Sunday, August 29, 2010

Psalm 18

What a wonderful day when we as Christians come to the realization that all that transpires on this earth, and in this life is NOT US…but IT IS GOD! It is God that bestows such blessings as freedom, the Bible, family; AND it is God that gives trials, tribulations, and at times tragedies!

I. The Source of My Strength (vs.1-3)
• When I feel like I am too emotionally, physically, or spiritually weary to go I MUST remember that my source of strength never runs dry!
• The Lord is everything I need; He is the Only One I should cling too, and He is the reason that I keep going when all hope looks lost!

II. Surrounded By Sorrows (vs. 4,5)
• Have you ever been to the place where you just feel like you can’t go on.
• Around every turn is another heartache or struggle.
• Have you ever felt as though you were drowning in misery and defeat.
• It is when I am Surrounded by Sorrows that I am supposed to run to the Source of My Strength – not away from Him!

III. The Seriousness of His Sublime (vs.6-15)
• Sublime means, “impressing the mind with a sense of grandeur or power; inspiring awe; supreme or outstanding.
• Too often we think of God as overly patient and so loving that He will not provided justice to those in need of judgment!
• Yet, here in Psalm 18 there are several verses of the Sublime actions of our God!
• The time will come – I want to be on His good side – not His wrathful side!

IV. The Statement of Ultimate Surrender (vs.30)
• Can you make this statement for your life today?
• Can you say from a sincere heart, believing that it is true?
• Or, are you thinking this morning that God has it all wrong, and he does not know what you need, nor what He is doing?

Health Update

8/28/2010

Thank you for all who call to ask how we are doing. Below is a health update from this last week!

This last week was another exciting week in the Giovanelli home. Our school opened its doors to a record enrollment, my wife was getting three kids ready for the school year, and in the midst of it all - the cancer institute decided to have us come for my cancer check-up on Tuesday and Wednesday of the same week. It is always great to watch the Lord work as life sometimes seems to spin out of control.

On Tuesday, August 24th, we arrived at the National Cancer Institute (NIH) early. The day started off with the blood work, then it was off to the third floor for a more intense blood test that required me to lay down for a while. We then made our way to the Imaging Center and waitied patiently for the CT Scans of the chest, upper abdomen, lower abdomesn, kidneys, and pelvic areas. AFter a long day of testing we were able to get back to the hotel - take a quick nap, and then it was off to a nice dinner at the Cheesecake Factory with some friends who drove up to meet us for the evening.

On Wednesday, we met with the Doctors where we were informed that there is one tumor that is growing very quickly. They are guestimating that its growth rate is 1cm every six months. It is currently at 2.2cm. The right kidney has four tumors, the largest being 2.7cm, and the smallest is at 1.2. The left kidney has five tumors - the lergest being 2.6 and the smallest being 1.2. The left kidney has the fast growing tumor that looks like it will reach 3cm within nine months.

Each time a tumor reaches 3cm they have to do surgery to prevent the cancer from possibly spreading. Our prayer is that the fast growing tumor will not grow as fast as it has been. If it does - it will mean another set of surgeries in the next nine months or so.

Thank you all for your prayers and kindness. We are doing GREAT as a family. Our spirit our high, and the Lord is blessing us in so many unimmaginable ways. Feel free to contact us if you have any special prayer requests that we can pray with you about.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Wonderful Trip

This last week my wife and I had the privilege of taking some of our Seniors, from the Christian School, to California for their Senior Trip. What an encouragement the young people of our church are to me. If anyone ever wonders if there is hope for America; I would have to say emphatically - YES!!

So many times we focus on the lazy, uniterested in life, down spirited young people of our generation. In doing this we forget or even sometimes neglect the vibrant, exciting, and happy teenegers that are diligently seeking to accomplish something with their lives. I thank God for the teenagers of Calvary Baptist Church and the many other young people whom I have had the privilege of meeting.

May we, the current leaders of our nation, do our part to cast a vision for our young people. May we continue to pray for our children and their future. The days that our teenagers are growing up in are completely different that it was in our day. It is our responsibility to contiue to "train them up in the way they should go..."!

Monday, March 15, 2010

What's On the Other Side


From our vantage point, here on earth, we only have the capability of seeing with very limited vision. However, from the vantage point that God has; He is able to look down upon us and see the big picture.

In each and every life there will be battles that each of us must face. You can choose to face them now, as the Lord leads you, or you can turn from His will and prolong the inevitable. The fact is you will have to face the battle sooner or later. I do not know of one Christian who has ever turned their back on Christ while on a mountain top in their Christian life. Yet, I know many who have turned their back on Him when faced with a battle or trial. As I walk with Christ I must remember that each battle that I am faced with has been carefully crafted by the Master to better equip me for the ministry to which I have been called. It is our responsibility to stay close to Christ during both the mountain top experiences and the valley experiences that I am faced with.

I have heard many Christians make this statement, "I am so tired of these trials!" It is during my most tiresome moments in life that I am to drink from the cool waters that only Christ can provide. During these trials is when I am to pull up to the banqueting table of God's Word and let it fill me with a nourishment and a recharge that only God's Word can give. Sad fact is, many Christians do the complete opposite - we turn away from what the Lord has for us and we try and create a better solution from our finite imagination and we end up making matters worse rather than better.

I have told the people of Calvary many times, "Victory is only found on the other side of a battle!" If you are looking for a victorious Christian life then you must be ready to accept the trials and battles that come with it. Do not quit because times get tough! It's time that Christians toughen up a little bit and realize that Christ never promised that with salvation would come a battle free life. He just promised that you would never have to go through a battle alone again. He knew that there would be burdens for His children to carry so He said, "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest!"

Dear Saint of God - stay focused on Christ and you will make it through the most difficult of trials. Remain faithful to His cause and you will find that the Christian life is worth the living. Claim Christ as your dearest Friend, for it is He that promised to be a Friend that sticks closer than a brother!

Victory is only found on the other side of a battle!

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

They Do What They See


I was reading in I Kings chapter 15 today, and saw how it says that King Abijam did according to the sins of his father. Abijam learned his life’s habits from watching his daddy.

Isn’t it true? Our children learn from our actions! We, as parents, must be so careful in the way that we live our lives. Our lives should magnify the Lord and cause our children to want to honor Him. However, the more I counsel teenagers and young adults, the more I realize that children are not being brought up with Biblical principles, but instead are being brought up by human reasoning.

Human reasoning in child rearing only works for a season. Through human reasoning I don’t see how my child can get into trouble if they just go to the mall alone for a while. Our finite minds want us to believe that our children are perfect and would never do anything that would cause dishonor to the Lord and especially their parents. Yet, the Bible says, “a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.” We must learn to replace human reasoning with spiritual reasoning. The Spirit of God must be allowed to govern our very thought and decision making process.

If our parents would learn to live according to the leading of the Spirit; their children would see Christ in their parents. However, if mom and dad are live for God on Sunday, and live for themselves Monday through Saturday – the children will not only grow confused, but they will grow bitter. We as parents must understand that in everything we do; we teach one of two things: we either teach them HOW TO do something, or we teach them HOW NOT TO do something. Granted, not everything we do will be right because we are human, but our children should see a broken and contrite spirit when we have wronged the Lord. They should see us striving to please the Lord in all we SAY and DO!

As children begin developing into little individuals they all learn to have heroes. To most children, their parents are just that to them – you are their hero! They are watching everything we do and trying to mimic our actions. They listen to everything we say and eventually you will hear them say that exact statement with the same tone and expressions. Children are like sponges and they soak up everything they can – that’s how they learn.

I am the father of three beautiful children. I thank God for my children and my greatest desire for them is that they learn to find the joy in Christ that I have found. I have watched and listened as my children sometimes repeat something I have said, or they do something because “daddy did it”. Sometimes it is cute because the thing that they are mimicking is not wrong, but then there have been times when I will hear one sister say to the other, and it is a statement that I made with the same frustration that I made it and I am quickly compelled to go and correct her for what she just said. It grieves me to hear, “but daddy, you said it too.” My heart sinks to think that I have caused my daughter confusion in right versus wrong. She trusts me and thinks that if daddy can do – so can I.

We as parents MUST learn and accept the responsibility that God has blessed us with. We are parents and we are raising these children for God. Let’s never forget – they are still His! He just asked us to raise them for a short time so that they can fulfill their destiny for Christ in His service!

Friday, February 19, 2010

Having An AWESOME Marriage


God has blessed me so much more than I deserve. As I look at the blessings in my life I cannot get past the wonderful wife that God gave me on May 27th, 2000. Almost ten years ago I stood on a platform with my bride and little did I know, I was getting the best God had to offer!

The longer I serve the Lord the more I find that couples do not feel that way about each other. Marriage can be AWESOME, but at the same time marriage can seem like a prison here on earth. Marriage takes work! Just like anything else that we succeed at; marriage takes determination and careful consideration to figure out what your mate enjoys and you trying your best to accomplish just that - making them happy.

Someone once said that marrige is a 50/50 relationship, and that is not the case. Marriage is a 100/100 relationship. The husband must give a 100% effort to the marriage and the wife must do the same. If both, husband and wife, are giving all of themselves to the marriage and not expecting anything in return - you will find that your marriage will be happier.

I remember listening to Pastor Mike Ray speak on marriage, and one thing that stuck in my mind, and I have used it many times since, is the illustration of the triangle. If you draw a triangle and put Christ at the top, then put the husband on one lower corner and the wife on the other lower corner, and both husband and wife do everything they can to draw closer to Christ. The thing you will see is this: the closer you draw to Christ, the closer you in turn draw to each other.

I believe my marriage is AWESOME because my wife and I are both actively serving the Lord in ministry. However, we are both serving Christ at home as well. Serving God is not an on-again off-again life-style. Serving God ought to be something I do out of love for the Lord Jesus Christ.

If you want to have a marriage that you can label as "AWESOME"; then you are going to have to put Christ first and foremost in your lives, and both husband and wife is going to have to determine to give 100% of yourselves to the Lord and each other.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Our Future Is Bright!

Last night, February 17th, our teenagers took over the mid-week service. Their choir started off powerfully, and the congregational singing was filled with excitemend as our Youth Pastor, Matthew Robinson, led us in some old-time hymns. There were two specials; one was a teen girls ensemble that brought me to my feet at the opening of the first chorus, and the second was at trio with Bro. and Mrs. Robinson and Ryan Birner (one of our Seniors) taking the lead, who also gave the announcements and read over the Prayer Page for the evening. Three preachers stood and delivered powerful truths from God's Word: Justin Kidwell, Andrew Linder, and Bubba Birner. Each boy was prepared and did a fantastic job delivering their thought.

At the close of the service it was great seeing that alters full. As I walked up on the platform and saw our teenagers scattered around the auditorium I could not help but be overwhelmed with pride at their serve to the Lord. I have heard many people say that "our youth isour future", and as I looked out on our crowd i think, "if these kids are our future; then our future is VERY bright!"

Teenagers, your Pastor is very proud of you. I am thrilled that you choose Christ instead of the world. I am also very proud of the Robinson's. Bro. and Mrs. Robinson came to us in August of 2009, and have taken their ministries to the next level and beyond. They have captured the hearts of our teenagers and with sincereity and a godly example have shown the teenagers that serving God is awesome!

To the parents of our teenagers; you are to be comended for your stedfastness and faithfulness in raising your children for the Lord. In the day and age that we live there are so many deterants and hazards as we raise teenagers. Always remember, if you stay faithful to Christ, and if you stay focused on His will; you and your teenagers will find that the future is bright!

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Victory in the Dark Times


Over the last year and a half it seems that I am asked the same question time after time, "how do you keep on going with all you've been through?"

For those of you that do not know, I was diagnosed with a rare form of Kidney cancer in December of 2008. Since that diagnosis I have underwent two kidney surgeries and many tests. Sickness has become a normal part of my life, and the stamina of the past has diminished by almost 20%. However, through it all, God has been faithful to me.

After my second surgery I went through a bout of depression. I had never experienced this before. As a matter of fact, before my health problems, I was one who would excuse depression of others away as a "lack of a walk with God", or "someone just looking for attention"; boy, was I wrong. I slipped into a state of depression to where I did not want to talk to anyone, and for me that is drastic. I withdrew from my kids and wife for a period of time, and through it all I found that God was faithful to me. During this period of time I was reading my Bible, I was praying, and in front of people I would put on the smile and act as though everything was fine, but deep down - I was hurting and I was letting the devil win. As in many cases, when the diagnosis of cancer is given, one immediately thinks the worst and begins to focus on the end of life, and this is what I did. I withdrew into a state of selfishness without even thinking about the things that God had already brought me through.

I remember the day that God gave me victory. I was reading in I Kings chapter 19, and when I came to verse four I found that I could not get passed it. Here was a great man of God asking God to take away his life. I stopped and began to study this passage like never before. Here is Elijah who had seen the rain stop because God listened to his voice, he watched the pot of oil stayed for the widow so that she and her boy would live through the famine; and he had just called fire down from heaven on Mt. Carmel and following that victory he killed four hundred prophets of Baal. Now, all of a sudden, Jezebel is told of the death of her prophets and she sends word to Elijah that he will be dead by this time tomorrow and he slips into a state of depression and asks God to take his life. Why is this? What transpired between chapter eighteen and nineteen? Here's what I found...

All through Elijah's ministry God had done some great miracles at the bidding of Elijah. When the famine came the Lord fed Elijah with ravens as he rested and waited by the brook Cherith. Later, God told Elijah to go to Zarephath where he would order a widow woman to make him a cake and bring him a little water. After much discussion the widow of Zarephath should much faith by bringing Elijah the first cake and was blessed throughout the rest of that famine for her obedience to God's man. In that same chapter we find the widow's son dies and she cries to Elijah and Elijah prays and the boy is raised from the dead. The comes Mount Carmel! What an incredible story of the power of God. Elijah mocks the prophets of Baal and then commands twelve stones to be brought. They place wood on the altar, then the bullock is prepared, and then they dump twelve buckets of water on the altar and the water fills the trench that had been dug. Elijah prayed sixty-three words when all of a sudden the fire of God came down and consumed everything even the dust. What a great man of God this was - this man named Elijah. So, why is he asking God to kill him in chapter 19 verse 4? Each of these events ultimately cost someone else something. The widow only had enough meal to prepare a cake for her and her son and then they would die of hunger. The widows son dies and she is left with that hopeless and lonely feeling. On Mount Carmel the prophets of Baal were slain after finding that their god was powerless. For the first time in Elijah's life his life has been threatened. Jezebel has said that she will kill Elijah by this time tomorrow. When Elijah knows that he is hunted he immediately slips into a state of depression and asked God to take his life. Simply put, this was the first time death starred Elijah in the face.

I had prayed with hundreds of people who had cancer. I had participated in cancer walks and counseled people through these very times in their life. Yet, I slipped into depression when cancer starred me right in the eyes, and I forgot to remember what i had told everyone else, "God is in control!" The next several verses of I Kings 19 helped me too. By the brook Cherist God used ravens to refresh Elijah during the famine. However, during Elijah's depression we find God sending his angels to minister and comfort his servant. During our darkest moments is when we experience that personal touch from our Heavenly Father. God took Elijah to the mountain where He showed him the fire, wind, and earthquake; but God was not in these! God came by way of a still small voice. When we are down God does not yell and scream at us like we sometimes do to others. God shows ultimate kindness and patience as he scolds Elijah for thinking he is the only one left taking a stand for God. Sometimes we think we are the only one's going through a difficult time and use the excuse that no one can help me because "no one understands what i am going through". We wine and God shows patience. When Elijah snapped out of his depressed state we find that God still had things for him to do. He still had to anoint the next kings of Syria and Israel, and he was to go and anoint the next prophet of Israel - Elisha. Then God says, by the way, Elijah, there are still seven thousand who have not bowed their knee to Baal.

God was not done with Elijah and God was not done with me. Though I am nowhere near the caliber of Elijah, I do understand what it feels like to feel that all hope is lost. Then comes Spirit, the Comforter of the broken and downhearted, and He picks us up - dusts us off and tells us there is still more to do! In spite of this short time of hopelessness in Elijah's life - God still took him to heaven in a chariot of fire (II Kings 2:11).

I remember the day that God gave me victory of my health condition. Oh, I still suffer with health on a daily basis, but my spirit is not sick any longer. "But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." I Corinthians 15:57. I may live with cancer, but I do not live defeated. The medications that I was on contributed largely to my mental state, but they were necessary for a time to get me through the recovery from my surgeries. I thank God for that time in my life because though I slipped into a deep dark valley I was able to see what David meant when he said, "Yea, though I walk THROUGH the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me..." Jesus reached down once again and shewed me that He could make a way when there seemed to be no way.

Today, the Bible is more real, my walk with God is so much more refreshing. I love Pastoring more than I ever did before. I enjoy the fact that I can help people through their dark times because now I can say, "I've been there!" I love my wife and children so much more. More importantly than all of those - I love Jesus more than anything in this world! Victory is only found on the other side of a battle! And because of my Saviour - I am on the WINNING SIDE!!

Sunday, February 14, 2010

7th Annual Baltimore's Beast Feast

Saturday, March 6th from noon til 4pm

Attention ALL Men and Boys,

It is time for our 7th annual Baltimore’s Beast Feast. Each year gets more and more exciting as men from around the state gather for competitions and fellowship. Please make plans to attend this year’s Beast feast on March 6th from noon until 4pm. The following is a list of competitions:

• Bow Shooting Competition – the winner receives a trophy and $500 Visa Card.
• NEW THIS YEAR!!! Cross Bow Shoot – The winner will receive a trophy and a $300 Visa Card.
• BB and Pellet Gun Shoot for all ages (men included).
• Football Throw for all ages
• Casting Competition
• Putting and Chipping Competition for golfers
• Three Legged Race (Dad and Son teams ONLY)
• Tire Throwing Contest
• Nail Driving Contest
• …and many more!!!

Each year we have a potluck style lunch that is out of this world!! Therefore, each man is asked to bring a dish of either something he has killed this hunting season or a main dish of something out of your freezer. The members of Calvary Baptist Church will take care of the salads, drinks, and desserts.

**Last year we started a CHILI COOK-OFF! That was a huge hit and we are doing it again this year. The winner of the chili cook-off receives a trophy and gift certificate.

Some incredible door prizes are given away each year. This will be our 7th year in a row giving away a Shot Gun that has been donated by Just Guns for this annual event.

**And back by popular demand is THE OBSTACLE COURSE!!!! This is not for sissies! In order to participate you must bring your “A” game for this intense competition.

If you have any questions about this event please call the church office anytime
(410)-285-4129. See you there.

Sincerely,

Pastor Giovanelli

What Love Is This

Today is Valentines Day. On this day we celebrate that special someone who God has allowed in our life. I thank God daily for the wonderful lady He allowed me to marry ten years ago. Through the last ten years we have watched God do some remarkable things in and through our lives. I have watched my wife face struggles and adversities with a smile and the courage that can only come from the Lord. Yet, there is another Who's love is unmatchable!

The following is the Sunday Morning message for Calvary Baptist Church on this Special Valentines Day. The message focuses what love this is that God so willingly and freely bestowed upon us.

It's....

I. A Persistent Love (Romans 8:38, 39)
• It holds on through the toughest of times.
• The love of God surrounds us and is evidence to the world by HIS grace and mercy.
• He loves us when we fall; He loves us when we sin; He loves us when we fail to show Him love!
• Because of His love – He will never let me down!
• The persistence of God’s love toward me should motivate and compel me to show that same love to this dying world.
i. Our hearts should spring forth with the love that was shown to me; so much so that I burst with compassion toward a world that needs to experience this unmatchable LOVE that I have found.
• Love is blended with the power of LONG-SUFFERING; for HIS love persists through the amount of suffering we have caused HIM – YET – THROUGH IT ALL – He still loves me.
II. A Powerful Love (John 15:13)
• The Love of Christ kept Him focused on His destiny – Calvary’s Cross.
• The Love of Christ set me free from the bondage of sin and death and an eternity of a Christ-less Hell!
• What is Love – I John 4:8 tells me that GOD IS LOVE!
i. God IS LOVE; therefore, Love IS God! Love is intertwined with the Power of FORGIVENESS and SELFLISSNESS– look at Calvary.
• The Power of God’s Love is what gets me through the difficult times in my Christian life.
III. A Pure Love (John 3:16)
• He does not love us for we have to offer.
• He loved a world that many times shows Him nothing in return.
• I John 3:16, “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
• Romans 13:10 says that “love worketh no ill to his neighbor”.
i. Love is pure and is not to be tainted with selfish gripes and the desires for personal advancements that leaves a trail of hurt and misery.
ii. The love we show is to resemble the Love Jesus showed – a selfless love that benefits me nothing, but others everything!
1. Jesus benefited nothing by loving us – he lost sole right to His Father’s throne by allowing us to become JOINT-Heirs with Him; He lost INNOCENCE by becoming SIN for all mankind; He lost fellowship with His Father for a time while shedding His blood, but my friend – HE WOULD DO IT ALL AGAIN – for His love is pure!

Saturday, February 13, 2010

I Love My Church Sunday

I Love My Church Sunday is a special day at Calvary Baptist Church. I am excited about what God will do on this day. Last week was a fun week, but it was overshadowed by a large snowfall that kept many people from the church house. Tomorrow (2/14/10) will be like a family reunion in that we have not been together for more than two weeks time. I am excited to be back together with the people of Calvary for another great Lord's day!

Each adult in attendance will receive a special gift for being in attendance.

It is not often that I Love My Church Sunday falls on Valentine's Day. The Lord has laid on my heart the following thought and title of tomorrow's message, "What Love Is This?" What a wonderful thing - the Love of Christ! Tomorrows message will focus on the The Persistence of His Love, the Power of His Love, and the Purity of His love.

I look forward to seeing you in the church house starting at 10am for Sunday School.

Your Friend,
Pastor Giovanelli