Saying I Do

Life keeps me busy.. What can I say?  By the way, happy November!

I was listening to some people talk the other day about why they as individual men were not going to marry.  "There's too much commitment", one said.  The other replied, "That, and who can you trust nowadays?"  It sort of, just a little bit, got me to thinking.

We live in a society where marriage failure is seen as inevitable no matter how hard you fight to make it work.  Divorce is what will happen.  There are no if's, and's, or but's about it.  Not to mention, you have every right to try and make it work with someone else..  Or five someone elses if you're just unhappy with who you're with.  You deserve to be stress-free for crying out loud.  You don't need the worry.  You don't need the anger.  You don't need to be shackled with someone who is going to make the rest of your life miserable.  Listen, if it feels good, do it.  No one can blame you.  After all, if you're dissatisfied with your spouse, it couldn't possibly be your fault, could it?

I was raised by my mom and dad.  They were married when they had me.  Crazily enough, in December of this year, they'll have 30 years under their belts as hubby and wifey.  Surprising, isn't it?   Growing up, they were my model, my ideal couple that I wanted my wife and I to be like.  Don't get me wrong..  They had their ups and their downs, their arguments, their fights, their sleeping in separate rooms for the night, their this and that.  But they stayed together.  Regardless of what happened the day before, the night before, the week before, the year before, they stuck it out.  They made it through.  And that was always my goal.  Divorce, though at times I'm sure discussed, was never really an option.

Now, I'm married.  No kids yet, but it's been almost 2 years since Brooke and I made our vows to one another - For better or worse, 'till death do us part.  In those two years, there have been several people, both singles and couples, who have come to us for advice.  "How do you make it work?" a woman said.  "What do you do when it gets hard?" a married man asked.  To answer both of their questions, Brooke and I both told of our perseverance.  We keep going.  We keep moving forward.  We know that the God we serve together is bigger than any spat we could ever have.  But you know what works best of all?  Communication.  Not just with God because that's kind of a given.  But with one another.  I can remember in marriage counseling, a couple once said, the most important things you can do as a married unit is, "1. Be intimate. 2. Talk to each other". What they said, I'll never forget, because I know now how important it is.  I want to encourage you, that if you're going through something as a married man or woman, talk about it with your spouse.  Sometimes I think that Brooke expects me to know everything she's thinking all at once.  And I can't.  It's impossible.  Likewise, I do the same thing.  There are days I expect her to know exactly what I mean how I say something.  And she can't.  It's impossible.  Saying I do is not just a momentary thing.  Say I do means I pledge to from this day forward, as long as I live.


Regardless of who said what or how it was said, or even your past experiences in relationships that lasted or didn't, you have the choice today to be a committed husband (or a potential husband, if you're a single man) or a committed wife (or a potential wife, if you're a single woman).  Prove the world wrong and show that nothing's impossible with God.

Ants and magnifying glasses

Did you ever watch Bruce Almighty with Jim Carrey?  Remember that scene where Carrey's character 'Bruce' makes this statement, "God is a mean kid sitting on an anthill with a magnifying glass, and I'm the ant.  He could fix my life in five minutes if He wanted to, but He'd rather burn off my feelers and watch me squirm."

I'm starting to realize more and more that people really do see Yahweh this way.  It's really weird to think about it since I've grown up in a Christian home, had Christian friends, and haven't had such a bad life..  From the outside, that is.  I have to point out, though, that my life hasn't always been what it is now.  I used to struggle heavily with lust and had several bouts with internet pornography - which I believe is a plague to Christian men of honor and commitment everywhere.  Pornography's a sickness to the Biblical statute of what God's idea is for a family.  I'll blog about that later.  But before I'm off the subject, I do have to say that the reason families fall apart is because of a lack of communication.  Men don't want to fess up to their wives because they're prideful.  Women don't want to fess up to their husbands because they're dealing with why their husbands don't look at them the way they look at women on the computer screens.  Children are being tempted earlier and earlier..  What are we going to do?  Stop being quiet, perhaps?  People of honor and commitment (which is a subject I'm preaching about tomorrow night.   Thursday Night @ The Regeneration. 7:14) learn how to be transparent.  That's the only way we overcome obstacles, struggles, and sin, is through transparency with our spouses, families, and friends.  We've got to have more accountability in our lives.  Ha!  This is obviously something I'm passionate about.  However, for the time being, I digress.

My life was subdued by internet pornography.  I was bound in chains to lust.  There was no victory in my life.  There was no sense of purpose, nor did I feel like I had any rhyme or reason to my walk with God.  Keep in mind, being raised in a Christian home, I knew what prayer was.  I had seen Jesus work miracle after miracle through effectual, fervent prayers of the saints.  But when I prayed, "why doesn't God hear me?" I would ask.  "I hate being this way," I would say.  "I hate dealing with this.  I want to be delivered."  I would pray day after day, slip-up after slip-up.  Then one day, God heard me.

I would like to say that though I'm still tempted, God is faithful and makes a way out (1 Cor. 10:13).  I don't struggle anymore.  I just learn how to submit to God and let the devil leave me (James 4:7-8).  At the very name of Jesus, whether it's a whisper or a shout, every demon still has to flee.  Everything surrenders to His name because His name is high above every other name named (Phil. 2:9-10).

So, with this title, Ants and magnifying glasses, I would like to testify to God's goodness.

For He is good and His mercy endures forever. - Psalm 107:1.  He's incapable of being anything else other than good.  All that He is and does is for humanity's benefit.  All He knows how to do is be good.  All He wants for us is healing, restoration, and hope.  Even in our chastisement, it's still for our good (Prov. 3:11; Heb. 12:7-8).  On the other hand, it's Satan who is incapable of being anything else other than evil.  All that he is and does is for humanity's demise.  All he knows how to do is be evil.  All he wants for us is to be stolen from, have destroyed life, and ultimately to kill us (John 8:44; John 10:10; Acts 10:38; Hebrews 2:14; John 3:8).

The amazing thing about God is that He is in the business of causing us to triumph and be victorious.  However, our God turned the curse into a blessing. - Nehemiah 13:2.  It's what He does.  But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good.. - Genesis 50:20.  Again, it's what He does.

I have to tell you that we aren't ants and there is actually no need for a magnifying glass, though it is US who use them.  We, in our fleshly nature, or Satan helps us use a magnifying glass to see how big our situation, circumstance, or scenario can look compared to God.  Truly, there's none who compares to Him though.  See, there is no opposite to God because there is no equal.  He is above all things and in all things, He is completely good all the time.

We've got to understand that His intentions for our lives are the best!

Unity, please?

For the record, I believe in unity in the Body of Christ.  Like Hebrews 12:14 says, Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.  I believe that where there is no unity there can be no active Spirit of God.  How can Holy Spirit align Himself with a group of people who can't work together?  It's against His nature that when He is not welcome, He will not be force Himself in.

Likewise, I also believe that God is doing something in these last days.  He is raising us up and building us up in this last day to be the Bride that He has foreseen through the ages - a people of Presence (Rom. 8:9; Acts 5:31), a people of power (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8), a people of praise (Acts 16:25-28; Psalm 100), a people of prestige (Gal. 5:22-23; 1 Cor. 10:31), a people of placement (Gen. 12:4; Acts 9:17), a people of prayer (John 14:14; Heb. 4:14-16), a people of peace (Phil. 4:6-8; John 14:27), a people of proclamation (1 Cor. 1:18; Rom. 1:16), a people of peculiarity (1 Pet. 2:9-10; Deut. 32:9), a people of purpose (Jer. 29:11; Rom. 8:28-30), a people of passion (Luke 19:10; Rom. 10:9-10), a people who are called by His name (2 Chr. 7:14).


I just want to share something that God has recently laid on my heart.  It's almost a reoccurring theme, though.  The theme of unity.  Holy Spirit showed me the following along with the sermonette above.

If God be for us, who can be against us? - Romans 8:31
In all things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. - Romans 8:37
They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. - Revelation 12:11
Lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices. - 2 Corinthians 2:11
On this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.  I give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loosed on earth shall be loosed in heaven. - Matthew 16:18-19

Notice some of the key terms.  If God be for US, WE are more than conquerors, THEY overcame, WE are not ignorant.  If you're a believer in Jesus, His life, death, and resurrection, this includes you.  If you're a believer, you're a part of the single, most beautiful thing in existence.  If you're a believer, you and I have more things in common than we don't.  We are the Church - not a denominationally, racially, culturally, economically divided institution.  We, cumulatively, are His bride, the ones He is coming back for soon.  When we separate ourselves from the rest of the Body, there's no power in us nor any potential for the things God has foreseen through the ages about us.  We are in this thing together.  We stand beside each other in battles, we weep when one another weeps, we rejoice when one another rejoices, we encourage one another, we lift up one another in prayer, we are with each other until the end (Side note..  Church people who believe in you and what God's called you to do don't know how to help if you don't tell them what you're dealing with).  We've got to remember that whether we're Baptist, Methodist, Assemblies of God, Presbyterian, we're with each other.  We've got to remember this!

Last few things - 1. the sermonette above, it's a people.  A people is not you nor I by ourselves.  It's more than one.  It's the Body.  2. I'm convinced that the power that came in Acts 2 partially happened because the disciples were gathered in one mind and one accord in Acts 1:14.

We're called!

Psalm 29

I'm just gonna share a little bit of what the Father's been dealing with me about in recent days.

Give unto the Lord, O you mighty ones, 

(You're a mighty one in the eyes of the King.  That's why you and I are called kings and priests before Him [Rev. 1:6].  We are carriers of His dominion and His glory, created in His image of morality, will, and authority [Gen. 1:26; Matt. 10; Luke 10].  At the same time, we also serve Him as a priest and intercessor, joining our faith with believers [Matt. 18:19-20] and being signs and wonders for nonbelievers [John 4:48].  This is His great pleasure for us. [Eph. 1:9])

Give unto the Lord glory and strength.

Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name;

Worship the Lord in the beauty of his holiness.

(You and I were created to give Him wholehearted praise, not just with our lips nor our mouths, but with our heart.  Jesus has said, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks [Luke 6:45].  Our words we say are only a hint of where our hearts actually are.  Our actions we perform are, like our words, only a hint of where our hearts actually are.  We, as believers, are called to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth [John 4:24] , with all that we are, if for no other reason than just for who He is.  Because of His nature, He is already worthy of our praise.  But because we know what He is capable of - saving us, restoring us, making our lives new, healing us, baptizing us with the Holy Ghost and power - in our minds, He becomes even more worthy.  We know that He is enthroned on the praises of His people [Psa. 22:3].  Another version says that He inhabits the praises of His people.  So that's why we worship Him in the beauty of holiness because there's something incredibly beautiful about the place where He and I meet.  It's holiness because He 's there with me, but it's also beautiful because we are there together.)

The voice of the Lord is over the waters;

The God of glory thunders;

The Lord is over many waters.

The voice of the Lord is power;

The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

(The voice of the Lord is power.  It's nothing less than that.  When He speaks, all of creation lines up directly and immediately to His commands.  With His voice, He causes the dead to be raised [John 11:43; Rom. 4:17].  With His voice, He calms the roaring winds and raging seas [Psa. 107:29; Mark 4].  With His voice, He makes victories over His sons become a reality [Exo. 14:14; Rev. 19:15].  We could go on and on about the power of His voice.  There are so many things that we don't see, yet we know that the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.  Just like in an empire or a kingdom of old, what the king says is done - no questions asked. It's the same way with the King and His kingdom.  That's why we as believers trust in the written Word of God.  We speak His word over our lives and situations and no that even if something doesn't happen immediately in the physical realm that worlds are moving in the spiritual realm.  We trust Him in that because we know that it's impossible for God to lie [Titus 1:2; Heb. 6:18].

The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars,

Yes, the Lord splinters the cedars of Lebanon.

He makes them also skip like a calf,

Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox.

(Whether it is the hugest tree in existence or whether it is the animals that live on the earth, they are moved by the voice of God.  It's impossible for everything that has a breath, whether they receive it or whether they reject it, not to be moved.  This is why the story of the Cross causes so much controversy.  If I tell someone a  movie plot of a man risking his life to save his daughter from drowning in the ocean, it's a box office hit.  If I tell someone the story of Jesus, there's offense.  The reason why is this - every story that involves rescuing is just a foretaste of the Cross.  Men and women become so angry at my persistence to serve Jesus because they, like you and I, were created to live out the same story.  It causes conviction to come over their hearts that they disguise as condemnation so they can manage their emotions.  Regardless of even if they ever repent, it doesn't change the fact that the story that saved my life is and was still true.  Because of that, God is in attempt to woo the entirety of mankind.  He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance [2 Pet. 3:9].  The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men [Titus 2:11].  That's why they have no excuse [Rom. 1:20].  God, in times past, overlooked their ignorance, but is now calling all men everywhere to repent [Acts 17:30].  The point is - creation, all of it, is moved at the very real voice of God.)

The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire.

(A foreshadowing of Matt. 3:11, Luke 24:49, Acts 1:8, and Acts 2:1-4, perhaps?  Psalm 104 says that He makes His ministers [servants] as a flaming fire [supernatural fire].  That could be why He's called a consuming fire [Deut. 4:24; Heb. 12:29].  Fire is used to purify and set a part (Job 23:10).  Fire is used in testing (Mal. 3:2).  Fire is used in passion.  I had a friend that used to preach, 'If your heart's just on fire, you're not serving my God.  My God is a consuming fire - every part of me is aflame!'  You're on fire, mighty one!)

The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;

The Lord shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.

The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth,

And stripes the forests bare;

(Again, all of creation lines up to His voice.  Whether the tallest trees or the swiftest animals, nothing can escape to be moved by His voice.  That's why we tell the sun to stand still [Jos. 10] and mountains to move [Matt. 17:20-21].  They have no other choice but to listen to us.  Not because of who we are, but because of who He is, the everlasting God, inside of us.  Exodus 15:3 calls Him a man of war.  Because if His word is in us, it will come out of us.  Jeremiah 20:9 says that it's a fire shut up in my bones.  If I try to keep it in, it will burn me up.  His word causes things to happen.  Plain and simple.)

And in His temple, everyone says, "Glory!"

(It's honor, strength, power, and dominion to Him forever.  It's all about Him and not about us.  That's why 1 Corinthians 1:31 says, Let him that boasts boast in the Lord.  Whether I eat or whether I drink or whatever I do, I do unto the glory of God [Col. 3:23].  The man that has given himself over to God fully can do nothing else.  The man that has given himself over to God is fully incapable of taking credit for anything.  That man knows  that there is nothing that is in existence without the sustainable power of the living God's words keeping it there.  'Glory' here literally means 'honor, splendor, abundance of riches, reputation, and dignity' belonging to Him alone.)

And the Lord sat enthroned at the Flood,

And the Lord sits as King forever.

(Genesis 6 tells about the flood of Noah's day.  The Lord was not moved by circumstance, nor is He ever.  He is immutable and consistent in His ability to be unchanging [Mal. 3:6; Heb. 13:8].  The Lord is moved by faith, but if the wicked are indeed faithless, He remains on His throne.  This scene, in it of itself, shows His sovereignty.  The King of glory is supreme.  There is nothing beside Him, nor can anything dare to stand next to Him.  Isaiah 40, the Lord says to whom shall you compare Me unto?  Psalm 77, the Psalmist writes who is as great a God as our God?  Neither situation, nor circumstance, nor emotion, nor anything can shake even the foundations of His throne.)

The Lord will give strength to His people;

The Lord will bless His people with peace.

(Strength is a promise for you and I.  Exodus 15:2 says the Lord is my strength and my song.  1 Samuel 30:6 shows that we have the ability to strengthen ourselves in the Lord [Eph. 6:18; 1 Cor. 14:5; Rom. 8:26-27].  Peace by blessing is a promise for us.  We have perfect peace when our minds are stayed on Him [Isa. 26:3].  We have peace that passes every part of our understanding [Phil. 4:6-8].  We have peace that only Jesus, not this world, can give [John 14:27].  Peace consumes us as a part of the fruit of the Spirit [Gal. 5:21].  And our God, He is the God of peace [Rom. 16; 1 Cor. 14; 2 Cor. 13; 1 Thess. 5].  That's why we know that no matter what happens, whether a flood or whether a shining sun, whether we understand it or whether we don't, we'll be in peace.  His voice brings us peace.)

It's an amazing thing to know the authority of His voice.  Everything, like we talked about before, is in complete submission to any and everything God says.  The word of God is all powerful and causes all of creation to be moved.  His voice is the One we know and we will not follow another [John 10:27].

Believe Him and His word.  He'll never leave, never fail, never forsake [Deut. 31:6; Isa. 41:10-13; Heb. 13:5].  The only way we'll know that is if we read His love letter to us.

Hope to the hopeless

I was doing some journal writing the other day when God started sharing His heart with me.  Vision, like I mentioned in yesterday's post, is something that's been impressed on me a lot here lately.  A visionless, dreamless believer is a hopeless, lifeless believer is what Holy Spirit told me.  After all, Proverbs 29 says where there is no vision, the people perish.  Another version says, where there is no prophetic revelation, the people cast off restraint.  Basically, where there is no clear direction from heaven given, there is only dissatisfaction and rebellion.  If there's no vision casting going on in a church or over a believer's life, it's like being in a row boat. 

I'll give you two mental shots to grasp -  
1. A rower rowing and the other rower doing nothing altogether; or,
2. A rower rowing one way and the other rowing in the opposite direction.

From a learning experience rafting trip (I use that terminology loosely), I know that the first scenario causes the boat to go round and round in circles while the second scenario causes the boat to pretty much stay in the same spot depending on which rower gets tired first.  In that event, the first illustration would occur.

Both seem a little counter-productive, don't they? It's because they are..

I've actually found that if rowers row together, particularly at the same time, in the same movement, the boat can go somewhere pretty quick.  It's the same concept with vision and vision casting - both in the body of believers (which, if you're not going to a local assembly for whatever reason, I ask you to reconsider your position. Heb. 10:25; Acts 2:42) and in an individual (if you're following the Rom. 8:28-30 formula, all things work out for your good.  When you love him and you're called by God to the purpose you're engaging in, that's when God works your stuff out.  Day-by-day, as this happens, you will be conformed to the image of His Son [which was the Father's intention all along]).  Vision has its foundation and roots in both of these institutions - in the local church and in the individual believer.

Vision for the Church, the collective Body of Christ, is pretty universal.  Though some values may be different, we're all shooting for the same goals - to work out Matt. 18:11 and Luke 19:10.  For the Son of man came to seek and save that which was lost.  This is OUR common purpose, OUR common initiative, OUR common vision.  We have a call to present our message of rest to the weary, strength to the weak, riches to the poor, bread to the hungry, water to the thirsty, clothes to the naked, freedom to the captive, healing to the sick, sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, life to the dead,comfort to the comfortless, help to the helpless, light to the darkness.  This is why we're here.

Jesus came to this earth as Colossians 1 says, to be the image of the invisible God.  Now that He is ascended to the right of the Father (Luke 22; Heb. 1), He is praying for us to be the Body that is in proportion to the Head (Heb. 7:25).  We are the image of the invisible God now.  We are the sons and daughters to this broken, destitute earth.  We are the hope to the hopeless.  We are the ones who are destined to fulfill Matthew 10:8.  Heal the sick, cleanse the leper, raise the dead, cast out devils.  Freely you have received, freely give.  You and I seek and save the lost with our compassion on them.  Notice in Scripture that's when Jesus healed and fed the people - when He had compassion on them (John 6).  We have been commissioned by the King of glory to be His representatives (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:14-18; Luke 24:44-49; John 20:21-23; 2 Cor. 5:21).  We are His sent ones.  We have the message of life and death in us.  We have the ability to show people a way for their sins to be forgiven.  If we're quiet, we have the ability to show people a way to not have their sins forgiven.  We are the hope to the hopeless.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. - Luke 4:18-19 [Isa. 61].

Let's arise and be who we're called to be!

Our God

I have no idea how people find time to blog. We've got so much going on, and God's continued to bless and bless and bless some more!

Holy Spirit's dealing with me a lot in recent days about vision and restoration.  The King of glory has huge plans for us, not only as individuals, but as the Church too..  Reading in Ezra and Nehemiah has definitely shown that to be true!  If you've never checked either of these books out, you should, along with Zechariah and Habbakuk. There's just a few things I'd like to share.

Those who built on the wall, and those, who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon.  Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built.  And the one who sounded the trumpet was beside me.  Then I said to the nobles, the rulers, and the rest of the people, "The work is great and extensive, and we are separated far from one another on the wall.  Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there.  Our God will fight for us." - Nehemiah 4:17-20

Here, the children of Israel are under the direction of the Nehemiah.  He was their captain, their chief, their leader.  He guided them by the hand of God into victory every time.  Here, as the Israelites were building, the Bible says that in one hand, they had their tools.  In the other, a weapon.  As believers, this is our mission.  Being led by a Spirit-filled leader, we're Kingdom builders and shakers.  We fall into the category of what the Lord told Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1.  The then Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me: "Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.  See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant".  You have the authority as a believer to be who God's made you out to be.  You're a vessel of honor and we've, that is, you and I, have been given the tools to victory and restoration.  Colossians 1:27 actually puts it this way, Christ in you the hope of all glory.  You have the message inside of you that the world needs to hear and see you live out.

There have been too many people who have given a bad reputation to the name of Jesus that I believe God is raising up a generation of builders to restore Himself.  See, the Israelites were rebuilding what the enemy destroyed.  They were reestablishing the temple and the wall that surrounded it.  In the Old Testament, the building was the place God's presence dwelt.  For us, we are that temple (John 14:17; 1 Cor. 3:16-17; 1 Cor. 6:19-20; 2 Cor. 13:9).  The living God resides in us.  That's what makes us so powerful and useful to Him.  That's what makes us so dangerous to the enemy.  With the presence of God with us and in us comes the authority with the weapon of life.  The weapon we have brings life to the dead and kills off chains from Satan.

Hebrews 4:12 calls the Word of God alive and powerful and sharper than any double-edged sword..  The Word is our weapon.  It's what makes us a battle ax in the hands of God (Jer. 50:20).  As we're daily sanctified by the Word, more and more, it causes the enemy to flee from us.  As James 4 says, we submit to God; resist the devil; he flees from us.  The Word in us makes us to resist the enemy.  If you or I are struggling with sin, there's a good possibility it's a lack of Bible in our lives.  I heard a preacher say once, "Sin will keep you from the Bible, but the Bible will keep you from sin".  Remember Jesus' temptations in the wilderness?  When Jesus fought with the devil, He did it with the Word (Matt. 4).  Ultimately, with the Word is how evil will be destroyed (Rev. 19).  Furthermore, the more we use the Bible against the powers of darkness, the more we'll get used to being victorious.

I'm convinced that God has never called us to be losers.  We're winners!  God has never called us to be defeated.  We're triumphant!  God has never called us to wallow in sin.  We're overcomers!  Like Paul says in Romans 8:31, If God be for us, who can be against us?

Like in Nehemiah, we have tools in one hand and the weapon in the other.  That's how we know that our God will fight for us!

Lots and lots of stuff

Well, if you haven't noticed I haven't blogged in probably..  a month or two. We've just been so preoccupied with with life in general. Summer has kept us incredibly busy. What with vacations, church camps, and God opening up doors for me to preach, Brooke and I have had a lot on our plates. Guess what..  The best is yet to come!

Sunday, July 31st, I'm going to be preaching at my home church - The Regeneration. If you're able to make it, you can totally come and be a part of what God's doing. We start at 4:30!

This is my disclaimer..

Sundays at 4:30

Thursday Night at 7:14

Saturday, August 6th, Brooke's going to be leading worship and I'm going to be preaching at the Section 5 South back to school rally at Evangel Temple here in Fort Smith. Activities start around 5:00 with really awesome inflatables (obstacle course and slide), a junk load of food, basketball, and two really big give-aways. Service starts at 7:00. If you're able to come to that, please do. We're expecting a huge out pouring of the Holy Spirit.

Saturday, August 20th, we're going to be having a worship night at The Regeneration. It's going to start at 6:00 at more or less end when God relents.  We had one about a month or two back and it was just an incredible time of refreshment.  The worship leaders are as follows: Kim Boyd, Dustin Coats, Hailey Hibbard, Matt Whorton.  We're really excited for what's going to happen this time!

There will be more things happening in recent days, but we'll talk about it later!

But before I just end this post, I got a new layout.  I tried my hardest to change all of the Scripture from the blinding orange into something a little more pleasing to the eyeballs.  Blame Blogspot!  Anyways!

Have an awesome day!

Driving out

Nevertheless the children of Israel did not drive out the Geshurites or the Maachathites, but the Geshurites and the Maachathites dwell among the Israelites until this day. - Joshua 13:13
As for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem to this day. - Joshua 15:63
And they did not drive out the Canaanites who dwelt in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites to this day and have become forced laborers. - Joshua 16:10
Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities, but the Canaanites were determined to dwell in that land.  And it happened, when the children of Israel grew strong, that they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not utterly drive them out. - Joshua 17:12-13

Here lately, my main focus in reading has been in the book of Joshua.  I just finished up with chapter 17 today and noticed some interesting features.  Maybe you can spot them, too..

In each of these four Scriptures, Israel didn't or wasn't able to drive out the enemies that possessed their land.  Immediately after reading these in the past couple of days, I've wondered why.  Why were the children of Israel not able to fully take what God had given them?  After all, He was with Joshua as He was with Moses (Joshua 1) and every where Joshua went, Israel was able to conquer (Joshua 6, 8, 10, 11).  God even promised the children of Israel in the beginning of Joshua chapter 13 that He would drive them out.  This is the land that yet remains: all the territory of the Philistines and all that of the Geshurites.. all the land of the Canaanites.. them I will drive out from before the children of Israel. - 13:2, 4, 6b.  Yet, they did not fully take the land God had promised their fathers.

Why?

Was God not true to His word?  Was He not strong enough to help Israel?  Was He too weak to do it?  Did He lie to His sons and daughters?  Did He fail to hold up His end of the promise?

Simply enough, the nation of Israel was satisfied with what they had, where they were at.  They were content in complacency.  They were content in compromising.  They were content in not having all that God said that they could have.  So what can be said about it?  He gave them instruction and they rejected it.  He was incredibly clear about what He said, too.  Do this, do this, do this, don't do that, and what'd Israel do?  The exact opposite.  Notice, even with that, what happened in the Scriptures above.  Israel did not drive out their enemy, then they could not drive out their enemy.  Intriguing, right?  It's like in Joshua 7 with Achan.  Israel couldn't conquer Ai because of sin in the camp.

Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them.  For they have ever taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived, and they have also put it among their own stuff.  Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they have become doomed to destruction.  Neither will I be with you anymore, unless you destroy the accursed from among you. - Joshua 8:12-13

Sin keeps not only God's blessing from you, but it also allows your enemy to overtake you.  Sin, by the way, is complacency.  Don't let complacency rule your life because it only leads to sin.  God's called you to greater things!

Just like God told Cain before He killed Abel, If you do well, will you not be accepted?  But if you do not do well, sin lies at the door.  It's desire is for you, but you should rule over it. - Genesis 4:7.  Like Paul said in Romans 6:14, Sin shall have no more dominion over you: for you are under the law, but under grace.

You're more than a conqueror.  Be one today!  You've got the authority to drive out your enemies.  Do it today!

6-8-10

Something I've noticed in my ten years living for the Lord and my 3 and half years at The Regeneration, more and more the line between sin and well..  Not sin is becoming blurred.  Obviously the biggies like killing somebody, stealing, and worshiping other God are pretty open, but what about the things not necessarily black, white, or red in the Bible?

It seems like the biggest subject that has come into view currently is drinking.  "Jesus turned water into wine", "Jesus drank wine", "All things in moderation", and "The Bible says not to be drunk, but doesn't say anything about drinking" are a few of the arguments I've heard in favor for Christian drinking.  Following that, gambling seems to be an issue that's mentioned nowadays; smoking cigarettes, or doing drugs in general, since they're not mentioned in the Bible; using profanities, since they're just words; and I'm sure there are more, but I'll just stick with these for now.

Ronnie Hoover, Chi Alpha campus pastor at the University of Arkansas, introduced a principle to me once.  It's called the 6-8-10 Principal.
6, 8, and 10 are numbers that all come from Scripture, particularly 1 Corinthians.  It challenges activities by asking questions.  If we're honest with it, it can change how we're doing something or even cause us to stop doing something all together.  Here is the model:

All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful.. - 1 Corinthians 6:12a 

So with the first question we have to ask ourselves is, "Can I hurt myself doing this?"

All things are lawful for me, but I will not be under the power of any. - 1 Corinthians 6:12b

The second question we have to ask ourselves is, "Is what I'm doing habit forming?"

But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak. - 1 Corinthians 8:9

The third question we have to ask ourselves is, "Can what I'm doing cause someone to stumble?"

Therefore, wherefore you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. - 1 Corinthians 10:31

The last and final question we have to ask ourselves is,  "Is what I'm doing God glorifying?"

So, whether it's with drinking, smoking, doing drugs, gambling, using profanities, watching movies, listening to music, etc., ask yourself these questions.  If you stay true to them, you'll grow in leaps and bounds more than you'll ever know!

Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does it not, to him it is sin. - James 4:17

Osama bin Laden

I haven't wrote anything in nearly a month and what a way to start back.

For the record, Brooke and I have both been insanely preoccupied with a junk load of stuff.  Mainly we're involved ministry, but other than that - finishing up credentials in the Assemblies of God, spending time with both of our families, and for Brooke, it's finals week this week.  Needless to say, I hope I can get back to writing and speaking out and what not.

There's a lot to say about a man who tortured and killed thousands, if not millions.  At least, a lot of my Facebook friends have shown that..

Since this is my blog, I shall giveth my thoughts.

Osama bin Laden was the leader of a feared terrorist group who utterly destroyed and obliterated American society in a matter of minutes.  He orchestrated one of the most gruesome mass murders in history.  He took an incredible amount of lives; some, 10 years later, even still unaccounted for.  It's scary to think that people like him exist.  He was a murderer, a thief, a complete tyrant to the public.

Today, I've heard more than one Christian say that they were glad bin Laden was dead.  And I wonder to myself, how Biblical is that?

I'm going to be honest.  When I first saw it on the news last night, I was apathetic and my first thought was, "This is going to look good on Barack Obama's resume".  Simply meaning, if he wants to be re-elected, he will be.  Nothing bad.  Nothing I wanted to argue about.  Nothing political.  I tend to try to stay out of the political game, though I still vote.  Regardless..

I was thinking about it today and I just realized how glad I am that a terrorist is out of the picture.  The militaries involved did a great job in completing their missions.  I'm pleased that justice was served because God is a just God.  He's faithful to His word and I'm glad.  But because God is faithful to His word, I immediately think of 2 Peter 3:9.  God is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness, but is patient to us-ward; not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  Then I think of Ezekiel 18:23.  'Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?' says the Lord God, 'and not   that he should turn from his ways and live?'.  How can I say what I need to say without offending?

I suppose I can't.

Even though a terrorist is gone, another will rise up.  I'm so glad that the one who killed so many is gone.  At the same time, I'm moved.  O, if he had repented!  If he had turned away from his ungodliess and his unrighteousness, if he had turned from his wickedness and his idolatry, would could have happened?  Would the world have forgotten all that he had done?  Of course not.  And I would never expect them to.  Again, God is a just God and the spiritual principle of sowing and reaping is in affect whether you're saved or unsaved.  Yet, how do we answer the questions of salvation?

Are we pleased that a soul split hell wide open?  Are we pleased that a soul is burning uncontrollably in the fires of torment?  Are we pleased that One who loved unconditionally was rejected?  Osama bin Laden was no different than any other unsaved person.  Yet, if everyone got what they deserved, even the Christians would be in trouble.

So, in my inconsistency of words, I say that this ramble is just a wake up call.  There are people within our grasp who are falling further and further away from the Truth of Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  Every single day, people within our grasp are falling more and more in love with world and the Blinder of their eyes.  Every single day, we are becoming more and more complacent in our day-to-day living.  Every single day, we are becoming more and more silent in our day-to-day living.

A great man named Dane Hall once said to me, "Silence is consent".  If I am silent, I consent to their behavior.  If I am silent, I consent to Satan stealing them away.  If I am silent, I consent to being a fruitless Christian because the whole point of Christianity is to have a ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5).

I cannot allow the devil to take away the promised land of this earth from me.  Promised land?  Jesus said in John 4, My food is to do the will of Him who sent me.  What is His will?  Go back 2 Peter 3.  God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  Our promised land is the same food of Jesus.  To do and be the will of God to this world!


Everywhere the sole of my foot shall tread, the Lord my God has given me, Joshua 1 says.  Ephesians 6 tells me that my feet are shod with preparation of the gospel of peace.  What does that mean?  Everywhere I go, I am prepared to share the peace I know.  Peace?  Yes!  In the Greek, the word literally means an absence of war.  What war?  The war between God and Satan.  Good and evil.  Light and darkness.  Hope and hopelessness.  Life and death.  Freedom and bondage.  We have the ability to be missionally militant even where we are!  Everywhere the sole of our feet tread, we are prepared to shall the gospel of peace.  We have got to win this world back to the One who gave up His life for us!  If we don't, we're selfish and don't deserve to be called Christ-like!  Jesus is the Savior of the world and if we don't tell them, their blood is on our hands!  Romans 10 says, how will they hear unless there's a preacher? 

But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. - 2 Corinthians 4:3-4

But other save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh. - Jude 1:23

If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies.  If they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees.  Let no on go there unwarned and unprayed for. - C.H. Spurgeon

Yes and Amen

Here lately, I've been thinking on God's faithfulness and His promises.  They're incredible..

I have exceeding precious promises in Him and I can be completely confident in His mercies that endure forever.  That's a promise in it of itself - that His mercies are always around, consistently lingering for those who need it (Psalm 107:1; Matthew 5:7).

It's quite possibly the most amazing thing to know that the promises of the Father are real and true.  2 Corinthians 1 says it this way, the promises of God are not 'yes' and 'no', but 'yes' and 'amen'.  I can be assured that God is not like an indecisive little girl about His promises for His people.  He knows His perfect thoughts and plans for me.  Psalm 33 says that the plans of the Lord stand forever.

He shows us glory if we show Him love (John 14:21).  He hears from heaven, forgives our sin, and heals our land if we pray, seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways (2 Chronicles 7:14).  He is faithful and just to forgive us if we confess our sins (1 John 1:9).  He will heal us if we don't forget that He's the God who heals us (Exodus 15:26).  He will give us rest if we come just come to Him (Matthew 11:28).  And he, all by Himself, is completely faithful to His promises.

Deuteronomy 7:9 actually calls Him the faithful God while 1 Corinthians 1, 1 Corinthians 10, 1 Thessalonians 5, 2 Thessalonians 3, Philippians 1, 2 Timothy 2, and Hebrews 10 all tell of His faithfulness.  It's unmatched and He is unshakable.

He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  He reigns in majesty.  He thunders.  He is worshiped in the beautiful of holiness, in spirit and in truth.  He is clothed in light and there is no darkness in Him at all.  He is the lifter of my head.  He is the strength of my heart.  He is my portion forever.  He is my bread.  He is my water.  He is my victory.  He is my righteousness.  He is my shield.  He is my exceeding great reward.  He is my everything.  He is my desire.  He is my King.  He is my Lord.  He is coming back.  He is my salvation.  But most of all, in all things, conceivable and inconceivable, seen and unseen, material and immaterially, He is my ultimate promise.

Yes and amen.

Megachurch pastors

Not too long ago, I listened to a guy speak about being under fire at his church.  He's a megachurch pastor who has catching flack from several other pastors for his methods and ways of handling situations.

He mentioned the word 'blasphemy', so I looked it up in both the dictionary and when Jesus mentions it in Mark 3.  In the dictionary, "irreverent utterance or action concerning God or sacred things".  In the Greek, "to speak reproachfully, revile, slander, or speak evil of".  Here's a quote by him.

I want to speak to those who would speak of this church and dismiss the whole thing; 'have nothing to do with that place, it's heretics, apostasy', it's whatever.  In the Scriptures, there's a particular word that we have to be very careful of.  There is a chance that the Spirit of God is at work in our community..  Now, when I speak against a community of believers, and I'm not talking about specific talk about issues or doctrines or theology or statements, when I broad stroke a community, there is the chance that the Spirit of God is at work somewhere in that community.  And when I don't have anything to do with that whole church, there is the chance that at the moment I would speaking against something that somewhere in its midst the Spirit of God is at work.  In the Scriptures, when somebody speaks against the work of the Spirit of God, the word for it is blasphemy.  Be very careful about the kinds of discussions you engage in.  The Church of Jesus Christ is a mysterious, beautiful Bride.  Don't mess with It.

I don't say who it is because I think that when some read this, they'll immediately disregard everything the pastor says.  Is this particular pastor unreliable?  I don't believe so.  Is this particular pastor a heretic?  Perhaps, but even God can use a donkey to say something.

Regardless, I heard this quote about a month ago.  In the past couple of weeks, it resurfaced in my memory due to some kind words I listened in on and received.  Last week, I was listening to a conversation between some of  the pastors I know.  As one began to tell about Brother So-and-So not doing his job right, the other chimed in in agreement.  I sat back and just casually observed what they were saying.  It was harsh to hear mighty men of God tear down a brother.  Had I broke apart the conversation, I don't think I would have been able to hear all of their heart on someone who was doing something different than they were.  Then just about two or three days ago, I had a pastor tell me about the leadership in my church not being God ordained.  He began speaking doubt and disbelief over my church.  Just one thing after another, he ripped The Regeneration up one side and down the other.  Did I say anything back?  No.  Why?  What I was feeling was ungodly, so  what would have come from my mouth probably wouldn't have been too godly either.  I forgave him.  I did from the beginning, my mind just had to catch up with my spirit.

Needless to say, I believe everything Pastor Anonymous said up above is correctamundo.  Speaking negativity against anywhere the Spirit of God may at work is perhaps blasphemy.

In Matthew 10, Jesus says, There is nothing that is covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.  Jesus continues in Matthew 12 by saying, Either make the tree good and its fruit good or make the tree corrupt and its fruit corrupt.  Brood of vipers!  How can you being evil, speak good things?  Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

Watch what you say and who you say it about.  What you say is in your heart and what's in your heart comes out.  Speak life and not death over your brothers.

Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. - 2 Corinthians 3:17
Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation - because they said 'He has an unclean spirit'. - Mark 3:28-30

What are people saying?

I'm convinced that there are three types of people in this world:
A. Boys and girls who care what everyone thinks
B. Boys and girls who say they don't care what anyone thinks, yet they do
C. Boys and girls who don't care what anyone thinks

If I were categorized, I think I would fit in the letter A.  Typical, right?

I was on my way to work this morning praying and worshiping with my friends, Pocket Full of Rocks.  To be blunt, it was perhaps the most saturating, tangible experience I've had in a long time.  I would pray in the Spirit, "Abba Father, let me be more and more after Your heart", among other things.  As I did, Holy Spirit brought back to my memory some stuff He dealt with me about last night.

First, Holiness is not optional; second, Being after God's heart is like being pregnant.  You either are or you aren't.  Pretty good stuff if I do say so myself.  And I do.  So it's good.

In 1 Peter 1, the Bible says as He who is called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, for it is written, be holy for I am holy.  Holiness is defined in the dictionary as, "consecrated; devoted; having spiritual purity".  If we believe that God is who He says He is and that He is not mocked, we had better find out quickly that holiness is not optional.  We don't pick and choose when and when not to be holy.  Every second of every minute of every hour of every day, we are to be completely devoted and pure in everything we do, everything we say, and everywhere we go.  Holiness is who we are.  You can't separate it in any matter from the heart of the Father.  Thus, the second thing God spoke to me about.

In 1 Samuel 16, God is dealing with Samuel about anointing a new king for Israel.  Read the story of Saul and David and you'll find out why David is called a man after God's own heart (Acts 13).  Integrity, respect, genuineness, and so much more.  Anyways, I'm sure if you're a Christian, you want this to be tagged onto your name.  If you're a dude, you want to be a man after God's own heart.  If you're a lady, you want to be a woman after God's own heart.  But what I've figured out is that you are desperate with everything inside of you to satisfy Him or you simply are not.  Remember Revelation 3:16.  Remember Hebrews 12:29.

So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.

For our God is a consuming fire.

It's been said that lukewarm is Jesus' vomiting ministry.  What do you think?  Not only that, but if God is a consuming fire, then He doesn't just take up your hands to lay on hands and pray nor your tongue to preach or speak.  Consuming means every part.  Holy Spirit takes over and conquers every part of me - body, soul, and spirit; thoughts, motives, and intentions; hopes, dreams, fears, and failures - every part of me.  Then we go back to being after God's heart goes back to being holy.  Holiness cannot be separated from God's heart if He is holy (1 Peter 1).  If He is holy, we are to be holy and being after His heart is like pregnant.  Either we are or we're not.

Now, back to the original thought.  Three types of people..

Consider what they said about Paul in Acts 26, you are beside yourself and what they said about the apostles in Acts 17 - turning the world upside down.  If people can say otherwise about me, perhaps that I'm lukewarm or not practicing what I preach, I have lost my witness both to unbelievers and believers alike.  I have no ground to speak into or pour out into someone's life.  Understand that the grace of God is a contagious infection.  If we're willing to open up to it, it can burn up our circles of influence like wildfire.

What are people saying about you?  Are you living out holiness and following hard after the heart of God?

Relationship and reason

Did you ever see or know those people who always had to get their point across?  Literally nothing would do except that you knew how they felt about a particular subject?  Did you ever see or know those Christians who lived by that example?  In my younger days, I was one of those Christians.

In junior high, I had to make sure people knew I wasn't ashamed of the gospel.  Whether that meant condemning conversations or cramming it down various throats, it sure enough didn't matter to me.  In retrospect, I probably could have done some things different.  For example, I could've actually shown Jesus's compassion on people.  It's not like I didn't want people to experience the Holy Spirit and I'm sure my intentions were good, but the way I carried myself wasn't the best.  I noticed, too, that it wasn't just me.

My senior year of high school, I had someone tell me about a huge argument that went down in an 11th grade English class.  Questions about faith and the way to heaven were brought up in the class, prompting two girls to talk aloud.  One was a borderline atheist/agnostic (we'll call her X) and the other was a devout Christian (Y).  As the discussion started, Y quickly sent out her view.  "Jesus is the only way to heaven", she said.  Of course she was correct, but how the conversation ended up was brutal.

X: What about all of the other religions?
Y: They're not right.
X: Well, what about --
Y: It doesn't matter.  Jesus is the only way to heaven.
X: But I'm just saying --
Y: Jesus is the only way.
X: What about --
Y: You're wrong.

Needless to say, X was in tears by the end.  After the class, she told the whole school that people like Y is why she didn't go to church.  People like Y is why she didn't want to be a Christian.

Scary, isn't it?

Here in recent days, I think I've figured out the best way to witness..

We live in a very hungry society.  People search and search, trying to find the truths about some sort of absolute.  Too, a majority of people in the United States, especially in the Bible belt of Arkansas, consider themselves to believe in God though perhaps not living it out.  However, pointing that out may not be the best way to go about witnessing, huh?  Regardless, they're still in pursuit of something concrete, something absolute, something visible.  Concrete, Jesus is.  Absolute, Jesus is.  Visible, Jesus is.  "How?" you may ask.  "Through His Church," I reply.  

They have questions about the purpose of humanity, what happens in the afterlife, why there is pain, and why there is suffering.  As a Christian, you and I have the answers they're looking for.  In clarification, we may not have the answers they want, but we do have the answers they're looking for.  Every answer to every question is in the living, Holy Spirit inspired Word of God.

Observe what Paul did in Acts 17.

Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.  Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ. - Acts 17:1-3

The word reason means: to mingle thought with thought; to ponder; to provoke thought.

When Paul reasoned with them do you think he made them feel stupid or challenged?  Do you think he screamed at them or spoke softly?  Do you think he cut them off in mid sentence or let them have their say?

I think he challenged them, spoke calmly with them, and let them stay what they wanted all while asking questions (not intrusively, but interestedly).  Interested in what?  Them - their thoughts, opinions, and feelings.  I know first hand that making people feel like idiots is a horrible witnessing tool.  Understand that Paul didn't condone what the nonbelievers were doing, he just didn't condemn it.  The best way to reach out to somebody is to to be all things to all men through provoking thoughts in their minds.  Notice that the Bible says Paul reasoned from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating.  When people figure out that you're desiring to build a relationship with them, they'll have questions of their own to ask you.  People ask sincere questions when they realize we're sincere people.  Thus, you will have opportunity to explain and demonstrate.  Also, recognize that Jesus and the disciples both build ministries off of relationships with people.   Following, Acts 17 says that Paul for three Sabbaths reasoned.  Acts 18 tells us that Paul was a tent maker.  The Sabbath was only one day a week.  He stayed for 3 Sabbaths.  What do you think Paul was doing for the other days of the week?  I think he was probably making tents and building relationships with people of the community.  People are more willing to hear us when we invest in them.

I've actually put this into practice recently.

There's a guy I've been getting to know for the past year or so.  He knows I'm a believer and he used to be a believer as well (or not saved at all, depending on your view).  Anyways, in the past two days God has really opened up the door for me to share with him.  I think that's because I had to build a relationship with the guy first.  Now that I have, more opportunities are becoming available for me to reason with him.  I'm incredibly stoked to see God give the increase.

Going back to the younger days, I could've cared less about building a relationship with the people I tried to witness to.  I was just making sure they knew I was unashamed .  Now that I understand that relationship and reason are probably the best ways to witness, I'm going to use them more and more.

Also, I'm pretty sure Y has too.

Debating and dissecting

Sometimes people argue about the dumbest things..

Among Pentecostals, it's about Oneness vs. Trinitarian or whether Holy Spirit baptism is essential for heaven. Among Christians in general, it's about "once saved, always saved" vs. backsliding/loss of salvation or whether the gifts of the Holy Spirit are still in operation.

I then wonder to myself how Jesus likes the division. What do you think?

There are times where I want to pull my hair out. Other times I want to give my two cents. Even with the first, why do I worry? With the latter, how Godly is that anyway? Regardless, what would either choices solve? Would my opponent (I use that word purposely, yet lightly) change his mind? Perhaps, but that's highly unlikely. If my opponent already believes that Christ is the resurrected Son of the living God and lives it out, why do we debate? We have more things in common than not. What's the point in trying to convert another believer? Moreover, why would I call a brother or sister an "opponent"?

Imagine what could happen in the Body of Christ if we were able to get our eyes off of each other and onto Jesus. The gospel would be preached and salvation would move and flow throughout the earth. Salvation, God's heartbeat, would take back sinners from the flames of hell.

Only and only if we get our eyes focused on the King's glory.

Reverend Billy Graham put it this way, "The Word of God is not meant to be debated or dissected. It is meant to be done."

Not only that, but Jesus said in Matthew 12, every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city of house divided against itself will not stand..

Paul talks in Philippians 1 and says that we are to stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.

Noticing the Acts church, before the Holy Spirit was poured out in chapter 2, they were in one mind and one accord. Acts 4 tells us that they were together in one heart and one spirit.

Psalm 133 says that it is good and pleasant for brothers who dwell in unity.

Unity in the Church is how things are accomplished. Unity is how the grace of God is shown and the heart of God is made known. Unity is turning an audience into army for the glory of God alone. Unity is showing and sharing the love we've received with the whole world. Unity is not showing partiality. Unity is giving more and more for the Kingdom to be fulfilled.

Only and only if we get our eyes focused on the King's glory.

Trees and what not

How often do you look at trees?  Or when you see them, whether dead or alive, what do you think of?  When I see a dead tree, it makes me think, "man..  where's the fruit that used to be there?  Where are the leaves?  Where's the green stuff?"

In order for it to be a tree, there had to have been some sort of apple or orange at least once.  If not something so defined, maybe even an incredibly small flower.  There had to have been some pretty vibrant leaves.  There had to have been some redonkulous greenery..  I mean, if all the other trees around it are green, surely that tree should be green.

I was driving from my parents' house once when I noticed all of the trees on my left hand side.  Some were alive, but most were dead.  After all, we were at the end of winter, going into spring.
I just thought it was so weird how through the seasons, some trees stayed alive and others died.

 

This tree is in the back yard of my parents' house.  Ironically, this picture was taken sometime in April.  I remember because it was just about a month before I got married.  But I can remember being at home and looking into the back yard and noticing that this particular tree was always green.  It stayed green throughout the year.  It was always alive and even though a branch or two died occasionally, the tree remained steady.

If you can't tell by the picture, this thing's HUGE!  Just for a little perspective, you can see our old dog on the left of the tree trunk.

Trees get that big because they are able to stay alive year-round, they have a root system that goes deeper than just the surface, and they are in open sun light.

As Christians, we need to learn how to be the trees that stay alive all the time (2 Tim. 4:2).  We need to learn how to be the trees that produce fruit all the time (Psa. 1:2).  We need to learn how to get deeper rooted than just beyond the surface (Luke 6:48), and we need to become more and more open to the Sun of righteousness (Mal. 4:2).

Why, O, why?

Have you ever wondered about the average routine of your life?  Why do we do what we do?  Why do we go where we go?  Why do we have the job that we have?  Why, O, why?

Some of have asked themselves these questions and dangerously went off the deep end to find meaning in their lives.  Others, on the other hand, have never even had the thoughts cross their mind.

For me, I wake up in the mornings around 8.  I eat my bowl of Raisin Bran, watch a little Yes, Dear, and get in the shower.  From there, it's work for anywhere from 4 to 8 hours depending on the day.  Monday nights, I'm taking a Chi Alpha class.  Tuesday nights and Wednesday nights both go from week to week.  Thursday night is Thursday Night, starting at 7:14PM.  Friday and Saturday nights vary from week to week as well.  Sundays, my wife and I spend most of the day at The Regeneration.  This is an average schedule for me.

I suppose the question one would ask me is, "why?"  To answer that, "I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I'm where I'm supposed to be."  "How can you be so sure?" they would reply.  "This is what God has given me to do." I say back.

My routine's pretty lax, yet quite specific.  While I'm at work, we're rarely busy.  Thus, I have a lot of time to study out the Scriptures, to Facebook people and build relationships, to play guitar, keep up phone calls and texts - basically anything I want to do.  The quite specific part - just in one hour of being at work, I've had a guy ask me to pray with him about his girlfriend that he feels like he's supposed to marry, I've had a co-worker ask me to pray about a family in their church who is going through some problems, and I've had a conversation with a guy who's seeking the will of God in his life.

This is my life.  I do what I do because I know that God has placed me where I'm at for a purpose and reason.  When I leave from this season in my life, a door will be opened and everything will prove itself to be God.  It's the same with everyone who loves Jesus with all they have.

See, I've had people ask me a lot, "what's the will of God for my life?" and I tell them to read 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.  Rejoice evermore.  Pray without ceasing.  In all things, giving thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.  When you live out your life for His glory, the Father works His will out for you.  All we need to do is rely on Him to be who He is faithful to be.  After all, Psalm 37 says that ..the footsteps of the righteous are ordered by the Lord.

If you are God's then He is Your's.  Trust Him to work all things for your good.

Life.

I used to have a blog called "living life as a son".  In it, I wrote some incredible principles about literally living my life as a son of God.  There were days it was easy, others when it was hard, but I kept on mentioning just how faithful the love of the Father is and was.

I'll probably do the same in this one, but it may have hints of being a little different.  I'm not sure how yet, but just stay tuned to it if you'd like.

Regardless, life is what it is.  More than that, though, it is what we make it.  Every morning we wake up is a new opportunity to change our circumstances.

Ever heard the expression, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade"?  Does anyone else know how hard that can be?  No matter how difficult it seems, you can always make lemonade if you want to.

We'll dive into this soon enough.