Humble or Stumble...........

Good morning everyone. I have to say that I come to you today with a humble heart. I feel like I have been hung up by my ankles and shook untill all the change and lint came out of my pockets. You know the feeling when the world feels upside down and out of control and you're a plane that has lost its engines and is spiraling down. My question to you today is. What happens when life happens and things fall apart? And trust me, sooner or later things will happen in everyone's lives. Do we fall apart? Do we get angry? Do we throw our hands up and give up? Hey, check this out. I am going to let you in on a little secret.....We're not perfect. We are flawed. I know it stinks to hear this news. At least it was for me. Cause I thought I was perfect for quite a few years when I was younger. I know some of you are thinking "No, not you Tony!" Well, let's dig into some of the good stuff and see what God says about this thing called grace..........

Bible Verse: Romans 12:3 "For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith."

I want us to think about this question before we answer it. Do you try to be the best or do you simply try to do your best? A perfectionist has to be the best. They have to be #1. They have to be the mac daddy or mac momma. They can't accept themselves. They can't be happy in second or third place. Not everyone is a Babe Ruth or a Michael Jordan!

Now, here is the super cool news! The grace of God lifts a man or woman without giving them the big head, and it humbles a person without taking away their self-worth. The person who strives for excellence through God says, "I am what I am by the grace of God." I know some of you are saying that sounds like a big ole' church phrase. Well, kind of but, this is the way we should be!

 

For the longest time in my life, I valued myself by what I did. My job as a police officer was my identity. I was Tony "the cop". Do you value yourself by what you do or by what you are? Here's is the thing you have a choice. You can either choose to see yourself as God sees you, or you can choose to see yourself as the world sees you. Whose opinion will you listen to today? Whose opinion really matters in the long run? I know you probably have someone in your life whose opinion really matters to you? Instead of defining who you are by their opinions, measure yourself by God's standard in His Word. I know this is a tall order but, you got this! One step at a time. have a great day and God bless!

Just part of the food chain!!!!!!!!!

Good morning everyone. I had a meeting with someone yesterday that I was very upset with. Someone I felt had really hurt me of late. See, here's the thing. If you feel someone has hurt you and you leave it unresolved, it will eat you up. It will make you bitter. We must address these things in our lives. Now, we must be smart about it too! We must do it in love and not when we are angry. We must speak the truth and be willing to hear the truth. But, let's be real. The devil doesn't want us to do this. He wants us to stay angry and upset. He wants us to let it eat us up! I have four letters for you, NOTW. Do you know what they mean? Not of this World! We should be different that everyone. We should realize if we are born again that we are not of this world! We're just here for a little while. We should keep our eyes up. We should think different and act different. So, Let's dig into some of the good stuff and see what it can show us...........

Bible Verse: Colossians 3:1 - "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God."


Ok, it's story time! I remember when I was a diver in the navy we had a t-shirt that said "Once you enter the water, you are just part of the food chain." In 1 Peter 2:11 says that we are aliens and strangers in this world. We are in the world, but we are not of the world. We are born twice in a world of once-born people, and we're going to find ourselves going against the tide most of the time. It's like a when a was a diver and underwater. I was outside my natural environment (Part of the food chain). I could not live without my air supply that I was linked to from above and I could be consumed by the things of the underwater world. So, I had to keep my eyes open and stay linked or tethered to topside. That's the way we need to live. If we are to survive, we must stay linked to Jesus who is our life. The Bible says we're not to set our affections on things beneath, but on things above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of the Father. (Colossians 3:1)

Here's the bottom line......My question to you today. Are you of this world? Maybe just a little? Let's be real with each other. We all are at times. It's time to check your lifeline...are you trusting in anything in this world? Are you making friends with all the things of this world? Or, are you being pulled to the dark side at times? Is the world consuming you? Keep your feet on the rock! Oh, by the way......The meeting went great and we aired some dirty laundry and worked through it. We must forgive to be forgiven. Have a great day and God bless!