Hey! I just wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone who came out today to help plant trees and work on the mulch at the church. You guys and gals did a FANTASTIC job! It is appreciated more than you know. Again, thank you and I love you!

"Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord..." Ephesians 6:7

I pray that the Lord will bless double your energy, time and blessings for your great work today!

Jimmy

I simply want to invite you to join us this Sunday at Rocky River Church. It is going to be a powerful day of faith. God is at work here. He is changing lives at Rocky River Church.

I hope to see you Sunday!
Jimmy

Don't become like the person who hurt you. If a snake bites you, don't become a snake. We are to be like Jesus. Here's what He says about how to treat those who hurt us:

"27 But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you." -Luke 6:27-31

Hey. I just wanted to share with you my message and thoughts from Tuesday night's prayer service at Rocky River Church. I think they are even more important now in light of the tragedy in West, Texas. God bless.

JAMES 4:13-17 (NIV)
"13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. 17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them."

THREE MAJOR THOUGHTS:

1. Don’t plan your life without God. Most people live life as though God doesn’t matter. We just go about our lives doing what we think as best without even giving God any consideration in how we ought to go about our lives. The person James talks about in verse 13 has a business/life-plan that did not include God at all.

As I am posting this blog I am working from my home office. The news is on and they are showing the "joint faith service" from Boston that includes our President. The reality is that God is only an afterthought for so many after something like this happens. That church/cathedral is full today but I'll be it was like most churches in our country last Sunday - empty. It is full today because we feel like we need God today. God should just be an afterthought for our lives. We don't just call on Him when we need Him.

It is sad enough that people who don't know Jesus live that way, it is even worse when "Christians" live like this.

Our leaders are calling on us to pray for our nation. My first thought is how often they pray for God's guidance in their everyday leadership of our country.

2. Don’t presume tomorrow. None of us know what tomorrow will hold for our lives. We have today and we should make the most of it.

•Life is unpredictable. On Monday afternoon people were cheering in Boston for their loved ones finishing the Boston Marathon never imagining in their worst nightmares what terrorists had planned for them in a roadside bomb. And just last night in West, Texas people were going about their lives never imagining the terror and destruction of a warehouse fire that would reshape their lives forever. Life is unpredictable.

•Life is also brief. In Monday's bombing in Boston one of the fatalities was an eight year old boy. EIGHT YEARS OLD! James says our lives are like a mist. That is so true - whether we live 8 years of 85 years - life is short. Don't just live for this life but live with the next life in mind. This life is short, but the next life is forever.

3. Don’t put off doing good. Do good things now while you have the opportunity. You may not have the opportunity tomorrow to love your family so do it now. You may not have the opportunity to trust Christ as your Savior tomorrow, so do it today. You may not have tomorrow to share Jesus with those you love, so do it today. Do good today. Live like Jesus today. Point people toward Jesus with your life and words today. Today. James says it is a sin to wait until another time.

I hope this was helpful. Please continue to pray for the folks in Boston, West, Texas, our leaders and our nation.

BTW, This Sunday at Rocky River Church I am going to teach our folks how to have "Unshakable Faith" from the life of Abraham - Lord willing.

God bless!
Jimmy

I'm sitting in my office right now (Saturday morning about 11:30) worshiping God and looking forward to church tomorrow. This is a song God put on my heart. It blesses me and excites me. I wanted to share it with you for your own worship and encouragement.

Don't miss being at Rocky River Church tomorrow at 9:00AM or 10:30AM because I believe God is doing something special in our church. He's moving. His glory (which is His presence) has come down and He is changing lives. Be here! Bring someone with you. I am going to teach you how to be a genuine faith-follower of Jesus by learning to look at life through eyes of faith.

Love you guys!
Jimmy

The word Epic means "to live beyond ordinary, to be extraordinary." At Rocky River Church we believe God has created every person to live a life of significance. The problem is that must of us wuss out and never realize His purpose for our lives and the significance of our existence. During our current LifeTalk series called "EPIC" we are learning how to live BIG LIVES of faith and to move beyond "average."

**WARNING** This is not your typical series about faith designed to give you a warm fuzzy feeling inside. I'm hoping this series will shake up your life - even wake you up. I'm tired of of watching people sleep-walk through the best years of our lives. I want these messages to stir you, mess you up, and even keep you awake at night. I believe that God wants to yank you out of your insecurities and radically change your life. LET'S GO!

Don't miss this Sunday! I'm going to talk to you about how to meet head on some of the tests we all face as Christians. Let's get EPIC! See you at 9:00AM or 10:30AM.

Are you going through a BIG life-change? Are you in trouble, in transition or under tension? Are you in a place in life where you don't know what to do next? Then I want to personally invite you to Rocky River Church for one of our FIVE Easter services. During Easter we will discover THREE PROMISES God gives us to help us through the tough seasons of our lives. So again, come check us out at RRC and get some encouragement in your life. You will discover why hundreds of people from all over our area are calling Rocky River Church their "home" church. (SEE THE EASTER SERVICE SCHEDULE BELOW)

Oh yeah, here are a few other things you might want to know about. We have child care and fun programs for all of your kids. The dress is casual so don't worry about dressing up if that's not your thing. Seriously, I'll either be wearing jeans or Dockers. To be completely honest with you, we don't care what you wear. So dress up or dress down, we just want you in church. We believe in a God Who is concerned with the inside of your life, not the outside.

I hope to see you this weekend! God bless you.
Jimmy

Jimmy Britt, Lead Pastor
www.RockyRiverChurch.com

EASTER SERVICE SCHEDULE:
Thursday night, March 28 - 7PM
Friday night, March 29 - 7PM
Saturday night, March 30 - 7PM
Sunday morning, March 31 - 9AM and 10:30AM

I am believing God for the greatest Easter in the history of our church. Which service will you be attending? Who are you brining? Where are you serving? GET EXCITED!

Oh yeah, be on the look for thousands of door hangers hitting neighborhoods all over our community later this week!

Hey Rocky River Church. I just wanted you guys to start getting excited about being at RRC this weekend. As you know, this Sunday is the week leading into Holy Week so this is going to be an "extra meaningful" weekend. In addition to awesome music (seriously awesome!) and a practical message pointing us toward Easter, we will have communion together. Also, our children's choir will be performing "In Christ Alone." How cool is that?!

Be sure to make every effort to be in church this Sunday because it will really prepare you for Holy Week and Easter. BTW, make sure you are inviting your friends and family to join you for one of our FIVE Easter services. Service times are as follows:

Thursday night - March 28 - 7PM
Friday night - March 29 - 7PM
Saturday night - 30 - 7PM
Sunday morning - 9AM and 10:30AM

God bless you guys! See you Sunday.
Jimmy