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.

The hat man

Here lately it seems that I am wearing several different hats. During the week days I am Mr. Jeff to about 20 young kids who live in the Homeless Coalition. I take a lunch break and go to Pedro Menendez wear I am Pastor Jeff, the football pastor. On Wednesday and Friday nights we do youth events where I am usually just Jeff. On Saturday nights I am Jeff Gatlin, driver of the black cherry colored car number 2379. Then on Sunday morning I am Pastor Gatlin to a small church who I am still getting to know.
I am all these things in all these places simply so that I might have a chance to expose more and more people to the Gospel. I love every bit of it, every job title, every second that I am in any of those venues. It is extremely eye opening when I sit back and realize that I am allowed into those places and accepted. God put me in each of them that I might further His kingdom through the spread of the Gospel message.
1 Corinthians 9:19 - 23 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more.And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law, though not being myself under the Law, that I might win those who are under the Law;to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some. And I do all things for the sake of the gospel, that I may become a fellow partaker of it.
All things to all men. What titles do you enjoy through out the week, boss, employee, mom, dad, son, daughter, friend, teammate. What ever title it is, where ever it is that you are, you can count on one thing, God put you there to effect the people around you. So, ask yourself, are you affecting the people God placed in your life with the Gospel?
In Nascar there used to be a man who would be in victory lane after the driver had won a race. During the interview for T.V. the man would change the driver's hat so that each of his team's sponsors got air time. It was almost comical to watch as the drivers would have a hat put on their head, they would automatically adjust it and fit it just right and about that time the hat man would change their hat to the next sponsor.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Patience

I have been going to football practices at Pedro Menendez each morning, watching them work hard to improve. I pray with them and hang out for a while before returning to work. One thing that you can see in their eyes, though is a little bit of frustration. They are learning things that don't necessarily make sense to them because this is a new, young group. Many of them haven't experienced highschool football at the varsity level so the things they are learning haven't been totally applied yet.
They are eager to get in a game and see them work against others and tired of using them against the same people who can see them coming. The season starts in just a few weeks and they will have their chance, but until then they are getting lessons in patience 101.
The Bible talks about patience quite a bit, the words patience or patient actually show up 11 times in the New Testament alone. But,in the Old Testament Psalm 27:14 says, "Wait for the Lord, be strong and let your heart take courage."
Psalm 46:10 says, "Be still and know that I am God."
Each of these verses show us that patience can be ours when we fully acknowledge that God is in control and will do all that he has promised to do. If we come to grips with that we will find a peace. A peace of mind that can't be explained. We will be able to face trying times, impatient situations with a strong heart because of what we know.
The situation I am in right now with my ministry is at times trying. But, I know that God is in total control and I am just waiting and praying that I seek out His will in this time. So I will continue to wait for the Lord, be strong and let my heart be full of courage, the kind of courage that says keep on keeping on.
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day!

Lessons from a basset hound

For those who know me and know me well, they know I like my fish and my dogs. I love my little basset hound Champ. Champ is a chunky little white and brown guy who just lays around all day. He doesn't do a whole lot and doesn't demand a whole lot.
Well, yesterday morning I was experiencing computer problems, I spent the majority of my time before work fixing our MSN and a few other things, and then working on my blog. So, when 7:50 came along I was out the door running because I still had one stop to make before work.
Well, I rushed out to work, ran to football practice out a Pedro and went about my day. Then it dawned on me. I had forgotten to feed Champ. I had fed the fish when I first got up, dumped food in Delilah's bowl and then ran off. So, I snuck away from the office just long enough to come home and feed him. Luckily, I keep his water dish over filled so he had plenty of water, but no food. With guilt on my mind and heart I walked around the side of the house to find a dog waiting to play, jumping up and down and excited to see me. He had already forgiven me for not feeding him, and I know he was hungry without a doubt. He played with me for a few minutes and then started eating and didn't stop until he had licked his bowl clean.
So let me ask you. Can you forgive like that?
Ephesians 4:32 says, "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
Champ forgave me the second I showed up, before I had even gotten food out of his bag for him. He had forgiven me automatically. What a shame a dumb, sad looking Bassett hound is teaching me about true forgiveness.
It's exactly the same with God. He forgives the very second we ask for forgiveness and turn away from our sin. But we on the other hand like to carry little grudges, or forgive with stipulations, or maybe think sometimes someone has wronged us until there is no forgiveness necessary. So take a lesson from Champ, let's forgive people compassionately until it becomes automatic for us. Because, I know when I mess up I want to be forgiven.
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day!

My Saturday

This race season has been an interesting one. Over the past few months(with many rainouts mixed in) I have been on a bit of a roll. I went from 35th place in the points to 3rd in two races. And now, I am tied for first in the points. Things have really come together for us. This past Saturday night I won 5 rounds, each of them tough races, no easy runs I had to race someone tough every round. Well, as the night went on I built more and more confidence. When you get on a roll you feel like nothing can stop you. But, fifth round my brakes went out making it impossible for me to be able to stage the car, so the next round I was in the final and lost because of something that was out of my control.
You see, when everything was working correctly I was fine and felt in control. But, when the brakes went out I realized that I didn't have total control over the circumstances.
Life can be the same way. We do not have total control over life or what goes on in life. Life can throw us a curve ball as quickly as it can keep going the way it is.
2 Corinthians 1:9 says, "Indeed, in our hearts we felt the setence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God."
Things happen in life, some of them directly to us, some to those around us. Many times they happen for no reason but to help us keep focus of the fact that God is in control and until we rely fully on Him, we will continue to fall.
Thanks so much for reading and have a great day!

One body

Last night we took our teenagers to another church's youth group. We went to Landmark Family CHurch on Masters Drive. What a great time!
Over the years I have attempted on many occasions to take our young people to other churches, invite other churches in and to have fellowship with other youth groups. But, last night was totally uninhibited. Last night was one of the first times I have ever watched our young people get completely involved in another group's activities. It was like one group.
Landmark was very inviting and included everyone in everything equally.The youth pastor John and myself were discussing things, and it is a shame that there is so much friction between groups. We're all trying to accomplish the same thing. We all want to see the exact same outcome in our young people, changed lives. We want to reach the lost, and equip the saved to reach the lost, the end.
It is my hope that last night was the beginning of a wonderful relationship that we are able to share with Landmark and its members. I hope that it leads to us building relationships with several other ministries in St. Johns County.
According to Paul in 1 Corinthians there is one body, but many parts. Within each church there is one body with many parts. All members unite to help the rest do their job. Well, in the big picture it's the same, there are many churches, but one body, each doing their part to increase the kingdom for God.
Thanks so much for reading and have a wonderful day!

He's there

We saw yesterday how in these verses Jesus gives us invitations, today we'll see that prayer is more than an invitation, Jesus gives us 7 promises for prayer.
Verses 7-8: “Ask, and [#1] it will be given to you; seek, and [#2] you will find; knock, and [#3] it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks [#4] receives, and the one who seeks [#5] finds, and to the one who knocks [#6] it will be opened.” Then at the end of verse 11b (#7): “How much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”

Seven promises.
1-It will be given you. That's what we all want to hear, that our needs will be met and some times even our wants.
2-You will find. This one is good, it's one thing to seek something, it's even better when you find it.
3-It will be opened to you. Don't you hate knocking on doors when no one is home, you don't know whether to knock louder or just walk away. With God you will never have to make that decision.
4-The asker receives. Jesus gives us reassurance that as we ask, we will receive.
5-The seeker finds. Jesus won't let us go on a wild goose chase, if you are seeking with your heart, you will find that which you are seeking.
6-The knocker gets an open door. Here again, the promise of an open door.
7-Your Father will give you good things. All good things come from God, God is waiting to pour blessings on all who come to Him in prayer and belief. God is wanting to give us exceedingly, abundantly above all we can ask or imagine.
Surely the point of this list of promises is to say to us: Be encouraged to come. Pray to him. It is not in vain that you pray. God is not toying with you. He answers. He gives good things when you pray. Be encouraged.
What is the bottom line?
Pray often, pray regularly, pray confidently every day!
These verses are so reassuring to your prayer life. Make sure you don't just pray for your wants, but that you pray for God's will in your life. If you pray for that you'll actually get two answers instead of one.
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day!

Prayer

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7
This is Jesus' direct words to His disciples.
Ask - Jesus is inviting us to ask for what we need. He wants to hear our wants and our needs every day.
Seek - Jesus wants us to desire it. If you want something that's fine, but if you desire it you will continually chase after it.
Knock - Seek it out. If you want to find someone, really want to see them, you go to their house and knock on the door, that's how it is with Jesus.
Have you got a burden on your heart or mind? Is there something that your heart is desiring? Take it to God.
Think about it this way. Alexa and P.J. ask Santa Claus for certain things for Christmas. Do you know what they do on CHristmas morning? They get up and go into the living room seeking those things. It should be the same way with us and our prayer life.
Jesus is specific to tell us to ask, seek and knock. In the following verses He repetitively tells us the same thing. Why? Because it is that important to Him. When you share something with someone, and you want them to remember its' importance, you repeat it a few times. Jesus does that very thing in these verses.
Prayer is just as important to God as it is to us. He is waiting to hear from us, He knows our feelings and our struggles, but He still wants us to share them with Him. How awesome!
Suppose someone comes to you and wants to tell you a story, or maybe tell you about something that happened earlier that day. If you have already heard that story, or already know what happened, what do you do? Yeah, I am bad about cutting them off and letting them know I've already heard it. God hears the same prayers from the same people on a daily basis, and He waits patiently to hear it, time a time again.
So make sure you pray daily, don't just ask for things, seek them and you'll see your prayers come to life as God uses them to guide and direct you in life.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

It's only possible with God

Toward the middle of the last century the glow of earlier religious awakenings had faded. America was prosperous and felt little need to call on God. But in the 1850s . . .Secular and religious conditions combined to bring about a crash. The third great panic in American history swept the giddy structure of speculative wealth away. Thousands of merchants were forced to the wall as banks failed and railroads went into bankruptcy. Factories were shut down and vast numbers thrown out of employment. New York City alone having 30,000 idle men. In October 1857, the hearts of people were thoroughly weaned from speculation and uncertain gain, while hunger and despair stared them in the face.
On July 1, 1857, a quiet and zealous businessman named Jeremiah Lanphier took up an appointment as a City Missionary in down-town New York. Lanphier was appointed by the North Church of the Dutch Reformed denomination. This church was suffering from depletion of membership due to the removal of the population from the down-town to the better residential quarters, and the new City Missionary was engaged to make diligent visitation in the immediate neighborhood with a view to enlisting church attendance among the floating population of the lower city. The Dutch Consistory felt that it had appointed an ideal layman for the task in hand, and so it was.
Burdened so by the need, Jeremiah Lanphier decided to invite others to join him in a noonday prayer-meeting, to be held on Wednesdays once a week. He therefore distributed a handbill:
HOW OFTEN SHALL I PRAY?
As often as the language of prayer is in my heart; as often as I see my need of help; as often as I feel the power of temptation; as often as I am made sensible of any spiritual declension or feel the aggression of a worldly spirit.
In prayer we leave the business of time for that of eternity, and intercourse with men for intercourse with God.
A day Prayer Meeting is held every Wednesday, from 12 to 1 o'clock, in the Consistory building in the rear of the North Dutch Church, corner of Fulton and William Streets (entrance from Fulton and Ann Streets).
This meeting is intended to give merchants, mechanics, clerks, strangers, and business men generally an opportunity to stop and call upon God amid the perplexities incident to their respective avocations. It will continue for one hour; but it is also designed for those who may find it inconvenient to remain more than five or ten minutes, as well as for those who can spare the whole hour.
Accordingly at twelve noon, September 23, 1857, the door was opened and the faithful Lanphier took his seat to await the response to his invitation. Five minutes went by. No one appeared. The missionary paced the room in a conflict of fear and faith. Ten minutes elapsed. Still no one came. Fifteen minutes passed. Lanphier was yet alone. Twenty minutes; twenty-five; thirty; and then at 12.30 p.m., a step was heard on the stairs, and the first person appeared, then another, and another, and another, until six people were present, and the prayer meeting began. On the following Wednesday, October 7th, there were forty intercessors.
Thus, in the first week of October 1857, it was decided to hold a meeting daily instead of weekly.
Within six months, ten thousand business men were gathering daily for prayer in New York, and within two years, a million converts were added to the American churches.
Undoubtedly the greatest revival in New York's colorful history was sweeping the city, and it was of such an order to make the whole nation curious. There was no fanaticism, no hysteria, simply an incredible movement of the people to pray.
Prayer is where we tune in to the power of God. In Luke 18 Jesus reminds us, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."
If we want to see a great revival, and amazing things happen through us, we've got to tap in to God's power on a daily basis as a group of believers.
Thanks so much for reading and have a great day!

Be as bold as a lion!

Have you ever been around someone who is constantly worried? They're always defending theirself both publicly and privately. Do you often wonder why that is? Well I know of a man who constantly has to defend himself. He's overly concerned at all times that people are out to get him or after him for one reason or another. Before, we bash anyone you can take a seat and understand that you do it yourself. Let me explain.
When you are driving down the interstate or the highway and you see out of the corner of your eye a police car on the side of the road, what do you do? That's right we all do it, we all slow down. It's commical to me how often I slow down only to realize that I was already doing the speed limit. But, as a teenager and in my younger days (and ocasionally today) I had a tendency to exceed the speed limit.
How can you explain someone who reacts the way I listed above?
Read Proverbs 28:1 "The wicked flee when no one is pursuing, but the righteous are bold as a lion."
The wicked flee when no one is pursuing. Well, guess what, it's all because of a guilty conscience. People run for no reason because they have a guilty conscience and feel the need to defent themselves, even to people who know little of what they've done wrong. It goes back to Genesis, what did Adam and Eve do after they had sinned? They ran and hid.
The second part of the verse says that the righteous are as bold as lions. So in order for us to become as bold as lions, we must first live lives that are exemplary of the things that please God. We must live righteously and be Christlike in all that we do in order to be affective in our walk with Christ. You can't share Christ with someone when you are afraid of what they think of you, or if you have a guilty conscience.
So be good, read Philippians 4:8 and focus your life the way Paul told us to and you too will be as bold as a lion!
Thanks for reading and have a great weekend! Don't forget Freedom Baptist 11am Sunday be there!

Legacy

I got up this morning and read from Proverbs. I spent time reading a chapter in there and listening to my mp3 player. The first song I hear in the morning almost always sticks with me all day long, it's in my head in my office and when I'm driving in the car. No matter what I do it's right there with me.
Today, the first song I heard was Legacy by Nicole Nordeman. It is a great song, but it talks about a different legacy than what we think of. We think of people leaving a legacy of greatness, of being rich, or powerful or influential. People that we look back to regularly because they left strong impressions on us.
In the song she says,
I want to leave a legacy,
How will they remember me,
Did I chose to love
Did I point to you enough
to make a mark on things
I want to leave an offering
Child of mercy and grace who blessed your name
unapologetically, I want to leave that type of legacy

As you know I like to say that every touch leaves an impression. Whose impression are you leaving when you're in touch with others. Are they impressed by you, by your passion or your personality, or an impression of Christ. If you are a Christian then you are living a testimony. It is either driving people closer to you, or driving them away.
1 Corinthians 10:31 "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God."
So what do you do during the day? What is your job? What is your reason for being in the circumstances you are in? It's all so that you can leave an impression of Christ on all those around you. That's why we must be careful to live a Christlike lifestyle at all times. Whether we think anyone is looking or not. So that when we pray just before we lay our heads on the pillow, we can give God the glory for what has been a great day.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Stop talking

Have you ever met anyone who just can't stop talking? You want to tell them something, you need their help, but instead you walk away confused or wondering if they'll ever listen.
Proverbs 10:18-19 says, "He who conceals his hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool. When the words are many, sin is not absent but he who holds his tongue is wise."
First of all we have got to be careful not to spread slander. Not to gossip about others. Gossip is one of the most powerful tools in tearing down others. I have about 20 kids in our Homeless Coalition who come over and hang out all the time with me. Last Monday I had 13, two kids in the group had been telling two different groups a lot of things that weren't true about the other. So the end result was a fight last weekend which has made it impossible for me to get them back together. I don't think I have to go too far to explain the damage that is done in gossiping.
Then, it states that when we talk too much, sin is not absent. Talking too much can lead us to say things we shouldn't. So make sure when you talk you say what needs to be said and nothing more. This will keep us from saying things that could hurt the person we're talking to, or damage their image of another.
I often times sit down with people who are having problems. I can tell you of one time in particular where I was sitting with a couple for almost an hour, I bet I uttered no more than 10 words the whole time. They stood up, thanked me for helping them and said they were so glad I talked to them. It's important that we start becoming a better listener than talker.
In my training last week for sexual and domestic violence, I saw this come to life. I was trained to be able to answer a crisis hotline. People could be calling for all sorts of issues, but my number one job in helping them was allowing them to talk. When someone is in a crisis, you're not going to fix it by telling them how you feel, or what they should do. You have to first comfort them and let them know that you are there for them, and then you just listen. Let them lead the call, let them share all that they want to share, and then you tell them who and how they can get help.
So thanks for reading, and make sure you listen more than you talk. It will make all of your relationships better, and help you avoid a slip of the tongue.
Have a great day!