Fear.........

Good morning everyone! Well, got back last night from a two day trip with my 7 year old to Dollywood and Splash Country waterpark. We had a blast. Before we went, Joslyn was scared to go down the water slide at her great grandparents’ house. But, by the time we were leaving the waterpark, she wasn't scared of some of the big waterslides at the park. That got me thinking about our fear. What are you afraid of? Has your fear changed over the years? What do you do when you are scared? I am not just talking about fear of waterslides. Let's dig into some of the good stuff and see what it shows us.........

Bible Verse: Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.

 

I was thinking about what I was scared of when I was 18. When I was 18, I would laugh at what I used to be terrified of when I was 8. And by the time you turn 37, the fears of your 18-year-old self might seem kind of dumb. Here's the thing, what doesn't change is that there is always something to be afraid of or worried about.

It's not that the things that scare us don't matter. Many of them are real. The world is a dangerous place with lots of things that go wrong all of them time. Here is the best part,  there's another thing that doesn't change no matter how old we get or how smart we get. God is bigger than everything that scares us. Let's keep that in focus for a bit. Some people think God is here just for the big stuff and never rely on Him for any of the smaller things. He so desires to be your resting places. God is our safe place. The refuge in which we're untouchable. He's our strength! Stronger than any danger and he's ready to help in every single moment.

If we can just realize that we belong to a God like that should make our fear less powerful. I guess my question to you is. Does it? In the battle between faith in a huge God and fear of terrible things, which one usually wins in your heart? What kinds of things do you do to help or hurt either side? Do me a favor, make a list of your top 3 current fears and then write next to each of them, "God is bigger." Don't just write the words, believe them! I pray you have a great day and God bless!

Words matter........

Happy Tuesday! That's what my kids say every day. They say "Happy _______", when they are saying goodbye. Whatever day it is. Do those words matter? I think that we really don't have a clue how much our words do matter. How much we can hurt people with our words or how much we can build up with our words. Can our words be influenced by someone else? Let's dig into some of Gods' good stuff and see what it shows us.......

Bible Verse: Proverbs 12:5 The thoughts of the righteous are just, But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.

This devotion is going to be a little personal. I must tell you that I have been a youth pastor for four years now and have dealt with a lot of stuff. I have been blessed to serve with some of the most loving and caring youth leaders I have ever met. Last week, one of them was wounded pretty bad by some words said by a few very negative people. This leader is self- sacrificing and always puts the youth ahead of themselves. Even more than that, they give up so that our youth can have. Do you know the kind of person I am talking about? Let me step back for a moment. If you stand by and allow someone mistreat someone else. In my humble opinion, you are a little to blame. It makes me think of the responsibilities of a knight. We Christians should stand up for the helpless and/or weak. We should defend the defenseless. We should do the right thing. But, let's be real. That would cause us to go against the grain. Maybe make some of our friends or family members mad. I am not mad at the young person that was involved or not involved in the very harsh and negative words but, I do expect more from them. I have prayed a lot about the issue and know God will work this all out. What is totally cool is that the leader still love this young person and will not quit. Spiritual warfare really sucks sometimes! But, it's real!!!!

Here is some more meat for you. I read recently that we each speak around 25,000 words a day and we hear many times more than that. It's no wonder we treat words like they're meaningless and don't really matter. It's easy to believe the old sayings: "Words are cheap." "You've got to walk the talk." "Sticks and stones . . ."

But God's Word and specifically some of the verses from Proverbs 12 says that words are powerful. For one, they reveal what's really going on in our hearts and minds. How we use them shows who we are. Today's verse tells us not to go looking for good advice from wicked people (remember we are all wicked at times) or people who do wicked things. Sometimes their advice lies, either because they're really lying to us or because they don't know the truth themselves. If you want true advice, go to people known for telling the truth and doing good.

I must ask you whose advice are you most likely to listen to? How careful are you about what voices you are willing to trust? Let's ask God to help us to make wise choices about who we trust to give us good advice. Listen this week for words of advice offered from friends or media or other sources and think about who it is that is giving the advice and how we can know if that person is trustworthy. I think this will open your eyes to what is going on around you. Spiritual warfare everywhere. I pray you have a good day and God bless.

Let's stand apart........

Good morning everyone! My family and I have spent the last two days hanging by the pool and enjoying some family time. While I was chillin' in the pool it got me thinking of my Navy days. We had pulled into a port on this beautiful island named Crete. It was one of the most beautiful places I had ever been. Years later I got to thinking that I probably walked in the same areas that a man named Titus walked on. That brings me to what I would like us to dig into today........

Bible Verse: Titus 3:1-2  Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work,  to slander no one, to avoid fighting, and to be kind, always showing gentleness to all people.

Check this out! Titus was a missionary and pastor on that same island. Really guys, It's a gorgeous place. It's a big, sunny Greek island with beautiful beaches and rocky cliffs and mountains that even get snow in the winter and to think I got paid to hang out there for about a month. Did I tell you that I was a diver onboard our submarine? So, I took my dive gear and got to scuba on some of the sweetest reefs I have ever seen.

Well, back to business. It was beautiful, but apparently a hard place to be a Christian back then. Even Paul confirmed the reputation of the culture there: "Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons." Paul wanted the Cretan Christians to stand out for being the opposite of that stuff. To live like they really believed God's Word is 100% true.

The verse today tells us some actions that all Christians not just Cretans should do: Obey authorities, don't talk mean about people, think of others, make peace, don't make it all about you, no matter who you're talking to.

Think about this. How would you stand apart from your friends if you lived the way these two verses describe? Would people think you were weird if you were obedient and respectful to authorities like bosses, teachers, parents, and other authorities? You maybe someone who really struggles with this. I spoke to a young man yesterday that really struggle’s with authority and I pray this devotion finds him with an open mind and open heart. If you struggle with this subject. Why don't you ask God to help you to "be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men."

The best for last.........

Good morning guys and gals! It's Saturday in east Tennessee and the weather is beautiful. I got up this morning and cut up some fresh fruit for breakfast. Some cantaloupe, honey dew, and pineapple. The kids absolutely loved it. I want to talk about false advertising this morning. You are probably thinking "What?" Well, let's dig into some of the good stuff and see what God's Word says........

Bible Verse: 1 Corinthians 12:31 "But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet I show unto you a more excellent way."

Do you remember the cigarette commercials form about 20 years ago? All the cool people were smoking. Even in the movies, the cool people had to be smoking a cigarette. Or, maybe drinking. I can't think of to many movies were they are not smoking, drinking, or having sex. Think about it, crazy huh? Now, let's look from a different angle. Satan always gives the best first and the worst last. The Bible says in Proverbs 20:17, "The bread of deceit is sweet, but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel."  With Satan, it always starts sweet, but it does not end that way.

Satan is a counterfeiter, a liar, and a deceiver, and he is guilty of false advertising. He doesn't show the drunk dude in the gutter covered with flies and vomit. He doesn't show the drug addict shaking uncontrollably from another night of detox. He doesn't show the person with a huge hole in their neck from smoking for 20 years. He always gives the best first and the worst last. He always say's To be cool you have to _______!" You fill in the blank. Now, here is the good news. Jesus gives the best last. You may have to go through a lot of hardships but, the best is coming. Stay on the narrow road. It will be worth it. No doubt about it!!! If you want to quit any of these things. Pray for Gods help and then get to work kicking the habit.

Do me a favor. If you have never done this, it will burden your heart. have you ever been to a homeless shelter? If not, try to go tour one or volunteer for an afternoon. I promise it will change the way you think. I pray you have a great weekend and God bless.

Struggling with the "G's"???????

Good morning everyone. Do you struggle with the two "G"???? Guilty and grudges. Guilty for something you have done or maybe holding a grudge for something someone has done to you. Truth is everyone deals with this in some form or another. It is just how we deal with it. Let's look at what the good stuff tells us to do or how to deal with it......

Bible Verse: Psalm 103:12 "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us."

Here's the deal, there are two days that can steal the joy from today. One is yesterday and the other is tomorrow. In Philippians 3:13-14, Paul says "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." He is looking forward not behind him. One of our bigest problems is that we live in the past. Listen, we are to forget the past. Forget the guilt, the glory, the grief, and the grudges. Wait, that was four "G's" not two! Check this out, Paul was one who was guilty, along with other knuckle heads, for the stoning of Stephen. Paul said he was the "chiefest of sinners" (1 Timothy 1:15). The was saying I am the #1 sinner! But Paul buried that guilt in God's forgetfulness. To never be dug up by God ever again.

Maybe you've done something so horrible that you're gripped with fear to think someone would find out what you've done. Have you asked God for forgiveness? Have you repented (turned away for it)? Then don't be haunted by the guilt. Don't allow the devil to keep you chained to it. Is it worse than murder? I don't think it probably is.

Because Paul was an accessory to the murder of one of the leaders of the New Testament Church? If Paul can be forgiven, guy's, you can be forgiven! You need to not just think that. You must know it is true because that is what Gods' Word says. When forgiven your sins are as far as the east is from the west. God can and will forgive you. Maybe you need to forgive yourself. I pray you have a great Friday and God bless.

Never give up!!!!!!

Hello friends! Went to one graduation last night and I have another this morning. We have 9 youth graduating high school this year. Always a happy yet sad time for me. Happy to see them finish school and sad because I know they will be leaving me at the end of the summer. I guess it is maybe a little like your child graduating and leaving home. So many of these youth have been with me for the last four years and have become part of my family. I am so proud of them and can't wait to see the spread their wings and fly. Let's dig into the good stuff and see what God has in store for them.......

Bible Verse: Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you” this is the Lord’s declaration “plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

Here’s a great poem called “Never Give Up”, by Charlie Remiggio:

Never give up

Never lose hope.

Always have faith,

It allows you to cope.

Trying times will pass,

As they always do.

Just have patience,

Your dreams will come true.

So put on a smile,

You’ll live through your pain,

Know it will pass,

And strength you will gain.

So many people tell us that we can’t do something. There are negative people in this world. Sometimes they are even the parents that raise us. Never think you’re not smart enough, never think beautiful enough, never think you’re not tall enough, never think you’re not cut out for something! The sky is the limit for you. You just have to believe it. Inspire to be something great. Aim for the moon! Even if you miss the moon, you still land among the stars. Set your mind on something and go forth young grasshopper.

If I could give you one line to live by it would be this. Never, I mean never sell yourself short or think you’re not good enough. God made you just the way you are and you are special! His plans for you are plans to prosper. Don't get in your own way. Have the faith of a mustard seed (which is pretty small) and you can move mountains!!!! Get your diploma, take a deep breath, and say "Here I am world and here I come!" Graduating seniors know this, we are very, very proud of each and every one of you! Have a great weekend and God bless!!!!

Let's pray BIG!!!!!

Happy Friday everyone! Are you ready for the weekend? I really enjoyed the great weather here in east Tennessee yesterday. Today, I would like to talk to you guys about something I think we all struggle with. I have had God lay some really big things on my heart lately and I must bath them in prayer. I mean I have been praying but, I need to really kick it into overdrive. I sat back yesterday and thought about my prayer life. How is it? Do I pray enough? What do I pray about? How do I pray? Let's dig into the good stuff and see what God says about the subject.........

Bible Verse: Ephesians 3:14-15 For this reason I kneel before the Father from whom every family in Heaven and on earth is named.

Here's the deal, most of the Christians I know, including me, have a prayer problem. Not only is prayer hard work and easy to skip, we're often only half-convinced that it even matters. We believe God hears and answers prayer, generally speaking. We're just not sure sometimes that our prayers are worth putting out there. That they aren't that important in the overall scheme of things.

Does that sound harsh?  Well, if you and I really believed we were talking to the God of the universe, the God with unlimited power, the God that raised Jesus up from the grave, the God of unlimited patience and love and forgiveness for us. Then how often would we talk to Him if we believed all those things? Does that change that way you think about prayer? But here's the thing, our small faith leads to small prayers. When we do pray, we usually ask for little things that have to do with money and health and travel and relationships. Now does God care about those things? Yes, God cares about all of those things with us, but we can also pray much, much bigger. Remember, He is a huge God!

I want to tell you a quick story about our new worship team for the youth group. I spoke to Dylan Scandlyn, one of the youth leaders and my brother-in-law about an idea he had concerning the worship team. He asked the youth in the team to bring a pillow with them to practice Wednesday night. Of course they asked why. Well, when they came to practice Dylan and Lyndsey talked to them about prayer and that they wanted them to pray for 10 minutes on their knees. He asked them to ask the Holy Spirit to show them what they should be praying for. Can I ask you a question? When was the last time you prayed for 10 minutes straight? Have you lately?

This week, I am going to try to "kneel to the Father" just like Paul did and try to copycat his super giant prayers. I am going to pray big and have big faith. I hope you're not afraid to ask for the same kind of things for yourself and those we care most about. Let's pray big! No, let's pray HUGE! I have another question for ya. Do you think it matters what position your body is in when you pray? Why do you think Paul made a point to say he kneels when praying? How does kneeling or bowing or closing our eyes help us to pray more meaningfully? Ask God to help us to approach Him respectfully when we pray and to be so glad to call Him Father. Let's wear our knees of our pants out! Let's read Ephesians 1:15-23 and see how Paul offers another way to pray. Check it out. Have a great day and God bless.

I want to reckon.......

Good morning friends! I am so looking forward to a few days off with the family. I hope this devotion finds you in a good place both mentally and spiritually. I want to talk about something that has come up a lot lately with some of our youth and some adults too. I want to talk about decisions and about salvation. Let's dig into some of the good stuff and see what Gods' Word shows us......

Bible Verse: Romans 6:11 "Reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." 

I woke up one morning and I noticed that I felt like I had just gone to sleep. I thought, "It can't be 3:45 in the morning (That's what time I get up to go to work)!" But my watch said it was 3:45. The alarm clock said it was 3:45. The clock down stairs said it was 3:45 too. Now, I must tell you, it really didn't matter how I felt, did it? Sometimes we respond the same way when it comes to our salvation. We need to get our salvation out of the realm or area of fickle emotions and begin to "reckon" or count on God's facts.

Each morning when we wake up, what if we begin by saying, "I am dead to sin. I am alive in Christ. I know it's a fact. Jesus died for me. Now I reckon it!" We must count on it. We must have a "know so" not a "hope so" salvation. If we have that "hope so" or maybe even a emotional feeling, we will constantly wonder when things get bad and question our salvation. I see this a lot lately. We must pray and desire a personal relationship with Jesus. An intimate relationship with Jesus. This is how we will grow. This is how we will have that "know so" salvation.

I know that it is hard to start our day of calling on Jesus sometimes. Maybe we should put up sticky notes to remind us or maybe write a note and put it on the bathroom sink. It only takes 21 days to make or develop a habit. Try it, what can it hurt? Do me a favor. Look up the word "reckon" in the dictionary. When you find the definition I would like you to ask yourself "Am I reckoning myself dead to sin and alive to Christ? If not, let's do it today. Let's begin to do right now where you sit. Just stop what you are doing a take a couple of minutes to get some stuff straightened out. I promise it will help. Let's make this a daily thing, that we start our day off right. Have a great day and God bless.

Is Perception 9/10 of the law????????

Good Wednesday everyone! Some call this hump day but, I will call if my Friday. Today is my last day of work this week. Well, at least the last day at the plant anyways. I want to talk about this word perception. Why is it so difficult? Why do we see or hear things sometimes different than then are? Have you ever had someone say or do something and you took it a total different way than they thought you would? I really think this is the devil's way of messing with us. Now, I am not saying that the person is being used by the devil. What I am saying is that the devil can twist words around sometimes and make you hear something different or maybe the person could just be being used by the devil! Lol! Yes, I just did the lol (that means laugh out loud for you older people). Let's dig into some of the good stuff.......

Bible Verse: 1 Peter 5:9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.

So, what can we do? The devil can be resisted only by faith. We need to stand so strong in our faith that we are immovable even unyielding to the devils schemes. Only as we immerse ourselves in God's Word does the Holy Spirit help us to resist and conquer when in battle with this knucklehead, but cunning adversary.

The battles we experienced are the same kind of battles every believer throughout the world, heck throughout the ages have faced. There are times when we feel that we are the only ones affected by these temptations and difficulties. And they are more than we should have to go through. Don't give into  this false perception, we may resort to self-pity, despair, and even a sense of hopelessness. Peter assures us that this is not how it has to be. Christians in all corners of the world must armor up and get ready to go to battle with Satan, we must be committed to learning the Scriptures and knowing God more. You do not struggle alone in battle. Trust me, I battle to. I battle alongside you. Many share in this battle. Let's unite and be encouragers and up lifter’s in this war against the enemy. Have a great day and God bless.

Not just a word......Humility.

Good morning everyone. I responded to a pastor friend of mine on one of his posts yesterday. Sharing on a touchy topic with a lot of people. See this pastor was the friend that talked to me about doing this blog and set it up for me. I will have to say that the name has kind of bothered me for a while. But, I left it because he set it up for me and thought it might be weird if I changed it. Well, this morning I realized that there is no need for the blog to have my name in the title. You may think that it is not a big deal but, I guess it is to me. So, today I will be changing the name to "Digging into the good stuff." Well, let's dig into some of the good stuff and see why..........

Bible Verse: Proverbs 18:12 Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, but humility goes before honor.

 

Words have enormous power. They can make us erupt into laughter or bring tears to our eyes. They can influence, inspire, and sometimes shock. They can build and destroy. Some words have different effects on different people. One of those words is humility. First, let's define humility. The state or quality of being humble; freedom from pride and arrogance; lowliness of mind; a modest estimate of one's own worth. This is one of those words or actions that you really can't do part way. Some, like me, love the word and all it stands for. Some really are afraid of it and see it as a lack of self-confidence or maybe being timid. If anyone knows me, I am not a very timid person. Humility is one of the things that I have to constantly battle with. Remember I was a diver in the Navy and a policeman for almost 15 years. So, two jobs that lasted almost 20 years caused me to kind of be, not so humble. Then God got a hold of me and changed me in a big way. Let me stop for a second. For the record, not all servicemen nor policemen are prideful. But, I was. So, God grabbed a hold of me and He has been shaping me like clay in the potter's hands ever since. I pray every day He never stops.

Let's go back to humility. We often confuse humility with being timid or weak. Humility is all about keeping our pride about who we are and our self-worth in check. Not becoming arrogant. Arrogant pride often leads to messing people up. It has derailed careers and damaged friendships and relationships. You can be confident and not prideful. It's about being content to let others discover or see your talents without having to boast or brag about them. It's a lack of being arrogant, not a lack of aggressiveness in the pursuit of achievement. Let's not be fake, we all want to be first. We can be super aggressive and humble at the same time. Look at Tim Tebow. Wrap your mind around this for a bit, in Matthew 20:26-27 Jesus says " Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave. This is so hard for us to do sometimes, but trust me, when you do God will use you in such a mighty way. I hope this short devotion today helps you as much as it did me. I once thought I was doing these devo's for others, only to find that I was really doing them for myself. So that I would dig into Gods' Word and study to show myself approved. Have a great day and God bless.

Pillar by day or night............

What's up people? Did you have a great weekend? I had to work all weekend but, momma needs a new pair of shoes. This morning I was going over stuff from last week. I was thinking about people that I talked to that were in the midst of a huge storm. Then, I also spoke to some that had just received great news and were putting a storm or hardship behind them. Let's dig into some of the good stuff and see what Gods' Word shows us........

Bible Verse: Deuteronomy 8:16 "Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that He might humble thee, and that He might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end."

Alright, here's the thing there are three categories of people reading this. Well, I hope someone is reading this. Ok, three categories: those who are in trouble, those who are just getting out of trouble, and those who are going into trouble. Check this out in the old testament Job 14:1 says, "Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble." How true is this? It doesn't take long in life to start having trouble. Such a bummer that we are born into sin.

Sooner or later, we will all know sorrow, heartache, and trouble. What we need to know is that troubles are not a sign that things have gone wrong or things have gotten out of hand. We are often in trouble because of the plan and purpose of God. Think about this......

When the Israelites were fleeing from Egypt and the Pharaoh's army. They crossed through the Red Sea and they went into the wilderness. Do you think God had lost control? Nope, sure didn't. God led them there by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Pretty cool huh? When we are in the middle of the storm or the trouble. We need to look for God to show us a way out or through the trouble. He will shows us a way if we seek Him through it. The trouble or storms or let's just call them "the wilderness" is God's crucible or His proving ground for your faith. How is it going? How are you doing? Look and seek Him. He will be the pillar by day or night. Keep your eyes on the prize. Have a great day and God bless.

A worm on hot pavement..........

Good morning friends and neighbors! I hope today's devotion finds you having a good week so far. Had a super busy day yesterday but, got to have some meetings with some amazing people. If you have not heard of the "ONE" Youth Rallies that we came together to start last year and have a teenager in the area, you are missing out. God has brought together an amazing group of youth pastors and leaders to make these rallies happen. It is awesome to see God demolishing walls that have been built between so many churches. As Christians, we are all on the same team. And if we seek Him with all of our hearts. We can't help but realize that it wasn't Gods plan to have a gazzilion churches on every corner. Don't you think if we could come together that we could accomplish so much more???? Let's dig into some of God's good stuff and see what it shows us today........

Bible Verse: Psalm 119:2 "Blessed are they that keep His testimonies, and that seek Him with the whole heart."

A lot of people feel that if they become a Christian that that would have to live a boring life. I have heard people say that they will get involved in church after their partying years. They will get to know Jesus when they settle down. For some reason people think that if you lived according to God's laws, you were going to miss out? Hey, I was there. I got that t-shirt too! Truth is, if you don't live according to God's laws you're going to miss out! I really think I have had more meaningful fun since I got to know God and start living in His Word. Did you read that word "meaningful?" I have fun that I can actually remember. I have fun that I'm not be ashamed to tell my kids about later. Please hear this, God's laws are for your welfare. They are to help you, not hurt you.

God is not a tyrant in heaven with a big magnifying glass and us being the ants He not in heaven making a bunch of laws to make us squirm like a worms on hot pavement as we try to keep those laws. God loves us. When God says "Thou shalt not," what he's saying is, "Don't hurt yourself." And when He says, "Thou shalt," God's saying, "Get you some of this happiness." If you don't know this or have never heard this.........God has something so amazingly wonderful for you. You just have to seek Him to find it. Have a great day and God bless!

Love the sinner, hate the sin.

Good morning everyone. I am going to say before you read today's devotion that there will be some controversy over the topic. Just know that I didn't pick the topic. God laid it in my lap. Ok, I walked downstairs and got my morning cup of joe. Then I walked down to the mailbox to get today's Knoxville News Sentinel. On the front page is a story about The Lenior City's Yearbook Controversy. A letter/article was printed in the yearbook "IT'S OK TO BE GAY"  written by a student that professes to be gay. So, let's dig into the good stuff and see what it shows us............

Bible Verse: 1 Timothy 1:8-11 But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully,  knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,  for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust.

Before we go any further. Let's remember God loves the sinner but, hates the sin. For the record, there is other scripture both in the old testament and new pertaining to homosexuality. I will list them later. Know this, there is super wide disagreement about the meaning of biblical texts regarding homosexuality. Such material as appears in the Old and New Testaments should be understood in the wider framework of teaching about creation and the purpose of sexuality. There is no support for the judgmental view that the Scriptures condemn the homosexual (I know this probably angers some people by me saying this), but there is clear teaching about involvement in homosexual practices. Again the sin not the sinner! Not the person just the behavior.

Homosexual practices do receive mention in both the Old and New Testaments. The majority of churches interpretation of passages such as Genesis 19:5-9, Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 20:13, Judges 19:22-28, Romans 1:26-32, 1 Cor. 6:9-10, and 1 Tim. 1:8 is that there is a clear condemnation of homosexual behavior that goes beyond the commands to Israel and has binding significance for Christians today.

Now, here is some more hard stuff to hear for some people. God's Word also says that there are other things listed as abominations - adultery, gluttony, homo. In Proverbs 6:16-19 God lists 7 things which are an abomination to the Lord. Haughty eyes, a Lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, heart that devises evil plans, feet that run rapidly to evil (I see that as people running to stone, etc. someone), a false witness who utters lies, and one who spreads strife among brother" As we can see homosexuality is not the only one that is an abomination. There are others that the Bible lists that we sometimes overlook.

I am closing with this. I have a family member that has professed to be homosexual and has lived this way for many years. Do I turn my back on him? Maybe I should stone him. No, I think not. I think I will love him and hate the sin. I think I will lift him up constantly to God and share the gospel with him as often as possible. Please hear my heart through this devotion. It was not easy to write nor will it be accepted my some. This has been my conviction through the reading of God's Word and praying about what I should share. Let's share God's love not a condemning or judging eye. I pray you have a good day and God bless.

To rap...Or not to rap??????????

Good morning everyone. I pray you had a great weekend. I must say mine was pretty awesome. Was blessed to see six people yesterday accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and two re-commit their lives to the Lord in the second service. Then the Lord showed out again and we had a young man at youth accept Jesus as his Savior too!!! God is too good. I am still smiling this morning. I want to share a little bit from last night’s sermon. Let's get out the backhoes and dig into the good stuff.......

Bible Verse: 2 Corinthians 10:5 ". . . and bringing into captivity every though to the obedience of Christ."

Here is the deal, if you have a teenager or are a teenager……Listen close. Satan is waging a battle to control the thought life of America's teenagers. The typical teenager listens to an average of 10,500 hours of music from the seventh to the tenth grade. That's only 500 hours shy of all the time he/she spends in school from first through twelfth grade! Now, it would be great if the music was clean and uplifting. But, most of it is not even close.

Ok, I know this is a powder keg of explosives of a topic. So, hang on! I am going to talk about one type today. Rap music. Rap was started years ago as a poetic type of music. Yes, this can be true, but does what you hear from rap music sound very poetic to you these days? The influence that rap currently has on our children all around the world is unfortunately a very strong one. I wonder if you have really taken the time to listen to some of these rap songs that your teenager is listening too? I mean really focus on the words and what they mean. Ok, you’re probably saying "I don't understand what they are saying." Pull up the lyrics.

Eighty percent of the rap music that is currently on the top ten lists around the world contains violence. They glorify the acts of beating up another person, shooting police officers, or mistreating women. Let's talk about the women in the rap videos. Most are half naked and not acting like young ladies for sure. I would dare say that some of you guys are saying "Tony, it's not that big of a deal. It’s only music."  What's the big deal?

Well, I will tell ya. Girls start thinking this is the way for other boys or men to notice them and to make themselves more popular in school. Another thing that rap music also seems to focus on is that what matters most when looking for a good woman is what her body looks like. This is why there are so many teenagers who have eating disorders or other emotional problems. They just don't feel that they fit the mold of what teenage girls should like. I can keep going.....Rap music also glorifies drinking, and sex. Two things which happen to be a major problem among many youth today.

Now, I have blasted rap. So, I must share the other side. There are some rappers however who keep their lyrics clean and try to rap about positive things. There are even some awesome Christian rappers. My boy and fellow Youth Pastor Travis Harmon is a Christian rapper. You have rappers Lacrae, Toby Mac, and KJ-52. They use their gift in a positive way to reach a lot of youth and adults that like rap. They send a message of the gospel through rap lyrics.

So the bottom line is that when you are trying to decide whether or not to allow your child to listen to rap music, it is not so much rap itself, but the artist which they choose to listen too. Hey, try this talk to them about the artist. Ask them if they know anything about the artist. Engage their minds. If we take garbage in. Then that is what comes out. have a great day and God bless.

 

Free cure for all that ales you!!!!!!

What's up? Have you had a good week? Are you ready for the weekend? Do you know of anything you can do to tip the odds in your favor that you will have a good day or maybe a better day? Well, it doesn't cost anything but, sometimes we feel like it is impossible to do. It is called smiling, defined as a facial expression indicating pleasure, favor, or amusement, characterized by an upturning of the corners of the mouth. Why is it that a smile can do so much? Why is it so hard to do sometimes? Let's dig into the good stuff and see what we find........

Bible Verse: Proverbs 15:13 "A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance."

I have a young lady in our youth group that doesn't smile very much. I always see her with this smileless face. I am always telling her to smile. Ok, some of you may be asking right now. What does it matter if we smile or not. Well, let's look at that question. What is a smile? We are drawn to people who smile. Smiling makes us attractive. There is an attraction factor. We want to know a smiling person and figure out what is so good. Frowns, scowls and grimaces all push people away, but a smile draws them in. Smiling changes our mood. Next time you are feeling down, try putting on a smile. There's a good chance you mood will change for the better. Smiling can trick the body into helping you change your mood. Smiling is contagious. When someone is smiling they lighten up the room, change the moods of others, and make things happier. A smiling person brings happiness with them. Smile lots and you will draw people to you.

This is for you people who freak out about getting or looking older. Smiling lifts the face and makes you look younger. The muscles we use to smile lift the face, making a person appear younger. Don't go for a face lift, just try smiling your way through the day, you'll look younger and feel better.

Here is the last one and I think half of my Facebook friends need to try this after I see their posts. Smiling helps you stay positive. Try this: Smile. Now try to think of something negative without losing the smile. It's hard. When we smile our body is sending the rest of us a message that "Life is Good!" Stay away from depression, stress and worry by smiling. I pray you have a great weekend and God bless!

Run Forrest, Run!!!!!!!!!!

Good morning friends! We had a great day yesterday. We are making additions to our youth worship team and had four new girls come and sing. There are also two more that might be joining! It was so awesome to see these teenagers step up and desire to serve the Lord. Just pretty cool. Well, today I would like to share about a conversation that I had yesterday with a young man and the same topic this morning with someone else. This is a topic that most run from and don't want anyone to know they have a problem with. I want to dig into the good stuff and see what it shows us about lustful desires...........

Bible Verse: 2 Timothy 2:22 "Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart."

 Many a person has lost everything due to falling to lustful desires. Families have been ripped apart, jobs lost, relationships destroyed. Over being succumbed by our lustful desires. In this scripture above Paul is talking to Timothy and telling him to run from those youthful desires. He didn't say just turn away. He said "FLEE!" When I was thinking about this, it brought me to remember a movie that I am sure you have seen. Forrest Gump. When Forrest was on the road walking and here came a bunch of boys on bicycles that were up to no good. Jenny told Forrest to "RUN FORREST, RUN" When he finally started to run the braces on his legs really slowed him down. Much like the sin in our lives or maybe the desire to sin. But, the faster he ran away from those evil boys. The harder he tried, all of the sudden those things that were hindering him from getting away fell to the wayside. His running became easy and powerful.

Next, it tells us to pursue or chase after some things. Righteousness, Faith, Love, and Peace. If we are seeking or pursuing these things in our lives it is really hard for the devil to get his foot in the door. Doing what is right and just. Having faith and living it. Showing love to our brothers and sisters, unconditionally. And being at peace with one another when at all possible.

 And last but not least. It tells us to gather with those who seek the Lord out of a pure heart. When we gather together we are a lot stronger. We have sounding boards. We have a brother or sister that will battle with us. That will keep us accountable. Yes, I said accountable. That is a problem for some. Some people do not want to be accountable to anyone. I have said before that we need to have people in our lives that we allow to have access to our hearts and minds. Accountability partners! Do you have one? If not, pray that God can show you who would be best as that role in your life. Make sure it is someone that will tell you when you are messing up or going down a dangerous road. We've all heard the saying "If you play with fire, you are bound to get burnt sooner or later."

I have to add that youthful desires are not necessarily always sexual lusts. They can be pride, ambition, and, above all, the lust of power. God's Word tells us to flee from them. So, as jenny would say "Run Forrest, Run." Have a great day and God bless.

Death to Hypocrisy!!!!!!

Good morning everyone. I have a question for you. What does your day consist of? Do you help others? Do you go out of your way to lift others up? Are you actively seeking to do good? There is something powerful about a life of doing good deeds for other people. This picture above is an awesome woman of God holding an armless orphaned baby. Her name is Mother Teresa. When Mother Teresa was alive, she had totally earned the respect of the entire planet because of her work in the streets of Calcutta, India. Let's dig into the good stuff and see what God's Word shows us.........

Bible Verse: Matthew 5:15-16 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

When you do good things for others, you too will earn a reputation at your workplace, neighborhood, or school as someone who loves God and loves others. This reputation can totally open the door for you to share Jesus in a powerful way. Check this out! I had a guy at work that is not a Christian call me out of the blue a while back and ask me if I would pray for him. He said that he knew I would give him good advice about the problems he was having and would pray for him. If my lamp would've been hidden, he never would have come to me. The best part was I was able to share the gospel with him!

 That’s just a couple of the reasons why a life of doing good is a critical piece of our God-given faith sharing gear. And as Christians we need to exercise this so that we learn to use this piece of gear effectively. It is just another tool.

Now we are coming to the hard to hear part. Hypocrisy! We can't just talk the talk. We have to walk the walk. Hypocrisy was one of the subjects most commonly associated with Christians and Christianity. This is why it is so important that we understand that how we live their lives before the world really does matter. Sharing their faith isn’t just about words, it’s also about actions. Plowing the spiritual soil with a life of good deeds opens doors for the gospel. It also allows us to shed light on Christ to a watching world, for we must always remember that 2 Corinthians 5:20 tells us We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.

Ok. So here's a list of some things we can try to get started down this road. I encourage one to try one or more of the following:

 •Buy lunch for someone

 •Invite someone to the coffee shop for a long conversation about how they’re doing
 •Write notes of encouragement to those who seem down - either pen and paper notes or Facebook posts will work
 •Take time to listen
 •Help others with their work
 •Sit with somebody during lunch you don’t know well and get to know him or her
 •Coordinate a school-wide or work-wide canned food drive for a local rescue mission (Knox Area Rescue Ministry)
 •Coordinate a toy drive for kids / Help with Operation R.E.A.C.H.
 •Help someone in your neighborhood with the yard work that is in need
 •Get a group of friends or co-workers to visit a retirement center on a Saturday just to talk to the elderly and to encourage them

I challenge you to be creative. The list of possibilities is almost endless. The point is to motivate and mobilize ourselves to live a life of good deeds - not to “earn” their way to heaven - but so that the term “Christian hypocrisy” can buried. We can do it! Let's see that a life of good deeds that opens doors for the good news of the gospel and allows the light of Christ to shine in their lives for all the world to see! I pray you have a great day and God bless!

Come as you are........

Hello everyone. I had a great day yesterday. We took a bunch of youth to a house in town and helped a disabled woman clean up her property. We mowed, weed-eated, trimmed, and got the waist high yard looking a lot better. It was awesome to see the youth share the love of Jesus by serving others. When I knocked on the woman door to talk to her about helping her with her yard. I told her that we were there to mow and clean up her yard and she said that she was on a fixed income and didn't have any money to pay us. I smiled and told her we didn't need any money and that we were just there to lend her a hand free of change. That kind of wraps up this thing grace too! Getting something you don't deserve or did earn. Let's dig into some of the good stuff and see what it shows us.

Bible Verse: Ephesians 1:6 "To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved."

Last night after I got home from the yard work I had to go sit down with a youth and their family. They were going through a lot and had made some really bad choices lately. Well, we worked through what we could last night and made a game plan for the future. Then the real subject come up......Salvation! After some tears and explanation. The youth admitted that they did not know Jesus as their Savior. They had been involved in church and knew all the right answers. But, when I asked them about having that assurance. They did not have it. I have to ask you, do you have a "know-so" salvation? What I mean is, do you know that you are saved and have the assurance that if you died today, you'd spend eternity in heaven?

So many people don't have that assurance, and in some cases it is not a spiritual problem. It is a psychological problem. They cannot accept the fact that God has accepted them or they have seen so many Christians act like knuckleheads. Sometimes they even think that they are so messed up that God can't forgive them. These are all lies born in the pit of hell. If you have never heard the song "Just as I am" here are the lyrics. Please read them and realize that God's arms are open and He wants you just as you are. He just wants you to come warts and all!

Just as I am, without one plea,

But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidst me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, and waiting not

To rid my soul of one dark blot,
To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, though tossed about

With many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;

Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea, all I need in Thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,

Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, Thy love unknown

Hath broken every barrier down;
Now, to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
 

Just as I am, of that free love

The breadth, length, depth, and height to prove,
Here for a season, then above,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

You are accepted just as you are. It is all about grace. Have a great day and God bless.