"They" (my Life Group) tell me I say it too much. I guess I am always apologizing. I'm always saying that "I am Sorry" and I probably do. Maybe Sorry isn't the best word for me to express how I feel.
Maybe Sad would be better. I know they will chew me out for that as well but its true.
I'm sad at the state of Christianity ~ They really are negative
I'm sad at the spirit of some Churches ~ They really are Cold
I'm sad at the stands of some Self Righteous Pastors ~ They really are arrogant
and yes for years I have apologized not just for my own failures but the failures of others. Others who may have aided in creating a negative, cold, arrogant faith.
Christianity is the BEST Life we could ever Live
The Church is the BEST Place to Celebrate our Savior Jesus
and Pastors are in the BEST Position to recognize the greatness of Grace
So I am not Sorry ~ I'm Sad
Sad that those who do not know Christ, don't know how amazing being a follower of Jesus is.
Sad that many Christians spend their whole lives never experiencing an exciting church without judging it.
Sad that many Pastors hide behind their position instead of sharing their passion
But I can't be sad anymore.
Yes, I cant be sorry and I can't be sad.
Why? Because I'm a part of a group of people who believe that being a Christian IS the BEST Life we could ever live.
Because I am a member of a Church that LOVES to Celebrate our Savior Jesus.
and Because though I am a Pastor, my Church, my Friends, let me be a person.
Thank you newLife for the best year I have ever experienced as a Christian. I can't wait for 2014 and I'm not sorry, nor am I sad for thinking that.
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Thursday, November 14, 2013
To my Grandaughter
Though I only see you through a vail, your the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.
Though I have never heard you laugh, I promise your life will be filled with laughter
Though I have never held your hand, I will never let it go
Though you have yet to meet your parents, they are amazing people
Though all you have heard your grandma say "oh my goodness" there is not a greater woman on the planet.
Yesterday I learned that you will be MY Granddaughter, and I have never been happier, and though you haven't heard me say it, mark this as your first time, I LOVE YOU
Though I have never heard you laugh, I promise your life will be filled with laughter
Though I have never held your hand, I will never let it go
Though you have yet to meet your parents, they are amazing people
Though all you have heard your grandma say "oh my goodness" there is not a greater woman on the planet.
Yesterday I learned that you will be MY Granddaughter, and I have never been happier, and though you haven't heard me say it, mark this as your first time, I LOVE YOU
Thursday, November 7, 2013
There is alway room for MORE
Last nights prayer meeting was a huge moment for me.
As I walked around the church, I noticed how much we have filled it.
The 6-8th grade room was filled with Possibilities thanks to Holly and Teresa, a team
The nursery was full of Laughter thanks to Randy and her team
The auditorium was filled with Worship thanks to Brendon and his team
The church was filled with Prayer thanks to the LG leaders and their teams
The Building was filled with Love thanks to our team of believers
Even those of us to went to Fultanos the fullness spilled over with Hilarity as two life groups tried to find a team name for one.
There was no where I could go where I wasn't being filled with the fruits of the Spirit.
There was Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, and Temperance.
He was there, We were there, and there is Always room for MORE ~ Thanks Vanessa
Thank You newLife ~ and Team Nice Dynamite (I still think its a dumb name)
Monday, November 4, 2013
Time to Wake Up and Pray Hard
Daniel Chapter seven comes about for one reason. Daniel is a man of Prayer and this communication with God has opened Him up to even deeper communication than the average human.
It wasn't that Daniel was better, smarter, or a greater man then others, it was simply because his faith exhibited in a life of prayer made him worthy of more
and more he got.
In fact chapter 7 begins a prophetic section that goes through the rest of the book of Daniel. This passage outlines history from Daniels day to past our very own to the end of time and the return of Jesus Christ.
And while I could take the time to explain how the four beasts represent current nations and how the Stone cut out without a hand striking the image on its feet, literally destroying these kingdoms as Jesus returns and His Kingdom is restored. The most useful truth here is that Daniel was given this vision because of his prayer life.
God, shared something very intimate as well as important with Daniel. He did not share it with the King, nor the Rich men, nor the mighty commanders of war, but with a lowly slave who prayed without fear and without fail.
And it makes me wonder. Are our prayer lives worthy of God sharing deeper intimate things with us. Is our communication with Him by a Faith that moves God to trust us with such valuable and important truths? And what is God waiting to tell us if we would only be men and women of prayer?
I know this, I'm going to stop writing, and Start Praying. I suggest you do too and seek to go deeper.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Dangerous Steps
Who could forget the bible story of Daniel and the Lions den? It was one of my favorites as a Child. The imagery of this innocent young man being falsely accused and placed on deaths door only to miraculously be protected. Then through the providence of God the bad guys all get eaten up. Love it.
But lets not forget.
Daniel was in this position because he was Faithful. (Verse 3)
Daniel was in this position because he was Fearless. (Verse 10)
It was Daniels Prayer life that got him noticed but also got him in trouble. I say this because I believe that most people think that their prayer lives ought to get them out of trouble but to be honest many times it only leads us to more.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego prayed BEFORE going into the Fiery furnace
Daniel Prayed BEFORE going into the lions den.
Jesus Prayed in the Garden, BEFORE going to the Cross.
I know that it was their prayer that protected them, but prayer didn't keep them from having to live by faith. And this made me wonder.
What difficult circumstance are you about to be led INTO and then THROUGH by prayer? What area of FAITH are you seeking God about that will end up with a Miraculous Provision through prayer?
Or are your prayers kept until a Lion is standing on your chest, or your already in the fiery furnace, or your already hanging on the cross.
Daniels prayer life was one that led him into danger, not just through it and its this prayer life that changed the heart of a king.
That should be our prayer ~ Lord, Lead me into a Step of Faith to show your Faithfulness.
But lets not forget.
Daniel was in this position because he was Faithful. (Verse 3)
Daniel was in this position because he was Fearless. (Verse 10)
It was Daniels Prayer life that got him noticed but also got him in trouble. I say this because I believe that most people think that their prayer lives ought to get them out of trouble but to be honest many times it only leads us to more.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego prayed BEFORE going into the Fiery furnace
Daniel Prayed BEFORE going into the lions den.
Jesus Prayed in the Garden, BEFORE going to the Cross.
I know that it was their prayer that protected them, but prayer didn't keep them from having to live by faith. And this made me wonder.
What difficult circumstance are you about to be led INTO and then THROUGH by prayer? What area of FAITH are you seeking God about that will end up with a Miraculous Provision through prayer?
Or are your prayers kept until a Lion is standing on your chest, or your already in the fiery furnace, or your already hanging on the cross.
Daniels prayer life was one that led him into danger, not just through it and its this prayer life that changed the heart of a king.
That should be our prayer ~ Lord, Lead me into a Step of Faith to show your Faithfulness.
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Dads Study Chapter 5
Daniel chapter 5 is the story of the handwriting on the wall. Belshazzar, a new King, went into his treasury and brought out the cups from Gods temple and began to get drunk with them. What happens next is important.
A strange figure of a hand appears and writes on a wall. MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN. This freaked the king out not only because a hand writing on a wall without a body would be strange, but the king didn't know what it meant and soon he was sending for Daniel.
Again because Daniel was a man of Character and Faith God gave him insight into the realm of God. The writing was a judgment upon Belshazzar's godless life.
Daniel 5:26-28 (ESV)
26 This is the interpretation of the matter: MENE, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end;
27 TEKEL, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting;
28 PERES, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
But how does that impact us today? I believe that God is still bringing judgment upon those who reject Him and especially those who mock Him. I mean what if God said to you.............
God has numbered the days of your Job and brought it to an end.
Or, God has numbered the days of your marriage and brought it to an end.
Or, God has numbered the days of your life and brought it to an end.
Why? Because you have been weighed in the balances and found to be stealing your tithe from Him
Because you've been weighed in the balances and found to be unloving to your wife.
Because you've been weighted in the balances and found to be an enemy of God.
and your job will be given to another.
and your spouse and children will be given to another.
and your life (blessings from God) will be given to another.
God is at work in the affairs of men and if we are paying attention to the WRITING ON THE WALL and repent, you will find that God is with you, supporting you, strengthening you, and honoring you. But if not don't be surprised when the wage of sin is death.
Praise God for men like Daniel who are open to seeing beyond the physical realm to understand and explain what God is doing in the Spiritual realm opening our eyes to what God might be saying to us.
A strange figure of a hand appears and writes on a wall. MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN. This freaked the king out not only because a hand writing on a wall without a body would be strange, but the king didn't know what it meant and soon he was sending for Daniel.
Again because Daniel was a man of Character and Faith God gave him insight into the realm of God. The writing was a judgment upon Belshazzar's godless life.
Daniel 5:26-28 (ESV)
26 This is the interpretation of the matter: MENE, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end;
27 TEKEL, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting;
28 PERES, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
But how does that impact us today? I believe that God is still bringing judgment upon those who reject Him and especially those who mock Him. I mean what if God said to you.............
God has numbered the days of your Job and brought it to an end.
Or, God has numbered the days of your marriage and brought it to an end.
Or, God has numbered the days of your life and brought it to an end.
Why? Because you have been weighed in the balances and found to be stealing your tithe from Him
Because you've been weighed in the balances and found to be unloving to your wife.
Because you've been weighted in the balances and found to be an enemy of God.
and your job will be given to another.
and your spouse and children will be given to another.
and your life (blessings from God) will be given to another.
God is at work in the affairs of men and if we are paying attention to the WRITING ON THE WALL and repent, you will find that God is with you, supporting you, strengthening you, and honoring you. But if not don't be surprised when the wage of sin is death.
Praise God for men like Daniel who are open to seeing beyond the physical realm to understand and explain what God is doing in the Spiritual realm opening our eyes to what God might be saying to us.
Monday, October 21, 2013
Dads Study Chapter 4
How can anyone say that the bible is boring? Seriously, chapter four of Daniel is what blockbuster movies are made of.
The Greatest King ever to Live has a horrible dream. He dreamed of a Great Tree where the world was fed and kept safe under its shade. But then a "Watcher" came down from heaven can cut the tree down. He understood that the tree was himself and that the "Watcher" told that he was going to be changed into a beast to humble him to accept who the TRUE God is.
Really, this is good stuff.
The Kings pride led the dream to come true and soon he was eating grass for seven years until he humbled himself before God, to which by the grace of God, the king was restored to his kingdom
Daniel interpreted the dream perfectly but was able to because of Daniels Character and Connection with God.
Every human being is prideful and many like the King believe that they are godlike. You see it in how they live. Its as if they don't even need Him. But unlike the King, there are few Daniels whose Character and Connection with God cause those to whom God might be speaking with to be sought out.
That is our lesson for today. We who are believers, who are faithful (chap 3), who are prayerful (chap 2), and who are standing up for God (chap 1) ought to have the kind of faith life that exhibits the kind of Character and Connection with God that leads others to seek us out when God is speaking to their hearts.
It ought to be the cry of our hearts to see those to whom God has humbled through difficult life circumstances restored unto a new life through the Love of God and that our faith in Him is so trustworthy that we would be sought out as a part of it.
I love this book!
The Greatest King ever to Live has a horrible dream. He dreamed of a Great Tree where the world was fed and kept safe under its shade. But then a "Watcher" came down from heaven can cut the tree down. He understood that the tree was himself and that the "Watcher" told that he was going to be changed into a beast to humble him to accept who the TRUE God is.
Really, this is good stuff.
The Kings pride led the dream to come true and soon he was eating grass for seven years until he humbled himself before God, to which by the grace of God, the king was restored to his kingdom
Daniel interpreted the dream perfectly but was able to because of Daniels Character and Connection with God.
Every human being is prideful and many like the King believe that they are godlike. You see it in how they live. Its as if they don't even need Him. But unlike the King, there are few Daniels whose Character and Connection with God cause those to whom God might be speaking with to be sought out.
That is our lesson for today. We who are believers, who are faithful (chap 3), who are prayerful (chap 2), and who are standing up for God (chap 1) ought to have the kind of faith life that exhibits the kind of Character and Connection with God that leads others to seek us out when God is speaking to their hearts.
It ought to be the cry of our hearts to see those to whom God has humbled through difficult life circumstances restored unto a new life through the Love of God and that our faith in Him is so trustworthy that we would be sought out as a part of it.
I love this book!
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