Grace on Mission

Confession: Gettin' Real, Gettin' it Right

2010-03-11T09:33:00.006-06:00

My goal is to be real (honest) and authentic (genuine) with our folks at Grace, as far as who I am and what the Word teaches. At times,well many times, there is a constant struggle to maintain that Pastor image that so many great men of God have upheld who were before me and still are. You know the suit and tie guy, the got it together all them time attitude. Always having the right things to say at the right time. Having an answer to everything question, whether I had a clear understanding of the answer, the moment it was asked. Those sort of things I struggled with, that image that I had seen years and years out of other pastors. It simply wasn't me.

When I first began in the ministry, I never had any problems. You believe that? Well that's the image I had seen for so many years from other pastors. And thought that I had to uphold. Not that I'm faulting them for that image. They actually may have had it all together. But I didn't, and still don't. I felt I must, though, in order to truly fulfill this call that God had given me. I would go through my messages on Saturday Night with such care so that every word I would say would come out with great clarity. I would make sure my suit, tie, shirt, and pants were flawless. Honestly, I aimed for flawless. I used to starch them all so much they probably could have stood up on their own. I would make sure that I couldn't spot a speck of lent or raveling on any of my clothes. I had become obsessive and compulsive over my image as a pastor.

However, along my journey, I found the spotless image was nothing more than an act, or charade that I expected other people to uphold that I was finding near impossible to keep myself. Sunday Mornings had become for my family, "Eggshell Day." What I mean by eggshell day was that they were to uphold the same pristine image that I was holding....or so I thought I was holding. I could become so irritable over the slightest mishap on that day. Mishaps that on any other day would have been no big deal, so what had happened?

I had grown to have unreal expectations for one specific day out of the week. Sunday. Sunday was more holy than any other day. Our image on that day matters more than any other day. That day was when everyone comes together to get their dose of holiness, right? Well, that's a pit many of us easily fall into. I had esteemed this day as a grand showing of the Word of God, and an image of what it is to be, when in all actuality I had neglected every other day of the week with my family and other opportunities with passer-bys, co-workers, and acquaintances, hoping just to get them to the Grand Show of Sunday.

I began to realize that maybe what was talked about on Sunday should hit the streets on every other day of the week. I realized that how I act, and treated other throughout the week mattered more than what image was portrayed. I realized the starch couldn't hold a hurting heart together, just because it held my outfit together. I realized that just because I looked like I was happy, doesn't mean that I am.

I believe so many are guilty of this same thing. Maybe yours isn't played out in the same scenarios as mine. But we have this image of what a Christian ought to be. Then we have been given a certain image of what he/she should do. And we try to up hold it. Let me encourage you simply to search the Word of God, and apply it!

Be real with others. Be right with God. Don't portray to be someone your not. Be simply who God has called you to be. Watch how you quote that last sentence. I did not say, "Be simply who you are," or "Be who you want to be." I said, "Be simply who God has called you to be." I am not the pastor that I sat under all my childhood, nor will I ever be. I am not the pastor that I surrender to the ministry under, nor will I ever be. I am not the preacher that I love to listen to throughout the week, nor will I ever be. I may try to emulate their characteristics and qualities and enthusiasm, and every now and then take one of their outlines....but I'm simply not them. I am me, and you are you (however, you and me, should become more like Jesus). Don' emulate others for the sake of wanting to be like them. Emulate Christ. When you fail at being like Him don't settle to be like someone you know who is following Him. Continue to follow Jesus. Following Him is the way to be Right with God.

I've concluded along the way I do not have to uphold an image that I'm a pastor. I have to uphold the fact that I am a follower of Jesus. The same can be said of you. Don't uphold animage. Display the glorious fact: Follower of Jesus.

"The Mortification of Sin" - Romans 8:13

2010-02-23T07:44:00.006-06:00

I wish I could say that I was creative enough to come up with that title, however, I'm not. It is a title of a book by a Puritan writer named John Owens. Which is on the topic of slaying our sin.

I stumbled across the info on this book while reading another book which made mention of it. I then was reading for our Sunday School lesson last week and came across, this verse:

Romans 8:13 "For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live."

This verse stuck to me all week as we prepared for Sunday School. However, when I stumbled across the title of the book "Mortification of Sin," I had to see what it was about. It started off in a detailed explanation of Romans 8:13. I thought, wow the Lord has a word for me in this book!! I've not yet purchased it, but I am. I read a preview of it at Amazon.com. You can view an online version if you'd like by, clicking here .

So far this book has given me a greater desire to be more aware of sin in my life and the Spirit's power to overcome it.

The preview alone was pretty powerful; Can't wait to get my hands on a hardcopy.

Direction for the easily diverted.

2010-02-22T08:26:00.004-06:00

I needed direction. I needed a vision. I need to "Feed the Sheep." I have prayed over the past few weeks earnestly about my personal holiness. My becoming like Christ, and leading those whom the Father has entrusted to my care as Pastor. I have felt that I have lacked something for quite a while, and if I have had a deficiency then how can I truly feed others. Through times of prayer and seeking, the Lord has guided me to the Gospel of John. I have read through it several times and seen the splendor & glory of Christ. I have found what I needed a clearer vision of Him!

As I have seen this vision and celebrated in it. I feel that no celebration is worthy of having without inviting others to join in. So as I feel led & directed by the Lord, through my time in His word & in time of prayer we will be going through The Gospel of John, in the coming weeks, months, however long it may be.

And I know your thinking, "Wow! thats going to take forever, or could possibly get boring." Let me just say I thought the same thing initially. However, after reading through several times I began to see things I never saw before, golden nuggets of truth, and details of our Lord that are worth mining. And also as a pastor going through a book will help guide me.

Below are several reasons I am led to do this kind of sustained exposition of John’s Gospel.

1) It is the word of God. And the discipline of preaching through it will protect me from simply focusing on my favorite topics, or even on my fallible judgments about what I think we need on any given Sunday.

2) I have never preached through one of the four Gospels. (or any book for that matter)

3) There is a unique majesty to this portrait of Christ. There is no higher vision of Christ in Scripture. Andreas Köstenberger has written that “John’s Gospel, together with the Book of Romans, may well be considered the enduring ‘twin towers’ of New Testament theology”

4) John is an unparalleled combination of simple diction and profound doctrine. It is simple in its evangelistic usefulness (John 3:16) and has the most thoroughgoing doctrines in all the Bible.

5) John was written by one who had a uniquely intimate relationship to the Lord Jesus on the earth. He was “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (13:23; 20:2, 21:7, 20). There is a flavor of intimate depth in this book unlike any other.

6) Finally, I am hungry for Christ. I feel the way John Owen did near the end of his life. When he died, he was writing a book called Meditations on the Glory of Christ. He wanted to be focused on the main reality of the universe in his last years. So do I. In this book Owen said,

The revelation...of Christ...deserves the severest of our thoughts, the best of our meditations and our utmost diligence in them.... What better preparation can there be for our future enjoyment of the glory of Christ than in a constant previous contemplation of that glory in the revelation that is made in the Gospel.

Amen. How better can we be made useful for the world, or ready for heaven, than to give our “best meditations and our utmost diligence” to the revelation of the glory of Christ?

No book in the Bible has a more sustained focus on the glory of Jesus Christ than the Gospel of John. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father” (John 1:14).

God thinks; It is done.

2010-02-22T08:19:00.002-06:00

Isaiah 14:24

"The Lord of Hosts has sworn, saying, "Surely, as I have thought [planned], so it shall come to pass, And as I have purposed, so it shall stand"

This verse blew me away this week at the vastness of our God. The greatness of Him who can think and accomplish that very thought without hinderance. The God who determines something, and no one can thwart His plans. The reality that He purposes a plan and no one can oppose. His thoughts, plans, purposes, and will......shall stand. No way, no how-- can the plans of God be ruined or changed. For He, and He alone is God.

Have God-Centered, God-Directed Day--by the way what God plans.....will come to pass, accept it and stand confident in it!

Not-so-Famous Amos

2010-02-07T14:13:00.001-06:00

Nothing.

2010-01-25T08:58:00.002-06:00

In John 15:5 Jesus says, "I am the vine, you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit; Apart from Me you can do nothing."

Did you catch that? Apart from Jesus you can do NOTHING. That's a strong word, read it's definition below:

noth⋅ing

[nuhth-ing] Show IPA

–noun

1.	no thing; not anything; naught: to say nothing.

2.	no part, share, or trace (usually fol. by of): The house showed nothing of its former magnificence.

3.	something that is nonexistent.

4.	nonexistence; nothingness: The sound faded to nothing.

5.	something or someone of no importance or significance:Money is nothing when you're without health.

6.	a trivial action, matter, circumstance, thing, or remark: to exchange a few nothings when being introduced.

7.	a person of little or no importance; a nobody.

8.	something that is without quantity or magnitude.

9.	a cipher or naught: Nothing from nine leaves nine.

10.	(used in conventional responses to expressions of thanks):Think nothing of it. It's nothing. Nothing to it.

I don't know about you but relating that definition to what I do without Christ is a sobering thought. To think that the things I do without him are trivial, of no importance or are insignificant, and even nonexistent to Him, is a convicting and motivating thought. I pray that as we meditate on this verse we will be determined to take every step of everyday with Him, and what we do will be SOMETHING not NOTHING.

God's Concern and Care for Life

2010-01-18T09:59:00.004-06:00

It's Preservation

Genesis 7:1-3 (NASB) Then the Lord said to Noah, "Enter the ark, you and all your household, for you alone I have seen to be righteous before Me in this time. You shall take with you of every clean animal by sevens, a male and his female; and of the animals that are not clean two, a male and his female; also of the birds of the sky, by sevens, male and female, to keep offspring alive on the face of all the earth.

His Protection Over It

Psalms 34:7 (NASB) “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, And rescues them.”

Psalms 34:17 (NASB) “The righteous cry, and the Lord hears And delivers them out of all their troubles.”

Psalms 34:19 (NASB) “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.”

It's Perpetuity (Continuance)

Genesis 1:28 (NASB) “God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

His Provisions

Psalms 104:27-28 (NASB) “They all wait for You To give them their food in due season. You give to them, they gather it up; You open Your hand, they are satisfied with good.”

Our Punishment / His Correction

Genesis 3:14-19 (NASB) “The Lord God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, Cursed are you more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you will go, And dust you will eat All the days of your life; And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel." To the woman He said, "I will greatly multiply Your pain in childbirth, In pain you will bring forth children; Yet your desire will be for your husband, And he will rule over you." Then to Adam He said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat from it'; Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it All the days of your life. "Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you will eat the plants of the field; By the sweat of your face You will eat bread, Till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return."

Our Perfection in Glory (His Ultimate Goal of Life)

Colossians 3:4 (NASB) “When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”

Reflections on Father's Day.

2009-06-22T09:03:00.007-05:00

Isn't it amazing how our perception of our Fathers have changed over the years? I found the following which best describes what I am talking about:

at 4 years old - "My daddy can do anything!"

at 7 - "My daddy knows a lot, a whole lot."

at 10 - "My father doesn't quite know everything."

at 12 - "Oh well, of course Father doesn't know everything."

at 14 - "Father, oh he is so old-Fashioned"

at 21 -"Oh that man is out of date. What did you expect?"

at 25 - "He knows a little bit about it but not much"

at 30 - "I must find out what Dad thinks about it"

at 50 - "What would Dad have thought about it?"

at 60 - "I wish I could talk it over with Dad once more."

--------------------------------------------------------------------

The following letter was written from a couple in our congregation to their grandson's:

Our Hope for You

Dear Grandsons,

Granny is singing today and I don't want you to miss my song. Today is Father's Day and even though only two of you are already fathers, all of you will be, God willing, so listen up!

Proverbs 17:6: The glory of children are their fathers.

Love, honor and respect him. Someday you will be walking in his shoes. Yes, someday you too, will be a dad. Your reputation will be reflected on your children. Everything you say or do will be passed on to your children, for good or for evil, unto the third and fourth generation. Your behavior is both a compass and a prophecy unto them.

Begin, this day to leave a heritage path of righteous conduct for them to follow. Their future is wholly in your hands. Do what is right and never shame your Father's name.

Sundays Sermon

2009-06-21T14:48:00.002-05:00

Click here.

Important thing to think about.

2009-06-18T21:41:00.004-05:00

Quote from A.W. Tozer:

"What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us."

Below is a link to a sermon that I heard today, which relates to the quote above. This sermon has tremendously blessed me and given me new perspective on the Ten Commandments and their role in the lives of believers and gives us every reason why we should be thankful for the grace that has been given to us in Jesus Christ:

The First Commandment, preached by Al Mohler

This is Life.

2009-06-16T07:57:00.005-05:00

The baby waves.

The baby has hiccups.

The baby, in case you didn't notice, is a boy!

His Kingdom Comes.

2009-06-15T07:28:00.005-05:00

Ezekiel 36:22-23
"Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord God: "I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name's sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the Lord," says the Lord God, "when I am hallowed in your before their eyes."

Falling captive to the Babylon empire had left the once-proud people struggling for survival. Their vital signs weakened during the long, lonely, exile that followed. They realized too late the penalty for ignoring the prophets who diagnosed their heart condition. Israel knew they had disobeyed God. Meanwhile their hearts had been turning to stone. Their national upheaval, their loss of freedom--their spiritual heart attack--were the result of years of rebellion.

According to the above passage, who is ultimately hurt when God's people sin and profane His name?
Why did God restore the people of Israel?

Ezekiel 36:25-29, 32, 36, 38

"Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and you will keep My judgements and do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God. I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. I will call for the grain and multiply it, and bring no famine upon you."

"Not for you sake do I do this," says the Lord God, "let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel!"

"Then the nations which are left all around you shall know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted what was desolate. I, the Lord, have spoken it, and I will do it."

"....Then they shall know that I am the Lord."

Has sin ever hardened your heart, made it like stone? Did your repentance lead to God's cleansing? Describe the feeling when God gave you a new heart, a heart of flesh.
Who saw God's power when the people of Israel were restored in their relationship to God?
Who sees God's power today when people turn from sin to God?

Matthew 3:1-2

"In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"

What does John say the proper response is when a person comes near the kingdom of God?

Do you sometimes feel numb to God's presence? When you read the Scripture, does it seem dull and irrelevant? Are you restless during worship while those around you are enjoying the presence of God?

Then you, like all of us at one time or another, are in desperate need of a heart transplant. Their is only One able to perform this delicate operation is already here in the room, eager to hear your cry for help, ready to make you new and alive inside again.

Ask God to reveal any secret, hidden sins in your life that keep you from giving God rule and reign of your life.

Sundays Sermon

2009-06-14T16:59:00.003-05:00

John 10:22-30
"Secure with the Shepherd"
Click Here

A Great Man has gone to see Jesus.

2009-06-12T11:05:00.003-05:00

Bro. Don Morrow giving the charge at my ordination service January 29, 2006.

Some things are hard to believe.

2009-06-11T12:21:00.005-05:00

The sad thing is, it's real.

More.

2009-03-02T08:16:00.005-06:00

More - by Matthew West

Just a face in the city

Just a tear on a crowded street

But you are one in a million

And you belong to Me

And I want you to know

That I'm not letting go

Even when you come undone

I love you more than the sun
And the stars that I taught how to shine
You are mine, and you shine for me too
I love you yesterday and today And tomorrow, I'll say it again and again
I love you more

Those Lyrics are amazing! It show just HOW MUCH God loves us! How much does he love us, "more." More than what? More than anything. More than you love you. More than you love family. More than the greatest love this world has ever know. As much as He demonstrated by dying on the Cross for you and I. More, than we can comprehend.

In this day when we say, "More," alot. Think about it. I wish I had More: money, time, friends, respect, love, energy, peace.....etc. The list can go on and on of things we want more of.

But let it be known to you right now. There is no way you could ever say you wanted more attention, love, or care from God. Why? Because He has gone the extra mile....well the extra miles-innumerable miles, just for you.

Consider these verses:

Isaiah 5:1-4

Now let me sing to my Well-beloved
A song of my Beloved regarding His vineyard:

My Well-beloved has a vineyard
On a very fruitful hill.
He dug it up and cleared out its stones,
And planted it with the choicest vine.
He built a tower in its midst,
And also made a winepress in it;
So He expected it to bring forth good grapes,
But it brought forth wild grapes.

And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah,
Judge, please, between Me and My vineyard.
What more could have been done to My vineyard
That I have not done in it?

Notice all that the Lord has done concerning the work of the vineyard He did everything necessary to ensure proper care and protection and cultivation would take place but ultimately it was up to the grapes....

Guess what, in this song, You are the grapes. What else can God do for you that He hasn't already done?

He's already done it all. He gave us Jesus. He gave us Salvation. He gave us Forgiveness. He Redeemed us. He is Sanctifying us. He is Enpowering us, by His Spirit. He is Renewing us. He is simply Loving Us. What more could He do?

Thoughts on Prayer

2009-02-26T07:42:00.011-06:00

Throughout the centuries of the Church, Christian leaders have regared prayer as one of the highest disciplines of a believers life, and reasonably so. In John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, Christian's weapon called prayer, which, when everything else failed, would enable him to defeat the fiends in the valley of the shadow.

In the Book of Ephesians, prayer is listed right below and closly related to God's armor, it is however, not merely another godly weapon, as important as those weapons are. All the while that we are fighting in the girdle of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, we are to be in prayer. Prayer is the very spiritual air that the soldier of Christ breathes. It is the all-pervasive strategy in which warfare is fought. Imagine a soldier all geared up for battle yet, not listening to or recieving the orders from his officer. So it is with a Christian who lacks a life of prayer.

Reflections from others.....

"When God intends to bless His people, the first thing he does is to set them apraying."
-Matthew Henry

"When we work, we work, but when we pray, God works."
-Unknown

"A church without an intelligent, well-organized, and systematic prayer program is simply operating a religious treadmill."
-Paul Billheimer

"The less I pray, the harder it gets; the more I pray, the better it goes."
-Martin Luther

"Satan laughs at our toiling, mock our wisdom, but trembles when we pray."
-Unknown

Blind Bartimaeus, "Go your way"

2009-01-22T07:38:00.006-06:00

Read - Mark 10:46-52

This is one of the greatest demonstrations of faith in the Bible. Not just because He believed Jesus could heal him, and recieve/restore his sight. But because he had not SEEN Jesus, and believed. His faith was based upon hearing word of Jesus and what he had done, and could do.

A simple look at this account in Mark shows us principles that should be applied to our faith daily.

1. Bartimaeus cried out to Jesus

2. Some told him to be quiet, "but he cried out all the more"

3. Jesus called for Baritmaeus and he threw aside his garment

Here Bartimaeus has demonstrated a great faith, having not yet seen Jesus or His miracles, yet he still believes and cried out to Jesus, The Merciful. Not only did he cry out, people told him to stop, and he cried even louder, and more. How many times have we been told to "shut up the Jesus talk?" And what was our response.....did we demonstrate faith, or did we fizzle? Bartimaeus demonstrated faith, He knew who Jesus was, and that was all that mattered. What men said to him was of no interest at this point. May it be with you also, that when the world says, "Shhh!" You say, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Sweetest Name I know, fills my every longing, Keeps me singing as I go!"

Next we see that Bartimaeus throws aside his garment! Now for you and I that's not a big deal, but for a blind beggar it is! We'd be able to go back and get it if things didn't work out. But Bartimaues is making a statment here. And that statement is, "I'd rather have one moment with Jesus, than any amount of time with possessions." That garment could have very well been all Baritmaeus had, we know that he had no livelihood, no one to care for him, that's why he was a beggar. But this beggar had something great, Sight! He was looking with his "Faith Eyes" and he saw who Jesus was before he could even see. What a demonstration of faith, he did all these things before Jesus ever healed him.

May of us believe, once we see, but true faith is believing before we see.

It was after this demonstration of faith that Jesus asked Bartimaeus, "What do you want Me to do for you?" His reply, "That I may receive my sight."

Bartimaeous recieved His sight, and once he did he continued demonstrating faith, by following Jesus. I wonder today, you could look at the example of Bartimaeus and say I need to demonstrate my faith. Maybe today you've recieved something from faith, yet didn't follow Jesus after that point.

After reading about Bartimaeus, I believe we all can learn a good lesson of what it means to have faith.

"So the oil ceased."

2009-01-12T09:18:00.009-06:00

Read 2 Kings 4:1-7

In this account we are told of a woman in need. Her husband had died, and the creditor was coming to take her two sons to be his slaves to pay the debt she owed. We are not told the amount of the debt, though it must have been a hefty one for her to fear the loss of two sons.

Nevertheless, she finds herself in a time of need. Where does she turn? She cried out the the Prophet Elisha, God's spokeperson. Isn't that where we all turn in times of need--in some form or fashion. It may not be directly to a pastor, but possibly to a church, or a christian, or in some direction toward God (or a god).

Interestingly enough though, Elisha's answer was not that of here take this amount of money and pay your debt. It was, (v. 2) "What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?" Elisha just pointingly asked what she had in her house that was of value. Was Elisha being hardhearted, unconcerned or uncaringly. It's actually quite the opposite. He wanted her to see that God can take a little a long way.

I think sometimes we allow individuals only to see a little of a Great God. We try to fix the problems for them, when what the Lord actually wants them to do is to execise faith in Him. God doesn't want individuals to have their faith in a church, institution, pastor, church memeber, no He wants their faith in HIM.

Well the widow, answers that she has "nothing in the house but a jar of oil." With that answer, it seems Elisha is pleased. He tells her to "go borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors--empty vessels; do not gather just a few." He asks her to exercise faith. Notice that Elisha didn't do this task for her, though he did instruct her. He allows her to be apart of what God is about to do! Empty vessels are worthless she must have thought. What a weird way of fixing a problem, humiliating me and now not only do I have one jar of oil I have several empty pots!

Elisha tells her to take all the vessels and the oil go into a room and close the door, and begin pouring the oil into the vessels. As all the vessels where full she said to her son, "Bring me another vessel." And he responded, "There is not another vessel."

So the oil ceased.

What is interesting about this? Well it was according to her faith what she was given. It determined how many pots she gathered to how much oil she received. I wonder how many times we have been in situations and the Lord ask us to do something, and he says don't do it half hearted, or as he told the widow "do not just gather a few vessels" and we missed out on an extended blessing. This widow was concerned about losing her sons because of a debt she owed. Yet because of her faith, that would no longer be of a concern. Not only did the Lord provide for this time, He provided beyond. Elisha told her "Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest." The Lord provides, it may not always be the way we think he should or will, but indeed he does. What does he require of us, Exercise Faith. Gather some vessels and believe.

Hungry? Why Wait?

2009-01-09T20:30:00.012-06:00

Remember those Snickers commercials?

Energy deprived people going through monotonous tasks, while seeming to be half starved. Then the narrator of the says......"Hungry? Why Wait? Grab a Snickers."

How about those Happy Cows' commercials? Where the big milk companies make capital of the fact that their cows are all satisfied with their lot in life. And because of it they make better milk, so in turn we will like it better?!

Remember those ads. Well similar ads are still around and still appealing to the same sense or senses....which are driven by our desires and our hungers.

The great tragedy of this is that every person will become at last what his desires have made him/her. If your desires are set on eating nothing but junk, lets face it your body is going to react in a less than favorable resemblance of a body builder. If indeed, everytime hunger struck we did grab that Snickers, and that was our 1-2 punch to knockout hunger we wouldn't be healthy or even have a balanced nutrition. Do you really taste the difference in the milk you drink, do you think if that cow was happy or sad has anything to do with whether you are nutritioned properly. I don't tend to think so, I think it comes down to the daily decisions we make on a regular basis of what we do to curve our hunger and thrists with.

And so it is spiritually when we are hungry or thristy our nutrition depends on what we feed upon. A.W. Tozer put it this way, "We are all the sum total of our hungers." We all have thirsting hearts. The difference, though, is what our thirst is quenched with.

Take for example the great saints of old, Peter, James, Paul, and John. They all had a thirsting hearts. Their cry had been, "My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?" Their longing after the Lord all but consumed them; it propelled them onward and upward to heights toward which less faithful Christians look with indifference in their eyes and entertain no hope of reaching.

Our problem is not the fact that we are less hungry than that of our spiritual forefathers. Our problem is that which we are filling ourselves to fill a hunger that can only be satisfied by the Lord Almighty.

Remember Psalm 42:2, better yet pray it! Plead before the Lord for it.

"My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

Maybe today you can begin to satisfy your hunger with the the Word of God, time alone with Him, may He become your portion, after all, He is really what we're looking and longing for.

Many Problems, One Solution

2008-07-29T11:58:00.007-05:00

Whether big or small our lives are filled with problems. They range from relational issues, financial struggles, addictions, stress, illness, death, and etc. Solutions to these problems are commercialized everywhere we go. Bookstores, TV Shows, and Prescription drugs. No matter the problem "they" have got an answer. I'm not even sure who "they" are. Neither do you, maybe its the marketing and advertising guru who has misconstrued the words of doctors, physicians, counselors, financial planners. Maybe its the CEO of the company that allows lies to be told for the sake of an extra dollars income. Maybe its a TV stations producer who over plays the same self-help master who tells you you are the answer to your problem.

A classic example of a quick fix world is BandAid:

No matter the boo boo, BandAid Brand bandage promise that they will stick with you! Remember: "I'm stuck on bandaid 'cause bandaids stuck on me." My problem was as long as I didn't run, jump, fall down, put the bandaid in water, move excessively......the bandaid would stick. See the problem with the bandaid type fixes in life is that they don't stick!

The real solution is the redemption and forgiveness of God in Jesus Christ. Know that no matter what eternity out weighs it all. That's truly the only solution and its found in Christ.

Quick Fix:

Lasting Results:

New Truth?

2008-06-23T09:32:00.005-05:00

It's amazing the amount of new books that come out each year in Christian bookstores. From how to manage your money, time, and energy; to how to find true joy, happiness, and contentment; even how to have a successful marriage, rear your children, and balance your job and family. The Christian bookstore has a book for all your needs. It boggles my mind how each book has its specific claim that it has some new truth, new revelation, or new insight that we should take heed to. Yet, if we look at the basis of each of these book, maybe not all of them, use Scripture to support their claim, when Scripture should be the basis of their claim.

Scripture is the revelation of God to man. His word. His truth. Our truth. The only truth. We need to realize that there is nothing new under the sun. And that no book, magazine, web blog, or speaker is going to add anything to the Truth of God. There is no new truth.

Think back with me. The Apostle Paul's death was imminent, "For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand" (1 Tim. 4:6), and he was informing Timothy of that fact. Timothy had be his sidekick, his student, his son in the faith. Timothy had seen the best and the worse of what the ministry has to offer first hand from Paul. Paul had taught him, trained him, and commissioned him to preach the Word! Yet when Paul's deathbed "goodbye" or "farewell" message came to Timothy it was a simple restatment of what Paul had already told him, It was a restatement of the Truth, no new truth.

Paul said: "Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us."

1 Corinthians 2:2 "For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified."

Paul gave no new truth. The same one which he preached from the beginning, he still proclaimed in the end. Paul couldn't talk about joy, happiness, contentment, money, marriage, children, love, or anything pertaining to life without mentioning the Cross of Jesus. No new Truth. We shouldn't be searching for any new truth, yet doing what Paul told Timothy, "Hold fast and Keep" that which was already given to us in the Cross.

Family Matters!

2008-06-18T05:39:00.004-05:00

Did I do that!?, was Steve Erkle's famous catch-phrase from the television show family matters. While it was quite entertaining to see what kind of mess Erkle was going to get into, it was always neat to see how the Winslows were always quick to forgive (well.....maybe not always), and use the mistake as a great teachable moment.

Much like the Winslows, we as Christians have a need to realize, Family Matters. I know alot of things matter to you throughout your busy day, but remember that the Lord gave you a helpmate and children and they are as much, should be more, of a responsibility of yours than any other note on your agenda.

Ephesians 6:1-4, gives the family a tremendous outline for structure and requirements. They are quite convicting actually.

I. Children

a. You are to obey your parents

i. because it's the right thing to do

b. You are to obey your parents, in the Lord.

i. Which means, when you obey your parents, you obey the Lord

c. You are to honor your father and mother.

i. Show respect, and respect is always due.

II. Parents

a. Be Respectable of your Children

i. Are your children able to respect you?

ii. The character you have toward your children, is it honoring?

b. Fathers (assuming you are the disciplinarian)

i. When you discipline, are you doing it just to anger your children?

ii. Discipline is a teachable moment to instruct in the ways of the Lord.

This is a ruff outline of the teachings of the verses about, I pray that as you read over those four verse that the Lord speaks to you has He has to me. When your children have disobeyed or caused an Erkle size disaster, realize it is an opportunity to teach and admonish them in the Lord.

God is Love

2008-06-17T05:17:00.000-05:00

The words "God is love" mean that love is an essential attribute of God. Love is something true of God but it is not God. It sxpresses the way God is in His unitary being, as do the words holiness, justice, faithfulness and truth. Because God is immutable He always acts like Himself, and because He is a unity He never suspends one of His attributes in order to exercise another. From God's other known attributes we may learn much about His love. We can know, for instance, that because God is self-existent, His love had no beginning; because He is eternal, His love can have no end; because He is infinite, it has not limit; because He is holy , it is the quintessence of all spotless purity; because He is immense, his love is an incomprehensibly vast, bottomless, shoreless sea before which we kneel in joyful silence and from which the loftiest eloquence retreats confused and abashed.

Yet if we would know God and for other's sake tell what we know, we must try to speak of His love. All Christians have tried, but none has ever done it very well. I can no more do justice to that awesome and wonder-filled theme than a child can grasp a star. Still, by reaching toward the star the child may call attention to it and even indicate the direction one must look to see it. So, as I stretch my heart toward the high, shining love of God, someone who has not before known about it may be encouraged to look up and have hope.

-A. W. Tozer

Good Samaritan.

2008-06-16T08:29:00.000-05:00

The Parable of the Good Samaritan. It comes in response to the question, "And who is my neighbor?" -- Of course this was a rebuttle to an answer from Jesus, where He said we are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, our soul, strength and with all our mind, and to love our neighbor as ourself.

And who is my neighbor. Who is your neighbor. It seems that anymore if its not the person living directly next door to us at our residence, we are oblivious or maybe just negligent of the meaning of the word, and Jesus understood that so He brings the meaning of the word into a dramatic, descriptive, expression of who, and what a neighbor is.

Points that are made from Luke 10:25-37, are that:
1) Everyone is a neighbor
2) Everyone can be a good neighbor
3) How to be a good neighbor
4) Go be a good neighbor! (Jesus said, "Go and do likewise.")

The most interesting thing to me in this parable is there were three people who passed this gentleman in a terrible situation. The first one.....passed by on the other side. How often is it we don't have enough time. We are to busy. Maybe to concerned with something else. Possibly something that will not require much of us.... Which brings us up to the Second passer by, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. Lukes account say that the 2nd came and looked. He possibly examined the situation. He saw the pros and cons of helping the distressed individual. How often is it when a person is in need we mull it over in our minds, weigh the pros and cons, set ourselves up as the judge if this is a legitimate need or not. Well, thats what number 2 did. Then we are told about number 3, the Samaritan, a person who is not looked highly upon. Who didn't only examined the situation but had compassion. Compassion is something that wasn't mentioned in number 1 or number 2, who by the way were a priest and a Levite....ministers. It's amazing how having this simple concern can cause a great action. Compassion makes all the difference, because compassion will always lead to action!

Its says that the Samaritan, bandaged his wounds, set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And even when it was time for the Samaritan to head on his way, he provided a way for care to be taken of this individual and was willing to pay whatever price was nessacery for his needs.

I pray we have compassion that leads to action.
Not an action that lacks compassion.

To God Be the Glory!

2008-06-13T08:59:00.001-05:00

Discouragement Happens.

2008-06-12T05:33:00.000-05:00

Anytime. Anyplace. Any person. Can cause that unlovely feeling that you just can't do it. You just aren't up to par. Maybe you should have done it this way. You didn't do this. Why did you do that?

It happens, and sometimes the intention a person has in asking such questions isn't to discourage it's simply out of curiosity or interest. Yet, in the church/ministry, dealing with quite a few individuals on any given day we never know what that day can or will hold. Many ups and many down. No ups and all downs. Or all ups no downs. Alittle here and a little there. Who knows?

Yet the Lord prepares us for the calling He has on our lives. Regardless of the discouraging times we face, the Lord is concerned with something more than how we feel, He's concerned with our Faithfulness.

1 Timothy 1:12:
"I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry."

Faithfulness is the reason we are entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation, that is sharing the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Yet in our own strength we are unable to do so. So upon our faithfulness to the Lord and His revealed Word, He enables us. That means strengthens us. Empowers. Over rules our weakness. What a joy to know that I don't have to be able.....just faithful and Christ will enable.

Just remember:

We remain faithful
Christ will Enable
God will place us into the ministry ( a ministry in which He's enabled us for )

2 Corinthians 4:1 encourages us "Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have recieved mercy, we do not lose heart, but renounce the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the Word of God deceitfully, but by the manifestation of truth..."

Do not lose heart, rather renounce the hidden things of shame.....our pride, our desire, our goal, our intended outcome. Remember Christ has enabled, with that ability He's provided He has a purpose, with that purpose He has His goal in mind, in place and it's going to work out....

Don't allow discouragment to seize you, don't lose heart, remain faithful, and Christ will enable.

Little Worm ruin Big Fruit.

2008-06-11T17:15:00.000-05:00

It's all Good.

2008-06-11T07:20:00.000-05:00

It's all good. Everything. Anything. All things. It's a promise, to those who love God and are called according to His purpose. It's truly amazing how horrible a day can be, then to see that because of misery or tragedy or frustration, God reveals the things that are/were really good that were there with us all along the way that we have taken for granted.

That last part of the fifth sentence has alot of weight. His purpose. God has a purpose. With a purpose one must have a plan, and with a plan some sort of thought went into executing it. With that thought, what is God's thought concerning his plan and purpose? I can't begin to explain all there is.....because I can't comprehend what has been readily placed before me.

But what is shown and is simply displayed and undeniable, is that with a plan and purpose God displayed wisdom and power.

Wisdom: Seeing the end from the beginning.
Power: The action of executing what is planned.

Throughout Scripture we see the two words wisdom and power (sometimes might) side beside, and rightfully so. Wisdom is without power is not good, and power without wisdom is bad. Without each other they accomplish nothing. But God who has both, has accomplished everything. It is actually finished. And with everything being finished (that is from God's perspective) His plan and purpose has been fulfilled by His wisdom and power. Without mistake. No mistake could be made, for God has an infinite wisdom He saw the end in the beginning, He knew all the variables for He put them in there and has the power to create, control, and cremate it all.

So, next time you get a flat tire, the next time someone cuts you off in traffic, someone cusses at you, injury is inflicted, illness strikes the home, death receives one you love, remember that it was no mistake, it wasn't a accident, but indeed it was planned for and has a purpose, and it was within the Infinite wisdom and power of God to do so.

"But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you;
And the birds of the air, and they will tell you;
Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you;
And the fish of the sea will explain to you.

Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this,
In whose hand is the life of every living thing,
And the breath of all mankind?"

Job 12:7-10

What you see.....isn't always what you get.

2008-06-10T19:01:00.000-05:00

Scanning through the oldies station I heard the song by Gilbert O' Sullivan - "What You See is What You Get."

What a false statement. Not condemning Gilbert nor the song....but how often we use that term. And I find so many people live by looking at the cover (of the book). We look so often at a person at one given moment and judge what kind of person they are simply by one moment, one action, or simply one outfit that they wear. There is always more than meets the eyes. Its always been that way......chocolate covered cherries, at first glace they look like little blobs of chocolate, but there is more than meets the eye.

What I guess i'd really like to say is that so many times the church is judged....and at times reasonably so by the few inside the church who have condemning attitudes or crude remarks....yet indeed, just as a classic piece of literature has set upon a book shelf somewhere and collected dust....the cover has tears, pages are marked or worn by years of misuse....maybe the case is the same with a few inside the church who have a few ruff edges, pages worn, maybe its their guard....who knows......

One thing I do know is the reason a church exists, suppose to exist, is to reveal the cherry in the center of the chocolate, the great work of literature inside the worn cover, to reveal Jesus Christ.

I believe sometimes the church allows things to get in the way.....our selfish attitudes....our own agenda.....we get off focus, but I also believe sometimes those outside the church do the same too. They allow a few things get in the way from seeing what is really there. They haven't allowed themselves to see that there is indeed more than meets the eye, and that what you see is not always what you get.

Just like on a bright sunshiny day I wear sunglasses. I am able to see the sun, look directly at it. I'm not really seeing the sun as it is....I've allowed something to obstruct my true view of the sun. Without the sunglasses the sun is quite different.....hardly able to behold all that it is, how bright, brilliant the sun really is!

May this day...the glasses be removed....and someone see Jesus for all that He is.......not what the church presents of Him. May we not be the filter through which you see Him. but may the followers of Christ live as though people see Him through us. (I kind contradict myself....but I hope my point is clear.) Open up the Gospel of John! What a bright revelation of Jesus!