If you call EPIC your church home, please make it a priority to be there.
• Our 10 week challenge begins soon. Click here for more info.
• Our Missions Trip to Pontiac, Michigan takes place a little over a month from now. Please pray for those heading off on this trip!
• For the summer, EPIC Wednesdays will only take place on the first Wednesday of each month. Join us then!
• Jason Flood shared a great message yesterday entitled Climbed a Tree Lately? Listen to it here.

Dustin

“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 26:3

Peace is something that few people talk about in this day and age. That is most likely due to the fact that few people know what it means to have peace, not even considering perfect peace. Peace, perfect peace, isn’t simply “peace and quiet”. It isn’t having the music turned down low and “meditating.” Perfect peace is not simply an atmosphere. Perfect peace is a mindset.

Perfect peace is birthed out of a unique focus and trust in God. It is also birthed out of understanding. It happens when we begin to understand that no matter what life’s present circumstance, God has a plan for us and has everything under control. Consequently, all we have to do is trust and believe upon him. It isn’t an easy road to walk down, but it’s a road worth walking down. Perfect peace is not only peace that comes from God, it is indeed the peace of God.

When you reach this point, what goes on in the world doesn’t matter. Life at this point is simply about you and God. That’s perfect peace.

Dustin

We have several big challenges in front of us for the remainder of 2010 but an even bigger God to see us through.  All of these challenges become opportunities for God to come through for us again.  We can choose to focus on the overwhelming needs or we can fix our eyes on the One who meets our needs according to His glorious riches.

Fear or Faith?  Let’s choose to see with eyes of faith!

Obstacle or Opportunity?  Let’s consider this an opportunity for God to provide!

Impossible or Possible?  Let’s believe God that all things are possible!

Mark your calendars now for Sunday, June 6th @ 10am.  This will be a pivotal day for the EPIC Church family.  Don’t miss the EPIC State of the Church Address!

-bobby-

• We wrapped up our Heroes series yesterday with a special message from missionary heroes Sam & Joyce Johnson. Sam & Joyce are the executive directors of Priority One, working to fulfill the great commission by planting Bible schools across the globe. As a church, we support the Johnsons and Priority One.
• Click here for the exciting message from Sam Johnson. Make sure to listen in!
• EPIC Church – your overall giving and your missions giving specifically, was incredible yesterday! Thanks for helping us advance the kingdom.
• EPIC Connection took place last night. It was an exciting time for those who came out to learn more about the vision and values of EPIC.
• On Sunday, June 6th, we will have a special State of the Church Address from Bobby. You won’t want to miss this important Sunday and pivotal message in the future of EPIC Church.
• This summer at EPIC we will embark on an exciting 10 Week Challenge as a church. Click here for more info. Tune into Ten Minute Tuesdays here on the EPIC Blog tomorrow for the official details.
• Next Sunday at the EPIC Experience we will have a stand-alone message entitled: Climbed a tree lately? You won’t want to miss it!

Dustin

This Sunday at EPIC Church we will be singing the song Blessed Be Your Name. One of the parts of this song sings, “You give and take away, my heart will choose to say, ‘Lord Blessed Be Your Name.’”  It’s easy to sing blessed unto the name of Lord for most of the song.  But it can be tough to sing at take away – whether that is during the actual song or in the midst of life.

We love the God that gives to us.  We love the receiving end of our walk with Christ.  But what you receive isn’t what defines you as a Christian.  What you give is what defines you.  What you do when you have no choice in the matter is what clarifies it even more.  Can you praise at take away? Can you praise beyond the mountaintop moments?  Can you praise in the valleys of life?  Can you praise when God challenges you by taking something away?

For the Lord has an incredible plan for each of us.  That plan isn’t sent to Hell as soon as it seems like all Hell is breaking loose in your life.  God has great things in store for you when He is giving and He has great things in store from you when He is taking. “Taking” is part of His giving process.  God may want to give you something that is better than the thing that He took away, you just might not be able to see that, right now.

God is God, either way.  He is worthy of praise, either way.  He has a plan, either way.  But where do you stand?  Can you praise at take away?

Dustin

“The farmer sows the word. Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.”  [Mark4v14-20]

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What kind of seed are you? When you encounter difficulty, do you blame God and turn your back on Him? Does your desire for the things of this world overpower your desire for the things of God? Are you producing any fruit in your life?

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These are tough questions to ask, but as followers of Christ we need to be willing to ask ourselves the tough questions and evaluate ourselves honestly. My heart is burdened for those who, when faced with animosity or hardships or suffering, turn away from God. Listen to the words of Christ in John 16:33…

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Trouble will come, but He has overcome! Rejoice in your affliction and cling to Christ—don’t run from him. Become the man or woman of God you were destined to be. Let the good word that God has sown in you spring up. Produce fruit.

_kaleb

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