Jesus Everyday part 1

When do you see Jesus? Do you see Him everyday, once a week, or maybe you have never seen Him at all. My short little thought for the day is this, it revolves around the notion that we all have the ability to see Jesus if we want to. Have you ever seen the movie “A Beautiful Mind”? The story is about a math genius named John Nash who was able to see math equations in every day settings. His work earned him the Nobel Prize in 1994. John was a troubled man who battled Schizophrenia, but no one can argue that this man was capable of seeing things that most of us cannot.
We might not be able to see mathematical equations like John Nash, but I do believe we are all blessed with the ability to see the work of Jesus in everyday life. The Holy Spirit empowers us to see the work of our creator if we allow Him to. The problem is that we are either too busy or too misguided to see what God is doing in right front of us. The prophet Elisha had to comfort his servant who went outside one morning to see the giant Aramean army surrounding them. Elisha prayed for his servant that he might see God at work in that event; and at that moment Elisha’s servant saw an even more powerful army of God surrounding the army that surrounded him. We often panic over things that God has complete control over, and it is out of panic that we make some of the most regrettable decisions we could ever make. So the next time you feel surrounded by trouble, take another look to see that God surrounds that which surrounds you. That way you can react not out of fear but by faith in Him who loves you.

Friendly or Connected

I have over 400 friends on Facebook, and most of them I never talk to, see, or hear from. They are the ideal when it comes to low maintenance friendships. I’m concerned that the modern world has forgotten what friendship really is. In the movie Tombstone, someone asked Doc Holliday why he was always risking his life for Wyatt Earp; Doc Holliday said “because Wyatt Earp is my friend”. The man asking the question then said, “well I have a lot of friends” saying it in a trivial way. Doc Holliday said “I don’t”. Maybe we have trivialized what relationships are? I am a time share owner. Last year I got a letter in the mail saying “thank you for being part of the Interval family”. They call me family, but I don’t know them, they don’t know me. Maybe we have trivialized what family is. When it comes to church, what does it mean to be a member? I know that God adds us to the church when we are baptized, but what does it mean to be part of a congregation, to be part of a church family? If we are not careful, church rolls can look like a Facebook page, where we have lots of friends but no connections. There is not one place in the Bible that tells us that we need to be a friendly church, but there are many places that say we need to be a connected church. That is what I think Paul was talking about in Romans 1:11-12 when he said “ 11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.” Romans 1:11-12 NIV. Paul is saying here, I want to be with you; I want to be with my family. That kind of passion for each other is hard to find. The question should not be “are we a friendly church?” There answer there is yes, we are friendly. The truth is, I’m friendly at Kroger, at Walmart, and at football games, but friendly doesn’t build relationships. The real question should be, do people need each other here, do they connect here, do they trust, love, and help each other? Paul says I want to build you up, that we can be mutually encouraged. Some scholars say Paul is just being humble, but what if Paul is not just flattering these people, what if he is telling the truth? Paul needed these people just as much as they needed him. Strong spiritual relationships go further than friendliness, they require investment and a mutual level of appreciation and honesty. God is in the saving people and changing lives business, He invites His church to be part of that mission. The way we do that is to go beyond friendliness; so that we can strive for connectedness.

Prayer guide / Relationships

All in the name of Jesus!

Prayer guide / Relationships

Get r Done! Fall 2010

MORNING PRAYER: Think about the talents and gifts God has blessed you with.  Read Romans 12:1-8.  Ask God to help you develop and use those gifts today to bring Him honor & glory.

Prayer: Father I want your will to guide and transform me today.  Help me to love people the way you love them, give me the vision to see the needs of others, and the desire to use my gifts to help them.  I pray that your grace will continue to work powerfully in my life.  Help my family & I to invest our lives in the WHCOC family.  Teach and mold me into the person you want me to be.  AMEN

NOON PRAYER:   “3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:3-5 NIV

Prayer: Father, for the good things that have happened today I praise you, as for the trials and temptations I have encountered I hand them over to you.  Help me to love the people around me, help me to be like Jesus to them. May you be glorified in each moment of my day.  Show me who I need to serve and share the story of Jesus with.  AMEN

EVENING PRAYER: In the evening we reflect on the events of the day.  It is a time we can ask important questions, repent for sins, and praise God for victories.  READ Romans 12:9-21

Prayer: Father, thank you for your guidance, your grace, and your love.  Forgive me when I was selfish or proud.  Transform my heart, help me to be more like your son each day.  Guide my children & spouse to walk with you.  Thank you for the salvation and love that you offer.  Be with my WHCoC family, transform us into a church the loves you and each other.  AMEN

Life Group Discussion: Peace & Unity

“Get -R Done” Sermon Series

Life Group Discussion Questions / November 7, 2010
What kind of things disrupt unity within any group (church included)?

In what ways can each member be responsible for maintaining unity within a group?

How would you describe a leader?
Read Mark 10:35.
James and John asked Jesus for an elevated position, one of distinction. What did Jesus mean when he told them “you do not know what you are asking?”

How is the apostles view of leadership flawed according to Jesus?

Do these verses change the way you view leadership? How?

Notice v.41, how did the pursuit of the wrong kind of leadership cause division within the Apostles?

In v.43, Jesus said that the church doesn’t need supermen leaders, it needs leaders who will serve, lead by example, and will put others first. Why is leadership that is filled humility and led by example a more effective leadership style?

Jesus prayed that the church would be one, bonded like the Father and Son are one. In v.21, Jesus goes from using words like “they” to words like “us” or “we”. As Jesus says here, if we are going to be part of God’s mission to make disciples then we cannot be a church full of “I’s”, “they’s” or “thems”, the church must be a “we”.

Why do we so quickly refer to other church members and church leaders as they, rather than we?

Many football fans refer to their favorite team as “we”. Saying things like “we beat them this week” or “we need a better quarterback.”

Why do we so easily connect with our favorite team as a “we” but often speak of our church as a bunch of “theys”?

What can each of us do personally to change that?

READ Colossians 3:14-16
Notice v.15, when someone sees you coming, do they know that you are bringing peace?

IDEA: When peace rules in our hearts, we are quick to unite in the bonds of Jesus rather than to divide over feelings or opinions. We cannot be so quick to separate ourselves from others, when Jesus said I want you to be united and one. As disciples we are responsible for building each other up, encouraging them to grow closer to God and to others. In a way we are all leaders, living an example of humility and grace. What are some things each of us can do to promote unity within our church?
Close in prayer…

I Come In Peace

“19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. 21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” John 20:19-23 NIV

In v.19 we find the disciples behind locked doors living in fear. There was no peace and not much unity. Just a few days earlier one of them had betrayed Jesus, another denied Him, and the rest ran away. They treated their friend like dirt, they abandoned Jesus, they left him to die alone. They were living with shame. Could you imagine how you would have felt if your friends had abandoned you during your most difficult hour? But Jesus came to them and said “Peace be with you!” Jesus did not judge them, yell at them, or even separate himself from them; instead He brought peace to them. Shalom is the Hebrew word for Peace, it is a greeting with a deep meaning. By saying “peace to you” Jesus is saying we are not war, instead everything I do will be done to bring you closer to God and to each other. Jesus took these broken disciples and gave them peace.

A North Korean assassin named Kim Shin Jo in January of 1968 with a team of 31 assassins from North Korean snuck across the border in to South Korea in an attempt to kill the president of South Korea. The team of 31 of North Koreans made it to within a few hundred meters of the president's residence before they were detected. A fierce battle ensued, killing 30 South Koreans. All of the North Korean soldiers were killed, except one who escaped and Kim Shin Jo, who was captured. After months of interrogation, and through a surprising friendship with a South Korean army general, Kim Shin Jo's hard heart started to change. Later he would confess, "I tried to kill the president. I was the enemy. But the South Korean people showed me sympathy and forgiveness. I was touched and moved." The South Korean government eventually released Kim Shin Jo. Over the next three decades he worked for the military, became a citizen, and then married and raised a family. Finally, he became a church minister. He said what changed him, what transformed him from being a killer into becoming a South Korean citizen was that even though he treated South Korean people like the enemy, the South Korean people treated him like a brother. FROM:"South Korean pastor is also a trained killer," CNN Religion blog (8-9-2010)

Can we do that as God’s people? Can we treat people no matter what they have done or who they are like family? Jesus could have called us His enemy, but He chose instead to help us become His family. That is why Jesus said, “Peace be with you!” With Jesus a church can be one loving family rather than angry factions.

Stacyisms "Let it go, but don't let it go on!"

My wife is very quick and witty when it comes to any kind of dialogue.  So every now and then I will start posting these interesting little phrases that she so often comes up with.  The Stacyism for this week is:

 "I know I need to let it go, but I don't have to let it go on". 

You have to admit, that is good and pretty wise, don't tell her I said that.  For those of you who need some context for she said it is this; sometimes we face troubling and frustrating behavior from the same people on a regualer basis.  In order to get along we know that we have to let that frustration go if we are going to continue having a relationship with that individual.  To forgive and yet address bad behaviour in others is no easy task, and the best advise in how to do that is found in words of Jesus in Matthew 18.  In that chapter Jesus says that not only must we forgive, but we need to lovingly confront bad behavior if we are to maintain unity.  Even though Jesus didn't say it the same way, I think He is is the one that inspires us to "let things go, but not let them go on!". 

Prayer Guide

All in the name of Jesus!

WHCOC Prayer guide.
Get r Done! Fall 2010

MORNING PRAYER: We pray each morning to give God our first moments. Before anything else we allow God to focus our goals and plans for the upcoming day. Read Psalm 23.
Prayer: The Lord is my shepherd, that is all I want, that is all that I need. Guide me today, protect me and my family as we go out into the world. Stay with me each moment so that you may be the focus of all that I do . I pray that you would help me invest in things that are eternal, that you would show me how to lead my family & friends closer to you. Help my family & I to invest our lives in the WHCOC family. Teach me and mold into the person you want me to be. AMEN



NOON PRAYER: Consider that what truly defines your day is nothing that the world throws at you. What defines today and your life is your relationship with God. Someone around you needs to be encouraged, they need to see Jesus in your actions. Maybe it is time that you share your faith with that person.
Prayer: Father, even though I am busy in the middle of the day I more than anything want to be with you. Help me to see the people around me the way you see them. May you be glorified in every situation I encounter. Show me who I need to serve and share the story of Jesus with. AMEN



EVENING PRAYER: In the evening we reflect on the events of the day. It is a time we can ask important questions, repent for sins, and praise God for victories. READ Psalm 27
Prayer: Father, more than anything I want to hear your word as I begin my day. Guide me as I consider that you want me to be successful in following your will. I commit to making your will my will. Be with my WHCoC family, guide our church in becoming one that obeys your will each day, help it to be fruitful & pleasing to you. AMEN

A Little Something That I Learned From Acts 16…

Early in his visit to Macedonia Paul converted a rich woman, a poor slave girl who was demon possessed, and a middle class soldier. It didn’t matter what their social standing was, Paul shared the story of Jesus with them. Right before Paul met these people, he was on his way to pray. I don’t think that was a coincidence. Prayer has a way of helping us see where God is working, it also gives us the desire to take on opportunities that God gives us to glorify Him. If we want to get things done for God, we must begin with prayer. Prayer helps us to see God’s activity, it helps us be ready to share the wonderful story of Jesus.
Even though Paul was a successful missionary, he was faced with risk and hardship. He was attacked, beaten, and thrown in jail. God delivered Paul from the jail, but that doesn’t’ change the fact that he was beaten and mistreated. Rather than quit or complain, we see that Paul grew closer to God. To be on a mission for God is not always easy, in fact it requires a commitment to connect with God. It begins with prayer, with us asking for God’s leading and direction.

Jesus is Our Cornerstone

Last year I read a story that happened in China. In the city of Shanghai, a 15 story apartment building built to withstand floods, earthquakes and high winds was almost complete. It was a beautiful building that would have housed hundreds of people. On June 27, 2009, after severe rains, this brand new building before anyone moved in, simply fell over, first floor and all. It was so well built, when it fell it didn’t break in half, it didn’t crumble, in fact it stayed intact from the top floor all the way to the basement. It simply fell over killing at least one unsuspecting construction worker. As engineers began to investigate, it became apparent that the building foundation was not properly built or placed. The foundation could not support the weight of the building.

Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7 that those who puts Jesus’ words into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The storm that came was intense with great flooding and powerful winds, it was amazing that the house stood firm. Jesus said that the reason the house was still standing was because of the strong foundation. He then said that another man built the same kind of house but on a weak foundation and it collapsed during the storm.
A church that obeys the word of God, that rests its faith in Jesus can never just simply fall over or fall apart. Jesus can handle the weight, the pressure, and storms that His church sometimes has to face.
The reason why many religious people stumble, and why some churches stumble is because we are trying to carry the weight on our own. When we try to be our own foundation, when our focus is not on Jesus but on ourselves, we are too busy trying to keep the church from falling down that we can’t do anything else but try to hold it together. That is miserable and no way to live, besides that we would never have the energy or time to obey His great commission. That is why the weight of the church, the weight of your life is not supposed to be in your hands, but in Jesus. Our faith is not in what we do for Him, our faith is in what He does for us. Jesus is the cornerstone of our lives, and all that we do should rest on Him.

Scripture & Prayer Guide for the Gospel of Mark

Monday: READ Mark Chapters 1, 2, & 3. Pray: Ask God to guide you into complete surrender into will. That you would rely upon Him as He continues to transform you into the likeness of Jesus.
Tuesday: READ Mark 4 & 5.
Pray: Ask that God would grow your faith as you go through each day; that you would always seek His help, His mercy, and His transforming power.
Wednesday: READ Mark 6, 7, & 8.
Pray: That you would fall deeper in love with Him as you grow in your desire to be more like Jesus.
Thursday: READ Mark 9, 10, 11.
Pray that God will give you a desire to be obedient and faithful to Him even in difficult times.
Friday: READ Mark 12, 13, 14.
Pray that you would have the desire to do God’s will, that His mission would become your mission in every moment of life.
Saturday: READ Mark 15 & 16.
Pray that the story of Jesus would become the cornerstone of all that you do; that the grace of God may transform your life into one that glorifies Him each moment. Be sure to say thankyou!

Get r Done

We are in our new sermon series called “Get r Done”. In the south the words “Get R Done” are not just a phrase, they are a battle cry. To say “get r done” is to say I will get the task completed no matter the cost, the time, or the effort. Get r Done means we are on a mission to do something. Last week we focused on the idea that God has given us a mission to be disciples who go make disciples. In 21st century terms, our mission is to connect with Jesus while encouraging others to also connect with Jesus. In the book of Zechariah a group of Jews moved back to Jerusalem, they had been defeated and had been led away in chains back to Babylon. Now they are back on a mission to rebuild the Temple and the city. The city of Jerusalem with its walls and great Temple were all in ruins, all that was left was rubble. The very place God was to dwell (The Temple) was destroyed. There must have been part of them that felt hopeless, they had to know that they were in trouble. They must have thought “how do you build a city or a kingdom out of rubble?” Right now some of you may feel the same way. How do we bring God back into this place, into our hearts? If our mission is to follow Jesus and to help others follow Jesus how do we do that when all we feel like we have to work with is rubble? Notice how God helped the people get started.

“6 So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty. 7 "What are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of 'God bless it! God bless it!” Zechariah 4:6-7 NIV

It was an important message to all of the people; that the city, the gates, and the Temple will be built not by the power of man, but by the Spirit of God working in His people. Jerusalem was rebuilt because the Spirit of God worked through the hands of men and women who surrendered to the Spirit of God. If we want to get things done in this church, or if you want to do something for God, then start by reconnecting with Him. That’s what it means when we say, not by power, but by His Spirit.

Into His Likeness

"18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV
When Moses came down from Mt Sinai with the 10 Commandments, his face was so bright that it overwhelmed everyone who saw him. Therefore they put a veil over his face. The idea is that when one comes into contact with God they are changed (transformed), even if it is just temporary.
What Paul is saying here in 2 Corinthians 3 is that too many people are living outside of Jesus, their hearts are veiled. Another wards they can’t see or comprehend the blessing and freedom that is found in a love relationship with God. Jesus removes all separation, and brings us closer to God. The main focus of verse 18 is that if you are connected to Jesus your life will change. The idea is that if we spend time with Jesus, if we take time to get into His word, if we pray in His name, and if we stay connected to Him, we will be changed. You may ask “change into what?” Verse 18 says change into His likeness. When Moses came into contact with God, his faced shined brightly. When we come into contact with Jesus we too shine a light of hope that blesses everyone we encounter. Transformation into spiritual maturity should be the norm rather than the exception. May God bless you each moment as you allow Jesus to transform and bless your life each day!

DEVIL

Devil is a movie that M. Night Shyamalan wrote & produced that my wife and I found interesting and very entertaining. I will not give too much away, in fact consider yourself warned if you plan on watching the movie and don’t want to have the ending spoiled.

Most stories have a way of highlighting the struggle that its characters are going through and then in one short moment at the end we discover a truth about them. While some stories goal is only to focus on the struggle, many filmmakers (especially Shyamalan) are concerned with where the characters are going. The struggle these characters deal with is their sin, guilt, and the devil’s desire to make them pay for it. This story spends most of its time dealing with that idea, however that is not the goal of this movie. ***SPOILER ALERT*** The ultimate goal of this film is to remind us that forgiveness is more powerful than the schemes of the devil.

The security guard who narrates the story tells us something that his mother would always say, "Don't worry. If the devil is real, then God must be real too." I give this movie two thumbs up. It is PG-13, which means it has the typical violence and language of a PG-13 movie, so please keep that in mind if you decide to see it.

Living Water

“5 People who are ruled by their desires think only of themselves. Everyone who is ruled by the Holy Spirit thinks about spiritual things. 6 If our minds are ruled by our desires, we will die. But if our minds are ruled by the Spirit, we will have life and peace. 7 Our desires fight against God, because they do not and cannot obey God's laws.” Romans 8:5-7 CEV

I like how the Contemporary English Version translates Romans 8. Paul describes two kinds of lives; the Christ- Centered Life followed by the Me-Centered Life. Paul describes the Christ- Centered Life as a life that is ruled by the Holy Spirit. One of the great benefits of having a relationship with Jesus is having the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The idea behind Romans chapter 8 is that the reason we do good things is because we are in submission to the will of God. God’s Holy Spirit gives us the desire and strength to do good things. The Me-Centered Life works just the opposite. The King James Version uses the word “flesh”, the NIV the word “sinful nature”, and the CEV uses the word “desire”. Flesh does not necessarily mean body; it in this context describes a lifestyle that is not God centered. Everything I do, think, or say is influenced by either the flesh or by the Holy Spirit. The flesh encourages us to live a me-centered life while the Holy Spirit influences us to live a God-centered life. A “me centered” life is not only powered by me, but it is also limited by me. A me-centered life thinks that I earn my salvation through good works. A me-centered life is not so much a selfish life, it is more of a disconnected life, because we believe all the power and resources we have comes from us and not from God. In 2 Peter 2, Peter describes false prophets and teachers who may at one time belonged to God, but eventually they were rebelling against Him. Peter describes them in v.17 as “springs without water”. Those false teachers looked like christians, they talked like christians, but because they were disconnected from God they were like a spring without water. They became useless and destructive. Throughout scripture God offers people living water, in which the apostle John described as the Holy Spirit. It is by the Holy Spirit that we are strengthened to live a “Christ-centered” life. The church needs Christians who are connected to the water. Our country needs churches that are connected to the water that transforms selfish and sinful hearts into ones that are willing to love and serve as Jesus did. Every day is a battle between being “Me-centered” or “God-centered”. The only way I know how to win that battle is to actually surrender each moment by worshiping the presence of God and being led His Spirit.

The End is Near!

“7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray." 1 Peter 4:7 NIV

“The end is near” is not the most popular thing to say or hear. The way this is written it is easy to miss the context. The end has always been connected to Jesus’ return. The idea is that the end is near because Jesus is coming back; therefore we are to look for Him. Growing up I lived near a train station, sometimes people missed the train, they would be given so many warnings, the whistle blowing, the conductor saying all aboard. Yet there would be some who would still miss the train, and then be angry that the train would leave them. The following are some excuses people would give for missing the train. “We were busy just looking around. We were looking for ducks at the lake. We were for looking for rail spikes by the old tracks.” The list goes on. Why do people miss the boat, the plain, or the train? Because they were not looking for it, they forgot why they were there; they were too busy looking for everything but their ride home. Why do people miss out on grace? Why do some churches fail? It is because they are no longer waiting for Jesus to return. They forgot why they exist. The problem for the early church is the same problem for the 21st century church; we are no longer waiting for Jesus to come back. Peter reminds us that Jesus is coming back, that we need to be ready; that we need to be helping others to be ready for His return. A healthy church is one that never stops saying “Come Lord Jesus, Amen”.

“2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.” Colossians 4:2-4 NIV


To devote ourselves to prayer does not mean that we are always to be praying, but Paul is saying we always have a reason to pray. Paul says that we are to “be watchful” or “be alert”. If we took this verse and literally translated it from the Greek it could say “be ready to seize the moment”. That is kind of like when Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society said “Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary!” I think Paul is saying here that every moment we live can be captured and given to God.  That is good news, because sometimes we have bad days, difficult situations, moments in which we are overwhelmed with sadness, despair, guilt, or pain. Paul is saying here in this verse, “use prayer to seize that moment for God, hand it over to Him.” Paul also says we need to be thankful. To be thankful means that we know that God has been faithful to take care of us in the past, and if we seize the moment in prayer we can count on Him to take care of our present and our future. In v. 3-4 Paul asks that they would pray for open doors, for places for him to go and share the story of Jesus. The context of the entire book of Colossians is “live a life that honors God in every moment”. I think Paul is saying “pray that I will be so connected to God that I will seize every moment to tell lost people the story of Jesus, and share the transforming message of grace.

So I will take a little bit of liberty with the script of Dead Poets Society and say this “seize the moment with prayer, and witness how God makes our lives extraordinary!”

salt and grace

When it comes to snack foods, there is nothing more undesirable to me than unsalted peanuts. Really, who likes them anyway? I know they cause high blood pressure and other health issues, but seriously salt is a wonderful thing!

“5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Colossians 4:5-6 NIV
What does it mean to have conversation seasoned with salt? In the 21st century it is a weird thing to say.
Jesus said we are the salt of the earth. That is also a weird thing to say. But in the 1st century it made sense.

In the Bible salt has several different meanings. In Number 18:19, salt represents promise, the commitment between man and God. It also represents purity, goodness, and flavor. We also know that in ancient times salt was used as a preservative, it would help food last longer.
Words like grace and salt used in the same verse made sense to the early Christians at Collosse. First century people saw both words as transforming words. Salt changes bland food into food that is desirable and tasty. Grace by definition was the changing of ordinary things into things that are beautiful and extraordinary. So when the early Christians read Colossians 4, they knew what Paul was calling them to do, that their words should be transforming, turning this bland, loveless, and graceless world into a world filled with God’s love, grace, and hope.
It is as simple as saying “these peanuts needs some salt”, we can also say “this world needs Christians that transform the people and community around them.” So today I am going to commit to speaking words that encourage grace, to highlight God’s love working in my life, so that the people around me can learn about God’s wonderful love and grace.

I Passed a Runner!

Back in June of 2009 I began to run about 3 to 4 times a week. I started because as a minister I visit a lot of people in hospitals who are in poor health and live with regret over how they have neglected their health over the years. Anyway I have really enjoyed running, I’m not a crazy runner, in fact I only run about two to three miles each time. I’m not looking to run any marathons, but if you need a running partner in a 5-K I’m all for it. You are going to laugh at me now, because I am going to brag, Stacy and were running yesterday and we did something we have never done before, we passed another runner who was going the same direction we were. That never happens; we pass walkers all the time, but never runners. In fact we are often passed by “real” runners; you know the ones who run in triathlons and marathons. Anyway we were proud of ourselves, we finally passed another runner!

Achievements no matter how small they are can be quite satisfying! The truth is, if it wasn’t for my wife I wouldn’t be running, she got me into it, and now I love it. She started about four months ahead me; her new found excitement and continued example was too powerful for me to ignore. Before I knew it, I wanted to be part of what she was doing, and now I love running too. There are things in life we do, that we are passionate about, and that happened because we were influenced by someone else’s passion and example. See where I’m going with this?

As God’s children our passion and example or lack thereof is witnessed by the world. When we live connected to the Father we display a wonderful life that others notice. Right now someone is watching you (hopefully not in a stalker way), what do they see? People that know me know that I love Texas football, that I enjoy running, but do they know that I am a follower of Jesus? I hope so, I hope that I have not hidden that passion so deep that my love for God is a mystery. People know I run because I share (blurt out) small victories like when I passed another runner yesterday. My goal is to start sharing; blurting out the victories that God gives me each day. If I keep doing that, eventually someone will get the idea that this guy not only loves running, and Texas football, but he really loves God.

Stay tuned for my next running article called “I Love Cushlon!!!”

I have no pictures of me running, but here is one of me throwing a football. 
It is the most athletic picture of me that I have.

“Wonderful Maker”

A friend of mine shared with me these lyrics written by Matt Redman and arranged by Chris Tomlin. They are very powerful. Click on the link below to see the video performed by Jeremy Camp.


“Wonderful Maker” By Matt Redman & Chris Tomlin

“You spread out the skies over empty space
Said "let there be light"
Into a dark and formless world Your light
was born


You spread out Your arms over empty hearts
Said "let there be light"
Into a dark and hopeless world Your Son
was born

You made the world and saw that it was good
You sent Your only son for You are good

What a wonderful Maker
What a wonderful Savior
How majestic Your whispers
And how humble Your love
With a strength like no other
And the heart of a Father
How majestic Your whispers
What a wonderful God


No eye has fully seen, how beautiful the cross
And we have only heard
The faintest whispers of how great You are”



http://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play?p=what%20a%20wonderful%20maker&tnr=21&vid=165845205022&l=269&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts1.mm.bing.net%2Fvideos%2Fthumbnail.aspx%3Fq%3D165845205022%26id%3Deae42b8e09e5b839c66a01df710b6e5e%26bid%3DI8B8wi0%252fqcPobg%26bn%3DThumb%26url%3Dhttp%253a%252f%252fwww.youtube.com%252fwatch%253fv%253dKoYWDCwxExs&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DKoYWDCwxExs&sigr=11ahm1jle&newfp=1&tit=Jeremy+Camp+-+Wonderful+Maker

Judas, Baptism, & Discipleship

The story of Judas is a cautionary tale of discipleship gone wrong. Judas was a disciple; he followed Jesus everywhere. Discipleship is all about our relationship with Jesus; it is about our desire to be with Him every moment of life. Judas at some point disconnected from Jesus, and when the guilt of his betrayal grew too great, he again acted independently and took Jesus’ place as judge and found himself guilty. Judas did not have the power forgive himself; so he carried out his own punishment. What makes this story sad was that Jesus took Judas’ place on the cross so that Judas wouldn’t have to die. Judas’ story is symbolic of what happens when we try to be independent from Jesus. I call it death by independence.
Baptism is a symbolic event that is relational in nature. Baptism enters us into a relationship with the Gospel story of Jesus. It is our relationship with Jesus that saves us, He took our place, He took our sin, and he connects our prayers to the Father. When we are baptized into His name we are baptized into a relationship that offers the forgiveness of sins and the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. I’m leery of anyone who tries to narrow the point at which salvation occurs to one single activity, they remind me of the rich young ruler who was willing to be religious but he was not willing to follow Jesus. Salvation is found in an active relationship with Jesus. Baptism by faith in Jesus is a relational event with Jesus; it is a salvation marker in that we now belong to Him. Now that we belong to Jesus, we are to walk with Him as His disciples always following His will. When we read passages like Acts 2:38, Romans 6:1-6, and Colossians 2:9-15 we see that baptism is a participation in the Gospel story of Jesus, therefore when one is baptized they do it for the purpose of connecting with God and His will. That is why Paul often reminded Christians about their baptism, reminding them that they left worldliness behind in order to follow Jesus. If we stop following Jesus, if we live independently from His story we no longer enjoy the benefits of forgiveness and relationship with the Holy Spirit. So today I remind you of your baptism, that you are an important part of the Gospel story found in the Bible, Jesus took our place on the cross so that we could have a life with Him. Now that we are with Him, we live with purpose and joy.