Friday, December 18, 2009
Sunday, December 6, 2009
An Open Letter From Holland Davis
Dear Friends of Ocean Hills...
Over 5 1/2 years ago, Pastor Skip Heitzig invited Roxie and myself to partner with him in a great venture of faith called Ocean Hills Church. We had no idea what God had in store for us, but with excitement we came alongside of Pastor Skip and faithfully served to build a strong, healthy and vibrant ministry. When I arrived, we didn't have a sound engineer, we were lacking equipment, we didn't have musicians and within the first year we saw growth and stability. Today, Ocean Hills has a strong worship ministry with a media department that reaches the world through the internet, the ability to record live worship CD's and a well developed infrastructure that is ready for growth.
Our time has not been without challenges. When Pastor Skip received God's call to return to Calvary Albuquerque to bring health to a difficult situation, he asked me to stay and be a stabilizing factor at Ocean Hills. During the ensuing transition there were many faces in the pulpit, but Roxie and I remained a constant presence through our teaching, serving and leading God's people in fulfillment of Pastor Skip's request. This year that commitment was completed when the board announced Jim Nicol as Senior Pastor of Ocean Hills Church.
With so much accomplished, Roxie and I believe that a new season is upon us. It was the Apostle Paul that said… forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. (Phil 3:13b, 14, 12 NKJV).
Therefore, it is our strong conviction that God is leading us out of Ocean Hills into a new venture of faith. We have mixed emotions as we "lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of us." We have sorrow because we have fond memories of our time at Ocean Hills and we will miss worshipping with you all. We also have excitement as we move forward into the future. But most of all we have gratitude for the privilege of serving our Lord together.
We want to thank Pastor Skip Heitzig for inviting us to come. We serve well together and I look forward to continued opportunities to serve in the future. We want to thank the board of elders for inviting us to continue our service at Ocean Hills. We want to thank Pastor Jim Nicol for continued partnership in ministry at Ocean Hills. We especially want to thank over 50 staff and volunteers who I personally had the privilege of working side by side with each and every week. You make ministry such a joy and so easy to serve.
As we move forward into the future, we covet your prayers. We also encourage you to continue the work which was started by Pastor Skip and myself. Be a community of the Word, a community who worships and a community who serves in love.
Roxie and I look forward to seeing what the Lord will do in you and in us as we continue to walk according to His ways.
Blessings…
HD
Over 5 1/2 years ago, Pastor Skip Heitzig invited Roxie and myself to partner with him in a great venture of faith called Ocean Hills Church. We had no idea what God had in store for us, but with excitement we came alongside of Pastor Skip and faithfully served to build a strong, healthy and vibrant ministry. When I arrived, we didn't have a sound engineer, we were lacking equipment, we didn't have musicians and within the first year we saw growth and stability. Today, Ocean Hills has a strong worship ministry with a media department that reaches the world through the internet, the ability to record live worship CD's and a well developed infrastructure that is ready for growth.
Our time has not been without challenges. When Pastor Skip received God's call to return to Calvary Albuquerque to bring health to a difficult situation, he asked me to stay and be a stabilizing factor at Ocean Hills. During the ensuing transition there were many faces in the pulpit, but Roxie and I remained a constant presence through our teaching, serving and leading God's people in fulfillment of Pastor Skip's request. This year that commitment was completed when the board announced Jim Nicol as Senior Pastor of Ocean Hills Church.
With so much accomplished, Roxie and I believe that a new season is upon us. It was the Apostle Paul that said… forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. (Phil 3:13b, 14, 12 NKJV).
Therefore, it is our strong conviction that God is leading us out of Ocean Hills into a new venture of faith. We have mixed emotions as we "lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of us." We have sorrow because we have fond memories of our time at Ocean Hills and we will miss worshipping with you all. We also have excitement as we move forward into the future. But most of all we have gratitude for the privilege of serving our Lord together.
We want to thank Pastor Skip Heitzig for inviting us to come. We serve well together and I look forward to continued opportunities to serve in the future. We want to thank the board of elders for inviting us to continue our service at Ocean Hills. We want to thank Pastor Jim Nicol for continued partnership in ministry at Ocean Hills. We especially want to thank over 50 staff and volunteers who I personally had the privilege of working side by side with each and every week. You make ministry such a joy and so easy to serve.
As we move forward into the future, we covet your prayers. We also encourage you to continue the work which was started by Pastor Skip and myself. Be a community of the Word, a community who worships and a community who serves in love.
Roxie and I look forward to seeing what the Lord will do in you and in us as we continue to walk according to His ways.
Blessings…
HD
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Thursday, November 26, 2009
To The Pure All Things Are Pure
Here is a devotional that I received from NLT...
Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are corrupted. Titus 1:15, NLT
Some people see good all around them, while others see nothing but evil. What is the difference? Our souls become filters through which we perceive goodness or evil. The pure (those who have Christ in control of their lives) learn to see goodness and purity even in this evil world. But corrupt and unbelieving people find evil in everything because their evil minds and hearts color even the good they see and hear.
Whatever you choose to fill your mind with will affect the way you think and act. Turn your thoughts to God and his Word, and you will discover more and more goodness, even in this evil world. A mind filled with good has little room for what is evil.
My thoughts....
I had a very wise pastor tell me that what you see in others and are emotionally charged about is really a reflection of what you see in yourself. If you are always accusing others of selfishness it's probably because there is selfishness in your own heart.
I have found that those who are most focused on purity and holiness are generally least pure and holy. Those who constantly see the worst in people and see every action in the most severe light are generally acting out of their own shame and guilt for something that they've done or has been done to them.
This is the power of the gospel. God so loves us that He gives us grace and mercy - not only to forgive, but to transform our lives into the very image of Himself. He exchanges the faulty lens that we see each other through and gives us His lens... His perspective.
That is the difference between walking in the flesh and walking in the Spirit. The flesh points out weakness, the Spirit points out Jesus. When the Spirit points out Jesus, the natural response is gratitude.
Is your heart full of accusations and pain for something that has happened to you? Then why don't you bring it to the cross and allow Jesus to give you His perspective. What is His perspective? To forgive those who did harm to Him and even provide for them a way of salvation. You might say... this is too hard. Let me say this... it's not too hard, it's impossible!!! But God empowers us by His Spirit to extend forgiveness and peace even to those who intend to harm us... for what they meant for evil, God means for good. As you allow Jesus to power through your life in forgiveness... watch gratitude and thanksgiving overflow from your life.
Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are corrupted. Titus 1:15, NLT
Some people see good all around them, while others see nothing but evil. What is the difference? Our souls become filters through which we perceive goodness or evil. The pure (those who have Christ in control of their lives) learn to see goodness and purity even in this evil world. But corrupt and unbelieving people find evil in everything because their evil minds and hearts color even the good they see and hear.
Whatever you choose to fill your mind with will affect the way you think and act. Turn your thoughts to God and his Word, and you will discover more and more goodness, even in this evil world. A mind filled with good has little room for what is evil.
My thoughts....
I had a very wise pastor tell me that what you see in others and are emotionally charged about is really a reflection of what you see in yourself. If you are always accusing others of selfishness it's probably because there is selfishness in your own heart.
I have found that those who are most focused on purity and holiness are generally least pure and holy. Those who constantly see the worst in people and see every action in the most severe light are generally acting out of their own shame and guilt for something that they've done or has been done to them.
This is the power of the gospel. God so loves us that He gives us grace and mercy - not only to forgive, but to transform our lives into the very image of Himself. He exchanges the faulty lens that we see each other through and gives us His lens... His perspective.
That is the difference between walking in the flesh and walking in the Spirit. The flesh points out weakness, the Spirit points out Jesus. When the Spirit points out Jesus, the natural response is gratitude.
Is your heart full of accusations and pain for something that has happened to you? Then why don't you bring it to the cross and allow Jesus to give you His perspective. What is His perspective? To forgive those who did harm to Him and even provide for them a way of salvation. You might say... this is too hard. Let me say this... it's not too hard, it's impossible!!! But God empowers us by His Spirit to extend forgiveness and peace even to those who intend to harm us... for what they meant for evil, God means for good. As you allow Jesus to power through your life in forgiveness... watch gratitude and thanksgiving overflow from your life.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
The Seven I AM Statements Of Jesus
The seven I AM statements being….
1. I Am the bread of life (John 6:35)
2. I Am the light of the world (John 8:12)
3. I Am the door for the sheep (John 10:7)
4. I Am the good shepherd (John 10:11)
5. I Am the resurrection and the life (John 11:25)
6. I Am the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6)
7. I Am the true vine (John 15:1)
In the gospel of John, Jesus makes seven powerful statements that describe who He is and what He came to do.
He is the bread of life... the One who sustains us and nourishes us
He is the light of the world... the One who guides, directs and exposes darkness
He is the door for the sheep... He's the way in and the way on
He is the good shepherd... the One who leads us to safe places, who protects and cares for us
He is the resurrection and the Life... the One who brings life to us, who enlivens us with resurrection life
He is the way, the truth and the life... His Word alone is true, He defines us, directs us and empowers you
He is the true vine... we can't live without the constant flow of life from His Spirit
I want to encourage you to meditate on these I AM Statements over the next seven weeks as we move into the New Year. Do a little private study and let's go into 2010 with an accurate view of Jesus who loves us with an everlasting love.
Blessings...
HD
1. I Am the bread of life (John 6:35)
2. I Am the light of the world (John 8:12)
3. I Am the door for the sheep (John 10:7)
4. I Am the good shepherd (John 10:11)
5. I Am the resurrection and the life (John 11:25)
6. I Am the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6)
7. I Am the true vine (John 15:1)
In the gospel of John, Jesus makes seven powerful statements that describe who He is and what He came to do.
He is the bread of life... the One who sustains us and nourishes us
He is the light of the world... the One who guides, directs and exposes darkness
He is the door for the sheep... He's the way in and the way on
He is the good shepherd... the One who leads us to safe places, who protects and cares for us
He is the resurrection and the Life... the One who brings life to us, who enlivens us with resurrection life
He is the way, the truth and the life... His Word alone is true, He defines us, directs us and empowers you
He is the true vine... we can't live without the constant flow of life from His Spirit
I want to encourage you to meditate on these I AM Statements over the next seven weeks as we move into the New Year. Do a little private study and let's go into 2010 with an accurate view of Jesus who loves us with an everlasting love.
Blessings...
HD
Monday, November 9, 2009
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