A major part of Christmas is re-arranging things. If you have a small house like ours, you will have to relocate furniture to make room for the Christmas tree. You'll no doubt have to switch things around quite a bit to get that festive feeling in your house. Tara starts out in the bathroom where the toilet seat, toilet paper holder and many other things are changed into a festive look. A snowman now sits upon the top of the dirty clothes hamper. Then to the kitchen where Christmas placemats are put in place as well as a table centerpiece, little houses, carolers, and many other things are put into place all over the house, the living room is moved around and the tree is put up. The roof is adorned with lights, the trees are subject to lighting as well as many other things. All this to prepare the house for Christmas.
Christmas is also a time to change our priorities. It's sad, but true that many of us need a day like Thanksgiving to get us in a thankful mood. Then comes the Christmas season that steers us more towards thinking about what we have, and family things. It's also a time to reprioritize when it comes to God. We focus more on Jesus and a baby, sent as the Savior to this world by His HEavenly Father. We should focus on such things year round, but instead we wait for Christmas to fe-focus our hearts to Christ.
Matthew 6:33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given unto you as well.
Not only is this a call to re-prioritize, it's a call to throw worry out the window. If we will seek God and His kingdom, a personal relationship with Him, and to live a Christlike life then all the other things are just additions. So many times we look at this verse and think that we will get blessings by living the way God calls us to. That's not the case, the blessing is in the fact that the things that the world puts as priorities will become just additions. A nice house, car, bank account whatever you put value into will no longer be the priority, but simply and addition.
I hope you want that for your life, an opportunity to re-arrange things so that the worldly things are simply additions, and not priorities. Keep seeking God, and seeking His will for your life and let the worldly things lose their value in your heart and in your life.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
It's all there
There are a few places where you hear a certain statement. Many times you hear it at a graduation, at a sports pre-game speech or in a church. But Jesus spoke them several times, "I have given you all that you need to succeed." Paul said it numerous times as well and so did Peter, they all had an understanding that a personal relationship with Christ, and a strong knowledge of scripture are all that is needed to succeed.
I've been in locker rooms where the football team has worked all week, they've watched film. They have schemed and come up with a game plan. That game plan is based on their strengths and the other team's weaknesses. They have planned all week to have a plan to take their strengths combined with a knowledge of the other team's weaknesses and bring their team a victory. The coach will say, "we have planned, we have worked hard all week, we have given you the keys to victory now go out there and execute!" Or at a graduation, there is a reading before the graduates walk accross the stage and it basically states that all of the students have met the requirements mandated by the state and local school board. They have been given all the skills and knowledge needed to move on to the next level of education and life.
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"
Peter says God's divine power has given us everything we need in life. There is nothing the world can offer that adds to what God has already given us. That coupled with the fact that we need a good knowledge of Him (God) who has called us by his own glory. God called us, we did not get up one day and decide to call Him, He called us from the beginning with a plan to offer us a personal relationship with Him and eternal life. It's all been part of His plan from day one, and knowledge of that, and a full understanding of that is all that we can offer people.
We cannot offer eternal life, we cannot offer success in life, all we can do is what Peter did and teach people about those things and let them get it for themselves.
So share the Gospel, teach the word of God and know that there is nothing greater we can ever offer anyone.
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
I've been in locker rooms where the football team has worked all week, they've watched film. They have schemed and come up with a game plan. That game plan is based on their strengths and the other team's weaknesses. They have planned all week to have a plan to take their strengths combined with a knowledge of the other team's weaknesses and bring their team a victory. The coach will say, "we have planned, we have worked hard all week, we have given you the keys to victory now go out there and execute!" Or at a graduation, there is a reading before the graduates walk accross the stage and it basically states that all of the students have met the requirements mandated by the state and local school board. They have been given all the skills and knowledge needed to move on to the next level of education and life.
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"
Peter says God's divine power has given us everything we need in life. There is nothing the world can offer that adds to what God has already given us. That coupled with the fact that we need a good knowledge of Him (God) who has called us by his own glory. God called us, we did not get up one day and decide to call Him, He called us from the beginning with a plan to offer us a personal relationship with Him and eternal life. It's all been part of His plan from day one, and knowledge of that, and a full understanding of that is all that we can offer people.
We cannot offer eternal life, we cannot offer success in life, all we can do is what Peter did and teach people about those things and let them get it for themselves.
So share the Gospel, teach the word of God and know that there is nothing greater we can ever offer anyone.
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
A rookie Pastor speaks out
So I know it is a huge mistake for a rookie Pastor to speak out and explain why he does what he does and what he thinks is wrong with a lot of pastors today. But, here goes anyway. My viewpoint is that a Pastor is a shepherd, if that is the case then a shepherd stays out in the field with his sheep, he knows his sheep and everything that they do. The shepherd may have hired hands, but those will usually run if a wolf comes or if ther is any danger at all. A shepherd will stay with his sheep in the midst of the danger and not leave until it is over with.
A shepherd does not sit in an office all day, does not attend meetings all day, and certainly doesn't go for weeks without spending time with his sheep. Pastors are repeatedly referred to as shepherds and if that is so then how can a person shepherd his flock from an office. How can he do it by sitting in meetings and planning events, he can't. He needs to be out in the world with them, on campuses, at ball games, at their workplaces, and anywhere they have the opportunity to be. That is where Jesus was, he didn't spend His valuable time in solitude all day or in prayer all day or in study. He spent ample time in each and then went out into the world and reached them. We cannot reach communities for Christ with the Gospel if we are not out in the community. It will not happen that way.
John 10:14 "I am the good shepherd, I know my sheep and my sheep know me-"
Jesus said that He is the good shepherd and stated taht He knew his sheep and they knew Him. That doesn't come from being in the same building for one or two hours a week, it doesn't come from praying for them in an office, it comes from being a part of their lives. Jesus also gave us the Great Commission and it doesn't say much for sitting in an office or in meetings.
To tell the truth, I can't stand to sit still. I spend the first 2 hours of the day in the word, and prayer and after that I don't want to be in no stinking office. I can't reach teenagers, parents, families, children or anyone from the office. I pray each day for the opportunity to go into the full-time ministry once again and once I do watch out there will be no stopping me! I will be on every campus, in every workplace, all over the map each and every day for Christ.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
A shepherd does not sit in an office all day, does not attend meetings all day, and certainly doesn't go for weeks without spending time with his sheep. Pastors are repeatedly referred to as shepherds and if that is so then how can a person shepherd his flock from an office. How can he do it by sitting in meetings and planning events, he can't. He needs to be out in the world with them, on campuses, at ball games, at their workplaces, and anywhere they have the opportunity to be. That is where Jesus was, he didn't spend His valuable time in solitude all day or in prayer all day or in study. He spent ample time in each and then went out into the world and reached them. We cannot reach communities for Christ with the Gospel if we are not out in the community. It will not happen that way.
John 10:14 "I am the good shepherd, I know my sheep and my sheep know me-"
Jesus said that He is the good shepherd and stated taht He knew his sheep and they knew Him. That doesn't come from being in the same building for one or two hours a week, it doesn't come from praying for them in an office, it comes from being a part of their lives. Jesus also gave us the Great Commission and it doesn't say much for sitting in an office or in meetings.
To tell the truth, I can't stand to sit still. I spend the first 2 hours of the day in the word, and prayer and after that I don't want to be in no stinking office. I can't reach teenagers, parents, families, children or anyone from the office. I pray each day for the opportunity to go into the full-time ministry once again and once I do watch out there will be no stopping me! I will be on every campus, in every workplace, all over the map each and every day for Christ.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
Monday, November 23, 2009
Credit where credit is due
So I think back on my life and what I am most thankful for, there are so many things that come to mind. First, I am thankful for a God who loves me, even though I am a sinner, who sent His Son to die on a cross for my sins. That is by far the thing that I am most thankful for. But there is so much more.
I am thankful for my two little girls, the reason I love life so much is mostly due to them, from softball to watching bike rides and rollerblading, to watching movies and reading books, I love every bit of it. I thank God for them every day several times each day, and I also pray that I won't mess up as a parent. I pray that He will make me into the parent that they need me to be and alongside Tara we will raise them to love God as much as we do.
I'm thankful for my calling as a Pastor, I am thankful for the opportunity to reach people for Christ, I am thankful that God placed that desire deep inside my heart. There is nothing that I desire more than to be the best possible pastor and ambassador for Christ. I work hard every day to better myself as a Pastor and as a believer in Christ.
I am thankful for Tara my lovely wife, and for the way God picked out a wonderful wife for me who gets me(most of the time) and loves me through my ups and downs. I thank God every day for her and I pray that I don't do anything to stop the love that grows between us every day.
I'm thankful that I have the desire and the go that I have. NEver is there a down time, a dead time, or a day of nothingness in my life. Each and every day we strive to better ourselves, reach more people and be there for as many people in the community as we possibly can.
I'm also thankful for people like Jordon and Katie Hutson, Amber Lowe, Hali Worthingtong, the Cooksey family and Donnie Gumble. People who have become a major part of my ministry where ever I have been and through their support I have weathered storms and made it through the peaks and through the valleys of ministry, thank you to all of them and many more that I didn't mention.
Now then, tell my servant David, 'This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture and from following the flock to be ruler over my people Israel'" (2 Samuel 7:8).
This thankfulness is something that David was struggling with. God had to remind him that he snatched him out of a field where he was the runt of the family watching sheep all day and night. He snatched him out of there and made him into the great ruler that he became. God was reminding him to put credit where the credit is due.
My credit must go to a God who snatched me up from a hospital where I was put up for adoption. I was placed in the arms of a loving family who raised me to love God, to cherish church, to read my Bible and pray daily. They taught me how to be a dad, how to raise my children, and how to manage life with a godly perspective. On earth I am most thankful for my parents, over all I am most thankful first for God loving me enough to send His Son,secondly for His placing me in the family that He did.
So as this thanksgiving comes, remember why you are who you are, and where you are. Remember that God planned it all out before you were even knit together in your mother's womb. He loves you and you had better be thankful for that!
Thanks for reading and have a great week!
I am thankful for my two little girls, the reason I love life so much is mostly due to them, from softball to watching bike rides and rollerblading, to watching movies and reading books, I love every bit of it. I thank God for them every day several times each day, and I also pray that I won't mess up as a parent. I pray that He will make me into the parent that they need me to be and alongside Tara we will raise them to love God as much as we do.
I'm thankful for my calling as a Pastor, I am thankful for the opportunity to reach people for Christ, I am thankful that God placed that desire deep inside my heart. There is nothing that I desire more than to be the best possible pastor and ambassador for Christ. I work hard every day to better myself as a Pastor and as a believer in Christ.
I am thankful for Tara my lovely wife, and for the way God picked out a wonderful wife for me who gets me(most of the time) and loves me through my ups and downs. I thank God every day for her and I pray that I don't do anything to stop the love that grows between us every day.
I'm thankful that I have the desire and the go that I have. NEver is there a down time, a dead time, or a day of nothingness in my life. Each and every day we strive to better ourselves, reach more people and be there for as many people in the community as we possibly can.
I'm also thankful for people like Jordon and Katie Hutson, Amber Lowe, Hali Worthingtong, the Cooksey family and Donnie Gumble. People who have become a major part of my ministry where ever I have been and through their support I have weathered storms and made it through the peaks and through the valleys of ministry, thank you to all of them and many more that I didn't mention.
Now then, tell my servant David, 'This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture and from following the flock to be ruler over my people Israel'" (2 Samuel 7:8).
This thankfulness is something that David was struggling with. God had to remind him that he snatched him out of a field where he was the runt of the family watching sheep all day and night. He snatched him out of there and made him into the great ruler that he became. God was reminding him to put credit where the credit is due.
My credit must go to a God who snatched me up from a hospital where I was put up for adoption. I was placed in the arms of a loving family who raised me to love God, to cherish church, to read my Bible and pray daily. They taught me how to be a dad, how to raise my children, and how to manage life with a godly perspective. On earth I am most thankful for my parents, over all I am most thankful first for God loving me enough to send His Son,secondly for His placing me in the family that He did.
So as this thanksgiving comes, remember why you are who you are, and where you are. Remember that God planned it all out before you were even knit together in your mother's womb. He loves you and you had better be thankful for that!
Thanks for reading and have a great week!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
True friends
As a pastor I receive a lot of advice on how to do things better. I must admit I don't listen to a whole lot of it sometimes as I can feel that it differs from where God is leading me in my prayer life. If I am in God's will then a complete 180 degree turn is not an option for that time. I do listen though, to any and all advice that is given depending on the source. You see, there are those who are just telling you what they prefer or want to get from the situation. They will share the info with you and then expect you to jump into action. There are also those who love you and care for you, they will tell you exactly what you need to hear rather than what you want to hear.
After a sermon I want to hear good job, that was a great one, or I enjoyed it. I don't want to hear you should have gone into more detail about this, or that; or even that was kind of dry. I don't want to hear those things, but if it is true then I need to hear those things. (Ofcourse it is never the case with my sermons, hehe) My point is you need to surround yourself with people who keep you real, and on task. People who care for you and tell you what you need to hear.
As a youth pastor there were so many people in the church that didn't care one way or another for the youth ministry. They didn't take the time to know anything about it, they were clueless but as long as there were teens there on Wednesday night and Sunday morning they were happpy. That isn't truly what youth ministry is about, but to them it was. They would tell me I was doing an awesome job, or that they were so proud of me. That was nice I must admit, but on the other hand I had a few college students and a few seniors that I sat down with regularly and told them to please critique what I was doing. A few of them I could tell were uncomfortable doing it, but still some of them were more than willing to do it. I still have them involved in my ministries today, they'll tell me what they really think and what I need to hear rather than tickling my ears with praise or what they think I want to hear. That's ego feeding and there's nothing worse than a pastor with an ego!
Proverbs 27:5-6 Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.
It is far better to have people in a congregation that will tell you the truth in love, than sit back and not say anything at all. Those who love you, truly care about you , those are the people who will keep you strong and help you in the long run.
My challenge to you is if you are in a leadership role of any kind, find people who love you enough to tell you when you are wrong or when you are not doing a good job. Those are the ones you want on your side, not the ego feeders.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
After a sermon I want to hear good job, that was a great one, or I enjoyed it. I don't want to hear you should have gone into more detail about this, or that; or even that was kind of dry. I don't want to hear those things, but if it is true then I need to hear those things. (Ofcourse it is never the case with my sermons, hehe) My point is you need to surround yourself with people who keep you real, and on task. People who care for you and tell you what you need to hear.
As a youth pastor there were so many people in the church that didn't care one way or another for the youth ministry. They didn't take the time to know anything about it, they were clueless but as long as there were teens there on Wednesday night and Sunday morning they were happpy. That isn't truly what youth ministry is about, but to them it was. They would tell me I was doing an awesome job, or that they were so proud of me. That was nice I must admit, but on the other hand I had a few college students and a few seniors that I sat down with regularly and told them to please critique what I was doing. A few of them I could tell were uncomfortable doing it, but still some of them were more than willing to do it. I still have them involved in my ministries today, they'll tell me what they really think and what I need to hear rather than tickling my ears with praise or what they think I want to hear. That's ego feeding and there's nothing worse than a pastor with an ego!
Proverbs 27:5-6 Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.
It is far better to have people in a congregation that will tell you the truth in love, than sit back and not say anything at all. Those who love you, truly care about you , those are the people who will keep you strong and help you in the long run.
My challenge to you is if you are in a leadership role of any kind, find people who love you enough to tell you when you are wrong or when you are not doing a good job. Those are the ones you want on your side, not the ego feeders.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
I am the greatest!
Don't you think so? Don't you think that I am the greatest pastor, softball coach, team pastor, racer, father, son, husband, cousin, friend, blogger, etc.... etc....?!?! If you don't then obviously you don't know me. Yesterday I got up before 6am to start studying GOd's Word and praying for my family and church. Then, I typed out my blog and got ready to face the day. I went into my office at the Betty Griffin House a little bit before 7am. I did some paperwork, returned some emails and waited awhile until I could return some phone calls. I then went to a school to meet with guidance about doing some bullying presentations, followed by doing some counselling at the First Coast Technical High School, then grabbed a bite of lunch. Then, I ran some things over to the Thrift Store that some people had dropped off at church for me to take, after getting there my mom called and she had locked her keys in her car so I ran back by the house picked up my dad and we went to take her his keys. After that I went back to the office to close out the day there. Left the office at about 3 to rush over and get Alexa from the dentist where Tara and P.J. were having their teeth cleaned. I took Alexa to the house to change and then to softball practice with me at St. Augustine. She ran the mile in under 9 minutes and did really well with it and she then did the leg workout with the girls. At 5, we left softball at st aug and drove out to football practice at Pedro. We hung out there and prayed with the team after practice, gave them Gatorade and cookies and then ran over to the Little League baseball park to see Luke play baseball. After that I finally got home I cooked dinner while they took their baths and we ate. Then I helped them with homework, got them into bed and did some reading.
Now if that isn't the greatest pastor, son, husband, father combo in the world I don't know what is. Without basketball or softball practice for Alexa it was actually an easy night, haha.
Proverbs 27:2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips.
Did you really want to hear any of my chatter about my day, blah, blah, blah. Probably not, but I typed it out anyway to let you know that I am the greatest. Many of you probably had a busier day than I did, and if so you were probably wanting your own blog to type it out. But that is completely wrong according to Proverbs. God wants us to speak highly of others and let our actions speak for themselves. We are all suppposed to think that we are the greatest, but it isn't until someone else praises us that we truly are of worth. SO think about yourself, do you praise yourself more than others do? Do you take the time to praise others more than yourself?
I hope you praise others and not yourself. A quote I read a long time ago said "Anyone who knows GOd will be humble, and anyone who knows himself cannot be proud."
In other words, our pride is dangerous and we can every day look back to see that we make more mistakes and do less with our lives that God wants.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
Now if that isn't the greatest pastor, son, husband, father combo in the world I don't know what is. Without basketball or softball practice for Alexa it was actually an easy night, haha.
Proverbs 27:2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips.
Did you really want to hear any of my chatter about my day, blah, blah, blah. Probably not, but I typed it out anyway to let you know that I am the greatest. Many of you probably had a busier day than I did, and if so you were probably wanting your own blog to type it out. But that is completely wrong according to Proverbs. God wants us to speak highly of others and let our actions speak for themselves. We are all suppposed to think that we are the greatest, but it isn't until someone else praises us that we truly are of worth. SO think about yourself, do you praise yourself more than others do? Do you take the time to praise others more than yourself?
I hope you praise others and not yourself. A quote I read a long time ago said "Anyone who knows GOd will be humble, and anyone who knows himself cannot be proud."
In other words, our pride is dangerous and we can every day look back to see that we make more mistakes and do less with our lives that God wants.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Softball is killing me!
Softball with Alexa is absolutely killing me. I can't take much more of the constant fixing and re-fixing of throwing mechanics, hitting mechanics, fielding, running, mindset it's all too much for me. We go to the park early Saturday morning and throw everything we worked on all week is erased. We hit, everything we worked on all week is gone, it's as if she is starting over again every time we do anything with the softball. It is so frustrating, she does not have softball iq, she just doesn't get it and she doesn't understand why I am so frustrated by that. I teach her things that no other 9 year old is learning about the game, I am teaching her things that should give her an advantage. AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! That is only a small portion of the frustration I am feeling, it leaves me borderline depressed some times.
Then, I think about God, how He has done so much for me and how frustrating of a creation I must be for Him. For years now He has sat waiting for me to come to Him early in the morning, yet only in the past 3 years have I truly perfected that. For years He sat waiting for me to pray to Him for His guidance in all my conversations and endeavors for the day. He must feel 100 times more frustrated with me than I do with Alexa.
Luke 11:13 "If you then, though you are evil, now know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him."
We know how to give all that we have to our children, so that they can be successful. We work hard at it, I at times have to calm myself down because I am eating, drinking and sleeping softball. It's oozing out of me to the point of needing to chill out for a day or two. All because I want her to be the best she possibly can, because I have all this information, and all these easy to access abilities to give to her. God wants to see us prosper, He wants to see our endeavors make a kingdom impact, and He waits for us to let Him do so.
So remember those days of teaching whatever it was to your kid that frustrated you as a parent, take that multiply it by about a thousand, and you have about 10% of the frustration God must feel when we don't engage in the Holy Spirit's power in our lives.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
Then, I think about God, how He has done so much for me and how frustrating of a creation I must be for Him. For years now He has sat waiting for me to come to Him early in the morning, yet only in the past 3 years have I truly perfected that. For years He sat waiting for me to pray to Him for His guidance in all my conversations and endeavors for the day. He must feel 100 times more frustrated with me than I do with Alexa.
Luke 11:13 "If you then, though you are evil, now know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him."
We know how to give all that we have to our children, so that they can be successful. We work hard at it, I at times have to calm myself down because I am eating, drinking and sleeping softball. It's oozing out of me to the point of needing to chill out for a day or two. All because I want her to be the best she possibly can, because I have all this information, and all these easy to access abilities to give to her. God wants to see us prosper, He wants to see our endeavors make a kingdom impact, and He waits for us to let Him do so.
So remember those days of teaching whatever it was to your kid that frustrated you as a parent, take that multiply it by about a thousand, and you have about 10% of the frustration God must feel when we don't engage in the Holy Spirit's power in our lives.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
Monday, November 16, 2009
Eat, drink and be merry
I'm sure you've heard the slogan, "Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die!" The Greeks lived by it, today far too many people live by it. There was a country song a few years back called Live like You were dying that captures that same meaning. The thought process is get all you can, enjoy everything that you can while you can because you never know what tomorrow could bring. In all honesty that is not so bad of a theory, if you are spending your time correctly.
Truth is, every day you live you are one day closer to dying. Also, James tells us in chapter 2 of his book that we are just a mist, that blows away. We're like a vapor in comparison to eternal life. We may live for 80 or even 90 years, but that is nothing compared to forever, there's no mathematical equation for that. But, how we spend our days is very important. We do need to make the most of every day, spend as much time as we can with God, with family and with loved ones. We do need to do all that we can while we can, but not the way the world tells us to. So many times I hear of surveys asking people what they would do this week if they knew they would die on Friday. Spend all their money, quit their jobs, have an affair(a great memory to leave your signifigant other), and many other things. The Bucket list is an awesome movie where two guys are seeing the end of their life not so far off and they start attempting things they wanted to do. I must admit there is a bucket list for me, but it isn't quite the same.
Paul addresses this in Ephesians 5:15-16 "Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil."
Live like the wise, live like God is calling you to live, not the way the world lives. The days are evil is a great illustration, because when do children get into trouble, when do they find themselves most mischievious? When they don't have anything productive to do. My little P.J. is great so long as you keep her busy, give her just 5 minutes of nothing to do and something will get torn up or someone will get hurt for sure!
So, eat food, drink water and be merry because the days are evil. Do all you can, while you can to share Christ with those you love, to be there for those who need you, and be sure to give God the glory for everything you have and are. Think about your "bucket list" and how much of it brings glory to God!
Thanks for reading and have a great week!
Truth is, every day you live you are one day closer to dying. Also, James tells us in chapter 2 of his book that we are just a mist, that blows away. We're like a vapor in comparison to eternal life. We may live for 80 or even 90 years, but that is nothing compared to forever, there's no mathematical equation for that. But, how we spend our days is very important. We do need to make the most of every day, spend as much time as we can with God, with family and with loved ones. We do need to do all that we can while we can, but not the way the world tells us to. So many times I hear of surveys asking people what they would do this week if they knew they would die on Friday. Spend all their money, quit their jobs, have an affair(a great memory to leave your signifigant other), and many other things. The Bucket list is an awesome movie where two guys are seeing the end of their life not so far off and they start attempting things they wanted to do. I must admit there is a bucket list for me, but it isn't quite the same.
Paul addresses this in Ephesians 5:15-16 "Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil."
Live like the wise, live like God is calling you to live, not the way the world lives. The days are evil is a great illustration, because when do children get into trouble, when do they find themselves most mischievious? When they don't have anything productive to do. My little P.J. is great so long as you keep her busy, give her just 5 minutes of nothing to do and something will get torn up or someone will get hurt for sure!
So, eat food, drink water and be merry because the days are evil. Do all you can, while you can to share Christ with those you love, to be there for those who need you, and be sure to give God the glory for everything you have and are. Think about your "bucket list" and how much of it brings glory to God!
Thanks for reading and have a great week!
Friday, November 13, 2009
Wisdom is all around you
It's so easy to take advice from those who are older, isn't it. We automatically go to those who are more experienced in whatever endeavor we are seeking advice in. If we are pastors, we seek advice from someone who has been doing it longer. If you're a mechanic you find someone who has been fixing cars longer, teacher, coach, plumber it makes no difference. It is very easy to train yourself to do it. But, at the same time we tend to listen more intently to those who are our age or closer to it.
The times have made major changes and advances in the recent 25 years and so it is easy to think that people are out of touch. We think if someone doesn't own a cellphone, doesn't have an email address they are out of touch with the world. We tend to discount what they are saying based on those factors. In reallity they may be more in touch than we are because of those things. Because they haven't been changed by technology and society they offer a better, more clear picture of what it is that is going on.
But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him" (2 Chron 10:8).
In this chapter Rehoboam took the advice of his peers and the younger workers as opposed to the elders and in affect divided the entire kingdom. A kingdom that was once one was now divided because he had chosen to discount the advice of the elders.
There is so much wisdom found in experience. Even if we don't like the advice others give us, or maybe we don't trust the advice they give us. God places people in our lives who have been there and done that so to speak. He places them in our lives so that we can grow and learn from their experiences.
So next time you have the chance to sit down and talk to someone with a lot of experience in your current situation, listen to them. Grow and learn from them because they are appointed by GOd to be there right then, if you don't use their advice you may end up like Rehoboam. And we see here what happened to him, by the way he was the son of the wisest man to ever live, Solomon.
Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!
The times have made major changes and advances in the recent 25 years and so it is easy to think that people are out of touch. We think if someone doesn't own a cellphone, doesn't have an email address they are out of touch with the world. We tend to discount what they are saying based on those factors. In reallity they may be more in touch than we are because of those things. Because they haven't been changed by technology and society they offer a better, more clear picture of what it is that is going on.
But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him" (2 Chron 10:8).
In this chapter Rehoboam took the advice of his peers and the younger workers as opposed to the elders and in affect divided the entire kingdom. A kingdom that was once one was now divided because he had chosen to discount the advice of the elders.
There is so much wisdom found in experience. Even if we don't like the advice others give us, or maybe we don't trust the advice they give us. God places people in our lives who have been there and done that so to speak. He places them in our lives so that we can grow and learn from their experiences.
So next time you have the chance to sit down and talk to someone with a lot of experience in your current situation, listen to them. Grow and learn from them because they are appointed by GOd to be there right then, if you don't use their advice you may end up like Rehoboam. And we see here what happened to him, by the way he was the son of the wisest man to ever live, Solomon.
Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!
Thursday, November 12, 2009
changing the climate
When you think of work, home, school and maybe some other places that you are in regularly how is the climate? When you think of climate and what it is like how much are you affecting it? I am a pastor so naturally I tend to change the climate, but it's funny to hear some of our kids at church tell me about how things change when I am around. One teenager from our church plays football at Pedro and he told me the other day that the language of the players and even some of the coaches changes when I am around. Another young man said the conversation and language changes at his table at lunch when I am there. Still another group tells me that there is more energy and fun when I am lunch with them. It's fun to hear them say those things and to think that I make a difference in simple ways.
So I challenge you to think about the climate where you are. In every possible place you go do you change the atmosphere, the climate the overall feeling of that area? Do people comment when you aren't there, or when you are missing for a short while? As a believer in Christ, as a church member, as a parent or any other title you may carry you should change the way things are where ever you are. People should be changed by having been around you, even if it is for only 5 Minutes they should feel differently because you carry around with you Jesus Christ. Many people know nothing of Him or His power, so we have to sprinkle that into every conversation, every situation so that others are introduced to Him through us.
Romans 14:19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
Whatever you do, where ever you are do you very best to bring peace, peace of mind and spirit to the people you are around. And do it by building them up, edifying them through the joy and the hope that you have as a Christian. We have to make them want that, want to know why things are different when we are around. Then, we have planted the seed and it's up to our prayers to water the seed until God sees fit to cast the Holy Spirit on them.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
So I challenge you to think about the climate where you are. In every possible place you go do you change the atmosphere, the climate the overall feeling of that area? Do people comment when you aren't there, or when you are missing for a short while? As a believer in Christ, as a church member, as a parent or any other title you may carry you should change the way things are where ever you are. People should be changed by having been around you, even if it is for only 5 Minutes they should feel differently because you carry around with you Jesus Christ. Many people know nothing of Him or His power, so we have to sprinkle that into every conversation, every situation so that others are introduced to Him through us.
Romans 14:19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
Whatever you do, where ever you are do you very best to bring peace, peace of mind and spirit to the people you are around. And do it by building them up, edifying them through the joy and the hope that you have as a Christian. We have to make them want that, want to know why things are different when we are around. Then, we have planted the seed and it's up to our prayers to water the seed until God sees fit to cast the Holy Spirit on them.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
thinking of others
As a young man and as a youth pastor I was able to get away with a lot. My walk with the Lord has always been pretty strong so that I could resist temptation without too much problem. I played sports in highschool and I many times ended up hanging out with people with lesser morals than myself. I would run into people after a game, or at a restaurant and get invited to go hang out somewhere with them. I would go, most times there would end up being some form of drinking or fighting going on so I would slowly make my exit when those things started happening.
Well, I had a few really close friends who couldn't be around it at all, because if they were they would join in. Then the following day I would hear the complaints and the guilt of them knowing they made some bad choices. So, I took 1 Corinthians 8:9 to heart and made sure that I kept my closest friends away from those situations. I could go to a party full of beer, cussing, fighting and such and be just fine. My friends on the other hand would fight it but eventually succomb to the pressures and temptations. For me it's the same way with movies, I can watch a movie that may have some inappopriate language or actions in it and be okay(not condoning watching them, I know I shouldn't many times) but I know for a fact that my children cannot. So I watch out for them, I can't just understand that I can handle it and automatically expect others to be able to handle it so I watch myself carefully.
1 Corinthians 8:9 -13 Be cerful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to teh weak. For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol's temple, won't be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols. So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall.
You see Paul was free from the things that they believed in that time, he was free to go into places where temptation ran rampant and he survived it well. He knew there were many who may not be so fortunate so he was careful of their weaknesses. So be mindful of those around you who either are not beleivers or are weaker than yourself, don't do anything that may cause them to stumble.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
Well, I had a few really close friends who couldn't be around it at all, because if they were they would join in. Then the following day I would hear the complaints and the guilt of them knowing they made some bad choices. So, I took 1 Corinthians 8:9 to heart and made sure that I kept my closest friends away from those situations. I could go to a party full of beer, cussing, fighting and such and be just fine. My friends on the other hand would fight it but eventually succomb to the pressures and temptations. For me it's the same way with movies, I can watch a movie that may have some inappopriate language or actions in it and be okay(not condoning watching them, I know I shouldn't many times) but I know for a fact that my children cannot. So I watch out for them, I can't just understand that I can handle it and automatically expect others to be able to handle it so I watch myself carefully.
1 Corinthians 8:9 -13 Be cerful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to teh weak. For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol's temple, won't be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols. So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall.
You see Paul was free from the things that they believed in that time, he was free to go into places where temptation ran rampant and he survived it well. He knew there were many who may not be so fortunate so he was careful of their weaknesses. So be mindful of those around you who either are not beleivers or are weaker than yourself, don't do anything that may cause them to stumble.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
Monday, November 09, 2009
restored
I love old cars, I have grown up around old cars all my life. My dad owning a 1969 Camaro himself and always working on other people's old classics it's fun to watch. I love to see people who go to a sale, buy cars that are in such bad shape it is hard to even tell what they are. You see people excited to pay $500 for a hunk of junk with no wheels, no interior and now sign of ever running. They take them home and they begin a process that is called frame off restoration. You see, most classics are so old now that you can't just spray some paint on them put new interior in them and be happy, you have to almost start from scratch.
My first car that I bought when I was younger was a 1967 Camaro, it had a straight six in it with a 3 speed manual transmission. It was a really nice looking ride on the outside. I had a close friend of my dad's paint it for me, and when he went to start painting it he realized it was almost all bondo. It had holes in the rear quarter panels that you could stick your head through. So he called me and asked if I wanted to hang new fenders or just fill the holes with bondo. I chose bondo, I had no intentions of restoring the car or keeping it for a very long time, I just wanted to have a nice looking car. So he filled the holes and smoothed them, then I put new carpet in it, painted the interior and fixed up the seats. Finally, we put a new distributor on the motor, changed the oil and bought new wheels and tires.
I was so excited the first time I drove it to work to show all my friends. They were amazed, they thought it looked like a brand new car. Everyone walked around it looking at the paint job, at the interior and the overall new look of the car. I had one really close friend that was riding home with me and I was telling him what all we did and how it was almost all bondo, how if we scratched the paint too bad the fenders might fall off(they wouldn't, but it was believable)
I had taken shortcuts to get it to look good, it was a quick fix. I did not strip everything off of the frame and rebuild the entire car, I instead just made it look good to the passer by.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; teh old has gone, the new has come!
You see a lot of self help books, a lot of Dr. Phil seekers and a lot of things that people use to attempt to fix themselves. In all honesty some of these things may help fix the problems that people have, but they only fix the outside. Only accepting Christ as Lord and Savior can fix them for good from the inside. Being in Christ is like frame off restoration, everything is fixed no shortcuts taken. So let's stop seeking quick fixes and start focusing on the one person who can fix it all, Christ!
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
My first car that I bought when I was younger was a 1967 Camaro, it had a straight six in it with a 3 speed manual transmission. It was a really nice looking ride on the outside. I had a close friend of my dad's paint it for me, and when he went to start painting it he realized it was almost all bondo. It had holes in the rear quarter panels that you could stick your head through. So he called me and asked if I wanted to hang new fenders or just fill the holes with bondo. I chose bondo, I had no intentions of restoring the car or keeping it for a very long time, I just wanted to have a nice looking car. So he filled the holes and smoothed them, then I put new carpet in it, painted the interior and fixed up the seats. Finally, we put a new distributor on the motor, changed the oil and bought new wheels and tires.
I was so excited the first time I drove it to work to show all my friends. They were amazed, they thought it looked like a brand new car. Everyone walked around it looking at the paint job, at the interior and the overall new look of the car. I had one really close friend that was riding home with me and I was telling him what all we did and how it was almost all bondo, how if we scratched the paint too bad the fenders might fall off(they wouldn't, but it was believable)
I had taken shortcuts to get it to look good, it was a quick fix. I did not strip everything off of the frame and rebuild the entire car, I instead just made it look good to the passer by.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; teh old has gone, the new has come!
You see a lot of self help books, a lot of Dr. Phil seekers and a lot of things that people use to attempt to fix themselves. In all honesty some of these things may help fix the problems that people have, but they only fix the outside. Only accepting Christ as Lord and Savior can fix them for good from the inside. Being in Christ is like frame off restoration, everything is fixed no shortcuts taken. So let's stop seeking quick fixes and start focusing on the one person who can fix it all, Christ!
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
Friday, November 06, 2009
endurance
So we are getting ready for softball season by having pre-season conditioning. We spend two hours two times a week running and doing things to help build up endurance for our players. It's our hope that when the season comes around the girls will always be in condition to finish out the game. We'll see times of losing and times of having bad games, but it is our hope that never will we just implode from being tired and out of shape. It's one thing to win or lose, it's a totally different thing to be in better shape than your opponents.
In life Satan wears on us, and the world wears on us and eventually we come to a breaking point. We may cave in because of pressures and a lack of preparation or we may endure it and be stronger in the end. I just finished a book by John Piper called Roots of Endurance. He talks about 3 major spiritual leaders of their day who faced many, many trials and struggles. One that really takes the prize for endurance in my mind is CHarles Simeon. Simeon was appointed as the Pastor of a church in Cambridge. The people of the church did not like him so another preacher preached the Sunday main service. Simeon did not let that discourage him and he would preach the equivalent of our Sunday evening services today. Anyone who attends church regularly knows what a slap in the face that must have been. To be the Pastor yet unable to preach the main sermon to the largest crowd. Even more, in those days there were pew holders(kind of like trustees, but not) and they would lock the doors of their pews and unlock them on Sundays to allow people to sit in them. Well, the pewholders didn't want Simeon to be the preacher, so they locked them during the evening service which forced people to stand and sit in chairs crammed in the aisles. None of this slowed down Simeon, this went on for 12 years before the pewholders finally caved in and let him have the pews and have the Sunday morning service. At one point the preacher who gave the Sunday morning sermon even passed away and they appointed another one instead of Simeon. He pastored there for 49 years before he passed away still preparing a sermon for the following week. If that isn't endurance, I don't know what is.
Hebrews 10:36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.
You see Simeon got it, it is not about what you want, what you feel or think. It's about enduring hardships, facing them head on and doing God's will. Knowing that in the end it is far greater to have laid your head down on a good conscience and having done God's will, than to live in comfort doing what you want to with your life.
Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!
In life Satan wears on us, and the world wears on us and eventually we come to a breaking point. We may cave in because of pressures and a lack of preparation or we may endure it and be stronger in the end. I just finished a book by John Piper called Roots of Endurance. He talks about 3 major spiritual leaders of their day who faced many, many trials and struggles. One that really takes the prize for endurance in my mind is CHarles Simeon. Simeon was appointed as the Pastor of a church in Cambridge. The people of the church did not like him so another preacher preached the Sunday main service. Simeon did not let that discourage him and he would preach the equivalent of our Sunday evening services today. Anyone who attends church regularly knows what a slap in the face that must have been. To be the Pastor yet unable to preach the main sermon to the largest crowd. Even more, in those days there were pew holders(kind of like trustees, but not) and they would lock the doors of their pews and unlock them on Sundays to allow people to sit in them. Well, the pewholders didn't want Simeon to be the preacher, so they locked them during the evening service which forced people to stand and sit in chairs crammed in the aisles. None of this slowed down Simeon, this went on for 12 years before the pewholders finally caved in and let him have the pews and have the Sunday morning service. At one point the preacher who gave the Sunday morning sermon even passed away and they appointed another one instead of Simeon. He pastored there for 49 years before he passed away still preparing a sermon for the following week. If that isn't endurance, I don't know what is.
Hebrews 10:36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.
You see Simeon got it, it is not about what you want, what you feel or think. It's about enduring hardships, facing them head on and doing God's will. Knowing that in the end it is far greater to have laid your head down on a good conscience and having done God's will, than to live in comfort doing what you want to with your life.
Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!
Thursday, November 05, 2009
The danger in too much Mary
In Luke chapter 10 Jesus visits Mary and Martha. Every time I hear a sermon on this set of verses Martha gets criticized up and down for her behavior. Jesus comes to visit and she is worried about cleaning the house and getting the meal ready. On teh contrary Mary is seated at Jesus' feet listening to His every word. This gives a great picture of how we act at church. There are in my mind 3 kinds of Christian church goers.
First, you have your Marthas, those people who show up and work all day long. They get there early and get things ready, they clean up afterwards(sometimes during) and they stay late after to make sure everything is done. Sundays for them are days of getting things done.
Second, you have your Mary's, those people who walk into church to be fed. Their soul purpose for being there is to worship God, to sing, to read and to listen to the message God has for them that day.
Thirdly, you have your in betweens, these are the people who get there early and help out. They then spend time in prayer and prepare themselves for worship and growing and during that hour they are completely focused on God. THen after church, they get back to work and help out where needed.
You see there is a danger in being a Martha because you spend all of your time working and miss out on focusing on God. Even if your work is for God, you miss out. There is also a danger in being too much Mary. Sitting at Jesus' feet is one thing, but there has to be a time where you put all you learn into practice. So the third person listed above who balances the two is what I feel God needs most in today's church. SOmeone who sits and worships at every opportunity, but then goes out and puts it to action.
James 2:26 says, "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead"
So in other words if you sit at God's feet all day long, all night long and worship. If you spend every hour you possibly can in God's Word, in worship and at church yet you don't act out any of your faith, it is seen as dead. God wants people to worship, to pray and to read their Bibles daily. But all of that is useless unless it is put into action. Live out what you learn from God's word and from your time in study or at church and give your faith life. That's what God needs believers whose faith is alive and working.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
First, you have your Marthas, those people who show up and work all day long. They get there early and get things ready, they clean up afterwards(sometimes during) and they stay late after to make sure everything is done. Sundays for them are days of getting things done.
Second, you have your Mary's, those people who walk into church to be fed. Their soul purpose for being there is to worship God, to sing, to read and to listen to the message God has for them that day.
Thirdly, you have your in betweens, these are the people who get there early and help out. They then spend time in prayer and prepare themselves for worship and growing and during that hour they are completely focused on God. THen after church, they get back to work and help out where needed.
You see there is a danger in being a Martha because you spend all of your time working and miss out on focusing on God. Even if your work is for God, you miss out. There is also a danger in being too much Mary. Sitting at Jesus' feet is one thing, but there has to be a time where you put all you learn into practice. So the third person listed above who balances the two is what I feel God needs most in today's church. SOmeone who sits and worships at every opportunity, but then goes out and puts it to action.
James 2:26 says, "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead"
So in other words if you sit at God's feet all day long, all night long and worship. If you spend every hour you possibly can in God's Word, in worship and at church yet you don't act out any of your faith, it is seen as dead. God wants people to worship, to pray and to read their Bibles daily. But all of that is useless unless it is put into action. Live out what you learn from God's word and from your time in study or at church and give your faith life. That's what God needs believers whose faith is alive and working.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
praying
I am asked more and more what to ask for in prayer. It seems that over the past 4 years of praying with the football team this team is asking more questions. I pray with them before each game and then we pray the Lord's Prayer together. It's cool to think that a whole football team has learned it and now can say it all together. But, still they ask me what it is appropriate to pray for and how to pray. I always point them back to the Lord's Prayer. Jesus said, "when you pray pray like this."
Our Father which art in HEaven, hallowed be thy name. They kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
THis is a great start, I start out by praising GOd for who He is and the fact that I can talk to Him. We must remember just who we are talking to and where He is. When I was a kid if you called someone on the phone(I am a visual person) you picture them standing there at their house on the phone. We automatically do that, especially at my house because we used a rotary phone mounted on the wall until about 15 years ago. So when you called our house, we were without a doubt in the kitchen sitting in the chair by the phone. Today, you call someone's cellphone and there's no telling where they are. You could be talking to them while they drive, while they work, or even at the beach or relaxing by the pool. When we talk to God we are dialing a direct line to Heaven, and we need to remember that. THen we pray for His will in our lives, not our own. It's fine to ask for things, to pray that things will happen in your life but it is important that we pray for His will. His will is far greater than our biggest dreams for our lives. His will is perfect, after all He made us so He would know better than anyone what will make us happy.
So start out your prayers by remembering who you are talking to and where He is. Then make sure you want His will, don't just ask for it, want it for your life.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
Our Father which art in HEaven, hallowed be thy name. They kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
THis is a great start, I start out by praising GOd for who He is and the fact that I can talk to Him. We must remember just who we are talking to and where He is. When I was a kid if you called someone on the phone(I am a visual person) you picture them standing there at their house on the phone. We automatically do that, especially at my house because we used a rotary phone mounted on the wall until about 15 years ago. So when you called our house, we were without a doubt in the kitchen sitting in the chair by the phone. Today, you call someone's cellphone and there's no telling where they are. You could be talking to them while they drive, while they work, or even at the beach or relaxing by the pool. When we talk to God we are dialing a direct line to Heaven, and we need to remember that. THen we pray for His will in our lives, not our own. It's fine to ask for things, to pray that things will happen in your life but it is important that we pray for His will. His will is far greater than our biggest dreams for our lives. His will is perfect, after all He made us so He would know better than anyone what will make us happy.
So start out your prayers by remembering who you are talking to and where He is. Then make sure you want His will, don't just ask for it, want it for your life.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
How to do good
This is not a formula for how to do good things or how to make your life better. It's not a quick fix or a way to snowjob people into thinking that you are a better person than people think. Far too many people have already figured out how to do that. Look at how many people are saints in the media's eyes yet we see how they live behind the scenes and we are appalled.
What I want to look at today is how to live out good deeds, how to do the things that we should be doing and what our attitude should be during those good deeds. There's nothing more sickening that the way people want credit for their good deeds.
We have a Christmas party for the kids in our programs through the Betty Griffin House each December. It's an awesome event where Santa makes an appearance, gifts are given out and food is provided. We provide the families with nice meals, and the children with gifts which they had asked for. THere are about 12 people who work hard to make all this happen. There is one lady who oversees everything and takes almost no credit for it at all. She quietly makes sure everyone is involved. Then, there is her assistant in the event who makes noise while simply doing what she has been asked to do, and she draws all the attention to herself.
Meanwhile, there are several other ladies that show up and work in the kitchen all day, never set foot on the floor or near anything except to take empty trays off of hte serving table. They work for about 8 hours total the entire time we are there cleaning, fixing, preparing, not once do you see them even stop to see the joy the kids have when they open their gifts or how great it is to see these families have their needs met, both physically and emotionally. Then, there are the few that show up as the families do, work hard openly and do all the stuff that is seen by the families, and they are the ones that end up taking the credit.
It's sad but that is how it works.
James 3:13-14 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom"
We show wisdom by a good life lived and by deeds that are done in humility. The lady who heads things up lives this well, but I want to point to the ladies in the kitchen. Those ladies deserve all of the credit in the world because not only do they work behind the scenes, not only are they the biggest part of making the event a success, but they do it without needing to even see what is going on. That is awesome, they trust that the kids are enjoying themselves, they trust that everyone is taking credit for it and they are okay with that. That is deeds done in humility. Humility is not publically thinking less of yourself than you ought to, it's the freedom from thinking of yourself at all. I read that quote some time ago and I wish I could remember where to give credit for it.
That's it, do what GOd is calling you to do, do it with the joy of the Lord and with total humility. Avoid thinking of yourself at all while you do it and you will double your joy.
(For those of you wondering, I deliver all of the packages behind the scenes, I set up all the tables before the families get there, and I work in the kitchen(sounds great I know), but I also spend a lot of time out there playing with the kids and seeing how it's going so I only have it half right! haha
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
What I want to look at today is how to live out good deeds, how to do the things that we should be doing and what our attitude should be during those good deeds. There's nothing more sickening that the way people want credit for their good deeds.
We have a Christmas party for the kids in our programs through the Betty Griffin House each December. It's an awesome event where Santa makes an appearance, gifts are given out and food is provided. We provide the families with nice meals, and the children with gifts which they had asked for. THere are about 12 people who work hard to make all this happen. There is one lady who oversees everything and takes almost no credit for it at all. She quietly makes sure everyone is involved. Then, there is her assistant in the event who makes noise while simply doing what she has been asked to do, and she draws all the attention to herself.
Meanwhile, there are several other ladies that show up and work in the kitchen all day, never set foot on the floor or near anything except to take empty trays off of hte serving table. They work for about 8 hours total the entire time we are there cleaning, fixing, preparing, not once do you see them even stop to see the joy the kids have when they open their gifts or how great it is to see these families have their needs met, both physically and emotionally. Then, there are the few that show up as the families do, work hard openly and do all the stuff that is seen by the families, and they are the ones that end up taking the credit.
It's sad but that is how it works.
James 3:13-14 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom"
We show wisdom by a good life lived and by deeds that are done in humility. The lady who heads things up lives this well, but I want to point to the ladies in the kitchen. Those ladies deserve all of the credit in the world because not only do they work behind the scenes, not only are they the biggest part of making the event a success, but they do it without needing to even see what is going on. That is awesome, they trust that the kids are enjoying themselves, they trust that everyone is taking credit for it and they are okay with that. That is deeds done in humility. Humility is not publically thinking less of yourself than you ought to, it's the freedom from thinking of yourself at all. I read that quote some time ago and I wish I could remember where to give credit for it.
That's it, do what GOd is calling you to do, do it with the joy of the Lord and with total humility. Avoid thinking of yourself at all while you do it and you will double your joy.
(For those of you wondering, I deliver all of the packages behind the scenes, I set up all the tables before the families get there, and I work in the kitchen(sounds great I know), but I also spend a lot of time out there playing with the kids and seeing how it's going so I only have it half right! haha
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
Monday, November 02, 2009
Envy vs. Jealousy
Have you ever been completely envious of someone or something? You look on them with such aw and so hungry for whatever it is that they have. Many of us have, I go to the race track all the time and I can tell you there are all these nice race cars, campers and trailers there that I wish we could some day afford. In all honesty, I can't say that I want them all that bad, but I would not turn them down if they were given to me if you know what I mean.
How about jealousy, have you ever been jealous? I can honestly say that I haven't been for a very long time, Tara has never really done anything to make me feel jealousy, but in the past and in old relationships I was constantly a little bit jealous.
What's the difference between the two, what's so different about them. Many times we put those words in sentences and it seems like they are good replacements for one another. They have two totally different meanings, but bring about the same results. Envy is wanting what someone else has, and wanting for your own not for them. It's seeing something and wishing you were the owner of it, and they were not. Jealousy is seeing something that does belong to you as having a possiblity of slipping away. It's a relationship that seems to be souring and you're afraid someone else will soon be in your spot, it's seeing someone do something with a friend or relative that you usually do. It's more fear driven than anything else, when we are jealous we are afraid someone is taking something away from us.
James addresses each of these issues because they are things that go on inside of us and cause fights and quarrels.
James 4:1-2 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.
There you see that James is addressing these very things, we usually fight and quarrel because of things on the inside that are causing us to react the way we do. Many times it is envy or jealousy that is fighting with us on the inside so we fight with them on the outside.
Then, he closes out by saying you do not have because you have not asked GOd. If God wants you to have those things then you will eventually have them in His timing. If you are jealous and God doesn't want for you that thing you are hanging on to then I promise it is not worth the fight at all.
God sees you, He knows your wants and He knows your jealousies. But in the end He strengthens you through them so that you can become the work that He needs you to be.
If it is meant to be, it will be, if it isn't there's something far greater in God's plans for you!
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
How about jealousy, have you ever been jealous? I can honestly say that I haven't been for a very long time, Tara has never really done anything to make me feel jealousy, but in the past and in old relationships I was constantly a little bit jealous.
What's the difference between the two, what's so different about them. Many times we put those words in sentences and it seems like they are good replacements for one another. They have two totally different meanings, but bring about the same results. Envy is wanting what someone else has, and wanting for your own not for them. It's seeing something and wishing you were the owner of it, and they were not. Jealousy is seeing something that does belong to you as having a possiblity of slipping away. It's a relationship that seems to be souring and you're afraid someone else will soon be in your spot, it's seeing someone do something with a friend or relative that you usually do. It's more fear driven than anything else, when we are jealous we are afraid someone is taking something away from us.
James addresses each of these issues because they are things that go on inside of us and cause fights and quarrels.
James 4:1-2 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.
There you see that James is addressing these very things, we usually fight and quarrel because of things on the inside that are causing us to react the way we do. Many times it is envy or jealousy that is fighting with us on the inside so we fight with them on the outside.
Then, he closes out by saying you do not have because you have not asked GOd. If God wants you to have those things then you will eventually have them in His timing. If you are jealous and God doesn't want for you that thing you are hanging on to then I promise it is not worth the fight at all.
God sees you, He knows your wants and He knows your jealousies. But in the end He strengthens you through them so that you can become the work that He needs you to be.
If it is meant to be, it will be, if it isn't there's something far greater in God's plans for you!
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)