Harbor News

Harbor Friends,

We had a tremendous Christmas holiday celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  I would like to thank the Harbor Worship Center family for the wonderful Christmas bonus, the cards, the gifts, and so forth. We have been blessed beyond measure.  I would also like to say thanks to the church family for your heart of compassion that was expressed to so many people during the Christmas season.  Several families were adopted and given anonymous Christmas gifts.  This was made possible by people being obedient and sensitive to the moving of the Spirit.  The Lord will truly bless you for that compassion and faithfulness.

This Friday night we will have our Watch Night Service.  It will start at 10p.m. in the fellowship hall.  We are asking everyone to bring finger foods and a drink.  This will be our last opportunity to fellowship together in 2010.  We hope to see you there.  We will also be taking communion together at the close of the worship service as we welcome the New Year.

The New Year's Fast will start on January 1st and continue through the 21st.  We are asking everyone to participate at some level and be consistent with it throughout the fast. There will be Bible Reading and Prayer at the church every day 7-8a.m and 7-8p.m.  There will also be video messages played on certain days during the evening prayer time.

Happy New Year!

Michael D. Sanes
Pastor, The Harbor

Harbor News / Update

Harbor Family and Friends,

Yesterday the Harbor Kid's Church performed the musical "It's A Wonderful Life".  Everyone did such an outstanding job; I would like to thank everyone that helped in any way.  The theme of the production was simple--Without Christ there is no Christmas.  By the way, the church was full, and this is a testament to the work of the the "Outreach Team".  Thanks to this great effort we were able to share the gospel with many people who would not have otherwise came.  This is the result of those involved in the production getting their list of names turned in so that the outreach team could to to work.  Thanks again.

Sunday night we followed up with a Christmas message along the same lines--Without Christ there is no Christmas. 
We know that he world would like for us to forget about Christ and remove Him from our

We learned that:

1. Without Christ the days don't matter--you can call the holiday whatever you like, if there's no Christ it doesn't matter, it would be just another day.
1. W/O Him December 25th would be just another day.
2. Without Christ the songs don't matter
1. W/O Him there's no sense in singing "Joy to the World", because w/o Him there is no joy.
2. No need to sing "O Come All Ye Faithful"; w/o Him what is there to be faithful too?
3. There would be no need to sing "Away in a Manger" or "O Little Town of Bethlehem"
4. For that matter there would be no need to sing at all, for without Christ we are not forgiven, we would still be in our sins and we would have nothing to look forward to.
3. Without Christ the Word (Bible) doesn't matter:  W/O Him the Bible would be just another book.  All of the Old Testament spoke of His coming.  In the New Testament He fulfilled those prophecies by spoken of Him by coming in a fashion the world did not understand, nor did they accept.  He came into His own, and His own did not receive Him. 
4. Without Christ prayer doesn't matter:  If there be no Christ, then who are we praying to?  If there be no Christ then the Word has lied, the days don't matter, the Bible doesn't matter, and our prayers are in vain. 

But the Truth is that He is Christ and He makes Christmas.  He is Christ, and He is why we are Christians.  We are striving to be like Christ.

Merry Christmas! 

Mike Sanes
Pastor, THWC

News Analysis--Man Charged for Blasphemy

It's amazing to me that an American man is charged with blasphemy for going into a mosque during prayers and unplugging the speakers.  It is absolutely true.  In Jakarta, Indonesia a man was charged with blasphemy and sentenced to five months in jail for his crime.  Plus, the mob attacked this man (who himself was a Muslim) ransacked his house causing about $20,000 in damages.  See the article at the link below:
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/12/16/american-man-gets-jail-time-blasphemy/?test=latestnews

I just have to wonder, what if someone were to run into our church while we were praying and disabled our sound system.  Would they be held to the same accountability and punishment that this man was held to for going into a mosque.  I highly doubt it!  It seems that you can say or do anything you want about our God and our Faith, but the moment you offend a Muslim or their faith it is tantamount to "HIGH TREASON". 

It is ludicrous to me that they can blow up Americans and call for the annihilation of Israel on one hand, and feel justified in doing so.  But on the other hand say: DON'T INTERRUPT US WHILE WE PRAY!  In other words we can terrorize anyone we see fit even to the killing of thousands and expect no repercussions.  However, if you offend us in the slightest way we will hold you accountable to the fullest extend of the law.  The sad part is that our laws are designed to protect those who are ready and willing to harm us.

Mike Sanes
Pastor

Abel's Sacrifice, Cain's Offering

Friends,

Today I want to repost a blog that I published by in 2010, but with a new twist to it.  Originally I titled the blog "Two Brothers--Two Offerings", but as I was reading back through this blog it came to me that it really wasn't two offerings, but rather, a Sacrifice by Abel and an Offering by Cain.

A sacrifice speaks of that which cost someone dearly.  On the other hand, an offering is just that: something that is offered.  In my mind it is like a tip, or something that is extra.  One can be nonchalant as they give an offering, but no one could be this way while presenting a sacrifice.

Abel truly rendered a sacrifice of firstfruits; Cain offered something casual, something other than and less than what was required.

Here is this story about two brothers, one sacrifice and one offering, with two very different results.  The brothers names were Cain and Abel; they were two sons of Adam and Eve.  Let's take a look at their story, it is found in Genesis 4:2-9 (NRSV)

2 Next she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a tiller of the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel for his part brought of the firstlings of his flock, their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. 6 The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it." 8 Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let us go out to the field." And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and killed him. 9 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" He said, "I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?"

Strangely enough this question comes after two offerings are brought to the Lord by two brothers, Cain and Abel. God accepts Abel’s sacrifice and rejects Cain’s offering. Abel had brought of the firstlings of his flock and Cain had brought "an offering" of the fruit of the ground. Notice, the Bible didn’t say that he brought the firstfruits, but rather, “an offering” from the fruit of the ground.

Cain knew what was required but didn’t bother to do it. He got mad because God rejected his offering and he took it out on his brother Abel by killing him. In a nutshell, he was jealous because his brother’s sacrifice was accepted but his offering  his was not.  So instead of getting mad at himself for not doing what he knew to do, he got mad at his brother insomuch that he killed him.

I would also point out the fact that if you are willing to rob God of what’s His, you probably wouldn’t have a problem with lying either. Cain didn’t. God said: “Where is your brother, Abel?” Cain said, “I don’t know”. That was a lie. Cain had just killed him. He knew he was dead. Then he asked God a question: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” He was basically saying, "I’m not responsible for him."

Cain's words have come to symbolize people's unwillingness to accept responsibility for the welfare of their fellow brothers and sisters. 

There are lots of hurting people out there. Some of them are outsiders so to speak, they don't know God.  Then there are those who are insiders; they know God, but have been hurt.  I'm not talking about those who are always pouting about something for attention.  But those hurting who you will never know about, unless the Spirit reveals it, because they mask it so well. 

We are our brother's keeper.  The Word tells us to:15 Laugh with your happy friends when they're happy; share tears when they're down. 16 Get along with each other; don't be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don't be the great somebody. 17 Don't hit back; discover beauty in everyone. 18 If you've got it in you, get along with everybody. 19 Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. "I'll do the judging," says God. "I'll take care of it."  Romans 12:15-19 (MSG)

Have a blessed day!

Michael D. Sanes
Pastor, The Harbor Worship Center

Prayerborne Fighting Force

Harbor Family,

We had wonderful services yesterday at the Harbor.  Last night was a special treat for Kelly and I to have our former Pastor and First Lady, Jesse and Pat Ogden with us in service.  He did an outstanding job speaking to us about the importance of prayer and those who pray.  He drove home the point that everything must be carried by prayer, and if it's not, the battle is being lost.  Thanks to everyone who came back to the evening service, and especially those who have joined the Prayerborne fighting force of the Harbor. 

I would also like to thank those who are standing as intercessors for me and my family.  I have copied those twenty prayers that you prayed last night and listed them below for your convenience.

20 SCRIPTURE-BASED PRAYERS TO PRAY FOR YOUR PASTOR


1. I thank You, Father, that Your eyes are on my shepherd and Your ears are attentive to my pastor´s prayers and Your face is against those who plot evil against my pastor (1 Pet. 3:12). For I know that in all things You work for the good of _____ (insert your pastor´s name) who loves You (Ro. 8:28 ). Who can accuse this pastor who is daily interceded for by Christ Jesus? (Ro. 8:33-34). Therefore, in all things my pastor is more than a conqueror (Ro. 8:37). Thank You, God.

2. Lord, I pray for discernment in exposing any schemes of the enemy against my pastor. Show our congregation how to pray against all powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of darkness in heavenly realms. And, Lord, protect us as we wage warfare on behalf of our pastor (Eph. 6:11-12).

3. Father, I thank You that no weapons formed against my pastor will prosper. Every tongue raised against my shepherd will be cast down. Rumors and gossip will be turned aside. For _____ will be still before the Lord and wait on You. My pastor will dwell in the shadow of the Most High God and will be delivered from terror, darts of doubt, and diseases (Ps. 91:5-6). Set Your angels about my pastor (Ps. 91:11) and no power of the enemy shall harm _____(Lk. 10:19). Thank God forevermore!

4. Lord, let _____ have a discerning mind to prioritize the precious minutes in the day. Let my pastor discern what is most important and be guarded against the tyranny of the urgent (2 Cor. 11:14, 1 Jn. 4:1).

5. Father, allow my pastor to glory only in the cross (Gal. 6:14). Keep my pastor from pride and pity. Let the cross be his reason for ministry.

6. Jesus keep my pastor holy in every way (1 Pet. 1:16). Protect my shepherd from seducing spirits especially when he is tired and hard-pressed. Give _____ comrades to help protect him, and to share with in personal holiness (Jas. 4:7). As my pastor draws near to You, draw near to my pastor (Jas. 4:8 ).

7. I pray that the eyes of my pastor may be enlightened to know the hope to which we are called and know the riches of our glorious inheritance in the saints. Let my pastor know the incomparable great power which is in us who believe (Eph. 1:18-19). Let _____ see the full revelation of Jesus Christ (Gal. 1:12). Place in him a desire to know Christ and the power of His resurrection (Phil. 3:10).

8. Lord, I lift up the hands of my pastor and his/her family. Place them in the shelter of the Most High to rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, You are their refuge and fortress. You will preserve their family time. You will cover their home. Your faithfulness will meet their financial needs in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19). You will command Your angels to guard them as they travel and win the lost. You have said, “I will be with [them] in trouble, I will deliver [them] and honor [them]. With a long life, I will satisfy [them] and show [them] my salvation” (Ps. 91:15-16). In Jesus´ name I cancel all assignments of the enemy against them.

9. In Jesus´ name I speak to church hurts, abuse, and ungrateful forces to move. I speak to mountains of criticism and inordinate expectations to be cast into the sea. I speak to stress, excessive phone counseling, and fatigue to be cast into the sea, and I believe every need, vision, and dream of _____´s will be completed (Mk. 11:22-24, Phil. 4:19).

10. Forgive those who hurt _____ and speak against him, and may my pastor walk in forgiveness (Eph. 4:32-5:1). Guard my pastor from futile thinking (Eph. 4:17) and a vain imagination. Let every thought be taken captive to obey Christ (2 Cor. 10:3-5).

11. In Jesus´ name I bind the fear of failure and the fear of humankind (Jn. 14:1). Let _____´s confidence not be eroded by the daily resistance to the gospel or his/her vision. Allow my pastor to fear God more than people.

12. Father, heal my shepherd´s heart of any grief caused by ministry. Bestow on my pastor a crown of beauty instead of ashes and anoint him with the oil of gladness instead of mourning. Clothe my shepherd with a garment of praise instead of a spirit of depression. I call my pastor an oak of righteousness, a planting of the Lord to display Your splendor (Is. 61:3).

13. Keep my pastor in the midst of good and exciting worship. Keep my pastor from the traditions of men and religion which hold the form of godliness, but deny its power (2 Tim. 3:5). Give _____ a vision of heaven (Isaiah 6, Revelation 4).

14. With my shield of faith I cover my shepherd´s mind to quench all flaming darts of doubt or vain imagination or mental distractions (Eph. 6:16, Col. 2:6-8 ). Let the mind of Christ be strong in my pastor (1 Cor. 2:16).

15. Lord, I stand against the enemies of my pastor´s prayer life: “busyness” (Acts 6:2-4), compulsions, compromise (Acts 5), unnecessary phone calls, chronic counselees, fatigue, sleepiness (Mt. 26:41), appetites, television, late meetings, over-commitments, and doubt. Let nothing hinder _____´s time with You. Let my pastor rise up to seek You (Mk. 1:35), pray with other pastors (Acts 1:14), and pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17). Give my pastor the time, the desire, and the place to pray (Acts 16:16). I rebuke in the name of Jesus any distractions from my pastor´s devotional life.

16. Bless my pastor with rich study time (Acts 6:4, 2 Tim. 2:15).

17. As _____ preaches, let him proclaim Jesus Christ (Col. 1:28 ). Let my pastor´s preaching be in the energy of the Holy Spirit.

18. Lord, by Your Holy Spirit, anoint _____ to preach, and bring apostolic results (Acts 2:37). As my pastor speaks the Word, let signs and wonders follow confirming it (Mk. 16:20). Let the sick be healed; let the oppressed be set free. Anoint _____ with the truth (Mt. 16:17). Let people be cut to the heart and accept Jesus Christ.

19. Lord, as You have promised, grant my beloved shepherd lasting fruit (Mal. 3:11, Jn. 15:16). Let my pastor´s converts become disciples who in turn disciple. Bless my pastor with disciples who grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.

20. Lord, keep my pastor in the fear of God. Let my pastor not fear people (Prov. 19:23). Give _____ boldness to confront sin and church controllers. Honor my pastor´s stand for You. Come to my pastor´s rescue. I claim Psalm 35 for my shepard.

1 Timothy 2:8 (KJV) "I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting."

Thanks Again!

Michael D. Sanes
Pastor, THWC

Prayerborne

This coming Sunday evening we will have Rev. Jesse Ogden speaking for us in the evening service.  He will be speaking on the importance of prayer and those who pray.  We will be launching a ministry called "Prayerborne", and I would love to enlist you into this group.  I am asking those who are serious about the ministry of prayer to join my "Pastor's Prayer Group--Prayerborne". 

The name Prayerborne is a play off of the military term Airborne, which means to be carried by the air.  Air is crucial to the skydiver for his parachute to fly, likewise, prayer is crucial to the believer.  Prayer is what carries us, it is what lifts us and moves us along.  At this point we have a lack of prayer and that is just as dangerous as a jumper with a lack of air.  The problem is that you will both die; one without air and the other without prayer.

Let Us Pray!!!

THWC Fellowship Riders

We had a great ride to Fernandina Beach this evening, but I must say it was a cold ride.  I have decided that from now on we have to be back in the county at sundown during the winter.  We enjoyed the time with Steve, Janet, and the boys. 
I would also like to mention the new ministry of our church called: "The Harbor Worship Center Fellowship Riders".  Steve Smith is the director of this ministry and he is very excited about it.  He has most of the year planned out with one ride per month.  There will also be a special "Bike Sunday" (date to be announced), a day in which we will invite riders from all over the county to come and worship with us.  We will fill the church with bikers and share the gospel message with them as well.  Some of them already know the Lord and have a relationship with Him, but there will be some that don't, and we are believing God for them to come to know Him on this day.

What you can do to help with this ministry.  You may not ride a motorcylce, but I bet you know someone that does.  Maybe they're a friend at work, a colleague, or a neighbor.  You can invite them to come and ride with the Fellowship Riders of the Harbor Worship Center.  Most bikers are always looking for a ride, so you could be the one that puts them in touch with our riders, who in turn could lead them to Jesus, and you would be the vital link in the chain that led them to the Lord.  How cool is that?

Blessings!

Mike Sanes
Pastor, THWC

Learning How to Let it Go

Last Sunday I preached a message entitled "Learning How to Let it Go".  Many of our people were traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday and were not able to attend.  That message is now available on our website at www.theharborworshipcenter.org.  I would like to mention some of the highlights of that message here.

First, let me say, that everyone of us has been hurt at some time in our lives, some more than others, some with deeper wounds.  However, just because we've been hurt in life that doesn't mean that we can never have joy and fulfillment for the rest of our lives.  In order for us to go on with our lives and achieve any level of satisfaction we must learn to let it go.  We must let go of that hurt, that shame, that abuse, that maltreatment, whatever it is that has held us captive for so long, it must be released and let go of before we can move on.

1. Choose to let it go not because it feels right, but because it is right!  If you wait to forgive someone until you feel like it you may never forgive that person.  We don't operate based on our feelings, but we operate on the facts, and the fact is that it is the right thing to do--so forgive.  Jesus felt so strongly about this that He said that if you come to the altar to offer your gift and remember that a brother has ought against you, you are to lay your gift down at the altar and go make things right with your brother, then come back and offer your gift.  Notice that Jesus didn't say, "if you have something against your brother", but He said, "if you remember that your brother has something against you".  He is indicating here that it is the Christians responsibility to initiate the first steps toward making things right, and we are to do so whether we feel like it or not. 

2. Remember that God is not accountable to us; we are accountable to Him.  Beneath a lot of anger, resentment, and bitterness, I often find that there is an unforgiven spirit aimed at God.  We seldom say it, but many hold God accountable for what is happening in their lives.  This is not new, it goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden where Adam as much as told God that: 'he was not really responsible for his actions because he was led to this action by the woman that God had created for him'.  In essence he is saying: "God, its your fault, if you hadn't given me this woman I wouldn't not be in this fix".  Remember, God is not accountable to us, we are accountable to Him, and we cannot blame him for consequences derived from the choices we've made. 

3. Nothing anyone has done to you compares to what you have done to God.  When it seems impossible to forgive someone else just remember all the things you have been forgiven of.  You have hurt God more yourself than anyone could ever hurt you.  Remember the story that Jesus told about the Unjust Steward who owed a lot of money and could not pay it?  The judge ordered him and his family to be thrown in jail until he could pay it all.  The man begged for mercy and the judge just flatly forgave the entire debt.  That same day this forgiven man went out and found a man that owed him a meager amount of money, he took him by the throat and said: "pay me what you owe me".  The man begged for mercy, but no mercy was shown; he had the man thrown into prison.  When the judge heard about this he was furious.  He brought the man back before him; he vacated his first judgement and threw him into prison.  Jesus said: "So it is with everyone who will not forgive!"

4. Focus not on what you have lost, but on what you have left.  Many people pine away thinking about all the things they've lost, but all the thinking and grieving in the is not going to bring those things back.  They are in the words of Samuel--like water spilled upon the ground, they cannot be gathered up again. So it does you no good to dwell on what you've lost; conversely, you should look around and thank God for what you have left.  I think about the story Jesus told about the Prodigal Son's return to his father's house and how his older brother reacted when his father treated him so kindly after he'd wasted so much.  Notice the father didn't go on a tirade about all the money that was lost, no; he concentrated on what mattered the most.  It is evident in his words: " My son who was dead is now alive!"  He didn't worry about what he'd lost, He was happy about what he had left!

If we will adhere to these four principles it will go a long way in helping us to let it go!

Have a blessed day~!

Mike Sanes
Pastor, THWC

Harbor Devotion-- Facing Your Future

When it comes to facing your future, and we all must, unless of course you opt for the alternative.  It will be helpful for us to keep the following facts in mind.

1. People of faith see possibilities--regardless of the fact that things look impossible; they have and uncanny ability to see the good side of every situation.  These are the people that tend to "make it through".  It is not because they are more special to God than anyone else, they just simply exhibit faith even under fire. 

2. People of faith push through the pain--there is an old acronym that says: P.U.S.H.--"Pray Until Something Happens".  This seems to be a lost art of the church.  Nowadays if we don't receive an answer immediately we assume that God doesn't love us, He doesnt' see us, and that He doesn't know the trouble we are in.  When in fact the opposite is true.  He does love you.  He does see you.  And He knows exactly where you are and what you are facing.  He is standing by hoping to see you exhibit your confidence in Him; your ability to trust Him though you don't see Him or feel Him.  I sure hope that we don't disappoint Him.

3. People of faith persevere until they win the prize--they understand that we are in a race, and the race is not to the swift or the strong, but to the one that endures to the end.  Listen to the words of Adam Clarke:
"The race is not to the swift—It is not by swiftness, nor by strength and valor, that races are gained and battles won. God causes the lame often to take the prey, the prize; and so works that the weak overthrow the strong; therefore, no man should confide in himself. All things are under the government, and at the disposal of God."

I encourage you to take heart today, and face your future with the confidence and faith that we have in the ALMIGHTY GOD!

Michael D. Sanes
Pastor, THWC

New Ministries Update

Harbor Family,

This is an update on the new ministries recently laughed at the Harbor.

The College Age / Young Married group kicked off last Saturday night with a trip to the Strike Zone Bowling Alley in Brunswick, Ga.  They had a total of twenty people that attended the event.  What a great start to a vital ministry.  Please continue to invite your friends to come and celebrate what God is doing at the Harbor Worship Center.

The Senior-Ship led by Larry and Trudie Lee is underway.  Their first big event is their Christmas Banquet and it is scheduled for December the 4th @ 6pm in the fellowship hall.  Please invite your friends to come and be a part of this wonderful group. 

The Harbor Worship Center Fellowship Riders:  Tonight I met with Dee Dickson (President of the Messiah Riders) and his wife Kim, along with Steve Smith, Eddie Martinez, and our wives.  We discussed how to approach this ministry and reach out to the riders.  This was a very informative meeting, and very helpful in getting our group up and running.  THWC Fellowship Riders is about reaching out to those ride whether they are Christian or not.  We want to show the love of Christ to them all by being His hands extended to those who do not know Him. 

God has great things in store for us with these new ministries being put in place.  They are all up and running now, and we will soon see the fruit of our labors. 

Let me say congratulations to all those who joined the Harbor Family last Sunday morning.

Mike Sanes
Pastor, THWC

New Ministries

Harbor Family,

     In my last blog I mentioned some new ministries, but we have one more that I failed to mention.  It is The Harbor Worship Center Fellowship Riders; this ministry will be led by Brother Stephen Smith.  This is a small group ministry that will be reaching out to motorcyclist.  According to Steve this ministry will serve as a way of introducing THWC to other riders.  It will also serve as an affinity group.  The first ride will take place in January and it will be to Folkston's Okefenokee Restaurant.  Then a ride once a month to some location. 

I am looking forward to this new ministry starting up.  We will also be planning a Bike Sunday--more information to come a little later.

Pastor Sanes

Harbor News

Harbor Family,

     We will be receiving new members into the church this coming Sunday, November 14, during the 9:30 service.  We already have several families scheduled to join the church, if you would like to become a member of the Harbor please contact me as soon as possible.  You may do so through our website at http://www.theharborworshipcenter.org/ .

New Ministries that are starting immediately at the Harbor!!!

1.  The Senior-Ship will be operating under the new leadership and direction of Larry and Trudie Lee.  They have been appointed as the new leaders for this great ministry; they are really excited about this open door that God has given them, and we are expecting great things to take place with this ministry.  If you are in the age group of 55+ plus speak with Larry or Trudie and let them know that you would like to be a part of this group. 

2.  College Group/Young Married (not officially named yet): This is a large group of young people (roughly 18-25) that are part of the church.  Adam and Chelsie have organized the first meeting to take place at the Strike Zone Bowling Alley in Brunswick on this Saturday, Nov. 13.  Everyone will meet this Saturday at the church at 5pm.

3.  We also welcome Aaron and Lisa Kirkland as the new leaders of the Follow-Up Team.  As well, we have activated both alternates to the council, so we welcome Harold Shedd and Tom Bell to the Church and Pastor's Council. 

Please remember that there are a number of places to minister in the church.  We have 7 ministry teams that have a minimum of 7 members each, and some of them as many as 15-20 on their team.

Blessings!

Michael D. Sanes
Pastor, The Harbor Worship Center

Harbor Devotion

Harbor Family,

     What an awesome time it is to be serving the Lord.  I can't think of anything in this world I would rather be doing than Kingdom work.  It is hard work and often unpopular, but the reward at the end of the road is going to be worth all the effort. The Lord Himself told us that there would be hard times in life and especially in ministry.  He also let us know that we would not always be popular with everyone.  If He was persecuted (and He was), you and I as leaders are no bettter than our Lord; we too, will suffer persecution in this life and ministry.

Jesus demanded excellence from His leaders.  He said words like:

• 1 John 2:4-6 (NLT) 4 If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. 5 But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. 6 Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.
• Matthew 8:21-22 (NKJV) 21 Then another of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." 22 But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead."
• Scholars tell me that it is possible that this disciple was not asking permission to go to his father's funeral but rather to put off following Jesus until his elderly father died.
• At other times Jesus spoke harsh words in ministry and his followers walked away and followed Him no more.

Commitment illustrated:  Some years ago in Northwestern University, near Chicago, a rescue crew was organized. Their purpose was the rescue of the drowning on the lake. One day the news came that a magnificent vessel was wrecked just off the shore. The young men hurried at once to the scene of the disaster, and plunged into the angry waters to rescue those who were going down. Soon they all returned, but one. Finally he came in bringing one man with him. Immediately he returned, and soon brought another, and then another, and so on until he had rescued ten. During this time his mates had built a fire and were warming themselves, all the time trying to persuade the young hero against his conviction of duty. By the time he had brought the tenth man he was completely exhausted, and had to rest for a while. Regaining sufficient strength, he again plunged into the water and brought another man. Now he was completely overcome. During the night he died from exposure. It was a sad scene. While friends stood around weeping, and his fellow students were regretting that they had not forced him to do as they had, he called one of them to his bedside, and said in a low subdued tone, just before he died:


"Did I do my best?"
Instantly his friend said: "Yes, I should think you did do your best. You saved eleven, but you have lost your life."  "But," said he, "did I do my best, my dead level best?"  "Yes, you did your dead level best."  Then a smile seemed to come over his face as if to say: "Then I am satisfied to die."

Oh, my friends, this will be something of our experience when we are in the presence of God in eternity! "Did I do my best, my dead level best?"

Richard A. Steele and Evelyn Stoner, comp., Bible Illustrations – Heartwarming Bible Illustrations, (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1998), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "234. Our Dead Level Best". 
 
This is the kind of commitment that Jesus talked about!!!
 
Michael D. Sanes
Pastor, The Harbor Worship Center

Fall Brawl / News

Harbor Family,

What an awesome day in the Lord we had yesterday.  We had 301 people in the morning service.  Congrats to the over 26 group!  We also had 252 on Sunday night, and an outstanding service.  Daniel Shanahan preached an awesome message and the Holy Spirit moved greatly in the altars.

There was a tremendous amount of hard work and dedication put into this Fall Brawl and I would like to say THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for all the effort.  I would like to thank the team leaders who worked hard to make sure this event went off as planned.  There were so many people that worked behind the scenes to make this happen; they are the unsung heroes of the event.  They never took the stage or sang a song, but their heart was in making the stage, props, and building ready for those of us that would be in the lights.  Another group of unsung heroes were those special people that worked in the nursery so that others could enjoy the service.  God took notice of your efforts and He will surely reward you! 

I would like to welcome Aaron and Lisa Kirkland aboard as the new team leaders for the Follow-up Team.  Aaron and Lisa have been working on this team since it started and has dedicated themselves to the church and our vision.  I am confident that they will do a fine job leading this very important team in the ministry of the Lord. 



In His Service!

Michael D. Sanes
Pastor, THWC

Harbor News

Harbor Family,

First, let me express my deep appreciation for all those who came out last Saturday to work at the church.  We had a tremendous turnout of workers, despite the fact that we had a death and birth in the church that weekend.  With the help of all the people that came out we accomplished some great milestones that we could not have done by ourselves alone. 

On "Love the Harbor Day" we really raised the standard of excellence around here, and we intend to keep it that way!  As I have stated many times in the past, "You only get 'one' chance to make a good first impression". 

Team Leaders--There will be a 24/2 team leaders meeting on Sept. 23 @ 7 p.m. in the fellowship hall.
This meeting is for all seven team leaders of 24/2. I will be explaining how the 5-fold ministry operates within each team.  I will also be available to suggest team members for recruiting.

Church leaders--the keys have finally come in; you can sign for your key on Wednesday night.

Regan Lee Gay--Our little grand baby is doing so good now.  God has richly blessed us to have her.  Kelly and I have been wearing out that new camera.  Bro. Glen Warner said that Walmart had posted a sign: "No more pics, we're out of ink" (haha).  In reality, we have lots more to print.

Trevor Thomas--is a Christian Comedian and he will be ministering in the evening service this Sunday night.  Also, I'm working on the possibility of Mom and Dad coming this weekend to see their very first Great Grand Baby.  If they are able to come, (t is still up in the air right now) I am going to have Dad preach the 11:15 service.  I will let you know as soon as I find out.

Regan Arrives!!!

Harbor Family,

The long awaited moment came tonight about 9:00; our little Regan was born.  Karlee and the baby are doing fine.  In this picture Regan is holding G-Pa's hand for the first time (what a feeling). 

I would like to thank everyone for your prayers and concern for Karlee and Todd over the last nine weeks that she has been on bed-rest.  I have posted an album to facebook.http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?pid=5183520&fbid=428760392654&id=775277654

Facebook (1) | My Photos - Regan's Arrival

Facebook (1) My Photos - Regan's Arrival

Catfish Festival

Harbor Family,

I am getting excited about the upcoming Catfish Festival this weekend.  The T.H.U.G.S. are working right now on a very nice float that will be put in the parade.  If it turns out anything like last years, it will be a hit.  I would like to say a big "Thank You" to all the men and women who have come to help them get this off the ground. 

Please remember that the "Harbor Praise Team/Band" will be taking the stage at 5:15 Saturday evening and singing until 6P.M.  We would love to see you there.  If you ordered a shirt please be sure to pick them up, we want everybody representing the Harbor.

It has been a very busy week, but God is up to so great things.  There are great things in store for us at the Harbor, come and let's believe God together for what He's going to do.

Wildcats will be taking on Miami Friday night at Chris Gilman Stadium.  I know there will be lots of people from the Harbor attending.  Let's go support our team and make some noise.

Go Wildcats!

Michael D. Sanes
Pastor, The Harbor Worship Center

Church News

Harbor Family,

This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!

1. The locks have been changed on the church due to the burglary that took place last month, so if you try to use your old key it will not work.  We will be using a numbered key system whereby leaders will sign for a key that is numbered and assigned to them.  These keys cannot be duplicated.  This will stop the problem of have keys that are just, "out there" somewhere. 
2. I am waiting right now for Wes Hardin and our civil engineer to go out to the property and start the evaluation process for our new church.  This civil work is work that must be done in order for us to get down to the real numbers of what its going to cost to build the church. 
• Wes' Company, PAR construction,  has built many churches across south Georgia and have saved congregations literally hundreds of thousands of dollars.  It was totally a God thing for Wes and I to meet; it happened through a mutual friend (Rev. Steve Brown).  That being said, God connected us together in order to get this church project moving along. 
• Wes also pastored for about 15 years in Georgia, and grew his church to 1,000 in attendance. 
• He has been a tremendous help to me in the process of trying to understand all that goes into building a church.
3. The Catfish Festival is this weekend and the Harbor Worship Center Praise Team will take the stage at 5:15 and sing until 6:00 P.M.  We would love to see you standing out in the crowd wearing a "Harbor" shirt, and passing out information about the church.
4. Tevor Thomas, a Christian Comedian will be performing at the Harbor on Sunday night, Sept. 19, @ 6 P.M.  We are looking forward to a great time in the Lord.
5. Last but not least, the Camden County Wildcats will take on Miami this coming Friday night at Chris Gilman Stadium.  Go Cats!!!

P.S. College football also kicks off this weekend!!!  This ought to be fun.

Final note:  If you missed the Sunday evening service I encourage you to listen to the message online.  It is a message that speaks directly to the times in which we live, and the mindset of the people.

Michael D. Sanes
Pastor, The Harbor Worship Center

Illuminate Youth Revival 2010

Harbor News

Harbor Family,

God has so richly blessed us this week with the most incredible youth revival I've ever seen.  It was the culmination of tremendous teamwork, lots of prayer and sacrifice.  I want to thank the countless people who worked behind the scenes to make this the great success that it was.  This revival posted the greatest numbers that we have ever posted and you had a direct part it in. 

The Seven Teams that have recently started did and awesome job.

1. The Outreach Team called hundreds of people and promoted the revival through many different channels.
2. The Front Door Team met the people in the parking lot and did a great job with all the traffic that we had.
3. The Creative Team worked tirelessly to set the ambiance of the room to match the theme of the message.
4. The Worship Team led the church in awesome praise and worship employing new musicians and singers.
5. The Follow up Team will have their hands full this week following up on all the guests.
6. The Children's Team provided nursery care and kid's church ministries.
7. The Youth Team led the way in the revival.

If this revival don't show everyone that we have to get busy getting the new church built I don't know how one could ever be convinced.  Our crowds in the revival moved from 165, to 176, to 244, and we closed out tonight with 329.  I don't know how we put everyone in the building.  I would like to say thanks to all the young children who gave up their seats and come to sit around the altar.  This was a real blessing to the adults and displayed the heart of Christianity. 

Again, thanks for the Teamwork.  Notice the word TEAM.
T--together
E--everyone
A--accomplishes
M--more

Keep up the good work!  Together we will accomplish great things in the Kingdom of God!


Michael D. Sanes
Pastor, The Harbor

Church News / Service in Valdosta

Harbor Family,

We had a wonderful service Sunday morning as we preached the message on "The Heart of Man".  It was a message that took a good look at the disciple Thomas, who was not present when Jesus appeared to the others after His resurrection.  Thomas refused to believe that the Lord had appeared to the others, in fact, he said: "Except I see Him, and touch the scars from the wounds I will not believe".  In other words Thomas was saying that seeing would not be enough by itself, but the evidence that he would see with eyes would have to be corroborated with another of his senses.  "I must feel the scars", I must handle Him to see.  It's not enough that I see Him, I must also touch Him.

Thomas had an unbelieving heart for over a week, then one day he was together with the others and Jesus showed up again.  He looked right at Thomas and said: "Handle Me and see", "It is I", "Don't be doubtful, but believe".  Thomas, I believe, looked right into His eyes and said: "MY LORD, AND MY GOD!"  At that moment he became a believer!

TRIP TO VALDOSTA: We had a great service in Valdosta at the "Abundant Life Church of God".  It was the first time that I've preached there in 16 years.  We have been gone from there 20 years this month.  It was amazing to see all the people that knew us back then and to renew acquaintances with people we haven't seen in so long.   God really anointed me to preach the message "The Cost of Giving Up", but with a little different conclusion.  The people were really blessed and touched my God.  To Him be all the Glory and Praise!

I am thankful to Adam for going with us to play in the altar service.  It really makes a difference when you're working with someone who is anointed, and who knows the way you think.  Adam, it was a real blessing to have you there with us.

I also want to applaud the Harbor family for coming out Sunday night.  I have been told that Ken preached an outstanding message.  Thank you Ken for stepping up while I was away

Wedding / Skydiving

This morning was unique; I had the opportunity to perform the wedding ceremony for two good friends of mine that I have known since I started skydiving about six years ago.  The wedding was held at the water front in St. Mary's this morning at sunrise.  After the wedding and taking some pics we went to the dropzone and made a jump together.  It was the bride (Emily), groom (Jared), photographer (Bill) and the minister (Myself).  We left the plane at 12,000 feet as the photographer shot the pics and video of the couple and myself.  There was a bride and groom kiss in free fall; it really was an amazing video.  I hope to have it posted to the blog soon.

I'm looking forward to church services tomorrow at the Harbor; tomorrow night at Abundant Life Church of God in Valdosta, Ga.  Kelly and I spent nearly six years in Valdosta.  I was stationed there while serving in the U.S. Airforce, then we went on staff at the Abundant Life Church of God (formerly the Forrest St. Church of God).  Please be in prayer for the services!

Pastor Mike Sanes

Church News/Update

Harbor Family,

The Youth Revival is almost here; it starts on Friday August 20-22.  I hope that you are inviting your friends and relatives to attend.  I know we are going to have an awesome time in the Lord.  Please remember that we will only have one morning service on Sunday the 22; it will be held at 11:00a.m.

I want to urge everyone to get involved in this ministry.  Please see the team leader that is over the area that your are interested in.  If you haven't taken the assessment yet to see where you are most gifted, please let us know and we will give it to you.  This way you will know the area that you are best suited to serve in. 

Love the Harbor Day:  On September 11 we will have "Love the Harbor Day"; this is a workday that the council has set up to show our love and appreciation for the house of worship that God has given us.  On this day we will start at 7a.m. and work till 12p.m.  We intend to accomplish a lot inside and outside of the church.  We are doing this as part of our effort to strive for excellence in the Kingdom work.

Michael D. Sanes
Pastor, The Harbor

Church News

Harbor Family,

It has been a busy time since returning from the General Assembly.  This is my first post to the window since getting back, so needless to say things have been a little crazy.  That being said, God has really blessed the church with lots of new faces over the summer, even though out attendance was down.  This past Sunday we were back a little closer to what we should be doing. 

I am very excited about what is happening at the Harbor these days.  We are really starting to operate in the full swing of twenty-four to double church growth strategy (see earlier post for explanation of the program).  We have our seven team leaders appointed and they are working on filling the slots on their teams.  I encourage you to look at your assessment sheets that you have taken and then contact the leader of the team where you are most gifted to serve. 

The seven teams are:
1. Outreach/Evangelism--Becky Kneeland: this team markets all church events through various means.
2. Front Door Team--Windel Ward: this team welcomes people in the parking lot, security, greeters, etc.
3. Creative Team--Tonya Cribbs: this team creates the ambiance of the room to match the event, message.
4. Worship Team--Adam Sanes: this team involves singers, musicians, sound; they lead us in worship.
5. Follow-Up Team--Mark Presley: this team is writing letters, cards, baking and delivering bread, etc.
6. Children's Team--Dean West: this team handles all children's ministries of the church.
7. Youth Team--Josh Cribbs: this team handles all youth ministries of the church.
7b. Small Groups--TBA: this team will provide small group opportunities for discipleship and affinity groups.

At our staff meeting I explained in great detail the way this system works, and I think that many of our leaders are just now starting to come aboard and see the fullness of the plan.  It will work, it we will work it!

I am very excited about the second half of this year.  I really believe that we can consistently show growth as long as we continue help people find their giftedness and calling, if we continue to train them, then release them into ministry we will be amazed at what God will do.  He will surely reward our discipleship efforts. 

The Youth Revival is coming up very soon.  It's only a week and a half away.  I know that we are in for a real treat from the Lord.  Please continue to invite your friends and family!

Blessings!

Michael D. Sanes
Pastor, THWC

General Assembly

The General Assembly has been very good thus far.  It has been a very busy time with General Council meetings three times on some days and twice on others.  The meetings have been funny at times and very serious at others.  It amazes me to hear some of the "boneheaded" things some people will say on the floor of the General Council.

The City of Orlando has been great, but it has been super hot.  By the time you walk to the convention center (which is only two blocks away) you will be soaked in sweat.  I brought suits down here, but after the first morning meeting I trashed that idea and went and bought some casual clothes.  It's just to hot for a suit right now.

In the morning at 8a.m. we will head back to the council session, and then the General Assembly Business meeting will be conducted at 1:30 p.m.

The way the Assembly works--this is just a little information for those of you who may not know how the church operates.
1. The Executive Council (General Overseer, Three Assist. Overseers, and the General Sec/Tres along with the Council of Eighteen) submit an agenda to the General Council (All Ordained Bishops)
2. The General Council edits this agenda; often amending it considerably.  Items are voted up or down along with edits and amendments, and then they are sent to the General Assembly (Every COG member that is registered at the Assembly).
3. The General Assembly will give an up or down vote on everything that is passed upon by the General Council.

*This is just a brief synopsis of how the Assembly works.

Michael D. Sanes
Pastor, The Harbor

The Altar

An altar is any place we consecrate to meet with God.

The altar is a place where hearts are changed, people are saved, and commitments are made. It is at the altar that we meet with God. It is here where we respond to His call on our lives. It is at the altar we accept the grace that is extended to us, and by faith we receive. It is also the place where God chooses to correct and instruct us.

After David numbered the fighting men of Israel without God’s consent, he was judged heavily for it. Seventy thousand people died because of his disobedience. It was at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite that David took responsibility for his own actions. It was there that he bought the place for the full price and built an altar unto the Lord; the place where Solomon would later build the Temple.

When I think about the Altar there are 4 Observations that immediately come to my mind.

1. There is always blood at the altar—it is the place where something has died so that someone else might live. Calvary is the altar that comes to mind; it’s where Jesus died so that we could live.

2. There is always a sacrifice at the altar—something that has been given up to do some greater good. A sacrifice had to give itself wholly on the altar, and this is what we are supposed to do at the altar as well. Have you given yourself wholly?

a. The altar is also the place where God does spiritual surgery on us. Here we are sometimes rebuked, sometimes chastened, and brought to a place of submission.

b. This is what happened to David. He was brought to the altar of submission after the angel had killed 70,000 people.

c. There is one thing that I can say about David—He always to responsibility for his actions. He never blamed others or passed the buck. He owned up to his own sins.

d. What kind of sacrifice had you made for the Lord lately?


3. There is always fire at the altar—fire represents the Spirit; in the Old Testament the fire was to never go out at the altar.

a. When David offered his sacrifice on the altar fire fell from heaven indicating that God approved of, and accepted his sacrifice.

b. Fire is always present at the altar, and if you will present yourself at his altar He will touch you.

c. Isaiah was one who was touched by the fire from the altar and it changed his life. He was commissioned also for the work of the Lord and willingly accepted what he was earlier scared to do. But he was ready now because of the altar.



4. There is always worship at the altar—it is the where we meet with God and our burdens are lifted.

a. Altars are built for worship, so its only natural that:

i. Tears flow at the altar.

ii. Cold hearts melt at the altar

iii. Minds are changed at the altar

iv. Marriages are mended at the altar

v. Relationships are repaired at the altar

You can consecrate anything as an altar to the Lord. It may be your nightstand beside the bed, or it could be your coffee table in your living room. Or, it could be an old tree stump in your back yard, or and old work bench in your shop, as long as it is the place where you meet with God to commune with Him.

If you don’t have an altar, I challenge you to consecrate one and pray there regularly and see what God will do in your life.



Michael D. Sanes
Pastor, The Harbor Worship Center

3 Kinds of Christians

3 Kinds of Christians


Mountains were made for Climbing

Intro: In this Swiss Alps, there is a little mountain day camp for rookie climbers. Many businesses go there and take employees for an outing. What they’ll do is this: They’ll start out early in the morning and load on their climbing gear, and then they will climb halfway up the mountain. When they get halfway up, there’s something called “The Halfway House”. They get there about noon. They take off their gear, and get a warm meal; they sit in front of a warm fire. It’s a beautiful view, and a great environment.

The trip sponsors say that every time, without exception, when it’s time for lunch to be over and time to strap their gear back on; they always lose half of the people.
• Half of them are content to say they climbed halfway.
• They are content to lounge around, drinks some drinks, play games, and sing around the piano.
• They sit by the fire and enjoy themselves.
• Then about 4 O’clock they hear a bell ringing; they run to the big window facing the mountain, and there they are; their friends are summiting the mountain.
     o Almost instantly the atmosphere changes to that of a funeral.
     o They sit there pondering: “That could be me”.

• Isn’t this a picture of many of our lives today?

* I would like to propose to you that there are 3 Kinds of Christians.

I. Quitters

a. They are the ones that just don’t try anymore.

b. They tend to be the victims of something or someone.

c. They have become bitter and like poison to be around. They are always depressed and negative about life, church, and pessimistic about their future.

d. When things get the least difficult quitters quit.

e. When adversity rears its head, they opt out.

f. They abandon their careers, their marriages, their children and family; even their churches.

g. They are the ones that quit believing in God when unexplainable trouble comes their way.

h. Paul was not a quitter II Cor 4:8-10

i. Jesus was not a quitter Heb 12:2

II. Campers

a. These are the ones who climb for a little while and then decide they like it well enough halfway up the mountain. They decide to camp and enjoy the view.

b. They let the real climbers keep going, and they don’t seem to remember that at one time they were climbers with passion themselves.

c. Campers go so far and then decide they are happy with the successes they’ve seen thus far. Their attitude is: “Well, this is pretty good”. I think I’ll pitch my tent and stay a while.

d. They are happy with partial success. They are the example of the saying “Good is the enemy of best”


III. Climbers

a. Understand that half way is just that; only half the way. They know the mission has not yet been accomplished, and there is much more to be done.

b. They understand that you can’t sit around the fire and sing songs forever. At some point you have to strap on the climbing gear and get at it.

c. Climbers are never content to look through the window as others achieve the goal. They have to try; they may have to take another break, but they’ll keep on climbing.

d. Some people are very happy to have a “little success”, but not climbers; they keep the goal in mind at all times, and will not be defeated or deterred.



What kind of Christian are you?

Note: The above illustration was adapted from Jentezen Franklin's book--Believe You Can

Storm Walker

Church Family,

Last night we discussed a little bit of the life of the Apostle Peter, and the historic moment when he defied gravitational laws and walked on water.  We had a great move of God during the song service last night, and then again in the altar service. 

We talked about how we expect God to show up at church, at devotions, when we meditate on Him, and so forth.  But we don't often think of Him showing up in tragedies such as: foreclosures, deaths, bankruptcy, divorces, and so on.  However, these are the places where He shows up most often, and it is here that He does His greatest work. 

In Matthew 14 we find that Jesus had just fed the 5000 people and sent the multitude away.  He instructed His disciples to get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side while He retired to the mountain to pray.  He was sending them right into the storm, and He knew it; they didn't. 

It was supposed to be a one hour trip across the Sea of Galilee, but it turned into nine grueling hours of agony and wondering if this is where it would all end.  Unexpectedly at 4a.m. Jesus shows up by walking on the water.  The disciples thought He was a ghost, or some kind of phantom.  He spoke to them and said, "It is I.  Don't be afraid." Peter said, "Lord, if its you, allow me to come to you on the water".  Jesus responded, "Come".  So he did, and for the next few seconds Peter made history by doing what no one else had ever done besides Jesus.  He walked on the water.

The lesson learned here is that you must keep your eyes on Jesus, even in the storm.  Max Lucado tells the story of him flying in an Airforce jet with a veteran pilot who had 6000 flying hours under his belt.  Max explained how scared he was as the plane twisted and turned through the skies at unbelievable speeds.  He said the only thing he was able to do was to look at the pilot.  As long as the pilot didn't look scared and afraid, he could assume everything was gonna be alright.

As long as Peter kept looking at Jesus he was alright.  It's only when he began to look at other things: the storm, the winds, the waves, etc. that he began to sink.  We have to keep looking to Jesus. 

We have an O.T. example given to us in the Bible.  When the fiery serpents were sent into the camp of the Israelites, Moses was instructed to build a brazen serpent and place it upon a pole and put it at the highest point in the camp.  When anyone was bitten all they had to do was "look" upon the serpent that had been raised up in the wilderness, and they would live.  Likewise, if we will keep our eyes upon Jesus who was raised up on Calvary, we too will live.

Don't look at the storm water, rather, look at the Storm Walker!

Michael D. Sanes
Pastor, THWC

Trip to Lelon's

Kelly and I have been at Lelon and Teal Jeffer's farm for the last several days.  They are wonderful people, and they have been pastoring the East Main Church of God in Statesboro for the last 14 months, and they are doing a wonderful job.  They have recently remodeled their sanctuary completely and modernized everything; it really looks good.  They are also employing new lighting systems which changes the ambiance of the service.

I was supposed to preach for them on Wednesday night, but a few hours before service their baptismal pool cracked and flooded the sanctuary.  They had to cancel service to deal with this situation.  Thankfully it was caught in time and they did not suffer any real damage to the church. 

On the farm they have four wheelers, horses, golf carts, buggies, and boats.  This place is truly a country boys haven.  They also have several ponds on the place.  I caught two bass yesterday and two this morning.  Kelly did catch the larger fish, although you already know that because she put it on facebook. 

I had the chance to take his Marlin .17 cal to his shooting range and what an awesome rifle this is.  Yes, Kelly did group five shots within a 4" circle at 150 yards.  Although, you probably already knew this because of facebook.

Anyway, I think we are going to drive into Claxton to take a trip down memory lane.  Then its back to the farm to shoot bullfrogs tonight, and do a little fishing.  Tonight is low country boil; I'm looking forward to it. 

If it was up to Lelon we would stay a week, but I told him we will have to leave Saturday.   We have the big Freedom Service on Sunday.

Mike Sanes
Pastor, The Harbor

Discernment

Discernment

Discernment- The ability to find the root of the matter, and it relies on intuition as well as rational thought.

• Spiritual Discernment is the ability to judge as to whether an action is an act of the Holy Spirit or a familiar or false spirit.

Trans: There are four principles that we can employ that will help us with discernment.

I. Discover the Root Issues

1. Ask the Lord to show you the root cause of the problem or symptoms that are revealed.
2. Most leaders never have the entire puzzle before them when they make decisions. They have pieces here and there, and the gaps are filled in with discernment.
3. Discernment allows the leader to see the partial picture and fill in the missing pieces intuitively.
4. There discernment can take them right to the heart of the matter.
5. There are many times that I hear of situations, and long before they surface and the facts come to light I have already discerned what is happening behind the scenes.
i. Discerning of Spirits
ii. See through people and their motives, lies etc.
iii. God gives us true discernment, but there are things that we can do to help ease our task.

II. Enhance Your Problem Solving

1. If you can see the root issue, then you can solve the problem.
2. The closer you are to your area of giftedness, the easier it is for you to see or discern the root causes.
3. So if you want to tap into your potential of discernment, then work in your areas of strength.
i. Of course the Spirit of God can reveal things to us at any level.

III. Evaluate Your Options for Maximum Impact

1. Never ignore a “Gut Feeling”; but also, “never believe that it’s enough”.
2. Discernment is not relying on intuition alone, not on intellect; but it is a combination of intuition and intellect.
3. It is in that area of intuition where the Spirit of God deals with us concerning issues. This is where that “Gut Feeling” comes from.

IV. Multiply Your Opportunities

1. People that lack discernment are seldom in the right place at the right time.
2. I believe that it is a leaders discernment that creates his own luck so to speak. It is not really luck, but blessings.
3. Illus. Of a fisherman going fishing. He has intellectual knowledge of how to fish, when to, where to, etc.; but when he gets there he allows his gut to take over as he see conditions changing, current changing and so forth.

Application:
• Are you able to cut right to the heart of the matter and deal with it?
• Are you able to see the root cause of the problem without having every detail?
• Do you trust your intuition as much as your intellect? If not, you need to cultivate it.

To Improve Discernment, do the following:

1. Analyze Past Successes- See what you have solved successfully in the past. What was the root issue to that problem? What made you succeed? If you can look back and see the heart of this problem in just a few words, then you can probably look forward and do the same thing with new problems.
2. Learn How Others Think- Read biographies of others discerning leaders, by learning how they think you can become more discerning.
3. Listen To Your Gut- Try to think of times when your intuition spoke to your and you were right on the money. Look for patterns that will give you insight into you own intuition.


Michael D. Sanes
Pastor, The Harbor Worship Center

Pastor Appreciation Day

I would like to thank Ken and Tara Smith for heading up Pastor Appreciation Day. Also, I would like to say thanks to all those who helped with the food, decorations, and so forth. It meant so much to us.

It was a special honor to have Brother Lamar Lee, Pastor of the Baxley Church of God, and his Kim come to preach this special occasion. Lamar and I have been friends for a number of years.

Dignitaries that were in attendance on this special day were:
1. Daryl Griffis, Chief of Police for the City of Kingsland.
2. Tim Hatch, Chief of Police for the City of Saint Mary's.
3. Bill Shanahan, City Manager for Saint Mary's.
4. Ken Smith, Mayor, City of Kingsland.

Everything was great, and Kelly and I would like to express our sincere gratitude for all that was done for us on this special day.

Blessings!

Mike Sanes
Pastor, The Harbor

Church News

We had an outstanding time in the House of Worship yesterday. Sunday morning we talked about the "Call that Counted Most". A message based on last Wednesday night Detroit Tiger game where pitcher Armando Galarraga had pitched a perfect game, but the call of the umpire took it away from him despite clear video evidence. However, in MLB there is no video review of an umpire's call, so the call stands although it is clearly wrong.

In this message we considered the reactions of the 1. The Pitcher 2. The Umpire 3. The Fans. It was a very challenging message and I have received lots of comments about. It will be up online soon.

Sunday night we answered the age-old questions about the existence of God. We did this by considering what: 1. The Word say about Him 2. What Great Men have said about Him 3. What Nature tells us about Him. This too was a powerful message that God allowed me to preach with a heavy anointing. It will be available this week online. I hope it blesses you, or convicts you, whatever God has in mind for you.

This morning I received an email from a local pastor whose church and board have been considering buying our church. In his email he let me know that they have started putting together a proposal to present to us. I am asking everyone to pray about the situation and ask God to lead and guide us in the way He would have to go.

Kelly and I are now packed and will be leaving momentarily for Tifton to attend South Georgia's Camp Meeting. I encourage each of your to log onto to www.sgacog.org and click on "Coffee with the Bishop" and I believe you can view the services from this site.

I am looking forward to seeing you when I return!

Blessings!

Michael D. Sanes
Pastor, The Harbor Worship Center

A.J.'s Graduation / Adam & Chello's Wedding

I would like to say thanks to all the people who came out in big numbers in support of our graduates. This year we had more graduates from the Harbor than we have ever had before. I really appreciate all the words of encouragement from the church family that were given to A.J. I also thank you for all the letters, cards, gifts, and money, as well as the parties and cakes.

I can't say enough about how the people of the Harbor who turned out to work for Adam and Chelsie's wedding. You went above and beyond the call of duty to make this day so very special for them, and for us as well. The wedding and reception was absolutely stunning. I posted about 250 pictures on facebook last night.

Thanks again!

Pastor Michael D. Sanes

Mom and Dad's Visit

Well, its been a busy two weeks. Mom and Dad left yesterday around lunch time. We had a great time with them over the last 12 days. This was the longest time they have ever been able to spend with Kelly and I since we've been away from Columbus.
It was such a blessing to have them here.

I was also able to do some much needed maintenance on their car that saved them a lot of money. I'm glad I planned to do this for them because while doing routine stuff I found some serious things that had to be taken care of before the long trip back home. I planned to change their oil/filter and oxygen sensor. After doing so I heard their serpentine belt tensioner squeaking. This is something that you don't need to break on a trip, especially in hot weather. So I changed it. I'm so glad the Lord allowed me to hear it and change it, so that it didn't leave them stranded on the side of the road, or with a huge bill that someone may have charged them for a simple job.

Just before they left I told them I wanted to check the tire pressure in their tires. As it turns out, whoever rotated their tires two weeks ago put the hub caps on wrong, so they were covering the valve stems. I would soon find out that was the least of the problem; the lugs were so loose I could not believe it. This was just moments before they left.

I believe it was the Spirit of the Lord that led me to check those pressures and find the loose lugs. Thank you Lord for allowing me to find it and fix it.

Dad also asked me to say thank you to the church for the generous love offerings that were given when he preached the past two Sunday nights. They were both amazed at the loved shown to them by all of the people of the Harbor. Thank you for loving them and making them feel so welcomed and at home.

Blessings!
Pastor Sanes

Update

I have not written in a week because of family visiting, a son graduating, and another one getting married. A new post will be up soon.

Blessings
Pastor Sanes

Church News

What a powerful Sunday we had this past week. Great attendance in the morning services (271), and a powerful move of God in both services.

Graduates I remind you again to watch out for Teddy.
T-Teachers--As you attend college you will have teachers that will teach theory as fact, such as evolution. So watch out for Teddy.
E-Expenses--You will have to buy books, pay fees, dues, and so forth. You will be applying for student loans and credit cards. Be careful about your obligations, and watch out for Teddy.
D-Dates--Don't be unequally yoked with unbelievers. Watch out for Teddy.
D-Drugs--College campuses are rampant with drugs; they are a dead-end street. Watch out for Teddy.
Y-You--You are the only one determine when you will pray, read the Bible, and study the Word. You are the only one that can attend worship services and get involved with the family of God. Watch out for Teddy.

Proverbs 3:6 tells us to "Acknowledge Him in all of our ways, and He will direct our paths."

So we must acknowledge Him before our teachers, as we pay our expenses, as we plan our dates; we acknowledge Him by rejecting drugs, and keeping ourselves disciplined to pray, read, study, and attend the house of worship.

Graduation Sunday

This Sunday morning we will be honoring our graduates for this great achievement they have attained. I can hardly believe it, but it's true: "I'm old enough for my third child to walk across the stage and receive his diploma."

It seems like just a few weeks ago that I was returning from Bulloch Memorial Hospital in Statesboro, Ga. the proud father of this cute baby boy. The only things that have changed is time and the way we both look in the mirror. He has grown into this handsome you man climbing the hill of life. On the other hand, his graduation lets me know that I have reached the top of the hill of life, and have started down the back side. The Word of God is true--"Life if but a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away."

We at the Harbor are extremely proud of all of our graduates: Bill Fowler, A.J. Sanes, Jack Smock III, Will Smith, Kristen Shanahan, Sierra Smith, Logan Shedd, Amanda Harvel, and Rebecca Hodges. Among these graduates three have distinquished themselves as "Honor Graduates": Will Smith, Kristen Shanahan, and Sierra Smith.

Once again I encourage you to hear the Words of the Lord as you embark upon life. His Word says: "In all of your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths."

The message Sunday will be "Where Do We Go From Here?"

Blessings!

Becoming A World Christian

Becoming a World Christian

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth.” These are the words of Luke in the first chapter of Acts concerning becoming a world Christian.

It is assumed that all of us who call ourselves Christian have a basic understanding of what it means to be a Christian. However, I have found that I often get into trouble when I begin to make assumptions; especially when it comes to what someone may or may not know about the bible. Therefore, the formal definition of “Christian” is simply: “one who professes a belief in Jesus Christ or follows the religion that is based on the life and teachings of Jesus.” In the simplest sense you might say that a Christian is one who is Christ-like. This now brings us to the question that is at hand. What does it mean to be a “World Christian”?

In order for us to understand what it means to be a World Christian I would like for us to take a look at three perspectives. First, a historical perspective, so that we might look back and remember our beginnings, and consider how we have arrived at the place we are today relative to world missions; secondly, a current perspective, that we might take a look around to see and consider our present state of world missions. Finally, a futuristic perspective that we might look ahead in anticipation of the things that are to come.

A Historical Perspective- as we look back I would like to bring some things to our remembrance concerning the passion for missions that existed in our church in the early days. R.M. Evans had such a passion for missions (Bahamas) that he and his wife sold all of their possessions and bought a wagon and team of mules. They drove this team to Miami, Florida where they sold them and bought tickets to the Bahamas. On January 4, 1910 Evans and his wife became the first missionaries to be sent abroad by the Church of God.

Another wonderful example from the historical perspective is that of William J. Seymour, the famed pastor of the Azusa Street Mission. While he was pastoring in Houston, he met Charles Fox Parham. Parham was already teaching the full blown Pentecostal experience. Shortly after meeting Parham, Seymour was invited to preach in Los Angeles at the Azusa Street Mission. It was said that Seymour was given a one-way ticket by Parham; for he never returned to Houston. For the rest of his life he lived in Los Angeles; it is there that he pastored, he lived, and he died. But men and women have been sent around the world because of the fire that burned at Azusa Street. This fire brought with it a desire to carry the gospel to the ends of the earth.

This is what Acts 1:8 was talking about when it said, “To the farthest parts of the earth”. I believe that this is further evidenced by the way God arranged the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. It was a day where there were “devout Jews from every nation under the heaven were residing in Jerusalem”. They were there because of the feast of Pentecost, and it was on this day that God poured out His Holy Spirit upon those believers in the upper room, in fulfillment of Joel 2:28. I believe that God had the world in mind when He arranged it this way.

Perhaps these men were to carry the fire back to their own countries as Spirit-filled missionaries. Now because of the power that came with the infilling of the Holy Spirit they could truly be World Christians.

One only needs to look at the Old Testament and see the compassion that God had for the city of Nineveh. He sent Jonah, the reluctant missionary to a city that he didn’t want to go to, that he might preach repentance and judgment unto them. Here I believe that God taught this missionary a lesson about what it means to be a World Christian. See, it is more than just looking after our own concerns in our own countries. The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, and He desires that all men everywhere come to repentance. He desires that no man perish, but that all would have eternal life; that is why He sent His Son to die; that we might live.

The apostle Peter, a man that was no doubt a Christian, however, he was very close-minded about the mission of God to reach all people everywhere, until seeing a vision one day (Acts 10); a vision that would change his outlook forever. I believe that it was after this vision that Peter began to become a “World Christian”. Listen to his words to Cornelius: “You know that it is unlawful for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile, yet God has shown me that I should call no person defiled or ritually unclean. Therefore when you sent for me, I came without any objection. Now may I ask why you sent for me?” Cornelius replied, “Four days ago at this very hour, at three o’clock in the afternoon, I was praying in my house, and suddenly a man in shining clothing stood before me and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your acts of charity have been remembered before God. Therefore send to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter. This man is staying as a guest in the house of Simon the tanner, by the sea.’ Therefore I sent for you at once, and you were kind enough to come. So now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to say to us.”

It was the Apostle Paul that traveled extensively preaching the gospel everywhere he went; declaring that he did not want to build on another man’s foundation, thus implying that he would carry the gospel where it had never been heard before. In Acts 16 Paul saw a vision of a man beckoning him to come to Macedonia, saying, “We need your help!” After seeing this vision Paul concluded that it was the will of God to preach the gospel in Macedonia. This is yet another indicator of the apostle being a “World Christian”.

A Current Perspective- as we look around the scenery of the mission field has changed significantly over the last couple of hundred years. A little more than a century ago people in this country (USA) lived in rural areas; Augustus Cerillo states: “The United States was born in the country and has moved to the city.” Due to automation and industrialization coupled with the technological revolution, America has been urbanized. Today 75 percent of all Americans reside in urban areas according to the Census Bureau. Timothy Monsma has declared: “Cities are the new frontier of Christian Missions.” So if we are going to reap a harvest in these last days, we will have to learn how to evangelize the cities.

Another fact to consider, a hundred years ago America was sending missionaries to third world countries to preach the gospel, and we are still doing this today. However, while we have carried the gospel around the world, our own homeland has by and large forgotten God. Jesus asked the question: “What is a man profited if he gains the whole world and lose his own soul?” I wonder if we in America have reached the Majority World, but have lost our own homeland. America is now, at least arguably, the third largest mission field in the world.

In the early days the pioneers of missions were driven by, and motivated by the power of the Holy Spirit. When they were filled with the Spirit they felt called to “go and tell”, and they became evangels of truth. They had the return of the Lord constantly on their minds; they knew they had to work while it was day, because night was coming. This passion for the return of the Lord drove them to sell houses, land, and personal possessions to do the work of the Lord until He comes. I wonder now, where has this passion gone? It seems to me that we have lost sight of the return of the Lord. We are so busy doing our own things, even church things, that we fail to realize that time is running out, and Jesus really is coming back for His people.

If we really believe that Jesus is coming soon we will act like it by becoming a “World Christian”. Could it be that we have prospered so much in this country now that we feel like we don’t need God anymore? I wonder if this may be the reason we are seeing unprecedented growth in the Pentecostal ranks among third world countries; especially among those who are extremely poor; yet we are declining in this country. We had better shake ourselves and wake up to realize that we are living in the last days. Therefore we must renew our passion for the lost of this country and the world. We cannot renew it ourselves; it will only happen when we have a true revival of the heart; then and only then, we will become a “World Christians” who are concerned about the lost of this world.

A Futuristic Perspective- taking a look ahead. What if we preach the gospel to others and evangelize the world, yet ourselves become a cast-away? According to statistical data, 88 percent of the Assemblies of God and 75 percent of the Church of God’s membership reside outside of this country. They live in what is called the “Majority World”. This tells me that there is a lot of work to do right here in the homeland.

According to Dr. Grant McClung, in his book “Globalbeliever.com” he gives us four reasons four hope concerning the future of world missions. According to McClung, God is giving us “New Places” that we have never gone before, and this is evident if you check out the Church of God World Missions website (http://www.cogwm.org/). God is giving us “New People”; un-reached peoples who do not have a church operating and proclaiming the gospel in their land. God is giving us “New Personnel” that are widely diverse, multiethnic, and transnational, and these are emerging as the latest breed of Pentecostal missionaries. Finally, God is giving us “New Power”. It’s really not new, says McClung, but it is experienced in new and different ways.

In order for us to truly become World Christians we have to become concerned with more than just what we can see around us. The largest group of un-reached people in the world live in what is called the 10/40 window; we don’t see them because they are “out of sight, out of mind”. This window is from 10 degrees to 40 degrees north of the equator and almost two-thirds of the world’s population lives here. Most of the people that live here earn less than five-hundred dollars a year. According to Bryant Myers of World Vision, “The poor are lost, and the lost are poor.”

In the light of this, we have taken a look back to remember, we have taken a look around to see where we are, and finally, we have taken a look ahead that we may plan properly for the future of world missions and evangelization. With this said, I would like to challenge you, not to be a Christian, but to be a “World Christian”.

Excellence in the Kingdom

Excellence defined is: "the state, quality, or condition of excelling". To excel is to surpass were you were, or to do better than you've done. It is a state of getting better all the time. Certainly, life will have its ups and downs, but you should have a trend line that shows improvement over the years.

Some good questions to ask to check up on your excellence:

1. Am I closer to God than I was this time last year?

2. Am I more dedicated than I was a year ago?

3. Am I more disciplined than I was last year?

Let's examine excellence as it relates to Devotion, Dedication, and Discipleship.

I. Devotion: How is my personal relationship with God? Do I pray everyday and spend time with Him, or is that only a Sunday event? Am I busy doing things for God, yet guilty of not spending quality time with Him? Everyone of us have to be careful of this one, especially those who are constantly doing kingdom work. It is easy to confuse "busy kingdom work" with "quality time" with God, but it is not the same.

I have struggled in this area myself, and it's easy to justify your actions by saying: "I'm busy doing God's work", but the truth is "if we don't spend time with Him, reading His Word, praying, and listening for Him to speak to us; we can NEVER be the leader that He wants us to be.

II. Dedication: is complete and whole-hearted devotion. Above I spoke of devotion to God, here I will speak of dedication to His body, the church. The first thing to note is that your dedication to the church will never be any deeper than your devotion to God. Your dedication to the church grows out of your devotion to God. He is the life-spring of all the good you will ever do.

In the light of what was just said: How is my dedication to His body? Do I attend as I should? Do I make excuses to be absent from His house when in reality I could be there? How is my giving? Am I tithing and giving as I should, or do I find myself using God's money for other things?

These are simple questions, but if answered honestly they will indicate our true level of dedication. Since our dedication grows out of our devotion, there may be a problem with our relationship with the Lord if our dedication is not what it should be.

III. Discipleship: A word that is akin to discipline. So it is reasonable for us to ask ourselves if we are more or less disciplined than we were a year ago. If we are seeking excellence in discipleship we should be in a constant state of learning. Although we will never reach the place where we know it all; we should be constantly learning more.

To be discipled one must avail themselves to the teachings of another. They must surrender to the coaching of a mentor; they must spend time with, and around the One they are following after. They must read and study about the One they are following after. They must assemble together with the family of the One they are following after. Are we doing this as we should?

Finally, if we are striving for excellence we will devote more of our time to God. In turn we will dedicate more time to His body, the church. By doing this we show that we are His disciples indeed.

Blessings!