Week 6

Hello Hillside Family & Friends!
 
We probably all have broken a relationship of one kind or another.  In those situations, we instinctively build walls to protect ourselves from people we feel have hurt us and from uncomfortable relationships we don't want to deal with.  In our “LIFE'S HEALING CHOICES” series, we've looked at how our lives can be radically better based on choices we can make. This Sunday we'll look at the choice to offer forgiveness in our relationships.  Hurtful past relationships can eat away at us for the rest of our lives; and it’s an uncomfortable fact that our forgiveness is necessary in order to heal any of these broken relationships.  Also, because we don't love perfectly, the list of ways we've hurt and wounded each other is endless, and new pains develop every day.  Being a great Christian or doing good works doesn't make any of us perfect at loving or forgiving, so, grace and forgiveness are required daily.  In Sunday's message, "The Relationship Choice," we'll consider the essential truths Jesus taught about forgiveness, and learn how and why we can forgive even people who have committed horrible sins against us.  Don't miss this important message.

NO EXCUSES THIS SUNDAY!

Your friend,
Pastor David Clift

Week 5

Hello Hillside Friends and Family!
 
        We've been looking at the 8 Beatitudes as our guide to make Life’s Healing Choices that will bring us freedom. This week we are looking at the 5th step, a hunger and thirst for righteousness.  I heard a doctor once say that most Americans have never felt true hunger.  He said most of us feed our appetite much before we ever really feel true hunger.  Our study this Sunday is focusing on the spiritual hunger in our hearts for God to change us.  It's not just an appetite (many people like to "snack" on the idea of God helping us), but true hunger for Him in our lives that brings change.  We will look at the story of Jacob in Genesis 31 & 32. This story illustrates how God took Jacob through the first 5 choices and led him to become the man God intended him to be. We will see how the 4 choices we have studied previously put us in a position to ask God to make the same kind of changes in us that He made in Jacob.  The message Sunday is called, "THE TRANSFORMATION CHOICE."  I'm looking forward to sharing it with you!

THIS SATURDAY AT 9:00 AM IS OUR...

"CROSS ON THE HILL"
PROJECT DAY!
Everyone's help is welcome.

Would you like to minister in a very practical way?  A man called this week and would like to come to Hillside, but needs a ride to church.  If you are coming from the Pittsburg area (He lives in Delta View Rd. area) and would be willing to pick him up, please email me at PastorDClift@aol.com.  Thank you from him and me!

 
Your friend,
Pastor David Clift

 
Hello Hillside Friends & Family,
 
        Growing spiritually is a life-long process. Sure, we desire to move forward each day while recognizing God’s faithfulness. The truth is that God, just as any faithful parent, knows we will stumble; sometimes even take two steps back for every step forward. Even plants don't grow in the winter, but sprout and flourish in the spring and summer. Throughout our spiritual growth process we need to remember that God’s faithfulness is consistent even if our growth is not.  But to grow (continuing with the plant analogy), we have to recognize the "weeds" in our life and be willing to let God pull them.  That usually involves honesty, humility, and confession.  It’s not easy to come clean.  We carry around the guilt of our hurts and hang-ups everywhere we go.  At times, we may feel like life is loading us up with guilt.  However, Christ wants to free us up from the guilt.  To allow Jesus to free you from your guilt, you must make "The Housecleaning Choice."  That's the helpful message I will be sharing with you on Sunday.  I look forward to seeing you!

If you would like to show people that you are a follower of Jesus Christ by taking this step of obedience, please email me at PastorDClift@aol.com or fill out a slip this Sunday.

I look forward to seeing you Sunday!

Your friend,
Pastor David Clift

Hello Hillside Family & Friends,
 
        When Jesus spoke the words we read in Matthew 5:5, "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth," His audience was shocked. They expected their Messiah to be a super hero, a “Braveheart,” a mighty warrior.  Instead, here was Jesus telling them to be meek.  There’s something about that word that just feels “mousy.”  It rubs us the wrong way.  But Jesus was not telling us to be mouse-like.  Rather, by His example, He shows us the picture of a tamed stallion, of power and strength in willful submission.  This week in our "Life's Healing Choices" series, we'll look at the healing choice of commitment.  It happens when we consciously choose to give God control over our lives.  It comes from having His Spirit within us.  I'm very much looking forward to sharing this message with you.  The message is called, "THE COMMITMENT CHOICE."  I know it will be of help to all of us.

I'd like to have another baptism while the weather is still beautiful. If you would like to show people that you are a follower of Jesus Christ by taking this step of obedience, please email me at PastorDClift@aol.com or fill out a slip this Sunday.

I look forward to seeing you Sunday!
 
Your friend,
Pastor David Clift

Hello Hillside Family & Friends,
 
What a great week!  We're off to a wonderful start on our journey together called "LIFE'S HEALING CHOICES."  I had a great time in the group I attended and I've heard the same from many others.  If you haven't joined a group yet, it's not too late.  We talked last Sunday about The Reality Choice.  Last week we worked on humility, which allows us the courage to seek hope and comfort in our life in Godly ways.  Everyone has a personal way to deal with pain – some destructive and some healthy – but we know when we allow ourselves to feel pain with God’s presence and the support of others we will be comforted.  Join us this Sunday for "THE HOPE CHOICE."  I know it will he helpful and encouraging to you.

I'd like to have another baptism while the weather is still beautiful. 
If you would like to show people that you are a follower of Jesus Christ by taking this step of obedience, please email me at PastorDClift@aol.com or fill out a slip this Sunday. 
 
I look forward to seeing you Sunday!
 
Your friend,
Pastor David

Hello Hillside Friends & Family!
        I am so excited as we begin our journey together called, "Life's Healing Choices." This week several small Bible Study groups in our church family are beginning our study together of the 8 Beatitudes of Jesus!  This is going to transform our lives, our families, and our church in so many wonderful ways, as we watch the video Bible studies, discuss the implications, read the Life’s Healing Choices book, hear the weekend messages, and practice what we learn!  It's not too late to get involved!  I will give you a book this Sunday and you can sign-up for a home group.  This is going to be the highlight of 2009!

        Have you ever been at a carnival or theme park and played Whack-a-Mole?  Little plastic moles pop through holes and you have to hit them with a plastic mallet to get points.  The problem is that even if you hit them, they keep popping up!  I think Whack-a-Mole is a good metaphor for life (Yeah, I know, pretty deep stuff here.).  Just about the time we've got one problem whacked down, what happens?  Another problem pops up.  We whack that one down and two more come up.  We whack those down and three more come up.  That's life.  This is also true of persistent sins.  Not just problems, but persistent sins and temptations.  Just about the time you think you've got victory over that weakness in your life, it pops back up again.  Have you noticed this?  It just keeps popping back up.  You can read self-help books and they will teach you how to whack faster, but that's not what God's Word does.  God's Word teaches us how to end the game with sin.  It teaches us how to unplug it so that the power isn't getting into it anymore and those moles don't just keep popping back up.  That's what I'm going to talk about this Sunday.  We are in part 1 of our Life's Healing Choices series and the message is going to be called, "The Reality Choice."  I'm looking forward to a fantastic Sunday!

God bless!
Pastor David Clift