Fantastic Friday...

I love Fridays! The truth is I love life! The Bible reminds me that God Almighty so loved me that He sent His one and only Son, Jesus, to give me Life, Life full, and Life overflowing! Today I am so thankful for the Power of the Holy Spirit, The Love and compassion of Jesus Christ, for my family, my wonderful best friend of a wife, my two beautiful daughters, & for Fridays! The end of the week is here and my life is blessed by the Living, Holy God who knows me by name! I am excited about this Sunday, Preaching a message about building the Kingdom, building the church! Out of the book of Haggai in the Old Testament, God stirs the hearts of His people to give Careful thought to their ways! So often I believe we get out in left field because our focus gets off of Jesus and onto our plans and agenda! Life is full of all kinds of things to do and to often the real important things of life like building the body of Christ, like helping however we can with the people in Haiti, like loving people even when there not real lovable! Jesus help us in America to give Careful thought to our ways, and see if we are being what you want us to be! Thanks for the Power of your word, EVERY PROMISE IN THE BIBLE IS YES AND AMEN IN JESUS!!!

Don't even think about it...

Stopping, Letting up, Giving up, Losing heart, Getting weary, I don't think so! Let us instead keep on Keeping on in Christ! Galatians 6:9 says, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest 'IF' we do not give up." Stepping it up and being bold for Jesus is really where I need to find myself absorbed in Christ not in worry! How easy it is to get caught up in the rift raft of life and miss out on the over flow of the blessing of Christ Jesus who is Lord! Being a pastor, doing ministry can be so difficult, frustrating, hard, and even heart wrenching, therefore it makes giving up so convenient! But the enemy I am convinced is longing for our thoughts to be impressed more with giving up and giving in, instead of BEING BOLD, STRONG, and living life with an attitude of BRING IT ON! I want to live life daily for the honor and glory of my God! I want to be the kind of Dad that my children see Jesus. I want to be the kind of Husband that my wife sees Jesus! It's not about me, it can't be, it won't work! It must be, I must be, making all of my life about Him! Jesus today, help me to make the most out of what I have, and to do with it what would be pleasing in your sight! I need your empowering strength!

Again no Fear...

Well, here I am again reflecting on living life with NO FEAR! Well, God did it again, He took me to the scriptures and brought me to John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you, I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and DO NOT BE AFRAID!" WOW, living with the Peace of Jesus is what it is all about! Sometimes I wonder what in the world I am doing, but what I am doing or needing to do is press in closer to Jesus Christ! Instead, fear comes in and puts it's hands around my throat and instead of standing with boldness and power I find myself backing down and letting those things that should not just slip by! Why is it that FEAR is such a battle in the life of Christians, What are we, what am I afraid of! People perhaps can push, and pull at your heart, people can even say things that are very hurtful and wrong, people, people who call themselves Christians if they are not 100% for Jesus Christ find themselves being used for the work of the enemy through the power of words! I pray today, that Jesus would give to me the empowering I need to be all He wants me to be, not giving up, or letting go, or being afraid! Just like my little girl Kailey who finds herself being afraid of the dark, FEAR comes and as a parent I tell it to get out in Jesus name, but in the church, among people who at times can be so negative, I find myself cowardly backing down, JESUS GIVE ME BOLDNESS TO STAND FOR YOU ALL THE TIME, IN JESUS NAME!!!

Being a Slave of Righteousness

Starting this new work out and eating healthier takes lots of determination and constantly a beating for your body, telling it no, or wait, or later! Making my body my slave is like disciplining my daughters, it is constantly wait a little bit or in a few minutes or even NO! Our bodies if not trained for Gods glory will rule our lives and demand that we give in to take that simple bite or slack off on the work out, you name it and it is so critical that we make our bodies our slave instead of the other way around! Living for Jesus is so much more than merely going to church and singing songs, but its having a heart completely devoted to the Living God! The Bible calls us to be slaves of Righteousness for the Kingdom! In fact the Apostle Paul says he believes it is a privilege to be a slave for Christ! Life is so full of things to do and choices to make we need to be sure or for sure I need to be sure that I am consulting my master about what choice is best and how exactly I can be a Slave of Righteousness all for His glory! My 50 min. work out today liked to kill me, but I pressed on and made my body get with it and make it happen! Spiritually speaking works the same way, taking time to read the Word and Pray takes discipline, but if we will do it we will truly reap a harvest of Righteousness in Jesus Christ!

FEAR...

Wrestling with fear is no fun, in fact it just seems to grab a hold of your life and not want to let go! In Jesus name we must stand up under His authority and demand that fear get back and out of our life! In Joshua 1:9 it says, "Have I not commanded you? Be Strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." That is the promise we need to stand on, and claim every day, because fear is knocking at my door and it is longing to master me! I failed last night by taking my frustration out on the one who is in my corner constantly backing me up, Carly my wife is amazing and yet I allow the frustration of ministry to get me sideways with her! NOT COOL! She is really challenging me to be BOLD to be STRONG and yet I feel like its an almost impossible task, because I hate conflict, and yet there seems to be more conflict in church settings then the work place in the world, this should not be! I don't believe God is pleased with the church in North America because we have become so self focused instead of Christ focused! I am tired of living life afraid because I am so concerned about what people may think of me! God through your Son Jesus Christ, give me Holy Spirit boldness to walk and live daily for you with no FEAR, give me the strength and power to stand up for you and not to waiver to the right or to the left! I am your man, and just like Joshua, help me Father to stand up for you even in the face of GIANTS, please in Jesus name give me victory to yield to you so that in all things I might be one who is used to defeat the Giants of the enemy! I again surrender my life to you, knowing I am nothing without you, but am able to do all things through Christ who gives me the STRENGTH!!!