Music // Worship without Interuption

Tonight at 24.7, we had an entire night of musical worship. No message, just 10 songs, an offering and some closing announcements. It has been a long time since I have been able to lead an entire hour of music. I really miss it.

Music creates such an instant connection. You say something over and over again and people won't get it, but put it in a song and somehow information transforms. "Conjunction Junction what's your function? Hooking up words and phrases and clauses..." communicates so much better than "an uninflected function word that serves to conjoin words or phrases or clauses or sentences." It's so easy to say or instruct "surrender everything to God" but when you sing "Jesus, I surrender" it somehow penetrates the soul. That's because for most people, singing is honest. It is hard to sincerely sing without being sincere. We can lie in prose, but somehow melody forces us to tell the truth.

Tonight there were students kneeling and crying out to God. Sincere prayers that were not coaxed or prodded - there was no come to Jesus speech. The spirit of God used the music to move them. I could hardly hold back tears as I tried to sing. It was incredible. It was also tiring.
After a 10 song set, I am completely exhausted. There is something about crying out at the top of your lungs that will wear you out. It is a special exhaustion that is brought on by worship. Not just worship in the form of music either, but most forms.

I worked construction for many years with my father and would often come home exhausted; however, my exhaustion was mainly physical, sometimes mental, but my spirit never felt the impact. It was like there was something inside of me that wanted to "do more" even though my body could not handle it. I have also worshiped through construction. Various missions or church projects have given me more than my share of days doing manual labor and somehow the exhaustion from those days is different. At the end of those days when you rest it is like you are really resting. Your whole self is on the same page and sleep feels good.

I know that sounds weird, but for me, sleep doesn't always feel good. It does not hurt or anything, but it takes me a while to fall asleep at night. My mind, my spirit, tend to keep me up as they wander through my day and my future. I find myself asking, "Why do I need to sleep? There is so much more to do." So sleep becomes less rest and more a "if I don't do this I'll die" thing.

But tonight, I do not think I will have trouble sleeping. You see, I don't have to think about the day or the future. By exhausting myself through worship, I have fulfilled my day. There is nothing better that I could have done with my day. As for tomorrow, who worries about tomorrow when they had such a great today?

What if in Mathew 6 when Jesus says "do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own", he wasn't telling us not to worry as much as he was telling us to make today count.

Worry that tomorrow could be like today? On a day where you feel you have completely fulfilled your destiny, you do not worry, instead you have hope of seeing another day of the same.
Perhaps this is why the bible says that the true act of worship is to present our bodies as a living sacrifice. (Rom 12:1) Whether through song, justice or whatever God has called you to do, when you have pushed your body to exhaustion through worship it is worship in the truest form.

Pastor Ron

Jesus Crucifixion // Very Graphic

Hey Friends, we have just finished a series called "Famous Last Words" at 24.7. Each week we were able to show the G rated version of the crucifixion. I have posted the crucifixion scene from the passion of the Christ. Please note that the video below is very graphic! This is what Jesus did for you...

T-Ball

I don't know who was more excited Mom, Dad or Colin. It was day 1 of t-ball and the excitement around the Maldonado home was growing. Colin and I spent the afternoon on Monday shopping. You have heard the phrase "shop till you drop" well that was the two of us.

We started out at Play it again sports...I can't believe how expensive baseball gear is. We picked up his helmet, glove, shoes, bat, and bag. By the end of that buy we had already exceeded our budget and still had to make a target run.
At target we picked up his water bottle, socks, and practice outfits. Then it was off to the house to try everything on and get ready for our son's first step on the field.

Everything fit…according to my wife you try things on while you are at the store. According to me you hold them up next to your kid and offer up a prayer. This time it worked in my favor.

Colin was the youngest one on the team (4) and thought he was in the majors. Needless to say the evening was awesome (Katie, Lisa, Karina and anyone else in that world) and Colin loved every second of practice.

His games are on Saturdays at 9 or 10 at the Barber Street Park and Baseball fields. Come on out and join us.

I posted a few pics of the evening…check them out.

Pastor Joe

Answering The Call

As the morning dawned, the sky turned from a dark black to purple to pink to blue. The men in the boats were used to seeing the sun rise. After all, they were fishermen! Their job required them to fish during the cool of the night when the fish were feeding. After a long night of fishing, all that was left was to clean the catch, mend the nets and sell the fish to those who sold in the markets.

For these men, fishing was a lucrative business. In fact, some of their catch would be salted down and transported all the way to Rome.

As they finished their work for the night, preparing to go home and sleep a few hours before they must return to their boats for another day's work, a man they all know passed by on the shore. He only spoke just a very few words to them, but those words would forever change the course of their lives.

Such may have been the scene there on the Sea of Galilee that morning when Jesus passed by the boats where Peter, John, Andrew and James were working. His call to those four men forever changed their lives!

This past Wednesday night at 24.7 we finished our new year's series "The Playbook for Life" covering the topic of "choices". Our focus was not on everyday choices like brushing your teeth, obeying your parents or cheating on a test (although it is important to make good decisions in these areas) but on the choice to answer the call to follow God through Jesus Christ.

God has not made us a puppet on a string Romans 6:23…He has given a choice to choose Him or reject Him. This invitation comes only from God himself…but when that invite comes it is time for us to respond.

You see Jesus calls Peter, James, Andrew and John to come and follow Him in Mark 1:16-20…maybe that same call…the call to enter into a relationship with the creator of everything is calling you to come and follow Him. Let me encourage you to listen to God and respond to Him by answering the call today.

Thanks for being part of the family at 24.7. If you would like to know how to begin a relationship with God please drop us an email at info@theofficial247.com

See you Wednesday!

Pastor Joe

Welcome

Welcome to the official 24.7 myspace page! Alot has been going around 24.7 the past month. As many of you know we have sold our youth ministry facility at Winter beach and have moved on to our main campus. This has brought many new challenges but overall the transition has been really smooth.

For the next few months 24.7 will look and feel different. Lights, food, games have taken a back seat as we prepare the final plans for our new facility. We want you to know that we are working overtime to ensure that 24.7 is a key leader for student ministry on the treasure coast. We anticipate breaking ground this spring.

All the other things that you come to love at 24.7...the music, big events, life groups, retreats, eventful summers, and the greatest friends on planet earth are still part of our regular Wednesday nights.

We have also launched a new web site http://www.theofficial247.com/ and a new youtube www.youtube.com/theofficial247 Here you can keep up with the latest info and get weekly messages and devo's.

Check back weekly for more blogs

Pastor Joe

FAMOUS LAST WORDS: Part III It is Finished!

Series: Famous Last Words

WK 1 Father, Forgive Them - Forgiveness

WK 2 My God, My God...Why?

WK 3 It is Finished...What?

Built a Bridge

1. God- Man (Earth)
2. Sin Romans 3:23
3. Romans 5:8
4. Cross- Built a Bridge John 3:16
5. Believe Romans 10:9-13

Pastor Joe

FAMOUS LAST WORDS: Part II MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY?

My God, My God, WHY?

Jesus is on the Cross… Why were they killing him? Why would the Father turn his back on him?

I. Why Do Bad Things Happen to People?

Why do Mom and dad’s abandon their children?
Why do 28,000 people die every day?
Why does a guy walk into Wendy’s and shot 5 people in cold blood?
WHY?
Why Hate?
Why Rejection?
Why do our friends betray us?

From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"-which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Matthew 27:45-46

II. The Father Turned His back on Jesus because He became SIN.

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21

III. Jesus was forsaken so that we could be restored.
Made Whole
Free
Healed

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24

Pastor Joe