Taking Up Our Own Personal Cross

"And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me." Matthew 10:38
The cross should become very personal. It must become in our experience a personalized cross. What do I mean by a personalized cross? The above verse indicates that if a man is going to follow the Lord, he has to deny himself and take up his cross—his cross—and follow the Lord. It is always his cross. The Lord Jesus had His cross. He had the Pharisees and the Sadducees, the religious people 2,000 years ago. He had His Judas. He had His environment that was against Him, that was ordered before the foundation of the world (Acts 2:23). The Lord had his own personal set of circumstances, His own trials, which were sent by God. He accepted everything, without exception. Watch Him when He was under temptation or was tested by those who sought to stop him. And now the Lord tells us to follow Him. Each person has to take up his/her cross. It must become personalized. We must see our environment in the same way the Lord saw His environment. For God's plan to be worked out in us requires death and resurrection. We have to have our cross and know it in a personal way. In Mark 8:34 the Lord said, "Let him deny himself, and take up his cross." This means the Lord has allowed certain situations. He has allowed certain troubles and insults. He has allowed a certain kind of husband, wife, or children. Each of these is a certain kind of environment. And for each, we have to take up the cross in a personal way. Let a man take up his personalized cross. To take up our cross means to embrace what God allows in our lives. It means to embrace our environment as the outward cross the Lord has sent to us. The cross must become that personal. But have we really personalized it? For example, when you complain about your husband, when you have an issue with your wife, when you are hoping that the other person will change—he or she is too hard on you and it is too difficult—when you have a blaming attitude, wanting to change the situation, it indicates that you are a person who has not embraced your cross. The Lord says to such a person, "Let him take up his cross, and follow Me."

Monday Morning Cup of Joe

I hope everyone had a great weekend and enjoyed the nice spring weather outside. I had a busy but enjoyable weekend and today I am celebrating my 37th birthday. I will be calling twin sister Monica today and telling her happy birthday and while I have no big plans today, I am thankful for another year of life and all of God's blessings to me and my family. Have a great day everyone and God bless.

God's Word for Today

"And He spoke a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray and not to faint." (Luke 18:1)

"Pray without Ceasing." (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

Watching the NFL Draft

Today I am sitting at home taking a break and watching the NFL draft on TV. I am pretty excited about the first round selection that my hometown St. Louis Rams made today. They selected Christ Long from Virginia in the first round and I am very happy with the pick. He is the son of Hall of Famer Howie Long and he is a great football player. He will be a welcomed addition to the Rams defense. Many people speculated that the Rams would take LSU defensive tackle Glen Dorsey but they drafted a defensive tackle last year in the first round so the pick wasn't very sensible. Anyway, I look forward to watching Chris Long in the Rams defense. Unfortunately the Colts won't be picking for a few rounds, so we will wait to see who they draft. Have a great day.

God's Word for Today

"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

(Hebrews 4:12)

God's Word for Today

"But without faith it is impossible to please Him (God) for all who come to Him must believe that he is and that He is a rewarder of those who dilligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6)

Something to Think About

Monday Morning Cup of Joe

I hope everyone had a great weekend. I enjoyed my weekend and spent time with my family on a short road trip to northern Indiana and had a wonderful service on Sunday. I hope that everybody has a good start to the week and I hope your first cup of coffee this morning is a good one and helps you get the week started with a boost. God bless. Have a great day.

God's Word for Today

"O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water." Psalm 63:1

Taking The Family on a Road Trip

I am taking my wife and family on a short two day road trip up north. I needed to get away and this trip will do me some good. It has been a stressful week and this is one pastor who could sure use a break. I will be returning home for Sunday services and should be ready to go for Sunday at church. Everyone have a great weekend and enjoy the beautiful weather.

True Rest

When a person is restless, he has not come to Jesus to find rest. He looks to himself and others to find joy and peace, but it is a futile attempt. The only true rest for his soul is the rest that God has provided for His people
(1). There is a perfect peace and inner happiness for the people of God, which comes only through concentration on Christ and on the living Word of God
(2). When a Christian's mind is stayed upon God and His provisions, the mind is kept from rationalizing the problem. It does not focus in on details while the servant of God preaches a message. It does not have a bad self-image. The mind that is stayed on Christ is occupied with grace, and is dominated by God's love. It is this occupation with the Lord Jesus Christ that brings inner healing; it is concentration on doctrine that settles the emotions, heals wounds, and allows faith-rest to take over the mind. Faith-rest is more than just a principle. It is meant to be a reality in every believer's life. Just as the word implies, it is a rest that comes from faith in God. Romans 10:17 says, "Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." It is the Word of God penetrating your soul that will heal you.

"There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief." (Hebrews 4:9-11)

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." (Isaiah 26:3)

Taxes, Taxes, Taxes

Well it's April 15th again and that means that we have reached the deadline for filing our federal and state taxes to the government. I actually finished my taxes in January and got that taken care of early so I could avoid today. Taxes are stressfull for many Americans but remember the words from the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 26:3-"You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You,Because he trusts in You."

Have a blessed day everyone and good luck with your taxes....

Cell Phone Vs. The Bible

CELL PHONE vs. BIBLE
I wonder what would happen if we treated our Bibles like we treat our cell phone? What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets? What if we flipped through it several times a day? What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it? What if we used it to receive messages from the text? What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it? What if we gave it to kids as gifts?What if we used it when we traveled?What if we used it in case of emergency This is something to make you go....hmm...where is my Bible? Oh, and one more thing. Unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill. Makes you stop and think "Where are my priorities?" And no dropped calls!

Something Funny

This comic reminded me of an incident that happened to me this weekend. I wasn't paying attention and ended up being pulled over a by a State Patrolman who said I was speeding. I admitted to him that I wan't paying attention and because I was so honest with him he eventually gave me a warning. I am thankful for his understanding. Anyway, I won't be speeding anymore that's for sure. I will pay attention to the speed limit signs posted on the road. Have a good day everyone and I pray that you have a blessed week.

God's Word for Today

"For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so are my thoughts above your thoughts says the Lord."

(Isaiah 55:9)

Our Words Do Hurt

I am sure many people are following this year's presidential election campaign very closely. As a political junkie who loves to keep up on current events, I am watching the daily news reports from the Internet, the blogs and of course TV news and talk radio. I was very surprised and quite disappointed and upset at the words used by Senator Barack Obama when at a private fund raiser in San Francisco, he made the following statement about blue collar people from mid western states like mine who are not supporting him and are voicing concerns and complaints on the campaign trail. He said, "It's not surprising, then, they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations." As expected these words were splashed all over the Internet and news and media outlets and now Barack Obama is scrambling to do what is called in politics "damage control" and trying to change the situation. He did tell a local newspaper in North Carolina, "If I worded things in a way that made people offended, I deeply regret that," Obama said this in an interview with the Winston-Salem (N.C.) Journal. While I can appreciate his apology, his words have already had a terribly negative affect on his campaign for president. As a church going Christian and a minister, I find what he said offensive and very out of touch with the majority of America. The more I hear Senator Obama speak the less I like about him. I don't care if you are a Democrat or Republican, when someone makes these kinds of statements about hard working, decent citizens who are just voicing their opinions and concerns, some thing's wrong. Jesus told us in Luke 6:46-"For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks." Jesus was trying to convey to us that if we really want to know what's inside a person's heart, just listen to what comes out of their mouth. Maybe Senator Obama should be swift to hear and slow to speak, he might just find out what the American public opinion and position on issues are. Remember the words of former President Calvin Coolidge, "I have found that nothing I never said, has ever gotten me into trouble."

Favorite MLB Teams Off To Good Starts

My hometown St. Louis Cardinals are off to a great start to the 2008 seasaon. Albert Pujols continued his great start and their record now stands at 9-3 to start the season. They defeated the San Francisco Giants last night and today. I am hoping they can keep up the great start. Go Redbirds.

Also my beloved Oakland A's are also doing well as they start the season. Last night they exploded for four runs as they won their fourth game in a row to improve to 7-4 on the young season. They are young so I will wait to see how the '08 season plays out for the A's but what a great start....Go A's.

God's Word for Today

"but if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

(1 John 1:9)

Learning To Be Patient

When we think about patience we often reflect on our need for more patience as we interact with friends, family, and other drivers on the road. It is common to think of patience in this manner because many of us struggle with losing our patience. We need to learn patience, of course, but how do we learn to be patient? When almost no one around us models patience, where can we see it in action? Jesus teaches us in Luke 6:35-“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.” One great example of patience is found when we look at the character of God. God is very patient. So patient is God that as the verse in Luke we began with says, "He is kind to ungrateful and evil men." God is still kind to those who never say, "thank you," for His kindness. His still shows mercy to those who will never recognize that all the blessings they receive are from God.
God is patient with His creatures. Scripture says that He is long-suffering in His patience. And there is a reason why He is long-suffering. 2 Peter 3:9 tells us, "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is long-suffering toward you, not wishing for any to parish but for all to come to repentance." One reason why God is patient with sinners is because His mercies are designed to lead sinners to repentance. When we hear of some vicious crime committed by someone against another, we are prone to wonder why God does not execute His wrath against such injustice. He is often patient with the offender of His truth. Such reflection should remind us to reflect on how patient God has been with us. Why has God remained patient with us? Why has God continued to be merciful to us? He has been patient with us, and many of us have come to repentance. Many of us are living example of the truth of the above quoted verse, 2 Peter 3:9. If we learn patience by knowing and experiencing God's patience with us, we will begin to understand what patience looks like. This may go far in teaching us patience. It is not easy to become a patient person. It will take time, prayer, and a lot of effort. One great way to begin the task of learning patience is to reflect on and study the patience of God toward sinners. In so doing we may begin to travel the long road of becoming patient people. Just remember the words of Thomas Watson who said, "A Christian without patience is like a soldier without arms...Patience makes a Christian invincible." Pray and ask God to teach you patience and I promise you it will bless you in your walk with the Lord.

God's Word for Today

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

(Matthew 11:28)

The Real On Star

Prayer Changes Things

Several years ago when I was working as an Assistant Pastor on staff at a church in California, I drove by a large billboard that sat along the highway and the sign simply said, Prayer Changes Things. It's been 15 years since I first saw that sign but I still remember the impact that the message of that sign had on my life as a Christian believer. Prayer is the key that opens the windows of heaven and brings God's presence, power, provision and blessing into our lives. Jesus taught in his sermon on the mount about the importance of prayer, and he said in Matthew 6:6-8-"But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him." Jesus said "when you pray" which means the Lord expected us to pray and to live a daily life of prayer. It wasn't "if" you pray or "should" you pray, Jesus said, "when you pray." Prayer is the command of the Lord Jesus Christ and later the Apostle Paul admonishes us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17-"Pray without ceasing." Which means that our hearts and minds should be focused on prayer and seeking the Lord as often as we can. Seek the Lord in prayer today and pray for His will and guidance in your life and watch God pour out his blessings.

God's Word for Today

"Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, You are very great: You are clothed with honor and majesty, Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment, Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain. "

(Psalm 104:1-2)

Passing of a Legend

Today I was saddened to hear that actor Charlton Heston passed away at his home in Beverly Hills, California. He had battled Alzheimers for the past several years and was in poor health but his life and on screen accomplishments and achievments will be forever remembered. He was also very active in social issues and a fierce defender of the freedoms and liberties of all Americans. I am a big movie fan and many of my favorite movies starred Charlton Heston. Among my most favorite were the The Ten Commandments, Ben Hur, and Planet of the Apes. Charlton Heston was respected and loved by millions of fans and lived his life with grace, dignity and faith. He will be missed.

One Sure Thing

There's an old joke that goes something like: "There's only two things you have to do in this life, die and pay taxes. And you don't even have to pay taxes, if you don't mind going to jail." So, I guess there is really only one thing we must do in this life. It's something nobody wants to talk about. People do all kinds of things to look younger, stay fit and fend off the Grim Reaper. But death will come for us one day. Hebrews 9:27 says, "It is appointed unto man once to die and after this comes the judgement." There are only two people in recorded Biblical history who have escaped this fate. Enoch was 'taken by God' in Geneis 5:24, and Elijah was caught up in a whirlwind on a chariot of fire in 2 Kings 2:11. I believe that these two men will be the two witnesses spoken of in the Revelation in 11:7. I won't debate the point, that is just my opinion. However, even these two witnesses will taste death when their witness is completed, before rising from death after three and a half days to ascend into Heaven at Jesus' call. There are groups working on anti-aging and anti-adamic drugs. Others are delving deep into microbiology trying to unwrap just why we age and die. I've heard that the effects of aging begin around age three. From the time we are three years old, we are beginning the process of dying. It is possible they might even succeed in pushing death back to some extent, with God's consent. But we are still mortal beings. We are not impervious to serious injury or fatality from any one of a vast array of illnesses and accidents. Psalm 103:14 says "For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust." (NAS) I find it ironic that the one thing we can not change is the one thing we spend a good deal of time, effort and worry over. There is a second part to the verse that we can do something about. We know there is a judgment for each of us after we die. There are different judgments for believers and non-believers, etc. true. But there is at least one judgment for everyone. Since we must be judged, we should prepare for that certainty. We can do that by learning about the judgments and what will be expected or required. The simplest way is to accept the provision that Jesus Christ made for us with His death on the cross. He died to make a way for us to be forgiven of our failings and made perfect in the sight of the Father. Those who accept this salvation will be accepted by the Father in Revelation 20:11. We will stand before Christ for our actions as believers for rewards as well. We will not stand before the Lord for our eternal destiny. That is already sealed if Jesus is your Savior. We are given instructions on how to live a life that will reap rewards. It is not full of don'ts, just two do's. Love God with all your heart, soul and strength. And love your neighbor as yourself. If everyone lived by those two rules, this society would be very different. If we lived lives preparing for the one sure thing that we will face, knowing that God cares so much that He paved the way, I dare say we would not recognize this world. Revelation 22:12-14 says "Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. 13 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." 14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city." (NAS)

God's Word for Today

"Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 19:13-14)

Playing MR. MOM

This week I am having to watch my two children who are home for spring break. They are off school for two weeks and thankfully this is the final week of spring break for them. I have now become "Mr. Mom" just like Michael Keaton's character, Jack Butler in the famous movie titled Mr. Mom, which is one of my favorite movies of all time. I just hope I make it to the end of the week. God bless everyone.

A Popular Sermon Preached in March

Congratulations to the Kansas Jayhawks, The North Carolina Tar Heels, the Memphis Tigers, and the UCLA Bruins. They all made the Final Four in this year's NCAA Basketball Tournament and this is the first time since the brackets were created that all four #1 seeded teams from each region made the Final Four. It should be a fun weekend for college basketball fans. Good luck to all four teams.