So I just preached yesterday on the fact that we are not our own, we were bought with a price. With the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ on the cross our salvation was purchased so as believers our bodies are not our own. Now, repeatedly Paul addresses the fact that we are to live lives that bring glory to God. to live our lives in a way that is pleasing to Him.
That's all great but there is one step we forget about quite often. Brokenness. There's a christian song that starts out "Broken I come to you for I know you satisfy."
Brokenness is important, it was important in old testament times as it was in new testament times and today as well. You cannot offer your life, your soul, your all to God until there is a point where you come to Him broken. Completely humbled, and sometimes God allows things into our lives that humble us and break us and other times we need to see this need for ourselves.
Leviticus 6:21 " Prepare it with oil on a griddle; bring it well mixed and present the grain offering in broken pieces as a aroma pleaseing to teh Lord.
There you have it, every offereing lifted up to God in the old testament days was to be broken into pieces before it was offered up. How much of you was whole and how much was broken when you started offering yourself up to God? What is it that you need to do to become broken?
The best thing for you to do is focus on Christ and His sacrifice because He was more than broken when He was hung on a cross and crucified. How broken are you? How broken were you? What would it take for that pride of yours to be completely thrown away you be made vulnerable, vulnerable to God's mercy and grace?
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
A Titanic attitude problem
By now I am sure that most everyone is aware of the Titanic and the tragedy that took place in April of 1912. Especially with the movie several years back and the story that was told there are so many details that were manufactured and so many that are completely accurate.
The ship was the most majestic and most amazing and powerful moving thing every made by man. It was in all theories "unsinkable", there was no way that ship could be brought to the bottom of the ocean floor. The ship was made so that even the third class passengers were in better accomodations than first class on most other ships of this time. This was a huge 5 star hotel on the ocean, powerful, ritzy and unbelievably well built. No expense had been spared right on down to the fixtures in the bathrooms and state rooms.
This ship, because it's builders, owners and captains thought it was unsinkable was unfortunately not equipped with enough life boats. They had enough boats and rafts for about half of the passengers. As the story goes, after a Sunday worship service and the meal is the usual time when a lifeboat and lifejacket safety training would have taken place. This particular time they say there was no such training, it wasn't needed.
The ship sped off into the ocean at top speed, on a glassy ocean with almost no waves and not a care in the world. Warnings of icerbergs were given repeatedly and ignored, warnings of too much speed were given and they too were ignored. All in the name of pride.
Have you made the same mistakes as the Titanic? Are you walking around believing that you too are unsinkable?
1 Peter 5 offers some insight. verse 4 Young men in the same way be submissive to those who are older, All of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.
Then verse 8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
In these verses we are told to humble ourselves and see ourselves as needy, in need of God's direction and guidance. Then, we rae told to be alert becaue Satan prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Satan's greatest tool is your pride, and the second you think you don't need God in any situation or you think you are unsinkable Satan is celebrating because as it says in Proverbs pride goes before the fall.
Humble yourself, don't just follow God's direction and guidance in your life, seek it with all your heart. That unsinkable ship is at the bottom of the ocean floor, it sunk and it sunk fast just like we will if we don't humble ourselves and lean on God.
Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!
The ship was the most majestic and most amazing and powerful moving thing every made by man. It was in all theories "unsinkable", there was no way that ship could be brought to the bottom of the ocean floor. The ship was made so that even the third class passengers were in better accomodations than first class on most other ships of this time. This was a huge 5 star hotel on the ocean, powerful, ritzy and unbelievably well built. No expense had been spared right on down to the fixtures in the bathrooms and state rooms.
This ship, because it's builders, owners and captains thought it was unsinkable was unfortunately not equipped with enough life boats. They had enough boats and rafts for about half of the passengers. As the story goes, after a Sunday worship service and the meal is the usual time when a lifeboat and lifejacket safety training would have taken place. This particular time they say there was no such training, it wasn't needed.
The ship sped off into the ocean at top speed, on a glassy ocean with almost no waves and not a care in the world. Warnings of icerbergs were given repeatedly and ignored, warnings of too much speed were given and they too were ignored. All in the name of pride.
Have you made the same mistakes as the Titanic? Are you walking around believing that you too are unsinkable?
1 Peter 5 offers some insight. verse 4 Young men in the same way be submissive to those who are older, All of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.
Then verse 8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
In these verses we are told to humble ourselves and see ourselves as needy, in need of God's direction and guidance. Then, we rae told to be alert becaue Satan prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Satan's greatest tool is your pride, and the second you think you don't need God in any situation or you think you are unsinkable Satan is celebrating because as it says in Proverbs pride goes before the fall.
Humble yourself, don't just follow God's direction and guidance in your life, seek it with all your heart. That unsinkable ship is at the bottom of the ocean floor, it sunk and it sunk fast just like we will if we don't humble ourselves and lean on God.
Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
How to deal with the world
I hear all the time that we are called to turn the other cheek. We should not fight or quarrel or even stand up to others. In chapter 6 of 1 Corinthians it tells us not to drag each other into court that it would be better to just be wronged. Well, JEsus addressed this issue directly in a business setting. Every day we come in contact with people, some of us many people and we need to deal with them in a certain way. Jesus in Matthew 10 is dealing with just this sort of thing, and he tells us to be shrewd and innocent at the same time. He says he is sending His followers out like sheep among wolves.
"I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." - Matthew 10:16
First he tells us we are sheep and we are going to be around wolves every day of our lives. People that are waiting to devour us if we let them, we need to stand strong and true to our faith. In business dealings, in our home lives, in church settings and all around we are surrounded by non-believers who want a chance to attack us and bring us down.
Then he uses the word shrews which means: good at judging people or situations: showing or possessing intelligence, insight, and sound judgment, especially in business or politics
So in otherwords don't be a pushover, don't let others walk all over you, don't be naive and gullible. Use good judgment, use God's guidance to allow you to make insightful decisions. Shrewd like a snake, not soft a fluffy like a sheep.
Then, He tells us to be innocent as a dove. So we need to be thick skinned and shrewd like a snake, but handle ourselves in a christlike manner so that we are innocent as a dove. We need to be there, take care of the things we need to, use good judgment and keep our noses clean. This is tough, but it is what God's needs from us for our testimony to truly be effective.
So use good godly judgment today, but don't lose your innocence in the matters at hand because there are wolves all around you waiting to rip you and your testimony to shreds.
Thanks for reading and happy hump day!
"I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." - Matthew 10:16
First he tells us we are sheep and we are going to be around wolves every day of our lives. People that are waiting to devour us if we let them, we need to stand strong and true to our faith. In business dealings, in our home lives, in church settings and all around we are surrounded by non-believers who want a chance to attack us and bring us down.
Then he uses the word shrews which means: good at judging people or situations: showing or possessing intelligence, insight, and sound judgment, especially in business or politics
So in otherwords don't be a pushover, don't let others walk all over you, don't be naive and gullible. Use good judgment, use God's guidance to allow you to make insightful decisions. Shrewd like a snake, not soft a fluffy like a sheep.
Then, He tells us to be innocent as a dove. So we need to be thick skinned and shrewd like a snake, but handle ourselves in a christlike manner so that we are innocent as a dove. We need to be there, take care of the things we need to, use good judgment and keep our noses clean. This is tough, but it is what God's needs from us for our testimony to truly be effective.
So use good godly judgment today, but don't lose your innocence in the matters at hand because there are wolves all around you waiting to rip you and your testimony to shreds.
Thanks for reading and happy hump day!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
the parent test
So every year we undergo an evaluation at the Betty Griffin House. We look into things and look at the past year. There are about 30 different areas that are looked at and each area has about 5-7 questions on a specific task that was asked of the worker for the year. It always goes pretty well for me, but I think about the surveys that I pass out each time I speak. Every time I do a presentation for students I pass out a survey and at the end of that survey is a group of questions.
1. How well did the presenter explain the material?
2. How well did the presenter answer questions?
3. What was your overall opinion of the presentation and presenter?
For each of these questions you can answer excellent, good, or poor. I have never received complete scores of poor, but I have seen situations where a kid is mad that they are missing P.E. and they gave me less good scores. Same with my evaluation with the bosses, if money is tight and they are not having a good week your evaluation may not reflect the honest opinion of your year's work. What if I had to do this every Sunday morning, if everyone present could evaluate my sermons, I would not want that to happen. Many people say that this happens at the passing of the plate, but that is a less direct evaluation. Also, the plate is passed before the message in most churches so you are not directly graded. And, most people go to church with their tithe in hand, not waiting to decide as the plate comes by.
What if we had to be evaluated this way as parents? What if there was a re-certification test and evaluation? What would that look like? How grueling would it truly be?
Well, if it was from the world it would ask if you took care of their needs, bought them what they wanted, and made sure the graduated high school and college. God's evaluation would be different and more direct. Did you love the Lord your God with all your heart soul and mind, and more importantly did you raise your children in a manner that they would too?
Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not exaparate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
So God's final grading scale would be, not did they graduate college, go on to successful careers and have chilren. It would not be did you meet their needs physically and emotionally and provide for them. It would be, did you train them up in a godly manner. Did you raise them to love the Lord and to know His word? That is the only question we as parents truly need to ask ourselves upon a review of our parenting. Did we raise children who know GOd's word and love Him? If so then you get an A!
thanks for reading and have a great day!
1. How well did the presenter explain the material?
2. How well did the presenter answer questions?
3. What was your overall opinion of the presentation and presenter?
For each of these questions you can answer excellent, good, or poor. I have never received complete scores of poor, but I have seen situations where a kid is mad that they are missing P.E. and they gave me less good scores. Same with my evaluation with the bosses, if money is tight and they are not having a good week your evaluation may not reflect the honest opinion of your year's work. What if I had to do this every Sunday morning, if everyone present could evaluate my sermons, I would not want that to happen. Many people say that this happens at the passing of the plate, but that is a less direct evaluation. Also, the plate is passed before the message in most churches so you are not directly graded. And, most people go to church with their tithe in hand, not waiting to decide as the plate comes by.
What if we had to be evaluated this way as parents? What if there was a re-certification test and evaluation? What would that look like? How grueling would it truly be?
Well, if it was from the world it would ask if you took care of their needs, bought them what they wanted, and made sure the graduated high school and college. God's evaluation would be different and more direct. Did you love the Lord your God with all your heart soul and mind, and more importantly did you raise your children in a manner that they would too?
Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not exaparate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
So God's final grading scale would be, not did they graduate college, go on to successful careers and have chilren. It would not be did you meet their needs physically and emotionally and provide for them. It would be, did you train them up in a godly manner. Did you raise them to love the Lord and to know His word? That is the only question we as parents truly need to ask ourselves upon a review of our parenting. Did we raise children who know GOd's word and love Him? If so then you get an A!
thanks for reading and have a great day!
Monday, June 21, 2010
Exasparation
This will be a bit of a review for those who were in worship yesterday for Father's Day. I chose to look at Ephesians 6:4 which says, "Father's do not exasparate your children, instead...... The word instead breaks things up as Paul starts with a negative and ends with a few positives. Pauls tells us as fathers, and parents alike for that matter, not to exaparate our children. Do not make them mad basically, because when we do things to purposely make our children mad we are making them sin. A lot of people don't see eye to eye with me on this matter but think this way.
I had a young lady that I was working with at the Homeless Coalition, she was an awesome young lady and she was working hard to get her life together in her early highschool days. She had brought her grades up, she was attending school regularly and rarely did she get into any trouble at all. One night, her mom took her shopping with her and they tried on some clothes and her mom talked her into leaving with those clothes on and they got caught. To be completely honest when I found out she had been caught stealing from a retail store I was ticked. When she got out and came by the office I met with her and let her know how disappointing it was to see her work so hard just to fall back like that. Then, she let me know that her mom made her do all of it and later the mother admitted to it, even said her daughter cried and put up a huge fit against doing it. How sad, a mom making her daughter steal. That is so aggravating and goes against everything good parenting stands for. But, before you go pointing a finger I am sure there have been times where you have somewhat provoked your kids into being mad at you. If ever, you have done this you are making them sin. Obey your mother and father, is a comand that carries a lot of weight and it is listed with stealing, killing, coveting and all the others, so if you have made your kids mad at you(not by discipline or regular interaction) but truly, purposely made them mad at you are you really any different than the story I shared above? I think not.
We are to love, train and nurture our children in a manner that brings them to love God and us. The greatest job of any dad is to teach his children to love God and if we do that then we have succeeded as parents. We don't need to raise doctors, and pro athletes, and straight A students to be successful in God's eyes, simply love God with all your heart, soul and mind and raise your children to do the same!
Thanks for reading and have an awesome Monday!
I had a young lady that I was working with at the Homeless Coalition, she was an awesome young lady and she was working hard to get her life together in her early highschool days. She had brought her grades up, she was attending school regularly and rarely did she get into any trouble at all. One night, her mom took her shopping with her and they tried on some clothes and her mom talked her into leaving with those clothes on and they got caught. To be completely honest when I found out she had been caught stealing from a retail store I was ticked. When she got out and came by the office I met with her and let her know how disappointing it was to see her work so hard just to fall back like that. Then, she let me know that her mom made her do all of it and later the mother admitted to it, even said her daughter cried and put up a huge fit against doing it. How sad, a mom making her daughter steal. That is so aggravating and goes against everything good parenting stands for. But, before you go pointing a finger I am sure there have been times where you have somewhat provoked your kids into being mad at you. If ever, you have done this you are making them sin. Obey your mother and father, is a comand that carries a lot of weight and it is listed with stealing, killing, coveting and all the others, so if you have made your kids mad at you(not by discipline or regular interaction) but truly, purposely made them mad at you are you really any different than the story I shared above? I think not.
We are to love, train and nurture our children in a manner that brings them to love God and us. The greatest job of any dad is to teach his children to love God and if we do that then we have succeeded as parents. We don't need to raise doctors, and pro athletes, and straight A students to be successful in God's eyes, simply love God with all your heart, soul and mind and raise your children to do the same!
Thanks for reading and have an awesome Monday!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
more on Joseph
I mentioned yesterday that Joseph was a man of integrity as well as a man who was open and responsive to God. Those two traits together led him to be able to raise God's Son. I can honestly say that there are a lot of pressures associated with raising a child. From the moment you find out your wife is pregnant you are faced with all kinds of pressures and all sorts of changes in your life. I can remember immediately thinking of the things Tara and I would need to cut out of our lives, not because they were bad but because they weren't necessities and we were about to have an expensive addition to the family.
THose pressures carry you right on through teenage years as I have seen being in youth ministry well over a decade now. The pressures to make sure you raise your kid in the way that God would have you raise them is enough to make you crack, I wouldn't want to think about raising Jesus. Just think about how you act and talk and react differently when you think your pastor is watching or around. Or even at church, people dress different, and talk differently at church because they are in a Holy place well Joseph had a holy place right there in his own house, too much to even attempt to comprehend.
Well, we left off yesterday looking at how Joseph innitially handled the news that Mary was pregnant. He had planned to quietly divorce her and move on with his life. THen, an angel of the Lord appeared and now he has to make a decision. He decided correctly to follow God's lead and marry, Mary and raise GOd's Son. Think about these pressures, you are known as a man of integrity and high morals and now your fiancee is pregnant. Now, you are expected to tell people that it isn't your child. Ofcourse people expect you to say that, your morals are on the line. So Joseph took a shot to the gut with this news and this pregnancy as well. I don't think we can ever comprehend the emotions he must have gone through. From anger that his bride to be was pregnant and it wasn't his. Anger that he had saved himself for marriage and seemingly she had not. Sadness as he made his plans to divorce her quietly and slip out of the picture. Overwhelm from the idea that he is now raising a child that was unplanned for, and now it hits that he is raising God's child. Fear for how people would react and look at them during this time, and becausee most would not believe how the conception took place.
Don't ever tell me you have been under pressure, enough to cook you. Joseph faced so much pressure and so much ridicule and took it like a man, like the very man God chose to raise his Son here on earth.
Thanks for reading and have a great weekend.
THose pressures carry you right on through teenage years as I have seen being in youth ministry well over a decade now. The pressures to make sure you raise your kid in the way that God would have you raise them is enough to make you crack, I wouldn't want to think about raising Jesus. Just think about how you act and talk and react differently when you think your pastor is watching or around. Or even at church, people dress different, and talk differently at church because they are in a Holy place well Joseph had a holy place right there in his own house, too much to even attempt to comprehend.
Well, we left off yesterday looking at how Joseph innitially handled the news that Mary was pregnant. He had planned to quietly divorce her and move on with his life. THen, an angel of the Lord appeared and now he has to make a decision. He decided correctly to follow God's lead and marry, Mary and raise GOd's Son. Think about these pressures, you are known as a man of integrity and high morals and now your fiancee is pregnant. Now, you are expected to tell people that it isn't your child. Ofcourse people expect you to say that, your morals are on the line. So Joseph took a shot to the gut with this news and this pregnancy as well. I don't think we can ever comprehend the emotions he must have gone through. From anger that his bride to be was pregnant and it wasn't his. Anger that he had saved himself for marriage and seemingly she had not. Sadness as he made his plans to divorce her quietly and slip out of the picture. Overwhelm from the idea that he is now raising a child that was unplanned for, and now it hits that he is raising God's child. Fear for how people would react and look at them during this time, and becausee most would not believe how the conception took place.
Don't ever tell me you have been under pressure, enough to cook you. Joseph faced so much pressure and so much ridicule and took it like a man, like the very man God chose to raise his Son here on earth.
Thanks for reading and have a great weekend.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
JEsus' earthly father
I mentioned yesterday a character study on Joseph this week. Well, after much digging and reading it would appear that there are two major themes that are found in this man. First, he was a man of integrity, full of righteousness and second he was receptive to God.
Now, each of those traits are important to God's plans. Like I said yesterday God didn't just pick Joseph and Mary because of Mary's traits it was a full package deal. The two of them together were what God wanted for His Son upon His conception, birth, rearing and life. The integrity is important and it shows up in Matthew 1:19.
Because Joseph her husband was a rigteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
Now that goes against all that the world stands for. Think about it, Joseph has pledged himself to eventually be married to the virgin that he is engaged to. He has saved himself for marriage and is without a doubt(you know guys) looking forward to his wedding and honeymoon. Here he is a man of great integrity with high morals and now all that is snatched away from him. In one conversation his whole world is turned upside down, his virgin fiancee is now pregnant and there isn't a good clear explanation for it. He, no doubt, was very angry and hurt by all this. But instead of announcing it to all his friends and hers, he was going to break off the engagement quietly so as not to disgrace her. Most men, would have made a public spectacle of the situation just to get even and to hurt her in the way that he had been hurt. But, he didn't he decided to remain quiet about the whole ordeal and let her go on with her life, and he with his own.
I must admit, if Tara had come to me under those circumstances I would have been upset and deeply hurt. I can't say how I would have handled it, but my integrity would have been in question just by her being pregnant because she was my fiancee. Joseph had to have thought of that, yet he handled it correctly. So fathers, when God was looking for a father integrity in every situation was an obvious must because it is a major part of Joseph.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
Now, each of those traits are important to God's plans. Like I said yesterday God didn't just pick Joseph and Mary because of Mary's traits it was a full package deal. The two of them together were what God wanted for His Son upon His conception, birth, rearing and life. The integrity is important and it shows up in Matthew 1:19.
Because Joseph her husband was a rigteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
Now that goes against all that the world stands for. Think about it, Joseph has pledged himself to eventually be married to the virgin that he is engaged to. He has saved himself for marriage and is without a doubt(you know guys) looking forward to his wedding and honeymoon. Here he is a man of great integrity with high morals and now all that is snatched away from him. In one conversation his whole world is turned upside down, his virgin fiancee is now pregnant and there isn't a good clear explanation for it. He, no doubt, was very angry and hurt by all this. But instead of announcing it to all his friends and hers, he was going to break off the engagement quietly so as not to disgrace her. Most men, would have made a public spectacle of the situation just to get even and to hurt her in the way that he had been hurt. But, he didn't he decided to remain quiet about the whole ordeal and let her go on with her life, and he with his own.
I must admit, if Tara had come to me under those circumstances I would have been upset and deeply hurt. I can't say how I would have handled it, but my integrity would have been in question just by her being pregnant because she was my fiancee. Joseph had to have thought of that, yet he handled it correctly. So fathers, when God was looking for a father integrity in every situation was an obvious must because it is a major part of Joseph.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
why I am not a fan
I will be the first to tell you that I am not that big of a fan of father's day or mother's day. I truly feel like when we set aside a day to remember them we lose the impact of doing it. I think people call, send cards and buy gifts on these days mainly because they feel like they have to. I truly don't like the idea of tellling my dad I love him or my mother I love her on a certain day of the year more than the others. If you love your parents it will be apparent and known to be a fact year round. But still there are more cards purchased, more phone calls made on mothers day and fathers day than any other day of the year. This fact is sad.
But, as we prepare for father's day there are so many sermons that get tossed around. The prodigal son is a regular favorite of pastors all through out the land. The story of a father whose son takes all of his inheritance early, runs off and blows it big time. The son ends up eating out of pigs troughs and begging for slop until he has had enough. When the son comes back to beg to live with the servants, instead the father throws a huge party and while this angers the other children it teaches a great point of how fathers should be and more important how God our HEavenly Father accepts us back after sin after sin.
I want to a bit of a character study later this week, as study on possibly the most under rated father in the history of mankind. Joseph, JEsus' earthly father. THrough out history we look at Mary, the virgin birth, what an awesome example of purity and faith she was. We seldom take the time to look at Joseph a father chosen by God. If you want to know what a father should look like, shouldn't you look at the only father that was good enough for God's own Son?
So think about all your misconceptions of Joseph the carpenter and what he meant to the story and tomorrow we will start studying a little bit about this man, the man God chose to raise His Son.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
But, as we prepare for father's day there are so many sermons that get tossed around. The prodigal son is a regular favorite of pastors all through out the land. The story of a father whose son takes all of his inheritance early, runs off and blows it big time. The son ends up eating out of pigs troughs and begging for slop until he has had enough. When the son comes back to beg to live with the servants, instead the father throws a huge party and while this angers the other children it teaches a great point of how fathers should be and more important how God our HEavenly Father accepts us back after sin after sin.
I want to a bit of a character study later this week, as study on possibly the most under rated father in the history of mankind. Joseph, JEsus' earthly father. THrough out history we look at Mary, the virgin birth, what an awesome example of purity and faith she was. We seldom take the time to look at Joseph a father chosen by God. If you want to know what a father should look like, shouldn't you look at the only father that was good enough for God's own Son?
So think about all your misconceptions of Joseph the carpenter and what he meant to the story and tomorrow we will start studying a little bit about this man, the man God chose to raise His Son.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
Monday, June 14, 2010
faith, faith and faith
So I know most people are aware that I am a big Kutless fan. I love me some Big Daddy Weave and a little Skillet and Jeremy Camp but Kutless is probably my all time favorite band. They have sang songs that I like from their beginning over 15 years ago. If you come to Freedom Baptist Church often enough you will get a chance to sing songs like Better is one day, Strong Tower and other classics of theirs as worship songs. Well, yesterday Aaron plugged in one of my new favorites by the band entitled what faith can do. I love this song because it speaks to the heart of the problem with many beleivers today. They have faith, but they don't put their trust completely in that faith. THeir faith is a possession that they turn on when something is believable rather than something that drives them to think the unthinkable and accomplish things that seem so far out of reach. I want to share some of the lyrics with you, but first let's see what Jesus says about how much faith it really takes to move mountains.
Matthew 17:20
He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.
Faith the size of a mustard seed is what led Moses accross a dried up river, and it's what led Gideon's small army to victory. It's what led David to take on Goliath and it is what will take you on to bigger and better things if you will allow it.
Now here's the lyrics to the song:
Everybody falls sometimes
Gotta find the strength to rise
From the ashes and make a new beginning
Anyone can feel the ache
You think it’s more than you can take
But you're stronger, stronger than you know
Don’t you give up now
The sun will soon be shining
You gotta face the clouds
To find the silver lining
I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do
It doesn’t matter what you’ve heard
Impossible is not a word
It’s just a reason for someone not to try
Everybody’s scared to death
When they decide to take that step
Out on the water
It’ll be alright
Life is so much more
Than what your eyes are seeing
You will find your way
If you keep believing
I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do
Overcome the odds
You don't have a chance
(That’s what faith can do)
When the world says you can’t
It’ll tell you that you can!
I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do
That's what faith can do!
Even if you fall sometimes
You will have the strength to rise
Typing out the lyrics really doesn't do the song justice, if you get the chance look it up I believe you will love it too.
Thanks for reading and have a great Monday!
Matthew 17:20
He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.
Faith the size of a mustard seed is what led Moses accross a dried up river, and it's what led Gideon's small army to victory. It's what led David to take on Goliath and it is what will take you on to bigger and better things if you will allow it.
Now here's the lyrics to the song:
Everybody falls sometimes
Gotta find the strength to rise
From the ashes and make a new beginning
Anyone can feel the ache
You think it’s more than you can take
But you're stronger, stronger than you know
Don’t you give up now
The sun will soon be shining
You gotta face the clouds
To find the silver lining
I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do
It doesn’t matter what you’ve heard
Impossible is not a word
It’s just a reason for someone not to try
Everybody’s scared to death
When they decide to take that step
Out on the water
It’ll be alright
Life is so much more
Than what your eyes are seeing
You will find your way
If you keep believing
I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do
Overcome the odds
You don't have a chance
(That’s what faith can do)
When the world says you can’t
It’ll tell you that you can!
I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do
That's what faith can do!
Even if you fall sometimes
You will have the strength to rise
Typing out the lyrics really doesn't do the song justice, if you get the chance look it up I believe you will love it too.
Thanks for reading and have a great Monday!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Backwards mentality
So this world tells us through commercials, news, televisions shows and especially sports that the greater we become the greater we must be. If we accomplish big things then we are entitled to bigger things. I know everyone talks about it all the time, but I have to harp on it for a minute as well. I cannot stand the $ that pro athletes make. Now, they sign a contract to play for a certain amount of money, they are then expected to perform the end. But, instead what happens is they do good, and realize that someone who is not as good as them is making more money so they hold out for more. In some ways I feel they aren't to blame, it's the agents and the teams that allow them to do this that cause all the backlash. But what it tells our kids is that you are always entitled to more, that success breeds more money and so on. This thinking even effects kids, I saw a kid talking to their parents the other day and they had been given a bike as a reward for a - b honor roll the year before, but this year they had made straight a's the whole year and it was a grade higher so they expected something more than a bike. A reward is a reward and it doesn't necessarily have to fit the accomplishment.
John gives us something backwards to think about.
John 3:30 He must become greater, I must become less.
There you have it, the better we get, the more we do the greater GOD becomes, and not us. We need to allow God daily to become more, to increase as our images and our egoes decrease. It is so important that we start teaching this to our young people, because when you do big things for God the reward is in the accomplishment.
When I won my first race as a drag racer I did not care about the trophy, the money or the picture that was taken. I cared about the fact that I had accomplished something huge and won. WIthin a year's time I was going to races according to how much they paid the winner, skippinig out on races that didn't pay that much to win and so on. Why? Because I had blown up my thinking and my ego was soaring. IT's the same way with God, when we accomplish something and it is truly for Him we are perfectly content with the accomplishment and need no stroking or reward for it.
Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!
John gives us something backwards to think about.
John 3:30 He must become greater, I must become less.
There you have it, the better we get, the more we do the greater GOD becomes, and not us. We need to allow God daily to become more, to increase as our images and our egoes decrease. It is so important that we start teaching this to our young people, because when you do big things for God the reward is in the accomplishment.
When I won my first race as a drag racer I did not care about the trophy, the money or the picture that was taken. I cared about the fact that I had accomplished something huge and won. WIthin a year's time I was going to races according to how much they paid the winner, skippinig out on races that didn't pay that much to win and so on. Why? Because I had blown up my thinking and my ego was soaring. IT's the same way with God, when we accomplish something and it is truly for Him we are perfectly content with the accomplishment and need no stroking or reward for it.
Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!
Wednesday, June 09, 2010
My church life
I can honestly say that I grew up in church, from the day I was old enough to be carried into church till now I have never been out of church. I am thankful that my parents raised me that way and I am doing my best to raise my children the same way. I recall as a kid loving going to Sunday School, church, Training Union, R.A.'s and so on. Never do I recall not wanting to go. Just this past Saturday night I was up all night throwing up. I honestly threw up so much that my entire body was cramping. I couldn't move at times in the bed, it was exhausting to stand up for more than a minute and it was a chore just to get dressed. I am not exaggerating any of this in any way. I felt like I had run a marathon and not drank any fluids, I was completely washed out feeling with no energy at all. I actually fell asleep somewhere around 6am and had to get up at 7:30.
When the alarm went off I was unhappy, almost angry with it for making that loud noise when I had hardly slept at all the night before. THen, it dawned on me that it was Sunday and it all seemed better. Like I said it was a major chore to get dressed, but that didn't slow me down. I got up, got showered, dressed and off and running. We had our graduate recognition service and then a few hours later a memorial service for Mrs. Rachel Johnson. I made it through most of it and survived with flying colors. All because it was SUnday and it was spent inside the walls of God's House.
Psalm 122:1 says, 'I rejoiced with those who said to me, "Let us go to the House of the Lord."'
That is probably why one of my favorite songs in Christian music remains Better is one day.
Better is one day in your courts, better is one day in your house, better is one day in your courts than thousands elsewhere.
Kutless sings this song and it more than covers my feelings towards church. I have had a rough week with P.J. getting sick, then Tara and so on. But tonight it all changes because it's Youth at 6:30 and better is one hour in His house than thousands anywhere else!
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
When the alarm went off I was unhappy, almost angry with it for making that loud noise when I had hardly slept at all the night before. THen, it dawned on me that it was Sunday and it all seemed better. Like I said it was a major chore to get dressed, but that didn't slow me down. I got up, got showered, dressed and off and running. We had our graduate recognition service and then a few hours later a memorial service for Mrs. Rachel Johnson. I made it through most of it and survived with flying colors. All because it was SUnday and it was spent inside the walls of God's House.
Psalm 122:1 says, 'I rejoiced with those who said to me, "Let us go to the House of the Lord."'
That is probably why one of my favorite songs in Christian music remains Better is one day.
Better is one day in your courts, better is one day in your house, better is one day in your courts than thousands elsewhere.
Kutless sings this song and it more than covers my feelings towards church. I have had a rough week with P.J. getting sick, then Tara and so on. But tonight it all changes because it's Youth at 6:30 and better is one hour in His house than thousands anywhere else!
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
Tuesday, June 08, 2010
talents?
So I went to Alexa's first All Star(non-practice) last night. She had open field and it reminded me of my first all star team. We showed up at All Star practice and they had taken the top 12 vote getters from our season and put us on a team together. There were about 8 different teams so there were a lot of kids to chose from, it was awesome just to make it. But, I got to practice and on the way I was telling my dad how I couldn't wait to pitch in my first all star game. Well, the coaches let us all warm up and then started putting us into position.
The first kid they put at catcher, and as he went there he said "I figured I would be pitching." The second kid went to first base, "I want to pitch" he said. The next kid to shortstop, then second, third and through the outfield. All in all there were 7 of us that thought we were going to pitch. It was not comical at all at the moment for me, for the parents who thought their kid was going to pitch or for the coaches. But, we made work of it, the coach pulled us all aside at the end and said there would be several pitchers but that he needed to have his 9 best players on the field at all times. This eased things up somewhat and allowed us to move on.
But think about that, 7 pitchers on a 12 player team. That doesn't leave many position players and it doesn't allow for much comradry. Probably most any other coach would have let us fight it out, argue fuss and quarrel as we debated who should pitch. He handled it correctly and helped us realize that in reality bats were the most important, and we couldn't just pitch and sit.
1 Peter 4:10 says "Each of you has been blessed with one of God’s many wonderful gifts to be used in the service of others. So use your gifts well."
God has blessed each of us with one of His gifts to be used to better our church and our family. We can't all be the same person in teh same position or we will not cover all the bases. If a church was full of servants no one would take the lead. If a church was full of teachers there would be no one to teach, if a church was full of singers there would be only a choir and no congregation. God gifts us all, and then places us in a body of believers that will help us to get through the things that we need to accomplish inside of a church a ministry and a family. If we don't use them correctly we will in a sense be taken ourselves out of the game and hurting the team.
So think about your gifts, are you using them the way God had intended? Or are you just sitting back and wasting them. It's all up to you and your personal drive.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
The first kid they put at catcher, and as he went there he said "I figured I would be pitching." The second kid went to first base, "I want to pitch" he said. The next kid to shortstop, then second, third and through the outfield. All in all there were 7 of us that thought we were going to pitch. It was not comical at all at the moment for me, for the parents who thought their kid was going to pitch or for the coaches. But, we made work of it, the coach pulled us all aside at the end and said there would be several pitchers but that he needed to have his 9 best players on the field at all times. This eased things up somewhat and allowed us to move on.
But think about that, 7 pitchers on a 12 player team. That doesn't leave many position players and it doesn't allow for much comradry. Probably most any other coach would have let us fight it out, argue fuss and quarrel as we debated who should pitch. He handled it correctly and helped us realize that in reality bats were the most important, and we couldn't just pitch and sit.
1 Peter 4:10 says "Each of you has been blessed with one of God’s many wonderful gifts to be used in the service of others. So use your gifts well."
God has blessed each of us with one of His gifts to be used to better our church and our family. We can't all be the same person in teh same position or we will not cover all the bases. If a church was full of servants no one would take the lead. If a church was full of teachers there would be no one to teach, if a church was full of singers there would be only a choir and no congregation. God gifts us all, and then places us in a body of believers that will help us to get through the things that we need to accomplish inside of a church a ministry and a family. If we don't use them correctly we will in a sense be taken ourselves out of the game and hurting the team.
So think about your gifts, are you using them the way God had intended? Or are you just sitting back and wasting them. It's all up to you and your personal drive.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
Wednesday, June 02, 2010
Doing work
I am sure that the title for this blog, the fact that it includes the word work brought little or no excitement to you. Work is something that we all must do to make money, in order to provide for our family and their needs. Work is a word that is along the lines of a cuss words for many, I know that I love the ministry. I love every piece of the puzzle even including the not so fun things involved in being a pastor. There is not one ounce of dread on me or in my mind any day I get to do ministry. But, there is the other side of things. Because the church is not financially stable and shows little or no sign of getting to that point any time soon I must find another place to make my money. I work as a community educator at the Betty Griffin House. I can't honestly say there is anything bad about the job other than the fact that it isn't ministry. I enjoy speaking to kids and teenagers about things and the job affords me time to be on the campuses here in town. The people I work for are awesome and the pay is decent. It just isn't ministry, well Solomon addresses work some in the book of Ecclesiastes.
He says there is a time for everything, and God has ordained there to be a time to work. He says man's fate is just like that of animals, we both die. From dust we both come and to dust we both return. He couldn't be truer in the earthly sense. But he closes the chapter out with a little important blurb.
Ecclesiastes 3:22-23 "So I saw that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?"
So try your best to enjoy your work, I know we don't like work but we can enjoy it. If nothing else realize that work is your ministry field, it is your opportunity to reach people only you can reach for Christ. I came into the Betty Griffin House hoping to reach all kinds of kids and teachers. Instead I become close with a family that has proven to be a very important addition to our ministries at Freedom. So we think we know why we are somewhere and who we are there for, but only God truly knows.
Live every day at work as if it is God's day and God's plan because it is and you will see fruit from all your labors.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
He says there is a time for everything, and God has ordained there to be a time to work. He says man's fate is just like that of animals, we both die. From dust we both come and to dust we both return. He couldn't be truer in the earthly sense. But he closes the chapter out with a little important blurb.
Ecclesiastes 3:22-23 "So I saw that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?"
So try your best to enjoy your work, I know we don't like work but we can enjoy it. If nothing else realize that work is your ministry field, it is your opportunity to reach people only you can reach for Christ. I came into the Betty Griffin House hoping to reach all kinds of kids and teachers. Instead I become close with a family that has proven to be a very important addition to our ministries at Freedom. So we think we know why we are somewhere and who we are there for, but only God truly knows.
Live every day at work as if it is God's day and God's plan because it is and you will see fruit from all your labors.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
Be honest
Have you ever had a friend who told it like it was. I can honestly say that through all the years of youth ministry and ministry that I have endured there are few teenagers that truly tell it like it is. There are some who pull you aside and tell you exactly how they feel and how they think you should handle things. Then there are those who tell you right on the spot. People tend to want to surround themselves with those who tell them what they want to hear instead of what they need to hear. I for one really want people who keep it real(to use today's slang) and tell me exactly how they feel about me and my actions.
He who rebukes a man will in teh end gain more favor than he who has a flattering tongue. Proverbs 28:23
There are times where I try something new in the ministry or look for a new way to do things and guess what it seems to go great. I ask a few people and they see how excited I am to talk about it and try it that they tell me what they think will make me happy and smile. Then a few weeks or even months later you find out that it wasn't really that great and you feel like a fool. So I tend to cut to the chase, I have a few teenagers right now that will be totally honest with me, and several adults who are involved in all the church's ministries who will tell me exactly what I need to hear. It saves you a lot of headaches and at times heartaches.
So, make sure you tell people exactly what they need to hear when they need to hear it. You wil make them better in the long run, and they will respect you far more in the long run.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
He who rebukes a man will in teh end gain more favor than he who has a flattering tongue. Proverbs 28:23
There are times where I try something new in the ministry or look for a new way to do things and guess what it seems to go great. I ask a few people and they see how excited I am to talk about it and try it that they tell me what they think will make me happy and smile. Then a few weeks or even months later you find out that it wasn't really that great and you feel like a fool. So I tend to cut to the chase, I have a few teenagers right now that will be totally honest with me, and several adults who are involved in all the church's ministries who will tell me exactly what I need to hear. It saves you a lot of headaches and at times heartaches.
So, make sure you tell people exactly what they need to hear when they need to hear it. You wil make them better in the long run, and they will respect you far more in the long run.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
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