Through His Eyes

New WordPress Blog

2007-08-31T15:27:00.000-05:00

I have a new Wordpress blog

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Crisis of Faith

2007-08-24T15:37:00.001-05:00

When was the last time you had a crisis of faith? We all do. We have those times when we are not sure if God is even listening, it doesn't seem as if He is even there. Sometimes when we pray we feel as if our prayers are just bouncing off the ceiling and not getting through. Why would God let this happen to me? Why does God bless him and not me? I was following God the best I could and He let someone or some situation hurt me. Doesn't God love me and want what is good for me?

You know what I am talking about. Walking in faith is sometimes hard. God allows us to go through tough times to test our faith. 1 Pet. 1:7

Mother Teresa is a modern day hero of the faith. For over 40 years, she devoted her life to the needs of the orphaned, penniless, and sick people of Calcutta. She lived such a sacrificial life of service that she has achieved super human status among us common folk. Surely a woman this devoted to God would never have doubts, fears, or a crisis of faith. Unless she really was human. What if she was just a normal human being who committed her life to Christ and God used her in a great way?

In a recent Time magazine article, Mother Teresa's Crisis of Faith by David Van Biema, correspondence between Teresa and spiritual confidants show the human side of this faithful Christ-follower.

In 1979, while receiving her Nobel Peace Prize, she said, "It is not enough for us to say, 'I love God, but I do not love my neighbor,'" she said, since in dying on the Cross, God had "[made] himself the hungry one — the naked one — the homeless one." Jesus' hunger, she said, is what "you and I must find" and alleviate. She condemned abortion and bemoaned youthful drug addiction in the West. Finally, she suggested that the upcoming Christmas holiday should remind the world "that radiating joy is real" because Christ is everywhere — "Christ in our hearts, Christ in the poor we meet, Christ in the smile we give and in the smile that we receive."

Van Biema wrote, "Yet less than three months earlier, in a letter to a spiritual confidant, the Rev. Michael van der Peet, that is only now being made public, she wrote with weary familiarity of a different Christ, an absent one. "Jesus has a very special love for you," she assured Van der Peet. "[But] as for me, the silence and the emptiness is so great, that I look and do not see, — Listen and do not hear — the tongue moves [in prayer] but does not speak ... I want you to pray for me — that I let Him have [a] free hand."

The presence of doubt does not mean there is an absence of faith. It takes great faith to be obedient to God when the darkness of fear, doubt, and loneliness are present. No matter how many times Teresa struggled with her faith, because of her faithful obedience, she was very pleasing to God. Heb 11:6

It does not take super human strength to serve God and be a hero, or a great witness of the faith, it just takes the commitment to be obedient. Rom. 12:1 God provides his strength. I am thankful for God lead human witnesses like Mother Teresa. There is hope for me yet.
This Sunday Morning: EPIC Joy - A Study of Philippians part 9 - Running a Race for Joy

In chapter three the apostle Paul compares living a life of faith with running a race to win God's prize. This Sunday we will look at how we are to run to win.

If you are part of the LCC family, please join us Sunday and bring a friend. If you are a friend of LCC your prayers and support are greatly appreciated.

Serving you in Christ
Royal

Very Realistic and Amazing Sculptures

2007-08-17T21:41:00.000-05:00

Lisa and I went to the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth today to see the special exhibition of work by renowned contemporary sculptor Ron Mueck.

We were extremely impressed and I recommend it to anyone. It is only $10.00 per person and well worth it. (Free every Wed. and First Sunday) The sculptures are very life like but they are not life-size. They are either small or much larger than life size. They are so realistic you are sure they are watching you as you go around the room.

Most of the sculptures are nude so I would not recommend it for children. A lady had her three small boys with her while we were there and the kids just laughed and acted silly most of the time.

There was a thirty minute video that showed how he sculpts with clay and then makes molds out of silicone and fiberglass. Again, it was amazing.

Check this link for photos in the Washington Post

Know What Counts

2007-08-17T11:24:00.000-05:00

When the angel announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds on the hill he said, "I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people....He is Christ the Lord."(Luke 2:10-11)

How is your joy doing? Is it great or not so great? Is your level of happiness going up and down with the stock market? Are you struggling this week? Many are, Christians and unbelievers alike. It is easy to get caught up in looking for happiness in situations over the joy that comes from having a supernatural delight in God and His love for us. The devil wants us to believe that God's love for us is not enough. Our human nature drives us to seek comfort through the approval of others and our own success as determined by the world in which we live.

It is easy to forget that we are aliens (1 Pet 2:11) to this planet and God's provision for joy is not the same as the world's answer for happiness. The world says that in order to be happy we need physical pleasure or comfort derived from things like sex, security, popularity, and the freedom to be who we want to be. God, on the other hand, through Jesus Christ provides love, trust, peace, and the freedom to live without the guilt of sin and the knowledge, through faith, that we have great value. God provides the promise that when we are through with our time on planet earth we will spend eternity experiencing the rewards passed down to the children of God.

Joy is a matter of the condition of the heart that is the result of God's investment in us and not the rise and fall of the economy and our investment in the stock market.

This Sunday we will continue in our study of the book of Philippians called "EPIC Joy". (Phil 3:1-11) "The Joy of Knowing What Counts"

If you are part of the LCC family I look forward to seeing you on Sunday. Bring a friend.
For the rest of you, thanks for your friendship and your prayers and support of the ministries of LCC.

Make Quality Time

2007-08-10T09:59:00.000-05:00

I hope you have had a great summer. That's right, I said had. The kids go back to school in a couple of weeks, and believe it or not, today we may hit 100 degrees for the first time. What a weird Texas summer this has been.

I went on a vacation cruise out of Galveston with my family last week. We last went on a family vacation two years ago. We had a great time together and I had a great time relaxing. For me a cruise is the best vacation on the planet, because it is the only place I can totally disconnect for a week and chill out. Every morning I would get up at 6:00 and go to the restaurant at the front of the boat, before everyone else got up, and get in the Word of God, journal, and look out over God's incredible ocean. When I am on the ocean I am reminded how small I am and how infinitely large God is. I don't know about you, but I need to be reminded of that more often than I would like to admit.

I think what I liked best about our vacation is that my mom went with us. Lisa and I had some great quality time hanging out with mom and my kids enjoyed time with their grandmother you can't get dashing through our normal busy lives. I really enjoyed watching my mother enjoy herself and have fun with my kids. I did have to ask mom to slow down one night as she was keeping up with Nick on the dance floor at the party on deck 9 by the pool. I got some great pictures.

You know the enemy is against quality relationships and our spending quality time together. Our environment in the 21st century continually distracts us from what Jesus said is most important. Love God and Love people. We have to intentionally and deliberately make quality time with God and the people we love. Sometimes we are so busy driving our kids to events that we mistake that time for quality time. It's not. We have to slow down and spend time with the people we love just like we have to be still in order to know God. (Ps. 46:10)

You don't have to go on a cruise to have quality time, but you do have to put yourself in an environment where the distractions to quality time are removed. Computers, TVs, Cell Phones and Blackberrys demand much of our attention. (For many they become an addiction) Parents, the best way to improve your parenting is to spend more time with your kids. Husbands will become better husbands through quality time with your wives. Christians will become devoted Christ-followers as they practice God's presence.

This is the time of year, before school starts, when many people are looking at life situations and trying to set priorities and schedules. If you want life to be better. Make time alone with God and with the people you love a priority in your schedule.

Hero: Billy Graham - Grief with hope

2007-08-09T07:46:00.000-05:00

There is an incredibly uplifting article in Time today on Billy Graham dealing with his grief over the loss of his wife Ruth. He is such a Christian hero. It is well worth the read.

'"No matter how prepared you think you are for the death of a loved one, it still comes as a shock," Billy Graham observes, "and it still hurts very deeply." Ruth and Billy would have been married 64 years this month. He called her his soul mate and best friend; she was also a woman who could keep him humble, help swat away the temptations and ego trips and the offers from moguls who wanted to make him a movie star or talk-show host.'"

Rest of the article here.....

The Way to Knowledge - Oswald Chambers

2007-07-27T06:44:00.000-05:00

Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own. John 7:17

The golden rule to follow to obtain spiritual understanding is not one of intellectual pursuit, but one of obedience. If a person wants scientific knowledge, then intellectual curiosity must be his guide. But if he desires knowledge and insight into the teachings of Jesus Christ, he can only obtain it through obedience. If spiritual things seem dark and hidden to me, then I can be sure that there is a point of disobedience somewhere in my life. Intellectual darkness is the result of ignorance, but spiritual darkness is the result of something that I do not intend to obey.

No one ever receives a word from God without instantly being put to the test regarding it. We disobey and then wonder why we are not growing spiritually. Jesus said, "If you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift" He is saying, in essence, "Don’t say another word to me; first be obedient by making things right." The teachings of Jesus hit us where we live. We cannot stand as impostors before Him for even one second. He instructs us down to the very last detail. The Spirit of God uncovers our spirit of self-vindication and makes us sensitive to things that we have never even thought of before.

When Jesus drives something home to you through His Word, don’t try to evade it. If you do, you will become a religious impostor. Examine the things you tend simply to shrug your shoulders about, and where you have refused to be obedient, and you will know why you are not growing spiritually. As Jesus said, "First . . . go . . .." Even at the risk of being thought of as fanatical, you must obey what God tells you.

Why can't church be like camp?

2007-07-13T09:44:00.000-05:00

This Sunday thru Friday morning I am going with a group of teens and adult shepherds from LCC to youth camp at Mount Lebanon in Cedar Hill, Texas.

It will be hot. It may rain on us a couple of days. We will be blessed if the A/C unit is cranking enough to keep the room cool. We won’t get much sleep. There will be incredible emotional ups and downs. New friendships will be made and old ones will grow stronger. People will meet God for the first time. Others will get closer to God than they have ever been before. There will be around 1300 of us in a room with terrible acoustics and hard metal chairs having incredible times of worship a couple of times a day all week long. We will have some very personal and honest share times within our own group. Our adult shepherds will get as much or more out of their time with God and the teens as the students.

At the beginning of the week there will be cliques. Within a couple of days, we will become God’s family. As God starts to move we will come to the realization that it doesn’t matter how much money one makes, what sport one plays, or the color of one’s skin. It won’t matter if one is an artist, a jock, an introvert or an extrovert. It will not matter your denomination or what church you attend.

During this week of camp, selfish people will become servants, prideful people will become humble, mean people will be loving, hard people will soften, those who mourn will be comforted, tough people will become gentle, and spiritually hungry people will be fed.

At least for a week, hurt people will feel loved, shy people will come out of their shells, anxious people will find peace, angry people will love others and receive love, unforgiven people will be forgiven, bitter people will forgive, and the guilty will experience God’s grace.

We will have more fun than we can stand. People will wish it were always like this. A couple of years ago, I was riding with a student in a cart on the day before we left to come back “to the real world”. She said, “I wish we could stay. I wish when we got home it would be like this.” I responded, “Be like what?” She said, “Where everyone loves and cares for each other.”

If you have never had this kind of experience it may be hard to understand. Now you know why I love camp and it is important to take as many soon to be adult teens as possible each year. It can be life-changing and life-altering.

The apostle Paul wrote that if we want to have this kind of unity as Christ-followers in the real world, if we want the church to be like camp, we have to focus on Christ. We have to focus on having the same attitude of humility as our Lord and Savior.

Paul wrote: Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Phil 2:3-8 NLT

This Sunday I will continue teaching a series called “EPIC Joy “ from the book of Philippians, Ch. 2:1-11.

We will pray for our students and shepherds and they will leave for camp around 1:00-1:30pm and be back by noon on Friday.....

Join us Sunday and bring a friend.....Nine out of ten people who do not attend church say they would go if a friend asked them.

Why do bad things happen? - Tony Dungy

2007-07-11T18:31:00.000-05:00

"Why do bad things happen? I don't know. Why did Jamie die? I don't know. But I do know that God has the answers, I know he loves me, and I know he has a plan – whether it makes sense to me or not. Rather than asking why, I'm asking what. What can I learn from this? What can I do for God's glory and to help others?" -

Tony Dungy, talking about his son's 2005 death in Quiet Strength (Tyndale House, 2007)

Freedom is not Cheap

2007-07-06T12:09:00.000-05:00

Do you remember how brown and dry everything was in Texas this time last year? Thank God for the end of the drought. Pray for people who have lost their homes and other problems caused by much rain. We can also empathize with and pray for the people in the west and other parts of the country who are having a drought this year.

Between thunderstorms on Wednesday night (July 4), Lisa and I went for a motorcycle ride. It was a beautiful night for riding and we found the perfect place to park and watch the fireworks display at the Bedford Boy's Ranch. I got a little emotional (real men cry) as I thought of the freedoms we have in our great country and the sacrifices that have been made for the past two hundred plus years to earn them and keep them. I am sure you have heard the phrase many times, "Freedom is not cheap." We are truly blessed and privileged to live here, and I can understand why so many people want to leave their countries of origin and come to the USA.

On the Tonight Show, Jay Leno does a piece called Jay Walking. He goes out on the street and asks Americans what seem to be simple questions. Many of the questions are American history related. Jay Walking is a TV fan favorite as people like to laugh at the mistakes of others. I am always surprised at how little, especially young Americans, know about the history of our great country.

I think it is easy to take our freedoms for granted when you really don't know anything about how we obtained them. When freedom seems free, and we are not grateful for, or even acknowledge its cost, freedom seems cheap. It is easy to disrespect something that is cheap. I believe that when you don't respect the cost of a gift, you don't respect the gift, and you don't respect the giver of the gift. So you burn flags, disrespect our leaders, disobey our laws, and do it in the name of freedom. Cheap freedom.

Although I don't believe it is done out of purposeful disrespect, I believe the majority of people who claim the gift and the freedom that comes from God's grace don't really understand or focus on the cost and live a cheap and not very deep form of Christianity. They live their lives believing they will be in heaven one day, but don't live their lives on earth as the Citizens of heaven they are. The gift of the Gospel or Good news of Jesus Christ is that we become children of the King and citizens of heaven.

When citizens of heaven live their lives on earth as children of the King, different than citizens of earth, people change.

As Christ-followers we know what real freedom costs. The apostle Paul wrote, "Sin is no longer your master, for you are no longer subject to the law, which enslaves you to sin. Instead, you are free by God's grace." Rom 6:14 NLT

The spiritual freedom from our sin is freedom in no matter what country we live or what situation in life with which we are faced. Paul writes to the Philippians that we are really citizens of Heaven. Our freedom and our citizenship came at a great cost. It was a free gift to us but it came at a great expense to God. He loves us that much.

God's unselfish love, given to the world by God's people, gives others an opportunity to acquire true freedom. The kind of freedom that is life-changing....

As Christian parents it is our job to teach about and live out the life of a Christian not controlled by sin to our children. Psychologists and sociologists say that what we learn in the first twelve years of our lives have the greatest impact on our future.

On Sunday mornings I am teaching through Paul's letter to the Philippians. The main theme of this letter is that if you live your life as a citizen of heaven you will have joy no matter what your circumstances. If we can draw close to God, study His Word and live it in faith, we can have EPIC Joy.

Join us this Sunday as we look at Philippians 1:27-30 and learn how to practice the disciplines of living a life of Joy.

This will be a great message for all and a great opportunity to invite that person you have been wanting to bring to church.

Who is God to you?

2007-07-04T08:43:00.000-05:00

Americans' Image of God

31% believe in an "Authoritarian God" who is angry at humanity's sins and engaged in every creature's life and world affairs.

23% believe in a "Benevolent God" who is forgiving and accepting of anyone who repents.

16% believe in a "Critical God" who has his judgmental eye on the world, but he's not going to intervene, either to punish or comfort.

24% believe in a "Distant God" who is more of a cosmic force that launched the world, then left it spinning on its own.

Source: Cathy Lynn Grossman, "America's Image of God Varies," USAToday.com (9/11/06)

We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. 1 John 3:16

Gain from the Pain

2007-06-29T12:11:00.001-05:00

It was the bottom of the sixth inning. Tim Raines of the Montreal Expos was at the plate. The San Francisco Giants' pitcher, Dave Dravecky, wound up and threw the ball toward the catcher as hard as he could. It was the last pitch he would ever throw. A loud sickening crack was heard all over the stadium. Dravecky's pitching arm had been weakened by undiscovered cancer and his humerus bone snapped in two. "My arm felt like it had been hit with a meat axe," the pitcher said. He tumbled head first to the ground while screaming and holding his broken arm.

He had to have his arm amputated to stop the spread of cancer. His baseball career was over.

Several weeks after his surgery, Dravecky returned to Jack Murphy Stadium to thank his teammates, fans, and friends. He received a long standing ovation. As he had many times since his surgery, he glorified God and gave praise to Jesus Christ.

After his return to the stadium he received hundreds of invitations to speak during the next year. Dravecky has been an inspirational speaker and author ever since.
(Taken from Comeback, by Dave Dravecky with Tim Stafford)

For the single-minded Christ follower, the pain of adversity is always an opportunity to grow in our faith in God, and be used by Him for kingdom work, in ways we could never have imagined before. The Apostle Paul wrote from prison to the church in Philippi, "And I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News." Phil 1:12

The witness of the Apostle Paul and many Christians, who have found victory in the midst of and after adversity, points the way for us to gain joy from the pain we are allowed to suffer in our lives. That's right, I said "allowed". I know it is more fun when we are looking at the world from the mountain tops, but real spiritual growth comes when we are traveling through the dark valleys of life. God allows us to suffer the pain of adversity so He can mold us to be more like Jesus.

Dear Friends and Family of LCC. This Sunday I will continue teaching in a series from the book of Philippians, EPIC Joy. This week's message will be from Phil. 1:12-26. I am calling it, "Gain from the Pain."

Blessings of Hope and Joy

2007-06-22T09:26:00.000-05:00

I pray God is blessing you in ways better than you can imagine and you are seeing God and His work around you on a daily basis. A couple of weeks ago I challenged LCC people to go to bed thanking God for their blessings and to wake up ever morning with a new commitment to following Jesus throughout the day. Two different ladies have reported back to me similar results. It works..... It has not miraculously changed their lives, (yet) but they have been going to bed with more peace and feeling a heightened sense of hope during the day. It is so easy to get focused on the negative things happening in our lives that we don't see the many blessings.

Why don't you try it!!! It may seem goofy to you, but it couldn't hurt and most likely it will help... When you are lying in bed at night, in the dark, don't count sheep or focus on your problems. Focus on the many blessings you have. If you can only think of one blessing right now, focus on it. But I know there are more... Ask God to remind you of your blessings... tell Him your blessing vision is being blocked by the pain in your life. He will open your eyes.... He is a loving Father and He wants you to feel joy and hope....

For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jer 29:11

Last week I started a new teaching series from the book of Philippians, "EPIC Joy". We did an overview of the four chapter letter from the apostle Paul and this week we are going to dive right in to chapter one. I have read this book of the Bible many times and I am really enjoying digging in to it to learn for myself and to teach God's people at LCC.

In the greeting Paul says he is writing to God's holy people in Philippi. So why 2000 years later are we reading Paul's letter to this church. Because Paul's letter to the Philippians is also God's letter to the holy people in NE Tarrant County.... That's right.... For us it reads, "I am writing this letter to all of God's people at the church by 7-11 in Euless" (LCC).

God calls us, His children through Jesus, holy. In some translations it says "saints". How often do you think of yourself as a Holy Saint. Whether you do or not, God does. Isn't that amazing. Holy means set apart. When we decide to; admit we need God, recognize that God sent Jesus to pay for and erase our sins, and commit to following Jesus or making him leader of our lives, we are set apart by God to do His work on earth. That's right holy person. You know who you are.

This Sunday we will be learning from the first eleven versus of Philippians how the real secret of joy is found in "The Partnership of Joy." You can catch up by listening to last weeks teaching here,,,, http://www.lifeconnectionchurch.org/Pages/downloads.html

EPIC Joy and Father's Day

2007-06-15T09:31:00.000-05:00

"I got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart, down in my heart, down in my heart." I remember singing that song in Vacation Bible School at Plymouth Park Baptist Church in Irving.

I loved that song. It has a catchy tune, you can clap and laugh while singing it, and we got to sing, "If the Devil doesn't like it he can sit on a tack (Hey)." My favorite line.

As a kid, I didn't spend much time thinking about joy, or why I didn't have it. It is a big deal for adults. We want to be happy. We think that God wants us to be happy. We even think that it is our right to be happy. So we spend lots of time, energy, and resources on; seminars, books, religion, possessions, and many other avenues to pursue happiness.

I searched Amazon.com books this morning and got 365,609 hits for happy, 212,539 for happiness, and 299,105 books on joy.

Two thousand years ago the Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the Philippian Christians on how to live a joyful life. Lisa and I have read these four chapters over and over again when we are a little short on joy in our lives. What is unusual and even incredible about Paul writing this letter of encouragement is that he wrote it while incarcerated. Yes, he was in jail waiting for a trial that would most likely result in the death penalty. Paul was an innocent and godly man just working hard at spreading the Gospel of Jesus and it landed him in a Roman jail, chained to a Roman soldier, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

Paul knew the secret to living a life full of joy, regardless of his circumstances (Phil 4:11). Starting this Sunday, we will spend the summer learning from the Apostle Paul how to live a life of joy. I am calling this teaching series: EPIC Joy. This Sunday we will look at the situations in our lives that block our joy and start unpacking the secrets to a joyful life.

If you are part of the LCC family, you might want to read Philippians (It's only four chapters) and then bring your Bible to church. For those of you who worship elsewhere, if you don't already use this letter of Paul as a source for joy then try it out. I promise you will be blessed, no matter your circumstances.

Father's Day - Just a reminder that Sunday is Father's Day. Honor you father. The Word of God promises you will be blessed.

'Honor your father and mother, as the LORD your God commanded you. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the LORD your God will give you. Deut 5:16 NLT

For those of you who are fathers, remember, you are the greatest spiritual influence in your kid's life. it is a responsibility and a privilege given to us by God our Father.

The Risk of Faith

2007-05-30T06:34:00.000-05:00

If a person is ever going to do anything worthwhile, there will be times when he must risk everything by his leap in the dark. In the spiritual realm, Jesus Christ demands that you risk everything you hold on to or believe through common sense, and leap by faith into what He says. Once you obey, you will immediately find that what He says is as solidly consistent as common sense.

By the test of common sense, Jesus Christ’s statements may seem mad, but when you test them by the trial of faith, your findings will fill your spirit with the awesome fact that they are the very words of God. Trust completely in God, and when He brings you to a new opportunity of adventure, offering it to you, see that you take it. We act like pagans in a crisis— only one out of an entire crowd is daring enough to invest his faith in the character of God.

by Oswald Chambers

The Faith to Persevere - Oswald Chambers

2007-05-08T06:36:00.000-05:00

Because you have kept My command to persevere . . . —Revelation 3:10

Perseverance means more than endurance— more than simply holding on until the end. A saint’s life is in the hands of God like a bow and arrow in the hands of an archer. God is aiming at something the saint cannot see, but our Lord continues to stretch and strain, and every once in a while the saint says, "I can’t take any more." Yet God pays no attention; He goes on stretching until His purpose is in sight, and then He lets the arrow fly. Entrust yourself to God’s hands. Is there something in your life for which you need perseverance right now? Maintain your intimate relationship with Jesus Christ through the perseverance of faith. Proclaim as Job did, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him" ( Job 13:15 ).

Faith is not some weak and pitiful emotion, but is strong and vigorous confidence built on the fact that God is holy love. And even though you cannot see Him right now and cannot understand what He is doing, you know Him. Disaster occurs in your life when you lack the mental composure that comes from establishing yourself on the eternal truth that God is holy love. Faith is the supreme effort of your life— throwing yourself with abandon and total confidence upon God.

God ventured His all in Jesus Christ to save us, and now He wants us to venture our all with total abandoned confidence in Him. There are areas in our lives where that faith has not worked in us as yet— places still untouched by the life of God. There were none of those places in Jesus Christ’s life, and there are to be none in ours. Jesus prayed, "This is eternal life, that they may know You . . ." ( John 17:3 ). The real meaning of eternal life is a life that can face anything it has to face without wavering. If we will take this view, life will become one great romance— a glorious opportunity of seeing wonderful things all the time. God is disciplining us to get us into this central place of power.

The Collision of God and Sin - Oswald Chambers

2007-04-06T15:51:00.000-05:00

Here is the daily devotion from My Utmost for His Highest for Today...

. . who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree . . . —1 Peter 2:24

The Cross of Christ is the revealed truth of God’s judgment on sin. Never associate the idea of martyrdom with the Cross of Christ. It was the supreme triumph, and it shook the very foundations of hell. There is nothing in time or eternity more absolutely certain and irrefutable than what Jesus Christ accomplished on the Cross— He made it possible for the entire human race to be brought back into a right-standing relationship with God. He made redemption the foundation of human life; that is, He made a way for every person to have fellowship with God.

The Cross was not something that happened to Jesus— He came to die; the Cross was His purpose in coming. He is "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" ( Revelation 13:8 ). The incarnation of Christ would have no meaning without the Cross. Beware of separating "God was manifested in the flesh. . ." from ". . . He made Him. . . to be sin for us. . ." ( 1 Timothy 3:16 ; 2 Corinthians 5:21 ). The purpose of the incarnation was redemption. God came in the flesh to take sin away, not to accomplish something for Himself. The Cross is the central event in time and eternity, and the answer to all the problems of both.

The Cross is not the cross of a man, but the Cross of God, and it can never be fully comprehended through human experience. The Cross is God exhibiting His nature. It is the gate through which any and every individual can enter into oneness with God. But it is not a gate we pass right through; it is one where we abide in the life that is found there.

The heart of salvation is the Cross of Christ. The reason salvation is so easy to obtain is that it cost God so much. The Cross was the place where God and sinful man merged with a tremendous collision and where the way to life was opened. But all the cost and pain of the collision was absorbed by the heart of God.

John Maxwell - Laws of Lifetime Personal Growth

2007-03-30T16:18:00.000-05:00

If you are a leader or aspire to lead, I recommend books by John Maxwell and his leadership newsletter, Leadership Wired.

In this weeks newsletter is an article on the laws of discipline needed to continue to grow as a leader and not grow stagnant.

Maxwell writes; "At what age did you stop growing taller? The average age when the human body stops getting taller is debatable, but it’s generally between the ages of 16 and 21. I often wonder at what age most leaders stop growing. Unfortunately, in my experience, most people settle into average by the end of their 20’s. Rarely will you find a person committed to a comprehensive personal growth plan into their 30’s, 40’s, or beyond.

As children we grew year after year, sometimes in spurts, sometimes imperceptibly, but our bodies were always growing. The growth of a leader can be similar. At times, it may feel like the wheels are spinning and no headway is being made. In other seasons, new breakthroughs and victories are clear indicators of a growth spurt. To grow consistently, the key is to manage your daily agenda. I wish I could pass along an easier solution or secret formula for leadership growth, but daily discipline makes all the difference between growth and stagnation.
In this edition of Leadership Wired, I would like to pass along a few growth principles to guide you in your daily journey of leadership growth. This lesson draws heavily upon a brilliant resource, The Laws of Lifetime Growth, authored by Dan Sullivan and Catherine Nomura. You may visit their website at http://www.lifetimegrowth.com/.

Law #1 – Always Make Your Future Bigger Than Your Past."

Read the rest of the article here...

Spiritual Leadership #4 - Natural vs. Spiritual - Sanders

2007-03-26T15:43:00.000-05:00

# 4 in series of blogs on Spiritual Leadership by : J. Oswald Sanders

In ch. 4 Sanders writes that there is a definite difference in natural and spiritual leadership. He quotes from A. W. Tozer; "A true and safe leader is likely to be one who has no desire to lead, but is forced into a position by the inward pressure of the Holy Spirit and the press of circumstances..."

Contrast of Natural and spiritual leadership:

Natural vs. Spiritual

Self-confident vs. Confident in God
Knows men vs. Also knows God
Makes own decisions vs. Seeks God's will
Ambitious vs. Humble
Creates methods vs. Follows God's example
Enjoys command vs. Delights in obedience to God
Seeks personal reward vs. Loves God and others
Independent vs. Depends on God

Why is it so easy to slip into leading without the spirit? We are naturally naturals...

Spritual Leadership #3 - Servant - Sanders

2007-03-26T08:18:00.000-05:00

# 3 in series of blogs on Spiritual Leadership by : J. Oswald Sanders

In ch. 3 Sanders writes, "Jesus was a revolutionary, not in the guerrilla warfare sense, but in His teaching on leadership. The term servant speaks everywhere of low prestige, low respect, low honor. most people are not attracted to such a low-value role. When Jesus used the term, however, it was a synonym for greatness. And that was a revolutionary idea."

Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4 So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. Matt. 13:3-5

I learned early in our church plant that usually people who wanted to lead without serving first were just looking for power. I have heard John Maxwell say to never make someone a leader unless they were willing to mop the floors first. Even in a small new church there are people who just want control and influence. They say, "Never go grocery shopping when you're hungry." I say, "Never choose a leader when you are desperate."

At first I was looking for people that were breathing and willing. I made some bad choices out of desperation and paid with pain, heartache, and set-backs.

Sanders writes that there are two principles of leadership that the church must never forget. Jesus teaches us that leaders are 1) called and are 2) willing to suffer the cost of servant leadership.

Jesus said, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized with?”

The sovereign calling of God to lead is important. I think it is impossible to servant lead without the calling. Jesus said it costs to serve in My kingdom. It costs you your self. Someone that wants to lead to gain power will not be serving God's Kingdom. Sanders wrote; "Men and women leading in that task must have eyes wide open, and hearts willing to follow the Master all the way."

Sanders gives six qualities of a servant leader.

Dependency on God
Approval - seeking the approval of God
Modesty - "God's servant conducts a ministry that appears almost self-effacing."
Empathy
Optimism - "Pessimism and leadership are at the opposite ends of life's attitudes."
Anointing

"May we follow close to the great Servant, and receive the Spirit who shows us more of the Master."

Spritual Leadership #2 - Sanders

2007-03-23T09:09:00.000-05:00

# 2 in series of blogs on Spiritual Leadership by : J. Oswald Sanders

I don't know a percentage, but there are not many people who are willing to step up, take the risk, and be a leader. For example; I have served on two juries in the last six years or so. In both cases, when the jury came together for the first time, there was no battle to be foreman. In each case, because I had just opened my mouth and made a couple of suggestions, the majority of the jurors pointed at me and named me foreman. (It may seem weird to you, but I thought it was fun) Even born leaders are often afraid to step up to the plate, use their natural talents, and take on the responsibility of leadership.

And if you think its tough finding leaders in the secular world, even leaders in the secular world are not often willing to take on the role of spiritual leader.

The Bible teaches us that God is searching for the person who is willing to commit to God (a person after His own heart) and lead others.

In Ch. 2 Sanders writes, Christianity needs, "leaders who are authoritative, spiritual, and sacrificial." God wants Christian leaders to be willing to be used by Him so people can see how strong God is. "Not all who aspire to leadership are willing to pay such a high personal price." We have to get ready to pay the price of spiritual leadership and this comes in a life of spiritual discipline before one answers his or her call to be a spiritual leader.

Sanders closes ch. 2 with a warning. "If those who hold influence over others fail to lead toward the spiritual uplands, then surely the path to the lowlands will be well worn."

Spritual Leadership #1 - Sanders

2007-03-21T11:33:00.000-05:00

My staff and a men's leadership development group I am leading are reading Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders. It is a great book on the subject and in the days to come I will be sharing some information from the book and giving some of my own comments.

I read this book several years ago and I may be getting more out of this read than the last. Although pastors and lay leaders are addressed directly throughout the book, I believe it is a must read for all Christ-Followers. If one of the definitions of leader is, "a leader is a person of influence," and if we are all given the power to witness (Acts 1:8), then it is a must read.

At the beginning of ch. 1 Sanders writes, "Most Christians have reservations about aspiring to leadership. They are unsure about whether it is truly right for a person to want to be a leader"...they think, "is it not better for the position to seek out the person rather than the person to seek out the position."

As I stated earlier, I believe we are all as Christ-followers leaders due to the influence we have on others. The question is, "do we want to accept our biblical responsibility to influence?" Since we are empowered by the Spirit to influence, we are influencing whether we accept the responsibility of it or not. Are you influencing people towards Jesus, or away?

Now when we accept a role of teacher or leader as part of God's church, it even puts us at a higher level of accountability and is honored by God. God says, "Way to go son or daughter."

It is true that if a man wants to be a church leader, he wants to do a good work. 1 Tim 3:1 (NLV)

Why you want to be a leader is important, and as with all other decisions we make, God looks at the heart. Sanders writes, "Our Lord never taught against the urge of high achievement, but he did expose and condemn unworthy motivation....Jesus taught that ambition that centers on the self is wrong...Ambition that centers on the glory of God and welfare of the Church is a mighty force for good."

"We must aim to put more into life than we take out."

"Because we children of Adam want to become great,
He became small.
Because we will not stoop,
He humbled Himself.
Because we want to rule,
He came to serve."

A Life Of Faith

2007-03-19T06:23:00.000-05:00

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Heb 11:1

Oswald Chambers writes: "Living a life of faith means never knowing where you are being led. But it does mean loving and knowing the One who is leading. It is literally a life of faith, not of understanding and reason— a life of knowing Him who calls us to go. Faith is rooted in the knowledge of a Person, and one of the biggest traps we fall into is the belief that if we have faith, God will surely lead us to success in the world."

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. Heb 11:6

Speed Trap

2007-03-16T21:36:00.000-05:00

I have not had a speeding ticket in over twenty years. I have only had two in my life, and they were in the same year.

We were driving back from Angel Fire, NM and, as we came into the city limits of Clayton, NM, we passed the most awful smell ever smelled on a highway. We were going 70 mph as we passed a cattle yard with more cows stuffed in what looked like too small of a pin than should be allowed.

After turning off our A/C and holding my breath, I noticed a 30 mph sign as we came over a hill and entered Clayton. I took my foot off the gas and coasted up and over the hill.

Then I saw him, sitting on the side of the road, just waiting for me to come over the hill.

I looked at my speedometer and turned to Lisa and said., "He got me."

No hello, no good afternoon, just "I clocked you going 42 in a 30. You can sign this ticket to pay $80.00 or fight it in court."

I was polite and asked if it always smelled this bad in Clayton. He smiled and said it was a good day 'cause the wind was out of the North.

My wife mailed in the $80.00 this morning.

Seven Demands of Leadership

2007-03-16T21:18:00.000-05:00

In this week's "Leadership Wired", John Maxwell reviews the findings of Gallup’s research on the Seven Demands of Leadership, and supplements them with his own thoughts.

The Seven Demands of leadership are:

Visioning
Maximizing Values
Challenging Experience
Mentoring
Building a Constituency
Making Sense of Experience
Knowing Self

The explanation of these demands can be found here......

Only Fell Once

2007-03-10T21:34:00.000-06:00

Three trips down the mountain, nine miles of skiing, one fall......That is right, I only hit the slope one time....

MIRACLE

Maybe I do like skiing...

We will see tomorrow.

Time Off In Angel Fire

2007-03-09T21:41:00.000-06:00

My wife and I are with friends staying in a house in Angel Fire New Mexico...

I guess I forgot how many stars there are and how bright they are....

God set these lights in the heavens to light the earth, 18 to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 This all happened on the fourth day. Gen 1:17-19 NLT

Thank you God

Tomorrow...We hit the slopes...No really, I will hit the slopes...

I wish I could ski...

What Kind of Fruit do you produce?

2007-02-20T06:36:00.000-06:00

Devotion taken from www.josh.org

When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control Galatians 5:22-23a, NLT).

What kind of fruit do these trees produce?

apple tree, orange tree, oak tree, banana tree, pear tree, peach tree, hickory tree, walnut tree, cherry tree, pineapple tree, pecan tree, mulberry tree

Too easy, right? The only answer that wasn’t totally obvious was acorns, which come from oak trees, right? After all, everybody knows that apples come from apple trees, and walnuts come from walnut trees.

Making right choices works the same way.

No matter how hard it tries, a cherry tree could never produce apples. No matter how much it wanted to, a pecan tree couldn’t squeeze out a single banana. Why not? Because they don’t have what it takes. Well, because we are sinners, none of us humans can make right choices all the time. Some days it seems like we can’t even make right choices at all! Why not? Because we don’t have what it takes to produce that kind of fruit--not by ourselves, at least. We might as well try to squeeze a pineapple out our ears! So, does that mean we should just give up?

No, but it does mean that the only way we can consistently make right choices is through the Spirit of Christ living in us. His Spirit lives in everyone who has trusted Christ for salvation, and it is only by relying on Him every day--through prayer and Bible reading--that we can consistently make right choices. In fact, you might say that making right choices is the fruit that the Holy Spirit produces in our lives when we trust God day by day.

Reflect: What kind of choices have you been making recently? Have they been sort of prickly, like a pineapple? Nutty, like an acorn? Sweet, like a cherry? Sour, like a crabapple? Something else? What kind of choices do you want to make from now on (with the Spirit’s help)?

10 Leadership Questions I Ask Myself

2007-02-16T09:14:00.000-06:00

In this week's Leadership Wired, John Maxwell gives us the Ten Questions he asks himself as a leader. While at the sight you can subscribe to this leadership newsletter. http://www.injoy.com/ is an incredible resource to help you mold into the leader you can be.

Questions I Ask Myself
By Dr. John C. Maxwell

Children astound me with their inquisitive minds. The world is wide and mysterious to them, and as they piece together the puzzle of life, they ask “Why?” ceaselessly. Why can’t they have another cookie? Why can’t they stay up after 9:00 pm? Why do they have to share their toys? Why does grandpa have white hair?

As we age, it seems our childlike curiosity diminishes. Yet, after all I have learned, I realize there’s even more I’ve not yet discovered. Through my leadership journey I’ve tried to keep my mind open to growth by continuing to probe for new ideas. In this edition of Leadership Wired, I’d like to share with you the questions I regularly ask myself as a leader.

Questions I Ask Myself

1) Am I investing in myself?

This is a personal growth question.

Read the rest of the article here.

Have You Heard God Today?

2007-02-13T06:40:00.000-06:00

from a devotional written by Oswald Chambers

The goal of my spiritual life is such close identification with Jesus Christ that I will always hear God and know that God always hears me (see John 11:41 ). If I am united with Jesus Christ, I hear God all the time through the devotion of hearing. A flower, a tree, or a servant of God may convey God’s message to me. What hinders me from hearing is my attention to other things. It is not that I don’t want to hear God, but I am not devoted in the right areas of my life. I am devoted to things and even to service and my own convictions. God may say whatever He wants, but I just don’t hear Him. The attitude of a child of God should always be, "Speak, for Your servant hears." If I have not developed and nurtured this devotion of hearing, I can only hear God’s voice at certain times. At other times I become deaf to Him because my attention is to other things— things which I think I must do. This is not living the life of a child of God. Have you heard God’s voice today?--

The politics of the man behind “24.”

2007-02-09T13:29:00.000-06:00

For all of you "24" fans out there, here is an article, in The New Yorker, on the creator of the Emmy Award Winning show "24" on Fox....

WHATEVER IT TAKES
The politics of the man behind “24.”
by JANE MAYER

The office desk of Joel Surnow—the co-creator and executive producer of “24,” the popular counterterrorism drama on Fox—faces a wall dominated by an American flag in a glass case. A small label reveals that the flag once flew over Baghdad, after the American invasion of Iraq, in 2003. A few years ago, Surnow received it as a gift from an Army regiment stationed in Iraq; the soldiers had shared a collection of “24” DVDs, he told me, until it was destroyed by an enemy bomb. “The military loves our show,” he said recently. Surnow is fifty-two, and has the gangly, coiled energy of an athlete; his hair is close-cropped, and he has a “soul patch”—a smidgen of beard beneath his lower lip. When he was young, he worked as a carpet salesman with his father. The trick to selling anything, he learned, is to carry yourself with confidence and get the customer to like you within the first five minutes. He’s got it down. “People in the Administration love the series, too,” he said. “It’s a patriotic show. They should love it.”

Read the rest of the article here......

Has porn become the number one God blocker?

2007-02-08T09:11:00.000-06:00

The Bible teaches us that when we choose to sin, or do things God does not want us to do (or not do things He wants us to do) we are turning our backs on God. Continual sin hardens our hearts so we can not hear God, feel God's presence, and we feel uncomfortable when we do see Him or think about Him.

I believe that porn has fastly become the number one God blocker in the lives of Christians. It is a fantasy world that makes a person feel good, and it can be done in secret so you can be looking good on the outside and dyeing on the inside...

Check out this article by Shaun Groves...

Addicted to Porn
I didn't want to keep looking. But I did.

The remains of the campfire were cold. And the labels on the bottles of Bud were bleached white by days in the sun. Whoever had camped out in the woods near my house was long gone. My friend and I picked through the debris they'd left behind. An abandoned hip-hop CD. A few empty baggies and bottles. And a magazine.

The cover was weathered and unrecognizable. I poked it open with a stick, scared of what critters might be calling it home now. Its dewy, wet pages flopped open. I saw a woman. And I saw her naked breasts.

Since I was only 7, I ran. I mean, girls had cooties. They were gross. They were things we chased at recess, but didn't know what to do if we ever caught one. But I still remember that image. I was excited by it, but scared of it at the same time. I didn't understand it and I knew I shouldn't be seeing it.

And I knew I wanted more. See the rest of the story here....

Movies: 2006 Most Redeeming Films

2007-02-08T06:38:00.000-06:00

I used to want to see all the upcoming academy award nominated movies before the award show. Not so any more. There are many, even academy award nominee movies, we have no desire to see...

My wife and I still love going to the movies. We like going to the before 6:oopm matinee at Tinseltown 'cause we pay only $4.00. Then we don't feel so bad about the outrageously expensive popcorn and diet coke....

Christianity Today has an article on the "Ten Most Redeeming Films of 2006."

It starts like this......."What do a shy-but-brilliant speller, a dead Mexican guy, a street thug from Soweto, a compassionate spider, an anti-Nazi young woman, and the baby Jesus have in common? They're all in movies that we've just voted the ten most redeeming films of 2006."

Go here for the rest of the article.....

Why am I Smiling?

2007-02-08T06:05:00.000-06:00

Raquetball at 7:ooam....I figure if I smile it is easier to drag my rear out the door...

Why Am I Smiling?

2007-02-07T14:23:00.000-06:00

Why am I smiling?

Because I am thankful to God for spring like days in the middle of winter, Honda Motorcycles, and the health to ride one....

God Calls this Faithlessness

2007-02-07T07:52:00.000-06:00

Without Faith.....by Henry Blackaby

"The writer of Hebrews reminds us that without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6). Whenever God reveals something, He expects us to believe Him and adjust our lives accordingly. What does this mean? It means we trust Him implicitly for all of our needs, because He says He will provide (Phil. 4:19). It means we approach crises with the assurance that God will bring good from them (Rom. 8:28). It means we overcome anxiety during stressful situations because God instructs us to bring our requests to Him (Phil. 4:6). It means that we never worry that we are alone, because God said He would never leave us or forsake us (Deut. 31:6). It means that, despite what happens in our lives, we will never doubt God's love because He has told us that He loves us with an everlasting love (Jer. 31:3).

At times we try to justify our lack of faith! We know what God has promised, but we doubt that He will make a practical difference in our life. We are filled with anxiety and excuse ourselves by saying: ""I am just a worrier!"" We become bitter during a crisis and reason that ""God could not possibly bring anything good out of this pain!"" We appeal for help from everyone around us when we have a need; then we explain: ""I know God can provide for my needs, but I think I should do everything I can, just in case."" God calls this faithlessness. Faithlessness is sin. ""But without faith it is impossible to please Him"" (Heb. 11:6)."

You can learn more about Dr. Blackaby, his writings, and his ministry at http://www.blackaby.org/

Reality Check & 24

2007-01-30T06:19:00.000-06:00

I got an important call fifteen minutes into my favorite show, 24, last night. The first thing I thought was "who would call during 24?". It was about a person who was hurting, and all of the sudden a TV show was not so important.

I think, at least for guys, 24 and Jack Baur are fun to watch because we can leave the real world for a while and imagine ourselves being the heroes we imagined being when we were kids.

There is a real world and we are a part of it. And our mission here, whether we decide to accept it or not, is to be God's love with skin and care more about others than ourselves. Jesus left Heaven and came here to prepare us for our mission...

I also thank the Lord for VCRs........

Prayer of St. Francis - Spiritual Maturity

2007-01-29T11:30:00.000-06:00

A true sign of spiritual maturity is the ability to die to my own wants and care more for the ministry toward others.

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 1 John 4:11-12

This prayer by St. Francis of Assisi is a good prayer to keep in our hearts. It is a prayer to be more Christ-like....

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O, Divine Master,grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Choose Joy

2007-01-26T08:30:00.000-06:00

"Two people can be victims of the same accident. For the one, it becomes the source of resentment; for the other, the source of gratitude. The external circumstances are the same, but the choice of response is completely different. Some people become bitter as they grow old. Others grow old joyfully. That does not mean that the life of those who become bitter was harder then the life of those who become joyful. It means that different choices were made, inner choices, choices of the heart."

Here and Now by Henri Nouwen (pg. 32)

O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, what joy for those who trust in you. Psalm 84:12

Moms and Dads Need to Know MYSPACE

2007-01-25T10:27:00.000-06:00

I am a pastor and I work with teens and their parents every day. Parents want to know what is going on in their child's life but they are not ever sure what is OK and when they are stepping over the privacy lines.

Just about every teen I know has a myspace account. I have thought about holding a class on Myspace for parents. Now parents, there is a book for parents about MYSpace. I have not read it yet because it does not come out till the middle of February. I have pre-ordered several because I know some parents in our church will want a copy.

Christianity today has an article, "A Mom's Guide to MySpace - What you need to know about this popular website" by Connie Neal

You can pre-order the book at Christianbook.com here....MySpace For Moms And Dads

Parents, know your kids world.

Do I Love God Like I Used To

2007-01-21T07:04:00.000-06:00

from Oswald Chambers......

Am I as spontaneously kind to God as I used to be, or am I only expecting God to be kind to me? Does everything in my life fill His heart with gladness, or do I constantly complain because things don’t seem to be going my way? A person who has forgotten what God treasures will not be filled with joy. It is wonderful to remember that Jesus Christ has needs which we can meet— "Give Me a drink" (John 4:7). How much kindness have I shown Him in the past week? Has my life been a good reflection on His reputation?

God is saying to His people, "You are not in love with Me now, but I remember a time when you were." He says, "I remember . . . the love of your betrothal . . ." (Jeremiah 2:2). Am I as filled to overflowing with love for Jesus Christ as I was in the beginning, when I went out of my way to prove my devotion to Him? Does He ever find me pondering the time when I cared only for Him? Is that where I am now, or have I chosen man’s wisdom over true love for Him? Am I so in love with Him that I take no thought for where He might lead me? Or am I watching to see how much respect I get as I measure how much service I should give Him?

As I recall what God remembers about me, I may also begin to realize that He is not what He used to be to me. When this happens, I should allow the shame and humiliation it creates in my life, because it will bring godly sorrow, and "godly sorrow produces repentance . . ." (2 Corinthians 7:10)

Pictures of Blessings

2007-01-06T01:51:00.000-06:00

Nick and my wife Lisa

My awesome Kids - Brooke (23) Nick (21)

Cory, Lance, Nick, and Me Farris

Me and Brooke

Midnight on Jesus' Birthday at Life Connection Church

Credit Card Craze

2006-12-20T07:46:00.000-06:00

Article from www.christianitytoday.com

Credit Card Craze
A look at what we're really trying to buy—and how to be more intentional about spending.
by Donna F. Savage

"Things have to change," my friend Sheila declared. "No more fancy restaurants! No more expensive birthday celebrations!" Her determination intensified the longer we talked.

Sheila had spent more at Christmas than usual. Then she charged $250 for their daughter's birthday gift and dinner for eight in mid-January. Two weeks later, Sheila's son-in-law picked the restaurant to mark his birthday and safe return from Iraq. Another $275. Now she and her husband, Mike, faced three more birthday dinners within six weeks. Their bank account couldn't take the hit.

Birthdays aren't the real problem," Sheila admitted to me. She recalled the days when her young daughters squealed with delight over a brightly wrapped box or a frosted cake with candles. As the girls grew older, Sheila felt pressured to make each birthday special. Gifts gradually cost more. Home-cooked meals gave way to expensive restaurants. The reality of her family's expanding expectations now was plastered across January's credit-card statement. Sheila didn't want to disappoint her kids, but she knew birthday dinners had to move back home.

I admire Sheila's decision to tackle the silent advance of spending. Most of us similarly struggle with materialism. According to a CNBC survey, 43 percent of American families spend more than they earn; the average household carries more than $8,000 in consumer debt. Rising incomes and easy credit offer unprecedented affluence, evidenced by our overflowing closets and garages. Yet unrestrained spending, with its bloated credit-card balances, leads many families into financial bondage.

HOW DID WE END UP HERE?......REST OF ARTICLE HERE

I did not come to bring peace but a sword —Matthew 10:34

2006-12-19T06:15:00.000-06:00

from Oswald Chambers

Never be sympathetic with a person whose situation causes you to conclude that God is dealing harshly with him. God can be more tender than we can conceive, and every once in a while He gives us the opportunity to deal firmly with someone so that He may be viewed as the tender One. If a person cannot go to God, it is because he has something secret which he does not intend to give up— he may admit his sin, but would no more give up that thing than he could fly under his own power. It is impossible to deal sympathetically with people like that. We must reach down deep in their lives to the root of the problem, which will cause hostility and resentment toward the message. People want the blessing of God, but they can’t stand something that pierces right through to the heart of the matter.

If you are sensitive to God’s way, your message as His servant will be merciless and insistent, cutting to the very root. Otherwise, there will be no healing. We must drive the message home so forcefully that a person cannot possibly hide, but must apply its truth. Deal with people where they are, until they begin to realize their true need. Then hold high the standard of Jesus for their lives. Their response may be, "We can never be that." Then drive it home with, "Jesus Christ says you must." "But how can we be?" "You can’t, unless you have a new Spirit" (see Luke 11:13 ).

There must be a sense of need created before your message is of any use. Thousands of people in this world profess to be happy without God. But if we could be truly happy and moral without Jesus, then why did He come? He came because that kind of happiness and peace is only superficial. Jesus Christ came to "bring . . . a sword" through every kind of peace that is not based on a personal relationship with Himself.

Maxwell Moment: 8 Ways to Make People Feel Like a Million Bucks

2006-12-15T11:05:00.000-06:00

by John Maxwell - Leadership Wired

Ranking among the greatest Christmas movie classics, It’s a Wonderful Life tells a beautiful story about the priceless value of relationships.

The story follows the life of George Bailey, a man who sacrifices his dreams to travel the world, instead choosing to stay in his hometown and run the family-owned business after the sudden death of his father.

Throughout the movie, George’s humanity draws us into his life. As we watch him grow from a child to a young man, and then to a husband, father, and business owner, we see how George continually places the well-being of others ahead of his own interests. Yet, we can sense his frustration at being pent up in a small town, working long hours, earning a modest salary, and living in an old, renovated house.

When life’s circumstances push George’s business to the brink of bankruptcy, his frustrations boil over, and he contemplates taking his own life. At this crucial moment, a guardian angel is sent from heaven to prevent George from committing suicide. Through a series of supernatural events, the angel convinces George of the beauty of his life—even with his present troubles. With a renewed sense of gratefulness, George goes back to his home.

Upon his return, George’s family and friends rally around him in an overwhelming outpouring of support and generosity. In a show of goodwill, they take up a collection and donate it to George. With his business secure and his financial situation saved, George uncovers a note left by his guardian angel:

Remember George: no man is a failure who has friends.

for rest of the article click here

Rocky Balboa speaks of being reborn

2006-11-29T07:28:00.000-06:00

Rocky Balboa finds redemption. Can Rambo be next?

"No matter what, you can overcome your past," he said. "With help, if you look to God, you can overcome your past and be reborn."

Hmm. That's an interesting quote. You may be wondering who said it. Sounds like it would be from a prominent evangelical leader, or maybe someone with a powerful testimony, or perhaps a youth pastor hoping to break through to a crowded room of young people.

Or, would you believe, Rocky Balboa? See the rest of the article here......

Most Thankful for Hope

2006-11-26T06:22:00.000-06:00

This Sunday: "Most Thankful for Hope"

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving. I know for many people the holiday season is not the best of times.....For some it is about bad memories and for others the stress of life makes it hard to be thankful and enjoy the season...

I am glad we have thanksgiving before Christmas....In 1789, George Washington wrote, "I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks..."

Abraham Lincoln wrote, (1863) "No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens."

I am glad we have Thanksgiving before Christmas, because we often need to be reminded that God has blessed us much...I have found that in my life if I can focus on the blessings, the problems become smaller and far more tolerable, and even as James teaches, become opportunities for joy.

The hope that comes in our relationship with God through Jesus Christ makes our past, present, and future become opportunities for joy and a life full of incredible experiences. We just need to be reminded as we are often distracted by the situations of life.

This Sunday we will look at what I believe is the greatest gift from God of which to be thankful. Hope.... People without hope die a slow and painful emotional, spiritual, and sometimes physical death. The Bible says a heart without hope is sick.

Who Will Save Thanksgiving?

2006-11-22T07:44:00.000-06:00

Wal-Mart announced this week they will return the word "Christmas" to their seasonal greetings. Good move, especially given their faithful hick-hop constituency. No more generic salutations that so many of us carped about last year, when many merchants dropped Christ from his own holy day so as not to offend non-believers.

We still have a way to go. The nearby nursery is advertising "Holiday Trees" and the local school is staging a "Winter Pageant" with small children singing, "We wish you a Merry Sparkle Season!" But before we restart the campaign to reChristianize Christmas, would someone please save Thanksgiving?

I thought we had made some progress a couple of years ago when retailer Macy's repented of renaming their annual streetside festival "The Macy's Day Parade," abandoning thanks altogether. But now, it seems to me the beachhead is slipping. This year the radio station in my city that plays wall-to-wall Christmas music plugged in Rudolph earlier than ever. The station manager saw two snowflakes outside his office window at 10 a.m. on November 2 and by noon had switched the format to 24-hour Christmas tunes. True story. Chalk one up for Santa. And the advertising department.

We're losing Thanksgiving. ---- See rest of the article here....

Changed Life - Oswald Chambers

2006-11-12T06:12:00.000-06:00

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new —2 Corinthians 5:17

What understanding do you have of the salvation of your soul? The work of salvation means that in your real life things are dramatically changed. You no longer look at things in the same way. Your desires are new and the old things have lost their power to attract you. One of the tests for determining if the work of salvation in your life is genuine is— has God changed the things that really matter to you? If you still yearn for the old things, it is absurd to talk about being born from above— you are deceiving yourself. If you are born again, the Spirit of God makes the change very evident in your real life and thought. And when a crisis comes, you are the most amazed person on earth at the wonderful difference there is in you. There is no possibility of imagining that you did it. It is this complete and amazing change that is the very evidence that you are saved.

What difference has my salvation and sanctification made? For instance, can I stand in the light of 1 Corinthians 13 , or do I squirm and evade the issue? True salvation, worked out in me by the Holy Spirit, frees me completely. And as long as I "walk in the light as He is in the light" ( 1 John 1:7 ), God sees nothing to rebuke because His life is working itself into every detailed part of my being, not on the conscious level, but even deeper than my consciousness.

Bill Hybels - Greatest Obstacle to Evangelism Today?

2006-11-06T08:48:00.000-06:00

Article from interview by Outreach Magazine in Christianity Today.

Then what keeps people from engaging? What do you identify as the greatest obstacle to evangelism today?

Bill Hybels: Fear. The average Christian in today's churches is afraid she won't get something right or that someone will ask her a question she can't answer and she'll blow the whole thing.

And I say to people, "OK, then let's talk about fear!" If you could hear the voice of God prompt you to walk across the room and start a conversation and you obeyed—even if, by your standard, it didn't lead anywhere—if that hearing and obeying constituted success, could you do that? Most people say, "Yes, I could do that."

Then what if the conversation progressed to you asking him about his spiritual background? If that conversation goes nowhere, would you still be OK, knowing that you heard God and obeyed? What if he asks you for a book or CD, and that doesn't go any further, would you still feel like you succeeded spiritually because you heard and obeyed?

The idea of doing only what the Spirit prompts and not being responsible for necessarily leading someone to Christ or correctly answering a ton of questions just boggles people's minds. When you break down evangelism to small interactions, people tend to relax a little.

Last Sunday Was Awesome

2006-11-05T06:09:00.000-06:00

LCC People are incredible. Last Sunday was a most amazing day. We started off the day with a couple of God-filled worship services. All morning I saw God move in our worship times and in the hearts of the people in attendance. We tried something new. Instead of waiting for the warm summer weather and baptizing in a pool, we borrowed a portable baptismal and in the second service we baptized six life committed Christ-followers. It was a very special and moving time for the baptizees and those of us who watched and celebrated with them. As I stood next to the first to get baptized and we finished singing our last worship song of the morning, I was so overcome with the presence of God and the emotion that accompanied it, I wondered if I could even speak. I heard from several others the same report of such a strong presence of God as His children gathered and honored His Son Jesus through believer's baptism. God you are so good. Thank you for your many blessings. Please pray for the spiritual growth of the newly committed followers of Jesus.

I don't know who loved the block party the most Sunday night, the kids or the adults. Our block party was a huge success. Thanks to the volunteers and your LCC staff, our first block party ran like a well oiled machine. It was incredible. The LCC family had a great time serving and hanging out together while the guests from our community were served food and candy and fun for their kids. Morgan and her band entertained in the cafe and it gave us a great feel of what our future coffee house ministry will be. I talked to many guests and they were having a great time and thankful for the event. We think we probably had about 500-600 people throughout the night. At one time there were about 200 cars in the parking lot.

John the apostle wrote: No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love has been brought to full expression through us. 1 John 4:12

I thank God always that I am surrounded by God's love with skin. Thanks to the LCC family and to our friends who pray for and support God's ministry at LCC.

Obedience or Independence? Oswald Chambers

2006-11-02T10:56:00.000-06:00

If you love Me, keep My commandments —John 14:15

Our Lord never insists obedience. He stresses very definitely what we ought to do, but He never forces us to do it. We have to obey Him out of a oneness of spirit with Him. That is why whenever our Lord talked about discipleship, He prefaced it with an "If," meaning, "You do not need to do this unless you desire to do so." "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself . . ." ( Luke 9:23 ). In other words, "To be My disciple, let him give up his right to himself to Me." Our Lord is not talking about our eternal position, but about our being of value to Him in this life here and now. That is why He sounds so stern (see Luke 14:26 ). Never try to make sense from these words by separating them from the One who spoke them.

The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear. If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation. If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself. Jesus Christ will not force me to obey Him, but I must. And as soon as I obey Him, I fulfill my spiritual destiny. My personal life may be crowded with small, petty happenings, altogether insignificant. But if I obey Jesus Christ in the seemingly random circumstances of life, they become pinholes through which I see the face of God. Then, when I stand face to face with God, I will discover that through my obedience thousands were blessed. When God’s redemption brings a human soul to the point of obedience, it always produces. If I obey Jesus Christ, the redemption of God will flow through me to the lives of others, because behind the deed of obedience is the reality of Almighty God.

The Trial of Faith - Oswald Chambers

2006-10-31T07:55:00.000-06:00

October 31, 2006 - Oswald Chambers

The Trial of Faith

If you have faith as a mustard seed . . . nothing will be impossible for you —Matthew 17:20

We have the idea that God rewards us for our faith, and it may be so in the initial stages. But we do not earn anything through faith— faith brings us into the right relationship with God and gives Him His opportunity to work. Yet God frequently has to knock the bottom out of your experience as His saint to get you in direct contact with Himself. God wants you to understand that it is a life of faith, not a life of emotional enjoyment of His blessings. The beginning of your life of faith was very narrow and intense, centered around a small amount of experience that had as much emotion as faith in it, and it was full of light and sweetness. Then God withdrew His conscious blessings to teach you to "walk by faith" ( 2 Corinthians 5:7 ). And you are worth much more to Him now than you were in your days of conscious delight with your thrilling testimony.

Faith by its very nature must be tested and tried. And the real trial of faith is not that we find it difficult to trust God, but that God’s character must be proven as trustworthy in our own minds. Faith being worked out into reality must experience times of unbroken isolation. Never confuse the trial of faith with the ordinary discipline of life, because a great deal of what we call the trial of faith is the inevitable result of being alive. Faith, as the Bible teaches it, is faith in God coming against everything that contradicts Him— a faith that says, "I will remain true to God’s character whatever He may do." The highest and the greatest expression of faith in the whole Bible is— "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him" ( Job 13:15 ).

Feeling Detached

2006-08-25T08:12:00.000-05:00

I miss the LCC family pretty bad. I have been away from our church family for three weeks. Lisa and I were on vacation for two weeks, returning last Sunday. Then on Monday (My Birthday) I was picked to be on a jury and have been sitting in a court room in Ft. Worth all week. I miss my church family. I miss the holy experience that comes from worshiping God as a part of God's family. I can't wait for Sunday morning. I am looking forward to being with my LIFE Group on Sunday night. I feel so detached.

I often say that if a person or family misses church for several weeks there is a good chance they won't be coming back. Not because they are mad or don't like the church any more, it is because they get detached, disconnected. One week of absence may make the heart grow fonder, but the longer one is away the more detached one becomes. Being absent from the gathering together of God's family really effects one's spiritual life. We are designed, and the church is designed for us, to get the most out of our relationship with God when we are together. The church is God's plan. Anyone who tells you they can stay away from God's family and still be close to God is in denial. The devil wants us away from God's family, because he knows it makes us spiritually weak.

Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

If you have been out of church for a while. Go back to church this Sunday. It may be hard the first Sunday to get up and not sleep in, but it will be worth it. Go and experience the power of God's presence that comes when His people gather to worship Him.

For where two or three gather together because they are mine, I am there among them." Matt 18:20

Wow.....What an awesome God.....I can't wait to experience Him with you.....

Serving you in Him
Royal

88% of Young Adults Drop Out of Church at High School Graduation

2006-08-08T11:27:00.000-05:00

Agape Press:

SBC Leader Alarmed Over Young Adults 'Dropping Out' of Churches
By Jim Brown
August 7, 2006

In 2002, the SBC's Council on Family Life reported that roughly 88 percent of evangelical children are leaving the church shortly after they graduate from high school. Dr. Frank Page, the denomination's new president, says SBC churches need to counter that statistic by finding ways to make themselves more relatable, more pertinent and significant to students before they graduate.

"We're seeing a societal trend where a large number of young people are opting out of the church," Page notes. "Estimates of 15 to 20 million people now in America have said they are Christians but they simply don't want to be a part of the church," he says.

Student Ministries can not be just an after thought or icing on the cake....We have to be discipling our teens......Too many churches see youth ministries as just a ministry to entertain kids and keep parents happy.....

Just Walk Across the Room: Taking the First Step to Winning People For Christ

2006-08-07T10:22:00.000-05:00

In his new book: "Just Walk Across the Room: Simple Steps Pointing People to Faith", Bill Hybels presents a real-life example of how following a simple prompting of the Holy Spirit ultimately changed the life of his son's soccer coach. Bill writes...

When my son was in the fifth or sixth grade, he joined a soccer league. And although Todd was a talented athlete for his age, team sports were a little intimidating to him. The man who served for the next three years as Todd’s soccer coach was a businessman named Brian, a fantastic guy who really loved kids. Miraculously, he built hope and confidence into my otherwise-apprehensive son and actually sold Todd on the idea that he could be a terrific soccer player.

For three years I stood on the sidelines at almost every game. My wife, Lynne, my daughter, Shauna, and I cheered for Todd beside other parents who were rooting for their little guys, all of us engaging in the obnoxious hollering that families do at youth soccer matches. Afterward, we’d typically enjoy a few minutes of fellowship with other families that attended Willow.

One afternoon, Brian was in the center of the field after a long day, loading cones into his car so that he could head home. Just then, the Holy Spirit said, “Walk across the soccer field and help him, Hybels. Leave this safe little group, and go see if you can get to know Brian.” I can replay the scene in my mind as if it happened yesterday.

As I put one foot in front of the other and headed toward where Brian stood, I tried to prepare myself for whatever might unfold once I opened my mouth. Ought to be interesting. After introducing myself, we chatted about the kids on the team, about what line of work Brian was involved in, and eventually about my occupation. He wasn’t too thrilled to discover that I was a pastor, but as weeks went by, he continued to engage in brief conversations with me after games or practices.

Each time we talked, I would thank Brian for the meaningful impact he was having on my son. “I appreciate how much time you volunteer out of your busy schedule to coach these kids,” I would tell him. “I think what you are doing is noble and classy, Brian. I’ll always be grateful.”

On one day in particular, when we were nearing a holiday service at Willow, I was prompted by the Spirit to walk across that soccer field again, this time to see if Brian would like to attend the service. Mustering an additional ounce of courage with each step I took, I asked him if he would consider coming to Willow just once with me. His response instantly erased any hope of receptivity on his part. “Oh, man, Bill, I knew it would turn into this! I just knew someday it would land here. Look, I know plenty about Willow Creek — I get tied up in its traffic every week. The whole thing frustrates me. God is not part of my life, church is not part of my life, and I’d just as soon take this whole thing off of the agenda here.” (Hey, at least he was clear.)

“Okay, Brian,” I said, trying to relax him. “No pressure, I promise. I’m committed to respecting your wishes.” And each week the following year, I would walk step by step across that soccer field to help him pick up balls and cones. How small those steps felt! Was I helping at all?

“How’d things go this week?” I’d ask. And we would talk about business and the deals he was working on. Then he would ask me how my week had been. I suppose my no-pressure approach served its purpose: I no longer offended Brian with unsolicited invitations to church. But to me, the whole experience seemed like an exercise in spiritual water-treading. Eventually Todd cycled out of the soccer league, and I lost contact with Brian altogether. Frankly, I assumed I’d never see him again. But after several years had passed, the day came when Brian’s world was turned dramatically upside down. Business issues shifted. His family life tilted. In sobering and unexpected ways, pain and despair walked through the front door of his life and took up residence there.

See the rest of the review here......

The Real Mary Magdalene

2006-05-27T16:53:00.000-05:00

Mary Magdalene
Meet the real friend and follower of Jesus
by Liz Curtis Higgs for Today's Christian Woman Magazine

Was she the wife of Jesus, the mother of his children, or the Holy Grail, as The Da Vinci Code claims? Or the repentant prostitute of Jesus Christ Superstar, throwing herself at the Master's feet and singing, "I Don't Know How to Love Him"?

According to Scripture, Mary Magdalene was none of the above. And more than the above.

We find her story in all four gospels, where she's mentioned by name 14 times—significant, since many women of the Bible are nameless.

Here's her eye-opening, one-line biography: "When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons" (Mark 16:9). Possessed by Satan, she was repossessed by Christ, then privileged to witness his resurrection. Oh! She has a story, all right—but not a scandalous one.

Read the rest of the article here......

Great Article on Sharing Christ with Others

2006-05-17T07:35:00.000-05:00

Wondered Into Someone's Heart Lately?
by Doug Pollockfrom Outreach magazine, July/August 2005

Many evangelistic efforts often close hearts rather than open them. How can you lovingly help someone wonder her way to Christ?

In April 2003, National Public Radio aired a news story about a standoff between an angry mob of Iraqi Shiites and a heavily armored patrol from the American 101st Airborne Division. Fearing that the soldiers were about to desecrate their holy shrine, hundreds of unarmed civilians pressed in toward the soldiers, waving their hands and shouting defiantly. Although the patrol's intentions were peaceful, the standoff would most likely have ended in tragedy—had it not been for the quick thinking of U.S. Lt. Col. Christopher Hughes.

The commanding officer that day, Hughes picked up a loudspeaker and barked three simple commands to his group. First, he told them to take a knee; second, to point their weapons toward the ground; and finally, to look up and give everyone in the hostile crowd a friendly smile. Within moments of obeying his orders, NPR reported, the troops saw the crowd's demeanor transform. Hostility and defiance melted away, as smiles and friendly pats on the back replaced shaking fists and screaming voices.

Read the rest of the story here....

Drinking Coffee is Good for the Heart - I Knew It!!

2006-05-12T06:35:00.000-05:00

I knew that if the right people did the right study, coffee would be good for you.

Drinking coffee 'is good for the heart 'By Celia Hall, Medical Editor
Telegraph.co.uk

One to three cups of coffee a day may protect people from heart disease and strokes, according to research which contradicts numerous studies that have suggested that coffee is bad for you.

The good news for coffee drinkers comes from a report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and is based on a study of 27,000 older women, followed for 15 years.

It found a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease by about 30 per cent in women who had a moderate intake of coffee. The analysis, part of the Iowa Women's Health Study, found that up to 60 per cent of antioxidants in the diet may come from coffee.

Antioxidants protect cells from damage and reduce the inflammation that encourages arteries to narrow.

Active parts of coffee include caffeine and polyphenols. Polyphenols are also found in red wine and they too have been linked to a reduction in the risk of cardiovascular diseases in people who drink one to three glasses of red wine a day. The researchers in the Iowa study also pointed out that a Scottish survey of 11,000 men and women found that coffee drinking was associated with a reduction in deaths from all causes.

Dr Sarah Jarvis, a fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners said: "This is a message about moderation. Too much exercise, too much coffee or too much alcohol are bad. In moderation they are beneficial."

Greek Orthodox church slams Da Vinci Code

2006-05-11T09:25:00.000-05:00

The Greek Orthodox church reportedly criticised the best selling "Da Vinci Code" thriller, the film of which comes out in the coming days, as offensive and mistaken.

The semi-official Ana news agency said that a leaflet to be distributed to churchgoers at all Orthodox churches next Sunday states "From a religious and historical point of view the content of the book is wholly false."

"The work attacks and undermines in a treacherous manner religious knowledge," said the leaflet, produced by the church's supreme body, the holy synod.

See the rest of the story here.....

Christian Response to Da Vinci Code

2006-04-27T12:02:00.000-05:00

On May 19th, The Da Vinci Code movie will be released. It is a very controversial movie based on a very controversial best selling novel by Dan Brown. Although it is fiction, many people read it as truth. Below is a well written article by a pastor in Leadershipjournal.net

Leader's Insight: Breaking Da Vinci
A pastor's response to The Da Vinci Code phenomenon and the doubts it raises.
by James Emery White, guest columnist

The DaVinci Code has been atop The New York Times bestseller list and Amazon.com since it was released three years ago. Not even the release of a new John Grisham novel knocked it off. It inspired a one-hour ABC News special. Now it's a major motion picture starring Tom Hanks.

At first glance the plot isn't anything that stands out above normal mystery fare. It starts off with the murder of a curator at the Louvre in Paris, leads to a trail of clues found in the work of Leonardo DaVinci, and the discovery of a centuries-old secret society. It's a page-turner. But that's not what has grabbed our attention. It's that the clues of Leonardo's work and the mission of the secret society revolve around the Holy Grail.

This Holy Grail is not put forward as what we traditionally think of as the Holy Grail, the chalice that Jesus used during the Last Supper. The novel identifies the Holy Grail as the bloodline of Jesus and suggests that Mary Magdalene was the wife of Jesus and the mother of his child. And because she bore descendants, she is, in fact, the Holy Grail. After the crucifixion, she fled with their child to the south of France where they established the Merovingian line of European royalty, which then became the basis of a secret society to preserve that bloodline and to protect the secret until it was time to make it known to the wider world.

Along the way, author Dan Brown also suggests the church invented the deity of Jesus, and it's all been covered up primarily by a secretive Catholic group known as Opus Dei. Let's consider the claims Brown's novel makes:

Were Jesus and Mary married? See the rest of the article here.....

LIE DOWN WITH STRIPPERS, WAKE UP WITH PLEAS

2006-04-24T08:53:00.000-05:00

I don't always agree with the approach taken by conservitive columnist Ann Coulter but I do believe this column is a must read.....In a world of no moral absolutes, the lack of accepting responsiblity for your actions, and tolerance, this article makes a great point.

We are taught in the scriptures to stay away from situations where we will be tempted.

LIE DOWN WITH STRIPPERS, WAKE UP WITH PLEAS
by Ann Coulter -- April 19, 2006

However the Duke lacrosse rape case turns out, one lesson that absolutely will not be learned is this: You can severely reduce your chances of having a false accusation of rape leveled against you if you don't hire strange women to come to your house and take their clothes off for money.

Also, you can severely reduce your chances of being raped if you do not go to strange men's houses and take your clothes off for money. (Does anyone else detect a common thread here?)

And if you are a girl in Aruba or New York City, among the best ways to avoid being the victim of a horrible crime is to not get drunk in public or go off in a car with men you just met. While we're on the subject of things every 5-year-old should know, I also recommend against dousing yourself in gasoline and striking a match.

Everyone makes mistakes, especially young people, but the outpouring of support for the victims and their families is obscuring what ought to be a flashing neon warning for potential future victims.

See the rest of the article here....Ann Coulter

Do Yo Believe In Easter?

2006-04-12T07:25:00.000-05:00

~ ~ THE STORY OF EDITH BURNS~ ~ Happy Easter!
Author Unknown

Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas. She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns.

One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns. When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her.

Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is EdithBurns. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved.

Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying, "My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Beverly said, "Why, yes, I do." Edith said, "Well, what do you believe about Easter?" Beverly said, "Well, it's all about egg hunts, going to church, and dressing up." Edith kept pressing her about the real meaning of Easter, and finally led her to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Dr. Phillips said,"Beverly, don't call Edith into the office quite yet. I believe there is another delivery taking place in the waiting room.

After being called back in the doctor's office, Edith sat down and when she took a look at the doctor she said, "Dr. Will, why are you so sad? Are you reading your Bible? Are you praying?"
Dr. Phillips said gently, "Edith, I'm the doctor and you're the patient." With a heavy heart he said, "Your lab report came back and it says you have cancer, and, Edith, you're not going to live very long."

Edith said, "Why Will Phillips, shame on you. Why are you so sad? Do you think God makes mistakes? You have just told me I'm going to see my precious Lord Jesus, my husband, and my friends. You have just told me that I am going to celebrate Easter forever, and here you are having difficulty giving me my ticket!"

Dr. Phillips thought to himself, "What a magnificent woman this Edith Burns is!"
Edith continued coming to Dr. Phillips. Christmas came and the office was closed through January 3rd. On the day the office opened, Edith did not show up. Later that afternoon, Edith called Dr. Phillips and said she would have to be moving her story to the hospital and said, "Will, I'm very near home, so would you make sure that they put women in here next to me in my room who need to know about Easter."

Well, they did just that and women began to come in and share that room with Edith. Many women were saved. Everybody on that floor from staff to patients were so excited about Edith, that they started calling her Edith Easter; that is everyone except Phyllis Cross, the head nurse.
Phyllis made it plain that she wanted nothing to do with Edith because she was a "religious nut". She had been a nurse in an army hospital. She had seen it all and heard it all. She was the original G.I. Jane. She had been married three times, she was hard, cold, and did everything by the book.

One morning the two nurses who were to attend to Edith were sick. Edith had the flu and PhyllisCross had to go in and give her a shot. When she walked in, Edith had a big smile on her face and said, "Phyllis, God loves you and I love you, and I have been praying for you."
Phyllis Cross said, "Well,you can quit praying for me, it won't work. I'm not interested."
Edith said, "Well, I will pray and I have asked God not to let me go home until you come into the family."

Phyllis Cross said, "Then you will never die because that will never happen," and curtly walked out of the room.

Every day Phyllis Cross would walk into the room and Edith would say, "God loves you, Phyllis, and I love you, and I'm praying for you."

One day Phyllis Cross said she was literally drawn to Edith's room like a magnet would draw iron. She sat down on the bed and Edith said, "I'm so glad you have come, because God told me that today is your special day."

Phyllis Cross said, "Edith, you have asked everybody here the question, "Do you believe in Easter but you have never asked me."

Edith said, "Phyllis, I wanted to many times, but God told me to wait until you asked, and now you have asked."

Edith Burns took her Bible and shared with Phyllis Cross the Easter Story of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Edith said, "Phyllis, do you believe in Easter? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is alive and that He wants to live in your heart?"

Phyllis Cross said, "Oh, I want to believe that with all of my heart, and I do want Jesus in mylife."

Right there, Phyllis Cross prayed and invited Jesus Christ into her heart. For the first time Phyllis Cross did not walk out of a hospital room, she was carried out on the wings of angels.

Two days later, PhyllisCross came in and Edith said, "Do you know what day it is?"
Phyllis Cross said, "WhyEdith, it's Good Friday."

Edith said, "Oh, no, for you every day is Easter. Happy Easter, Phyllis!"

Two days later, on Easter Sunday, Phyllis Cross came into work, did some of her duties and then went down to the flower shop and got some Easter lilies because she wanted to go up to see Edith and give her some Easter lilies and wish her a HappyEaster.

When she walked into Edith'sroom, Edith was in bed. That big black Bible was on her lap. Her hands were in that Bible. There was a sweet smile on her face. When Phyllis Cross went to pick up Edith's hand, she realized Edith was dead.

Her left hand was on John 14: "In my Father's house are many mansions. I go to prepare a placefor you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also."

Her right hand was on Revelation 21:4, "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."

Phyllis Cross took one look at that dead body, and then lifted her face toward heaven, and with tears streaming down here cheeks, said, "Happy Easter, Edith - Happy Easter!"
Phyllis Cross left Edith's body, walked out of the room, and over to a table where two student nurses were sitting. She said, "My name is Phyllis Cross. Do you believe in Easter?"

Praise Before Victory

2006-03-30T09:30:00.000-05:00

And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
MARK 14:26

"Praise is greatly honoring to God! In the Old Testament account of King Jehoshaphat, God's people faced a seemingly insurmountable enemy who was determined to destroy them. Yet God assured them that they would ""stand still and see the salvation of the Lord"" (2 Chron. 20:17). The people of Judah believed God. Their army was led by singers, offering praises to the Lord for their promised victory, and the victory came. When King David led the procession bringing the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem, he praised God with all of his strength (2 Sam. 6:12-23). David's praise was pleasing to God, and God's powerful presence remained in David's kingdom to give him victory against every enemy.

Jesus was about to go to Gethsemane and to the cross, where God's greatest victory would be accomplished. He led His disciples to sing a hymn. The disciples were all about to fail Him, and Jesus was about to be cruelly executed, yet Jesus insisted that they praise God. Their praise looked beyond the cross to God's ultimate victory. Praise is rooted not in circumstances of the moment but in the nature and trustworthiness of God.

You ought to rejoice when God asks you to proceed in the work of His kingdom because you know the victory is already secured. Don't focus on the problems and failures of others. Focus on God's assurance of victory. If you have trouble praising God with a song in your heart as you serve Him, it may be that your focus is not on God, but on your circumstances."

You can learn more about Dr. Blackaby, his writings, and his ministry at www.blackaby.org, or write:
Blackaby Ministries InternationalP.O. Box 16338Atlanta, GA 30321

Keep the Heart Burning

2006-03-22T08:49:00.000-05:00

The Burning Heart by Oswald Chambers

They said to each other, "Didn't our hearts feel strangely warm as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?" Luke 24:32

We need to learn this secret of the burning heart. Suddenly Jesus appears to us, fires are set ablaze, and we are given wonderful visions; but then we must learn to maintain the secret of the burning heart— a heart that can go through anything. It is the simple, dreary day, with its commonplace duties and people, that smothers the burning heart— unless we have learned the secret of abiding in Jesus.

Much of the distress we experience as Christians comes not as the result of sin, but because we are ignorant of the laws of our own nature. For instance, the only test we should use to determine whether or not to allow a particular emotion to run its course in our lives is to examine what the final outcome of that emotion will be. Think it through to its logical conclusion, and if the outcome is something that God would condemn, put a stop to it immediately. But if it is an emotion that has been kindled by the Spirit of God and you don’t allow it to have its way in your life, it will cause a reaction on a lower level than God intended. That is the way unrealistic and overly emotional people are made. And the higher the emotion, the deeper the level of corruption, if it is not exercised on its intended level. If the Spirit of God has stirred you, make as many of your decisions as possible irrevocable, and let the consequences be what they will. We cannot stay forever on the "mount of transfiguration," basking in the light of our mountaintop experience (see Mark 9:1-9 ). But we must obey the light we received there; we must put it into action. When God gives us a vision, we must transact business with Him at that point, no matter what the cost.

We cannot kindle when we will The fire which in the heart resides, The spirit bloweth and is still, In mystery our soul abides; But tasks in hours of insight willed Can be through hours of gloom fulfilled.

Obedience is Training not Just Trying

2006-03-17T09:04:00.000-05:00

All athletes practice strict self-control. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. 26 So I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step. I am not like a boxer who misses his punches. 27 I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified. 1 Cor. 9:25-27

Have you thought about how easy it is for you to sin? I am not talking about the bad ones, even though many of us are lured into sins that cost us more than the daily little seemingly inconsequential sins. We sin every day, for most of the day, and it is a natural response to the environment in which we live and work. A lie here, a lust there and then that sin that we can't just overlook that really give us a feeling of shame. We ask ourselves with God listening, "why do I continue to do the things I know I am not supposed to do. I try to be a good person. I try to follow the rules. I try to be a good Christian example. I try."

Our Problem, Paul tells us, is that we don't train. We don't train at our faith and then we expect to get out on the field and try and we fail miserably. Living for Christ is not about trying to do right when the temptation arises to do wrong. It is about training so we will be ready to act when the time comes.

The basics of training are obvious. Read your Bible, pray, go to your weekly Sunday and occasional Wed. night worship pep-rallies, but real training happens when we walk and talk and see everything through the eyes of Jesus. Make our little decisions, our every day decisions through Christ. Practice the presence of Jesus in every situation at all times and then when we are presented with the temptation, we are in the zone. We have practiced this move before and it is more natural in the Spirit.

We have to train, if we are going to be true followers of Christ. If we are going to allow God to use us to carry out His plan on earth and be His witnesses then we have to be training and stay ready to step on the field.

Our Goal as Christ-followers is to live a life pleasing to God. The only way that is possible is to stay focused on Christ. Filter every life situation through Him. What would Jesus think, do, feel? How would Jesus respond to this situation? Am I training and in touch with Jesus enough to know? Am I being Spirit-lead?

You can't get there by trying. You need to train.

an apprentice in Christ in training
royal

Frustrated With Hollywood

2006-03-14T08:25:00.000-05:00

Quote from Peggy Noonan - See the rest of the article here.

(Academy Awards) Viewership this year was down an estimated 9%.

Most Americans aren't leading media, they're leading lives. It would be nice to see a new respect in Hollywood for the lives they live. It would be nice to see them start to understand that rediscovering the work of, say, C.S. Lewis, and making a Narnia film, is not "giving in" to the audience but serving it. It isn't bad to look for and present good material that is known to have a following. It's a smart thing to do. It's why David O. Selznick bought "Gone With the Wind": People were reading it. It was his decision to make it into a movie from which he would profit that gave Hattie McDaniel her great role. Taboos are broken by markets, not poses.

Friends Guide Friends

2006-03-10T08:36:00.000-05:00

Author Unknown

Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it. From a distance, each looks like every other horse. But if you stop your car, or are walking by, you will notice something quite amazing.

Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind.

His owner has chosen not to have him put down, but has made a good home for him. This alone is amazing. If nearby and listening, you will hear the sound of a bell. Looking around for the source of the sound, you will see that it comes from the smaller horse in the field. Attached to her bridle is a small bell. It lets her blind friend know where she is, so he can follow her.

As you stand and watch these two friends, you'll see how she is always checking on him, and that he will listen for her bell and then slowly walk to where she is, trusting that she will not lead him astray. When she returns to the shelter of the barn each evening, she stops occasionally and looks back, making sure her friend isn't too far behind to hear the bell.

Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away just because we are not perfect or because we have problems or challenges. He watches over us and even brings others into our

lives to help us when we are in need.

Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by the little ringing bell of those who God places in our lives. Other times we are the guide horse, helping others see. Good friends are like this...You don't always see them, but you know they are always there.

Please listen for my bell and I'll try to remember to listen for yours.

"Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyway"

~John Wayne

"The Bag O' Bliss"

2006-03-06T10:38:00.000-05:00

God Bless the New Biker Chicks

2006-03-04T18:50:00.000-05:00

Women bikers aren't your stereotypical bar-brawling, tattooed, leather jacket biker chicks. The new wave of female riders are soccer moms, even grandmas, corporate attorneys and nurses with an average income of $55,850, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council.

The number of women who own their own bikes is on the rise — jumping 36% to 635,000 between 1998 to 2003, according to the most recent numbers from the Motorcycle Industry Council, a trade group based in Irvine, Calif.

See the rest of the story in USA Today here......

Jesus asks: Do You Love Me? - Oswald Chambers

2006-03-01T09:01:00.000-05:00

Once more he asked him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"
Peter was grieved that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, "Lord, you know everything. You know I love you." John 21:17

Peter’s response to this piercing question is considerably different from the bold defiance he exhibited only a few days before when he declared, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" ( Matthew 26:35 ; also see Matthew 26:33-34 ). Our natural individuality, or our natural self, boldly speaks out and declares its feelings. But the true love within our inner spiritual self can be discovered only by experiencing the hurt of this question of Jesus Christ. Peter loved Jesus in the way any natural man loves a good person. Yet that is nothing but emotional love. It may reach deeply into our natural self, but it never penetrates to the spirit of a person. True love never simply declares itself. Jesus said, "Whoever confesses Me before men [that is, confesses his love by everything he does, not merely by his words], him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God" ( Luke 12:8 ).

Unless we are experiencing the hurt of facing every deception about ourselves, we have hindered the work of the Word of God in our lives. The Word of God inflicts hurt on us more than sin ever could, because sin dulls our senses. But this question of the Lord intensifies our sensitivities to the point that this hurt produced by Jesus is the most exquisite pain conceivable. It hurts not only on the natural level, but also on the deeper spiritual level. "For the Word of God is living and powerful . . . , piercing even to the division of soul and spirit . . ."— to the point that no deception can remain ( Hebrews 4:12). When the Lord asks us this question, it is impossible to think and respond properly, because when the Lord speaks directly to us, the pain is too intense. It causes such a tremendous hurt that any part of our life which may be out of line with His will can feel the pain. There is never any mistaking the pain of the Lord’s Word by His children, but the moment that pain is felt is the very moment at which God reveals His truth to us.

Lord Jesus. May I be tender-hearted enough to hear your Word and live It in every area of my life.

an apprentice of Christ
royal

Thankful God is God and I am Not

2006-02-27T10:39:00.000-05:00

God also said, "Tell them, `The LORD, the God of your ancestors--the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob--has sent me to you.' This will be my name forever; it has always been my name, and it will be used throughout all generations. Exodus 3:15

From "i am not but i know I AM" by Louie Giglio

God told Moses:

I AM the center of everything.
I AM running the show.
I AM the same every day, forever.
I AM the owner of everything.
I AM the Lord.
I AM the Creator and Sustainer of life.
I AM the Savior.
I AM more than enough.
I AM inexhaustible and immeasurable.
I AM God.

For if God's name is I AM,

Moses' name must be I am not.

I am not the center of everything.
I am not in control.
I am not the solution.
I am not all-powerful.
I am not calling the shots.
I am not the owner of anything.
I am not the Lord.

"When it gets right down to it, all of our names are I am not."

I am so thankful that God is and I am not. I have to remind myself of it often. It is much less stressful to let God be God.

an apprentice of Christ

Royal

Hooray for God - Thanks for Rain

2006-02-25T09:24:00.000-05:00

Last night was the first night of D-Weekend....It was incredible. First of all, we have several guys who are on the baseball team. They had a tournament so I started praying for rain. Thank you God it rained....And not only did it rain, it rained enough to rain out the whole tournament. Now our guys can be with us for the whole weekend.

Thank you God for an awesome staff that worked hard all week and last night to make things go smooth.

Thank you God for our new worship leader Morgan who lead us in a fun and then awesome time of worship last night. What a great way to kick off the weekend, after the great lasagna by the way. Thanks to the people at Bellisimos.

Then Aubrey came right out of the box talking on sex. He taught on Proverbs seven and how even though we want to live pure lives, our culture leads us down a path of destruction in the area of sex.

We have to choose to not be on the path. It is not just about loving God...Just loving God won't keep us out of trouble sexually, we have to make the right choices and be on the right path. Choose life, or choose death.

Thank you God for an incredible first night of our first D-Weekend. Thanks for the kids who want to be apprentices of Jesus, thanks to the adults that love the kids and are there to help, thanks for the awesome staff you have brought to LCC, and thank you for Jesus being the Head of our church.

an apprentice of Christ
Royal

Living for Others for Jesus

2006-02-24T08:34:00.000-05:00

I will gladly spend myself and all I have for your spiritual good, even though it seems that the more I love you, the less you love me. 2 Cor 12:15

The apostle Paul, as an apprentice of Christ, decided to give up his life for the life of others. He didn't do that by taking a bullet for someone, although he would have had it been called for by God. He did that by comitting to lead people to Jesus at the expense of his own life, or comfort.

As a Christ-follower, the purpose of giving up your life is not to be a door mat that everyone walks on. It is to be aggresively loving at a faith level for the purpose of leading people to Jesus.

Oswald Chambers wrote: "We have no right in Christian service to be guided by our own interests and desires. In fact, this is one of the greatest tests of our relationship with Jesus Christ. The delight of sacrifice is that I lay down my life for my Friend, Jesus (see John 15:13 ). I don't throw my life away, but I willingly and deliberately lay it down for Him and His interests in other people. And I do this for no cause or purpose of my own."

If you are living your life for Jesus. You will not be living your life to build up yourself. You will live your life for the benefit of others. You will live your life for the benefit of their souls.

What gets in the way of this life of sacrifice is the need to be admired by others. Unfortunately, people don't always appreciate the sacrifice you make in order to lead them to Jesus. We say to ourselves, "Well if he is not going to appreciate it then forget it." Instead, do it for Jesus. Not only will he appreciate it, He will reward you. He will bless you. You will be building up treasures in Heaven and you will be taking more people to heaven with you.

an apprentice of Jesus
Royal

Exepriencing Disappointment? Press On

2006-02-22T07:43:00.000-05:00

by Oswald Chambers

Be still, and know that I am God . . . Psalm 46:10

Perseverance is more than endurance. It is endurance combined with absolute assurance and certainty that what we are looking for is going to happen. Perseverance means more than just hanging on, which may be only exposing our fear of letting go and falling. Perseverance is our supreme effort of refusing to believe that our hero is going to be conquered. Our greatest fear is not that we will be damned, but that somehow Jesus Christ will be defeated. Also, our fear is that the very things our Lord stood for— love, justice, forgiveness, and kindness among men— will not win out in the end and will represent an unattainable goal for us. Then there is the call to spiritual perseverance. A call not to hang on and do nothing, but to work deliberately, knowing with certainty that God will never be defeated.

If our hopes seem to be experiencing disappointment right now, it simply means that they are being purified. Every hope or dream of the human mind will be fulfilled if it is noble and of God. But one of the greatest stresses in life is the stress of waiting for God. He brings fulfillment, "because you have kept My command to persevere . . ." ( Revelation 3:10 ).

Continue to persevere spiritually.

No Christianity Without the Pain of the Cross

2006-02-18T07:58:00.000-05:00

by Dr. Henry Blackaby

"Then Jesus said to His disciples, ""If anyone desires to come after Me,let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." MATTHEW 16:24

"Your "cross" is God's will for you, regardless of the cost. Taking up your cross is a choice; it is not beyond your control. You may have health problems or a rebellious child or financial pressures, but do not mistake these as your ""cross to bear."" Neither circumstances you face nor consequences of your own actions are your cross. Your cross will be to voluntarily participate in Christ's sufferings as He carries out His redemptive purposes (Phil. 3:10). Paul said he rejoiced in his sufferings because he knew that by them he was able to participate in the suffering required to bring others into Christian maturity (Col. 1:24).

We tend to want to go immediately from "denying ourselves" to "following Jesus." But you can never follow Jesus unless you have first taken up your cross. There are aspects of God's redemptive work that can be accomplished only through suffering. Just as Christ had to suffer in order to bring salvation, there will be hardships you may have to endure in order for God to bring salvation to those around you. Jesus did not talk with His disciples about the cross until they had come to know He was the Christ (Matt. 16:21). You will never be able to endure the suffering of the cross unless you have first been convinced that Jesus is the Christ. Once you have settled your relationship with Christ, He will introduce you to your cross.

There is no Christianity without a cross. If you are waiting for a relationship with God that never requires suffering or inconvenience, then you cannot use Christ as your model. God's will for you involves a cross. First, take up your cross, then you can follow Him."

You can learn more about Dr. Blackaby, his writings, and his ministry at www.blackaby.org

Jesus said, "Deny Yourself"

2006-02-17T09:26:00.000-05:00

from Dr. Henry Blackaby

"Then Jesus said to His disciples,''If anyone desires to come after Me,let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.''"MATTHEW 16:24"

Sin causes us to be self-centered, shifting our hearts from God to self. The essence of salvation is an about-face from self-centeredness to God-centeredness. The Christian must spend a lifetime denying self. Our great temptation will be to affirm ourselves while we follow Jesus. James and John did this when they chose to follow Jesus but asked for the two most prominent positions in Jesus' kingdom (Mark 10:35-37). James and John wanted a discipleship that would not impede their personal desires and aspirations. Like them, we say, ""Lord, I want to be pleasing to you, but I want to stay where I am.""

Self-centered people try to keep their lives unruffled and undisturbed, safe and secure. Our temptation is to give our time and effort to the goals of this world. Then, when we are successful in the world's eyes, we seek to bring God into our world by honoring Him with our success. We may say, ""Now that I have succeeded in business [or sports, or politics, or with my family, or even Christian ministry], I want to give God the glory for it!"" God is not interested in receiving secondhand glory from our activity. God receives glory from His activity through our lives.

The world will entice you to adopt its goals and to invest in temporal things. Resist the temptation to pursue our own goals, asking God to bless them. Rather, deny yourself and join the activity of God as He reveals it to you."

You can learn more about Dr. Blackaby, his writings, and his ministry at www.blackaby.org, or write:Blackaby Ministries InternationalP.O. Box 16338Atlanta, GA 30321

Christ-Follower - A Call to be Different

2006-02-10T09:12:00.000-05:00

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are a kingdom of priests, God's holy nation, his very own possession. This is so you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9

The idea of living with distinction has captured the imagination of our culture. A personal computer company challenges us to “Think Different.” A maker of pickup trucks tells us that their product is superior because it is “different.” A restaurant chain urges us to “experience the difference.” A construction firm says they are ahead of the pack because they use “a different perspective.” In fact, there is an entire volume on the Internet called “The Difference Dictionary” that extols the value of all things different. Different—it is a word with enormous implications.

A Challenge To Be Different. The importance of being recognizably different also has a history in the Bible. When I was a young church attender, I remember being confronted with the New Testament words of Peter that we are to be “a peculiar people” (1 Pet. 2:9 KJV). I was relieved to learn that the word peculiar in the King James Bible did not mean “strange” but rather to have the qualities that would mark us as God’s own special people.

God has chosen you to be a people for himself, a special treasure. Read the rest of "A life of Distinction" here.

One Week After Fast - Amazing Spiritual Fruit

2006-02-08T07:25:00.000-05:00

I don't know why I have not posted yet on ending my fast. Besides being very busy, I have just kind of been soaking in the month after and really kind of having a good time with God, my friends, our staff, teaching and studying, and having a busy ministry month at the church. Oh, and enjoying eating again.

I ended my thirty day fast a week ago yesterday by eating most of a two egg cheese omelet and, except for a little discomfort, my stomach adjusted to the light meal. It is funny because the last week of the fast I started making mental notes of the food I wanted to eat post-fast. Everything looked and smelled good, I was even tempted by a double quarter-pounder with cheese. It seems like the second day all was back to normal, except for eating slow and light, and the lists in my head went away and I have enjoyed a week of breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and a snack or two here and there. (A bunch of good food at our Life Group Super Bowl party)

The awesome thing about fasting is that the constant temptation to eat helps you stay focused on Jesus. I had a great month hanging out with Jesus. No, not just hanging out, because I hang out with Him when I am not focusing on Him so much. It was hanging on, hanging in, seeing through, and noticing that He was more in control of me. It is to incredible to explain. Brother Lawrence called it, "Practicing the Presence of God." There are so many distractions in our lives that I believe that fasting is the best way to make a concentrated effort to practice God's presence.

When you are focusing on Jesus, then you are more available for the Holy Spirit to control your life. You know what comes from that:

The apostle Paul wrote in Galatians 5: So I advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict. 18 But when you are directed by the Holy Spirit, you are no longer subject to the law.

when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law.

In the past years, when I have fasted, there has been almost a dread at the end of the fast. A couple of times I have just extended it out a few days because I did not want to get out of the closeness that had developed with God. It is too easy to get back into noticing all of the distractions of the world and miss the "feelings of Jesus" that come with a concentrated focus on our Lord.

This year I went into the last days of the fast with a prayer emphasis. I prayed that as I come out of the fast I could keep up a stronger ability to practice the presence of God and keep the level of Joy up.

Guess What? It worked.

On the last night of the fast, (Fast ended at 5:00pm) I was driving home from work on my motrocycle and had such a strong sense of Joy it was intoxicating. I could not get the grin off of my face. I wondered if people would think I was drunk as I drove with such a grin. It was incredible. This feeling of joy has been with me for the past week. I still feel a very strong presence of Jesus and it is like I don't have to really work at it. He keeps reminding me He is there. My energy and peace levels have been way up all week. I get emotional at the drop of a hat at good things. It is like Jesus is experiencing my life through me. When I read His Word it just soaks in and gives me strength.

Like I said, it is hard to explain. It is the fruit of the Spirit. I prayed this morning I can stay there.

"Lord, please help me stay focused on you. Thank you for living in me through Jesus.

an apprentice of Christ
royal

Spiritual Dejection by Oswald Chambers

2006-02-07T09:07:00.000-05:00

We were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened —Luke 24:21

Every fact that the disciples stated was right, but the conclusions they drew from those facts were wrong. Anything that has even a hint of dejection spiritually is always wrong. If I am depressed or burdened, I am to blame, not God or anyone else. Dejection stems from one of two sources— I have either satisfied a lust or I have not had it satisfied. In either case, dejection is the result. Lust means "I must have it at once." Spiritual lust causes me to demand an answer from God, instead of seeking God Himself who gives the answer. What have I been hoping or trusting God would do? Is today "the third day" and He has still not done what I expected? Am I therefore justified in being dejected and in blaming God? Whenever we insist that God should give us an answer to prayer we are off track. The purpose of prayer is that we get ahold of God, not of the answer. It is impossible to be well physically and to be dejected, because dejection is a sign of sickness. This is also true spiritually. Dejection spiritually is wrong, and we are always to blame for it.

We look for visions from heaven and for earth-shaking events to see God’s power. Even the fact that we are dejected is proof that we do this. Yet we never realize that all the time God is at work in our everyday events and in the people around us. If we will only obey, and do the task that He has placed closest to us, we will see Him. One of the most amazing revelations of God comes to us when we learn that it is in the everyday things of life that we realize the magnificent deity of Jesus Christ.

Are You Known for Seeking Jesus - Dr. Henry Blackaby

2006-02-05T07:04:00.000-05:00

And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him.MARK 1:36

"Simon Peter is well known to us for his foolish, extemporaneous statements throughout the Gospels (Matt. 16:22; 17:4; 26:33). But Peter was always seeking after Jesus. Peter followed Jesus from afar during the night of Jesus' crucifixion (Matt. 26:58). Peter ran to the tomb when he heard Jesus had risen (Luke 24:12). Peter swam in the sea in his haste to get to Jesus (John 21:7) and even walked on water in order to join Jesus (Matt. 14:29). Peter did not always say or do the right things, but he did constantly seek to be with Jesus. Because of this, he was continually encountering his Lord and growing to be a more faithful disciple.

Whenever we see Peter coming to Jesus he is always accompanied by others. Because Peter was seeking Jesus, others sought Him too. What are you known for by those who know you best? Do they see you searching for fame, power, success, or happiness? Are you known as a person who seeks after Jesus? God promises: ""And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart"" (Jer. 29:13).

Did you begin today intent on encountering Jesus? Is your search for Him halfhearted, or are you seeking Him with all your heart? Have others grown closer to Jesus because they followed your example and sought Jesus? If your heart is set on pursuing Jesus, you will always find Him. ""And the Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!' And let him who hears say, 'Come!' And let him who thirsts come"" (Rev. 22:17)."

You can learn more about Dr. Blackaby, his writings, and his ministry at www.blackaby.org, or write:Blackaby Ministries InternationalP.O. Box 16338Atlanta, GA 30321

Are the Old Testament's strict food laws relevant for today's church?

2006-01-31T09:11:00.000-05:00

I am on the last day of my fast and I am thinking about how to eat better when I start eating again this evening. I am going through the "Extreme Makeover - Body by God" study with some other people of LCC who are also concerned about their eating and health.

I came across this article this morning, in Today's Christian, on the book Holy Cow! Does God Care What We Eat? by Hope Egan.

Does God Care what We Eat? By Jennifer Schuchmann

The petite, 5-foot-4 woman stepped up to the podium at a Chicago church and lowered the microphone; her auburn curls framed the gentle smile on her face. Hope Egan doesn't look like a revolutionary, but her recent book, Holy Cow! Does God Care About What We Eat?, and her passionate endorsement of Old Testament food laws for today's New Testament Christians have been stirring up discussion wherever she goes.

This crowd of 200 Christian women listened intently as Egan shared her struggles with compulsive eating, her discovery of a "biblically kosher" diet, and God's role in the journey.

"I was consumed with thoughts of food," she began. At work, she visited the candy machine several times a day. Though she sat at the same table when eating with others, she wasn't fully present. Instead, she fixated on the food, obsessing about something as simple as a plate of cookies: How many should I eat? We each get three, but I've already eaten my three; there won't be enough if I eat more. Why aren't they eating their share of the cookies? Don't they like these cookies? Will anyone notice if I eat just one more?

Click here for the rest of the article

C3 Post #1 - A Ministry to Pastors and Lay Leaders

2006-01-28T19:20:00.000-05:00

I spent Thursday and Friday with my staff at the Creative Church Conference (C3) at Fellowship Church in Grapevine. It was a great conference. It was inspiring, exciting, emotional, worshipful and a great opportunity to sit under the teachings of some pastors I admire who have been there done that and been very successful.

For many pastors, including myself, it is hard to get totally into worship on Sunday mornings. On Sundays I am more concerned about creating an environment for others to worship and receive ministry more than for myself. At conferences like C3, they usually have a pretty powerful worship set before every session and the worship sets at this conference were awesome. I laughed, cried, clapped, and praised and it really felt good to just focus on praising my Father and Savior and be the focus of someone else’s ministry. I need to put myself in the position to be ministered too more often so I can be more energized to do ministry.

The conference speakers included; Ed Young of Fellowship Church in Grapevine, Bill Hybels of Willow Creek in the Chicago area, Erwin McManus of Mosaic in LA, California, and Bishop T. D. Jakes of the Potters House in Dallas.

Although the C3 conference is specifically geared toward church professionals and lay leaders, most of the teaching is very applicable to apprentices of Christ in any field who want to develop into strong Christian leaders. I want to spend a couple of posts or more to reflect on the conference and pass on some good God stuff.

Thank You to Ed Young and his staff for caring about other churches and pastors. As Bishop Jakes said, By feeding and ministering to the twelve you can feed the 5,000.

a refreshed apprentice of Christ
Royal

Persecuting Jesus - Crushing Revelation

2006-01-28T16:54:00.000-05:00

Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? —Acts 26:14

Stubbornness and self-will will always stab Jesus Christ. It may hurt no one else, but it wounds His Spirit. Whenever we are obstinate and self-willed and set on our own ambitions, we are hurting Jesus. Every time we stand on our own rights and insist that this is what we intend to do, we are persecuting Him. Whenever we rely on self-respect, we systematically disturb and grieve His Spirit. And when we finally understand that it is Jesus we have been persecuting all this time, it is the most crushing revelation ever.

Oswald Chambers - My Upmost for His Highest

Fast - Day 18 - Removing the Gap

2006-01-19T09:28:00.000-05:00

I think it would be safe to say that when the average Christian thinks of worship the first thing that comes to mind is attending a church service. Many churches even call their gatherings a worship service. The place we meet is often called the worship center. We feel comfortable with this distinction because it is in our human nature to separate our secular lives from our spiritual lives. We have our work, play, family, and whatever part of our lives and then there is our spiritual or church life. This separation, whether it be conscious or not, is the basis for the hypocrisy that makes Christians so weak in our faith and such poor witnesses of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Word of God defines worship and church. In Acts chapter two the church is defined as a coming together of the family of God for corporate worship, fellowship, outreach, ministry and discipleship. This kind of corporate worship or unity as the Body of Christ is important to the cause of Christ and for our own personal growth. (You can't be a productive and obedient Christ-follower without being a part of the Body we call the church.)

But real worship, real obedient personal worship of our Lord and Savior is described in Paul's letter to the church in Rome.

so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice--the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask? 2 Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is. Rom. 12:1-2

I think the main advantage one receives while fasting is that the constant focus on Jesus when one is tempted to eat puts one in an attitude of constant "practicing the presence of God." As you constantly practice the presence of God you can't help but worship Him by giving up your will and being a Holy Sacrifice at all times of the day. Even when you are distracted, as will happen out of habit and the constant prodding of the enemy, it is easier to redirect, repent, and get back into the attitude of the worship of God through Jesus.

When a Christian's worship is focused on a service or a day of the week, it is not truly worship and it is not a transforming relationship into the person that is in the middle of God's perfect will. If you are in the world for all but the time of the week you set aside for worship, you will be more like the world than like Jesus. If you spend your time worshiping our Lord while you are in the world, you will be transformed into the person who knows what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect His will really is.

Fasting helps me remove the gap between the secular and the spiritual. Fasting helps me practice being in the spiritual in all occasions so I can learn to be spiritual when I am not fasting.

I like this quote from Henry Blackaby's daily devotional. "God wants to reveal Himself to those around you by working mightily through you. He wants your family to see Christ in you each day. God wants to express His love through your life. There is a great difference between ""living the Christian life"" and allowing Christ to live His life through you."

an apprentice of Jesus
Royal

I Hugged the Comfort Messenger from God

2006-01-14T11:00:00.000-05:00

Check out this great post by Rick.
It will bless you today.

"I got out of the cab and said goodbye, that’s when we hugged. Right there outside the US Air gate in the middle of the busy airport traffic I hugged the messenger God had sent to comfort me-- my cab driver from Pakistan."

Check out the rest of it here.

Thanks Rick
Royal

Prayer is a Two Way Conversation

2006-01-14T01:16:00.000-05:00

An article by Newsweek in 1992 said that 78% of all Americans report praying to God at least once a week. Twenty percent of atheists and agnostics say they pray at least once a day. Americans reported to pray more than go to work, exercise, or have sex. But for most people that pray, it is a one way conversation with God. People talk to God on an as needed basis and don't expect Him to answer.

People who report two way conversations with God are considered weird, crazy, radical, or blasphemous. Most people continue to talk to God even though they don't expect Him to talk back.

Brother Lawrence wrote: There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful than that of a continual conversation with God. Those only can comprehend it who practice and experience it; yet I do not advice you to do it from that motive. It is not pleasure that we ought to seek from this exercise; but let us do it from a principle of love, and because God would have us.

Jesus said: "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5

Jesus said that our prayer life and our relationship with Him and the Father should be an ongoing interaction and conversation through the connection of Jesus to the Father. We are in Jesus and He is in us. He is always present to guide, counsel, comfort, confront in every situation and at any time through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.

We have to choose to stay in the "in Him and Him in me" attitude in order to practice His constant presence. Most Christians never truly get to know Jesus because they only talk to Him one way in the form of a request in a situation where it is decided the possibility of His intervention could be beneficial. (Try getting to know a person with one way conversations)

Jesus answers our prayers but we have not learned how to understand His answers. I think we need to listen more than we need to talk.

an apprentice of Jesus
Royal

Fast - Day 12 - Smell the Roses

2006-01-13T17:11:00.000-05:00

I have found that when I am fasting my senses become more acute. My sense of smell is incredible. As I walk or ride my motorcycle or just walk into a room it seems I can smell everything. Maybe not everything, but good things. Flowers, grass, food, cologne. I seem to be much more aware of what is going on around me, I mean the good stuff. Life smells good. The things I am blessed with seem to come to the front and have a smell or a feeling that goes with them.

Last Sunday, after church, I went with my family and some friends to our favorite local family owned Italian restaurant, Bellisimos. I sat at the table and drank coffee while everyone else ate lunch. I really enjoyed myself. I enjoyed the conversation. I especially enjoyed listening. I listened to my kids talk with each other and with a couple of friends. They were having a good time. They were laughing and telling jokes and I was having fun watching them and thinking how blessed Lisa and I are. I also noticed others watching and listening. They were smiling also.

It seems that the more time I spend focusing on God, the more He shows me how much I am blessed. It is really quite incredible. My life really is more full than I often realize. (John 10:10) There are many things I take for granted that are amazing blessings and they are there every day.

You know the old song that says, "You got to stop and smell the roses. You got to count your many blessings every day." The more attention I pay to God, the easier it is to smell the roses.

I walked into a coffee shop yesterday and felt led to buy coffee for the two people behind me. They were beside themselves grateful. The whole place seemed to get brighter all of the sudden. The lady behind the counter wrote on my cup, "The nicest man in the world." All I did was buy a couple of cups of coffee. The man behind me started telling me about his window washing company and the struggle they were having. I got a chance to encourage him. What a blessing. I could really smell the roses.

God truly wants us to experience joy. He wants it so bad He sent His only Son to pay for the sins that keep us separated from Him. The more we see things through the eyes of Jesus, the more roses there are to smell.

an apprentice of Jesus smelling the roses
Royal

Fast - Day 11 - Awareness and Energy

2006-01-12T07:55:00.000-05:00

It is day 11 of my fast and yesterday I noticed a big jump in my energy level. Usually, for me, in the first week or so I lose all of my energy and feel tired and cold. My wife enjoys my being cold because we then sleep without the fan and I am in favor of turning the heat up in the house a little more. And although my spiritual awareness rises with my more constant focus on God, my mind is not very sharp. Not that I normally have a sharp mind, but it is quite dulled during this first week of fasting.

It's kind of hard to explain the spiritual awareness. And when it is hard to think clearly, I confuse intellect with spiritual awareness. In other words, if I am having a hard time focusing on scripture, it is easy to feel I am not focusing spiritually. But, if I let go of intellectually looking at God's Word, He relates to me within my spirit. Does that make sense? It makes me realize how often I depend on my own intellect to understand God's Word and although intellectually God's Word is exciting, there is definitely a peace that comes from connecting in the Spirit instead.

Last night, as I interacted with and taught our Jr. High and High School students, the ministry was a spiritual high. Talking, hugging, listening, laughing and teaching were all spiritual events for me. I don't know how the students felt, but while I was talking, hugging, listening, and teaching I felt more like I was responding in the spirit and ministering in the spirit. (I was God's love with skin) It was a deep sense of caring for their souls and it was coming from my soul.

As I write this I know it may look goofy to some. I will try to make it clearer in later posts.

an apprentice of Christ
Royal

Fast - Day 2 - The Difference is Focus

2006-01-03T05:35:00.000-05:00

The difference in a fast and a diet is focus. I used to think I could not fast because I had never been able to diet succesfully. The thought of going 30 days without food seemed impossible to me.

There is a difference in dieting and fasting. The difference is the focus. When you diet you tend to focus on not eating. Guess what? The more you think of not eating the more you want to eat. You stay focused on food and before you know it the temptation overpowers your will and you eat.

The Object of focus while fasting is not the food or lack of it. The object of focus while fasting is God. Instead of thinking about not eating when the urge to eat comes, and it will often, you use the urge to eat as a reminder to focus on God. It is amazing how focusing on God takes away or makes the urge to eat less powerful. The more you focus on God, the more you feel in tune, in touch, and spirit-filled.

...God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it...1 Cor. 10:13

Since we all like and need to eat and our body responds when we don't, while fasting, we are tempted to eat constantly.

Dallas Willard writes about fasting, "This discipline teaches us a lot about ourselves very quickly. It will certainly prove humiliating to us, as it reveals to us how much our peace depends upon the pleasures of eating. It may also bring to mind how we are using food pleasure to assuage the discomforts caused in our bodies by faithless and unwise living and attitudes---lack of self-worth, meaningless work, purposeless existence, or lack of rest or exercise." Ouch

Yesterday - I had a hard time with focus yesterday. Peace did not come easy on day 1. In fact, there was more agitation yesterday than peace. As I tried to focus more on God I found it was more of a wrestling match. It was not a hard day physically. The first day of a fast, for me any way, is the easiest physically. I was having a hard time psychologically and spiritually.

Unfortunately, my wife did not enjoy my first day of fasting. To focus on God yesterday I had to take a couple of walks and talk to him while I was walking.

Today, as my body cries out for solid foods, and tomorrow will be harder physically.

an apprentice of Christ
Royal

Fast - Day 1 - Who What Where When Why?

2006-01-02T09:41:00.000-05:00

Today is the first day of my 30 day fast. I want to share insights and what God shows me on this blog throughout the fast. I hope you don't come here looking for a reality show, I won't be sharing everything.

Several years ago when I started fasting in January, I was a little disappointed that God did not lay out my year for me during the fast. I thought if I was going to make this kind of commitment, maybe then God would write the Who ,What, When, Where, Why, and How on the wall. He didn't.

But then I realized (as the month went on) I didn't need all that. I just needed Him. The more I got of God, the less I needed of the other stuff. The more one comes to trusting God, the more one can be open to doing whatever God wants or going through whatever God allows you to go through.

God's goal: Make me more like His Son. (Rom 8:29)

Today's My Utmost for His Highest is "Will you go out without knowing." The scripture for the day is Hebrews 11:8. In the middle of the faith hall of fame in Hebrews the writer says, It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave...He went without knowing where he was going."

Wow...I want to be there. If you are like me, you want to know all the details before you leave (serve, obey). (Lord please write it on the wall) I want to be like Abraham...In my flesh that scares me...In the Spirit I find peace just thinking about the possibility...

Chambers writes "It is this attitude that keeps you in constant wonder, because you don't know what God is going to do next. Each morning as you wake, there is a new opportunity to "go out," building your confidence in God."

I look forward to being closer to God
An apprentice of Christ
Royal

Apprentice Focus - Honor Christ In Everything

2006-01-01T09:18:00.000-05:00

For I live in eager expectation and hope that I will never do anything that causes me shame, but that I will always be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past, and that my life will always honor Christ, whether I live or I die. Eph. 1:20

Oswald Chambers - "My Utmost for His Highest"
January 1

"It’s as if Paul were saying, "My determined purpose is to be my utmost for His highest— my best for His glory." To reach that level of determination is a matter of the will, not of debate or of reasoning. It is absolute and irrevocable surrender of the will at that point. An undue amount of thought and consideration for ourselves is what keeps us from making that decision, although we cover it up with the pretense that it is others we are considering. When we think seriously about what it will cost others if we obey the call of Jesus, we tell God He doesn’t know what our obedience will mean. Keep to the point— He does know. Shut out every other thought and keep yourself before God in this one thing only— my utmost for His highest. I am determined to be absolutely and entirely for Him and Him alone."

What Do you Eat Before You Fast?

2005-12-31T16:44:00.000-05:00

Happy almost new year. On New Years day I will be spending time with family and friends and having my last meal for thirty days. I also have the day off from teaching so I will be visiting another church in the area and just being a 1st time guest.

I started fasting in January six or seven years ago to 1) Start off the year getting closer to God 2) Pray about God's direction in my life 3) Pray about God's direction for Life Connection Church. (My first Jan. fast was to pray about our first leadership retreat at a previous church where I was an associate pastor).

I am really looking forward to the fast. By the second week my time spent with God really gets sweet and He does a lot to get me back on track to seeing life and people from His point of view. And by the end of the fast it is hard to let it go. I hope to blog during this time more and be more disciplined in my own personal journaling as I pray, study God's Word, and practice His presence when tempted to eat.

On the lighter side, what does one eat when he knows he is not going to eat for 30 days? Not that I have not eaten plenty over the holidays. (By the way, just about everything looks good to eat and is tempting when you are not eating)

I was on a ride the other day and I stopped by a local gas station to buy a candy that is rare nowadays and hard to find, but it is by far my favorite candy. I love Cherry Mash. Not that I eat it much, but it would be a great snack to eat before the fast. I went in to buy two of them. I used to go to the 7-11 as a kid and trade bottles for a Slurpee and a Cherry Mash. So, I pull up to the gas station, walk straight to the candy isle, and they don't carry it any more.

Oh well, if I don't get a Cherry Mash before my fast, I can look forward to having one after. (I googled it and you can order them on line)

If you were not going to eat for 30 days, what would you eat?

an apprentice of Christ
Royal

Christmas vs. Holiday from a Muslim Perspective

2005-12-30T11:31:00.000-05:00

Please Check out the Dec. 25 (Christmas Day) post from Muslim Dr. Hesham A. Hassaballa of Chicago. Hassaballa is a Pulmonary and Critical Care physician currently practicing in the greater Chicago area and has been a Beliefnet columnist since 2001.

Here are some quotes. Please check out the entire post.

"there is something my Christmas-celebrating fellow Americans and I have in common. When I greeted my neighbors or Christian friends this holiday season, I said to them, "Merry Christmas." Some, in fact, said to me, "Hey, Dr. Hassaballa, Happy Holidays!" And I said back to them, "Merry Christmas.""

Have I sold myself out to the "infidels"? No, not really. As a Muslim in a majority Christian society, I have respect for the holidays and special occasions of my fellow Americans. Thus, with the respect demanded by Islam to non-Muslim compatriots, I say to other Christian Americans: "Merry Christmas." It's very similar to saying "Happy Birthday" to someone on their birthday, isn't it? I mean, "merry" means "happy." I think that, in some countries, they in fact do say "Happy Christmas" instead of "Merry Christmas." Whatever the case may be, I gladly say "Merry Christmas" to my Christian friends and neighbors.In fact, this whole thing about not saying "Merry Christmas" because it is not politically correct is pretty pathetic. If I know someone is Christian, I will tell them, "Merry Christmas," not "Happy Holidays."

Does this mean that I am celebrating the holiday? No. All I am saying is "I hope your 25th day of December is a happy day." In fact, the greeting "Merry Christmas" really is not enough: it should be "Blessed Christmas," like we Muslims say to each other on our Eid days.

I do the same thing to my Jewish friends and co-workers (yes, I do have them). When Rosh Hashannah, the Jewish New Year, comes around, I tell them, Shana Tova, or "Happy New Year." Again, I am not "taking up the customs of the infidels." I am simply wishing a fellow human being goodness on his or her special religious day.

There was a time when I did not believe as I do now. I thought, back in my days of darkness, that it was wrong to say, "Merry Christmas" or even "Happy New Year" to any of the "infidels." Thank God I was cured of that religious world view.

Thanks Dr. Hassaballa for your Christmas Lesson on love.

An Apprentice of Christ
Royal

New You - Oswald Chambers

2005-12-30T10:40:00.000-05:00

From: My Utmost for His Highest Daily Devotional by Oswald Chambers

Our Lord never "patches up" our natural virtues, that is, our natural traits, qualities, or characteristics. He completely remakes a person on the inside— ". . ... put on the new man . . ." ( Ephesians 4:24 ).

Once God has begun the process of sanctification in your life, watch and see how God causes your confidence in your own natural virtues and power to wither away. He will continue until you learn to draw your life from the reservoir of the resurrection life of Jesus. Thank God if you are going through this drying-up experience!

...as we bring every part of our natural bodily life into harmony with the new life God has placed within us, He will exhibit in us the virtues that were characteristic of the Lord Jesus.

Christian Pep-Rallies

2005-12-29T14:02:00.000-05:00

I remember that the day I fell in love with Jesus, I also fell in love with His church. After connecting with God I couldn’t wait for any event in which Christians came together to worship God and encourage one another. I looked forward to Sundays. After living for and serving God in the world all week, church gatherings were pep-rallies for me.

They still are for me today. Pep-rallies that is. I love getting with my church family to love God and each other. When God’s family comes together with Father, Son and Holy Spirit the presence of God is powerful, refreshing, and exciting. (Matt. 18:20)

I was twenty-seven years old in 1986 when I understood how much Jesus loves me and I chose to love Him back. It changed my life and I didn’t think it could get any better. How much more exciting could it get being a part of God’s church? Well it did. Get more exciting that is. He called me to be a pastor, and I answered his call. Now I am blessed to be able to teach His Word all of the time. If I could teach every day, I would. I get to be directly involved in teaching the Good News to others and participate in the reality of new lives and lives changed. (Rom. 10:14-15)

If you are a parent, you know what it feels like to see your children grow, enjoy, and succeed in life. As a pastor, God’s under-shepherd, there is not much more exciting than watching members of our church family grow spiritually and to see new people accept Jesus’ love and be spiritually reborn into the family. (2 Cor. 5:17) It fills me with great joy to see the lives of individuals change as they each take their own steps closer to God and become more like Jesus.

There is only one thing more exciting, being with a group of people worshiping God and seeing Him move through the group. The feeling is electric, convicting, joyful, emotional and unexplainable to the person who has not experienced it.

Being with God and His people is such an uplifting experience. When you come to church expecting to meet God, you do…and He will lift you up as you are reaching up to Him and across to others.

Thank you Jesus for your Church

An apprentice of Christ
Royal

Thank You God - Texas Christmas Weather

2005-12-28T19:39:00.000-05:00

Thank you God for some of the most awesomely beautiful TEXAS motorcycle riding weather you can find anywhere in the middle of December.

Oh, how sweet the light of day, And how wonderful to live in the sunshine! Even if you live a long time, don't take a single day for granted. Take delight in each light-filled hour...Ecclesiastes 11:7-8

Movie - King Kong

2005-12-21T09:20:00.000-05:00

I was really looking forward to the King Kong movie.

I went with my wife and 20 year old son on Monday afternoon.

I was disapointed and almost embarassed by the goofiness at times. Once you get past the cool big monkey technology it is down hill from there.

Two thumbs down
Too long
Too goofy
Too gross in a couple of places
Too boring....

Watch the DVD when it comes out, just so you can know you saw it but I would not have not spent the money at the theater if I knew then what I know now....

Quote of the Day

2005-12-16T13:51:00.000-05:00

“Our Heavenly Father never intended for us to live life at the level of what’s permissible, legal, acceptable, and not prosecutable.

To do so is tantamount to organizing our lives around the question, How close can I get to sin without sinning? Now there's a standard.

Instead, we are meant to analyze every opportunity and invitation through the lens of wisdom. Every choice should be tested with the Best Question Ever: What is the wise thing to do?” Andy Stanley

If There Was No New Year

2005-12-14T10:03:00.000-05:00

What if we didn't have a calendar? What if there was no way of measuring time? What if there was no new year? No new years resolutions? What if our bodies never aged so you could not tell from looking if a person was older or younger? What if there was not an older or younger?

There would be no sense in goals. There would be no procrastination. There would be no, "I'll do better next year." There would be no, "I'll live for myself now and God later."

We use time, and the filling up of time with busyness, to avoid God and the feelings that come from our separation from God.

God created us for His pleasure with a desire in us to seek His pleasure and "give Him glory"(Rev. 4:11).

When we give God glory, He gives us peace. When we seek to please God, He rewards us with joy and we realize our purpose.

The basis of every new years resolution is the desire for peace, joy, and purpose.

"I am leaving you with a gift--peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid." John 14:27

Merry Christmas....Open your gift now, and cherish the peace of Jesus every minute of every day.

An apprentice of Christ
Royal