Saturday, February 28, 2009

Walking By Faith


Colossians 2:6, 7 -"As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith."
Some Christians believe that walking by faith means being carried along by a mysterious, ethereal, indescribable inner sense called "faith." But the walk of faith is much more practical and definable than that. Walking by faith simply means that you function in daily life on the basis of what you believe. Your belief system determines your behavior. If your behavior is off in a certain area, you need to correct your belief in that area because your misbehavior is the result of your misbelief. "But how can I know what I really believe?" you may ask. Take a few minutes to complete the following statements as concisely and truthfully as possible.
I would be more successful if . . .
I would be more significant if . . .
I would be more fulfilled if . . .
I would be more satisfied if . . .
I would be happier if . ..
I would have more fun if . . .
I would be more secure if . . .
I would have more peace if . . .
Whatever you believe is the answer to these statements constitutes your present belief system. Assuming that your basic physiological needs (food, shelter, safety, etc.) are met, you will be motivated in life by what you believe will bring your success, significance, fulfillment, satisfaction, happiness, fun, security and peace. If what you believe about these eight values does not line up with what God says about them, your walk of faith will be off to the same degree that your belief is off.
(Special Thanks To Neil Anderson for this wonderful devotional.)
God bless everyone, Have a great day.

Friday, February 27, 2009

Signs of the Times


I absolutely love this sign because it's absolutley correct and right on the money. Have a blessed day and a great weekend. God bless you.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Real Prayer

Psalm 22 :2-"O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent."

Prayer is a tricky thing, It was never meant as a "gimme' list by which we can get things from God. It is not a gripe time to vent frustrations and woes. It is not a time to show off our piety. Rather, it is a time to draw close to God in order to be open to His will and guidance. So often we feel that God is not listening because we don't get what we ask for. We want results immediately, and we decide beforehand what we will accept as an answer and what we will not. Who says that we get to make the rules? The Lord hears us, and His is true to answer us, but He always measures His responses according to His divine wisdom. He knows what is best for us, even when it doesn't agree with what we want. It is natural and human to doubt the Lord sometimes. He understands that. Just don't give up. The Lord breaks through our desert spots, to comfort us when we cry.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Scripture Verse for Today

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
(Jeremiah 29:11)

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Believe

Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent." John 6:28-29

The other day I had the pleasure of speaking with a new Christian. It was a pleasure because of his enthusiasm and zeal for the Lord. His eyes were bright and her smile was wide as he talked about Jesus. I found myself smiling back at him as she began recanting his testimony. He is reading, studying and working hard at knowing the Lord more deeply. Why? Because he loves Him and wants to serve Him with his life. But as he sincerely poured out his heart, I
realized how hard he was working at trying to do all the right things. I thought about how easy it is for us to get focused on the work, trying to please God, do for Him and to know Him more.
I love what Jesus says in that the work of God is that we believe in Him. Doing God’s work boils down to believing in His Son. It is not about our efforts or good deeds. We do not impress God with our works. God wants our hearts set on Jesus. He wants our lives surrendered to His will. He tells us to walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7) and that without faith it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6). But faith means that we give up control, we let go and we allow His Holy Spirit to lead us. Everything from that point on becomes about our belief in Him, not about our works for Him. I often tell people, new Christians and older ones, to just relax. When I sense that their walk with the Lord is becoming one of frustration and confusion, I encourage them to stop working so hard at it. We need to learn how to let God be God. We need to put the responsibility of our lives back on Him. We are trained by the world to think and act for ourselves, but the Lord says to cast our cares upon Him. What is the key for us today? We must believe in Jesus. We must believe so confidently in His word that we make no decisions without it. Ask yourself: Am I trying to do work the works of God? If you are frustrated or disillusioned, you might be trying too hard instead of resting in Jesus. Ask the Lord to help you let go and to help you believe in faith all that Jesus wants to do in your life. Let Him “work the works of God” in your life today as you believe in Him.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Signs of the Times


I don't know who put this quote up on the church sign, but it makes you wonder. God bless everyone and have a great weekend.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Sowing Seeds

"But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully." 2 Corinthians 9:6

I grew up in a family that loved to plant. My stepdad would plant huge vegetable gardens every spring and my mom was always planting flowers. Even though most of the time, we planted in rows, my stepdad liked to sow the seeds for the garden. With a large plot of land to to cover, he
would walk back and forth over the ground while spreading or throwing out the seeds. When the plants began to grow, it was easy to tell the spots we missed. He would tell me to sow the seeds in abundance, more instead of fewer, and to not be stingy with them. The more seeds we sowed, the more vegetables we grew. Seems like simple math. So why do we not take it more seriously in how we apply it to life? What kind of seeds are you sowing in your life today? How much time do we commit to spiritual planting? If we are using our time to sow to our cares, then we will reap stress instead of peace. There are many other seeds that, as Christians, we are sowing too sparingly. Instead of reaping the bountiful harvest of the fruit of the Spirit, we are reaping a harvest of anxiety and apathy. The real issue of sowing begins in our hearts first. Are we willing to sow seeds of love, forgiveness and mercy and sow them bountifully? Or are we just doing enough to barely cover the ground? When the plants begin to grow, the bare spots will be clearly evident. Are there any bare spots in your life? If so, ask the Lord to reveal to you the areas that you need more sowing. If there are issues or struggles holding you back, then pray for help to break free. God will bless you regardless of the amount you sow as long as your heart is open and obedient to His will. God wants to bless you indeed. Plant your seeds today by reading His word and spending time with Him. Then, watch your harvest come in as you are able to plant more and
more.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

A Great Movie For Christian Believers


Our church recently viewed the movie Fireproof and it was a very good movie. I have to say that Kirk Cameron outdid himself. He was an excellent actor in this one. In fact toward the end he made me cry because his performance was flawless. Great stuff. This movie is highly reccomended to EVERYONE, married couples, singles, young, old, etc. Seriously, it’s worth every penny you would pay for it. It has a powerful message and will minister to your heart. The same producers who made the movie Facing the Giants produced Fireproof. It was a great family movie and one that will pull at your heart. God bless.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

I am the Lord

"I am the LORD your God. . . . You shall have no other gods before Me." Exodus 20:2, 3
Corrie Ten Boom once said that she learned to hold on to things loosely because they hurt when God pried them away. There are many things in my life that I get attached to: Our work becomes our identity, our homes become our personality, our children become our goals. Like many things, sometimes it is hard to know who we were before these things came in and took over our lives. Where do I end and these things begin? So when God challenges us on our priorities, seeking to know if He is first in our lives, it is difficult to truly understand what He is doing. Because I work in the ministry, it gets confusing at times to separate my walk with the Lord from my work in the Lord. In my previous pastorates I have begun to fulfill the plans of a pastoral ministry that truly help people and honor God. I received His promises and His revelation of what God wanted to accomplish in the church through my pastoral ministry. Then, out of the blue, I began to sense that I was finished and He wanted me to move on and give the ministry to someone else to do. He used me to get the ministry going but now, He wanted me to be still to receive from Him…and not feel that I must do the work for Him. It was hard to let go because that ministry became a part of me. How do you let go of something that God placed in your heart to do so that you can honor God by not doing it? We have to remember that nothing is ours. We are just stewards entrusted with the Master's gifts. Our calling is to be obedient. Our hearts are to have nothing above Him, including His ministries. We are to align ourselves up with Jesus, to rest at His feet and to have a relationship with Him. Jesus wants you, not what you can do.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Monday Morning Update


Well today is the start of another week and I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and enjoyed the Valentine's Day weekend. I am enjoying my first cup of coffee this morning that was brewed from my new coffee maker I recently purchased. I now have a Mr. Coffee and I love it. I am a coffee fanantic so anything new with my coffee routine is good. I am looking forward to many enjoyable cups of coffee as I listen to the brew of my coffee maker. I hope that you all have a great day and blessed week.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

The Presence of the Lord

Today we enjoyed a wonderful time of worship as the awesome presence of the Holy Spirit was felt in our morning service today. It was a tremendous blessing to see God's people touched by the spirit of God and the annointing was present throughout our service. We felt the refreshing presence of God and His spirit and what a wonderful start to the week. Hope you have a great day and may God bless you with HIs presence.

Signs of the Times

I don't have the words. I think the sign says it all.....I would strongly suggest that the church rewrite this message on the sign.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Every Kids Hero

My family recently purchased the DVD movie "Nacho Libre" for our home movie library. This movie is about Ignacio, the bumbling, yet big-hearted Catholic Monk who cooks for a local orphanage by day and moonlights at night as a professional wrestler to raise money for the orphans in the orphanage and win the affection of the lovely Sister Encarnarcion. While he doesn't win many wrestling matches he does win the big fight in the end and takes the money and buys a bus for the orphans. I don't know if you like funny, silly movies but this one is a nice movie for the whole family. Hope you have a great day. God bless.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Ask Him

"Thus says the Lord, The Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: "Ask Me of things to come concerning My sons; And concerning the work of My hands, you command Me." (Isaiah 45:11)

The other day my son Brice and I were spending some time together and while having lunch my son asked me a very funny question that I am sure some pastor's kids have asked before. He asked me, "Dad why don't you work a job like other kids parents?" I then explained to him after laughing first, that I do have a job as a pastor. I think he understood. Thankfully, my son is not afraid to ask me something about myself he doesn't know. Its' the same in our walk with the Lord. It has taken most of my life, my Christian life, to finally realize that if I want to know something from the Lord, then I just need to ask Him. Sounds kind of like a no-brainer, but for some reason, I spent most of my time dealing with the Lord and my personal requests. I have prayed pretty much my whole life. I have prayed very specifically at times and I have prayed in the bigger picture at times, but I have always prayed. What I did not necessarily pray about, though, were of “things to come.” I think many of us tend to pray about the here and now issues, or the things that we want “to come,” not necessarily asking the Lord to reveal what He is doing “concerning the work of My hands.” Why is this important to understand? When I see verses that say to “ask” the Lord for something, then I know that must be His will. Today’s verse even says “you command Me.” Instead of just focusing on the issues in our immediate path, let’s ask the Lord about what He is doing down the road, so to speak. I have been immensely blessed and have had huge increases in my own level of faith because I have learned to ask the Lord “of things to come” and have seen Him answer through circumstances or situations that have come to pass. My role is to ask, then to pray for wisdom and discernment in how to go forth in what He shows me. We need to know that the Lord is more than willing to reveal things to us, if we are seeking Him with all of our hearts. As we grow in our walk with Christ, He will teach us His ways and mold our character into more of His image. When we spend time in His Word, we begin to see how verses like Isaiah 45:11 take on a whole new meaning to us personally. When the Holy Spirit impresses a verse upon your heart, take it to prayer and seek the Lord in what He is saying to you. Maybe God wants to reveal something to you…maybe “of things to come.”

Thursday, February 5, 2009

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7
More than once since I committed this verse to memory have I had to embrace it as truth and pray that I not give in to a “spirit of fear.” I have come to believe that the word “fear” really is a four-letter word and should be considered profanity. Wouldn’t it be great if we could somehow have it censored from all of our thoughts and feelings, like bleeping out a bad word? But instead, fear is very much a part of our reality, even more so than we realize or want to admit. I know there are times when being fearful can be a good thing, such as being afraid of doing something that might bring harm or danger. I always drive very slowly in snowy weather because I am just fearful that I will slide off the road and have an accident. However, the spirit of fear as mentioned in 2 Timothy 1:7 is a different kind of fear. This fear hinders what God has given us in His power, love and sound mind. This fear grips us with doubts and insecurities, waging war with our thoughts and feelings. This kind of fear is not of God but of the enemy, the devil. I believe that fear is one of the greatest weapons Satan uses against us, especially in our minds. He tells us that we are no good, not worthy, unloved and useless. These thoughts affect us all, he picks on everybody, no one is spared. How can we fight against such thoughts? By believing the truth of the second part of the verse. God through His Holy Spirit has given us power, love and a sound mind, not in our strength but in His. Are you dealing with fears today that are gripping you so tightly that you feel helpless and hopeless? How can these types of fears be broken? Start by praying for the Lord to open your mind and help you understand how to use the power given by His Holy Spirit. The power precedes love so next, pray for your heart to be filled with His love, knowing that His perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18). What a great pair…power and love! Then, ask the Lord to clear your mind and bring to your thoughts His words, taking captive those thoughts not of Him. It will help you gain victory over fear.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Signs of the Times

AMEN TO THAT! God's Word is true...."The silver and the gold they are min says the Lord," God owns it all so put your trust in God and not the government. They aren't as reliable. God bless.

Monday, February 2, 2009

Happy Groundhog Day




Today is Groundhog Day and in the famous tiny hamlet of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, the world famous groundhog "Phil" Seer of Seers , Prognosticator of Prognosticators, Weather Predictor, Extroidinaire, National Treasure, Most Photographed Pennsylvanian saw his shadow this morning so it looks like six more weeks of winter. I guess we will jut have to tough it out for the next six weeks. God bless everyone and have a great week.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Intimacy With God

"And it came to pass, when Moses entered the tabernacle, that the pillar of cloud descended and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses. All the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the tabernacle door, and all the people rose and worshiped, each man in his tent door. So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend." Exodus 33:9-11

When I read the verse that says, "the Lord spoke to Moses face to face," I have a longing in my heart to see the Lord like that. What must it have been like to be in such an intimate presence of the Lord? I try to picture in my mind what it looked like when the cloud descended. Regardless of how hard I try, I am sure that my thoughts could never come close to the awesome-ness of such a meeting. Moses was just a man, no more special than any other person. But, God called him for a special purpose and God equipped him for the job. Moses had a tough job leading the children of Israel through the wilderness for forty years. I do not envy his calling, but at times, I envy his intimacy with the Lord. These feelings, however, cannot remain too long within me because I have God's Spirit living within me. When I desire to be with the Lord in that intimate place of His presence, I can go to Him and be with Him. I no longer envy Moses because I have my own personal intimacy with the Lord, and so can you. For all who come to Jesus and accept Him as their Savior are sealed with the Promise of His Holy Spirit. Have you ever longed to be in the presence of the Lord God Almighty? Do you desire to experience Him intimately? Please know that you can find Him. The Bible tells us that if seek the Lord with all of our heart we will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13). The keys are in truly seeking Him, waiting on Him, and obeying His words to us. Find a quiet place and commit to just spending that time with the Lord. Start with worshiping Him and coming before Him with an open heart. Keep seeking and keep knocking until you find that sweet place of fellowship. Remember that He is always here for us…we
are the ones who get distracted and turn away from Him. Practice His presence everyday.