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!
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Monday, October 29, 2007
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!
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!
Sunday, October 28, 2007
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!
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!
Thursday, October 25, 2007
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!
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!
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
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!
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!
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
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!
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?
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?
Monday, October 22, 2007
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!
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!
Thursday, October 18, 2007
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!
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!
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!
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
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!
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!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
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!
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!
Monday, October 15, 2007
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!
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!
Thursday, October 11, 2007
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!
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!
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
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!
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!
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
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!
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!
Monday, October 08, 2007
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!
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!
Thursday, October 04, 2007
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.
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.
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
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!
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!
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
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.
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.
Monday, October 01, 2007
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!
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!
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