Get the rocks out of your pockets........

What's up everyone? How has your week been? Well, yesterday was the third day of our VBS at a local apartment complex and it was another great night. I was talking to the lady who was kinda ramrodding the whole thing and telling her that she was doing a great job! She said that she had been a little overwhelmed with this VBS. That she was used to a traditional style in the church, real structured, by the book VBS. Well, this one was anything but that! What was cool was how much the kids are loving it. Even my daughter that has been to some real fancy VBS's (First Baptist Concord) and said this one was her favorite. The cool part about our VBS is that there is no worry. Just loving on the kiddo's and sharing Gods' love with them. Well, I came home and got the kids bathed and bedded down and was scanning through facebook and saw again so much negativity. So many hurting friends / people. Sometimes we focus so much on a foot in front of us that we don't see what is coming ahead. Or, maybe we focus so much on the past that we don't allow ourselves to be happy. Can I tell you that God does have a plan for you. In Jeremiah 29:11 God's Word say's "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Let's dig into a little more of the good stuff and see what God's Word can show us....... 

Bible verse: Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."

I know sometimes we see what is happening to us and don't understand. I know some real bad things have happened to some of us. But, I must tell you that I am going to stand on God's Word and believe it with all my heart. I know I love Him and He will work all the things that have happened in my life for good. Can you believe that? I know your probably thinking "There is no way God can work this out or make good out of this situation" or "Tony, you don't know what has happened in my life." You are right, I don't know what you've been through. But, God does! I want you to read this story about a farmer think about your situation. This farmer had a big brush pile of debris he was going to burn. He noticed a little bird had built a nest in that brush pile, so he destroyed the nest. When he came back days later, he found the bird rebuilding the nest. The farmer destroyed the nest again. But the bird built again, and again the farmer destroyed it.

Finally, the little bird gave up. I can just imagine that little bird going home and saying to his family, "I just don't know why all our good plans of building a home are not working." Well, there was an unseen hand doing something the bird may have thought was bad, but was really good.

I have told the youth and adults around me this little story many times. If you were treading water in the middle of the ocean and you had your pockets full of rocks. We're going to say those rocks are the friends, maybe past relationships, or things that will not let you swim or keep your head above water. What do you do? Well, duh! You take the rocks out of your pockets and let them fall away! There is no way you can stay afloat much less swim to shore without cutting loose the dead weight. This doesn't mean you won't have to have contact with them. It just means that they are not in your pocket. They are not allowed to be close to you anymore. For your good! 

Do me a favor read Romans 8:28 again and notice the verse is not saying that all things are good. All things are not good. Now, there are some truly evil things in this world and those thing you must flee from and run to the arms of Jesus. Be strong and courageous, do not fear! He will not fail you nor forsake you. Let's do our best to not focus on those terrible things in this world. Let's focus on God and His goodness! Have a great day and God bless

Carpe' Diem

Good Wednesday morning! Had a great day yesterday. The church is having vacation Bible school at a local apartment complex and we had 147 kids there last night. My daughter got in the truck afterwards and said "Dad, this is the best VBS I have ever been to!" Made me smile! It's not all the money spent or the high wire acts. It's the love put into it. I know it's Wednesday and most everyone likes Wednesday's because the week is half way over. But, let's look at it this way. Today is the perfect opportunity to be different. To be a difference maker....A history maker. Let's dig into some of the good stuff and see what I am talking about.......

Bible verse: Ephesians 4:1 "I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received"

I want to tell you today that you can be a difference maker today! God has gifted you and empowered you. Maybe it's time that we get to work and quit playing around. I want to ask a few questions today. What is a legacy? We know how Abraham Lincoln, Adolph Hitler, Martin Luther, Charles Spurgeon, Charles Mason, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, and Thomas Sprauge have left legacies behind right? Some good, some bad, some aren't world famous, and some you don't even know. But, they leave an impact anyways. They leave some kind of legacy.

You can write your history now! What is your legacy at this very moment? If you were to die right now, how would you be remembered? Regardless of what specific plan God has for us, we are to be seekers of God. Why can we remember Biblical figure so easily? Moses, Noah, Paul, Peter, Timothy, and of course Jesus? Because they each lived a life worthy of their calling. In Hebrews 12:2 God's Words says "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith". Now, we look at Jesus and see a great example of how to leave a legacy.

How to be a history maker! When we seek after God with our whole heart, we don't have to worry about whether or not we're doing the right thing or what kind of legacy we're leaving. It just come naturally! Jeremiah 29:11 Say's "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." The key to our legacy is it is not about us! It's all about God!!! In Isaiah 26:8 the good Word says "Yes, Lord,......... we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts." The word "renown" means reputation. We should want God's reputation, name, and message to be the most important things in our lives. So much so, that other people see Him in us instead of our own agendas. Let's be history makers for God. Kinda scary huh? Think it's more than you can handle? The cool thing is that God wants to help us accomplish His plan in our lives. We can't do it with out Him!

Let's connect with the Inventor of History! Before God created the universe, there was no such thing as time. So, basically God created the idea of history! In Matthew 19:26 God's Word says " Jesus looked at them and said 'with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible'" Why do we have to be so stubborn and independent all the time? Why do we think we have to do everything on our own? With us, things are possible. With God, ALL things are possible. Maybe we need to start believing that! Carpe Diem....Seize the day!!!! Let's get to work being history makers! Have a great day and God bless.

Let's tread over them!!!!!!!

Good morning everyone. We are having VBS this week and a friend was telling me about this gentlemen that she met while out in the neighborhood inviting people last Wednesday. She told me this gentleman she talked to was telling her that his wife went to church but, he didn't anymore. He said people didn't accept him. Well, when I was pulling up I saw her with a huge smile and she was super excited. She said "He is here! He came with his kids!" Well, a little later I was able to talk to this man for a bit. He said that he moved down here 13 years ago and wants to move back to Illinois. He began to tell me about his life and how he can't get a job because of his tattoos and the way he looks. He told me that he didn't feel like a man because he wasn't able to support his family. He even told me that churches have not accepted him when he went. I must tell you that this gut punched me and also got me thinking about all the stuff going on with so many people around me in this area and the world. Job wise, life wise, relationship wise, family wise, and even friend wise. Just thought I would share it. I guess seeing and hearing so much going on around us. In our county, city, state, country, and across the globe. It burdens my heart to see so much despair and hardship going on. There is something I want to share with you. Just a verse from God's Word. Let's dig in and check it out.........
 
Bible Verse: 1 Corinthians 15:27"For He hath put all things under His feet. But when He saith all things are put under Him, it is manifest that He is excepted, which did put all things under Him."

 

I pray that this man comes back tonight. I am not done talking to him. We need to show him that we can see past the outside and that is what God does. I am not sure what is going on in your life or where you are spiritually but, maybe you need to read these words again. See, here's the thing. God has given us kingdom authority. Let me break it down for you a little more. In Luke 10:19 Jesus said, "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you". When problems get over your head, and you feel like you can't handle anything else. Remember they are under His feet.

 

The bottom line is, you need not be discouraged when troubles strike. I have had a hard time with that lately. This is really probably for just me and Bob (the man from last night) today. I sit here and think of the path my Savior has walked before me and for me. Dude, He has already won! He has won the victory for me and for you! Do me a favor. I read this once and thought it was cool and the real deal. Write down the hardest thing you have to deal with today or this week. Now, put that paper on the floor. Look down on it. Now you have a small glimpse of what God's sees from His point view. Concerning the problems in our lives. Let them be under our feet. Just a thought for today. Please pray that we can show Bob some more love today! I hope this finds you well. Have a great day and God bless!

Don't count yourself short........

Good morning everyone. Had a blast with the kiddo's last night catching fireflies and fellowshipping with some friends. Ok, I have some questions for you. Do you ever hit bumps in the road? Maybe even road blocks. Do you ever feel like you can't go on? I have talked to some folks over the last few weeks that have had a really rough road that they have been on. Some even thought that they were impassable. I know what I am about to say for some may feel a little empty but, I promise if you let the words sink in and live this way. Things will start changing or at least your outlook on the road  will change. Let's dig into the good stuff and see what it can show us......

Bible Verse: Philippians 3:14"I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

Check this out! One of the #1 things that the devil wants to do or even would love to do is get you distracted or confused. He wants to get you off the course on which God has placed you. Know this, God has something He wants you to do and you had better not exchange the good for the best. Now, this is hard sometimes. We knuckle head humans don't always look at the big picture. Hey, I know I don't. I had to remember this quote. Don't question in the dark what God showed you in the light! Meaning if and when times get tough, don't throw in the towel. Now, in today's verse when it says "press toward the mark" it is looking ahead. Kind of like if you were running a race. You look at a distance or aim way ahead. I love this quote from a cool movie "Aim small......Miss small." We must keep our eyes on the prize. That prize is one day as a born again believer we will get to heaven. But, until we get there we have some work here on earth to do. Some Fatherly work.

My challenge to you today is to find out what God wants you to do and then stand your ground and refuse to be distracted by the devil. Just like Paul said, "This one thing I do!" Pray that God can show you what He wants of you. What He wants you to do. Then do it with all your strength and might for His glory, not your own! Don't count yourself short. Don't think that you can't do something. If you know in your mind and heart then don't let the world come in and distract you. I don't think the word "can't" is in Gods dictionary. Can't never did anything! Today you must say "I can" and "I will"! You can do this! You got this! Have a great day and God bless!

Got Gratefulness??????

Good Friday morning! I have been dealing with a kidney stone again and it is a real pain. Literally! I have to say when it hit me Sunday night I started thinking, why me? I mean there has been a lot of stuff going on in my life lately. I guess I was just getting down a little. Well, I would say a lot down. Then a friend came to help me and took me to the hospital. That helped change my perspective a bit. That's what brings me to today's verse. Let's dig into some of the good stuff and see what it can show us.......

Bible Verse: Philippians 4:6 "Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."

Ok, the fact is, sometimes we complain when we shouldn't. Sometimes we say poor pitiful me when we should be looking up instead of down. I know this sounds crazy when you are the one dealing with it. Dealing with the pain or maybe sadness of losing a loved one. It really got me to thinking. There are people out there who have it way worse that I do. Take for instance a friend of mine that has had dozens for back surgeries for severe curvature of her spine. She can't walk totally upright but, she praises the Lord with all she has. I have set back and watched her raise her hands and praise God for everything He has given her. Boy, it kind of puts things into perspective a little doesn't it. I don't know when I will pass this kidney stone, but I know I will be alright! I guess what I am saying is, "Oh, what an ungrateful spirit I have!" Must look up and not down!

What do you complain about? Maybe your house is too dirty. There are people that would do anything for a home of their own. Do you ever complain about dirty dishes? There are lots of folks in Third World countries that would like to have some dirty dishes. Do you complain when someone uses all the hot water and you have none for your shower? Really? Do you complain when the gas prices goes up to $4.00 a gallon? Some people walk miles and miles to just go to school. Hey listen, the deal is we should be thankful in all things. I know this is hard sometimes but, God knows what is best for us. Let's rejoice in God's blessings in our lives. You may think you don't have any but, I bet you do! Now, let's nip that temptation in the bud to complain and grumble about our lives today. Have a great day and God bless!

Get in, buckle up, and drop the hammer!!!!!!

Good Thursday morning to you! Can we be transparent for a bit? Have you been running on empty for a while. I sat on my back porch this morning with a big ole' cup of coffee and got to thinking. I have been so busy over the last 5 years that I have been running pretty much empty. Well, God showed me something pretty clear this morning. I was putting out more than I was taking in. I realized that for a while I stopped doing my devotions, all my extra reading, and a lot of little things that helped fill my cup. Well, sometimes we think "WE" can do it. Listen guys, He will sustain us if we rely on Him. If we take our time to fill our cups with His holy Word. Then we can pour it out to other as He has commanded us to do. We all deal with life and go through some really bad storms. It is what we do when we are in the midst of them. Let's dig into some of the good stuff and see what it can show us........

 

Bible Verse: Psalm 55:22 "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved."

 

 

Have you guys ever wondered why Jesus sent His disciples into a ship, to go before Him to the other side? This is in Matthew 14:22 if you have not read it before. Now, He had to know that a storm was going to come in shortly after they set sail. Why would He send them right into a really bad storm? Wouldn't it make sense to tell them to wait a few hours until the storm passed?

 

Why did He do this? It was because He wanted them to know that He was enough for them. He wanted them to worship Him. I promise you that your storm is nothing but a superhighway to bring you closer to Jesus. It is a vehicle or a way to bring you from head knowledge to heart knowledge and an understanding that God is who He says He is! So get in, buckle up, and drop the hammer!

 

 

It was once said "If I never had a problem, I would never know that God could solve them. And I would never know what faith in His Word could do." When a storm comes your way. And it will. Look up and see through through all the bad stuff and see Jesus walking toward you with His hand out to help you. Have faith. I pray this finds you well and growing closer to God. Have a great day, God bless, and I love you.

Let's not sugar coat.........

Good morning everyone! I have had a rough last couple of days. I have another kidney stone. So, the doctor gave me some meds and sent me home to hopefully pass it. That being said, I have had a ton of time to sit and think. Yesterday I was thinking about something and I would like to share it with you. Remember, I usually don't sugar coat things! Do you go to church? What kind of a member are you? Are you a member? If not, Why? Let's dig into some good stuff and see what it shows us.........

Bible Verse: Ezekiel 36:27-28 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God.

First, I must tell you that I have been visiting a new church. Well, it is a church that I attended 5 years ago but, it is very new to me. See, it has changed a lot since I was there before. Ok, I have heard people say I don't believe in organized religion. Well, I agree I don't like religion myself. But, I love being a part of a body of believers. A small part of that is making a difference for God. Let me ask you this. What if there was a congregation in which every member was just like you. Each one helped and supported every church program just the way you have been doing. Everyone worked as hard and attended the same services and church stuff as you do. The leaders, helpers, and the preachers were all as interested in the church as you are at this time. They put the same emphasis on their recreation, business, and other material stuff that you do. Each member gave to the church as you are giving. Within a year or so, what would this congregation look like?

Hey listen, I have to be real with ya. This scares me for the future of the world. There are so many out there that need the church to be the church! We must remember we are the church. We are the body of believers. Let's take the church to a new level. Let's be difference makers. I pray you have a great day and God bless.

 

 

You can swim in the deep end.........

Good morning everyone! Yesterday I picked the kids up and got a cooler packed, their swimsuits on, and got them all sun screened up and we headed for the boat to spend a late afternoon on the lake. We had some friends join us and headed down river to find and good swimming spot for the kids. Well, two things happened when we got to where we were going. First, it was very shallow so I trimmed the motor way up and was trying to get in close to anchor. All of the sudden a loud beeping noise started coming from the boat. I shut it off and went to trying to figure it out. I looked for a while and couldn't figure it out. Now, this being my new boat and me being me. I should have been freaking out. I must tell you, I wasn't. I was really pretty calm about it and wasn't worried or scared at all. Just turned it off and threw the anchor out for the kids to swim. Next, Luke finally gets in the water and he is attached to my hip. He is scared to let go of me and is kind of whinny. I stopped and looked him in the eye with my best dad/loving look and told him he had nothing to be afraid of. The his daddy was right there and would never let anything happen to him. Then I also explained how his life jacket would keep him from sinking. It wasn't long and Luke let go of my hand and went from right next to me to swimming twenty yards away. Luke told me later "Dad, I can swim in the deep end now!" 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 the water or of something messing up. 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 know I have used this scripture a couple times lately. But, I feel it is pretty relevant again. Ok, 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 38, 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. It would make us worry less. 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 or worries and then write next to each of them, "God is bigger." Wait, write "My, God is bigger!" Don't just write the words, believe them! I pray you have a great day and God bless!

   

Hot breath on a mirror..........

Good morning! What is time to you? This morning when I got home from work I stopped in the kitchen and looked out at the back porch. I got a cup of coffee and again went out on the porch to do a little studying. As I sat there and read, everything seem to come alive out there. I didn't hear it all at once. But, little by little more sounds started to fill my ears. It made me realize again today that we rush through life so fast sometimes that we don't stop to listen or enjoy the sounds and smells. We don't get days back, they are here and gone. That brings me to today's Bible verse. Let's dig into the good stuff and see what it shows us..........

Bible verse: Psalm 144:4 Man is like a breath, His days are like a passing shadow.

I have talked about this a lot over the years. What is a breath? One minute we have it, then we let it out and it is gone. I think David is saying in this psalm, not to waste any piece of or lives, to let God be in every minute. Have you ever put hot breath onto a window? It will leave its mark, but for a brief moment. Then it will fade away. Is that how we are in this world? I guess what I am trying to get at is.......Seize the day! Take chances! Never leave something unsaid that should be said. Open your heart up.

Do we have plans for our lives? What will be doing in ten years, one year, or even tomorrow? Are they all planned out? Is God at the center of those plans? Do you pray about them? Sometimes our lives seem to be spinning out of control. Are they? Is God trying to show us something? I remember a conversation about a week ago with my daughter Joslyn. She was telling me something and I told her "You're getting the cart in front of the horse!" Well, she said "Dad, why don't you just take the cart off the horse and ride the horse!" The more I have thought about that the more I smile. Maybe our plans are right and maybe they're not. Or just maybe we might miss Gods' plan because we are not willing to just ride the horse. I think we get so caught up in our own lives or even listening to others that we forget the big picture. I have said before that we should slow down and listen. God will tell us all we need to know. We just have to LISTEN.

In the book of James 4:14 James writes, Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that. I must ask you a question. Is God the center of our plans? Do we let him guide or shape our future? Or do you do what you want and hope God can fit in there somewhere? Think about it. Have a great day and God bless!

Ponder on this........Faith is not believing that God can. It is knowing that God will......

Cash and Cadillac's...........

 

Good morning friends. I got off work this morning and put some coffee on and sat on the back porch again today for a bit. I guess I have been trying to slow down some lately. Seems I am always on the go. I just sat there and listened to the birds singing like there was no tomorrow. I glanced up from reading and there stood three deer about ten feet past my fence. I watched them I saw peace in the way they walked and grazed in the yard. Like there was no care in the world but to fill their bellies. Let's talk about worries and storms today. The trials and tribulations. Let's dig into the good stuff and see what God can show us together..........

Bible Verse: Psalm 107:23-30 "...see the works of the LORD, and His wonders in the deep. For He commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof...Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and He bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still...so He bringeth them unto their desired haven."

This might be hard to hear but, it is God who is the master of the winds and the waves. He is able to cause storms in life to come or to calm them. Our problem is that most think if we're in the will of God, we'll always sail smoothly on this sea of life. Really? We think we'll have no sickness, no sorrow, no disappointment, know no heartache. That there will be no problems in our family. Wait you've seen the guy's on TV say, "You just believe God and send me an offering of $100, and you'll never be sick. Everything will be fine." If that was the case I would send my $100 every week! Some call this "The Cash and Cadillacs Gospel". I've got a word for that "baloney!"

Here's the thing, we are going to have difficulty. And the first thing you can say when difficulty comes is that God's reigns is over it all. “Now God's plan is not to break you, God's plan is to enlarge you. To enlarge your faith. To get you to lean more on Him and less on yourself. In Psalm 4:1 God's Word say’s “Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress."

Alright, let's break this down barney style. If you have been a Christian for very long I have a question for you. When did you grow the most? When everything was fine? When there was smooth sailing? Or when the storms came? Did you not grow more in the storm, in distress, when you felt your ship was sinking? Did you look back later and see how God brought you through the storm or maybe provided refuge? Did you come out after the storm stronger than when you went in? Did the fires of affliction help purify you and little more? I pray that if you are in a storm right now or know you are going into one that you take refuge in the Lord and realize that He is your Hightower! Now, come out of this storm a stronger you! Have a great day and God bless.

While in the darkness......Focus on the light!

Good morning. I sat out on my back porch this morning with a big cup of coffee and my Bible and read for a while. I got to thinking about some people that have been in my life that are having a rough week. One of them lost their job yesterday and one with have their last day this Friday. Both are single parents and my heart is so heavy for them. The thought of being uncertain of what's around the corner is pretty scary. Kind of like when I was a teenager we would walk through a long train tunnel. We would enter into that dark train tunnel and have this feeling of not being sure if we would make it all the way through before the train came. I remember being in total darkness and when I finally saw the light from the exit I would know everything was going to be ok. I am writing this for those two people but, I would dare say there are many others that are struggling with something like this right now too. Let's dig into the good stuff and see what God can show us........

 

Bible Verse: 1 John 4:4 "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world."

Ok, this is hard for us to understand when we are in the valley. The One who created the valley is there with us! He has prepared the way through the valley. It is not a permanent place, but a place that we must make our way through. Hey listen, He knows every twist and turn, every changing shadow, every pitfall! You have to believe and know that He is with you! He won't leave you nor forsake you.

Now, here comes the hard part. You have to focus on the light and not the darkness. God has made us to walk through shadows. When the shadow approaches, you must just keep walking. I remember when I was in Navy Diver School and the PT got so hard I wanted to just ring out and quit. I thought I couldn't go on. I just kept running and kept my eyes looking toward the horizon. We must remember the One greater than death is in us! He is ever present. His grace is greater. His peace is purer. His devotion is dearer. Satan is going to try and cast some major shadows on you right now. Remember Philippians 4:13 and call on the Lord for strength. Have a great day and God bless.

 

 

 

Stretched out??????

Good afternoon. Just had a great visit with one of my first youth I was ever blessed with. His name is Quinn Sosa and I have seen this young man grow spiritually and how God has molded him into an amazing worship leader. Quinn led worship for me for years and now is traveling to different churches or events leading worship for them as well as assisting worship at the church he now attends. We were able to share our hearts and what was going on in our lives. While we spoke prayer came up. Prayer has been on my mind a lot lately. To be exact my prayer life is what has been on my mind. I must say that it isn't what it was nor is it what it should be. Why is it that we forget to pray when we are on the mountain top? We should totally be praying and praising then. Maybe more so than when we are in the valleys. Let's dig into the good stuff and see what we can learn together.........

Bible Verse: James 5:16 "... The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

Ok, two words there. These words, effectual and fervent, literally mean "stretched out." Think of a horse jumping over a barricade, really stretched out as he leaps over. Or it's like Usain Bolt running for the gold at the Olympics, and he bursts for the tape and stretches himself out for the goal. See, James is saying that's the way we are to pray. Our prayers are to be on fire! They're to be stretched out, and I don't mean stretched out on your bed half asleep. We are to be striving for the goal. We're to be eager, earnest, fervent, and impassioned in our prayers. I have to tell you that after Quinn left, I knew I needed to get in the prayer closet. I needed to ask God to forgive me for my cold, lukewarm, just cause, take-it-or-leave-it type of prayers. What do we expect from Him when we pray that way? When we give without sacrifice. When we pray without fasting, without tears, is it any wonder we don't see results?

God has convicted my heart today. I will be reading the book of James tonight! I've bowed my head and asked God to forgive my cold, lukewarm, indifferent prayers. That I may I learn how to pray effectually and fervently! I think God looks at the intensity of the asking. That's the kind of prayer that brings results. Can you read James with me. I will tell ya that I have been reading a lot lately and it can and will help you with whatever battle or struggle you are in. Have a great day and God bless.

 

Don't hit it!!!!!!!

Good morning! Had an awesome day yesterday with my kiddo's. We had a nice lunch, saw a cool movie, and finished the day off with church. Then came last night, I had a pretty sleepless night. My mind seemed to be in turmoil. It was going 100 mph and appeared out of control. I was up numerous times and just laid there in the dark. I would drift back off and then I was up again. I finally realized at 5:17am that I was thinking how I could solve my issues. Well, I must say I have talked a big game at times about relying on God and now look at me. These words kept popping into my head "Ye of little faith". I think sometimes things are supposed to be uncertain. If that wasn't the case, why would we need faith? Let's dig into a couple verses and let them sink in today.......

Bible Verse: Psalm 103:7 "He made known His ways unto Moses, His acts unto the children of Israel."

Bible Verse: Psalm 37:7 "Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him ..."

Ok, now check this out. Peter and James were both put in prison for preaching the gospel. But James had his head cut off while Peter was delivered miraculously out of the same prison. Did God love Peter more than he loved James? I'm sure you have seen someone else get out of something and another get caught right? Next, seems Peter again gets lucky. Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost. He stood up for the Lord Jesus Christ, and 3,000 souls were saved in Acts 2. But then poor Stephen preached, and he got 3,000 stones. They stoned him to death in Acts 7:59. What's up with that? Got your mind wondering?

If all you see are the works of God, you're going to be really confused.  If you don't have a deeper insight into the ways of God, you're going to be pushing the panic button all the time. Here is the bottom line. You will never be able to rest until you know God intimately and to know God intimately is the way to have inner peace. To know God intimately begins with two things. Time in His Word and time in prayer. You can know God intimately by direct dealing with God. Hey listen, talk to Him. Here comes some reality! You can also lose that inner peace if you aren't seeking Him actively. You can't know anyone that you don't spend time with. Have a great day and God bless.

What do we see???????

Good morning! Happy Wednesday! This morning I again was woke up by my neighbor’s dog barking at a little after 6am. As I lay in bed and got angrier and angrier, God laid some stuff on my heart and it worked. I woke up in a warm bed with a roof over my head. I have food in my cabinets. My children are sound asleep and healthy in their beds. I have a good job. I have some people in my life that truly love me. Yeah, sure my life has had some pretty crappy times here of late but, really! I guess what I am trying to say is that I was humbled right there in my bed! Let's dig into some of the good stuff and see what it can show us...........

Bible Verse: 2 Corinthians 4:17 "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all."

In 2 Corinthians 11:23-29 listen to how Paul describes some of his "light and momentary" troubles later in this same letter to the Christians in Corinth

"I have . . . been flogged . . . severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea."

"I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers."

"I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?"

I don't know what you are going through or have been through. But, think about Paul. I mean what kind of eternal glory could possibly outweigh troubles like that? I don't think our troubles are anywhere close. But, maybe they are. Hey, let me tell you something that I have realized lately. Sometimes the trials and troubles that we go through in life are for more than one reason. Maybe they are to open our eyes. Maybe they are to humble us. Maybe we go through them so that we will appreciate something good even more. That we will cherish the good times with all our hearts. Maybe so that we will see things differently. Maybe you can't travel the bridge of success without crossing the streets of failure. These are just a few of the things that are on my mind. 

Hey listen! I can truly say that I have thanked god lately for some of my hardships. I know that sounds totally crazy. Can you thank God that your troubles? Whatever they are, remember they only last for just a moment when compared with eternity in heaven. Try this make a quick list of some of your own light and momentary troubles. Now compare them with the "eternal glory" you will receive. Does that change your outlook on your problems? It sure did mine. Have a great day and God bless.

Never enough..........

What's up everyone? Did you have a good weekend? Today I would like to talk about something that cause relationships to fall apart, friendships to crumble, and people to lose control. I want to talk about $$$$$! Yep, let's talk about money and what it does to us. To be honest, I hadn't really stressed about it until recently. I always had an emergency fund for just in case and could always just work a couple extra days of overtime if needed. Well, I have caught myself getting way too focused on the dollar bills lately and need to put all that in check. Let's dig into the good stuff and see what it can show us..........

Bible Verse: Ecclesiastes 5:10 "Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless."

Does it seem like the whole world is crying or cheering or worrying about money these days? Today I want to talk about being broke and being rich and loving money and how worthless money is and why it's a trap and a gift from God. Money is complicated.

So, what is Solomon's financial advice from Ecclesiastes 5. Not only was he super wise, David's son was also loaded. He had money and wisdom to burn. So his words should be worth hearing.

His first observation was people with an appetite for money never get full. They never say, "No, I couldn't possibly take another dollar. Where would I put it? How could I hide it?" One way that money fails as a life goal, Solomon wrote, is that it doesn't have a finish line. You can never win the race. You can never stop running. You can never satisfy your hunger for it. I know guys at work that get caught in the trap of working overtime every possible day. Next thing they know they get used to those big paychecks. We call them "The seven day" checks. Then, their family gets used to them too! They look back and they have missed so much family time, ball games, birthdays, family outings, and so much more. All for the big check! Well, they say "I just want to pay stuff off"! Then, they end up buying something else. Do you see the never ending cycle?

Now, let's be honest lots of people who hear this verse don't believe it. They think they could be satisfied if they just had "x" number of dollars. How much money do you think it would take to make you satisfied with your life? Don't be dumb and answer that! Even people who win the lottery say that their problems got worse with all the money!

How about we thank God for revealing to us through His Word that no amount of dollars will ever make a money-lover happy. Ask Him to help you not to love money. Now check this out! Take a notice in your real life and media life this week how many conversations have to do with loving and/or desperately needing money. I think it will blow you away. Have a great day and God bless!