Vacation

Our monitor on our Laptop at home is down so we are going to give the blog a rest until I can get it back and running. I hope everyone is having a great week!
jeff

Say the right things at the right time

A timely encouraging word can make all the difference.The right word at the right time may make a world of difference in a world that needs good leaders. If you tell the right person what is needed they may just go out and make a major difference. You never know when someone is listening, really truly listening to you and your advice. Make sure you give good, encouraging, godly advice every chance you get so that others can accomplish what God has designed them to do.
Esther 4:13-14 Mordecai sent back this answer, "Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"
Esther was the queen and shared in the wealth and power that came with that position. Mordecai was simply stating that no man or woman no matter how powerful is immune to the mortality of life. Each person is only as safe as God makes them. Mordecai was reminding her that her faith and her security needed to come from God and through God, not in her power or position. Because of this one statement God's people were saved and together Esther and Mordecai lead them out of their despair.
We have to remember you are where you are, in the position you are in for a reason, finding that reason is equally as important as accomplishing your goals.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Give others a reputation to uphold

So many people are stressed out, worn out and strung out because of their doubts. It is extremely wearing on one’s emotions to have to live in a constant state of uncertainty. When you are feeling uncertain about something or someone, you tend to worry about the worse case scenario. We all struggle with the tendency to want proof that people and their promises are secure. When Jesus first encountered His disciples, He did not try to dazzle them with intellectual explanations. Instead, our Lord said, "Come and you will see." After spending the day with Jesus, John and his two disciples were so convinced of the greatness of Jesus that Andrew, one of the two disciples, found his brother Simon and said, "We have found the Messiah"
John 1:45 - 48 Philip found Nathaniel and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, ad about whom the prophets also wrote--Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathaniel asked. "Come and see" said Philip. When Jesus saw Nathaniel approaching, he said of him "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false."
"How do you know me?" said Nathaniel. Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you."
Stereotypes can kill! If Nathaniel had stuck with his attitude of nothing good coming from Nazareth, then he might not have met Jesus. He would have missed out on an opportunity to meet Jesus himself in person. We have got to avoid stereotypes and judging based on who people are or where they are from. If we do we could miss out on an opportunity to introduce someone to Christ.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Compliment people publicly

The brilliant physician and writer Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., and his brother John represent two radically different views on the subject of flattery. Dr. Holmes loved to collect compliments, and when he was older he indulged his pastime by saying to someone who had just praised his work,
“I am a trifle deaf, you know. Do you mind repeating that a little louder?”
John, however, was unassuming and content to be in his older brother’s shadow. He once said that the only compliment he ever received came when he was six. The maid was brushing his hair when she observed to his mother that little John wasn’t all that cross-eyed!
Everyone on the face of the earth likes a compliment. Some people like them because they stroke their egoes, some because they make them feel good. Either way it's important that we compliment people every chance we get, and do it in public. If you can thank someone for a job well done, or compliment their hard work publicly you will bring them far more joy than if you don't.
John 1:29-31 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."
In these verses John was complimenting Jesus openly and publicly. Not to stroke his ego but because it came automatic for him. Make compliments come automatically and all the rest will fall into place.
Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!

Create a memory and visit it often

Okay. So I can be the first to admit that I am not that great at this one. I am the world's worst at taking photos and little items that will help me remember things. I do have a great memory(long term, short term memory is...what was I talking about?) Anyway, we have got to create memories with the people we love and care for.
Joshua 4:1-7 When teh whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, "Choose 12 men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan from right where the priests stood and to carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight. So Joshua called together the 12 men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and siad to them, "Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you si to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the umber of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. In the future , when your children ask you, 'What do these stones mean?' tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed teh Jordan, teh waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever."
In this passage God was teaching them how to create a memorial for the things in life. We need to memorialize more in life. The good and the bad we need to remember those things so we can reflect back and see what a bond we have with the people around us.
When a coach sees one of his players do something wrong on the field why does he get on to him? 99% of the time the player knows what he did wrong, so why does he get on to him? So he will remember it. You don't remember your mistakes as well as you remember your coach getting on to you.
So make memories with the people that are important to you. Make those memories and visit them often.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Let people know you need them

We need to let people that we need them and that we trust that they will be there for us. I have experienced this in many different capacities. There are people that you believe in, that support you and while deep down you know they aren't that reliable you have to believe in them and express their importance in your life and ministry.
Also, there are people who will do anything in the world to help out as long as they know it is helping. If I do something for a friend who never comments, never questions or shows any sign of it being profitable, would I keep doing it?

2 Timothy 4:11 Only Luke is with me, Get Mark and bring him with you because he is helpful to me in my ministry.
Timothy comments that Mark is helpful to his ministry. He wants not only for Mark to know that fact, but for the others to realize and watch his life so they can be helpful.
Galatians 4:13 - 15 As you know, it is because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you. Even though my illness was a rial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or score. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Hesus himself. What has happened to all your joy? I can testify that if you could have done so, you would ahve torn out your eyes and given them to me.
Do you know anyone that will do anything for you? Maybe even donate you an organ or risk their own life for your safety? If so you better make sure you acknowledge them and let them know how much they mean to you. Paul was good at doing it and always made sure people knew just what they meant to them.
So let people know today how much they mean to you and how much you need them in your life.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Help people see their potential

In the first chapter of John, Jesus has a conversation with Simon son of John. Jesus tells him that he will be called Cephas, which is actually translated Peter. Jesus had conversation with Peter and allowed him to be transformed in such a way that he could meet his potential.
Peter was not at all the rock solid person Jesus knew he would soon be. In the book of Acts we see that Peter was a dynamic leader and that he eventually reached his potential. That would not have been possible without this one conversation with Jesus. Jesus looked into Peter, saw his potential and brought it out of him by transforming him and his outlook.
When you talk with friends and aqaintances are you seeing their potential? Are you helping them take major steps toward reaching their potential? Are you just letting them find it on their own?
I felt called into the ministry at the age of 18. I was at a youth camp working for Todd Carr at the event. He had known me for the past 7-8 years prior and knew everything there was to know about me. He didn't see the clown, the athlete, the person who on occasion got into mischief(I know, I know it's hard to believe) at school and away from school. He saw potential, he wanted to be the first to help me reach it.
Frank Northcutt was the pastor of my home church at that time, I went and talked with him and immediately we talked about the future and he wanted to help me search for schooling options to reach my potential.
Five months ago I resigned from my position at my former church. I resigned from that position and had for quite some time felt God calling me to be a pastor. So, I prayed about it met with some people and waited for God to direct me. An opening came up and I went and sought out cousel with David Beachamp one of the people I respect the most in the world. I went to him, asked for his direction and he listed and told me all the qualities I had of becoming a pastor and eventually even a decent one.
Not one of those people brought up the past, asked me if I was sure, or gave me anything but support in my decisions. Without them it would not be possible for me to do any of the things I do right now. I'm not a good pastor yet, but between Todd, Frank and David Beauchamp I will always seek to reach my potential by their guidance.

Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Making others feel good about themselves

John Maxwell and Les Parrot compiled a list of ways to make others feel like a million bucks. It is my hope during this month to break down their 25 ways that they came up with one by one.
#1 is starting with yourself.
In 1 Kings 3:5-14 Solomon is faced with the dilemma of letting God know exactly what he wished for. He could ask for great riches, he could ask for his enemies to be wiped out, he could have asked to live forever, instead he asked for wisdom. He asked specifically for the discernment to deal with people on a daily basis. He asked for wisdom and God gave it to him. He asked for the discernment to do his job, he didn't wish for his job to be done for him.
So when you pray and ask God for things how do you approach them? Do you pray for things to happen or do you pray for God to help you have the ability to do the things you are praying for? There is a major difference.
Next, we can't help others feel good about themselves if we aren't taking care of ourselves first. If I get up in the morning and I don't prepare myself for the day, I beat myself up all morning and tear myself down, how then can I expect to build anyone else up?
In order to be a blessing to someone else, or to build up another, you have to take care of yourself first. Solomon wanted to be a great leader, a great king and a great friend but he asked God for the wisdom to deal with all of those areas of life. How are you handling the things you want in life? Are you taking care of yourself so that you can lovingly meet the needs of others?

Thanks for reading and have a great day!
p.s. sorry I was gone for a while, we were experiencing some internet problems.

halloween

So last night I put my two girls to bed. They went to bed as the little girls that I love so much. One little blonde with huge blue eyes and a strange taste in fashion, and one brunette whose fashion sense is even worse. When we got up this morning I woke up to Jasmine and Snow White. They are fully dressed up and completely in character from head to toe.
Do you ever wonder what it must be like for God? To see us all week as the worker, the mom, dad, cousin whoever. That person that God knows so well. THen, Sunday morning comes along and we're dressed up, fixed up and acting like complete strangers. We're the perfect picture of CHristians, we're acting and looking the part. Is that truly what God wants?
I think He wants us to be real and consistent. The Jeff Gatlin that you see on Sunday mornings behind the pulpit is the very same Jeff Gatlin you will see at his office or at home. The real thing, genuine and authentic. So, make sure your week costume is the same as your weekend attire. Make sure God recognizes both the way you act and the way you dress so that we can be the salt and light of the earth.
If salt loses its saltiness then what good is it? None whatsoever. In the BIblical times armies would actually attack, take over and burn villages. After that they would take salt and spread it on the ground and stomp it into the ground so that the crops could not grow back. Without real salt, the world will use the fake stuff(costumed Christians) to make sure there is no growth, both spiritually and numerically.
The bottom line is God wants a carrot and not an apple or a banana. Bananas and apples are a whole lot more popular, but carrots are the same through and through. The insides match the outsides and that is exactly what Christians should be like.

have a great day and thanks for reading! Happy halloween!

Halloween

While Halloween is based on horror, and evil it has its good sides too. It has a lot of potential to bring out the child in all of us. I am not in favor of getting caught up in the debate on how good or bad Halloween is, but what it can be.
I remember Halloweens as a child and all of the things I dressed up as, I was a cowboy, football player, baseball player and here's one you wouldn't guess, a race car driver. I watch my kids at Halloween time and it is a golden opportunity for them to dress up and get away from life the way it is for them.
I like a story about Halloween that Laurie Beth Jones tells in her book, Grow Something Besides Old. She talks about one Halloween night when she had underestimated the number of children who would come to the door to trick or treat, and she ran out of candy. In desperation, she began giving out quarters, nickels, and dimes.
One little girl about 5-years-old dressed as a fairy princess came to her door. She had the little crown and wand and everything. Jones dropped two quarters into the child’s sack, and said to her, “I’ve run out of candy, but tomorrow you can take these coins to the store and turn them into real candy.” The little girl stepped back, looked up at her, and said, “Lady, this isn’t a real wand.”
Halloween is what you make of it. It can be pure and innocent or it can serve wicked purposes. I chose to see it in the purest form.
Have a great day and get ready for those trick or treaters, you never know it just might be your pastor at the door!

God friends?

- I heard a marvelous story about the man who was the YMCA secretary in San Antonio, Texas some years ago. This man had a very wealthy brother who made a lot of money in the oil business. So, this man received a brand new car for Christmas from his brother.
He came from his office one day to the car and there was a little fellow rubbing and shining the fender. He said, “Mister, is this your car?” “Yes, son, it sure is.” “Boy, that is a pretty car.” The man said, “It is nice…my brother gave it to me for Christmas,” as he started to get in the car.
The little fellow backed up and said, “HM-m-m-m! I wish I“…and the man waited for the words to come…“I wish I had a brother like that who would give me a car for Christmas.” But the little fellow did not say that. He said, “Mister, I wish I could be a brother like that.” The man said, “what did you say?” The boy repeated, “I wish I could be a brother like that.”
The man said, “Son, would you like to go riding in this car? I would like to know you better and take you for a ride, and take you home.” The boy said, “Yes sir!” They got in the car and rode down the street; the boy showed him where to go …up an alley and to a little shack.
The boy said, “Mister, would you wait a minute…if you don’t mind…I want to come back, just wait here a minute.” He disappeared into the house. In a few minutes he came out and on his back he carried a little brother. His legs were in braces …a cripple boy.
As he got to the car he said, “Bud, you see that car…this man’s brother gave it to him. Bud, one of these days I am going to be a brother like that for you. One of these days, I promise you, I am going to take you to a doctor that can make you walk. One of these days I am going to get you everything you could need in life…because I am going to be that kind of brother to you, Bud.”
We need to be that kind of self giving person.
Got any friends like that? Do you know anyone who would respond with "I wish I could be that kind of brother, rather than I wish I had a brother like that?"
Have a great day and thanks for reading!

Real authentic friendship

Do you have any real, authentic friends? The kind of person who cares enough about you to tell you what no one else will. The person who is completely reliable and like-minded with you. Paul did, he called Timothy such a friend in Philippians 2:18-23.
Paul described Timothy as authentic and reliable. Do you ever really think about what it means to be reliable? Here is a list of just a few things we would get with 99% reliability. If 99% was all we looked for we would have:
• No phone service for 15 minutes each day.
• 1.7 million pieces of first class mail lost each day.
• 35,000 newborn babies dropped by doctors or nurses each year
• 200,000 people getting the wrong drug prescriptions each year
• Unsafe drinking water three days a year.
• Three misspelled words on the average page of type.
• 2 million people would die from food poisoning each year.
So you see we have a lot of things that are reliable that we take for granted and a lot of friendships that are no where close.
In life we need to spend time finding those people who care enough to tell us the truth. Who are like-minded and who are completely reliable and put themselves second. If you find real, authentic friends like that life will be so much better for you.
Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!

Some of you may have heard about the family that moved into the neighborhood and
the little country church decided to reach out to the family. When they
arrived at the doorstep the members of the church were surprised to find
that the family had 12 kids and were for the most part poor. They invited
the family to services and said goodbye. Later that week the church
responded to their need. They delivered a package to the family and said,
"We want you to know that you and your entire family are welcome at our
church anytime. We have bought you these gifts and we want you to feel
comfortable and at ease in our congregation. We hope you can use these," and
they left. The family opened the package to find 14 suits of clothing,
beautiful clothes for every member of the family. Sunday came and the
congregation waited for the family, and they waited. The family never
showed. Wondering what could have possibly happened, after lunch the members
of the church returned to the home and found the family just getting back,
all dressed in their new clothes.

"We don't mean to be nosey but we would like to know what happened. We had
hoped to see you this morning in church," the leader of the church inquired.

The father spoke up. He said, "Well, we got up this morning intending to
come. And we sure do appreciate your invitation. But after we showered,
shaved, and dressed, why we looked so proper we went to the Episcopal
Church."

That's a funny way of talking about a serious problem. Invitations are sent
to many to come to church but so few people respond. It's frustrating. Many
of you have reached out to neighbors or friends and asked them to come to
church and you know all to well the disappointment, how few respond.

We as Christians really need to stop worrying about where or why people go to church and start worrying about where they will spend eternity. Who cares if we reach someone with the Gospel and they go to a different church. We need to do all that we can to reach them with the Gospel and make sure they continue to grow, that's all we want. We need to be Kingdom minded in all that we do.

Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Capturing your time

Mark 1:35 says, "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed."
This is Jesus, God's own Son sneaking away early in the morning to find solitude. To get away from everything and capture His day. If Jesus needed it how much more do we need it ourselves.
As I have grown older, not old, just older I have changed several times my morning routine. I have found personally that what works for one person doesn't work for another. I get up, read the chapter out of Proverbs that corresponds with the day. I then pray and spend time studing through Philippians(which is what I am preaching from right now). Then at lunch time I read a quiet time "My utmost for His highest". This helps me recapture my day as hectic as it may be if for only 5 - 10 minutes I am in total control and relaxed while focusing on God.
This is the only way I can survive some of the hectic 12 - 14 hour days that face me right now. God has instructed us to renew our minds daily as we saw in yesterday's verses. I for one take that advice seriously and understand its importance.
Do you ever remember playing hide and seek as a child. As you waited in the quiet it seemed like it took forever for anyone to come find you. During that time your mind wanders and you can hear your heart beating and a sense of anxiety overtakes you as you have just sat still and felt solitude. As adults we need to capitalize on that solitude so that we are completely still and reflective on God and His word.
Take over your day by starting it with God. As a teen I used to start every day by praying and telling God I was going to give Him my thoughts for that day.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

The pig and the chicken

This WEdnesday night we will be starting on a new section with our young people. We'll be moving from Authentic Faith to Spiritual Disciplines. We'll start with the verses Romans 12:1-2 and look at the importance of both our sacrifice and our daily renewal.
Romans 12:1 - 2 Therefore I urge you brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to teh pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. THen you will be able to test and approve what God's will is for you--His good, perfect and pleasing will.
It is important that each day we lay down our own lives and offer them as sacrifices to receive the new life that Christ designed for us. We can't just get up half heartedly and face the day without first acknowledging that the day and our lives belong to God. It takes a great deal of sacrifice.
A pig and a chicken were walking down the road when they saw a sign that said free breakfast at church this Sunday. The pig and chicken wanted to make donations so teh chicken turned to the pig and said, "I'll give the church some eggs, you give them some bacon." The pig thought for a minute and then replied, "those sacrifices would be uneven, what I am giving up is everything, and what you're giving up is little."
In life we tend to give God something that comes easy and is painless instead of giving him our all. So I ask you, are you like the chicken just offering up some eggs to God, or like the pig who is giving up his life as a sacrifice?

Shine like the stars

These are some statistics I found that contrast the year 1990 and the year 2000.
The number of Juvenile arrests for drug abuse rose 121%.
The number of Juvenile arrests for drug possession rose 188%.
The drug arrest rate has risen 35% and the number of federal drug seizures rose 292%.
The number of child abuse cases increased by 25%.
The number of inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities increased by 82%.
The number of adults on probation, in jail or prison, or on parole has increased by 49%. And if we go back to 1980, it’s an increase of 253%.
Fortunately the number of violent crimes declined by 20%, but there were still over 11.6 million.
There are over 100 new cases of AIDS reported every day in the U.S. and its territories. It is estimated that over 337,000 persons are infected with the AIDS virus in the same.
There are almost 39 times as many cases of sexually transmitted diseases than cases of chicken pox reported annually.
There have been over one million divorces in America every year since 1975.
The number of babies born to unmarried mothers increased to 33.2% from 26.6%. When you break it down by race, the figures are even more startling.
There are over five million households in America where people are cohabiting without marriage.
The number of single parent families has almost doubled and represent almost half of all family groups today.
this is the society we live in. This is the culture we are called to minister to.
YEsterday we talked about living our lives as blameless and pure so that we can shine like the stars. How important it is that we become a light in the darkness to contrast these scary numbers.
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:14-16).
God is looking for light but remember, He's looking for candles not firecrackers. Too often we give strong examples and glimpses of living Christian lifestyles rather than the whole lifestyle. Let your light shine today by being a genuine authentic Christian in all that you do!

Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Our speech

I shared a lesson with our youth a while back. We were studying a secular quote I found that I thought was extremely meaningful.
The quote said,
Watch your thoughts they become your words
Watch your words they become your actions
Watch your actions they become your character

When I logged on to Yahoo yesterday I read a story about how cussing can lessen stress in the workplace. I think that is terrible how they are using that to lessen stress. Are they stressed out because they have an actual vocabulary? I did some research and found out a few things.
• There are 800,000 in the English language,
• 300,000 are technical terms.
• The average person knows 10,000 words and uses 5,000 in everyday speech.
• The average journalist knows approximately 15,000 and uses around 10,000.
Proverbs 10
11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.

14 Wise men store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.

18 He who conceals his hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool.

19 When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.

20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked is of little value.

Proverbs 11
12 A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue.

13 A Gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.
Aesop, the ancient storyteller, told this fable: Once upon a time, a donkey found a lion’s skin. He tried it on, strutted around, and frightened many animals. Soon a fox came along, and the donkey tried to scare him, too. But the fox, hearing the donkey’s voice, said, “If you want to terrify me, you’ll have to disguise your bray.” Aesop’s moral: Clothes may disguise a fool, but his words will give him away.

The bottom line for me is. When I hear someone cussing it tells me they lack a few things. They lack self control and have a limited vocabulary. If you wouldn't say it to your mother, don't say it.

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!

A true gift

Last night we talked about grace, God's grace and how it was a true gift. A true gift is given when you give something to someone not wanting or desiring to be repaid. This is something that I have learned a lot about at the Homeless Coalition. I am constantly doing things and assisting people who may not ever have a chance and some a desire to repay me. That's what giving is all about.
One time as a kid I found a purse, the purse had a little bit of money in it and the lady's identification and things. The lady returned to find the purse all together and decided to give me $20 for finding it. It was nice.
Just yesterday in my office at the Coalition I found a small bag next to my desk and in it was over $200. When I opened it I was puzzled at why that would be laying there. I dug through it and found a few pieces of mail with a name on it. It was a name I noticed and actually belonged to the grandma of one of the resident kids that I knew well. I called her and let her know I had found it. She got there really fast and found that all of the money was still there. It was the money she had to use to pay for her light bill and water bill for this month. She told me she wanted to give me something, but she couldn't. I told her I didn't want anything and she thanked me about 4 more times and walked out the door.
The second instance felt a lot better because I did something for someone who couldn't return it at that time. We need to learn to give without expectations of a return. That is the example Christ set for us when He gave His life for us. There is absolutely nothing we can do to repay it, nothing. So if you're trying to earn your salvation, give it up it can't happen!

Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Grace

Tonight is the last night of our series on authentic faith. The last step to having authentice faith is understanding grace. God's grace is complicated only if we make it that way. I found a story that illustrates it perfectly.
Two guys in a church, Paul and William decided that they really wanted to become godly men. So they started meeting with one another to pray and encourage one another; they even set goals for themselves and their behavior, and then were accountable to the other one. Paul decided he wanted to break his habit of using profanity. He decided he was going to put five dollars in the offering for every time he swore during the week. In order to stay accountable, he would tell William how many times he’d failed. The first week cost Paul $100.
However, Paul didn’t stop his swearing. In fact, while he improved somewhat over the next couple weeks, he really wasn¡|t having the success he wanted and was losing a lot of hard-earned cash.
After the fourth week, William told Paul he had decided that the deal needed to be changed for the coming week, but he wasn¡|t going to tell Paul how it would change. He just said, “Trust me. It will cost you both less and more.”
When they met the following Sunday before worship, Paul admitted he¡|d failed again. William put a hand on his shoulder and said, "Paul, I told you this was going to cost you both less and more. It’s called grace."
William took out his checkbook, and made out a check to the church, leaving the amount blank.
He gave the check to Paul and said, "Your sin still costs, but for you it’s free. Just fill in the numbers. And next week there will be more grace."
William’s grace cost him $55 the first week; the second only cost him $20. There was no third week. Paul couldn’t bear to see what his sin was costing his friend, so he quit sinning.
Grace is something that costs the one who receives it nothing, but costs the one who gives it everything.
God's grace if perfectly free to the taker, and was extremely expensive to the giver. Once we have a grip on that our faith will grow and grow.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

God's humility

Yesterday we talked about giving God our all. Allowing God to have his own way is an important step toward being completely humble. God's scale for humility is completely different from our own and it is important that we stay humble in God's ways.
Proverbs 16:2 says all a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the Lord.
There is another example of the importance of Godly humility. God doesn't see the action, He doesn't see the times when man is acting humble, He sees the heart. He sees right down to the true motive for every action we take.
This verse also brings up the way we rationalize our way through life. What a terrible thing you did! Well, it's not nearly as bad as ____________. I did it because ____________. Paul said that what may be permissible for man isn't necessarily profitable for man. Just because we get away with it, or can rationalize it, doesn't mean it is okay.
Again, God sees the motives. Some people do things to draw attention to their humbleness. God sees that and that is not humility at all to God. Just like when we see someone do something in public just because they want to look good, we know what they really are like.
Remember, God knows our hearts and our motives. So next time you try to act humble, don't bother, God knows you aren't being humble at all.
We defined humility as not thinking yourself less than others, or even downplaying your own giftedness. True humility is freedom from think about yourself one way or the other.
Have a great day and thanks for reading!

Humility continued

Yesterday we talked about humility and the need for it in our lives. We discussed the need to acknowledge the way Jesus carried Himself with humility while on earth. At the risk of seeming uncool I would like to type out the words of a hymn that we sang yesterday. If we look at the words and apply them, it is a perfect fit for how we ought to live day by day.
Have Thine own way Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou art the Potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me, after Thy will
While I am waiting, yielded and still.

Have Thine own way Lord! Have Thine own way!
Search me and try me, Master Today!
Whiter than snow Lord, Wash me just now
As in Thy presence Humbly I bow.

Have Thine own way Lord! Have Thine own way!
Wounded and weary, Help me I pray!
Power all power-surely is Thine
Touch me and heal me Savior divine!

Have Thine own way Lord! Have Thine own way!
Hold o'er my being Absolute sway!
Fill with Thy Spirit Till all shall see!
Christ only, always, Living in me!

How often do we actually say, "Have your way Lord"? How often do we actually see ourselves as clay. As a lump of matter that God is molding and using. Then the first verse caps off with the truth that we should be waiting yielded and still.

The last verse closes with Fill with Thy Spirit Till all shall see Christ only, always, Living in me!
Humility means dying to self daily so that all people see in us is Christ. What a tough order to live up to!

Have a great day and thanks for reading!

gifts

We talked last night in youth about the difference between hope and faith. We discussed Christmas and how hope is going to bed on CHristmas eve hoping that certain gift we asked for is under the tree. Faith is going to bed knowing without a doubt that it is there. Sticking with that theme, salvation is a free gift. When have you ever gotten out of bed on Christmas day, ran into the living room and opened gifts. As you open each gift, you make a list and ask the giver how much you owe them. Is that how you handle it? No, it isn't we open the gifts and say thank you.
Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us, "For it is by grace you have been saved through faith--and this not from yourselves it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast,"
According to these verses salvation is a free gift based on Grace. Grace is our unmerited favor from God. It is an undeserved gift from God based soley on His love for us, His creation.
So we decided that we don't make a list and decide what we owe for gifts. But, we do make sure we give them a gift in return. My dad has a very close friend that he exchanges gifts with each Christmas. It's a funny thing. Each year they meet up on Christmas eve and exchange their gifts. His close friend's name is Tom and they are both mechanics. Several years ago my dad and mom decided on a gift for Tom and felt good about it, until my dad opened his gift from Tom and it was something he had wanted for quite a while. My dad felt like he had been outdone and his gift to Tom wasn't adequate. Well, if anyone thinks that we get into heaven by works, or that we can earn our salvation, they're wrong. For the simple fact that the sacrifice of JEsus Christ leaves us with no gift that would match, so it would never add up.
Remember we are saved by God's grace, based on our faith in Him and nothing else.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Trusting in the Lord

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding, In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight.

Leaning on our own understanding. We do it all day long sometimes without realizing it. We get up, we get ready for the day, we walk through the entire day and never acknowledge God for what He has done and is doing in our lives. Trusting God with all our heart starts with giving Him credit for all things, especially the little things.
Here Solomon gives us somewhat of a command, but it comes with an immediate reward. He will make your path straight. If we learn to trust in God with all we've got, all those decisions will get easier, the big ones and the little ones alike will have less bearing on our own weights and measures. I have a decision right now to make, I weighed it all out with human reason to find little or no answer. Instead, I went to bed early last night, spent quite a while in prayer and weighing it all out in prayer and now this morning there is no doubt what my decision should be.
If we are going to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and acknowledge Him in all our ways we must learn to distinguish between God's promises and our own selfish expectations. That is the next big step toward a true, authentic faith.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

God and the Spider

During World War II, a US marine was separated from his unit on a Pacific
island. The fighting had been intense, and in the smoke and the crossfire
he had lost touch with his comrades.
Alone in the jungle, he could hear enemy soldiers coming in his direction.
Scrambling for cover, he found his way up a high ridge to several small
caves in the rock. Quickly he crawled inside one of the caves. Although
safe for the moment, he realized that once the enemy soldiers looking for
him swept up the ridge, they would quickly search all the caves and he
would be killed.
As he waited, he prayed, "Lord, if it be your will, please protect me.
Whatever your will though, I love you and trust you. Amen."
After praying, he lay quietly listening to the enemy begin to draw close.
He thought, "Well, I guess the Lord isn't going to help me out of this
one." Then he saw a spider begin to build a web over the front of his
cave.
As he watched, listening to the enemy searching for him all the while, the
spider layered strand after strand of web across the opening of the cave.
"Hah, he thought. "What I need is a brick wall and what the Lord has sent
me is a spider web. God does have a sense of humor."
As the enemy drew closer he watched from the darkness of his hideout and
could see them searching one cave after another. As they came to his, he
got ready to make his last stand. To his amazement, however, after
glancing in the direction of his cave, they moved on. Suddenly, he
realized that with the spider web over the entrance, his cave looked as if
no one had entered for quite a while. "Lord, forgive me," prayed the young
man. "I had forgotten that in you a spider's web is stronger than a brick
wall."
We all face times of great trouble. When we do, it is so easy to forget
the victories that God would work in our lives, sometimes in the most
surprising ways. As the great leader, Nehemiah, reminded the people of
Israel when they faced the task of rebuilding Jerusalem, "In God we will
have success!" [Nehemiah 2:20]
We all pray for hedges of protection at times in life. I'm sure when we pray for those things we expect brick walls but instead God sends spider webs to protect us. It's all perfect in His timing and in His ways.
Remember, faith is believing that God is all His word says He is, and believing that He will do all He has said He would do. It's not thinking that He will do things our way, but trusting His ways.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Faith

All this month we are still talking about real authentic faith with our youth and I found this old email from a friend that I thought fit perfectly.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

ON MARCH 27, 2000, A U.S. STEALTH FIGHTER PILOT WAS SHOT DOWN OVER YUGOSLAVIA AND HE LATER TOLD TIME MAGAZINE THAT: "GOD HELPED HIM SURVIVE." THE PILOT, WHO WAS NOT NAMED IN A REPORT PUBLISHED BY THE AIR FORCE, EJECTED DURING A NIGHT MISSION, DEEP IN SERBIAN TERRITORY. HIS F-117A NIGHTHAWK HAD BEEN HIT BY A YUGOSLAV SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE MILITARY SOURCES SAID. THE PILOT SAID: "THE EXPLOSION WAS SO VIOLENT, THAT HE ASKED HIMSELF, "AM I GOING TO KNOW WHEN IT’S TIME TO GET OUT?" IT IS THE QUESTION ON EVERY FIGHTER PILOT’S MIND. HE THEN SAID: "I WAS SO SCARED THAT I COULDN’T PULL THE (EJECTION SEAT) HANDLES, SO GOD TOOK MY HANDS AND PULLED. I KNOW IT WAS GOD BECAUSE I FELT HIS POWERFUL HANDS." HE LANDED IN A FIELD AND HID IN A CULVERT FOR SIX HOURS UNTIL HE WAS RESCUED BY HELICOPTERS FROM THE AIR FORCE’S 16TH SPECIAL OPERATIONS GROUP. WHILE IN HIDING, HE SAW FLASHING LIGHTS AND SAID A SEARCH DOG CAME WITHIN 30 YARDS OF HIM. THE AIR FORCE WAS QUOTED AS SAYING: "THE PILOT HAD AN AMERICAN FLAG FOLDED UNDER HIS FLIGHT SUIT, WHICH WOULD HAVE MEANT CERTAIN DEATH AND HE HAD A BIBLE IN HIS FLIGHT SUIT POCKET." "FOR ME, THE PILOT SAID, "IT WAS REPRESENTATIVE OF ALL THE PEOPLE WHO I KNEW WERE PRAYING, AND IT HELPED ME NOT LET GO OF HOPE AND GRAB HOLD OF FAITH, BECAUSE FAITH GIVES YOU STRENGTH AND ENDURANCE."

FAR TOO MANY CHRISTIANS NEVER MAKE THE TRIP FROM HOPE TO FAITH AND THEREFORE THEY LIVE THERE LIFE: HOPING THEY WILL GO TO HEAVEN INSTEAD OF KNOWING, BECAUSE OF THEIR FAITH, THAT THEY WILL!!

Noah spent 140 years building an ark when it had never rained.
Abraham left his home and set out on a journey with no real place in mind.
Gideon charged into an enemy totally outnumbered because God promised victory.
What is the difference between hope and faith?
Between confidence and faith?
If it was proven to you today that God doesn’t exist, how would your life change? What would you do differently?
If Jesus—in the flesh—were to walk into the room and talk to you right now, what would you do? How much would your belief system be changed?
These last few questions can help you determine just how real your faith is. My real definition of faith is that God is who he says he is and will do all that he has promised to do.

Sorry about the caps, apparently P.J. hit the button while I was getting ready to type. I caught it half way through.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

servanthood

Do you ever wonder what you can do? Are you ever feeling overwhelmed and helpless in the cause of the Gospel?
Well, my last pastor's health is not good and he was deciding what he could do to help the cause. He isn't as mobile as he used to be. He can't travel and preach, he can't do door to door witnessing, or even be very involved at all. So, do you know what he did? He started a prayer email each morning. Every morning I look forward to reading his email, his prayer as it is refreshing and eye opening.
So, middle schooler who can't drive. High schooler who has job and school or mom and dad who just don't have much time. If you can email, you can contribute. Get a group of people together and email them a word of encouragement, or tell them about your quiet time that day, or even about some of the ways God is using you on a daily basis. There is no excuse now. If you're reading this, then you can email. If you can contribute.
So think about who you can email every couple days and encourage. Who can you call and give a word of uplifting? Who can most benefit from such services from you?
Thanks for reading and have a great day.

Dr. Reverend Kyle Cubbedge

I was getting ready to type out my blog and I checked my email and found this. We used to have an email ministry at ACBC and each day a youth sent an encouraging scripture message to everyone on the email list. Kyle's day was always Friday and usually his was better than most of ours. So last night he sent one out and I decided I should share it this morning.

hey I know the email group has kind of faded out but I found something pretty cool in my quiet time the other day and thought I could share it with you. It's out of the book Jeff gave us a few years ago at xfuge: my utmost for his highest. The devotion comes from Mark 9:2, Jesus took...them up on a high mountain apart by themselves.
We have all experienced times of exaltation on the mountain, when we have seen things from God’s perspective and have wanted to stay there. But God will never allow us to stay there. The true test of our spiritual life is in exhibiting the power to descend from the mountain. If we only have the power to go up, something is wrong. It is a wonderful thing to be on the mountain with God, but a person only gets there so that he may later go down and lift up the demon-possessed people in the valley (see Mark 9:14-18 ). We are not made for the mountains, for sunrises, or for the other beautiful attractions in life— those are simply intended to be moments of inspiration. We are made for the valley and the ordinary things of life, and that is where we have to prove our stamina and strength. Yet our spiritual selfishness always wants repeated moments on the mountain. We feel that we could talk and live like perfect angels, if we could only stay on the mountaintop. Those times of exaltation are exceptional and they have their meaning in our life with God, but we must beware to prevent our spiritual selfishness from wanting to make them the only time.
We are inclined to think that everything that happens is to be turned into useful teaching. In actual fact, it is to be turned into something even better than teaching, namely, character. The mountaintop is not meant to teach us anything, it is meant to make us something. There is a terrible trap in always asking, "What’s the use of this experience?" We can never measure spiritual matters in that way. The moments on the mountaintop are rare moments, and they are meant for something in God’s purpose.
I like the quote "The mountaintop is not meant to teach us anything, it is meant to make us something." I think that this means we don't need to say, why are you doing this to me? or what did I do to deserve this? It means that everything is meant for something in God's purpose.



-Kyle Cubbedge
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

sameness

Okay so maybe that isn't a real word. But it seemed like a good title. I watched the Bengals game last night as they were destroyed by the Patriots. The post game interview with Marvin Lewis(the Bengal head coach) was interesting. He said his team was full of selfish players. They need to get in a team frame of mind.
Well, last night we had our second official leadership meeting for Truth Ministries. In that meeting we began our study on 1 Corinthians. Chapter 1 verse ten says, "I appeal to you brothers, in teh name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought."
We discussed the importance of a leadership team having these three characteristics so that the church might have them.
1. The same speech, we need to be speaking in a way that brings unity and harmony of vision.
2. The same mind, we need to be thinking the same way with the same goals and same list of values.
3. The same judgment, we have to be casting the same vision, talking the same way, but we also need to have the same views of situations. We have to have unity of purpose.
If these three things come out of our leadership team, then they will start to happen in our ministries.
We have to be careful because it only take 2 letters added to our vision that can ruin us. DI if you add di- to vision you have division and you have absolutely no chance at spiritual growth.
Thanks for reading and have a great day.

The judge

Do you like to watch Judge Judy or the People's Court sometimes. I never have had much use for those shows but I know a lot of people do. My wife and I used to watch Alli McBeal some times. The majority of us know how court hearings and trials work in the U.S.
Here's the question: If America took away Christian rights and freedom of religion and Christians were tried as criminals how would you do. I don't know of anyone who would want to die, but at the same time it would be shameful as a Christian to not be convicted.
Would the prosecutor have to dig and work hard for proof? Would he be asking for more time to investigate? I hope not.
As a pastor it would be my hope that everyone in our church would be easily convicted. That we would each live our faith out loud in a way that it was evident to all how we believe and what we believe.
God has no use for closet Christians. You know the kind, the ones who are perfectly Christian on Sundays and appear to be anything but during the week. They flip a switch and go from one lifestyle to the other.
God is looking for people who are hot, on fire and full of passion to reach the unsaved world. He even said himself that He wants to spit luke warm Christians out of His mouth. How on fire are you? Is it evident by your life and your lifestyle? Is it evident to all you come in contact with? I sure hope so!
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

A aqaintance of mine was asked back to his forty-year high school reunion. For months he saved to take his wife back to the place and the people he’d left four decades before. The closer the time came for the reunion, the more excited he became, thinking of all the wonderful stories he would hear about the changes and the accomplishments these old friends would tell him.

One night before he left he even pulled out his old yearbooks, read the silly statements and the good wishes for the future that students write to each other. He wondered what ol’ Number 86 from his football team had done. He wondered if any others had encountered this Christ who had changed him so profoundly. He even tried to guess what some of his friends would look like, and what kind of jobs and families some of these special friends had. The day came to leave and a friend drove him to the airport. "Have a good time, and tell me about it when you get back the friend said."

Sunday evening arrived. As his friend watched them get off the plane, the couple seemed almost despondent. He almost didn’t want to ask, but finally he said, “Well, how was the reunion?” “Tim,” the man said, “it was one of the saddest experiences of my life.” “Good grief,” the friend said, more than a little surprised. “What happened?” “It wasn’t what happened but what didn’t happen. It has been forty years, forty years—and they haven’t changed. They had simply gained weight, changed clothes, gotten jobs...but they hadn’t really changed. And what I experienced was maybe one of the most tragic things I could ever imagine about life. For reasons I can’t fully understand, it seems as though some people choose not to change.

There was a long silence as they walked back to the car. On the drive home, he turned to the friend and said, “I never, never want that to be said of me, Tim. Life is too precious, too sacred, too important. If you ever see me go stagnant like that, I hope you give me a quick, swift kick where I need it—for Christ’s sake. I hope you’ll love me enough to challenge me to keep growing.”

Christians and churches need to experience what this man experienced. A close friend of mine went to an ordination service in a church that he had worked in 5 years previous. He said when he went back it was like stepping back in time, that church had not changed one single bit. They hadn't grown spiritually or numerically. How sad. This really does happen to churches. They become complacent and Jesus himself said, hot or cold, he wants to spit luke warm out of his mouth. As a church we have got to move forward and not fall into the trap of complacency because it is very easy to fall into. Just look at churches with 300 members or more who have 2 or 3 decisions a month or sometimes a year. It's not at all healthy, and that certainly isn't the way God intended it to be.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Your faith

Tonight I am starting our new series on the 7 Checkpoints. THe first checkpoint is Authentic Faith. I'm wanting to instill in our young people the kind of faith that Job had. A faith that is not circumstancial. My fear is that this statement is too true for new Christians, "What's happening now and what I am feeling now determine what I believe for now." Circumstancial faith is extremely dangerous. Young people go through all kinds of changes in their lives and the last thing they need is wavering faith.
Look at Job chapter 1:6 - 22, in a matter of hours Job lost all of his oxen, all but one of his servants, his sheep were all burned up, his camels were all stolen, all of his sons and daughters, and after all of this Job fell to the ground and worshiped.
We need to exemplify as Christians the kind of faith that Job showed. We need to show young people what an unwavering faith looks like. Because, if we don't then they are going to base their faith on emotions, feelings and situations.
Job was in great shape, he had great wealth a big loving family and many servants taking care of all of his belongings. Life couldn't get much better for him, and he had every reason to be thankful to God for life and all that he had. However, if his faith had been the least bit circumstancial he would have crumbled half way through his test in chapter one.
So build on your faith, make sure it isn't based on circumstances, and have a great day!

Put it in His hands

The Devotional is titled "YOUR HELPER" and was actually sent to me by Holly Cromwell. Her husband is Keith Cromwell, head coach at Pedro Menendez and he shared it with the team. It goes along exactly with what we have been studying on Sundays.

The Scripture is Philippians 1:19 I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.
Do you ever wonder how people manage their lives without Jesus? I do. The thought of making daily decisions without His guidance is pretty scary.
There was a time in my life when I tried doing everything myself. I made my own decisions and lived by my own rules. And it was short-lived. I remember praying, "Lord, I can't do it alone. I'm yours." I'll never forget the peace, joy and love that filled my heart at that moment. Within weeks, the things in my life that were displeasing to Him were gone--and not by my own hand. He orchestrated all of it.
If you're struggling to do everything and make every decision by yourself, let it go. Jesus is the best coach, friend, big brother, and teammate that you'll ever have. He will never leave you and He'll continually be interceding to the Father on your behalf. Go ahead and turn your entire life--every career decision and relationship--over to Him. It'll be by far the best decision you'll ever make.
I thought that was a good devotion to share.
Be still and know that He is God. That doesn't mean we stop trying, it means we strive knowing that it is in God's hands. We don't have any control over the outcomes of life, but we do have Jesus who wants to go to the Father on our behalf.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

checkpoints

When I get into my car I look to get on the go. I am a fast mover usually on the go somewhere. I get in, crank the truck up and I'm off. But, something in the top left hand corner catches my eye each time. It's a sticker reminding me when it is time to change my oil. It's a checkpoint that GM has come up with that is a time when it is appropriately needed. During that time the oil is changed, the chassis fittings are all greased and I take the time to check other fluids and mechanical needs.
We all need checkpoints, that is what a man by the name of Andy Stanley came up with a few years ago for teenagers. In his book he lists 7 checkpoints that are pivotal to teenagers growing up in a Christlike manner with good morals and ethics.
This Wednesday night we are going to start going through the 7 checkpoints with our teenagers. The checkpoints are Authentic faith, Spiritual disciplines, Moral boundaries, healthy friendships, wise choices, ultimate authority and putting others first.
Within these checkpoints are spiritual lessons and Proverbs that help illustrate their importance. Our teenagers(and us as adults) need to have the basics that will enable and empower them to live Christlike lives as adults. It is my hope that over the next few months we build that foundation with our new middle schoolers as we did with our past groups. This will be the third trip we have taken through the checkpoints.
Have a great day and thanks for reading!

David vs. Goliath

Yeah, anyone from St. Johns County knows what I am referring to. Tonight is a big, big, big highschool football game. Tonight for the first time ever Pedro Menendez and St. Augustine High square off as undefeated teams. On paper it's a good game ready to be had, in reallity it's still the same David vs. Goliath. But, we all know that Goliath was yet to be tested by someone as small, young and meek as David but what happened? David proved too much for Goliath through the power he received through Christ.
Tonight, we'll see a group of high school students get ready, and fight with all they have to win a football game. It's a game that features two strong Christian coaches with loads of character. It's a game that features a lot of great young men who play because they love the game. It's football in its purest form.
Regardless of the outcome, I'm excited to see so many people from a community come out and support kids. A group of kids that deserve recognition for all of their hard work and dedication. Every day, for 2.5 hours those same kids are working hard, sweating and grinding to get better.
Make sure you go to the game if you can make it, and have a great weekend!

Romans 16:17-18

I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.
Clearly Paul tells us to watch out for people who cause divisions and create obstacles. There are people everywhere involved in every thing that are interested in creating divisions. It happens in churches all the time. Leaders of churches should never act in a way that brings about division. Every move they must ask themselves two things: Is this God's will, and will this cause anyone to stumble. God's will is not division and certainly not for anyone to stumble.
Secondly, he tells us not just to watch out for them but to avoid them. We have to stay away from these types of people at all cost. They are people who are looking for a lot of things in ministry, but not God's will. We do need to be glad that the Gospel is being presented by such people, but we also need to avoid being a part of their divisions. Nothing healthy can come out of a church that is full of division. We must promote unity first and foremost.

Thanks for reading and have a great soggy day!

Stop asking what's wrong

In our youth ministry we are currently studying a secular quote that I found. I've prepared a scripture based lesson for each part of it. It goes like this:
Watch your thoughts, they soon become your words.
Watch your words, they soon become your actions.
Watch your actions, they soon become your habits.
Watch your habits, they soon become your character.
We are on point # 3 this week. I took a look at Paul's words to the people of Ephesus. In chapter 5 verses 15 - 17 he addresses some of these things. Be careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.
We as Christians and especially as Christian adults need to stop asking what is wrong with things. Instead, we need to get in the habit of asking what is good about it. Paul tells us to "make the most of every opportunity."
In that case we must avoid watching things that will bring us down, listening to music that will bring us down, and stop going to places that will cause us to stumble. We are always one decision away from ruining our character and our image in the eyes of other believers and non-believers.
In essence we are some times asking, "How close can I get to sin without sinning?"
The truth is the more we are around it, the greater the temptation will become, and the more likely we are to stumble."
So when faced with a moral decision, stop asking what's bad about it, or what's wrong with it. Instead, ask what is good about it, and how are you making the most of that opportunity by being involved in it.
Have a great day and thanks for reading!

Thirst

I'm sure we've all heard the saying, "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink." This saying is applied to so many things from raising children to making sales at work to sports teams. As Christians we tend to apply it to sharing the Gospel. We try to share with people, we present the Gospel, we invite them to church and then we get frustrated when things don't go our way. And then we plug the saying in.
The neat thing about sharing the Gospel is that it isn't our job to make them drink. Instead it's our job to make them thirsty. We can't make someone accept Christ, we can't make them grasp the Gospel, but we can make them want to. As believers we need to be good sales persons for Christianity. If we make it something that people want then they will be thirsty, and they will eventually drink. Like so many other things it's all about the perception. Because, perception is reality. If people think your salvation isn't that important to you, they won't see the importance in their own lives.We've got to make sure that people realize the most important thing we possess is our relationship with Christ and everything else is unimportant compared to Christ. Like Paul says, "To live is Christ."
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Don't get mad, get glad!

Okay so I just dated myself. But, if you know what I am referring to and you picture Mr. Cunningham standing there on your TV holding a trash bag, you're in the same boat with me.
For those of you who are too young to know, there used to be a Glad trash bag commercial on TV. Mr. Cunningham from Happy Days would stand there and watch someone go to pick up a trash bag full of trash, their bag would always break and scatter trash. We all know how aggravating that can be. But, Mr. Cunningham would pick up his Glad trashbag and say, "Don't get mad, get glad."
Proverbs 14:16 -17 say, "A wise man fears the Lord and shuns evil, but a fool is hotheaded and reckless. A quick-tempered man does foolish things, and a crafty man is hated."
Call me a coward but I sometimes like to communicate through email if I am angry or hurt. I like to immediately type out an email to someone who has really got me fired up and save it. I let it sit there all day long and then the following morning I open the email up and before you know it, half of it is deleted or changed and the rest of it has a completely different tone. Problem avoided.
If someone really gets you mad, do your best to return it with a kind or atleast neutral word. Then, when you've had time to really think about it and reflect see what you can do to fix the problem instead of foolishly lashing back. I can think of a lot of situations, especially in churches where this could have changed the outcome for a lot of people and a lot of feelings.
So remember, don't get mad get glad and have a great weekend! Hope to see you on Sunday at Freedom!

Distance

Have you ever heard the saying, "If God feels distant guess who moved." That is so true for us as Christians. God is always right there, He may not make His presence known at times to test our faith and strength, but he never leaves.
It's so difficult to explain to people walking through a tough time in their life. People come to me and tell me how they just feel so far away from God and how they just don't think God is there, or how that is leading them to make mistakes and bad decisions in life.
Deuteronomy 31:8 says, "The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."
If we break that verse down we see first that God goes before us and is with us. He is right there leading the way and walking with us as we go through life.
Next, we see that he will never leave or forsake us. Thus, reinforcing the fact that if He seems distant we are the ones who moved and not God Himself.
Finally, we shouldn't be afraid or discouraged. That is exactly what we feel when God seems distant, discouraged. I find that a lot of people who feel distant to God have caused this feeling by not spending time alone with Him. They have gotten out of fellowship with God and they feel distant.
So stay in fellowship with Him. Know that He is there, and His word tells us He will never leave us or forsake us.
Have a great day and thanks for reading!

To live is Christ, to die is gain

I know those words very well. We've most all heard them at some point in a funeral message or from our studies in the Bible. But do we ever really think about it?
I have to say that I am very close to my parents. I love my daughters and my wife. Selfishly I want to go on living with them.
My grandma was one of the closest people in my life. I would call her almost every night just to let her know how my day had gone. We would talk about sports, racing or school, just whatever was on my mind, grandma knew a lot about it.
It's no secret that my daughters are the love of my life.The highlight of my morning is climbing in the bed with PJ to wake her up. I just love watching them color, play games, watch TV, etc, etc...
But can I truly have Paul's frame of mind. Do I truly think that to die would be gain. I know life in heaven would be far better. I know that being in constant touch with Christ will be amazing, but can I truly fathom that fact when I love my family so much?
So think about that today. How much contact do you have with God on a daily basis? Are you ready to say, "to die is gain"? It's hard to even comprehend the mindset that Paul had, but it is the very mindset we should have on a daily basis.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Turnovers

I watched the Ravens vs. Bengals football game last night. It was actually a better game than the stats show. The Ravens turned the ball over 6 times. Any football team at any level would want to do their best not to turn the ball over at all.
As Christians we have turnovers, brain freezes, fupas' and such all the time. If you really think about it, any time we sin we are reverting back to our old ways. Also, in doing so we are allowing the enemy a chance to thrive in our lives if only for a few seconds.
Turnovers are deadly. They can ruin a football game, and in life they can ruin our character and our testimony. The Ravens ran the ball decently and played well on defense but all Sportscenter talked about this morning was their turnovers.
It's the same way with Christians. If a person spends all their time feeding the hungry, clothing the needy and spreading the Gospel but falters for one minute in a public setting, that is how they will be remembered. They will eternally be the believer that fell, or the Christian that messed up. And just like the Bengals last night the world wants us to mess up, and they are there to snatch it up the second we do.
What should believers do when they see others falter? Galatians 6:1 says, "Brothers if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted."
When we see other Christians fall, we should be quick to pick them up, gently. Instead, in most settings the other Christians are the ones who are gossiping and judging rather than restoring. So, next time you see someone from your church messing up, help them get back on the right path instead of judging or gossiping. Together a football team eliminates turnovers, it's the same with us as believers it takes a group effort.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Prayers

I wanted to just take a few minutes to thank everyone for their support and prayers. We walked away from a ministry not knowing exactly what God had in store for us. Tara and I only knew one thing for sure, that we had a lot of people who would pray for us, and it's through those prayers that we have found a church home at Freedom Baptist Church and now it's official.
We are currently working through the book of Philippians and in chapter #1 Pauls says, "And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance."
Paul is simply saying that the only way what is happening in his life is possible is because of the power of prayer. People constantly tell me, "I don't have much money" or "My health is not that great I can't do much."
I've got news for them. The greatest thing anyone can do for a minister or a ministry is to pray for it. Every ministry exists because of God, through God and belongs to God. So then the prayers lifted up are the only thing that can empower the leadership of any ministry.
All that having been said, Thank you for all of your prayers!
Have a great day!

believing Americans?

I got this email the other day and found it quite interesting.
NBC this morning had a poll on this question. They had the highest
Number of responses that they have ever had for one of their polls, and the
Percentage was the same as this: 86% to keep the words, IN God W e Trust and God in the Pledge of Allegiance
14% against.
That is a pretty 'commanding' public response. It is said that 86% of Americans believe in God.
Therefore, I have a very hard time understanding why there is such
A mess about having "In God We Trust" on our money and having
God in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Why is the world catering to this 14%?
I read the email and was amazed at the numbers myself. Does that mean that 86% of Americans are believers? Well, according to James 2:19, that could be true. It states, "You believe that there is one God, Good! Even the demons believer that--and shudder."
We as believers have to do a better job of presenting the Gospel. If this poll was even remotely accurate there are 86% of Americans that believe in God. The majority of those probably not having a personal relationship with Him, but they believe in Him. So think about that the next time you are a little timid about sharing the Gospel with a non-Christian. Apparently the vast majority of Americans are primed for the Gospel in that they believe in God.
Have a great weekend and hope to see you all on Sunday at Freedom!

the homeless

I have been aware for some time about the homeless situation here in St. Johns County. But, now that I work at the Homeless Coalition I see the problems these people face. I am bombarded on a daily basis by people who are working, who need food or clothing. They work at the labor pools or odd jobs and can't come up with enough money for a first month's rent or for deposits. The problem is getting worse and worse. What can we offer them right now? A 28 bed house for the homeless. The house is overcrowded and hard to even get a night's stay in.
Oh, but the city and the county are working on it. Every time it comes up they come up with more ordinances or more laws that restrict what the homeless can do and where they can go.
At my present job at the Homeless Coalition we have 14 houses all full with families whose parents work a full time job, go through case planning and are learning basic skills to be able to be on their own in a two year period. Several of them have no cable, no phone, no transportation and they are working hard to get there.
Some families are getting ready to move out, one into a habitat for humanity house another into an apartment.
The bottom line is that Jesus told us, the word repeatedly tells us to take care of the needy. Well, we're not doing it here in St. Johns County. So look around, take the time to notice how good you've got it. And if we can get enough wealthy business men and middle class people together we can provide a shelter and housing for those less fortunate.
Every day I have to turn a family away that is about to be homeless because we don't have enough housing for them. So be proactive, together we can fix it and help the homeless beat it.
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day!

Ever been on trial

For the past 4 weeks I have been on trial for the pastorship of a church who is in need of a pastor. It's very interesting, there are so many questions on both sides of the equation. I had started Truth Ministries and felt that I was following God's leading and then Freedom popped into the picture. I talked with some, prayed a whole lot and felt like this was the direction God was leading me. Because in the end all that matters is God's will. All the other things will fall into place. From time to time I hear things, from gossipping to questioning my abilities that disturb me. My human nature wants to call those people and talk with them and fix things, but after much prayer I decided to put those things in God's hands.
Psalm 46:10 tells us to "be still and know that I am God." That is exactly how Tara and I have decided to handle these things that are causing me to wonder. Just sit back, do all that I am called to do, and let God have it. Some times we work ourselved into complete burn out or exhaustion and then turn it over to God. This time we have chosen to give it to Him earlier.
I would advise anyone who is struggling with any portion of life, or any thing at all to hand it over to God and know that He loves you and more importantly, He is in control. It is truly out of our hands. Life itself seems to be under our control, but it isn't. When driving we are only in control of our own car, not anyone else's. That control can be lost at any time due to brake failure or a blown tire or something else bad.
God is in control and we need to start every morning acknowledging that to be able to face the day.
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful Wednesday!

Luke warm

So yesterday was Labor Day and Tara and I decided to do what a lot of families do on Labor Day. After a few hours of swimming we went home and relaxed and then did some grilling. I must admit I am not the greatest of cooks in any setting. Grilling isn't that good to me either. Well, I stacked the charcoal in a little pyramid and lit it. When I had it all lit I let it burn for a while and as the coals got ashed over I spread it out evenly and then put the grill in place and got ready to cook.
I got the burgers out of the fridge and then grabbed the hotdogs. I put the food on the grill and left it cooking. Unfortunately, I had somehow only got about a quarter of the coals hot enough. So that meant it took me about 2 hours to grill what should have taken almost no time at all.
I started looking at it and thinking about it. What good is a piece of charcoal that isn't hot? If they aren't hot then they are just sitting there occupying space and they don't even help get the food warm.
In Revelation 3:16-17 we read, "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm-neither hot nor cold-I am going to spit you out of my mouth."
As a church there is nothing more damaging than being lukewarm.
The cold church will have about 2-4 new members or converts in a month's time. They are reaching people, but not great numbers of new members because they are only interested in themselves.
The hot church is reaching unnumerable amounts of people monthly and getting them plugged in to ministries and helping them grow.
The lukewarm church is reaching people but not offering them any chance to grow or get involved. They are like the charcoals that aren't lit, they're there, they're warm but they aren't contributing in any way shape or form.
So let's make sure we stay hot, reaching the community with the Gospel each day. Then, upon reaching people we need to get them involved and help disciple them so that they can fully reach their potential in Christ.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

3 Day weekend

I wanted to give a little history lesson on what Labor Day is all about.Labor Day differs in every essential way from the other holidays of the year in any country.All other holidays are in some way connected with conflicts and battles of man's prowess over man, of strife and discord for greed and power, of glories achieved by one nation over another. Labor Day is devoted to no man, living or dead, to no sect, race, or nation.
Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.
The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, 1883.
In 1884 the first Monday in September was selected as the holiday, as originally proposed, and the Central Labor Union urged similar organizations in other cities to follow the example of New York and celebrate a "workingmen's holiday" on that date. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country.
Rest is important, even God took a day off when he was creating everything. So enjoy your three day weekend, as I will and we will see you on Sunday.
Don't forget Sunday school at 9:30, worship 11:00 at Freedom and we're meeting for the Suns game at 4:30 at my house Sunday afternoon. See ya real soon!

Big Hugs

In the fall of the year, Linda, a young woman, was traveling alone up the rutted and rugged highway from Alberta to the Yukon. Linda didn’t know you don’t travel to Whitehorse alone in a rundown Honda Civic, so she set off where only four-wheel drives normally venture. The first evening she found a room in the mountains near a summit and asked for a 5 A.M. wakeup call so she could get an early start. She couldn’t understand why the clerk looked surprised at that request, but as she awoke to early-morning fog shrouding the mountain tops, she understood.
Not wanting to look foolish, she got up and went to breakfast. Two truckers invited Linda to join them, and since the place was so small, she felt obliged. “Where are you headed?” one of the truckers asked.
‘Whitehorse’
“In that little Civic? No way! This pass is DANGEROUS in weather like this.”
“Well, I’m determined to try,” was Linda’s gutsy, if not very informed, response.
“Then I guess we’re just going to have to hug you,” the trucker suggested.
Linda drew back. “There’s no way I’m going to let you touch me!”
“Not like THAT!” the truckers chuckled. “We’ll put one truck in front of you and one in the rear. In that way, we’ll get you through the mountains.”
All that foggy morning Linda followed the two red dots in front of her and had the reassurance of a big escort behind as they made their way safely through the mountains.
Galatians 6:2 says, "Each should carry one another's burdens".
Last Sunday we talked about encouragement. Wednesday night we talked about burdens. I thought his little story put the two of them together well. We all go through rough times, it's important that we surround ourselves who will lead us through them as well as people who will back us up in the middle of trials.
At the same time it is equally important that we learn to help others in their trials with a "Hug" or two.
Who is it in your life that needs a hug? Who in your life has given you a hug when you most needed it?
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Alexa

About 9:00pm on August 29th, 2000 our lives forever. Alexa Leigh Gatlin was born and the world will never be the same. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you," and it is Jeremiah quoting the Lord. The most important part of the verse is "I". God knows the plans he has for Alexa's life, I want her to get a Junior Dragster, play softball and basketball and do all the things that I envision us enjoying together.
Instead, she seems to like gymnastics and video games and things like that. She isn't real interested in drag racing(I'm giving it a little time) but she does love to play basketball. What am I rambling on about?
God's plans, no matter how much I plan for her life, how wrapped up in her life I become, the important thing is that God has plans for her. Plans for her that will bring her far more joy than just pleasing her daddy.
God has great plans for us, all of us, and we need to be ever watchful for those plans and live our lives in a way that we are seeking His will and His will alone. Audience of one, nothing else matters, nothing else will bring us more joy than seeing our loved ones and those we care about find God's will for our lives.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Foundations

Ravi Zacharias is a great Christian intelletual who travels around the world speaking to congregations and groups. He once did a lecture at Ohio State University(which is owned by University of Florida, haha)and had to be driven to his speaking engagements each morning. One afternoon he was out walking the campus when he came upon a building that was just breathtaking. The next morning he had the student who was driving him to his speaking engagement drive by there and asked him what it was. The student said, "Oh that is the new Wexner Art Center. It was built to show a post-modernist view of life. The building is beautiful and has absolutely no pattern at all. There are doors that lead to nowhere, stairs that lead to nowhere and even long hallways with doors with nothing on the other side of them."
Ravi sat quietly as the student went into detail and then asked, "No pattern, no plans, what about the foundation?" The student said, "I was there when they poured it, they had to get that right, you can't mess with the very foundation or it will all crumble."
How about that? We are going to do things that lead to nowhere in life. We are going to maybe even put faith in things that are empty. But, we cannot let the very foundations of what we believe in be changed at all.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, "All Scriture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equiped for every good work."
That is our foundation, The Word of God. We can let a lot of things in life change, and a lot of things may change us but we can never let our very foundations be changed in any way. If we are to live life as we are called by God to live it we can have stairs leading to nowhere, doors that lead to nowhere, but our foundation is never changing.
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day!

You are who you hang with

As human beings we are unfortunately products of our environments. If we surround ourselves with good we become good, if we surround ourselves with bad then the same happens. We have to surround ourselves with an abundance of people and resources that will bring out the good in us.
I like the movie 300, those guys were the baddest of the bad, and they fought together as one single unit. Each of them stood as hundreds of arrows flew in on them, each of them shielded themselves as well as the person on their side. They stood confident that the people around them would secure them.
Is your life like that? Do the people around you make you better? Do they sharpen you and strengthen you? Or are they just dragging you down?
Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
Interestingly enough it is clearly stated here that God put us together to sharpen one another. Books are good, classes are good, but what really strengthens us is the people around us.
Right inside of my own little ministry I have people who pick me up and those who tend to tear me down. We all do. We all need our fair share of each to keep us planted firmly on the ground, but for the most part we need to surround ourselves with people who are strong and tend to make us stronger.
As a teenager in highschool I learned the importance of the weightroom. It wasn't like it is today, but we still worked out. I had 2 really close friends who both were so much stronger than me it wasn't even funny. But, they both pushed me to get stronger and I did my best not to hold them back or slow them down. It's the same way in life, we must be sharpening one another as a constant.

Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Blessed art thou

Have you ever had your day just torn apart by a negative person. You're rolling along, things are going well, you're happy and then the phone rings or you run into someone at work or school. The next thing you know you're on the wrong end of ranting. Negative, negative, negative is all they have to offer. They can't focus on any positives or anything but the negative.
Well, I'm proud to say that there are people in life who are the opposite. They focus soley on the positives and throw away the negatives. Look out when these two get together, they end up driving each other completely crazy. The optimist sees everything for its potential, the pessimist sees everything for what could go wrong.
Well, whether you are an optimist or pessimist you need to be encouraged from time to time. This Sunday we are in the first chapter of Philippians and talking about how Paul encouraged people by the way he reacted to being locked up. But, I want to look at a group of verses today that go along with encouragement.
In the first chapter of Luke, we find that Mary goes to visit Elizabeth. They are both a little run down for virtually the same reason. Yet, when they get together jus the right thing is said and they both walk away encouraged. That is what ministry is all about. Finding the people who pick you up when you need it and making sure you pick people up when they need it.
A simple "blessed is she who believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished" took Mary from depression to singing with joy!
So I ask you, what can you say to someone today that will help them reach their inner joy?
What did you do yesterday to help someone reach their inner joy? We know from Paul's writings that Joy is constant, but sometimes we do let it get buried underneath a lot. So dig out your joy, see what you can do to help others dig theirs out today as well.
Thanks for reading and don't forget sunday school at 9:30, worship at 11:00 at Freedom Baptist this Sunday!

Major on the major, minor on the minor

That has been my philosophy on youth ministry and ministry in general from day one. Major on the major, and minor on the minor. Last night we lived it out somewhat. I brought my crew from the Homeless Coalition to youth with me last night. The majority of them had never been in church before, some had but not for a long, long time. I feel some of them may have been there to check out my life outside of the Coalition, some may have been there just to get out of the house. Regardless of why they were there, it's important that we focus on loving them and exposing them to God.
In the past we've had boys come who were checking out a girl in the group, girls who were checking out a boy. It doesn't matter why they're there, let's expose them to teh word of God, and that is exactly what I feel we did last night. I thank all of our crew for accepting them and loving them.
In Philippians 1:15 - 18 Paul writes, "It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowig that I am put here for the defense of the Gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. An because of the I rejoice.
There it is. Major on the major, minor on the minor in the apostle Paul's own words. He didn't care why or how the Gospel was being shared, just that it was being shared. Let's keep on loving those who need it and keep on sharing the Gospel with those who need it.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

servants

Have you ever met someone who thinks they are better than others? They think they are more important at work, or that they do more at church, or that they are the all-star on a sports team. Those people are difficult to be around and even more difficult to work with. If you're not careful you'll find yourself trying to compete with them and that is the last thing you need.
What they need to do is some humility 101 training. C.J. Muhaney is one of today's leading evangelicals, he wrote a book entitled, "Humility, True Greatness." I would recommend it to everyone. My copy is on loan right now so I can't quote it directly but I do recall one of the passages that he refers to regularly in the book.
Philippians 2:5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being the very nature of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness."
Jesus, who had already spend time in heaven, was God's own Son. He was the very nature of God, yet He made Himself less than man. He came to earth and made Himself a servant to all.
How smoothly would life go if everyone considered themself a servant. If co-workers saw their role as servant, as there simply to serve and assist their co-workers. What if bosses saw their role as simply to serve both the company and those who worked under them. If they realized they were in a high position because of their experience and helped train those under them as if they were there to serve them. Oh, and what if teammates thought themselves less than all others, and worked hard at serving the team and their teammates rather than the other way around?
Well, I think Paul had this vision in mind when this part of Philippians was written. A place where all were servants regardless of their status in the workplace or in society. Simply servant. Try it today, try picturing yourself as a servant, I promise it will change the way you deal with people as a whole.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Weeding

Have you ever seen the movie Bruce Almighty? Well, in the movie Jim Carrey is Bruce and he is handed over the job of becoming God. He has to do several things that God takes care of and one of my favorites is when he is answering emails. The emails are requests for things in the form of prayers. So, Bruce can't deal with it all so he starts answering them all yes. It's funny because the next day there are over 100,000 lottery winners and there is a group of people who lost weight on the "Crispy Creme Donut Diet".
Well, yesterday Jordon and I were out at Freedom Baptist Church after we got off of work and weed eating in their ditches until almost dark. I was thinking though about how we are cutting down these huge, waist high weeds knowing that just a few months ago someone had done it and that soon we will probably have to do it again ourselves. How much more frustrating it must be for God to prune and pull weeds in our lives only to have to do it time and time again. I'm not a big fan of wasting time and weedeating and grass mowing to me are wastes of time because we only get done to see the need to do it again a few days later.
Do you ever wonder how God felt when His people were wandering in the desert? A short trip became a lifetime of disaster because they couldn't just follow Him. How about your life, you get God's direction, confess your sins, and then a few days or even a few hours later you're back at square one. What an amazing God we serve? God's grace is so far beyond our comprehension that I need not even attempt to put it into words.
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day!

Why? Why! and Why?

I graduated from Highschool and I was all set, I had my life all mapped out. Where I was going, how I was getting there it was all set in stone. I worked out vigorously that summer in the weight room and did so much throwing and hitting in the batting cages that I was tired. I went one day and talked to the guidance counsellor and got my schedule put together and planned it out so that I could make it to baseball practice in Palatka each day. Everything was all set. Then, for some reason in January for the spring semester I went ahead and made my own schedule not allowing for baseball practice. I had almost on the spur of the moment decided not to play college baseball. I didn't know why or what lead to this decision.
Almost 6 years ago Tara was working in the nursery and I was in worship. I was watching someone who was a visitor with one of our youth regular attenders. I can't say that there was any one thing that was impressive or noticable about her, but something drew me to her. I went to Tara after church and told her we were going out to lunch with some teenagers that day. It was the first time we had gone to lunch with the teens, we usually went home or went to lunch with our family. Today was different, I didn't know why.
Proverbs 20:24 says, "A man's steps are directed by the Lord, How then can anyone understand his own way?"
Well that verse has proven to be all too true all too many times in my life. In the first story that I shared earlier I didn't play baseball and instead kept my job at the BP gas station where I met Tara. I also stayed involved in the church and became the youth minister. Both major blessings that came about because I followed God's lead and had no earthly idea why. Why would I give up something that I was passionate about and loved for a job? God had so much more in store for me.
The second story was the beginning of two things as well. As many of you know Amber has become my right hand person in the ministry, without Jordon and Amber I wouldn't know what to do. That Sunday morning we went out to lunch with several of the youth and Amber was the visitor. Tara and I have shared a wonderful relationship with her since that day and she has impacted our ministry in amazing ways. Also, since that very day we have gone out to eat with the youth every Sunday that we can. We all go out and enjoy one another's company and it is automatic. Could I have planned either of those things out perfectly? No. But did God know what needed to happen in my life? Yes without a doubt.
So when things are going on in your life that you don't understand. It's alright we're not supposed to understand why they are happening, but we are supposed to understand that it is God's will and great things will happen because of it. So go where God leads you, do what God calls you to do and the ending is far greater than you could ever imagine.
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day!

Friday

Another example of all things to all people. In 1 Corinthians we read that there is one body but many parts. There are many different gifts of the spirit. As believers we are called to be the things that we can so that we can reach many. As a church we are called to create atmospheres where different spiritual gifts can be used, and perfected.
For example, if someone has the gift of mercy, you probably don't want to force them into teaching a class or preaching. You want a ministry designed just for them so that they can hone their gift. If someone has the gift of teaching, you don't want to just let them make hospital visits and hand out visitor cards on Sunday. You want people used in a way that God intended.
God doesn't give us gifts and not want them used. As a church we have to be sensitive to the gifts of our members as well as visitors. We need to have avenues set up to allow people to get plugged right in and use their gifts.
I've seen this come true for teenagers in my past youth ministry experiences as well. There are teens who are already exemplifying gifts that need to be used. Some have already shown the gift of teaching, those are the ones that we have put in charge of some area of teaching children.I feel that in the life of today's church the most overlooked resource is youth. Churches see youth as a ministry they have to minister to when in reality they should see it as a ministry that can minister.
In the past I have been blessed to have teenagers who could probably teach adult sunday school classes as well as anyone. Then there are those with a servant's heart who will do anything you need. We are hoping to build a church and a ministry that is Biblically challenging young people and letting them contribute in a major way. Let's face it, teens need the word and need to be taught. But, that isn't what they actually want, they want to contribute. So we teach them and then plug them in to a ministry where they can contribute in a positive manner. That is what it is going to take for this ministry to grow, many people becoming many things so that we can affect the greatest number of believers.
Thanks for reading and have a great weekend! Don't forget Freedom Sunday 11am.