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Uncommon Weakness

Weakness today is seen as a repulsive quality.  No one wants to be perceived as being weak, incapable, frail, or needy.  Yet the Apostle Paul himself wrote "I delight in weakness...for when I am weak then I am strong." It seems to me that God not only wants to display His amazing grace in our lives, but He desires to show the world His power through our lives too. This is only possible when we are willing to display our weaknesses to the world.  Our culture only feeds what our nature desires to do with our weakness.  Friends, family, and even our churches encourage us to conceal, and disguise our weaknesses from others. In doing so we convince ourselves that we are stronger, when in fact we become weaker with each passing moment our weakness is kept from view.  It is uncommon to reveal your weaknesses to the world, but it is also the key to becoming stronger in your faith as well.  For this reason Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:9–10 NIV  "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me." We can not expect the power of God to rest on our lives if we are too shallow, self indulgent, and superficial to allow our weaknesses to be exposed so that the power of God might also be visible for all to see as well.

Pass Your Test

I read this commentary today and it made me think about all of the tests in life.  I wish the tests would cease once we graduated school but the truth is we face tests throughout our lives.  Many of the most difficult tests have nothing to do with our formal education but rather they deal with our spritual education.  God is always trying to teach us new things and many of those lessons come in the form of a spiritual test... Here is what I read this morning about Abraham.

In the “School of Faith” we must have occasional tests or we will never know where we are spiritually. Abraham had his share of tests right from the beginning. First was the “family test,” when he had to leave his loved ones and step out by faith to go to a new land (11:27–12:5). This was followed by the “famine test,” which Abraham failed because he doubted God and went down to Egypt for help (12:10–13:4).
Once back in the land, Abraham passed the “fellowship test” when he gave Lot first choice in using the pastureland (13:5–18). He also passed the “fight test” when he defeated the kings (14:1–16) and the “fortune test” when he said no to Sodom’s wealth (14:17–24). But he failed the “fatherhood test” when Sarah got impatient with God and suggested that Abraham have a child by Hagar (Gen. 16). When the time came to send Ishmael away, Abraham passed the “farewell test” even though it broke his heart (21:14–21).


Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Obedient (Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1996), 107.

Covered Facility Ground Breaking

Several hundred members of the Cowboy Fellowship congregation stepped outside the church to witness a groundbreaking ceremony for a covered rodeo arena estimated to cost $2.2 million and covering 82,364 sq. ft. The arena was just a vision as planning started in 2003. Sr. Pastor Pete Pawelek said “Prayerfully, Phase I will be completed in the late fall.” Plans include Phase I: the metal building with open walls, electrical work and cover. Bleachers, concession area and restrooms will come later. With smiling faces and full shovels, those participating in the ceremony are (l-r) Clifton Shearrer (Lay Pastor), Wilson Winn (Lay Pastor), Scotty Smith (Associate Pastor), Adam Shelburne (Children’s Pastor), Pete Pawelek (Senior Pastor), Tanner Butkay (Youth Pastor), Bob Hogan (Elder) and Mark Weatherston (Elder).
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It started with a vision over 10 years ago of reaching out to men and women with a western heritage and lifestyle. They wanted to reach them for the sake of the Gospel of Christ. He died for the sins of people to set them free from death. With that goal in mind, wanting to reach their friends and family with the great news, with God's help Cowboy Fellowship was started here in Atascosa County.
From that humble begining of 13 men and their families with that vision God has grown Cowboy Fellowship into what it is today. With that being said, Sunday June 19, 2011 God has allowed the people of Cowboy Fellowship to continue the vision of reaching out to their community by prayerfully starting a 3 phase project of building a covered facility.
Cowboy Fellowship is a debt free church. They believe that if God wants them to build it then they would be able to save up for or have the means to accomplish the task that God has laid out before them. They have saved up the money for their first phase of the covered facility, which will be 82,364 square feet. Bleachers, restrooms, and concession area will be added later in the 2nd and 3rd phase of the facility.
At the time of dedication, Roy West, one of the founding team members of the 13 opened in prayer. Followed by a word from Mark Weatherston, and was concluded with Scripture from Pastor Pete Pawelek.

(Pleasanton Express) Scotty Smith

Quito Update #2

The rest of the team arrived safe and sound tonight about 11pm. Now it's time to get some sleep and get ready for tomorrow.  In the morning we will tour the HCJB campus in the morning then take the 20 minute drive out to the center of the world (equator).  The team will need a full day to adjust to the 10,500 foot altitude here in Quito then on Sunday it's full steam ahead.  Thanks for all of the prayers!

Quito Update #1

Today was our first full day in Quito, Ecuador and it was amazing.  Our journey yesterday was smooth except for a delay in Houston for just over an hour.  So we did not arrive in Quito till midnight and it was about 12:40 am before we got through customs, claimed our luggage, and met up with Amanda. We made it to their house about 1:20 and the kids were both wide awake and ready to play so we did not actually go to sleep till about 2:30am.  Today we went out and looked at the church we will be working on and coordinated with a few people about supplies and the scope of the work project.  While I worked on that Peter made friends with some of the children who we plan to minister to in the days ahead.  The kids were so nice to Peter and despite a huge age gap they invited him to play soccer with them while I worked on getting the project set up.  It is so cool the way children can play together and make friends in such a short time.  Tonight we ate here with the Castro's and got the kids in bed by 8:30.  We followed that up with some great fellowship time with Larry and Amanda.  Tomorrow the foundation work starts at the church so the concrete will be set and ready to go when our team arrives Friday.  We are also going to get all of the food for the team and organize a few other things.  The weather has been AMAZING!!!!  At night the temperature settles in the low 50's, and today I think the high was around 75!  We have not seen much of the country but the little we have seen is beautiful.  Quito is in the Andes and there are mountains all around us and the scenery is wonderful in any direction you look. 

 Dominica lives above Larry and Amanda and she is going to help us over the next week and a half.  Hadley never goes straight to people but she loved Dominica!  What a blessing!

 Some of the boys from the school taking Peter out on to the soccer field

 Peter and Daniel sharing and trying to learn about each other.  Daniel speaks no English, Peter speaks no Spanish it was quite a sight to see...

Peter playing soccer with the boys.  He has never played but he caught on fast and jumped right in with the big boys.

EM Bounds

I love to read the words and hear the thoughts of old time preachers like E.M Bounds.  The richness of their Spirit encourages, teaches, blesses, and refreshes me as I contemplate the depth of their thoughts.  For those who do not know E.M. Bounds was a Methodist Preacher who was born in 1835. He was a Chaplin in the Civil war and was severely wounded in the second battle of Franklin. He is the author of eleven books, nine of which are focused on prayer.  All but two of his books were published after his death in 1913. 

          You may recall that I recently preached a sermon entitled “How To Pray.”  I am convinced that prayer should be larger more intense part of my life.  Like most I don’t pray enough.  This in part is why I love to read the words of E.M. Bounds he inspires me to pray more.  I hope that he might do the same for you as well.