Opportunity knocks!

So this is it, my final blog for the year of 2008! This is actually the first year that I have blogged the entire year. I ofcourse have taken off weekends and some holidays(as I will the remainder of this week). I talked this past Sunday about setting yourself up for New Years resolutions. The importance of working from the inside out and understanding what you have influence over and making sure God is the leading influence. I also talked about the importance of what Paul said, "Forgetting what is in the past."
Now I want to quote another group of passages. If we fully understand what we control and how to handle ourselves then we will understand every minute is an opportunity. Every second that we are alive presents an opportunity of some sort. It's a second that we have not lived before. I am in the same office, at the same time every morning, typing the same blog. But it isn't the same because I have not been here at this exact moment before now.
15 Be very careful, then, how you live not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.
We have to know how God expects us to live. If we apply GOd's word to our lives on a daily basis, then we make the most of every opportunity. And that is all set up by our walk with God.
I have quoted Oswald Chambers before, you know I love to read My Utmost for His Highest every day at lunch time. His little devotions are so full of life and intuition. My favorite quote from him is this, "The lasting value of our public service for God is measured by the depth of the intimacy of our private times of fellowship and oneness with Him.
So putting that into action along with Paul's words in Ephesians we realize that spending quiet times alone with God is where we gain our strength. And people will realize it when they see us acting Christlike, that we have spent hours alone with Him in recent days just to prepare us for that moment of sharing with them.
Remember that, if you want to make a big difference in 2010 in the lives of the people that you influence, then you need to be driven and influenced by Christ on a daily basis, then and only then will your public service be of value to others.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

The fruitfulness of Grudges

Have you ever had an argument and then forgotten what you started arguing about? Have you ever gotten caught up in a discussion and then figured out that what you were in difference about was silly? I know I have many times. I have seen churches split right down the middle over carpet colors, sign wording and music choices. It's sad that instead of nipping it in the bud, so to speak, people choose to allow the anger to grow inside of them until they lose sight of the Cross.
I can remember once when Tara and I had only been married for about a year, there was friction and we were at odds for the majority of a week off and on. I am not the kind to go to bed mad or to not talk things out, tara is the kind to go to bed mad and try to sleep it off so this difference in philosophy added to the tension. We go through the week and on Friday afternoon I asked her a simple question, then we realized we had allowed a week to get away over something so simple that it should not have even wasted 10 minutes of our time.
Then Joab went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. But the king said, "He must go to his own house; he must not see my face." So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the face of the king (2 Sam 14:23-24).
In this situation Ammon had raped his sister Tamar, Absolom was extremely angry about it, and so was David. These were afterall David's children all making major mistakes. David says to Joab, don't let him see me right now. Send him away to his own house. And, instead of dealing with it right then, with Absolom and Ammon he allowed it to get out of hand. The end result was Absolom eventually killed Ammon because it was not handled correctly.
This is an extreme case of what happens when families and friends don't work through things before they get out of hand. We must make it a point to forgive our loved ones no matter how bad of a thing they have done, we must make it a habit to help others forgive when we see them really struggling with it. In the end we stand to lose a whole lot more by remaining silent than by acting in the moment.
Grudges fester, they grow and they eventually blow up. They either blow up on the person or on someone else but the end result is always the keeper of the grudge being the most damaged by the situation.
So forgive others, forgive them quickly so that you can move on and they can as well.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

A small continuation from yesterday

Yesterday, I discussed the things that we need to do to get ourselves prepared to make new years resolutions. One of the main ones I focused on was dropping grudges. Those feelings you have inside when you know someone did you wrong, and you can't let it go. Because the main thing that it does is destroy you. I once knew a man who had said something to offend another. For over 3 years the one who was offended harbored a grudge against the man who had made the statement. They went on as acquantances but it was different. The offender never knew he had offended the other. One day the man who had harbored the grudge confronted him about it and found out that he had no idea about it. That's how it is with a grudge, you are only hurting yourself when you allow them to fester and grow inside of you. It's your blood pressure that is messed up, your mind, your attitude that takes the beating.
So, if that is true then what do we do to get rid of the grudges? Pray for them. Yes, it is the first step to forgiving others and avoiding grudges.
You have heard that it was said, "Love your neighbor and hate your enemy." But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous (Matt 5:43-46).
Right there Jesus says it perfectly. Anyone can love their neighbors and anyone can hate their enemies. BUt, God's chosen will forgive everyone equally. We must pray for those who hurt us, because if we don't we will have no power whatsoever over the grudges that grow inside of us.
SO pray for your loved ones, pray for your own life, and make sure you pray for those who have hurt you. Pray specifically for them, for their needs and for their families. Then ask God to empower you to forgive them in a way that you will not carry any form of a grudge against them. It's about living for today and building for tomorrow. If you allow grudges to grow you'll be stuck in yesterday and completely miss the opportunities for today and tomorrow.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Why do you do it?

People are already starting to ask the questions. Why do you do that Jeff? Why are you acting as pastor, youth pastor, maintenance man and all otehr jobs involved in the church? Why do you go and visit people in the hospital that are not members or don't have any desire to be? Why do you help out families at Christmas that you can't talk to, reach out to or even invite to church? Why do you go to the church each day and pray for everyone, clean and take care of setting up the worship service each Sunday? Why do you get to church at 8:45 even though Sunday schoolers don't even start getting there until 9:30 or after? Why, why , why?
Because it is my calling, it is my passion and my hearts desire. I get up each morning with a plan to reach atleast one person, to invite atleast one person to church, or do everything I can to allow them to see what JEsus has done in and through me. Why again you may ask? Because I know it is never in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
I'm not ever going to let anything move me. I'm not going to slow down, or give in because it isn't growing. I will never stop doing what I am doing because it is never in vain. I will always give myself fully to the work of the Lord. Even at the races on my little half day excursions to break away from the ministry I am finding myself listening to people's problems, praying with people and witnessing. It is a 24 7 job, and to be completely honest it doesn't even seem like a job. It's more like a hobby at times if that sounds right. I enjoy it, all of it. From painting, to cleaning floors, to hanging out at lunch at the schools, to going to sporting events, to preaching, to visiting hospital rooms. It is all for the Lord and never will I tire of it, never will I slow, and most importantly, never will the Lord allow it to be in vain.
So do what it is that God calls you to do each day, know that you may not reap the benefits but, someone somewhere will and it will never be in vain!
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful Christmas!

Leadership needs guidance

I don't care who you are or what you are in charge of you need guidance. You need to seek guidance and accept criticism when it comes. I have worked in several different fields through the years, I started out in a family business where the leader was willing to accept criticism and for the most part listened. I have worked in several other settings where you just don't go there. There was such ego and pride involved that you don't dare tell them that maybe we shouldn't take on that job, or maybe we shouldn't charge so much, or maybe we should try a new angle in this area of our ministries. Over and over I have watched leaders being offered loving advice in the form of what they took to be criticism and attacks on them personally.
I as a Pastor am looking of place people all around me who will feel perfectly comfortable coming to me and letting me know when something isn't up to par, or doesn't work out right. Instead of me thinking that all is well, I want someone to stop me and tell me it needs some work, or it needs to be completely gone, or whatever the case may be. I need this so badly that there have actually been times in my ministry where I appointed a person or persons to that specific role. I actually asked them to be critical and make sure each area of my ministry is where it ought to be.
Moses' father-in-law replied, "What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone." (Ex 18:17-18)
While Moses is considered a great leader, he needed some guidance. From all people, his father-in-law steps up and lets him know that what he is doing is not going to work. Moses not only listened, but he heeded that advice which makes for a much better working atmosphere.
You basically have two choices in your leadership. Listen to the advice of others that you know is from credible people who care about your particular position. Take it listen to it and apply it so that they feel confident in you and that they can be a part of your leadership. Or, you can choose to take offense and be offended by it. In the second case you can almost gaurantee yourself that they will be talking about you and complaining for years to come. If you listen then, they are in a state of feeling validated as a companion and happy to keep it to themselves.
So, find someone who can compell you to be a great leader, listen to their advice and heed it lovingly. God places people in our lives for a reason, so cash in on it every chance you get. It will make for a much better and more respected you.
Thanks for reading and have a great day.

My favorite verses

So I share regularly what my favorite verse was growing up. It was Psalm 47:4 Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. That is a verse that had taken me through a lot of different phases of life from late middle school to about 5-6 years ago. I am slowly shifting over the past 5-6 years to another set of verses that I think exemplify what I want to share with people.
Though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:6-8)
These verses offer so much, but one of the main things is that Christ was God. He was God in the form of man, but He didn't share that with everyone He came in contact with and He never used it as a contact.
I have contacts all over town, I use them to get presentations with the Betty Griffin House, I use them to get help in different areas of life and ministry. But I never leave them at home, I am constantly networking and building my group up so that I can accomplish great things(hopefully). Jesus, had the greatest contact of all but He didn't think it was something that people would grasp, and He realized that servanthood was His role anyway so why bother. The important thing was that people understood Him for who He was and not necessarily what He was.
He also was so humble as to die on a cross for us. A death that could never be repaid. These verses tell us so much about the personality and character of God. The last time you had a title that was noteworthy or praiseworthy, did you flash it, tell everyone and use it for connections. Or did you just put it in your pocket and go about your business as a believer and a servant for Christ?
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

A gift

Do you ever really spend time thinking about what a gift is? A gift is not that thing that you bring to the gift exchange. It really isn't putting something under the family Christmas tree, or in a stocking. A true gift is giving someone something that they cannot return. It's going the extra mile and put others before yourself. Jesus exemplified this when He left Heaven to come to earth just to be treated as a nobody. He again exemplified this as He died on a cross for our sins. Joseph exemplified putting others first when he was going to quietly break things off with Mary upon the news she was pregant. Then again, by immediately marrying her and taking care of her and the baby.
"Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others" (Phil 2:4).
Throughout the Bible there are countless acts that show putting the needs and interests of others first. A true gift is giving a homeless person a blanket or a meal. A true gift is sometimes just spending time with someone who will never return the favor. A true gift if giving with the heart, meeting all or some of the needs of another person while being completely unconcerned about your own needs. It's setting aside your busy schedule or your desires to help out someone in need and doing it as if it is the most important thing you can do in that very instance.
So help someone out, spend time with someone, do something to show Jesus' love this Christmas season, and do it without any thought of repayment. The blessing is in giving and not receiving.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Scent

So have you ever been around someone who just stinks? Or someone with bad breath? It's something that you just can't take your mind off of. I can tell you as a Pastor who is the youth pastor on Wednesdays that scents can be very strong. I pick up a van load of kids each week, we take them to the church. Some play video games inside the church, some sit and talk, but the majority of the middle school boys go outside and either play basketball or football. I usually get them there an hour early so that they have plenty of time to get it out of their systems. The van ride to church is fairly pleasant with jokes, and laughter. The ride home however is quite different, almost no matter how cold it is we need the windows down because of the aroma that is building inside the van from the sweat and the pits.
Ephesians 5:2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Paul in essence says that if we live a life of love for others, just as JEsus loved others we will put off an aroma similar to that of Jesus, the supreme sacrifice. Aromas are overpowering, in the office at teh Betty Griffin House some of the ladies have candles and such burning, every office has a different smell. Aromas are very powerful. The sexual assault therapists say that the number one thing women who have been raped recall is the smells. They said that they can notice the cologne or deodorant or whatever smell anywhere they go because of the strength of smell. It is the strongest sense linked to memory. Therefore, if we live a life of love, we will be leaving the strongest form of memory and impression on those we come in contact with every day. So love others, live a life that shows love for others, and smell good doing it!
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Proactive not reactive

One of the things that I have been studying is attitudes and how to gain an absolute attitude of success. The latest book I am tackling is 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. It's an awesome book that teaches people how to have a highly effective life. The first step is very interesting, you must first learn to be proactive and not reactive.
Being proactive is not the same meaning today that it was many, many years ago. Today it means you are acting upon another object, then it meant that you were in control of things. Reactive is obviously when you are taken back by something and react to it.
Well, in his book Stephen Conyer tells us to understand ourselves and fix ourselves before we try to fix anyone else, or even try to lead anyone else. He says that being proactive is understanding that you have a circle of influence. Those things that you personally have control over, many people do not have control over the things inside this circle. For instance, someone says something to you that you do not like. You have choices to make, you can get angry and fight back, you can get sad and sulk or you can let it slide off your shoulder like it never happened. Getting mad is your choice. Being sad is your choice. You make the decision, whether it is subliminally or not to be either sad or mad. You can also chose to be happy when good things happen.
How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?" (Ps 13:1-2).
King David had a very extreme life. In that, it was either full of extreme highs, or it was packed full of extreme lows. In this situation he is blaming his feelings(which he chose) on God. Circumstances are out of our controls, most of our actions and our feelings are not. I know I can think of a lot of times in my life where I have blamed outside sources for my attitude or my feelings. The truth is, I chose them. And the more influence we allow God to have on us, the more good choices we will have. Road rage has been out of my bag of tricks for over 10 years now. People cut me off, if it doesn't endanger my kids or myself, then oh well it happened. It's because I chose a long time ago to get rid of it, and now I am able to chose to let it slide.
So think about your attitude, what influences are a part of your decisions in attempting to decide your actions. Become pro-active and watch life get better for you, control the things you can control and don't let the things you can't control control you.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

weekend, weeewwww!

Friday I was able to speak to a group of elementary school students in the cafeteria at Liberty Pines Academy. Then, I went into the gym for the second group which filled up a gymnasium. What an interesting experience to speak to a gym full of students(if only I was talking about what I wanted to talk about).
I got off from work and stopped by softball practice at St. Augustine High as I am now switching hats to start helping coach girls' softball at St. Augustine High School. I watched them during their "open field" Friday and then took off. Myself, Tara and the girls all went to my work Christmas Party at the boss's beach house and had a great time. We went from there over to town to look at Christmas lights a little and then home.
Saturday I got up early and met the Suburban Propane guys at the church and got the heat fixed(and ofcourse it isn't even cold the weekend we finally get everything fixed), then I went and watched the Hasting Parade with P.J. and Tara while Alexa was in it. ALexa rode in a float while singing, and ringing a bell with the performing group at her school. It was an interesting parade of "if you want to be in it, by all means make a poster and join in."
Then, back to teh church to put another coat of paint on the pump house out front under the sign, and some touch up on the green trim on the roof gables.
Then home to get ready to go to my dad's work party. We always look forward to taht one, because you get to cook your own steak on the grill. They aren't just any ordinary steak either, they are huge, tender mouth-watering steaks. We did a gift exchange and P.J. got a neck massager traded to her, and she was kind of proud of it. She sat patiently with it until the very end watching everyone opening their gifts. At the end they had a gift left over and for whatever reason felt bad for P.J. because they didn't think she got a good enough gift and they let her open one. She opened it, didn't like it and dad's boss Robert let her trade it for a box of Smores and Hot Chocolate with Christmas mugs and everything. So she quietly made out quite well. Alexa got the same Smores/Hot CHocolate set up and actually traded to get it and was happy. My dad got a mug, mom got movie tickets and so did I. Tara got some kind of candle I think, but we all made out well.
Sunday was another day of knowing I had everything set up but still getting there at 8:30 concerned. I am very much for attention to detail and I worry every week that there is something that is undone that will make it look like we don't care enough to prepare for the service. All was well and we had what I thought was a pretty good service, followed by a great time of food and fellowship at Sonny's with the Gumble clan. Donnie and Kayley, Rico and Jeannie invited Jordon and I to join them for lunch since the girls had gone shopping so we went along.
So it was a good, busy weekend with lots of things going on.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Perception is reality

THis is a truth that I have sought to teach our young people for years. Think about that statement, Perception is reality. Think about your co-workers, your acquantances, your fellow church goers and how your perception molds the way you think about them.
I have many times met people and at first impression or first glance thought one way about them. I have met people in the church that seem to care very little for the church. They don't seem to imput much, they don't seem to offer to do a lot around there, it just seems as though they are content with pew sitting. Then, something happens and it gives me the opportunity to get to know them better and boom! It hits like a ton of bricks, my complete opinion of them is forever changed.
It's important that we think of these things when we are going about our business. We need to remember that perception for many is reality, and there are so many people that we work with that we will never be able to get to know well, therefore what they see of us is what they believe to be true of us.
2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of Truth.
We need to be ever so diligent in the way we present ourselved to others, so that our actions can be approved by God. If we spend time immulating the things we study in Gods word then this will filter over into the way we act and interact with others.
This is a story that tells us how to think about others as well. It was written by a young man in the military upon a ship.
Two battleships assigned to the training squadron had been at sea on maneuvers in heavy weather for several days. I was serving on the lead battleship and was on watch on the bridge as night fell. The visibility was extremely poor with patchy fog, so the captain remained on the bridge keeping an eye on all of the activities.
Shortly after dark, the lookout on the wing of the bridge reported, "Light bearing on the starboard bow."
"Is it steady or moving astern?" the captain called out.
Look out replied, "Steady, captain," which meant we were on a dangerous collision course with that ship.
THe captain then called to the signalman, "Signal that ship; We are on a collision course, I advise you change course 20 degrees."
Back came a signal, "Advisable for you to change course 20 degrees."
The captain said, "Send I'm a captain, change course 20 degrees."
"I'm a seaman second class," came the reply. "You had better change course 20 degrees."
By that time, the captain was furious. He spat out, "Send, I'm a battleship. Change course 20 degrees."
Back came the flashing light, "I'm a lighthouse."
We changed course.
In this story the young man was perceiving what was on the other side of the light, instead of investigating it. We need to be careful of what we give off as far as a perception, and we need to be careful not to perceive others until we get a chance to know them. It will most likely change our course!
Thanks for reading and have a great day.

leave it all on the field

If you have watched any amount of sports in your life you have many times heard coaches use this line. "Leave it all on the field." Letting their players know that if you truly want to win, if you truly desire to make big things happen you need to play like it's your last game. Play every play like you may never get to play again, and walk off the field knowing you did all you could.
One of my favorite quotes is "the biggest gap in the world is the gap between I should___________ and I did." In other words there is no greater feeling when you lay your head on the pillow each night than knowing that you did everything you could do that day. On the flip side, there is nothing worse than trying to go to sleep knowing that you could have done so much more.
Lamentations 2:19 "Pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord."
Man, what a statement. We are to pour our hearts out like water in teh presence of the Lord. Think about that, what that sentence is saying. When you pour out water, it's gone. When you pour a drink out in the sink, in the grass or wherever you know that it is forever gone. But we put a little bit of our hearts into what we do, leaving more for later. That is exactly what God does not want. If we half heartedly worship, half heartedly witness and half heartedly live for God we will never fully know the power of the Holy Spirit. There are two wonderful feelings in ministering to people. One is pouring everything you have into something like a sermon, event or whatever. Second, is knowing that you have exhausted every ounce of energy and heart in doing that for God, and feeling the Holy Spirit hit you and keep you going.
I hear runners talk about the "runner's high", it's that moment when you have run so far and the second wind is kicking in and you feel like you could run for days and weeks on end. That is nothing compared to the feeling of having the Holy Spirit empower you to not only accomplish all that you can, but to actually still feel energized when you are done.
So pour it all out, give it all you have for God and rest better knowing that you did indeed pour your heart out before God, and His people in each and every day.
Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!

move over pride

So I finished up the book Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis and I have embarked on a different type of journey. I picked up a book recommended to me by a Pastoral acquantance and friend. THe book is 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. He recommended I get the secular writing of Stephen Covey and then move on to the Christian version which I have as well. The book is very interesting and starts out talking about being inside out. Fixing everything inside ourselves before we worry about what we project on the outside. I started this book off during a fast so I feel that I am on my way to that already.
One of the first points he makes is judging people, based on ourselves. Not understanding what is going on inside the other person thereby making a fast judgment. He talks extensively about changing paradigms, views and beliefs when it comes to dealing with outside forces. He tells a story of a man gettting o the subway and his kids running around and annoying everyone on the subway while the father seemingly closed his eyes and dozed off. Stephen said he walked over to the man and told him to get his kids undercontrol, the kids were clearly making everyone on the subway uncomfortable with their behavior. THe man sat up in his seat, opened his eyes and said, "You're right I should probably say something.'
Then he told him his story. The father said that he didn't know what to say to the two little ones because their mother was about to pass away and they were on their way to the hospital to say goodbye. I'm sure you can guess who was feeling the most awkward at that moment.
Matthew 7:2 states, "With what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you."
In other words, let's not be so fast to make decisions and judge people when they come into our lives until we get to know them and their situation. I can honestly say that I have run into people in the work place, in the ministry and in life that I honestly did not think I would get along well with. usually, they turn out to be the ones I am closest to in the long run.
So don't make judgments until you are ready to get to know the people around you whom you are judging.

Have a great day and thanks for reading!

Facing those doubts

Have you ever been at a place in your life where there is someone who needs to be changed? A person who is near and dear to your heart is making bad decisions or doing things that are contrary to the way they were raised or against their beliefs. It may be that child that you raised up in love and compassion. It may be another loved one who has gone wayward or a close friend who has gone astray. Well, don't feel alone as many hundreds of Christians are walking through the same types of things you are dealing with. As a matter of fact, the disciples struggled with some of the same things.
Mark 9:29 says, "He said to them, 'This kind of unclean spirit can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.' "
You see the disciples were acting on their own and believing that Jesus would back them up. They were in many ways almost arrogant in their striving to change the person in question, they were trying to chase out a demon. But, that's just the problem they were trying to do it.
So I ask you now, that loved one or close friend whom you are seeking to change. Who is it that you are counting on to make the change? How much are you truly focusing on God as the only power that can truly change them? That is teh point you need to bring yourself to. A place of powerlessness rather than power and control. When you are so exhausted and so beaten up over it you can rest assured that God feels the same way. He has been patiently waiting for you to turn it over to Him and just lift it up continually in prayer and by all means do some fasting. Fasting will empower your mind to once again trust in God. If you really think about it in fasting you are trusting God to nourish you and keep you going, food isn't doing it any longer, God is in total control of your strength and well being.
So put your total trust in God, stop lifting it up to God and then exhausting yourself to fix it by your own means. List it up to God, place them in God's hands and pray, pray, pray allowing yourself to completely focus on Him for the change.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Law of Nature

In the oldest context the laws of nature means the natural ways of human nature. Today it means gravity and speed and things like that. But, I just started reading some of C.S. Lewis's writings. Mere Christianity is an interesting read that I started on yesterday, I read the first few chapters and already I am intrigued. The book is based on his monologues made originally for him to share on the radio. One of the more interesting things that he brings up is his studies of ancient and current cultures.
He shows how back in teh farthest time frame, deep into unreached, third world countries the basic law of nature is the same. THey have the same basic beliefs about basic behavior. They share the same outlook towards murder, adultery, stealing, cheating and all the basics. WIthout any written law or any type of court systems they live by the same basic law.
Galatians 5:24 says, "Those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires."
Think about the context of what Lewis is actually pointing out and the context of what Paul is showing us in Galatians. Lewis tells us that if we act "good" and don't break any of the basic ten commandments then we aren't any different from people groups who probably haven't ever heard of the Bible or the ten commandments.
Paul reiterates that by saying that we need to understand that we know far better as Christians. Meaning we have to crucify our flesh, its desires and passions. Until we do that, as believers we aren't that different from those who have never even heard the message of Jesus Christ. Those who have no real reason for following the laws of nature or the basic codes of life. In James is says, you believe in God, so do teh demons and they tremble. We are no different because of our being good citizens, we are different because Jesus Christ lives inside of us, meaning that we should put Him first, and our fleshly desires should be thrown away for ever.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Torn

Have you ever been absolutely torn in a decision? I can think of many times that I have been torn over a decision, usually I have no problem making decisions but there are those times when my decision effects a vast majority that we need to seek more guidance from God than usual.
There are also times when you are so torn, that you overlook the obvious. Just this last few weeks I have been torn about some decisions affecting our youth ministry, some decisions that affect several lives. I sought God's divine leadership in those matters and found that when I am patient the decisions are made more easily than I expect.
Just today, I received a devotional via email that I read on a not so regular basis. The devotional was about a lady who had a television network and needed to gain more revenue. She had to reach a bigger crowd so she sought some bigger name shows. She looked all over and narrowed it down to a company that would allow her to broadcast Rush Limbaugh on the television station during the day while kids were at school. THere was a catch, she could do this only if she took on the Jerry Springer show as well. She was a devout Christian and she knew that this would anger her peers, and leave her feeling sick. She prayed hard and came up with a decision that was no doubt God led. She decided to allow the Jerry Springer show to run, but during the whole show she ran a scrolling line along the bottom that listed a phone number, contacts and a help line. That help line went straight into a local church's prayer ministry. Where people could call and share their concerns and the things that they needed prayer for. She took something dirty, and made it into something that God could be proud of. Many, many, many phone calls rang through and the church actually had to get extra people to answer the phones during the hour that the show was on. It makes perfect sense, after all in Matthew 9 Jesus shared His heart with us.
On hearing this, Jesus said, 'It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: "I desire mercy, not sacrifice." For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners'" (Matt 9:12-13).
There you have it, take those opportunities to reach to lost, to share with the dying and love the condemned. I don't recommend using the Jerry Springer show, but there are things that go on around you that can become major blessings if you just introduce the power of JEsus Christ to those situations.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Excuses

I have never been a person that is real big on excuses. I try my very best not to make them and I rarely accept them. I don't like being around(especially in the ministry) people who settle for excuses. That is exactly what excuses are to me, settling for far less than what you are capable of. You allow some outside experience or occurrence to rob you of what you should be doing for the Lord or whomever it is for.
People who don't go to church quickly make excuses. I hear: I got hurt at church, it's full of hypocrites, it always asks for money, they always sing songs I don't like or don't know, or my favorite I don't like the people there. Well, guess what there are close to 100 different churches in St. Johns County each is different but all of the Christian Churches are seeking to reach the community in their own way. THere has to be a church where you will like the people or the pastor somewhere, but most people settle and make excuses.
Romans "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse"
Here we are being told that through out creation God has been at work, you can clearly see and fell Him at work, therefore there is no excuse.
No excuse for not sharing, because if we don't know the word, we don't know how to share our testimony, we do know how to point out instances of God at work even in things so simple as nature and creation, or in the stars, sun or moon. THose are obvious examples of God's Divine power at work.
No excuse for not knowing that God is at work. Therefore there is no excuse for the non-believer to not accept God, because of the fact that His works are seen all throughout life itself.
SO stop making excuses and start sharing. THere is no reason for it to not be a successful experience for you and the recipient.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

What's missing in most prayers?

Attitude is everything. That's a quote we hear a lot in sports, in life, in the business world even in Christians living. If that is so then attitude is a very important part of prayer life. Each morning I pray for my day that is ahead, I pray for the specific people who are sick and I pray for my family and our needs. I then read a devotional and read portions of the sermon I am going to preach the following Sunday. Then, I go on and type out my blogs and get started with my work day at the BEtty Griffin House. At lunch hour most days, some days I go after work at 3pm. But regardless of time I go and pray over our care list at the church. I pray specifically for each member and regular attender in the church, I pray for their specific needs and for God to use them in our ministries. I then pray for the church and its needs and for vision in my dealings with the church, and for God to guide me and my steps all along the way.
I do this somewhat automatically and I have to pause some times and make sure I am focused on teh prayer and the studying and not just going through the motions. Because if I am just going through the motions then I am not following what the Psalmist shares in chapter 5
Psalm 5:3 says, In the morning,O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.
So I would ask you these things:
First of all, are you praying in a way that you fully acknowledge that God is listening intently. He isn't just hearing a voice and some words, he is listening as it is a conversation with your Creator.
Secondly, are you laying your requests before him? Are you truly laying all the things that are on your heart before Him? I make sure that I know my heart and my attitude before I start praying and reading the Word because I want to make sure I dump my heart out completely in my prayer time.
Last, are you doing the first two steps and waiting in expectation. Do you pray for things expecting to see them happen? Or do you pray simply expecting to be praying for those things forever? We as Christians are believers, the word most commonly used in teh new testament was beleivers, if we are believers then we better be believing in the power of prayer.
So pray each day, lay your requests before God and then wait expectantly. You see, attitude really is everything when it comes to your prayer life.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Where is our joy resting?

In my first few months at Freedom we studied through the book of Philippians. In doing so we realized a resounding theme in that happiness is circumstantial and Joy is everlasting. What I mean is we can be happy because of things going on around us, we can be happy because we got a promotion, or a raise, or our children accomplished some great feat. At the same time we can be unhappy when our children are sick, when we are sick, when money is tight and when things just aren't going our way. But, regardless of how those things are going we must be joyful, because our joy comes from know JEsus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Our joy is unaffected by the things that are going on in our lives. Happiness and Joy are two totally different things that we possess as believers. But Romans 12:12 tells us something else about Joy.
Romans 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
We should be joyful in hope? How exactly does that work if our joy comes from Jesus and knowing Him isn't that the answer? Well, exactly what is being said here is that hope is the power behind our joy. Every emotion, every experience and every thing that goes on in life is powered by something. Our joy in the context of this verse should be powered by our relationship with Jesus Christ and the Hope that He brings. Jesus brings us hope in so many things, hope for a better world, hope for healing through prayer, hope for the lost, and hope for eternal life in HEaven in complete and total oneness with Him. That is what our joy is resting in, our hope, and our hope is found in Jesus Christ. If we understand these two things then the rest of that verse is a piece of cake. We will be patient in our affliction because of our joy, and our hope found in Jesus Christ. We will be faithful in prayer because that is where we connect our hope up with Jesus Christ to meet our needs.
So there you ahve it, the keys to hope, patience and peace all in a nutshell. It all revolves around Jesus Christ and our relationship with Him.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Listening and waiting

Do you ever watch a football game or a baseball game and wonder what the guys on the bench are doing? I have walked many sidelines both as a player and as a chaplain. I have played a whole lot of baseball and coached girls' softball. It is in my opinion that there are 2 types of bench players. In the same way we have made Christianity into a spectator or bench player type of setting. We think if we aren't preaching, teaching or singing we must be needed to just sit back and listen. Well, that is partially correct, we need to sit back and listen to God.
You see in sports, espectially highschool sports there are 11 players on the field fro each team in football, 9 in baseball and softball. The rest are watching, but I love the ones that follow their coaches on teh sideline. They are not the starters, but they live for the minute that a starter gets tired or needs a play off or a break of some sort. Those players don't have to be called, they are standing there ready to go(some of them even with their mouthpieces already in, I've seen it!) in the game on a seconds glance. Then you have those who are just wandering around, enjoying the company of their teammates, not into the game and hardly found by the coaches. Proverbs speaks to these types of attitudes.
Proverbs 8:34 Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors,waiting at my doorway.
My days as a baseball player saw me slowly slip into the roll of relief pitcher on many occasions in highschool. THat meant that I was on the bench watching most of the game, I would make a few trips to the bullpen to warm up and stay loose but for the most part, I was right there on the bench. I made the most of those moments by sitting as close as I could to the coaches, I would learn from them so that when I was in teh game I could almost for sure know what they were thinking before I even got the sign for the pitch or the defensive set up.
GOd is looking for believers who are listening to Him, watching daily at his doors and waiting for His leadership. He doesn't have use for those who are complaining that they aren't being used enough, or those who are just there to pew sit(bench sit) He's looking for people who are attentive to His voice and His leading and ready to spring into action. That's what your greatest trait for God can be, not ability but availability.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

When all else fails?

As a kid my mom was always making little comments to let me know how she felt about things. Anyone who knows her has experienced some sort of little remark from her during a trying time.
When I was about 12 I went to the Flea Market and watched these grown men racing remote control cars, really fast remote control cars. I decided I wanted one so I started saving up my money, birthday money, allowance, Christmas money it didn't matter it was all game. This car cost about $300 and it took me over a year to save up the money but it was well worth it. It got there about noon one day and I tore into the boxes. I got the remote set up and the batteries in it, got the power pack charger out and plugged in with the power pack for the car charging. Now it was time to start putting the car together. I took the chassis out, put the tires on the wheels and bolted the engine to the chassis. Then I took the body outside and painted it. THen I spent the entire rest of the afternoon scratching my head. I couldn't get everything in sync so I was quite frustrated. My mom came out in the garage to see the car go and realized I had it about 3/4 of the way together and ha dno idea what I was doing. Then she said it, as she walked back through the door "Well, when all else fails read the directions." How many times has she said that to me through the years. I get something, I know how it works and how it should look, I just often times don't know how to get it there. The first thing we should do is read the directions and then use them to get there.
Many times I have heard people say, "When all else fails, pray pray pray!" That is a terrible statement to make. Here's why, Colossians 4:2-4 tells us:
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.
Does that sound like a last resort. Does it sound like Paul is saying, well if nothing else works go ahead and try prayer. No, not at all. Prayer should be our very first line of defense. Your prayer life is a daily part of your life, and if you continue to pray through your life and the people in it prayer will be your first line of defense and not your final line of defense.
So pray, pray, pray because Paul tells us to devote ourselves to it. Daily prayer is a lifestyle that makes use of a life for God. Prayer is our main source of power when it comes to our daily walk. We are powerless outside of prayer and a connection with God on a daily basis.
Have a great day and thanks for reading!

Infomercials

So, Tara and I are some times finding ourselves on different schedules. On nights that she does not have to work at Publix we play with the kids, put them to bed and then we either watch tv or a movie and talk or just enjoy one another's company. But, on nights that she has to work it is different because by the time she gets home I have put the kids to bed a few hours earlier and I am about gone. From just sitting and reading or watching tv alone I am sleepy. So when she gets home I go on to bed and she comes but she is still up from working so she watches television in the bedroom. Now, Wednesdays are just the opposite in that I am still pumped up from youth that night and I can't go to sleep while she is out quite peacefully.
The reason I bring this all up is that some nights one or the other of us falls asleep with the television on. We wake up in the night or early in the morning to infomercials. Yuck, I know, who actualy watches them?
What is the making of a good infomercial? You have to present a valid and useful product. You have to have witnesses or people who have used it and can share how it has changed their life. You have to have a product that positively improves life in some area that is commonly important to consumers.
2 Peter 1:3-4 says, "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness".
Well think of your life as an infomercial. Every day you are a spokesperson for CHrist and all that He has done for you as well as what He can do for others. Every day you are living out a testimony and a sales pitch for those who watch your life and see you in action. The good news is you are selling something that God's divine power has given everything to. Eternal life, hope, peace, trust, joy and a personal relationship with the Creator of all things. So there you see your infomercial is a quite easy one, we have to ability and honor of sharing a product in the person of JEsus Christ. It's a product that meets very real needs in a world that is lost and dying.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Darkness

have you ever been hungry was the question yesterday. Today I want to know have you ever been in darkness. Truly covered up in complete darkness. I can only think of a few times that I have. One was in Georgia on Tara's family's farm. It was a cloudy night with the moon completely covered and there were no lights on in the back when I was out there with Tara's cousins(they were shining deer, go figure). Anyway there was absolutely no light to be found. In our neighborhood (where normal Florida people live) there is no way to find complete darkness. Street lights, house lights and so on, there is always some form or source of light in the area. But, in Georgia it was different.
I have heard stories of people in caverns, caves and deep sea diving excursions in pitch black dark, but they always have a light iwth them. IMagine complete darkness though. In the fellowship hall at ACBC there is a way to close all of the doors and play midnight football. You get a glow in the dark football, give it to one of the teams and they crawl on the floor playing two hand touch trying to get the person with the ball. It's fun and crazy, but still most of those kids can somehow see what is going on around them.
John 8:12 says, When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
Speaking in terms of spiritual things, if you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ there will always be light. If you don't, there will be darkness that can only be partially illumined by the light of others. That light leaves whent he other believers leave however. How sad to think of going through life in complete darkness.
That is why I always say that there is not truly, completely bad people. THere are only people with an absence of good. Like the light of Christ, there are those who have it and those who need it. Those are the only two types of people on the earth today. It is my hope that we as believers show the light in a way that it exposes those who are missing it and makes them want it. It's our job as Christians to make our greatest possession that personal relationship with Christ, contagious.
So let your light shine today, no matter what and eventually others will see it for what it really is, and want it.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Hungry

Have you ever been hungryy? I mean really hungry, odds are the majority of us in America have never experienced this feeling. I know from time to time we do a fast for our teenagers at the church and they don't eat for a 24 hour period. At the end fo that period they are hungry, but not nearly as hungry as someone who eats 2 or 3 meals a week. Or someone in a third world country who is passing up a meal so that their children or loved ones can eat the only bread or fruit that they have for the day. But what about being spiritually hungry? Have you ever been starving spiritually? At that point where your soul seems almost empty and incomplete.
I must admit I stay hungry for more spiritual growth. I read books, study my quiet times and read sermons by John Piper and Jonathan Edwards regularly looking to grow. But am I really hungry? Is there a reason for me to feel in want? No there is not, it's a different type of hunger.
John 6:35 Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.
So there it is, if we believe in Jesus we will never be hungry or thirsty. But wait, I just said that I was hungry every day for the word and thirsty for knowledge. Think about that for a minute. First of all, I am never really hungry, it's more of that going back for seconds kind of feeling. When you go back for seconds you have already eaten enough to sustain you, you just desire to eat more. But in this context am I really hungry when I am reading and studying? THe answer is no, I am not really hungry or thirsty in this setting because I can go directly to the source and be filled. That is it, in America when we are hungry the majority of us can go into our cupboards and find food. It's the same with the word of God. When we are desiring we can go straight to the source and be filled right there on the spot because of God's gift to us the Holy SPirit.
So be thankful that through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ we can never know spiritual hunger.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

film

So the last 2 weeks have been a major build up for the Pedro Menendez Football program. We have spent 2 entire weeks cherishing the fact that we have made it into the playoffs and savoring every minute. From the night of the Clay victory until today the kids have all had tapes of film on our first opponent in the playoffs, Jackson. Andrew jackson highschool has played a lot of local teams and demolished the majority of them including a few teams that we beat as well. But, the kids have analyzed every play over about a 4 game time. They have looked over and watched film during lunch, film in the morning before school, and at home. One young man that I take home after practices can tell what 3 plays every formation they have leads into and how to tell which way the play is going. Today, highschool football is more about knowing the other team than knowing your own weaknesses. But, if that is all you focus on you forget what your there for, you are there to execute your game plan not to foil theirs.
It's the same way with us as Christians. We need to take time to see our own weaknesses and our own sins so that there are not holes in our armor. We want to know why we are hit so hard, knocked down so often, and so slow to recover when Satan attacks and many times it is because of some hidden sin in our lives.

"That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies.... (Joshua 7:12). God made this statement to Joshua when they could not win a battle against a seemingly inferior army at Ai. Joshua could not figure it out, they had destroyed armies 10 times a large and a hundred times more powerful just in recent battles. They looked at every natural angle, then they discovered that there was one who had taken the plunder and that was a weak link, so much so taht God could not bless that army until that sin was dealt with.
So check your armor daily, think about your lifestyle and your actions. Are you living in a way that your armor is weak and God cannot bless you? Take care of those sins in your life and find God's armor to be all bearing.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Where is your treasure?

There is a problem that I see very apparent in believers today. It's a problem that only church seems to have right now. It's called loyalty. People are not loyal to the church or to God if you measure it against other things. Think about it, the average church goer probably misses more church services in a year than their favorite television show. We are far more loyal to a tv show, to our favorite sports teams and to other things in life than to God.The following verses have a lot in them, but the overtones for the whole thing is loyalty. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also?

Matthew 6:19-24 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

What do you treasure? What is it that your heart longs for, what is the priority on your calendar for tomorrow, next weekend, next week? Is it God, or is it your favorite tv show? Think about the way this set of verses is stated directly by Jesus Himself. You cannot serve both God and money, you cannot be devoted to more than one thing either.

I am a pastor, I am overly excited about Night of Fire the biggest race that my dad and I race in all year long. It is this Saturday, but I promise you Sunday will still be the highlight of my weekend without a doubt.

Thanks for reading and have a great day!

12th man to the 10th man

As I was thinking and praying and okay honestly striking out working on a Thanksgiving Sermon I came to a story. Then God gave me far better ideas so it did not make the cut.But this story is one that jumped at me repeatedly.
Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!" When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed.One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."
Think about that in terms of what we have been given as believers. We have so much to be thankful, namely a Savior who died on a cross for our sins and our salvation. Now we have 10 people who are healed of a disease that made them completely unaccepted by society and brought sores and sickness to them. Now, they are completely healed and only one of them returns to say thank you.
So thank God every day. Be like the 10th man, not the other 9. It's easy to get caught up in justifying things, it's wise to just thank God for every little detail of life.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
P.S. yes I am typing late at night, got an early start for BGH Wednesday morning!

The 12th man

The history of the 12th man is a neat one to me. In college football they call the crowd the 12th man, but it had one distinct situation arise in 1922. At Texas A & M University the football team was locked in a close battle with Centre College who was the #1 ranked team in the nation. They were tied when they had a couple of players go down with injuries. THe coach then signalled to some of his associates in the box above the stands to come down for a minute. The team was going to run short of players real soon if they didn't do anything. So they motioned for a young man who played on the basketball team and had been to the football workouts over teh off season. That young man rushed down out of the stands, went into the locker room and put on a jersey and pads. He stood teh entire remainder of the game right next to the coaches as he was the only player left to sub in by the fourth quarter. He stood there waiting his turn, it never came but that isn't the point I am making.
In Issaiah the prophet makes the comment to God, Here am I send me. What an awesome way to respond to God, much the same way the young A & M student did for his football team.
To this day the entire student body of Texas A & M stands throughout the whole game just to let the coaches know that they are ready to go if needed. One coach even incorporated a 12th man special team that allowed walk on students to try out for the kick off team.
What an amazing analogy for the church today. On Sunday mornings during worship, during the sermon, during the invitation, and all through the service in what position are you? Are you standing up, saying here am I send me. Or are you sitting down wanting to be entertained? God knows, God sees teh heart and knows the motives. Worship is not a spectator sport, neither is church membership. So stand up, be that 12th man ready for service at any moment, so that God can use you to further His kingdom.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Praying for others

So each day I have a care list I call it that I pray over. It is a list of regular attenders, their family members and those I have come in contact with over the past week that I have sought to witness to. So each day I pray over this list and go over the names, teh families and their needs. There are however, those times when someone in the church is on the list and they have no apparent needs. Their family is healthy, they are faithfully a part of the ministries of the church and they are not seemingly that needy at all. What do you do then?
Well, first I thank God for their faithfulness, for their family's health and for the fact that their prayer list of needs is seemingly non-existent. THen, I pray for their actions and their deeds. Yesterday I spoke about Aeneas and Dorcas two believers that Peter raised from the dead. Each of them were said to be a blessing to those they came in contact with. One was a man who had been bedridden for 8 years, how is he a blessing? And the other a lady who was a widow and took care of other widows in the community and the church.
Colossians 1:10 tells us how Paul prayed for others.And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
He prayed that their lives will be worthy of the Lord, please Him in every way and bear fruit in every good work, allowing them to grow in the knowledge of the Lord. What more can we pray for? IN the lives of other believers in our flock, in our family in our lives but that they live fruitful lives worthy of God. That they bear fruit in their good deeds and that they grow closer in their knowledge of GOd.
I think Paul sums it all up, this is what and how we should pray for others. It's simple and it covers all the ground!
Have a great day and thanks for reading!

Your Guard

We all have things that we protect. On our computers we have passwords to stop someone from getting into our personal information, on our internet accounts and on our debit cards you have passwords. We are very protective of our personal information. We take great strides toward privacy by putting security alarms on our vehicles and on our homes. We as Americans in the land of the free spend more time in protection mode than any other thing. We do so many things for security and safety that we don't even think about. We do our best to not allow anyone or anything into our possessions that doesn not belong.
What about our hearts and minds?
Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
Above all else, above and beyond all other things that you guard. Think about that with me for a moment. How much time do you spend guarding your heart and your mind? How many passwords, firewalls and steps does someone or something have to go through to gt into your heart and your mind? Not too many I'm sure. We live hazardously when it comes to our minds and hearts. We listen to a lot of music that we should not listen to, we watch a lot of things on television that we should not watch, we even interact with people we should not interact with. What about all that security? What kind of steps do we take to protect ourselves from becoming corrupt. Very few.
It says above all else, guard your heart, why? BEcause it is the wellspring of life. If you get a virus in your hard drive of your computer it shuts down the whole system. I know because I experienced all that just last weekend. If you allow a parasite or virus, or uncorrupt thing into your heart and mind it shuts down your whole wellspring. Your heart and mind are where you are most able to tune in to God, but we put that connection at risk when we don't guard our hearts.
So put some passwords up, guard your heart so that God can give you an abundant life.
Thanks for reading and have a great day.

Act like you've been there

I am a firm believer in self-control in all aspects of life. I will admit there are those times when I probably don't display it as well as I could, or should but I work hard at it. I believe that self-control is a very strong thing for someone to possess and they are to be commended for it.
Self control comes in all different forms.
Titus 2:12 says, We should live in this evil world with self-control, right conduct and devotion to God.
This verse tells us several things. FIrst we live in an evil world full of a lack of self control. Watch a football game, watch any sports event and watch players score or do something to help their team but take the credit for themselves. We are living in the world of me. It's all about me, what I want, and what I need from life.
Right conduct is obviously a major part of self-control. If we don't live with self-control we will get involved in anything that comes our way. It is important that we live with right conduct and set ourselves up to stay away from the desires of this world. Again, these passing pleasures are always about me.
Finally he tells Titus to have devotion to God. If we walk around with an attitude that everything we do is for God, and builds on our devotion to him then what can we do but get rid of our selfishness. The moment we start living our lives for God, we stop worrying about me, about things that make me happy, or bring me glory. A true servant of God takes no credit for what he or she accomplishes but understands it is for God, and led by God.
I believe we need self-control in the good and in the bad times. When you win at something you are happy, but you simply understand that God is not impressed and that we shouldn't be either. When a touchdown is scored the ball should be handed to teh referee and that is it. No dance, no celebration, no party. Same goes with bad situations, we need to show self-control when bad things are happening to us understanding that rough times and trials are what God uses to groom us. WE should be happy that rough times come because it tells us God is still preparing us for bigger and better things.
So practice self-control and devotion to God.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Abraham's greatest attribute

Abraham had many attributes, and many attributes had Father Abraham. Or so the song could go. Corny, I know but that was my best shot this morning. Abraham did a lot for the book of Genesis. We see so much of the world start from the faithfulness of Abraham, but just why did God chose to use him so much. Why was Abraham clearly a favorite of God's? I think the answer first and foremost is his love for God. He loved God above all things, even his own son. Who can say that, especially in today's society who can honestly say that they love God more than their children? In today's world I would be willing to say that most don't even love God more than themselves or their possessions. That is a sad but true fact.
But here is what sets Abraham apart. In Genesis Chapter 22 we read:
Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!" "Here I am, he replied. Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.ver Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about.
There are 2 phrases in this set of verses that set Abraham apart from most casual believers or followers of CHrist. First, When God said Abraham immediately Abraham responded with Here I am. He didn't delay the conversation, he didn't do anything but respond with here I am. Second, and this is the big one. God told him to take his son, his only son and go to the region of Moriah(which was a 3 day travel for them in those days) and sacrifice him there. What did Abraham do? How did he respond? He simply got up the very next morning and started gathering the wood and supplies he needed and they took off. He didn't go and get cousel from someone, he did not even discuss it with anyone, he simply went.
God is today looking for people who truly want to go for God. When He speaks to us we need to be prepared to go. Instead of talking it over, praying about it some more and seeking cousel(even with Godly people) we need to go. Abraham took off and I gaurantee you God is not asking anyone to do anything nearly as difficult as sacrificing your own child.
So when God says go, go. Just go and let Him lead you and avoid confering with flesh as Paul calls it in Galatians 1:16. Go and confer with God, and allow His will for your life to become the same as yours. Then you will be able to accomplish many things for Him.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

every impression

I remember growing up under the care of my parents, my pastor and youth pastor. All of them were very important in my upbringing, but there was one other person that was important that I could never explain until just a few years ago after he was dead. Rev. Armando Silverio, I wish so badly that he had lived long enough for my children to see him, and for him to come and some time preach at Freedom. I wish people today could see him, and more importantly experience him.
He was originally a missionary for the Southern Baptist Convention when he got into the ministry as a young man. He preached mostly to the Italians who had settled near Pittsburgh and boy oh boy could he tell some stories. Things that he had experienced, things that had happened to him, and most importantly things God had taught him through those experiences. I remember taking Tara over to see him and not wanting to leave. What a date I was, spending a Friday night on a couch listening to stories and gleaning from every word what I could that would help me grow into a youth pastor and some day a pastor.
The thing that I could finally put my finger on was that he was so full of personality, yet it didn't come accross as him. Let me explain.
When he preached he didn't have a real style, he opened up God's word, explained each verse and then he talked to the congregation like you were sitting down for dinner with your family. THat's what I remember but there's a verse he shared with me one night in Colossians 1:24, I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ... He used this verse to teach me humility. To teach me that his personality, his appearance and his attitude were all important but they could not be the lead in what people think about him. THey need to experience him as someone who cares, who is compassionate and who is full of Jesus Christ. He wanted people to remember talking to someone who loved the Lord and hoped that the Lord loved them if only through him.
What a testimony for someone who had preached all over America. He was known by everyone in this area. He was pivotal in starting Anastasia Baptist Church, he was the first preacher at Moultrie Baptist Church, and at Cresent Beach Baptist Church. I believe he did alright for himself.
The biggest story he told me was the way he taught me to teach and to pastor. He asked me how many children we wanted, I was young and said 5. Tara grinned but no comment. I know we're falling behind for sure. But he said, if only 2 of them show up for dinner would you feed them? Would you feed them just as well as if all 5 had showed up for dinner? Well, yes, yes I would! Exactly, that is how it is with the church. As a Pastor you are their shepherd and if you have 1,000 in attendance or 2 the same message comes through your heart and your lips. Because you are talking to and for God and not man.
Those words helped me when I first got into the youth ministry and we had singled digit attendance for a few months. Those words got me through the first year at Freedom and they continue to ring through my head. Bottom line, it's not about us, it's about God and His Will. We should feel honored by the fact that He would even use us in His plan.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

What new converts need

I am going to talk at length about this on Sunday, but there are certain things that happened in Paul's life at and after his conversion that should be modelled by the church.
First, he needed acceptance. He needed to be accepted so that he could begin his spiritual journey. Without the innitial acceptance of the disciples he struggled, but then Barnabas stepped in and spoke on his behalf. All of a sudden Paul was accepted and his growth process was in full swing.
Second, he needed patience. Paul needed those around him to be patient with him. The same goes for the unsaved and the unchurched. We can't expect them to dive right in and get it, we can't expect everything to change the moment they believe. We must be patient with them. That leads us to the third thing and that is guidance.
Guidance is very important. Paul already knew the Old Testament very well having grown up the way he did. Paul did not need any fancy speaking or training to share what had happened to him. His Damascus road conversion was all he needed. He knew that he was hand selected by God for his new role as an apostle because Jesus Himself had appeared to him on the road to Damascus. So what other training did he need, very little. But he did need guidance. He needed otehrs who were farther along in their walk with Christ, and who had already experienced what was going on in his life right then to guide and direct him.
So as a church it is our job to reach out and accept everyone in who is lost. To be patient with them offering correction when needed. It's important that we are guiding them and helping them to develop into the young believers that God is calling them to be. These are all things that are done by and in the church for God's purpose of changing the world and growing His Kingdom.
Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!

facing uncertainty

I can honestly say to you right now that as a pastor, as a father, and as a husband I am facing more uncertainty than ever before. After having left a job where I was making a lot more than what our bills required(living below our means) and then taking a job making less than half of what I made, to now working two jobs and Tara 3 jobs just to still make less than we were making 2 years ago each working one job.
Uncertainty can be an uncomfortable thing if we let it. But, I don't worry about those things as much as most would. I am often accused of almost not caring for those things and that isn't true at all. There are 2 verses that come to mind when I start thinking about those things that tend to leave us with worry or stress. The first one is one that I think is most important as Christians when things are not so hunky dorey(if that's really a saying).
1 Cor. 15:58
Therefore, my dear brothers,stand firm.Let nothing move you.Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord,because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
THere you have it, just stand firm. If you stand firm in your beliefs and in your following of the Holy SPirit your work will never be in vain. What you do for God will indeed in its time bring fruit, and the fruit of serving God far outweighs anything that the world can place in your path. Bills, relationships, sickness and even death are nothing in comparison with the fruit that comes from a lifestyle of serving God. Worshiping God in all that you do, in the car, in the office and at school or on a sports team, you work in a way that you are working directly for God and there will be fruit. That fruit will take over and it will be the leading power in your life as you allow the Holy Spirit to guide you in your daily walk.
So stand firm, continue to serve God and all that comes with that will take away the worry and the stress. I speak from strong experience, trust me!

Thanks for reading and have a great day!

what can we say, today?!?!

As I went to bed last night I already knew exactly what I wanted to share this morning. THere was a lingering feeling in my stomach and in my head as I laid down to go to bed last night. So today and tomorrow I will share those 2 things that were in my gut.
First of all I want to warn you of your dealings today. The great theologian Linus once said, "There are 3 things I have learned not to talk about in public, CHarlie Brown. Those 3 things are politics, religion and the great pumpkin." My advice would be to lean toward teh Great Pumpkin talk today. Anything that is said politically or religiously today may come out of the wrong motives and not from the heart. So just that little side note for today.
Now, Obama has been elected as president of the United States. He's never served the country in any war type situation, never been in the armed forces, never been in this type of power position. He voted every time for abortion and against partial birth abortion resessitation, he also voted against secret ballot vote. He is a man about change alright, changing the very fabric of our country. BUt, he's our president starting in early 2009 and I will respect and follow him for that. Say what?
Let me explain:
Romans 13:1-5 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.
This set of verses got me through times of doubting why I was where I was. Working under who I was working for. In a past job I stayed and never voiced my distrust or dislike for the way the boss ran things for over 4 years. It is our job as Christians to speak out for our beliefs and our morals as I stated yesterday. But, it is also our job to show our understanding of God by respecting our authorities as hard as it may be sometimes.
So respect your leaders, understand that they only have the power that God has allowed them to gain. THey are there for a reason and God knows that reason, we are not in any position to question it.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Election 08 it's heeerrrrreeeeee!

Here we are November 4th, 2008 one of the biggest days in the history of our great nation. There are so many views, so many ideas, and so many opinions on how things will go. I say, they will go according to what God has planned for our nation. But, that does not mean that I won't vote for my way to happen. It's my privledge and duty as a Christian and as an American to get out a vote. We are called to influence the people around us as salt does, and as light does their surroundings. What greater example of a way to do that than voting with our morals.
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men."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.
There it is, we are the salt and the light of the world. It's interesting I share one piece of information every time I share this passage. In the Old TEstament times when an army went into and ambushed a city or village they would burn down things, destroy things, and they would use salt to trample into the ground. THis would ensure that the crops wouldn't grow back after the destruction is over. THey use salt to leave a lasting affect, just as Satan uses us "the salt of the earth" to leave a lasting affect when we don't stand up and take a stand for our morals and beliefs.
As believers we must exemplify our ability and our call by God to flavor and light up this world and our communities by voting. We must step into the polls today and vote according to our beliefs and our morals. We must us the Word of GOd to lead us in our decisions and not let any other reason guide our decisions.
So, get out and vote today. It's your duty and your call by God to voice your morals as an American and as a believer.
Thanks for reading and have a great day, voting!

If.......the sign of desire

Every time in the Bible Jesus gives us some type of directive as to how to live for Him, or how to live our lives He uses the word if. What is the word if? What does the word if signify, well in these verses it signifies the fact that it is what He wants and may or may not be what we want.
Here are two examples: First, we have John 14:15 "If you love Me, keep my commandments." No where in this verse does it say I demand that you keep My commandments, but if. If is a sign of wanting and longing for something. Jesus is longing for us to love Him, He is longing for us to keep His commandments, but that is all He is doing. If God did things the way a lot of non-believers believe, He would tell us that we love Him, that we are His, and there is no choice. Kind of like a pre-arranged marriage. How much love can there truly be in something that is arranged and not chose.
Second, we have Luke 9:23, " If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself...
Here again, an example of a loving Savior wanting and longing for our love. He is love, He is all that love encompasses and longs to pour that out on us. But, first we have to love Him and show it to Him in these two ways. By denying ourselves on a daily basis, and placing our relationship with Him at the top of our priorites. And, secondly, by keeping His commandments.
If, we will do these two things then He will continually pour down His love and compassion on us. It's easy to get confused and say that we have to earn His love but that couldn't be further from the truth. We just have to want it for ourselves. If we show by obedience and by priority that we love Him, then we will be able to fully feel and receive His love in return.
So prioritize, and deny yourself and His love will become more real to you every day!
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Focus!

I was preparing for a message yesterday for the football team at Pedro. Yes, it has been one of those weeks where I am actually still preparing the day of which is usually a major no-no for me. I had the message together but I was looking for some type of a crowd breaker type of illustration. This story borders on which blog it should truly appear in, but it's funny to me for sure.
I was going to talk about ants, and how much as football players and especially as Christians we should be more like ants. Ants work tirelessly to build their little hills, colonies and homes. They work all together in a way that is extremely envious to me. They spend the majority of their lives just building their colonies. THeir life expectancy is actually some where around 50-60 days. No wonder they are so mad when their little colonies get stepped on. They can lift up to 20 times their own weight yet they work all together, you never see a few working while the others sit around, they are completely focused all on one thing, building and storing food.
Focus is important, but what should we focus on, what do we put into our heads to stay focused?
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Paul says focus on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy! What is there in this world that can cover all those words? Only Jesus and the Gospel are capable of being all of those things. The world shows us a lot of things that are focus oriented, and many things that exemplify some of those things, but if we focus on God, His Son and the Bible we cover all of the above completely. So focus on the word, meditate on it daily and see that your focus is where it needs to be.
That was to be the meat of my message for the team yesterday, to show them the importance of focus. Then, I went to pacetti Bay and did some presentations opposite of Liberty. Liberty is the new drug dog that the St. Johns Sherriffe's office uses. Liberty was so focused on the job at hand. If Liberty has her ball taken away she immediately starts to (on command) sniff out drugs in the room. Well, she did her first presentations for the kids and in between the first and second one I talked to the officer for a while. Liberty came over and sniffed me and sat looking into my eyes as if to accuse me of concealing some form of drugs. I didn't think much about it and then like a flash of 160 degree heat, or a revelation it dawned on me. In my watch pocket of my jeans I carry a hydrocodeine just encase my kidney stones start bothering me, especially when I have public speaking appearances. I walked outside after the second presentation because she continually stared at me while I was talking. Focus, Liberty is trained to do one job and she does it without any hesitation, not caring who or what you are. That's the kind of focus we as believers need, we need to work like ants and focus like Liberty on reaching the lost with the never failing message of JEsus Christ and the Gospel!
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

How big is our God?!?!

Do you ever stop to wonder just how big and powerful God is. I think of illustrations I have heard about it several times over and I always think of Louie Gigglio's explanation of the stars. And how there is a star that we can only see a spec of in the strongest telescopes and yet it is bigger than the Golden Gate bridge stretched out over 7 times. That's huge! But a few years ago I was studying the Israelites and looking over their travels and found some astounding examples of a man that failed to prepare. If Moses had used my formulas for leading and waited for everything to be in order, and all the pieces to be in place the trip through the wilderness would have never happened. THere are so many things that he did not account for, including food, water, cooking supplies, travel, getting accross the Red Sea and countless other things.
What would have happened had Moses tried to figure out what was needed to accomplish God's command? One of the biggest arithmetical miracles in the world was required in the desert.
Moses led the people of Israel into the desert..Now what was he going to do with them? They had to be fed, and feeding 3-1/2 million people required a lot of food. According to the U. S. Army's Quartermaster General, Moses needed 1500 tons of food a day, filling two freight trains, each a mile long. Besides, you must remember, they were cooking the food. Just for cooking this took 4000 tons of firewood and a few more freight trains, each a mile long and this is only for one day (not to mention for keeping warm, and if anyone tells you it doesn't get cold in the desert don't believe them!). They were travelling out there for 40 years!
Let's not forget about water, shall we? If they only had enough to drink and wash a few dishes (no bathing?!), it took 11,000,000 gallons EACH DAY--enough to fill a train of tanker cars 1800 miles long.
And another thing! They had to get across the red sea in one night. Now if they went on a narrow path, double file, the line would be 800 miles long and require 35 days and nights to complete the crossing. So to get it over in one night there had to be a space in the Red Sea 3 miles wide so that they could walk 5,000 abreast. Think about this; every time they camped at the end of the day, a camp ground the size of Rhode Island was required, or 750 square miles.
Do you think that Moses sat down and figured out the logistics of what God told him to do before he set out from Egypt? I doubt it. He had faith that God would take care of everything. Let us have courage, we share the very same God!
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Get your song on!

Can you remember the last time you just started singing? For no apparent reason you just burst into song either in your head or out loud. You just couldn't stop from singing a few lines of your favorite song. Hopefully it was some time this morning or yesterday, I know I am bad about it. Especially in the car, I hear a song that really hits me and I start singing it. A lot of times if I am travelling to the far north or southwest part of the county for work I will turn the radio off and just talk to God. I like to call it windshield worship, some of my most meaningful moments and ideas come during times of riding in the truck just talking and listening to God. Once I am through talking and listening I often times find myself(I know this is corny) singing a song that I really like. It happened just yesterday as I was dropping some items off at our thrist store, I started singing a song that Chris Tomlin sang at Student Life this past summer that I absolutely fell in love with. It talks about God being the GOd of this city and how great and powerful He is in all circumstances. Also, it talks about better things are yet to come in the city. The song isn't as important as the singing is.
I used to watch a show called Ally McBeal with Tara, the show was extremely quirky with lots of funny little things but one thing I do remember. They went to a therapist and the therapist would have these attorneys pick out a theme song for themselves and that song should be playing in their heads all the day long. How much greater is it when we let God have control and give us our theme song!
Psalm 40:3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.
There it is, David went from being in the pits, to having God place his feet on the rock solid ground, and now God took it one step farther by giving him a new song. It is God's desire that all of us sing, sing joyfully to the Lord(whether it sounds joyful or not) but there are some ingredients to each song.
FIrst, we need to understand that storms come into life and they are ordained by God. God ordains those times of being in the pits, so that we can fully rely on Him to lift us out. Once He has placed our feet on solid ground again out of the pits, then is when the songs come back. So next time you're in a rut, feeling like you're in the pits or life is the pits, remember that is when you are most reliant on God, let Him lift you out and give you a new song.

From the pit to the rock

So I had some close friends growing up who had acquired 4 wheel drive trucks. I never had one, have never desired one because in my outlook that was just one more place for me to get into trouble, and one more thing to have go wrong on my vehicle. But, not so for my friends. One of my closest friends got a 4 wheel drive and we fixed it up, got it running right and took it into a huge mud pit which is now St. Johns River COmmunity College. We took it through every mud hole there was and it never got stuck, we took turns manuevering it through mud sometimes half way up the door and this was a very big, high sitting truck. It had huge tires on it and a lift so the door's bottom was about waist high for me. We were so proud and enjoyed this so much that a few days later we went to a place called "the pits" and once again stuck the truck in the worst area and tried to dig our way out with the tires, this time no luck. We eventually had to call for help, get boards and shovels out and dig. We had to dig out around the tires, stick boards under each tire the best we could so that it would not dig down deeper and have another large truck pull us out. This was no longer fun to us, atleast not to me. I didn't go on many more of those excursions as I am not into all the digging and calling, and pleading that was involved.
The bottom line however, is that we had to dig out and get the tires on a solid surface for them to have a chance at driving us out of the hole. WE also had to have the power of another truck to pull so that together we could get one truck out.
This is much like what David was referring to in these verses in Psalms 40:1-2; I relied completely on the Lord, and He turned toward me and heard my cry for help. He lifted me out of the watery pit, out of the slimy mud. He placed my feet on a rock and gave me secure footing.
David was in the pits, in a slimy watery pit that life had thrown his way. There are so many figurative examples that this pit could be representing. It could have been when Saul chased him out of the palace and attempted to have him killed, it could have been when his own son Absolom attempted to assasinate him, or maybe it was near the time of his adultery with Bathseba, or the death of his illegitimate child. All of these are examples of major pits that David fell into, but regardless of what pit it was he handled it the way God calls us to handle it.He called out to God to help Him and instead of getting a little bit of comfort, or even getting a lift out of the pit, he in affect got lifted completely out and placed on a rock solid foundation where he found secure footing.
YEsterday we were in the pit, today we see that God is waiting for us to surrender our pits to Him completely, then and only then can He take us out and place us on solid ground. THat's where we get our joy, and our song which is what we will talk more about tomorrow.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

The pits of life

Life is the pits, I'm just in the pits, this is the pits. All expressions we have heard someone share, or have even shared ourselves at some point in life. I'll admit it, I'm not too proud, I've been there. Those days when life is the pits and we just can't seem to get motivated. But, I must admit the advantage of being a believer and having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is that it is only a day or so in the pit. Never, will you experience the pits for prolonged amounts of time without Jesus lifting you out.
Psalm 40:1-3 I relied completely on the Lord, and he turned toward me and heard my cry for help. He lifted me out of the watery pit, out of the slimy mud. He placed my feet on a rock and gave me secure footing. He gave me reason to sing a new song, praising our God. May many see what God has done, so that they might swear allegiance to him and trust in the Lord!
There it is, we see David himself feeling those feelings of being in the "pits". He even goes so far as to describe it as watery and slimy mud inside of the pit. It doesn't sound like a place anyone would want to spend any amount of time.
The interesting part is the way he described coming out of the pit. He described it as singing a new song. I can admit to you, and you would admit it too, that I am a terrible singer. The beauty of being the terrible singer is that it doesn't sound as bad in your head as it does to others who are listening. I like to keep the dial on the local Christian radio stations but if there is a lul or a talk show I do have Big Daddy Weave in the cd player to rescue me. I love to sing along with the radion and it would be easy for someone to judge my day by the amount of time I actually spend singing along with the radio. It's easy for me to even tell when I am not in a good place, as I don't sing along even when some of my favorites come on the radio. I just ignore them or listen without any imput whatsoever. David tells us here we need to allow God to lift us out of the pits so that we can get a new song, and sing it with reassurance that when life gets too rough and we lose our song again God will be there to gently lift us out of the pit again, if we will let Him.
Have a great day and thanks for reading!