The Storm

"Matthew 8:23-27 And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”
 Jesus was sleeping in he boat! There was a storm! The waves were crashing against and over the boat!  The boat was rocking and filling with water! The disciples were working to save the boat and themselves from this terrible storm that had come to claim there lives along with everything that God had called them to do. This, in their eyes was a completely hopeless situation. So much so that they woke Jesus from His slumber and said "Save us Lord; we are perishing." Our Savior on the other hand was resting comfortably. He was not in panic mode. He had no reason to worry. The storm did not surprise Him. He was fully God, fully man and fully in charge of the entire situation! He was in charge of the boat, He was in charge of the storm and He was in charge of the men in the boat. He created them all and He was in orchestration of them all. There was a lesson in store for those disciples in the boat. They would learn that not even the winds and the waves are outside of His  power. They would learn that God had a clear purpose and reason for their lives and no situation would keep them from that purpose. They would see that through a storm that they can be brought closer to their savior and at the same time He would grow their faith. They would step out of that boat on the other side of the lake changed men! They would be even better outfitted for the calling on their lives to serve their God!  Am I saying that Jesus caused the same storm that He rebuked and commanded to be still? Absolutely without a doubt! How many storms have you faced? How many times have you said, Jesus I am perishing please save me." I personally have had many opportunities to call upon my Lord in many storms. Let me assure you that our storms do not shake or startle our mighty God! He is not surprised by them. As a matter of fact He is in full orchestration and control of them and every storm has a lesson. Every storm calls us closer to His side. Every storm calls us to prayer, every  storm is a display of His awesome power. Thank you Jesus for the storm.

A True Disciple

                                 "Discipleship"

 I have been thinking a lot lately about how a disciple of Jesus should show that he is a disciple. I think the first thing to keep in mind is this. A disciple is a learner, a student of Jesus. A disciple will never arrive at his pinnacle. Although we are trying to attain to the stature of Christ we are a continuous work in progress. We will always fall short so we can relax when it comes to trying to meet His expectations. He has already accomplished that through the cross. ( 2 Corinthians 5:21) 

  However there is something that I believe is of vital importance.  We must always be mindful of our moments of strength and our moments of weakness. Have we developed a pattern? Do we find ourselves as fearless followers one moment and cowardly deniers the next. We see a good example of this in John eighteen. Peter was swinging his sword and cutting off the ear of Malcus when he had his boys with him and Jesus had just knocked them all down with the words that He spoke. Of course bravery and valor come in moments like these. However it is a much different story in the court of Chiaphas the high priest. Things didn't look very favorable for the follower of Jesus according to circumstances. Although Christ was still King and He was still in charge. Peter let his surroundings fool him. This is what we must be careful of! The bravery and valor of a disciple must not have anything to do with surroundings or circumstances. It must have everything to do with our commitment to our Lord and Savior! We must have a complete understanding that His way is perfect, His strength is perfect and His will is perfect! Everything that He works in us is working toward our becoming more like Jesus. When I consider my own life and ministry I realize that I am much like Peter. I am a bold preacher on Sundays at church when all my peeps are there. Many times people are moved by the power of God's word as we should be! I have yet to break out a sword and start swinging it but I have thought about it.  However my boldness slips away when we drive from church to the local restaurant. Something's happens to me from the church to the restaurant! I become a coward! Why? My surroundings and circumstances have changed. I'm not saying that I should do a sermon sequel over a chicken burrito but where are those powerful words? What happened to my passion and love for Jesus? Shouldn't it be as strong outside the walls of my church as the inside. When Jesus is placed on trial before my eyes by an unbelieving world what am I testifying? Is He my King? Do I follow Him? My life is seen in John eighteen! People may look at me and make a good guess. They may ask, "are you a follower of Jesus?" Many are asking! It may not be audible but believe me they are asking. So my question is how are we answering? 

 1 Peter 3:15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect

The Message of the Cross

1Corinthians 1:18 "For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." Just what is the word of the cross? What can we express in our message about the cross? What can we truthfully preach about it? This is crucial for the believer to know because the cross is the message of salvation to others and a deeper walk with Jesus for all who believe. We will never outgrow the message of the cross. It is EVERYTHING to us! I would like to point out that it is through the cross of Jesus that we are justified, sanctified and glorified. The message of the cross is justification and not good morals or religion! We want so badly to provide our own way of justification that we can "almost" justify any of our own wrongs by our own reasoning or standard. The problem with that is, we aren't going to be judged according to our own reasoning or standard. God is our judge.  He is righteous, and according to His standard our penalty is death and separation from Him! The Bible says in Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned and fall short of God's glory." Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life." The gift of eternal life came through the cross! The sin debt was paid! We are justified through the Cross of Christ! The message of the cross is sanctification and not self preservation. It's is not a message of safety! Too many believers are trying to live safe and self-preserving lives: bigger houses, nicer cars and more money in the bank.... "The American Dream".  Jesus went to the cross with nothing to gain on this earth. Giving all for the salvation of the world. In Luke chapter nine, He made statements like this: (Verse23) "If anyone would come after me let him first deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me"; (Verse 25) "For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses or forfeits himself." Earlier in the chapter Jesus says that foxes have holes and birds have nest but the Son of man has no where to lay His head. As we give up our lives and take up our own cross then the message of the cross is sanctification as we experience God's incredible provision as we follow Him. Galatians 2:20 says, "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." It is impossible to experience sanctification and live as though we are in self preservation mode. The message of the cross is to take it up and follow Jesus wherever He may lead. Finally, the message of the cross is Glorification and not lamentation. We tend to look at the cross as something to be sad about. There is an element of dread that comes with the cross and rightfully so. Jesus prayed that the cup of the cross would pass from Him. However, we must remember that it was through His obedience to the Father that victory came by way of His cross! He took our sin. It went to the cross with Him and He took it upon Himself! (2 Corinthians 5:21) We have no reason to morn or feel shame or guilt. Jesus took it on the cross! Jesus knew something as He endured all of this pain and suffering! He had an assurance. In Hebrews 12:2 the Bible says, "looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." Jesus had joy in front of Him. He would provide a way for us to be with Him and He would be seated at the right hand of the Father! This gives us great hope in the cross. We can take it up knowing that we have a home in Heaven. It won't always be like this! We won't always deal with the pain and suffering of this world. One day we will be glorified with Him. He will redeem what He has paid for with His own blood! Take up your cross with confidence and not dread. One day He is coming oh glorious day! I want to challenge every believer to preach the message of the cross. Through the cross of Jesus we are justified, sanctified and we will be glorified! Be bold for the message of the Cross!

Conveinience

 Salvation, God's great act of love. We all need it but not all will receive it. I sit here in the quiet, the outside is peaceful, there is no noise to speak of. It has been a quiet and uneventful morning. To be truthful, morning came too soon. All though the outside is quiet, on the inside there is a violent rush of thought. My heart races and my mind will not be quiet! I have prayed that God would give me a heart like His. I have asked Him to help me to see how He sees and I believe He has given me a little part of His heart and vision. The reason I say a "little part" is because I do not posses the strength, the emotion nor the mental faculty to handle God's full heart and vision. He loves us so much and desires that all people should be saved! But not all people will! People will rebel against and reject the message of the GOSPEL. They will not accept it no matter how it is presented. My heart is heavy and sad because of this fact. 
  Even people who say they have trusted this GOSPEL do not honor Him. I don't understand this! It breaks my heart. Why or How can a person confess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord, believe that He rose from the grave, know that they will one day be with Him in heaven, yet shun worship like it means nothing! How can someone who has heard the story of the cross and believed it, place anything above the worship of the One who gave Himself for us? Maybe people do not fully grasp the passion that Jesus has for us. The word "inconvenience" comes to mind when I think about this. I believe that it is because of this lack of understanding and hardened hearts that people view God as an inconvenience. You name it: time, talents, money, etc. are spent elsewhere because to spend them on God would be an inconvenience. For many people who confess that Jesus has saved them it seems to be an inconvenience to place Him very high on their priority list. Surely we are missing something here! What's wrong? It must be the fault of the churches we attend. Yes!!! We can blame them! They do not hold the services at a convenient time for me to worship God. Maybe they should rearrange their schedule to fit mine. The worship services to God are too long and it is simply not convenient for me. I don't have that kind of time. There are people there that make me feel uncomfortable, they are too needy or they sin more than I do. I just can't have my children in that kind of environment. The church is always asking me to give money and help serve in a ministry and I'm just not into that. Besides to do something like that would cause me to depend on Jesus more than myself and that would be very inconvenient. Yeah, it's gotta be the church... the leadership is just a bunch of fanatics who have nothing else to do with their time. If they had all these bills to pay or worked the long ours that I work they would be just like me. They just don't have anything better to do with their time, talents and money.
 It could be the Pastor's fault! He never preaches what I want to hear. He is just not feeding me spiritually! He just doesn't live in my reality. How can he understand me and my circumstances? He just spends his time studying the Bible and praying. He is totally dependent on the church. He doesn't live in the real world. He doesn't even know the meaning of inconvenience.
 I know! It is God's fault, Yes!!! He expects way too much of me. He knows nothing of inconvenience. Sure, He sent Jesus, but God is timeless so was that really a big deal?
  I wonder if Jesus had thought it too inconvenient to leave perfection to walk in a world of harsh elements, sin and death, how would that effect me? Would I still know that God loves me? What if it would have been too inconvenient for Him to take my place on the cross? Would I have my assurance of God's love for me? If God had decided that I wasn't worth wasting His time on because there were bigger priorities in Heaven, would I walk in the peace and comfort of His awesome love? The evidence is overwhelming that we are not an inconvenience to God! The Bible says, "For God so loved the world" and the very actions of our God prove this to be true! So I will close with a statement then a question. Those who are saved confess to LOVE Jesus with all their heart, soul, mind and strength. Is there enough evidence in your life to prove it or is Jesus an inconvenience?

Sleepless Nights

Romans 8:31
 "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?"
 Well it is another sleepless Saturday night. Sleep doesn't often come easy for me. (especially on Saturday) Usually by the time I get to sleep it's late and then it only last for couple of hours and I'm wide awake again. I am a pastor. God has placed it in me to love people and the fact is.... I truly do love people. My pastor friends and ministry partners who have surrendered their lives to God's call feel the same way. The calling to be a pastor is affirmed by the love that God grows in us for people. People are the reason for the calling of pastoral ministry. In my time as a pastor I have witnessed first hand how pastors become overwhelmed and overworked and burned out as a result of their love for people. I have seen them agonize over the fact that someone is upset with them and worry that they may leave the church never speak to them again. I have had these same worries many times over again. Then my thoughts turn to Jesus. He was perfect and  sinless. He never made one mistake yet the only time He was popular was when He was healing or feeding  people. Every time He started preaching the hard truths such as taking up your cross, "your own personal instrument of death," the masses would leave Him in droves! Oh some would stay behind to try and kill Him but for the most part they didn't like the things He was asking of them. Finally the haters got what they wanted. In the same city and within the time frame  of a week. They cried out "blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord," as Jesus rode into town. The very next weekend some of the same people cried out "Crucify Him!" Wow! Can this be true? Can people turn and change their minds so quickly about their leader?.... My answer.... "ABSOLUTELY!" I am not saying this to anger anyone or to guilt anyone in to taking their pastor to dinner, "although that would be a nice thing to do! After all it is pastor appreciation month, hint hint." I am certainly not trying to compare the crucifixion of our Savior to the trials I face as a pastor. I am saying that it is because of what Jesus did for me that I have the incredible call and strength to be a pastor. I know that God called me, hence He is for me! I know that since it is God who called me, it is God who loves people through me. I also know that He is perfect and I am far from it. My mistakes are many, my abilities are inadequate and my knowledge is limited. It amazes me that God uses imperfect people like me to carry out His perfect plan.  I know that my hopes are high, my heart is to serve and my motives are pure. In the middle of my imperfection I am equipped by a perfect, awesome, unstoppable God! So I have a word of encouragement to all who have answered this call. Wether you are a pastor, youth pastor, deacon, sunday school teacher, children's minister or nursery volunteer. The bible tells us in Romans 11:29 that the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable. He won't take them back. He has called so we have no choice but to answer! No matter what or who may not agree, God is for us! Stand in His strength! If it means facing the devil himself remember that no weapon formed against you will remain. Psalm 121 says, "I will lift my eyes to the hills. From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord who made Heaven and Earth. My prayer today is that the people of God will stand and not be moved! God bless you all and have a great day of worship this "Lord's Day."

                                                        In His service, Pastor Wade

Love and Loyalty

Love and Loyalty
 Luke 9:57- 58 
Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.”  And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” 
 What is the price of loyalty? To say to our Savior that you will follow Him wherever He goes is to say that you have no ties to this world. It is to say that you are in a pilgrimage. To follow Jesus is to have a temporary view of earthly life and to realize that you have a permanent home in an eternal place called Heaven. This place is not make believe or something we just conger up in our imagination. It is the place prepared for all who follow Jesus. It is the very dwelling and presence of God. Heaven has a consistence and existence so real that it is more real than we could ever imagine. We are literally following Jesus to this place when we say that we will follow Him where ever He goes. Heaven is our ultimate destination! It is the ultimate destination not for selfish reasons like seeing loved ones, the perfection of paradise or even the streets of gold, pearly gates or crystal sea that are so vividly talked about. Although these things are all true and will be a great benefit to being in Heaven. It is the ultimate destination because of the one we follow, "JESUS!" How can we presume to love Jesus in Heaven if do not love Him here on Earth? And how can we say we love Him on earth unless we are willing to follow Him on a pilgrimage to Heaven? That is to live life as if Jesus is our ultimate goal. To become like Him, to love what He loves and to be heart broken over the same things that break His heart. To be totally selfless and love the person in front of you no matter who that person is. To be a risk taker and invest in people no matter if they hurt you. To be a God pleaser not worrying about the opinion or attitude of those around us as to weather they approve of our obedience to God or not. To be faith walker knowing that we are in the hands of a loving Heavenly Father. To be a gospel preacher so that others may know the good news of the cross. To be a prayer warrior so that you make your request known to God. To be a church goer so you may honor Him in worship and fellowship. To always place God at the top of the list so that no one or nothing is more important than Him. To be a disciple maker so that others may become the same. Our ultimate goal is Jesus. The riches of this goal are endless, their depth and width are beyond compare. His resources are endless, His love is enormous, His power is limitless and His call is without a doubt suited to all of these things. We can not follow Jesus unless we have a God sized heart for our future home. Let's do it church! Let's follow Jesus like this! Why should we keep a foot in this world while we know that this world has nothing to offer us. Let the foxes and the birds have it. We have much greater and bigger things to do than build earthly homes. We have a heavenly one!

"Jesus Calling"

Matthew 4:18-20
 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 Then He said to them,"Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him. 
  Is this how it's supposed to be? Jesus calls, we drop everything? How do we know it's Jesus that is calling? What exactly are we supposed to do? How do we even get started?  "Jesus calls" Big questions always come behind these two words. The truth of the matter is, it's not that complicated or difficult. It is really about faith and trusting that the Holy Spirit is in the lead. God never gives us all the particulars before we follow Him. He simply puts what He would have for us to do on our hearts. We don't need all the particulars, Proverbs 3:5-7 says, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct a your paths.  Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil." God will always be the initiator of His work and He is the one who will show us if we are looking. Jesus told us in scripture that The Holy Spirit would come and teach us and lead us. Jesus has led countless people to radical, faith trying, world denying work for Him. He can do it without programs, seminars or classrooms. Our knowing what God has called us to do; always has and always will come by one way. If we truly want to know what God has called us to, it is as simple as an individual intimate relationship with Him! How can we possibly know what God wants us to do without first knowing God? If we study the scripture we will see that when Jesus called Peter and Andrew this was not the first time they had heard of Him, they had already experienced Him. They had heard Him teach and they had seen Him perform miracles. (Luke5)
 We have to know Him as He reveals Himself to us. We have to seek and find. Christ call to a radical life seldom comes to the "Sunday Morning" one hour a week Christian. We have to learn from Him and depend on Him.  In Luke 9:23 we read, " Then He said to them all,"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily,  and follow Me." The  key word here is "DAILY." following the call of Jesus has everything to do with a daily walk with Him!  Psalms 119:105
 says, "Your word is a lamp to my feet, And a light to my path."
His word gives us step by step instruction to live and walk by, a lamp to our feet. Jesus said to take no thought for tomorrow but today is enough to worry about. We spend too much time over analyzing, over emphasizing and over amplifying the call of Jesus when He is just saying, "Drop what your doing that is earthly and start working toward things that are Heavenly. What is God calling us to do that is a radical move of Kingdom building proportions? It starts with a radical move of earth shattering denial of self! There is not a program, seminar or a class we can take that will make us do that. It is as simple as obedience. Jesus told the pharisees and the law makers that He desires obedience and not sacrifice. (Matthew 9:13) Our mindless, heartless routine traditions do not impress God but He blesses our obedience to Him! My challenge to every believer today is nothing less than absolute surrender to Him. Be willing, He will not forsake your willing obedience to follow Him. He will guide you in every step of your journey!  John 16:13-14 says " When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you." What greater confirmation can we possibly need than this?

Breaking the Silence

Luke 1:5-7
5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.
 How do we deal with silence? I believe it is in times when it seems that God is silent that we experience great growth as believers. We must trust and patiently wait for God to show up. We have to trust Him enough not to act under our own power and understanding. Sometimes we try to influence and even force God's hand to work when He just wants us to wait patiently. God is always the initiator of the work! We can not force or create revival. God must bring revival. We can not force or create salvation God must bring salvation. We can not force or create peace. God must bring peace. Our part is to seek and pray. Abraham tried to intervene and force God's promise for a son. You know, he just wanted to help God along.... Like the Creator of the universe needs help creating! That's what we tend to think! However in a way it is natural for us to want to force things along because we have a creative nature. We have an embedded desire to make things happen. God placed that in us. We just have to learn to control that desire and place into submission under His leading. That is why I love the story of Zacharias and Elizabeth. They were faithful servants of the Lord. He was a priest in Israel under the oppression of Roman law. God had not revealed Himself through any one in four hundred years. That's the time frame between the old and the new testaments of the bible. He was silent! He was still working, He was still in control, He was still on His throne, He was still God yet He was silent. It is in the silence that our God will find those who will faithfully serve Him and when God breaks the silence He will use those who faithfully serve Him! Zacharias and Elisabeth became instruments of God's breaking the silence in a BIG BIG WAY! They became the parents of John the Baptist. The forerunner of Jesus. After four hundred years of saying nothing God would send word through His messenger. To preach repentance to His people! Malachi 3:1 says,"Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,"Says the LORD of hosts." This prophesy was written four hundred years earlier and was fulfilled through Zacharias and Elisabeth. The news came by way of the Angel Gabriel as he announced in Luke 1:13-14,"Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. Wow to hear those words, "your prayer has been heard." The silence is over God is at work! He is breaking the silence! Salvation is coming, Deliverance is coming, Revival is coming, peace is coming! Do not be afraid! Do not be afraid in the silence! Stay faithful, stay hopeful and keep your heart open. God always breaks the silence with life changing, world changing purposes. Are you ready? I hope so. May God use us to change the world!

The Greatest Gift

John 1:2-4
2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 
 When the worlds were framed and spoken into existence. Jesus was there. He said,"let there be light" and there was light. He formed man out of the dust in His own image and breathed the breath of life into him. God is love therefore God is creator. If you have ever wondered why God created you it is because of His great love. He created us out of His desire for a relationship with us! It is true that He created the angels before He created us but the relationship is different. If they fall out of fellowship with God they have no opportunity for restoration! Lucifer is a fallen angel who will never be reconciled to God. But we who are born in sin, begin life out of fellowship with God. We have an opportunity to love God in return. 1 John 4:19 says, "We love Him because He first loved us." God's love draws us to Him and we have the choice to love Him or to  reject His love. God will not force Himself upon us. This is what makes our relationship to Him so unique. We come into a relationship with Him knowing that He is first choosing us so that we might choose Him. This makes for a very special bond. This bond has incredible deep origins. This bond started at creation and has been exhibited down through the ages as God interacted with His people. There have been many defining moments and people in this bond. If we read the stories of Noah, Abraham, Moses, King David, Ester, or Job we will truly see the common thread of a loving God. However the most defining person of this bond is Jesus. When God became a person! No one has ever or will ever compare to Him! His timing was perfect and His mission was clear. Save mankind! Restore the love relationship once and for all!  Galatians 4:4-6 says,  "But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,  to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.  And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out,"Abba, Father!" Jesus was born to finalize the bond and those who trust Him will be with Him forever! Every time I think of this fact I am always amazed..... How could God love us so much? He made the perfect world, We messed up the world with our sin. He entered the sinful world with a special delivery of personal love and righteousness to all who would receive Him. He gave His own life on the cross for all of humanity. Taking the penalty of sin upon Himself so that we may come into a love relationship with Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, 'For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." He became our sin so that sin could be defeated and in return we can become His righteousness! God wants to trade! You give Him your sin so that He may do away with it. He will give you His righteousness which can never be done away with! Thus sealing bond and becoming a child of the most High God! Our opening verses say that in Him is the life and the light of men. That is who He is and who He must become in every person who wishes to seal this bond of love! This is the season that we celebrate the birth of Jesus! It is not very often that we think past the manger, the wise men and the shepherds! We don't often consider the Creator and His love for us. He created you so that He could love you. That has never changed and it never will. So I invite you to enjoy the greatest gift that has ever been given! It was given on the first Christmas and has been offered and given everyday since! It is an expensive gift, however it has already been paid for. Jesus paid for it with His own blood. 
"What's the gift ?" you ask. It is the gift of an eternal love relationship with the one who created you. All you need do is call upon His name,  Romans 10:13  For"whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."

Satisfaction

"Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:"
 Contentment, easy to say but hard to practice. We always seem to be able to envision ourselves as having a better house or a better car. How about better clothes, furniture! We can always use a better job and more money so we can afford to buy better things. We want more. It is so sad that in our cold hard culture, if we are not satisfied, we just discard the old and bring in the new! This way of thinking has found its way right into our families, our marriages and our churches. Even our most important and vital relationships have fallen victim to our discontentment. It seems that there is nothing to satisfy, no matter how much we have we want more. Our pursuit is truly tireless and there is no end to the chase. More, more, more, we want more!  Ecclesiastes 5:10 says,"He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity." God created us to seek Him and to serve Him and to fill our lives with Him. Every person has a vast eternal void and the only way fill that void is to filled with The Holy Spirit of God.  Proverbs 14:14 says, "The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways, But a good man will be satisfied from above." This is how Paul found contentment and it is how we will find contentment. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit our joy is complete. This means circumstances, material things and even people can not bring us to the point of discontentment.  John 15:11 Jesus says, "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full." If we find it in ourselves to be discontent it should only be for the reason of our own life and how we live for Jesus. If we are going to go after better things may it be a better life lived in service to Him! Philippians 3:14 says, "I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." I believe God has placed in us a desire to attain a better and higher objective. The problem comes in to play when our objective of  a life in Christ is replaced by things that will never satisfy. I love what Jesus says about our heart. He says, wherever our treasure is our heart will also be. (Matthew 6:21) We put our heart and soul into the things we think to be valuable. Our time, money, emotions and talents are invested in the things that we hold dear. Doesn't it stand to reason to invest in the one who satisfies. We are promised in scripture that He will fill us to the full. Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly! (John 10:10) We don't have to look very far to find real contentment. It is found at a place called Calvary. It was carried out on a Roman cross upon which they crucified our Jesus. All the sins of the world were placed upon His shoulders as God the Father accepted the payment of death for sin. It was in that defining moment when our Lord Jesus cried out, "It is finished!" Our debt has been paid! Our sins erased! Our lives forever changed! What more is there to buy? What more is there to own? The riches of Heaven are ours! The joy of our eternity has already begun! And The word "Contentment" can't even come close to describe what we know to be true. Thank You Jesus!  You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:11) 

The Drama Proof Church

Colossians 3:15
 "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful." 
 I love the Church, God ordained the church, He gave His only Son  for the Church and His Holy Spirit indwells the Church!  The Church, it seems, is always on my mind. Especially the Church that God has given me  the privileged to shepherd. I pray for my church daily and am always striving to be the leader God has called me to be. I know I fall short all too often, and it is in my own imperfections that I find a great solitude and peace. I find comfort and hope. I find refuge! At this point you may be asking the question, " How in the world can a person find all those things in his own imperfections?" The answer is simple. My imperfections drive me to rely on the One who is perfect! "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (2 Corinthians 12:9) If I am dependent upon myself, I can not and will never be the man God has called me to be. However, depending on Jesus, while recognizing my own weakness and imperfection, I come to realize the source of my ability. Therefore, I find a refuge beyond human understanding as I depend on Jesus. This is how all believers should live. We should let the peace of God rule our hearts and it's this same peace that has called us to unity in one body! There will always be imperfections in the church. There will always be someone who is gossiping or trying to create problems. There will always be "drama!" the larger the church, the more "drama" there is! How do we deal with it?........ How about letting the peace of God rule our hearts. How about the full understanding that in the weaknesses and imperfections of the Church our Mighty God is shown to be perfect! The only way church can possibly work is in the fact that we have a prefect God who rules over imperfect people. He is in charge of His church! Please do not be discouraged. Please don't let strife or gossip worry you, let the peace of God rule over your heart. "Drama" in the church does not surprise God. When Jesus gave His life and paid our sin debt, He knew there would be problems in the church! And even in all of this knowing, He loved His church so very much that He gave Himself for it! There or a lot of nay sayers that proclaim the church is hypocritical and unsuccessful. I say be careful of your words. Jesus did not pay such a costly debt for something that would fail! In Matthew 16:18 Jesus spoke these words, "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." My friends His church will succeed in spite of the imperfection that humanity has brought into it! Please be encouraged and let the peace of God rule your Heart. Encourage those who lead and those who follow. Encourage those who gossip and those who love the "Drama." Encourage those who have left and those that stand strong. The Church will accomplish exactly what God has called us to do!

Horses and Heros

Proverbs 21:31
 "The horse is prepared for the day of battle, But deliverance is of the LORD."
 Everyone loves a victory! We love it when life seems to be going our way. You know what I'm talking about, all the appliances are working properly. Your car is in great condition, all the bills are being paid on time, every one in  your family is healthy. Home is great, church is great and our family is great. I love it when life is great! This very thought leads me to my next thought. What happens when life isn't so great? What do we do when things fall apart around us? What do we do when the car won't start or the washing machine breaks? How do we respond to tragedy or illness? My friends I write this devotional on the heels of a great trying time in the life of my family! I started this devotional three days ago before two of my most cherished family members, Greg and Jana Payne came to my house for breakfast. Its a tradition for us every monday morning. My wife Pamela makes pancakes, I make the coffee, Greg and Jana bring over the bacon and the rest is history! It was at this past monday's breakfast that we were having a great time visiting about Saturday and Sunday's worship service and how awesome our God is. When it seemed like out of nowhere Jana was hit with an attack of excruciating abdominal pain, We went from the breakfast table to the couch then from the couch to the car on our way to the ER  in less than four minutes! We arrived at our local small town hospital only for Jana to be x-rayed and careflighted to a larger more equipped facility. From there to make a long story short Jana was in surgery by two pm that day. Three hours later the doctor came from the surgery to report to us that he had removed three quarters of Jana's stomach and along with it a very large cancerous tumor! We were all absolutely floored! He went on to say that Jana had a long recovery ahead but encouraged us that given the proper care that Jana would be cured. My friends I write this to you because I want everyone who reads this to know that I have full confidence in My God who without fail loves His children. We never know what the day may bring? We can prepare and we can make ready, just like the horse is prepared for battle but I am here to testify to you that victory will always belong to God! Jana and Greg are true heros of the faith! They are my heros! I have had the privileged of seeing them grow in Jesus. I have literally watched them flesh out what real faith looks like! Wether it be a car that won't start or the rent coming due. I have watched them trust their God and in turn their God would provide! I watched my God deliver Greg and Jana from a terrible drug addiction, I watched my God restore their family from brokeness to radical Jesus following believers. I  stand in awe at the privilege that my God has allowed me to see and experience His mighty work! To some people cancer may sound like an impossible enemy but to my friends Greg and Jana it just means a closer walk with Jesus! This cancer is nothing compared to our God and Greg and Jana know this better than anyone!  Ephesians 3:20 says, "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us," Greg and Jana know this well! I would ask the reader, "How well do you know it?" What if one day you found yourself in the same shoes? The heros of our story are real people. They love Jesus with their whole heart and have learned to trust Him in their everyday activities as well as the big stuff, like cancer. It was not the tragedy that turned them to Jesus because they where already walking with Jesus when the tragedy came. Their horse was already prepared for battle which will make the victory all the more sweet! Is yours out to pasture or is he saddled up?  Thank You Jesus for my family! We are prepared for the fight and Jesus You hold the VICTORY!

The New You

2 Corinthians 5:17
 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
 I just love the word "new."  In the Greek this means unused, unprecedented. About three years a go, my church bought a brand new car for me to use in my ministry. I was so excited when I picked it up at the dealership. A brand new chevrolet hhr with eight miles on it! I couldn't believe it! I was like a kid in a candy store when I drove it off the lot. I have been so careful with that car. Washing and detailing it as often as possible. Guarding it from scratches and dents. Doing all I can to preserve it's newness. In spite of my efforts the car has sustained scratches and dents. The interior while still nice is not like it was when it was new. I still love the car but it's not the new car that it once was. God, on the other hand, does the complete opposite when it comes to us. He doesn't try to keep us new, He makes us new. He takes the old broken and used. The unworthy, the stained and dented and makes it new, unused and unprecedented. Every one who comes to Jesus is given the title of "NEW CREATION." Past sin that stained our lives is now gone,  Psalms 103:12,"As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us." Our sins are forgiven, past, present and future. The past hurts we have sustained are now healed as if they never happened. God no longer sees us as scratched or dented but as His righteous children fit for His Kingdom.  2 Corinthians 5:21, " For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." Our interior, is made new. The Holy spirit has taken up residence in our hearts and has made us new. Not cleaned up but new! Not like new, but brand spanking new! New identity, new outlook, new ability, new love! Every thing is new! We become the complete package,  Colossians 2:10, "and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power." I write this as a pastor who deals in reality. Christians don't really get this! The hardest thing for us to do is turn loose of the past. We want to believe we are new but we have a hard time making newness resonate in our lives. Might I suggest following the example of Jesus. How did He bring newness to us? Was it not through death and resurrection? Something happened to our sin when Jesus was crucified. Our sin was crucified with Him. Isaiah 53:6, " All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; 
And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." Not only that but the burden and requirement for righteousness also has been nailed to the cross. Colossians 2:14," having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross." Are we getting the picture? It's not enough just try and leave our past behind us! Our past sin and hurt must become dead to us! We have to kill it! Death means separation and if we picture ourselves as dented, scratched and stained we have not truly severed the tie with our past sin and hurt! This is so hard and yet we understand that this is what God has done for us. Church, I have a challenge for you today, take the next step in your walk with Jesus. Break out the hammer and the nails! Take that past sin of adultery, fornication, addiction, homosexuality, divorce, harsh language or any other sin the devil has been guilting you with, "Nail it to that Cross, walk away and let it die!" Take those past hurts of molestation, verbal abuse, physical abuse, abandonment and betrayal. Nail them to the wood and do it like you mean it! Make every strike of the hammer count! Drive the nails deep! Drive them to stay! They will beg and plead. They will ask for another chance. They are guilty and they deserve the death penalty of the cross! Do not relent! Our Jesus who was not guilty, who did not deserve death went bravely to the cross without a word. He did this for you. To make you new. My brothers and sisters, The book of Ecclesiastics says, "There is a time to kill, and the time is now! Crucify them and walk away with victory. Galatians 2:20 says, " I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." The truth is this, the only way new life begins is when the old is done away with. Then and only then can our new resurrected life begin.

THE CALL

Romans 8:28
 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
 Every thing that God does in the lives of His children prepares them for what God has called His children to do. "THE CALL," what ever it may be, is vital to us who believe. The call is our deepest connection to Jesus. The Call is our purpose on this earth. It' how we bring glory to God! I am a preacher of the gospel. God has called me to be a pastor and evangelist. I was put on this earth to preach. I know this with all of my heart. All of us are called to share the gospel. The the basis of every call is to tell people how much God loves them, however God has given us all many different gifts and talents so that we may reach those who need Him. This is the essence of the call. Simply carrying out the great commission of Jesus. In Matthew 28, Jesus told His disciples to go into all the world and make disciples. Then He ascended into Heaven. He left the responsibility of this call in the hands of humanity. Jesus went up, the Holy Spirit came down, the disciples went out and the lost came in. He did not leave us alone. The key factor of the call is that the Holy Spirit has indwelled the believer! In Acts 1:8 Jesus said,"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." Jesus expressed to His disciples that they should wait on the Holy Spirit before they went on mission to save the world. We can not carry out the call without the power of the Holy Spirit. He is our fuel, He is our teacher and He is our guide. He is the one who draws people to Himself. The Holy spirit convicts us and changes us into an instrument of God's will. I believe when the Holy Spirit touches us in this way that we fall completely in love with the will of God. To carry out our call we must be consumed with the work of God! How can it be any other way. His will is perfect and in Romans 12 we are charged to prove His perfect will, Romans 12:2 "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." To truly answer the call we must love God's will more than our own! In Our own will we will never be able to answer God's call on our lives, our will is contrary to God's will. In Galatians 5 we are told that the spirit and the flesh are at war. They fight against one another. We have to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus. That cross represents the crucifixion of our own ideology, "our will" and to give our lives over to God's will. If we really think about it, as a follower of Jesus there is no greater life. God's will is awesome, in  2 Peter 3:9 we read," The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." He loves humanity in such a way that His will is that all of mankind should come to repentance. How can we not love His will? He has called you to be a part of something great. "The greatest work in the History of the world!" The salvation of man! You are called according to His purpose. Every event in your life up to this point has been molding you for this moment. He has equipped the called and the called is you.  

The One Good Part

Luke 10:41-42
 And Jesus a answered and said to her,"Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. "But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."
 There I was pen in hand, eyes on the paper. I had been studying and taking notes for days! My sermon was coming together on schedule. My heart was intent, my mind was focussed, I was in the zone! Then all of the sudden I hear this little voice."Daddy, your always busy!" my daughter Taybi exclaimed. She was wanting me to play with her. I have two little girls, both of them have stolen my heart. And I don't mind saying that I have loved being the honored guest at their formal tea parties and the esteemed prince who dances with them at the ball. You see, In her eyes there was nothing more important at the moment than our time together and how she wanted my full attention. The unfinished message that lay on my desk in front of me had no influence on her. She wanted to spend time with her Daddy! The rest of the world had no bearing on this one fact! It was then and there that I faced the dilemma. Should I finish my work, or drop everything and spend some time with the cute little blonde haired girl who stood beside my desk? Should I tell her that she would just have to wait and continue my work? I am reminded of Mary and Martha the sisters of Lazarus who had spent quite a bit of time with Jesus. He had been a guest in their home on more than one occasion. I started this devotion with a passage out of one of those occasions. Martha was busy entertaining all of the guest that they had that day. She was working herself into a tizzy, worrying about pleasing everyone around her! Meanwhile she complained to Jesus that Mary had not been helping. All she was doing was spending time with Jesus. I don't know if Martha liked Jesus' answer or not but I will tell you that the world does not agree! He said Mary had chosen the one good part and it would not be taken from her. I believe, in this day and time, we have a greater need than ever before to be more like Mary. To chose the one good part as often as we can. Nothing will ever be able to replace our fellowship with Jesus, or for that matter, our fellowship with one another! We never will get that time back. Once it's gone it's gone for good. I'm not talking about scheduled time. I have scheduled time that I spend with Jesus every day. I have scheduled time that I spend with my family everyday. I'm talking about those times when the Lord Jesus compels you to drop whatever you are doing and spend some good quality time with Him. I believe that was the very thing that was happening through the heart of my little girl Taybi. My first ministry is to be to my wife and children. God has ways of letting us know when we are neglecting our responsibility. In my case, on that particular day it was Taybi, letting me know how busy I had been. I would like to challenge you today to be ready to drop everything. Be ready to spend some quality time with Jesus. Wether it be in prayer, reading your bible or spending some time with family and friends in His name. Jesus encourages spontaneous quality time. He ministered to the person in front of Him. Remember.... He just dropped everything and went to lunch with Zacchaeus. Not to mention countless others. Oh by the way, I dropped what I was doing to spend some QT with my little girl. That day I was the one who Taybi experienced Jesus through. I was the one who showed her how much He loves her just by being with her. That day we both chose the one good part. I challenge you to do the same!

Foolish Message / Mighty Savior

1 Corinthians 1:21
 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
We don't understand it. It's a mystery. We can simply tell people what Jesus has done for them and they trust and believe in Him. Being a privileged  preacher of the gospel I have been amazed at how God works through the preaching of His word. His word is powerful. His word is Sharper than a two edged sword piercing the soul and spirit. It even discerns the thoughts and intents of our heart. (Hebrews 4:12)  God's word shows us who we are, "sinners!" God's word shows us who Jesus is, "God's only Son who loves us and gave Himself for us!" If we try to reason out how God speaks to us through his word we come up empty. God does not convict the heart to salvation through human reasoning.1Corinthians 1:18 says,"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." When the gospel is preached God is speaking to the heart of people who know and realize that they have a need for salvation. There is in every person the desire to find God. There is a curiosity In everyone to figure out life after we die. In Ecclesiastes 3:11 we read, "He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end." We all have a desire to seek out eternity but we will not find it until we find Jesus. We can not rationalize or reason it out. It is as simple as faith. Just believing that Jesus is the Son of God, He paid for your sin on the cross and he rose from the dead. We have to believe in the good news that is preached to us from His word. Romans 10:9 says, that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead you will be saved. Even the apostle Paul wrote and said, in 1 Corinthians 2:2," For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." This is the greatest message that will ever be preached. People will be changed forever at this word. That God sent His only Son into the world to save a condemned world. If your a Christian and you read this, please preach the gospel. The person without Jesus is a person condemned to spend eternity in hell. They need to know how to be rescued. Just tell them what the bible says, "JESUS SAVES." If you are reading this and you have never trusted Jesus to save you and give you eternal life. You need not wait another moment to receive His salvation. Just know by doing so you will be claiming Him as Lord of your life and you will never be the same! The Bible tells us that "whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." He is waiting for you to cry out to Him. He is waiting to Hear the words, "Lord Jesus, please save me."  He is mighty to save. He saved me and He will certainly save  you.

Beautiful Church

Ephesians 4:15-16
15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head- Christ- 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. 
  God the Father gave Jesus to us. Jesus went to the cross and gave His life. He ascended to Heaven and gave us His Holy spirit. The Holy spirit lives in us and gives us power. And when God calls us to Heaven He will give us an inheritance that will stand forever! God has given us so very much! The funny thing is, in the middle of all of this we find that He takes nothing from us.   He just gives us more. He gave us the church. People will often argue that they have no need of church. Some say, they don't have to attend church to have relationship with God. If we consider the problem in that statement we will find the underlying issue. This statement basically says, "I don't belong."  The Christian doesn't attend church. The Christian is the church. Believers make up the church! To say you attend church is to view yourself as an outsider. To say you attend church is like saying it's something you turn off and on like a television set. We are the church and whether we meet to worship our great God and King or work together in ministry, we bring with us a missing part! Our opening passage says that the body(the church) is being knit together by what every joint supplies according to  effective working by which each part does it's share. The Bible tells us that Jesus loved the church and He gave Himself for it. (Ephesians 5:25) His church is His hands and feet. His church is His how God chooses to operate in the world. We are the Church and every individual takes part in the details of ministry, worship, fellowship and growth. 1Corinthians 12:6 says, And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. Every believer has a significant, detailed part in the church. Not only that but God has a specific place for each believer to serve in,1 Corinthians 12:18 says,"But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased." The church is essential to the Christian and the Christian is essential to the church. The church grows us and helps us to walk closer to Christ. We supply our gifts and talents which help to grow the church. As a pastor, God has taught me to love His church. He has given me a passion to help grow His church. If I could describe the workings of the church In one word it would be "beautiful." How can it be that God would take people from all different walks of life, race, and culture, put them together and tell us to carry out His great commission? How does He take people who have nothing in common and give them a desire to work together? My church is beautiful! It's beautiful because of what Jesus has done in our midst. I'm a part of something beautiful! How could it be that God would take someone like me and bless me in such a way as to place me in His church? My church is not a place I attend. My church is my way of life. My church is my family. It's where I call home. My church is where I receive encouragement, love and support. My church is where I give encouragement, love and support! My church is truly beautiful!

Love is Risky Business

1 John 3:23
"And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us a commandment." 
 Wouldn't it be great if love always came first! If we would truly put love above all things and love each other with fervent love there would be no stopping the church. Love covers a multitude of sins! (1Peter 4:8) For God so loved the world that "HE GAVE" His only Son. He did not send Jesus into the world to condemn the world but to save the world from sin. (John 3:16-17) God's love will cover a multitude of sins! His love is fervent, relentless and powerful. His love is unconditional, uncontainable and unstoppable. His love is endless, limitless and selfless. He literally moved Heaven to earth to bring His incredible love to us. John 1:14 says, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." The word is God's divine expression. God showing His love became flesh! Jesus was fully God and fully man. He experienced all things just like us, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15) This is how love works God gave us His son because He loves us. We love Him because He first loved us. We love each other because of His love in us.1 John 5:2 says," By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments." We are told in scripture to be imitators of God! In First Peter we are told to love without hypocrisy, to be genuine, and sincere with a pure heart. Wow, If we could just wrap our hearts around this kind of love we could change the world. To love like this is to have no regard for self. To love even without love in return. To love knowing that people will take advantage of you. Knowing that you will be hurt, ignored, cursed and slandered. When you love people like Jesus loves them these things will happen. It is hard to commit to love in such a way as this. Knowing that your just setting yourself up. However there is another side. When we love like this, lives are changed, people are saved and their sins are forgiven! They come into a right relationship with God and receive real life! We must never let the other side harden or callous us. A hard heart will never win anyone to Christ. We must rescue the perishing. People are dying without Jesus. In a crowd of thousands there is always one that is ready to receive the love that we can offer them. That love that covers a multitude of sins. That love that can reach into the soul of a sinner and save them for all of eternity. I wonder how big the crowd was on the day that Zacchaeus climbed that sycamore tree? How many people were on that road? How many people brushed against the Son of God and never realized who they were walking beside? How many people took for granted the miracles that Jesus performed and never truly loved Him in return? On that day it was a little short tax collector named Zacchaeus who became a child of the Most High God. Salvation came to his house on that day and that salvation brought great joy to Jesus. Luke 19:9-10 says, And Jesus said to him,"Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; 10"for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."  
 Jesus sought out and saved Zacchaeus because He loved him with a fervent love. There are millions in the world just like Zacchaeus. They are waiting for Jesus to come walking down their street. They are ready to receive His life changing love. Who will be the one who shows them Jesus?  Who will walk down their street seeking them out? It's risky. It's challenging and even heartbreaking. But it's worth it. Please Church, let's not be afraid to love!    

Church "SERVICE" or "SERVE US"

James 4:8
"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double- minded."
  I have heard them so many times. Those statements people make about there local churches. You know, statements like,"I like that church better because they have great music," or " That pastors preaching is much better than the one at the other church." There always seems to be something. Either the worship services are too long or the people are not very friendly. Maybe there are age barriers or social barriers. There are many things that drive us to leave, or join a church. Whenever I am faced with this as people either leave our fellowship or join us, my thoughts and my words are always the same. I ask, "Have you considered this in prayer? Is God leading you in this direction?" The bible tells us in1 Corinthians 12:18, "But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased." God does this so that we can be a working part of that body. The truth is, we are a consumer driven culture! The serve me generation! "What can the church offer me?" Seems to be the greatest question in Christian circles these days. Even churches get in on this. Instead of promoting Jesus many churches are using programs and activities as their primary marketing strategy. Please don't take me the wrong way. There is nothing wrong with programs or activities. They are great! However the church should keep them as secondary to the one who loved the church so much that He gave Himself for it, "JESUS." (Ephesians 5:25) He told us in John 12:32,"And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself." We need to be inviting people to draw near to Jesus. Not to our ski trips! Ski trips are great but they don't compel people give  their life to Christ, they just encourage people to take what they can get. Only Jesus can touch a heart in such a way that they will stop thinking about what the church can do for them and start thinking about what they can do for the church. When did we decide that Jesus was not enough to build a great church? Better yet, "When did we start thinking that we are?" It's His church! He said He was going to build it on the simple belief that He is the Son of God. (Matthew 16:16-18) We call Him Lord so we can serve Him and He created the church for that purpose. We should never walk into a church with thoughts about what the church can offer us. We should walk into the church with a heart to worship and serve our awesome God! We need to have a heart to draw near to God. It is a heart like this that can hear Him. A heart like this is sensitive to the direction of God. A heart like this can be shown just exactly were it can be used in service to God. He may place that heart in a church that on the surface seems to be a very unlikely combination. This is actually a probable scenario, however if Jesus is the leader, the dance will be beautiful! "Thank You Lord Jesus for Your church, may we live to lift You up and bring You GLORY!"

"Daddy"

Proverbs 20:27
 The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD, 
Searching all the inner depths of his heart. 
 Fellowship with our God is most definitely on the spiritual level. We will not find communion with God in our flesh. The flesh is corrupt and dying. The flesh is limited and powerless. The flesh is shallow and has no depth. Our flesh is contrary to God and it is contrary to our spirit. (Galatians5:17) Why would we even think that our LIving, Awesome, and Perfect God even wants to have fellowship with us in our flesh? Once again we are faced with a choice as believers! Do we truly want fellowship with God? If so, then what is the key to this awesome communion that we so desire? The answer is in how we live. Romans 8:8 says," So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God." The believer is an eternal being, our hope of all things truly is woven into eternity with God. To live in the spirt is to live in this world preparing for eternity. This is what God is looking forward to! He is longing for the completion of our salvation. He longs for the day when we will fellowship with Him and worship Him without the barriers of the flesh. Without the corruption of sin. In Hebrews 12:2, we can see how with joy our God anticipates this fellowship!  "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." The joy set before Him was our salvation. The thought of our heavenly home with Him, brings Him great joy! He has endured so much and paid a great price to make it possible. His love calls us to live in communion with Him. He compels us to and desires us to. We are indebted to Him For what He has done for us. We should feel so  compelled as to walk in fellowship with Him. Romans 8:12-13 says,  "Therefore, brethren, we are debtors- not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." To live according to the Spirit is to live for Jesus. His spirit has entered into every believer. He has come to teach us and to help us to live for Him. He has come to live in us to give us confidence and hope in our eternal fellowship with God. Romans 8:14-15 says, "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out,"Abba, Father."  Our spirit of adoption may cry out at any time to our Father in Heaven. We have access to Him, "FELLOWSHIP" has been obtained by anyone who will call on His name and be saved.
Oh, by the way, the word "Abba" means Daddy! How is that for fellowship with Almighty God