Sitings of the "Call" in Childhood

I've just completed reading a really good book entitled "You, Inc." by Author Burke Hedges, and in the book, the author mentions the story from the "Lion King" when the young lion king, Simba is living in exile trying to avoid responsibilities when he sees a vision of his late father, King Mufasa. In the vision, King Mufasa challenges his son to take his rightful place as King and become what he was destined to become. He said "Simba, you have forgotten who you are. Look inside yourself. You are more than what you have become".

After reading the illustration, I began to question my own life, which many times throughout I have wondered "am I fulfilling what God has called me to", or "am I completely off track?". I've done several things in my life of 55 years now. After graduating from college with an Accounting degree and working in and out of accounting positions all throughout my career, to Pioneering & Pastoring two Churches, as well as working in ministry positions as an Evangelist, Youth Pastor, High School Boys Athletic Director/Coach, I can say I've had questions like many today; "Have I, did I, am I in the will of God?".

Through it all, I have come to realize there is an entrepreneurial spirit within me, and it started when I was a child. I remember days of organizing basketball teams on my driveway. I would gather friends to form track clubs where we would race other teams from another street around the block, using sticks as batons. I would help to assist in getting baseball and football games together with kids from all over the neighborhood. I can't honestly say I was the best student in school, really far from it, but I can say, God began to shape my love for sports, activity, athletics, and coaching from my childhood up. As a Senior, I was voted by my peers "Most Athletic", not best athlete, but "most" Athletic. I wanted to play everything. Up until my junior year in High School, I played basketball, baseball, football, and ran track. I narrowed it down my junior year to Baseball & Football, where I received awards in both. After High School I took a job over the summer with a company called "Nautilus", when it was a gym, not just a brand. I was an Personal Trainer for that summer, then college started, and the rest you've heard about already, which all lead full circle to the development of Serving Fit, an organization promoting becoming FIT in our Faith, Family, Fitness & Finances,while SERVING Jesus.

I say all this to bring up the possibility that God has given you the gifts & talents to do what He has called and equipped you to do, and it was given to you in your childhood. I think of the story of Moses; protected as a baby by his Hebrew mother, raised in an Egyptian home, called of God on the back side of the desert to deliver the very people he ruled. Has God given you tools, education, family ties, relationships that have helped to equip you for the purpose He has called you too? I think so. "Simba, you have forgotten who you are. Look inside yourself. You are more than what you have become".

Don't chase another man's purpose. Be a God Chaser, and fulfill the purpose He has destined you for!

David Summerlin
Serving Fit

Getting back to Basics

I started a Bible Study recently for the Accounting Firm I work with. The study is based off the idea of  "getting back to basics", we're reading the Bible, not a book written by others, which there is nothing wrong with that...I've read many and enjoyed most everyone. However, it occurred to me the other day while in prayer...praying about what type of study to begin, that many people talk about the Bible, want to believe in the Bible, say they believe in the Bible, have a Bible or Bible's in their possession, but never read the Bible. So, the idea came to me to start a BIBLE study with the BIBLE as our textbook, and we did.

What a joy it was to see and hear people talk about their desire to learn the Bible, and to read for themselves. It's the greatest book ever written. It's a treasure that comes to "New Life" every day to the one who digs into it's pages. So this morning, or today, find a new starting place (if it's been awhile) and begin reading God's love letter to a world that He loves and died for. It will do something in your life that you cannot do for yourself. This is what "getting back to basics" is all about.

ServingFit
David Summerlin

Do you fall off the tracks when you travel?

What do you do when you travel, Nutrition & Fitness wise? Does your eating routine go crazy, or do you find it easy to stay on track with good habits?

I think the question we must ask ourselves is: Are we on a diet when we're at home, or have I really changed my lifestyle in the area of food intake, nutritional habits, and fitness? You see a diet is easy to start and stop, pause and restart, but a lifestyle change goes with you wherever you go, whenever you go, and however you go.

Note for the next travel day: Stay on track, stay inside the lines on portion sizes, types of food you pick at restaurant's, things you drink, and the amount of intake. And for fitness, find a place to workout. Talk to your trainer or someone with some basic fitness knowledge about things you can do to keep active while on your trip. Above all, keep your commitment to yourself, your family, and your future children or grandchildren to live a lifestyle of health & wellness, physically and spiritually.

Serving Fit!
David Summerlin

A New Season, a New Direction...

 

Dear Pastor,

No one better than you know we are living in perilous times as 2 Timothy 3:1 states, but also, no one better than you know we are living in the greatest hour for the Church because of these times.

My wife (Gayla) and I have recently made a huge decision to return to the Evangelistic Field of Ministry after 10 years as Lead Pastors of The River Assembly of God in The Woodlands, Texas. This was our second Lead Pastor position, both churches started in our homes. We love God, we love people, and we love doing the "Work of the Ministry" wherever that takes us, and whatever the cost.

I've included a short bio of our ministry experience that started just over 27 years ago. We would love to come and partner with you to help stir your congregation to living completely abandoned lives to Jesus. Our ministry is simple, and as most people have always stated about us, "What you see is what you get". We'd hope to think that means we're Real! We won't come to puff up you people, over exaggerate the messages or experiences. We don't come with flare, nor a "look what we've done" type of message either. Our desire is to hear The Lord and speak what He says, so people will have an opportunity for real change through a real challenge in their lives.

If what you read interest you, and you feel we're the right mix for your church, we'd love for you to contact us soon to book a date or dates. I make this one promise, we're not looking just to book a service, we want God connections, and divine appointments. It just always seems to work better that way!

Looking forward to hearing from you soon, should The Lord confirm.

Fit for His Service,

David Summerlin, Evangelist

dsummerlin59@gmail.com

Faith | Family | Fitness | Finances

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About Us: We were both raised in great homes, Gayla's in Church, and mine not so much. We were married in 1980, both attended Sam Houston State University, and were a part Chi Alpha Student Ministries where we became active in Ministry. Upon my completion of College (1982), and receiving a degree in Accounting, we moved back to Houston, Tx to work and begin our family, while teaching Sunday School, singing in Christmas musicals, helping with evangelistic outreaches, going on missions trips, and eventually began preaching in 1986.

·         In 1988, with the blessing of our Pastor, James McKeehan (Lindale Assembly of God) we started a Church in our home specifically targeting drug addicts, alcoholics, and anyone beat down with extreme problems.

·         In 1991, we moved to Conroe, Texas and joined the staff of First Assembly of God Conroe, under the leadership of Pastor Lloyd Maddoux working as Youth Pastor, Athletic Director (Lifestyle Christian School), School Teacher, Sunday School Leader, and several other positions through time.

·         In 2001, we started a non-profit organization "Passion to Abstain", a ministry to reach students with the message of Abstinence. It was a great success and we saw many students make new commitments to stay pure till marriage, others restored back to God and their families.  

·         In 2003, with the blessing of our Pastor, Lloyd Maddoux, the Lord led us to start another church in The Woodlands, Tx, which we recently turned over to my Associate Pastor who had been with us for 9 of the 10 years of existence.

·         Other info: I have worked bi-vocationally the past 10 years. Accounting has continued to play a huge part of my life. I currently work for a Municipal Accounting Firm training all New Hires and fill the position of Chaplain. My wife & I currently have two (2) grown children, both married to wonderful God Fearing spouses, and we have 3 Grand Children, and 1 on the way.  

Our Co-Mission: Keep it Simple

·         Reach people for Christ.

·         Train (Disciple) believers to become "Followers of Jesus in every area of life".

·         Encourage, Inspire and Motivate people to live a completely abandoned life to Jesus, by living a Disciplined Life in all areas. We hope to do this by ministering in four (4) areas The Lord has impressed upon us: Faith, Family, Fitness & Finances.

Ø  Faith is the foundation of any believers relationship with Jesus. "Revival awakens the heart to intimacy with God, which in turn produces fruit of many types".

Ø  Family is the real training ground to build success through The Word of God. If a man or woman wants to know if they're really living for God, let someone ask their spouse, or better yet, their kids.

Ø  Fitness expands ones capacity to reach goals, it builds perseverance, patience, and stamina for the fight that lies ahead for the believer. "Your body will do more than your mind says it can". The body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit, and more can be done for the Kingdom, if we would treat it as such.

Ø  Finances - the proving ground of stewardship. Will we be faithful in the little, so God will grant us the ability to have much? Learning the value of giving, because it's the right thing to do.  

Our Plan: Pray, Study and Train hard, so at whatever time we're called upon to minister, either to a Church Congregation, or 1 on 1 with a family through Life Coaching, we will speak what we've heard & experienced from The Lord, and nothing else. Our intention is not to have another Church Service for your congregation. Our desire is to stir up the deepest commitment from Believers to become Followers of Christ. The late Charles Finney always said "Revival is a new beginning of obedience in the life of the believer".

Available now for:

• Church Services
• Revival Services (multiple days/nights)
• Retreats
• Conventions
• Special Services/Events
• Men's & Women's Events
• School Events

Contact us:

• Phone: 832-928-8692
• Email: dsummerlin59@gmail.com

Follow Us:

• Facebook: www.facebook.com/DavidSummerlin
• Twitter: @DavidWSummerlin
• Blog: www.DavidSummerlin.blogspot.com

References:

• Chris Cornelius, Lead Pastor, The River Assembly of God  Ph: 281-726-2729
• Don Wiehe, Sec/Treas, South Texas District of the A/G  Ph: 830-822-2882
• Lloyd Maddoux, Lead Pastor, Conroe First Assembly of God Ph: 936-537-8620
• Lindsay Munson, Daughter, Worship Team Member, Church Project  Ph: 936-648-6359
• Sean Summerlin, Son, Rowan Drilling Company, Ph: 832-585-3523

Are you desperate for Revival?

God wants to bring True & Lasting Revival to every community in this world, but many times Revival is delayed for lack of obedience, lack of faith, and a lack of God's people doing what the Spirit of God is directing them to do. Jonathan Goforth, a Canadian Presbyterian missionary was invited to preach to churches in China after witnessing revival in Korea in 1907. On his way his journey would take him through Manchuria. His first meeting was in Mukden (Shenyang) in early 1908. The fire fell on the city, igniting one of the greatest revivals in Asia, but it all started when God spoke to Goforth to straighten out a relationship with a fellow missionary brother. With his heart yielded to the will of God, and because he feared the Lord, God used him in a radical way. The power of God surged through Goforth and his preaching was empowered by the Holy Spirit. People were convicted, weeping in repentance for their sins.

The next morning an Elder burst out weeping as he confessed he had stolen money from the church, while serving as it's treasurer. Other Elders began confessing sins, one said with tears of brokeness streaming down his face that he had commited adultery and attempted murder of his wife. Eventually all Elders, and even the Pastor turned in resignation letters to the church recognizing their unworthiness to serve. The church was experiencing something supernatural, it had moved from the focus of what Goforth had been preaching to the very Words of Jesus calling all to come to repentance. The church refused every Elder's resignation and revival came to Manchuria.

What is God speaking to you that you've been unwilling to do? Is He asking you to take care of a relationship that has gone sower? Is He requiring you to give more, to preach, to teach, to confess sin, whatever it is; do it now so revival can come to your life, and maybe to the lives in your sphere of influence whether that's in the market place, at school, in your community or in you church. Do it Now!

Thank you Winkey Pratney for The Revival Study Bible!

Bring your heart to Judgment

Christ provided full access into His presence, the veil of the temple was torn down. The problem is; man still wears a veil of sin over his own heart. Bring your heart to Judgment at the cross and be FREE!!! "The cross is rough, but effective. It does not keep its victim hanging on it, eventually that man dies, then the Glory of resurrection comes" A.W. Tozer


Isaiah 29:13 "The Lord says: These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men."

10 Years later - Have we learned anything?

Yesterday, September 11, 2011 marked the 10th Anniversary of one of the most brutal attacks on American soil in many years. Nineteen Islamic Terrorist took the lives of nearly 3,000 innocent Americans in the early morning hours of Tuesday, September 9, 2001. My question has been and still remains, What have we learned? Tragedy in our lives is inevitable, meaning at some time across the span of our life, there is the potential for tragedy to strike, and strike it did on that horrific day in 2001. Thousands of families were affected in just a few short hours. The hurt still continues, though some, maybe many have found closure to their hurt, their grief, and their deep rooted pain. But, what have we learned?

According to the list of invitees to New York City's Ten Year Anniversary Memorial Services, we have learned nothing. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg continued to keep religion, and people of faith from speaking at the memorial service. No prayer would be prayed, and no scripture would be read, and to top it off, the brave men and women that responded first to save lives when the towers had fallen were not even invited, God have Mercy on us!

The Bible has a lot of history recorded within it's context. Much of it has been recorded and preserved for centuries for our example, our benefit, and for our learning. Unfortunately, we consider it very little in the decisions we make in our everyday lives. Credible statistics reveal a nightmarish fact that states the majority of individuals that call themselves Christian have no real, consistent relationship with the Word of God.

John 1:1,14 NASB"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." 

We have failed to put God first in our lives, a fact so clear just simply looking at the invitee list of yesterday's memorial services, not even looking at the moral decay of our country and world. With the greatest tragedy in years being remembered, we have failed to acknowledge God who is the Answer for everything in life. I encourage you to develop a relationship with the Lord through faith, by reading His Word and prayer. John 1:14 describes the Lord Jesus Christ as the Word who became flesh. It is my belief no one can have a relationship with Christ, or at the very least maintain that relationship without reading and allowing the Word to abide in your heart. King David said he would hide the Word in his heart, that he would not sin against God.

We are living in sifting tides, there is a definite change of season in our world, one I have never felt in my life. I compel you by the grace of God to seek the Lord, and if you do the Bible says you will find Him. I pray you'll do so starting today!