Sunday Services: 10:30 AM
505 South Sixth St. Burbank, CA
91501

FaithView, For Storm Riders:
“Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow down before you with their faces to the ground; they will lick the dust at your feet…Then you will know that I am the Lord; those who hope in me will not be disappointed.”—Isaiah 49:23

My natural inclination is to always be disappointed with God.

Say What?

Yeah, my natural inclination is to always be disappointed with God. And the reason I get disappointed with the Lord is because he always seems to have a plan different than mine.

Are you a control freak? I’m not, and you don’t have to be a control freak, to get put-out when someone changes your plans…Especially without consulting you.

Since I met the Lord and stayed in relationship with him, I’ve discovered he routinely changes my plans without talking to me first. An email, a phone call—even a text message—would be nice. Maybe a little discussion?

Lord: “Hey Joe, how’s it going?”

Joe T.: “Good, but I’m sort of busy right now.”

Lord: “Oh I understand, and I won’t take up too much of your time, but I was thinking about that plan you had to become a history teacher. I was wondering if you would consider going into the ministry instead? I could really use you, and I think you might be happier in the long run.”

Joe T.: “Yeah…Well, it’s kind of like this, I sort of have this plan to teach and do a lot of traveling during the summer. I want to buy a house and try to clear some debt. Being a Pastor just won’t work. The commitment is too much; the pay’s not that great. You understand?”

Lord: “I do. Totally get you on this. I just wanted to feel you out on the subject. No worries, I’ll let you go and talk to you again real soon.”

Joe T.: “Always great to hear from you. You take care.”

Does this happen to you? Do your interactions with the Lord go this way? Mine don’t. Mine go a little more like this:

Lord: “Joe, I want you to do something.”

Joe T.: “But I have plans.”

Lord: “Hahahahahaha…Okay, whatever…Cancel them or I will. I have something for you to do. So get ready.”

…And this is when I get disappointed with God.

It is my nature, our nature, to always want our way first. Always. Don’t kid yourself and think you’re some selfless saint with wonderful intentions. We want what we want. We want to do what we want to do. We live in a culture that says; “Go for it!” We live in a society that says; “Just do it!”

These things we want to do might be altruistic, they might be philanthropic, they just might be a bunch of good deeds…But if the Lord says he has another plan…Your natural reaction is going to be disappointment.

A requirement of living by faith is to ignore these natural reactions and accept that God has a plan. A plan that is better than your plan. A plan to his glory and not yours.

This is the conflict we have to overcome…This is the conflict we have to defeat if we are going to have a successful relationship with Christ. If we want to live a holy life, then the Holy Spirit has to have full control.

Our natural instinct is to be in charge…but as believers and followers of Christ why would we call him Lord and not do what he says?

It’s going to sting to surrender your plans for his…for a while…but in time—sometimes it’s immediate/sometimes it seems to take forever—you won’t be disappointed that you yielded to the Lord’s plan.

The back half of the Scripture above will ring louder and truer…those who hope in the Lord will not be disappointed.

Boom!

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Join us this Easter Sunday…Breakfast at 9:AM

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Department Leaders: Be sure to get your year-end reports to Jackie K. for the church report coming out at the end of this month. Matt, Bill, Seana, Pastor Joe T., etc. etc…

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A VBS Unlike Any Other:
You can sign up your child and their friends here on our website. Look the button up top, click, and follow.

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Burbank Faith now has a Twitter account. You can follow us at; @BurbankFaithNaz

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Eric Canto has created a Burbank Faith channel on YouTube and has placed all of our recent services there. Go check it out.

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Note:

VBS Goes to Rome: The theme for Vacation Bible School this year is “Rome: Paul & The Underground Church”
The dates are June 26-30…Look at your calendar…share with your friends…Pray for Seana Zilbert, who is directing…Make plans to volunteer.

July is Camps Month: Remember July is camps month…Junior High, High School & Kids will all have separate camps at Granite Ridge.

District Assembly is July 12-14
(It is one month later this year due to General Assembly (Indianapolis) being held June 21-30.)

SrHi Camp: July 16-21
Kids Camp: July 23-28
JrHi Camp: July 30-August 4

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Church Calendar:
April 11: Women’s Bible Study—7:PM
April 12:
All Church Prayer Time: 7—to—7:30 PM
Worship Team Practices: 7:30 PM
Adult Bible Study—Judges 13—7:30 PM
April 16: Easter Sunday
Easter Breakfast begins at 9:AM—Worship at 10:30
April 17: “Riders On The Storm”—7:PM
April 23: Sunday Service, 10:30 AM…Sunday evening “Prayer Hour” from 6-to-7:PM
April 29: March For Autism
May 6: Men’s Breakfast at Harry’s, 8:00 AM
May 13: Ladies Tea
May 14: Mother’s Day
May 21: VBS planning meeting, following morning worship.
May 29: Memorial Day
June 26-30: VBS Week

As believers, we have to remain in continual prayer for all of our first responders…all our leaders…not a political party but for those carrying the heavy burden of leadership in our country and communities.