Perception

                When the church called to ask the young pastor if he was interested in preaching on the upcoming Sunday, the young man got excited about the possibilities of what to preach on.  He spent the week preparing for his first sermon in a new church.  He worked hard on getting the scriptures to fit into the topic he was led to speak about.  He knew God had inspired the sermon that he had prepared for the week.  The young pastor was ready to walk into the church and give his sermon.

                As Sunday arrived, the young pastor walked into the church as Sunday school was going on.  He was greeted by the gentleman that invited him to speak.  The pastor was excited to be given the opportunity he had been given.  He couldn’t wait until Sunday school ended and the service began.  Everyone started filling the sanctuary and they were preparing for service to begin.  One of the board members got up and made the morning announcements.  He turned the service over to the worship leader and the congregation sang the songs.  The spirit was already present that morning in that little church. 

                The time came for the pastor to give the sermon, but he didn’t walk to the front of the sanctuary.  He quietly slip to the back corner of the room and began to speak from there.  The congregation was completely shocked that the pastor was talking from the back of the room rather than pulpit where he was supposed to be.  The young pastor spent half of his sermon in the back of the room talking about the perception that people have about the church.  He explained that the normal perception is for a pastor to be in the pulpit, but that perception needs to change.  It doesn’t matter where the message is delivered from.  As long as God gives you a message to bring, then you need to bring it from wherever you stand. 

                Now as we work to do the work that God has given us to do, have we allowed the congregation to dictate how and where we do that work.  Jesus didn’t spend His life preaching in the synagogues.  He took His message to the people that needed to hear it most.  The churches today have to get out of the walls of their safety and take the message to the world.  We have to change the perception that the world sees in the church.  We have to allow the world to see that the church is not a building but it is the people in the building.  The church needs to leave the building behind and find people where they are.  Statistics prove that the majority of people are not in the churches on any given Sunday.  They are out in the community filling their time with other things besides God.  That is where the “church” has to go. 

                The church needs to remember what Jesus taught us in Mathew.  Mathew 18:19-20 says, “19 Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.  20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”  Those verses tell us that Jesus is with us when we have church outside the walls of the building.  We can have church gatherings in the park and God will be there with us.  That perception shift will help us reach the people that refuse to walk in a church.  It will also help to change their perception that the church will fall down if they go.  God doesn’t need the building to be contained in, He needs the people to carry the message wherever they go. 

                The young pastor taught the congregation to expand their perceptions about where the message is to be brought from.  There is not a single place that the message has to presented.  When we start putting God in a box, then that is where He will stay with us.  Now is the time for the congregations to start having church in the restaurants, at the park, or wherever else two or more gather together.  I ask you today, are you ready to change the perception and preach from the back corner of the room?  Are you ready to take God out of the box and present Him to the world where the world lives?

                Lord I pray today that the “church” leaves the safe confides of the building and starts changing the perceptions of the world.  I ask that you bless the people that are not afraid to openly take you to the world.  Lord please open the doors of the building and get the church out in the community to take the message outside the walls.  I pray this in you glorious name, Amen.

Personal Revival

               

Growing up in the south we always enjoyed when the church would have a revival.  This was a time when the church would come together for a week of services with a guest pastor.  These services were always a chance to recharge the batteries and light the fires for ministry again.  This was also a time that people were invited to the church for the first time.  Most congregations saw an influx of people from these revivals.  And the week usually concluded on Sunday with a dinner on the grounds.  These were always good times to be around the church.

                But where have all the revivals gone?  It seems like there are fewer and fewer churches desire to have revivals anymore.  They tend to keep business as usual and want to maintain the status quo of their weekly church meetings.  Are churches afraid of starting something within the congregation that they can’t control?  Are pastors scared to bring in someone else to teach their flock?  Whatever the case may be, there needs to be a revival started in every church.  It is time that we return to a time when people come together more often than the regularly scheduled times.  It is time to break out of the rut of predictability and let the Holy Spirit reignite our fires.

                Where do we start to create a revival in our spirit?  The first thing we have to do is have a personal revival.  There is no way that the church will ever have a time of revival until the members within it have their own personal revival.  So how do we have a personal revival?  James 4:7-10 tells us exactly how to start.  It says, “7 Submit yourselves, then, to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you.  Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.  9 Grieve, mourn and wail.  Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.  10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”  These verses make it clear what you have to do, you have to humble yourself to the Lord and resist the devil.  When we do these things on a regular basis, then we will revive our spirit and be drawn closer to God.  Our spirit will be rekindled and our desire to seek God first will be evident.  Then and only then will we be part of a greater revival for God.

                As we commit ourselves to our own renewal, we will see the Holy Spirit moving through other people.  We will see others getting deeper in their relationship with God.  And as more and more people in the church have a personal revival, the church will not have a choice but to have a corporate revival.  It will start reaching back out to the world and bringing in the lost.  We will experience a resurgence in the world.  The church will become the hospital for people that have lost all hope again.  Lost souls will have a desire to find more meaning in their life because of what the Holy Spirit is doing in the lives of people in the church. 

                Once the church starts a revival, then it will cause a revival in the world.  You will see fathers taking active rolls in their kids’ lives.  You will see the amount of fighting between different groups of people subside.  Communities will start taking pride in one another and will build each other up rather than tearing them down.  The world as a whole will become a better place.  But all this change has to come from within the church.  The political system will never be able to change the hearts of people.  Only God can make that change and the world needs to a conduit to see God.  It is time for the church to start a down home revival in the world.

                There is no time like today to start your own personal revival.  God can move mountains if we have the faith of a mustard seed.  In the world today, we need as many churches on fire for God as possible.  And the only way the church will have a revival is if the members have their own personal revival.  It is time for a mass revival in the world and every one of us are a small part of it.  Are you ready for a revival?

                Lord I come to you with revival on the heart.  Our world needs you know more than ever and I pray that you start a revival in all of us.  Today is the day and we need you to take control of the world.  I pray that everyone that reads this will look to you to revive their spirit and make them a catalyst for the church to make a push in the world.  Lord I pray that the Holy Spirit will infect all of us and light a fire for you.  Even if our wood is wet, you have the power to make the changes in our hearts to reignite us and be a burning bush for the world.  In the name of Jesus, amen.

Warm Worms

                Henry and Bill had always been the best of friends and they had always experienced new things together.  So it was no different when Henry decided he wanted to try his hand at ice fishing.  Henry talked Bill into embarking on the trip with him.  They made their plans, gathered up their tackle and did all the research they could on how to ice fish.  The day finally came and they both were excited about the adventure they were on.  When they arrived at the frozen lake, they followed the locals’ advice and went out a couple hundred yards off the shore.  They found a spot that looked liked it had been fished recently, so they knew it would be easier to break through the ice.  They set up their fish gear for a day of fun and fellowship.

                Both men had been fishing for a little while and Henry never got a bite.  He noticed his buddy a few feet away was catching fish after fish.  Finally after watching Bill reel in his sixth fish of the morning, Henry asked Bill what he was doing wrong.  Bill looked right at Henry and said, “Ymmm Hmmm Mm Mmmm Tmm Mmmms Mmm.”  Henry must have thought his ears were frozen because he didn’t understand a word Bill said.  So he asked him again, “Bill what am I doing wrong?”  Bill replied, “Ymmm Hmmm Mm Mmmm Tmm Mmmms Mmm.”  Henry still had no idea what Bill was telling him and it must have showed on his face.  Bill realizing that Henry did not understand, spit out everything in his mouth and repeated what he said.  Bill told him, “You Have to

Keep Your Worms Warm.”

                Christians are a lot like Henry.  We prepare ourselves for the adventure. We make sure we have all the right tackle and we know where to start fishing.  We even try to find spots that have already been cleared for us and breaking the ice will be easier.  And just like Henry, we set our bait out to the side and allow it to freeze while we fish.  We spend countless time waiting on the “fish” to bite our frozen bait.  We are so focused on not catching anything that we don’t realize others around us are pulling fish in on every cast.  Finally when the frustration sets in, do we ask for help.  That’s when we find out that we missed a key component to our success.

                Making changes in the church is no different than ice fishing.  When we think that we have done everything right and the ministry should be a success, we are ultimately let down when it comes crashing in around us.  All the preparation in the world will yield zero results when we allow our bait to be set on the frozen ground.  Jesus has to bet kept alive inside the ministry and must be at the forefront of everything that we do.  That is in everything as simple as putting a community meal together all the way up to finding a new pastor.  When the people of the church start running ahead of God’s plan, even when God’s plan is laid out for them, they never have the results they intended on having.  The time of harvest turns into a time of frustration and hurt feelings.

                So how do we have success in new opportunities?  Bill answered that one for us.  We have to keep the worms warm.  We have the best bait in the world.  Jesus is the only thing that can attract new “fish” to the church.  But we must do our part in keeping him from being frozen in us.  We have to allow Him to work in our adventures and we have to give Him all the credit for the successes we see.  Jesus can open the doors that we never knew existed.  All we need to do is be ready to follow His lead.  And as long as we keep Him warm and allow Him to be the bait, then we will reap a great harvest. 

                So I ask you now, are you keeping your bait warm or is it sitting to the side getting cold?  Don’t allow the Son of the Living God to be frozen out of everything that you do.  He was willing to sacrifice Himself for you and will continue to be the bait for anyone that needs Him.  Jesus is the answer to all the failing ministries and all the frustration of not reaching a lost world.  As Bill said, “You have to keep the worms warm.”  Are your worms warm today?

                Lord I come to You today to pray for anyone that has allowed their worms to get cold.  I pray that You give them someone that will remind them Jesus is the only bait to attract new fish.  Lord I ask that You bring peace to the ones that have run in front of Your plan and have forgotten that it is Your will be done,  not my will.  You alone can change the direction of any venture when we allow You to take the helm and be light of the path.  Lord I pray that You open the eyes of so many that think they know what is best without knowing what Your plan is.  In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Following Our Passion

                The other night I ran into an old friend that had recently pursuing a dream of writing music.  As we talked, I quickly learned that his passion for music had always been there.  But his biggest hang up on pursuing his passion was

everyone around him telling him to have a “real” job.  He struggled for years with the “real” job problem.  He almost let everyone talk him out of trying something different because it didn’t fit their definition of a job.  Now I don’t know if he will ever become a great music writer or if he will, but I know that he is following his passion for what he loves.

                We as Christians should also follow the passion the Holy Spirit lays on us.  That doesn’t mean that we need to quit our nine to five jobs and jeopardize our family’s livelihood.  But if the Spirit calls you to take a leap of faith, then you should be willing to take that leap.  Because if your passion lines up with what God is calling for you then He will provide the means for you to sustain your life.  Jesus’ disciples all had “regular” jobs before they started following Him.  They had a new passion in their life that they had to pursue and didn’t care about costs associated with it.  They were following the Spirit that laid a new direction on their life.

                We all have talents that God has given us freely.  We also have the free will to choose to use those talents in any way we desire.  Some are great artists and can do things with color that make people stand in amazement.  Others are gifted with the ability to organize and lead great groups of people to accomplish difficult tasks.  While others have a mechanical gift that allows them to build great structures.  But whatever your gift is, no matter how small, use it to follow the passion God lays on you.  You will see things unfold before you when use your talents to glorify God.  Your passion in what you do will be seen by others and may even be the catalyst that leads someone to accepting Christ.

                I encourage everyone, young and old, to find the passion that lies in you and allow God to use it for His glory.  You will be blessed beyond measure when you allow God to direct you.  Even when your passion requires a lot of work, the work will seem easy and rewarding.  Keep God at the forefront when you dive in and give Him thanks when you are finished, because He is the one that gave you the ability to accomplish everything.  You can be the seed of great change when your passion meets God’s path and you allow Him to be the navigator.  Are you willing to step out on faith and allow God to use your passion for the glory of the kingdom?

                Lord I pray that whoever reads this today will follow the passion that You have laid on them and will allow you to use them for whatever You have planned.  You give us the talents to pursue the passions, so Lord I pray that we will follow through when you lead us.  Keep the fire for our tasks hot as we run into the tough spots and provide a way out of the situations we feel overwhelmed by.  Lord I give you all the glory and honor for every person that is touched by the results of a passion you have laid on me.  I am only a grain of sand on the beach without You.  Lord please guide the desires of the hearts of everyone reading this.  In your name I pray, Amen

The Lost Truth

I want to start off with some educated assumptions about anyone reading this.  My first assumption is that everyone reading this has past the age of accountability.  That is the age at which you know the difference in right and wrong and can determine when you are willfully going against God.  My second assumption is that you are component enough to understand what is being written.  And my final assumption is that you are capable of rational thought and can develop insightful questions if you disagree with what you read.

Based on these assumptions, why is it so hard for people to face the truth about hell?  There are people in the church that refuse to believe there is a place of eternal damnation.  These are the same people that only want to talk about the grace and mercy of God.  And yes both of those are great for the feel good only Christians, but we can’t deny the fact there will be judgment one day for everyone.  We need to be taught that there are consequences for only accepting the portions of the Bible that fit our lives.  And those consequences ultimately lead to being lost forever. 

Jesus was so concerned about hell that he openly talked about it more than he did heaven.  He was well aware that allowing people to believe only the good things and not showing them the results would lead them down a false path of hope.  Jesus wanted us to know that hell was real.  In Mathew 22:13, Jesus describes hell as a place of darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  This verse doesn’t describe a happy place that we will get to all sit around together and sing songs.  It describes a place that only murders and child molesters should be condemned.  But to God there is no difference between the murders or the child molesters or the rapist or the white liars or anyone else that willfully disobeys God.  Hell is the place that your soul will end up if you hear the words, “depart from me I know you not.”

Hell has to be one of the hardest topics discussed with new Christians because they are just getting used to the idea of God being an all loving and kind God. Now the reality of a place like hell is brought up and it turns their world around.  The new believer now has to wonder why God would allow the people He loves to be thrown into a place of torment.  This subject is really best taught by churches that participate in the judgment houses.  They teach believers and non-believers how hell affects everyone in a scripted way.  The judgment houses really bring home the concept that God doesn’t want anyone to go to hell, but rather to accept the path of the righteous. 

As more and more churches turn away from the truth about hell, they are leading generations of people down a slippery slope that will end in a lost generation.  Do churches need to continue to preach the old turn or burn mentality every Sunday?  No they don’t, but it needs to make a comeback into the consciousness of every pastor and church.  Everyone needs to be reminded that there are consequences for their actions.  Just as a parent has consequences for a child, Christians need to know what to expect.  They need to be reminded that hell is real and just because they sit in the pews on Sunday doesn’t mean they are saved from it.

                Jesus discussed hell in depth for a reason.  He knew that it was a place that no one should be condemned to, but He also knew the reality that not all would walk with Him.  Right now I ask anyone reading this to ask them self, if I died tomorrow where would I go?  If you can’t answer that question or you are not sure, then I encourage you to get right with God.  Only then will the grace and love of God truly be shown to you.  God desires a relationship with all of us and He doesn’t want to see any one of us suffer.  So now, right this very second, is the time to choose this day who you will serve.

                Lord, I pray right now for anyone that doesn’t know where they stand with you.  I ask that you touch them in such a way that they know it is You.  I pray that right now someone that reads my ramblings will realize that they are headed for an eternal damnation if they don’t accept you.  Lord, please open the eyes of the churches that refuse to talk about hell anymore in their sanctuaries.  You alone can change the hearts and souls of all people when we allow you to enter our lives.  In name of Jesus, amen.

Weekends In The South

                The end of summer always brings the anticipation of the weekends of watching football in the south.  Southerners have always taken football to the extreme.  They start reading every article that comes out about their team.  College football is king to some only to be followed up by the NFL.  College stadiums are built like great cathedrals.  They try to seat one hundred plus thousand people around the field.  The fans treat 17-22 year olds as Roman Gods as they enter the field of battle.  People invest so much of their energy into a game that they cannot control the outcome of.  When the team wins, they act as though their life has been fulfilled.  But if they lose, then their world comes crashing down around them.

                So why do so many people invest their entire weekend around a game?  One of the biggest reasons I’ve seen is the brotherhood that comes with sports.  From the teams on the field to the fans in the stands, they are all looking for like minded people to be around.  They are looking for a brotherhood that they think they can’t find anywhere else.  And for the most part, they are correct.  There are not very many places that people can go and be as big a fanatic as they want to and still be accepted by others.  Sometimes they are not just accepted but they are celebrated for their dedication to their team.  People are looking to be accepted by others in a way that they have never had.

 

                Why can’t the church be as popular as football in the south?  Why does the church not have people lined up waiting to get in the doors?  The reason is that the church has lost the sense of brotherhood.  Most churches have become focused on retaining the people they have left and have lost the reason people started going to church to begin with.  People are looking for a place that they feel accepted and can be a fanatic without others judging them.  Unfortunately a lot of churches have lost the desire for the “fans” to be a part of their congregations.  They are looking for people to show up and conform to what is a predetermined order.  Most churches are not looking for people that beat to a different drum.  They don’t develop a brotherhood that encourages people to be fanatics about God.

                Now is the time for the church to look back at the disciples and see what a brotherhood looked like.  As Jesus was gathering His disciples, He didn’t look for the people that fit His mold.  He looked for the people that would become the fanatics for Him.  Jesus took all walks of life into His inner circle.  He didn’t care what they looked like or if they had money.  Jesus wanted the people that were willing to stand up and cheer when things looked dim.  His brotherhood consisted of people that only wanted the same thing.  Jesus created an atmosphere that made His disciples want to leave everything they had and follow Him.

                When the church remembers that people want to be included just as they are, then they will see the brotherhood redevelop.  In no way does this mean that the church should allow sinners to continue to sin without any influence from the church.  The sense of brotherhood will actually make the sinner want to change their ways.  They will want to be more like Christ because they will have others to hold them accountable for their actions.  The bond between members will grow stronger and the numbers will increase. 

                Without the brotherhood, the church will continue to see college football stadiums grow and their memberships drop.  The feeling of being accepted because everyone is pulling for the same team is an overwhelming desire that needs to be brought back to the sanctuaries.  We as the church need to start encouraging the fanatics for God to get back off the bench and start being the cheerleader that God made them to be.  We need the God fanatics back in the churches.  It is time for the brotherhood of the church to come alive and make others want to be in service rather than sitting the stands of a football stadium.

Will We See Hitler in Heaven?

                In the 1930’s Adolph Hitler rose to power in Germany using as many tricks as he could to sway votes in his favor.  Once he obtained the power, Hitler masterminded one of the worst displays of evil the world had even known.  He decided that every Jew needed to be imprisoned and eventually killed.  Hitler was able to murder over five million Jews in less than a decade of power.  Adolph Hitler was the very definition of evil.  In 1945, Hitler and his new wife, Eva Braun, committed suicide in order not to feel wrath of the world as it was crashing in around him. 

                They may have escaped the punishment of the world, but did they escape the punishment of God?  By all accounts, Adolph Hitler never accepted Jesus as his personal savior.  According to him, he was his own savior and didn’t need anyone else.  And being that he committed suicide, he committed a final sin as was leaving this world.  So according to the Bible, Hitler was cast into the burning lakes of fire known as Hell.  He chose to keep the void from God and accept whatever the consequences of his actions.

 

                Now let’s change history ever so slightly.  What if Hitler would have been captured instead of committing suicide?  What if, while in prison waiting on man’s punishment, Hitler would have asked for forgiveness and would have accepted Jesus into his life?  Would Adolph Hitler been able to cross the River Jordan and enter the gates of heaven?  Would he have heard the ever so sweet words that every Christian is waiting to hear?  Would he be allowed to walk on the streets of gold?  Would his mansion be any less grand than any other?

                The simple answer is yes he would be allowed to enter the gates of heaven.  But wait, he was the example of evil, how could Adolph Hitler be allowed into heaven?  God’s love and mercy extends way past the comprehension of how we think.  We don’t get to make the decisions on who gets into heaven.  If that decision were left up to us, then no one would be good enough to enter the gates.  Romans 3:23 tells us that all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God.  It doesn’t say that because Hitler’s sin was greater than your sin that you can get a pass and he doesn’t.  It makes perfectly clear that all have sinned.  Romans goes on to say that Jesus was sent for the atonement of all our sins.

 

                History doesn’t allow us to go back and correct the injustices of our world.  So we can safely assume that Adolph Hitler never asked God for forgiveness of his sins and he never accepted Jesus as his lord and savior.  But the greatest opportunity that we have is that we don’t have to make the same mistakes.  We can learn from the people that came before us and ask Jesus to live in our hearts.  We all have an opportunity to have a relationship with the one that can give us everlasting life.  Revelation 3:20 says, “20 Here I am!  I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”

                Jesus is knocking on the door of your heart.  He is standing right there waiting on you to open up your heart and allow Him in to start a relationship with you.  Your sins are no greater or no less than that of Adolph Hitler and Jesus was knocking on his heart just the same as yours.  Now is the time to open up your heart and allow Him in.  There is still blood moving through your veins, so there is still time to accept Jesus as your savior and receive the gift of everlasting life in heaven.  Please don’t wait any longer to develop a relationship with Jesus.  You are not guaranteed your next breath much less a long life.  So I ask again, are you ready to open the door of your heart and allow Jesus in?

Schools

                As I sat down tonight to spend some time writing, my wife read that one the local high

schools was going to have a “race war” this week.  The students are to wear black shirts or white shirts depending on which side of the argument they align.  The teachers and faculty are asked to wear blue shirts to support all lives matter.  There needs to be a shift in the thinking of all parties involved. 

                While I was listening to her tell me about this, I saw a note that I had written some time ago.  It was simply a few verses from Colossians.  They are Colossians 1:19-20, “19 For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, 20 and through him God reconciled everything to himself.  He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.”  God is the only way to peace in a society that is completely overrun by confusion.

  Christ didn’t come to die for any individual group.  He came to forgive the sins of all individually.  As we read on in Colossians, verses 21 and 22 say, “21 This includes you who were once far away from God.  You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions.  22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body.  As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.”  As we can see, we were all enemies of God until Jesus paved the road for redemption. 

God knew that we as a society would always need a way back to Him and He provided us a savior.  That savior is needed more today in our schools than has ever been needed.  The educational community has pushed God out of almost everything they do.  But God has a bigger plan than even the educators can comprehend.  It all starts with a simple thing called prayer.  We need to pray for all the people that enter all the schools.  We must cover the schools in prayer every day as we pass them.  We must pray for all the teachers that put themselves on the front lines of educating the youth of today. 

There was an initiative that was started several years ago called “See You At The Pole”.  This is a student lead prayer time around the flag pole.  It is a great start, but it only happens once a year in most schools.  In the world today, we need strong Christians to make praying at schools a regular occurrence.  The students and faculty that walk in the building need to know that we are praying for them.  They need to see men and women of Christ are willing to put their faith into practice.  If Christians would start taking prayer back to the school, then we would see a reduction in the problems that face our kids today. 

Lord I pray for the all the students and faculty that enter the schools.  I ask that you put your hands over the buildings and everyone in them and make them a peaceful sanctuary.  I beg you Lord to remove all the tension and hostility that circulates around all the schools.  Most of all Lord, I call on the name of Jesus Christ to run Satan out of the presence of everyone in our schools.  Lord you are creator of peace and I ask that your peace be bestowed back on the schools.  In your almighty name I pray, AMEN

I want to challenge everyone that has ever been touched by teacher or has any connection with our school system to pray daily for our schools.  Satan has a strangle hold on the schools and it is time that Christ be brought back.  We cannot afford to allow Satan to continue to confuse of kids.  Let’s vow to take our schools back through the power of prayer.

Our Church

             

  Sitting in a men’s bible study, the question was brought up about “our” church accepting everyone.  That got me thinking about the old phrase that the church is a hospital for the sick and hurting.  But really is “our” church really a hospital?  Do we really accept people when they are at their lowest point?  Or do we pay them lip service and tell them we will pray for them. 

                As the church, we are suppose to be Jesus to a hurt and sick world.  We should have signs erected that have the simple verses from Mathew written on it.  It should read “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Mathew 11:28-29)  The church should be the hope that Jesus was while He was on earth.  We should be there when members and non-members alike are hurting and have nowhere to turn. 

                But to many times in today’s world, the church is the first to condemn someone for their misdeeds.  Paul writes in Romans 3:22-24, “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.  There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”  In other words, everyone that enters a church has been a sinner at some point in their life and need Jesus to save them from their sin.  So why do we distance ourselves from other sinners?  Are we afraid that their sin is worse than ours?  Sin is sin and there are no degrees of sin.

 I know that most of the people that sit in the pews every week have never killed anyone or didn’t use drugs before walking through the doors.  But they may have told their kids that they could go somewhere after church when they had no intention of allowing them to go.  They told a little white lie.  None the less it was a LIE.  There is no difference in the type of sinner that enters the church.  The murderer and the little white liar are the same in the eyes of God if they don’t ask for forgiveness and correct the actions.  God is the only way to get forgiveness for our sins and we “the church” should help all that are separated from God. 

I pray that “our” church is accepting of all that enter the doors and are looking for help.  We don’t have to put on rose colored glasses and be taken advantage of, but we need to be loving and open to others that are in need.  We need to take the time to learn about each other and learn how we can help each other.  We don’t need to say that we will pray for someone, we need to lead them to the altar and pray with them.  “Our” church is losing the battle on being a hospital to the world.  It is time for “OUR” church to turn the tide and accept people where they are in their life.  Is “our” church ready for an influx of new patients?   Are you prepared to be a doctor or nurse for Christ?

High School and Church

It is hard for me to believe that I have been out of high school for almost 20 years.  I still remember walking in the high school building as a sophomore (we had a junior high that was 7^th, 8^th and 9^th grades).  I was excited to be starting the end of my days as student.  I was also anxious about where everything was and how I would fit into the school. 

I was on the football team, so I had already been exposed to some of the upper classmen.  But that didn’t stop the fear of getting to know other people.  I can only imagine the anxiety someone must have when they just move to a new area and have to start a new high school.  The fear of which group will accept or reject you is very real to a 15 year old.  You try so hard to find a few people that will like you and become friends.  Often times the new person is rejected by the other students because of how they look, act, or any other ridiculous reason teenagers come up with.  Kids are made to feel like outsiders for a very long period or are even picked on for being them.  The new person is only new for a short period of time, but inside they will always be a little different from the others.   Even if they are accepted in the new school, then they fall into a “click”.  Every high school has several different groups.  When I was there, we had athletes, band members, Goths, nerds, pot heads, and many other groups.  Rarely did you see anyone be accepted by more than one group at a time.  And if there was that rare person, they were not fully committed to either group. 

It’s funny how now as I get older I can still see the characteristics of high school when I go to a new church.  I still get the excitement of starting something new.  I also get the anxiety of not knowing where to go or if I will be accepted within the congregation.  I remember pulling in the parking lot and my wife asked me if we were parking in the visitors parking.  I said no, that I didn’t want to park up front.  What I was thinking was I didn’t want everyone to know that we were new.   I parked in the normal parking spots with everyone else.  We walked into the building and luckily found familiar faces waiting to go to Sunday school.  I only spoke to 6 or 7 people that day and 5 of them were the friends that we knew would be there. 

We have continued to go back to the church on a regular basis, but I have not figured out how to be accepted in the “clicks” around the church.  I have met some of the other people at the church but I don’t feel part of any of the groups.  Now I sit and wonder if I can feel isolated going to a new church, then how does a new believer feel.  When they hear that Christ accepts them for who they are and where they are in life but the church they attend doesn’t feel very welcoming, where does that leave the new Christian?  They figure Christ really must not care about them.  They don’t feel the love and warmth that should flow from other Christians based solely on the fact that they are isolated at church.  The one place that should welcome people and help them to feel accepted ends up pushing new believers out. 

Unlike high school, a new Christian has a choice to stay or go.  It is the congregation of any church that helps make that decision.  The more a church stays glued to the “clicks” that get formed and stay together, the quicker it is for people to get frustrated and walk out the doors to never return.  I’ve never read where God wants churches to be exclusive for people that you like or fit in with you.  The purpose of the church is to be a meeting place for all believers to come together in worship and fellowship.  It is time for the church to act more like a reflection of God and less like a high school.  We the church, need to take notice of the new faces that walk in and make sure they feel welcome to the body.  Because you know that Satan is always there to put doubt in a new Christians mind and make them feel like the new kid walking into high school for the first time.  So we must decide now, do we make everyone feel welcome and glad they are choosing our church or will we allow Satan a foot hold in their life?

Grace Confidence

                Spending half of my life playing sports I’ve gained a considerable amount of confidence in myself.  I have learned how to work hard and expect to win at all cost.  There was always a way to accomplish my task and I knew I had the ability to fulfill the goal. 

I thrived on being at the plate with the game on the line.  That was my time to beat the pitcher.  I knew that I was going to get the hit that would eventually win the game.  I had so much confidence in my skills that I wanted the pressure.  Self confidence ruled my world on the baseball diamond.  There was not another player that was better than me in my head.  I was the best player in the park to me.

                Now that I have grown older and matured some, I realize that I was not the best player in the park and I probably didn’t always win the one on one battle at the end of a game.  But the confidence I had back then is still driven deep into my being.  I know when I put in the prep time, I can still accomplish most of the tasks I have in front of me.  I still thrive on gaining the upper hand with my preparation and hard work.  I know that all the self confidence in the world will only keep me in this world.  Now I am on a path to learn how to have Grace Confidence.

                Now in order to learn how to have grace confidence, we must first figure out what is grace confidence.  Grace confidence is a simple yet profound principle.  It is simply leaning on God and knowing He has all situations under control.  That does not mean that He will always give you the outcome that you want. 

It means that regardless of the outcome for you, it will accomplish His purpose.  Proverbs 3:5-6 has a clear cut definition of grace confidence.  It reads, 5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”(NIV)  Allowing God to have control and not relying on all the self confidence we have built up can be an overwhelming task.

                The concept of grace confidence is hard for some people to grasp.  Some people want to rely on their own knowledge and experience to get through situations.  They don’t see the benefit of asking God to go before them and make the path straight.  There are many reasons that people don’t ask God for help, but I feel the biggest reason is that they feel they can do it on their own.  God will not force His will on us, He allows us to ask for help.  He desires for us to ask for help and wants for us to ask for His help in our daily lives.  

Challenge

      What are we willing to sacrifice for God?  As an experiment last week, our teen group was challenged to stay off all forms of social media. So from Monday to Sunday they said they would not get on Face book, Twitter, Snap Chat, Instagram, or any of the numerous forms out there now.  They knew that this challenge was completely between them and God because I accepted it as well.  I had no way of checking in on them other than asking them Wednesday night to see how it was working for them.  But this challenge did get me to thinking about all the people have sacrificed so much more for God.

     The challenge came from the story of Samson when he sacrificed his life for God.  Samson had disobeyed God by telling where all his strength came from and was sent to prison by the Philistines.  When Samson was finally given the chance to make the ultimate sacrifice for God then he took his own life along with as many of the Philistines as he could. 

My question to the youth group was simple, if Samson could sacrifice his life for Christ, then can we sacrifice one week without social media to focus on Christ?

     I would like to challenge everyone that reads this, to think about one of the things that take up most of your spare time during the day/week and sacrifice it just for a short time and focus on Christ.  You will find that you waste a lot more time than you realize and you have become dependent on your activity.   For me personally, the first two days of this challenge were difficult because I didn’t know what to do with down time.  As the week went, I started praying more and thinking about what God has done and what He will do in my life.  He has given me a better understanding of what He is calling me to do in this world.  This challenge allowed me to see one of my teens take a stand for God in the classroom at school.  There is no telling what God will do through you if you allow Him to have more time in your day.  So I offer it up again.  Can you give up the one thing that takes most of your free time for one week and focus on Christ?  You will see a noticeable change in your relationship with Christ and how much time is wasted on things that have no real meaning in this world.  When we focus on this world, then we give up the promise of everlasting life.  Please don’t allow any type of social media draw your focus away from a personal relationship with Jesus.

Attack of Satan

                The greatest day in any young Christian’s life is the day they finally accept Jesus as their Savior and Lord. 

That is the day when they release the burdens they have been carrying with them.  That is also the day that Satan turns against them.  He is not happy when even one person turns to God.  Satan will do everything to get you back.  He will lie to you, put temptations in front of you and will even go as far as giving you the things you crave.  He will make you believe that bad things happen to you because God made them or allowed them to happen to you.  When this happens, you must rely on the most important part of your new life.  You have to rely on the relationship you are developing with Jesus.

                The relationship you start with Jesus is a lot like the relationship you have with anyone.  The first little while of your relationship you are in the honeymoon phase.  The excitement of being in a new relationship takes over everything you do.  You feel ten feet tall and bullet proof.  You dive deep into the Bible and even into your church.  You work hard to show others your new life.  This is not the time in your relationship that Satan will attack.  He will wait until you get a little further into your relationship.

                The next phase of your relationship is the one Satan is waiting on.  He is waiting on you to get COMFORTABLE in your walk with Jesus.  This is the time when you still in church but maybe not as active as you once were.  You are going through the motions of being a Christian but you have allowed Jesus to take a back seat to your routine.  You may think this will not happen to you, but it happens to everyone.  This is when Satan has his best chance of winning you back.  Don’t think you are the only one that Satan can get either.  Look back in Genesis to Adam and Eve.  Genesis 3 tells us of how Adam and Eve got comfortable with God and Satan took advantage of them.  He convinced them that they could have the same knowledge as God.  He LIED to them.  So let’s not think that if Satan could get to the two people that walked and talked with God daily that he can’t get to us when we become comfortable in our relationship. 

                So now that we know Satan is working overtime to win you back, how do we defend ourselves?  We put on the full armor of God.  I guess we need to what the armor consists of before we can put it on.  Ephesians 6:13-17 says, “13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil.  Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.  14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.  15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.  16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.  17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”  This armor is what will allow you to defeat Satan and it will also break you from your comfortable routine in your relationship.  But realize there was no mention of any type of armor for your back.  That is because Jesus is standing behind you and will fight for you.  All you have to do is stand firm and not run when Satan attacks.  You become easy prey for him when you run away because you not only run from Satan, you also run away from God.

                Stand tall and stay strong when Satan comes after you.  Prepare for the fight on a daily basis.  Be strong in your relationship with Jesus.  Take hold of the fact that Jesus will see you through everything when you have a personal relationship with Him.  He will stand closer than a brother when you allow Him.  The honeymoon period will end and you will get comfortable, but God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.  His honeymoon with you will last forever.

Accepting The Call

                 I have developed a new passion.  I look forward to sitting down at the computer now and writing down the thoughts that God gives me.  All through college I despised writing papers or spending time working on the computer, even though I started out with a Computer Information Systems minor.  I would do everything in my power to con someone into typing all my papers. I was not very successful most of the time.  Now I get a sense of fulfillment when I get done presenting what God has given me to talk about.  I think this is my form of spreading the Word right now and hope that it reaches someone and helps them to realize there is more to life than what they can physically see.

                Allowing God to use you in whatever He needs done, is the most rewarding thing that we can do as Christians.  God calls all of us to do something for the betterment of the world around us.  Whatever we are called to do may not be noticed by the people around us or it may cause us to be put in uncomfortable places.  Sometimes He gives us a grand platform to stand on and puts us in the spot light to help spread His message.  Whichever way he chooses to call you, don’t be afraid to accept His challenge.  You never know when someone that you think is looking the other way is actually looking right at you and studying your every movement.  You may be the catalyst that sparks the fire for them to find Christ and turn their life around.  We are warned against doing things that bring praise to us verses what God calls to do to bring praise to Him in Galatians 6:8-9.  It says, “8Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.  9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

                 God has a master plan for the world and does not need you to fulfill that plan but He chooses to put you in the middle of things for your benefit.  The day you accept the calling on your life will be the start of a whole new life that can be more rewarding than you have ever known.  God will open doors that you thought were otherwise closed forever. He will give you the tools to accomplish anything He lays on you.  It does not matter if you are the most talented person or are the best speaker in the world, God will give you the strength and the desire to spread His word.  He will stand beside you while you do His bidding and give you a confidence that you have never had before.  God will not call you to do anything that He has not prepared you for before you start.  All you have to do is stand on the faith that He is there and will clear the way for the message to be spread. 

                I am working hard to accept the call He has put on me and in His time I will be exactly where He needs me to be.  For right now His calling for me is to pursue the ordination process through my church.  I can honestly say that this process is a little unnerving in more ways than one but He will lead me through this chapter in my life.  He will also lead anyone else down the path that He gives them when they are open to the call.  I hope and pray that when you are in your quite time with God and He lays a special task on your heart, please follow that call.  He will lead you in right direction and will make sure you have the tools needed to accomplish the plan.  Remember He does not need you to work His master plan; He wants to use His people to fulfill their lives.  Don’t be afraid to say YES LORD YES.

#God Matters

           

    When you look around society today, you see all these signs that say something “matters”.  I completely agree with all of them.  Black lives matter, white lives matter, blue lives matter, all lives matter, fat lives matter are all very true statements.  Every person was made in the image of God and everyone matters.  The problem society runs into today is the same as it has always been.  People have forgotten or were never taught the greatest commandments.  Mathew 22:37-39 says, “37 Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.  39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”  These three verses are the cornerstone to bringing society back into line.

                When we look at the story of Jesus, no matter if you believe He was God or not, you see that He loved everyone.  If they would have known what hash tags were, then His would have read #Love Matters.  Jesus was the perfect example of how we should live our lives today.  He embodied the two great commandments and lived them out daily.  So you may not agree that He was God, but you can’t deny the facts about how Jesus lived.  Even unto His death, Jesus held strong to the commandments.  When He was hanging on the cross, He still prayed for God’s will to be done and He prayed for His persecutors.  He loved the people that put Him on the cross so much that He asked God to forgive them.

                If society would follow the example Jesus set in His community, then we would not need to worry about what lives matter.  But as long as Satin has control of the people of this world, there will always be animosity.  He is the author of confusion, division and hate between people.  He has been trying to divide people from God from the very beginning.  Adam and Eve had everything they could ask for and Satin still worked on them until he could them to disobey God.  What chance do we have with all the distractions we have today if Adam and Eve couldn’t even resist Satin?

                Satin is real.  He doesn’t care about any one of us.  The only thing he cares about is pulling as many people away from God as he can.  Satin is the founding member of all hate groups.  He wants the world in as much turmoil as he can stir up.  The struggle between people of different skin color or backgrounds will always be there.  The fight started long before any of us were around.  The players change, the circumstances change but the true enemy stays the same.  Satin has found a way to hurt God just by causing as much hatred in the hearts of people that he can. 

                It’s time for the world to return to the example of Jesus.  It’s time for us to remember that God Is Love.  Turning our attention back to God will be the only thing that will get this world back.  It is time that the Church takes a stand against Satin.  It is time for us to be the reflection of God to the world.  Now is the time to Love our neighbors as our selves.  It won’t be easy, but nothing worth doing is ever easy.  So when you see any number of the hash tags that are going around, comment with both of these hash tags: #GodIsLove and  #LoveMatters.  This is a simple way of telling everyone that God Matters.

Symbolic Sidewalk

Over the last couple months, my wife and I decided to pour a sidewalk from the front porch of our house to the driveway.  We looked at the costs of having someone do it for us vs. doing the work ourselves.  We ultimately decided to become concrete masons.  We went to the home improvement store and bought 20 bags of concrete to get started.  I got to work mixing and pouring the first and largest section of the sidewalk.  We soon realized that the initial 20 bags were not going to get us very far on this large of a project.  So while I worked, Jess ran back to the store and purchased another 20 bags of concrete and the right tools to make the job easier.

While she was gone, I mixed, poured and worked 600 pounds of concrete.  The more tired, the more I could hear God talking to me.  By the time she got back with the second load, I had developed a sense of joy that could only be explained as a blessing.  The more I worked on the sidewalk, God made it very clear to me that I should name my project.  The phrase “symbolic sidewalk” kept coming to the forefront of my mind.  So I started calling it my symbolic sidewalk.  When Jess got back I had to explain the thoughts that were running in my head.  Most of the time my thoughts scare her but not that day, they made perfect sense.

 

I explained to here that the sidewalk is a metaphor to our lives.  It is not straight, it is not completely smooth, and it was not laid by an expert, but it is functional.  Now you ask how is that a metaphor to our lives. Let me explain.  God doesn’t call us to be perfect.  He does not need us to be completely straight and smooth.  And He definitely doesn’t need us to be the experts.  What he does need us to be is functional.  He will equip with the right tools to make the job easier.  God will use whatever we have to direct people home, if we will allow Him to form us.

 

God has used some of the most inadequate people to accomplish His plan.  The Bible is full of men and women that had no business being in charge of anything, but they lead others to God.  Moses had speech problems, Mathew was a despised tax collector and Paul, who was Saul, all had issues that God used to lead people.  They all had rough edges and none of them were an expert on God.  God equipped them to accomplish the tasks they were called to do.  They all became functional things in the paths of so many people.

So after mixing and pouring approximately 3400 pounds of concrete to create a walk way to my house, I’ve learned that I don’t have to be perfect.  I don’t have to know the Bible backwards and forwards to lead someone to God.  My rough edges will be smoothed out over time as I get used.  The biggest thing that I need to be is functional for God.  I have to be willing to accept whatever he calls me to be.  He will give me all the tools I need and He will direct my path as long as I’m willing to be used to glorify Him.

Talking Heads

There are things in this world that I will never understand, but I think I have seen an answer to why they happen.  I saw a video clip the other day of a talking preacher head and his wife, talking about God wants us to do what makes us happy.  That He doesn’t want us to do the things that make Him pleased, but rather to do anything that gives us pleasure.  There are a few (really more than I want to count) things wrong with her message.  I have not read anywhere in the Bible about being selfish and self-serving gives God any type of pleasure.  As a matter of fact, the Bible is very clear on telling us serve God not ourselves.  God takes the greatest pleasure when at the end of our lives He is able to welcome us home by saying, “Well done my good and faithful servant.”  I can’t believe that means putting anything you want over the will of God. 

This way of thinking by the talking preacher head and his wife opens the door any type of behavior to be permitted in the church.  Let’s take for example a pedophile, according to their backwards way of thinking God is happy with that behavior.  Let me stop for a minute and make it known that I have not studied the Bible well enough to know all the ins and outs of God’s thinking, but I do know enough to make an educated statement on the subject.  Back to the talking preacher head’s thoughts, the pedophile should be able to continue sinning and doing what makes him happy.  God wants us to do whatever makes us happy.  This way of thinking can be used in every lifestyle that goes against the teachings in the Bible.  I am a homosexual, I am a womanizer, I am a dead beat parent, I am a drug addict, I am a…, the list goes on forever, but because it makes you happy then God is good with it.  There is no reason that you can’t spend eternity in heaven.  You are only doing what makes you happy and that makes God happy.  This is the thoughts of a very rich (monetarily speaking) talking preacher head family.  This is why his church follows him and does not follow Him.

Let me now rearrange their thought process just a little.  Instead of saying God is happy when I make myself happy, let’s say I am happy when God is pleased with me.  God is the only source of true happiness.  He is able to give us pleasure in the hardest of circumstances.  He gives us a source of peace when the world brings chaos all around us.  So instead of doing whatever we can to make us happy, do whatever we can to make Him happy and our cup will run over with joy.  God is eager to give us His blessings when we are doing everything in our power to serve Him. 

I encourage everyone that feels the same way as the talking preacher head and his wife, to please reevaluate their thoughts.  You need to find a church home that does not use programs as a tool to fill the seats.  I encourage you to get in a church that stands tall on the alternative lifestyles in society.  Find a church that puts God and His teachings at the center of all things.  Please find a church that fills the need of growing a relationship with Christ and makes the worship about God.  Being part of a church to say that you went will only serve to make you feel good.  Don’t go to a church to be seen, go to a church to develop the relationship.  Only then can you truly be happy.  And when your time comes to cross the Jordan, you can hear the happiest words ever, “WELL DONE MY GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT”.

Seasons

             

  How many times have you ever sat in a church and wondered why the church is not doing more for the hurting people in the community?  How many more times have we sat there and thought about all the outreach the church could do if they had more money or more time?  The answer to both questions would probably be a lot more time than we would like to put an actual number on.  I know that I have done it too many times to count.  I would love to say I have come up with answers on either question but those are the questions that will live forever in the church.

                The question that really needs to asked is, have we done all we can in ourselves to improve the church in order to reach the community.  We all have areas of our lives that need God to sand down the abrasive edges off and remold them into a malleable piece that can be used to serve Him.  There are rough patches in our lives that help develop the calluses towards others.  We all go through times when we believe that other people don’t deserve to breathe the same breath as us.  Those are the times that we need God to come in and change our heart and head.  He is there to remind us there is a season for everything and when we continue to praise Him everything will work out for His glory.  Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 says, “1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:  2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, 3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, 5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, 6 a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, 7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, 8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and time for peace.”  With these verses, God covers all possible times in our lives. 

                No matter how bad things are in our lives at that moment, God has given us a promise that we can always hold onto.  Hebrews 13:8 gives us that promise, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and  today and forever.”  Jesus can and will walk with you through every season you can experience.  That does not mean He will give you easy way out of the situation, rather He will stay closer than a brother and comfort you when the hard times come.  When we stand firm on the belief that Jesus is there in the trying times and good times, then we will experience an overwhelming sense of calm in our lives.  I have to many social media friends that need the calming hand of Jesus in the situations they are going on a daily basis.  You are only promised the last breath you took, so listen to that small still voice in your heart or respond to that strange feeling.  God does not always come to you in an extravagant manner.  Most of the time He comes in the form of a feeling of missing something in your life.  No matter how God comes to you, respond to Him and accept Him into your heart.  He will continue to love you whether you accept Him or not, but there will be a rejoicing like no other when you allow Him to knock off the abrasive parts and become a child of the King. So the questions of how to reach the community will continue but the question of have we done everything in ourselves will be answered.

Answering The Call

         

      In today’s society there is a phone in just about everyone’s pocket or purse.  Everyone has instant access to people all over the world.  You can call anyone, anywhere with the touch of just a few buttons.  So why is it so hard for people to hear God when He calls?

                Yes, I know it would make life easy on everyone if God would pick up His I phone and face time you.  Then you would have no excuse for not answering His call.  Let’s be honest, Moses came the closest to face time with God since Adam and Eve.  The whole burning bush thing would make anyone listen to what God had to say.  But even Moses felt unprepared for the request put before him.

                We are really no different than Moses.  There is never enough preparation to accomplish any task God gives you without Him leading the way.  He may never call you to become a missionary or lead thousands in a tent revival, but He will call you to do something that will glorify Him.  Usually the things that God calls you to do will be outside of your comfort zone.  That is when you truly know that God is calling you for great things.  Moses probably never thought he would stand at the edge of the sea and part it to allow people to cross on dry land.  There was no way he could prepare for that or be in his comfort zone knowing all the lives of the people were in his hands.  Only God could prepare him for that and make that situation his comfort zone. 

                Everyone has a calling from God.  Just as with Moses, we will not be prepared and it will be outside of our comfort zone.  Be ready when God texts your heart with the call to glorify Him and respond with “YES LORD, YES!

Breaking Our Bondage

   

 Every day we live in bondage of the world and of our OWN making.  Jesus will shake us to our core.  If we allow Him to change us, then our chains will fall off.  We now have a choice to make.  Do we: (1) Run back out in the world and start allowing our surroundings to put the chains back on or (2) stay still and praise God for the freedom He gave us.  We have the same choice today that Paul and Silas had many years ago when they were put in prison.  Their prison was a physical place where ours is spiritual. 

      Many times we stop for a moment, tip our cap towards God and run right back to our comfortable lives.  We don’t allow ourselves to give Him more than quick thank you for freeing us from our troubles.  We gladly return to being prisoners of our own makings.  We choose to give our freedom back and return to the shackles and chains that God has already removed.  Why do we choose the world over God?  The world teaches us that following God is a prison sentence.  The church takes us away from doing the things we enjoy.   The world wonders why we give up so much time going to church and doing “church stuff.”  Those are the same chains that we allow the world to enslave us with.

     But when we follow the path of Paul and Silas, we see that God will bless us in more ways than the world will ever understand.  The “church stuff” becomes the freedom our soul is longing for.  When Jesus causes the earthquake in our spiritual world and causes all the chains to fall off, don’t just tip your cap to Him.  Stand still and praise God for releasing all your burdens from you.  Sing songs of love and worship to Him for removing the bondage of sin from your life.  Give Him thanks for setting you free from the world.  Allow Him to use you to reach people that wear the chains as a badge of honor.  You never know who will be reached by being still and allowing God to work through you.  Paul and Silas showed us the way while sitting in a prison cell.  Are you willing to let the Light shine in you in the midst of turmoil and darkness?

Wrestling God

                We can all relate to the story of Jacob wrestling with God in the dark.  Genesis 32:22-32 tells us how Jacob sent everyone and everything across the river.  He was left alone to think about the dilemma he was in.  He just ran away from his father-in-law and was going straight towards his brother that wanted to kill him.  He had no choice but to face one or the other and going back was not an option.  Facing his brother was his only option. 

He had already sent his servants with animals as a gift.  He then sent his wives to meet Esau first.  Jacob had done everything he could in preparation for his meeting and eventual death at the hands of Esau.  He knew his days were numbered and had nowhere to run.  So he camped alone.  He was physically and emotionally exhausted.  All he wanted was one more night of rest before meeting Esau.  That’s when God showed up and ruined his night or so he thought.  Jacob wrestled with God all night and just before dawn Jacob gave up.  His submission to God was what ultimately won him the blessing from God.

                How many times have we seen things in our life that didn’t look good and we try to solve the problem ourselves?  We work and plan ahead to be prepared for a situation only to see it fall apart.  Then we are left alone in the dark exhausted from all issues only wanting to rest.  Even when God shows up, we still want to do things our way.  We fight with God about the best way to solve our issues.  Finally in the end we must give up and allow God to take control of the situation.  Only then will a situation turn into a blessing.  It may not be resolved the way we want and, just like Jacob, there may be some lingering pain, but it will still be a blessing.

                God will always show up in the darkest times.  It’s at this time that we must choose our path.  Do we continue to fight God to show that we know best or do we submit to His will and receive the blessings?  The situation will be resolved, but will it be a blessing to someone?  The CHOICE IS YOURS.