What are we doing? Look around, at all the people around you. What do you see? I see a lot of people that are losing the battle. I can't stand the idea that there are so many people out there that just don't get it. It hurts me to see all these people that just don't understand, and deep inside they have a real want to understand. When you go to church on Sunday, what do you see? How many people go to church on Sunday and stop there. Or, I guess this is a better question, do you go to church on Sunday and leave it there? Your Christianity that is. Or when you talk about it with someone out of church do you lay it all out there for them, or do you tell them that it's all peaches and cream. How often do you preach the word of God. Once a week, or in a safe place. You know it seems like we are afraid as a whole of our Christianity. Like we hide it, we do our thing on Sunday morning maybe mid week as well. Sure we tell people to come and see, or put up signs. How about telling them why to come. How about getting out there and doing what Jesus told us to do. How about instead of our church life not conflicting with our work schedules, our work not conflict with our ministry. How about taking any opportunity to minister. I don't know about you, but the God I read about in the Bible isn't all about coming and sitting in a little safe haven and talking good things. I see the God of the Bible coming out of that situation and becoming flesh in a human form, to suffer and die. I don't know what you think about that, but to me that is the opposite of scuttle. That to me is a down right wake up smack in the back of the head.



Why do we shy away from the things God wants us to do? Oh, I know because people don't want to hear us say this stuff. Well guess what, people don't want to stop at the red light on their way to work, but they need to so that they don't cause an accident. So you don't think they want to hear it, well tell them anyway, because that might have been what they NEEDED to hear. I look at the apostles and see, not some guys who went to church every week, but some guys who brought everywhere they went. And guess what, they left it there too. When they left, they left a church behind. Those people didn't know that they wanted hear the stuff they heard. These guys walked around and ate what they could find, and took beatings and imprisonment. They were criticized and humiliated. Yet they still pressed on. It didn't matter the obstacle that was put in front of them they had no intentions of stopping. They were not going to hold back because the people around them thought it wasn't "PC". Instead they spoke louder. Civilized, hardly, controlled never, passionate OH, yeah.

These guys knew that the enemy was strong, and tactful. Still they pressed on. They knew that they would be persecuted. Still they pressed on. They knew that the punishment for the words they were speaking could be and ultimately was death. Still they pressed on, and continued to add in numbers daily. They didn't give up our cower in the face of the enemy. They pressed on. I challenge you to do the same.

Come out of your comfort zone. Trade in your suits and ties for armor and swords. Your 1000 dollar Italian shoes go in for boots and a shield. Put on your helmet, grab your megaphone and Bible, and go find a corner and preach to all who will listen. Fight with all the weapons that your God has given you, prayer and love. Unite together as one body and fight the enemy with passion and courage. Face you adversary face to face standing strong under the protection of the Lord. Don't give God instructions, just show up, shut up, and report for duty. Be still and know that He is God.

My first.

I preached my first sermon today. All I can say is WOW!! I now know how pastors feel. I wish I could do that every day. I don't know how I'm going to be able to deal with having to wait for the next time I get to preach. It is such a great feeling when you know that your up there doing something for the Lord. How can people get up there and do that for so many years and then deny that there is a God? No lie, I felt like I was standing in front of Him as He watched over my shoulder.

When I woke up in the morning I was so nervous, I was feeling nauseous. I was shaking and scared I was thinking about how bad I was going to do. "I hope they like it", " I hope that I don't mess up". What if... what if.. Everything was going through my head. I forgot my glasses, you name it I was afraid it would happen. Then, on the way to church I turned on the radio and David Jerimiah was preaching on the kind of nerve, or bravery we as Christians should have. We Christians should have the kind of bravery that surpasses the idea of failure. The kind of bravery we should have is the kind of bravery that doesn't recognize failure as even an option.

I get it now, the reason those feelings were there, is if you will look back at the earlier text in this blog you will see that the word "I" is in one form or another the most written word in all of the blog. So, now there is the reason why those feeling are overcoming me is because I am thinking about I too much. I"m not going to be doing anything. The Spirit of God will be the one doing the talking. Matthew 10:19-20"19But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you." So when you feel like you are worried about not having the right words to say, Don't worry you don't have to say anything as long as you just submit, humble yourself, and let the Spirit of God speak on your behalf. At that point the wrong words will never come out of your mouth.

Paul

I persecuted many people and put them under the knife,

The people who spoke of the Son of God that brought eternal life,

i didn't believed about who they spoke and laughed at what they said,

I knew for sure the man they call the Son was crucified and dead,

One day as I was traveling knowing every thing I've done was right,

I suddenly found my self on my knees, blinded by the light.

To my dismay the man they called the Son , and spoke wonderful things about

There he was in my face ready to call me out.

So, now here I am using whats left of my youth,

traveling from town to town teaching the truth.

So what is it that I denied that now I know is right?

OH, yes that's it, Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Light.

So as you go on through your week and live out you life as normal. Take the example that Paul set for us and show people the way, by speaking the truth, so that they can see the light.

The Ten Commandments

The ten commandments, most of us know them, we often refereto them. It is said that out laws were made based on them. People often say that you need to live by them. My question is do you? Should you live by the ten commandments, what are they good for, and are they the basis for what we decide if we are " good " or not? Are we living the right way if we follow them.

Here is what I have to say about the ten commandments. I have had many debates about them, I have also got into some arguments about whether or not they mean anything to us or if we should just forget that they were even written? I say no. I think they are important, but not for what most people do. They are important for learning, for knowing that we can't do life by ourselves. If you think your doing right by following the ten commandments your not. How can you live by only ten of the hundreds there were. The ten are a summery if you will of the hundreds of the laws of Moses. Number two is that the law of Moses was fulfilled in Christ Jesus. Without the New covenant in Jesus we would not be able to do it. That's the whole point. We as a race were failing. Now in the new covenant we are saved by the blood of Jesus. We no longer have to try to look at these laws and navigate our live according to them. God has given to all who believe and are reborn into a new life the gift of the Holy Spirit who works with us who are in fact spirit and lead us on the path to righteousness. You no longer stop and think about throwing something out of the car window because you see a sign that shows you the fine for littering and it is against the law, you stop because you know its wrong, you don't need the law to tell you, you just know. It is the spirit of God that tells me not to punch the guy at the restaurant for talking junk to me. Not the idea that if I do I'll go to jail. See I don't need the law because the law isn't what shows me how to live, I have the Spirit of God living in me telling me what to do and not to do.

Going back to the commandments , They hold no relevance as law, because of Jesus. they are nothing more that a tool for teaching us that we have not the power to live according to the law even if we know what it is. And even if you go all your life referring back to the ten commandments and don't "break" any of them you still sin. So going through all that to follow them isn't going to save you anyway, the only way to be saved is by the blood of Jesus. So if you live your life according to the law you deny the power of the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. If you live life by the laws then the gift of salvation by the grace of God is not accurate. But you believe in the new testament which preaches salvation through Jesus by the Grace of God and are trying to earn your way to heaven by following the laws instead of just accepting the gift. Hebrews chapter 8 verse "13By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear." So utilize the gift God has given you and live life guided by the Holy Spirit and forget about the law. You will not break them is the spirit is leading you.

Christian Connectivity

I am a part of a men's group that meets every Thursday night, we do book studies and video studies, sometimes we pick a topic and take turns teaching on that topic(which is fun), but it is always an open forum, everyone has the opportunity to speak, ask, or put input. We do have rules, or more like guidelines if you will. Everything has to be scriptural, the common phrase used is that you have to be able to prove it by scripture.

Here is something that I have to say about that. I by no means think that the leader of the group feels otherwise, but as a general idea for people who take this phrase and literally go by it is a dangerous thing. Let me explain. The idea of using scripture to prove your point is something that shouldn't be practiced. What we need to do is get away from that and start speaking on the things that scripture already proved. It is very easy to take verses out of the bible and put them together to "prove" your worldly understanding of a spiritual meaning. Instead I say take what the scripture, God's living Word, has taught you and relay the message. This is where we get into these doctrinal differences, this denomination says this, this denomination says that. How can you take your views on something especially something Devinne and put your own little finite ideas in it and call it the Word of God? Not to mention what gives you the right and/or ability to tell someone else that they are wrong? I don't know about you, but I know that I'm not God, and if the Bible has all authority and is the living word of God then who else but Him has the right to do so?

The bottom line is that there is only one true, right, and sound doctrine. The doctrine of Jesus Christ the son of God, who died for our sins and gave us everlasting life. We need to go back to that, we need to go back to preaching Christ resurrected, and speaking only on the things that the Bible speaks. I know that there are people out there that do this, I wouldn't dare to say that someone is wrong unless they are obviously teaching what isn't written. I do know, and not by a lot of experience that it is easy to fall into the trap of using the Bible to prove your point. I just write this as a cation to any who might find themselves doing this. Just study, and pray. Speak only on what God tells you to speak on and nothing else. Teachers have been given an awesome gift, and responsibility in the Church so don't take it lightly, and remember when you teach to make prayer a big part of your preparation.

If your not a teacher and your ministry is different, take the time to pray over, with, and for your pastor. Let them know and see the love and support from their flock. Start a prayer ministry where every Sunday before the service gets started pull him aside and pray for him and the service. I know he will love it.

Why Did This Have To Happen To Me?

How many times have you asked yourself this question. While your in pain because of an injury, perhaps you have just go the news that your getting fired. Maybe worse, the loss of a loved one, the serious illness of a child, or sibling, or spouse. Your car gets stolen, you feel like you have had this incredible run of bad luck, "why me?" My answer to that is, as a wise man tells me on a regular basis, "It's none of your business." How right is that? I just so happen to find that 100% correct. It really isn't any of our business why these things happen to us, however it is our responsibility to keep our eyes open and our hearts pointed to God so that we can listen when he tells us or shows us why.

You hear a lot of people or even maybe yourself lose or question faith in God because of these things. Have you ever thought" would God really let me go through this" or " how could a loving God let this happen to me?" First of all as I said it's none of your business and if he wants you know He will tell you. Second is something that I read that really hit me and I love the way the author said this in Lee Strobel's "The Case For Faith" Peter John Kreeft, PH.D. said in an interview " How can a mere finite human be sure that an infinite wisdom would not tolerate such short-range evils in order for more long-range goods that we couldn't foresee?" See God can and often does make the most beautiful roses grow out of the ashes of evil to create a beautiful garden of good over it. The only way to see this is to keep your faith and let God show you.

Seven years ago I tore my A.C.L. in my left knee. All I could think about was, why? What could be the reason for this to happen to me? This was the worst physical pain I have ever felt, and emotionally it was pretty heavy too. My soccer career was over and that was all I had. Well, seven years down the road I get what I think might be the answer. I hurt my knee again at work, this is the worst I have injured it in seven years, and this big ordeal came of it with workman's comp. I never wanted or pursued this, but some how it came into the picture. Anyway I ended up going into work to talk to the district manager whom I have never had a face to face or otherwise conversation with. A couple of minutes into the conversation it was obvious that the conversation was heading down hill to the point where termination was almost in the next sentence. With help from my manager we saved my job, and the point of all this is, that they will give me some light duty and put me up front learning the computer system and dealing with customers to learn the sales end of the company which is like a fast rack to management. In fact, the district manager told me to apply for the sales manager position. Point? It took me seven years to get the answer to the "why" question, but it will come if He wants you to know.

Dr. James Dobson said, "Continuing faith is proof of true conversion" It's by faith we are saved not by works, so no matter how high the "highs" are or how low the "lows" are don't lose your faith. Find comfort in knowing that Jesus sympathises with us and all our "stuff". He knows what life is like to sleep well knowing that he understands and is on our side.

Authority

I once wrote a blog titled "The Living Word", in which I talked about the Bible and how the words never change, but what I get out of those words changes almost every time I read them. The Bible is God's written word and has all authority. What the Bible tells me is what I need to live by. because this is God telling me what to do. Now God being the creator of all that we know, and above everything tells me what to do I need to listen. Also when it says what not to do I should listen. I would think that this is a basic belief for all Christians. Especially when this same book tells me what the result of not listening is.

I was having a conversation with someone not too long ago and I'm not sure how but the conversation(like it usually does with me) ended up being a spiritual discussion. One of the things that the other party said really got to me. "I don't really agree with some of the things that the bible says". What? I can understand not accepting everything that I, or any one person says, but the Bible? I don't always agree with what my pastor says or does, what my father says or does, but I will always go back to check out what the Bible says about it so I know where to put my beliefs. So, one person no, but the Bible yes. I don't care who you are or how long you have been alive, if the bible says something different then I have no choice but to go with that. I know that the Bible is God's word, I know that everything that He wants me to know He will tell me through it. So when someone tells me that they don't agree with some of what the Bible says I say then how do you believe any of what it says?

We have been given this incredible "gift" if you will of free will. God gave us the power to choose. He also gave us the Bible so that we know what to choose. We know what is right and what is wrong, we know what the results of our choices are and we know eventually we will have to accept the reward or consequence of our actions. We choose to believe or not to believe or I guess what we believe. But I tell you that I believe in Christ resurrected. I believe in God incarnate coming to die so we don't have to . I believe that "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God and He was with God in the beginning." I also believe that the words that were given to us so graciously by God so that we could be eternally with Him in Paradise namely the Bible has all authority over my life, and that I shouldn't make a choice no matter how big or how small without consulting God through prayer and the Bible. I encourage you to do the same.