The Calling

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T11:56:00.002-05:00

“As I look back over fifty years of ministry, I recall innumerable tests, trials and times of crushing pain. But through it all, the Lord has proven faithful, loving, and totally true to all his promises.” -David Wilkerson“In Everything Give Thanks”.A verse so familiar we recite it almost without thinking as an encouragement to one another in our everyday walk.However, like a woodman’s axe, the reality of life has a way of splitting “everything” into opposing halves.Good and bad.Pleasure and pain.Joys and sorrow.The front half of the “everything” is easy. Thankful for the birth of a child. For great health. Family. A good job.The backside of the “everything” is more difficult. The death of a loved one. Cancer. Divorce. A job lost. The empty chair at the head of the table from which dad said the Thanksgiving prayer just last year.It’s hard to get our hearts and emotions around thanking God for the dark days, for pain, or overwhelming loss.What’s interesting is that our Father does not ask us to. He asks us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 to be thankful “in” the midst of those things.Consider the life of Jeremiah. His autobiography recorded in Lamentations chapter 3 paints a dismal portrait of his journey.Affliction. Darkness. Flesh wasting away. Broken bones. Bitterness. Hardship. Chains. Crooked paths. Bears. Lions. Arrows. Mocking. Rejection.Reflecting on all of this, Jeremiah bemoans, “I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me.” (Lamentations 3:20 NIV)Too often, the tapestries of our own lives have the same threads woven through them.But, in the midst of despair — Hope always emerges. Jeremiah calls to mind an eternal truth upon which all thanksgiving has its foundation… “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end.” (vs. 22 ESV)Every trial that enters your life comes through the doorway of the steadfast love of the Lord. It involves love that emanates from an eternally wise Father. “It is He who made the earth by His power, who established the world by His wisdom…” (Jeremiah 10:12 ESV) Isaiah adds that the Lord of Hosts is “wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom” (Isaiah 28:29 ESV)God is infinitely wise. His steadfast love endures forever. Separate truths…which are inseparable.And they are truths that transform trials into thanksgiving.When life is not the way it is supposed to be…when the wheels come off…when looking up is the only choice you have, because you are flat on your back…be thankful.Be thankful that God is infinitely wise. Be thankful that His steadfast love never ceases and endures forever.In the midst of everything — give thanks. It will turn your life around.And your Thanksgiving.Source: AACC

Excellence

2011-10-13T15:16:00.000-04:00

“Losing a game is heartbreaking. Losing your sense of excellence… is a tragedy” -Joe Paterno

At the start of the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, N.Y., the U.S. hockey team was little more than an afterthought. The Soviets were seeded No. 1, and deservedly so. They had won five gold medals and one bronze in the previous six Olympics. The U.S. team was seeded seventh. The Soviets unleashed 30 shots in the first two periods to the United States’ 10. One dramatic save after another by goaltender Jim Craig kept the U.S. team close. Mark Johnson scored with one second remaining in the first period to tie it at 2 all, but the Soviets led 3-2 after two periods. Team member John Harrington was quoted later as saying, “We’d played 40 minutes, they were just one ahead, but we were younger. We wanted to take it to ‘em!“

Johnson tied it again 8:39 into the third period. At the 10 minute mark, Mike Eruzione, team captain, took Harrington’s pass from the corner and unleashed a shot past a Russian defenseman and through the goalie into the net. The explosion of cheers was deafening, and most of the 10,000 fans began a chant of “USA! USA!” that did not end for the final 10 minutes. At the final buzzer, against seemingly insurmountable odds, the U.S. team was victorious. After the game, coach Herb Brooks pulled a yellow card from his pocket with the scrawled message on it that he had read to his team just before the game:

“You were born to be a player. You were meant to be here.”

What’s interesting is that the U.S. team was not playing to win the gold medal. That game was two days later (which they won). They were simply putting it all on the line against the best team they had ever played. If you have ever seen the movie “Miracle”, you will remember the portrayal of young men with unyielding determination to excel, to be excellent, to be the best they could be.

Our faith-walk is no different. The Apostle Paul says, that like an Olympian runner, we are to strive in life to “press (earnestly endeavor to acquire) on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phillipians 3:14 ESV)

Consider these other verses of challenge in your journey to excellence:

“Whatever you hand finds to do, do it with all your might…” Ecclesiastes 9:10 (NASB)

“But as you excel in everything — in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you…” 2 Corinthians 8:7 (ESV)

“And he (Jesus) said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and will all your soul and with all your mind.’” Matthew 22:37 (ESV)

In 1 Corinthians 15:58, Paul admonishes the church in Corinth to be “always abounding in the work of the Lord” (ESV). The word translated “abounding” (perisseuo) literally means outstanding… doing over and above… excelling.

No matter what, do your best. Be your best. Strive for excellence. Excel!! And always keep your heart and mind centered on Him. It will turn your life around!

Source: AACC

Bounce Back

2011-09-26T19:34:00.000-04:00

To “bounce” means the ability to fight through an issue, to be resilient, to be able to stabilize after adversity. To recover and to thrive.

In 2009 Rick Hoyt completed the Boston Marathon. This race was officially his 1000th race. Since 1977, Rick has competed in marathons, duathlons, and triathlons (6 of them being Ironman competitions). In 1992 Rick “ran” 3,735 miles in 45 days. Coast-to-coast. Rick was born in 1962 to Dick and Judy Hoyt. As a result of oxygen deprivation to Rick’s brain at the time of his birth, Rick was diagnosed as a spastic quadriplegic with cerebral palsy. He would never walk or communicate as we do. He would never be “normal”. His life would be lived in a wheelchair. In 1977, through the use of a special computer, Rick “told” his father that he wanted to participate in a 5-mile benefit run for a Lacrosse player who had been paralyzed in an accident. Not being a long-distance runner, Dick agreed to push Rick in his wheelchair. They finished all 5 miles, coming in next to last. “Team Hoyt” rose up from seemingly insurmountable odds and adversity. That’s “Bounce”!

When life simply isn’t fair. Filled with sickness… debt… or abandonment…

When the walls are pressing in… and you don’t even know your own name.

When you feel like you can’t breathe — or see. And there is absolutely nothing you can do.

When life isn’t the way it is supposed to be…

CONSIDER THIS:

He understands. The writer of Hebrews reminds us that “…we do not have a high priest (Jesus the Son of God) who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses (frailty — feebleness — sickness — infirmities — troubles), but one who in every respect has been tempted (the trying and testing of our faith, virtue and character) as we are …” (4:14 ESV) He’s been there. He goes before you… and with you!

He will strengthen you. “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace… will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” (1Peter 5:10 ESV)

Bounce back!

Put the devil on notice in your life… It’s time to get your dreams back… Get your family back… Get your marriage back… Get your anointing back… Get your strength back… Get your step back… Get your confidence back… Get your fight back!

Claim the life changing principle in Genesis 50:20. What satan, or even other people in your life, meant for evil, God can turn it for your good.

“You are from God and have overcome them, for He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4 ESV)

Bounce back! It just might turn your life around.

Source: AACC

‘Thank You’

2011-09-20T22:09:00.002-04:00

“We need deliberately to call to mind the joys of our journey. Perhaps we should try to write down the blessings of one day. We might begin; we could never end; there are not pens or paper enough in all the world.” -George A. Buttrick

It has been said that the most powerful prayer in the world is just two words long: “Thank You”.

When the worries and fears of life suddenly show up at our doorstep, we pray we ask God for help. Most of us quote the Apostle Paul — “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication…”(Phillipians 4:6). What’s interesting is that the verse continues with these words “…with thanksgiving”. But, when life is not the way it is supposed to be when nothing makes sense when the light at the end of the tunnel is a train coming your way how do you pray “thank you”? I have found reflecting on these scriptures to be a wonderful help:

“When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.” (Psalm 34:17 ESV)

“…come into His presence with thanksgiving…” (Psalm 95:2 ESV)

“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” (Jeremiah 33:3 ESV)

“Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving…” (Psalm 147:7 ESV)

Praying when you are burdened, and adding “thank you” is a conscious choice. It’s about choosing to put “life” in perspective, especially when I am troubled and anxious. When you pray, add a “P.S.” an “attitude of gratitude”. While you may not understand everything right now, tell God “Thank you” for being there… “Thank you” for your steadfast love… “Thank you” that I can trust your heart even though I don’t understand… “Thank you” for your grace… “Thank you” for… you fill in the blank.

Pray? Of course. Ask God for help? Yes. But be sure to add “Thank You”. It just might turn your prayers and your life around.

Source: AACC,

Don’t Be So Jammed Up!

2011-09-16T19:12:00.000-04:00

Economic unrest. Job loss. Illness. Wars. The deaths of precious lives.Uncertainty of the future.Panic. Fear. Anxiety. Worry. These must have also been issues in Jesus’ day. Five times in Matthew chapter 6 He uses the expression, “Take no thought”. (vs. 25-34 KJV) “No thought” for… our lives… for what we will eat… what we will drink. Even about what we will wear. The original Greek meaning behind this phrase does not mean mindless existence. Proverbs 21:5 teaches us that “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance…” (ESV) It’s important to plan. This phrase, “take no thought” would better be interpreted as do not be anxious or worried to the point of “fretting”. Jesus then uses a simple and yet profound example. The “birds of the air”. They do not sow seeds. They don’t reap a harvest. Neither do they “store up” for the future. And yet, “your heavenly Father feeds them.” (vs. 26 ESV)

So what is Jesus really teaching us? In verse 32 we are reminded that our heavenly Father knows that we have a need for food and clothing. Then he brings it all together in vs. 33 — “But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (ESV) Rather than seeking our “day to day” needs out of a sense of desperation, Jesus is admonishing us to seek Godly attributes first and foremost.

Relax. Allow faith in your heavenly Father to replace fear and fretting. No matter what, trust in His goodness. Let him calm your troubled spirit. Consider the birds of the air. It just might turn your life around.

Source: AACC

When You Praise Him

2011-08-26T12:52:00.000-04:00

God loves it when we “praise” Him. Psalm 22:3 portrays a picture of “God inhabiting the praises of His people”. The Hebrew essence of “inhabited” is a depiction of the Lord sitting down and dwelling. Our praises are so precious to Him that He stops and abides with us in the very midst of our praise. Think about that. The word “praise” occurs nearly 300 times in scripture. Interestingly, a vast majority of those references are in The Psalms, including:

Psalm 9:2 “I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.” ESV

Psalm 22:22 “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will raise you.” ESV

Psalm 22:23 “You who fear the LORD, praise Him…glorify Him…stand in awe of Him…” ESV

Psalm 33:1 “Shout for joy in the LORD, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright.” ESV

Psalm 40:3 “He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.” ESV

Psalm 113:1 “Praise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD!” ESV

Are the waters deep? Are you lonely? Discouraged? Do you find yourself even doubting whether or not God hears your prayers or cares about your troubles? Every time you try to “look on the bright side” is a dark future all you see? Maybe it’s time to praise Him and ask Him to come and dwell in your life.

When it begins to rain in your life, praise Him. When you can’t breathe, praise him. He is in the midst of it all. The chorus of one of my favorite Casting Crowns songs says, “And I’ll praise you in this storm — and I will lift my hands — for You are who You are — no matter where I am…” You may not sing your troubles away, but I’ll bet you feel the presence of One who sticks closer than a brother. And I promise you that when He “inhabits your praise” it will turn your life around.

Source:AACC

Laugh Again

2011-08-25T15:01:00.000-04:00

Kids smile an average of 45 times an hour, and they will “belly laugh” 1 time every 7.5 minutes. By the time we become an adult that drops to 15 times a day. In hospitals it is nearly 0. When was the last time you had a good laugh? The popular saying, “Laughter is the best medicine” is not actually a bible quote. However, the concept comes directly out of the book of Proverbs:“A happy heart is good medicine, and a cheerful mind works healing…” (17:22 Amplified Bible)

The focus of this verse is inward, on a happy heart. The function of the verse is outward, working healing. What’s interesting is that the word translated “medicine” in this verse, literally means the “removal of a bandage, the healing of a wound.” (Strong’s Concordance)

Dr. Thomas Sydenham, a seventeenth-century physician, claimed that “The arrival of a good clown exercises more beneficial influence upon the health of a town than of twenty mules laden with drugs.”

Determine to let your thoughts and attitudes reflect the “joy of the Lord”. He is in control and His love toward us is steadfast. A cheerful disposition out of the overflow of our heart also, will often bring healing to those we come into contact with. Stop living with your head hung down, focusing on the negative, and being a joy sucker. And get away from those who are. The results of such living is a “drying up the bones” (Proverbs 17:22b).

An old Sunday school chorus goes, “If you’re happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it, No matter what, smile! Laugh again. Laugh often. Bring back the joy. It’s ‘a medicine’ that will turn your life around.

Source:AACC, Strong's Concordance

Why can’t we all just get along?

2011-08-24T12:42:00.000-04:00

“Behold, how good and pleasant it is
when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the LORD has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.” Psalm 133:1-3 (ESV)

Bickering,backbiting, selfishness, grudges, fighting over things that don’t matter with family and friends, even in the church!

Disagreements happen. Arguments are inevitable. But our calling from God is to oneness to unity with brothers and sisters in the Lord. Perhaps that is why David penned Psalm 133 for his many sons, to instruct them and encourage them to dwell together in harmony. His admonition goes beyond simply not quarreling, to a much deeper depth of relationship, delighting in one another.

The precious holy oil used in anointing that David references, was strongly perfumed. The fragrance would have been pleasant and refreshing to everyone nearby. In the same way, the aroma of getting along with, and honoring, other Christian brothers and sisters, brings joyful blessing to those who see our love for one another.

It is interesting that when Jesus prayed for us in His great High Priestly prayer in John 17, He acknowledged that the world would hate those who trust and believe in Him. The clear message is that life would be hard, even battling the “evil one”. But in verse 21, He asks His Father that “they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (ESV) Jesus understood that unity among His children would be a reality that convinces the unbelieving world of who He truly is, the Son of God.

Pastor A. T. Pierson (1837-1911) wrote, “To a true child of God, the invisible bond that unites all believers to Christ is far more tender, and lasting and precious; and as we come to recognize and realize that we are all dwelling in one sphere of life in Him, we learn to look on every believer as our brother, in a sense that is infinitely higher than all human relationships. This is the one and only way to bring disciples permanently together. All other plans for promoting the unity of the Church have failed.”

Difference in backgrounds and personality dictate that we simply will not get along with everyone. That will happen. However, as the Apostle Paul addresses this in Romans 12:18 “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” (ESV) Press through the hard times with one another. God will give you windows of relationship restoration. Watch for them and, “as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Galatians 6:10 (ESV) Unity — it just might turn your life around.

Source:AACC

Do you want to be healed?

2011-08-22T14:35:00.000-04:00

38 years in a bed. Next to a pool. Sounds relaxing doesn’t it? But as we read on, the story says the man was alone and horribly crippled. Probably twisted feet, pencil thin legs and atrophied muscles barely covered by a thin blanket. Why? Because this was the pool of Bethesda near the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem. There was something miraculous about this pool. Periodically the water stirred, and the first one into it was instantly healed.

Suddenly a commotion just inside the gate caused everyone to turn and look. A Man, followed by a large crowd, walked through one of five alcoves. With humble determination, He moved to the crippled man’s side. Whispers filled the air. “Is it Him?” some ask. Every ear strains to hear what He might say as He kneels tenderly next to the man. And then, with a quiet strong voice full of power and grace, He asked, “Do you want to be healed?”

The broken man feebly hangs his head and utters an interesting reply, “Sir, when the water is stirred, I don’t have anybody to put me in the pool. By the time I get there, somebody else is already in.” His answer only goes to affirm the depths of his hopelessness. Not “yes” or even “no”. Just discouragement and despair.

Even more interesting is the edict He gives in response. “Get up, take your bedroll, start walking.” The man was healed on the spot. He picked up his bedroll and walked off. (John 5:1-9 MSG). Jesus asked him: Do you want to be healed? Each of us, at some point in our lives, have heard Him ask us the same question. Whether it’s physically, emotionally, relationally, or spiritually. Too often, we answer with the same timidity he did. Our pain is too deep. The hurt has been lodged in our heart for way too long. The doctors have tried everything. Hopelessness fills our souls. When you really think about it, healing starts with a choice. And it is always for His glory.

Meditate on these words. Treasure them up and ponder them in your heart:

“But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5 ESV)

“O LORD, my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.” (Psalm 30:2 ESV)

“Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise.” (Jeremiah 17:14 ESV)

“And many followed Him. And He healed them all.” (Matthew 12:15 ESV)

“He himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24 ESV)

“Do you want to be healed?” The next time He asks you that heartfelt question, reflect on these verses before you answer. And yes, He is always waiting and willing to turn our lives around.

Source:AACC

The Sneeze

2011-07-21T13:41:00.000-04:00

When we hear someone sneeze, the first thing that comes out of our mouths is "God Bless You", I mean that seems to be ingrained in us, it seems to be an automatic response, but the question is; when did we started doing this and why?

What’s interesting is that the custom of saying “God bless you” after a sneeze began literally as a blessing. Pope Gregory the Great (540-604 AD) ascended to the Papacy just in time for the start of the bubonic plague (his successor Pope Pelagius II succumbed to it). Gregory called for unceasing prayer from the people for God’s help and intercession. Groups of people marched through the streets chanting, “Kyrie Eleison” (Greek for “Lord have mercy”). When someone sneezed, an immediate “God bless you!” followed from anyone nearby, in the hope that they would not subsequently develop the deadly plague. While we often use this phrase out of habit, these desperate people trusted that God would hear, and the blessing of health and protection would follow.

The history of this common phrase magnifies the meaning of Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue…” (ESV) The words we say matter. More than we realize. Maybe our communication would change if we truly understood that the words we speak either have life breathed into them or death.

James takes this fundamental principle to a much deeper level. He acknowledges that “With it (the tongue) we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing.” (3:9-10 ESV) Granted. But then he strongly reprimands the readers with, “My brothers, these things ought not to be so.” (vs. 10 ESV) James then gives vivid examples from nature to support his reproof. A spring of water does not simultaneously produce fresh water and salt water. A fig tree does not produce olives. Grapevines don’t grow figs. A salt water pond does not contain fresh water. (vs. 11-12)

Relationships are not perfect. Harsh words are sometimes spoken. Tempers flare and painful, even hurtful things are said. In writing to the Christians in Asia Minor, Peter encouraged them in this way “…be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless — that’s your job, to bless. You’ll be a blessing, and also get a blessing.” (1 Peter 3:8-9 The Message)

The next time you hear a sneeze and reply with “God bless you”, let it serve as a reminder that the power of life and death is in what we “say” or “don’t say” to others! It might turn your life or someone else’s around.

Source: AACC

Practice

2011-07-21T13:27:00.000-04:00

It’s been said, “Practice makes perfect”. That is not necessarily true. Practice makes permanent. Do it over and over again incorrectly, and you have simply developed a bad habit. “Perfect practice makes perfect”. It takes a lot of sacrifice blood, sweat and guts to achieve excellence to separate yourself. The Apostle Paul understood that this same degree of intensity was necessary to reach a level of “spiritual” excellence. In his letter to young Timothy, Paul urges him to “… train yourself for godliness.” (1 Timothy 4:7 ESV) It’s interesting that the Greek word for “train” is gymnazo, from which we get the word gymnasium, and it means to exercise vigorously. Strenuous spiritual exercise in order to produce godliness. Paul goes on to say, “…godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” (vs. 8 ESV)

Promise for the life to come but also for this present life. Too often in this world, our spiritual lives are lethargic and weak. Maybe our lack of power as Christians is simply spiritual inactivity. Maybe we need to get our fight back. Get back in the Word. Seek spiritual excellence in prayer. Inspiration comes by perspiration. Paul must have known that there would be a tendency for Timothy to be lackadaisical in his day-to-day journey. He reminded him, “Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you…” (1 Timothy 4:14 NAS)… “For to this end we toil and strive…” (vs. 10 ESV)… “Practice these things… immerse yourself in them…” (vs. 10)

Spiritual determination. Sacred vigorous exercise. Daily devotional discipline. Who knows you just might get yourself out of a mess and turn your life around.

Source: AACC

A Letter Just for Dad

2011-06-14T14:59:00.000-04:00

To send a letter is a good way to move somewhere without moving anything but your heart. -Phyllis Theroux

“Honor your father…” Eph 6:2

In The Little Red Book of Wisdom’s revised addition, Mark DeMoss laments the lost art of letter writing and states, “Where letter writing is practiced, some letters leave indelible prints on hearts and souls.”

There is something incredibly powerful in written words. Perhaps that is why the words “write” or “written” are used over 300 times in the (written by the way) Bible. The Ten Commandments were written on stone tablets by the finger of God. (Exodus 31:18 ESV) After commanding Israel to keep His statutes to teach them to their children to talk about them to keep them on their hearts to bind them to their hands, He then said, “write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” (Deuteronomy 6:9 ESV) Writing His words down gave them added value.

I love what the Apostle John expresses in 1 John 5:13 “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.” (ESV)

As a way to express our affection, and to give honor to Dad, over 102 million cards will be given this Father’s Day. Each one will have a wonderful rhyming poem or lyric printed inside, with too often, only a simple signature added at the bottom. This year, try something different. Write your dad a note. Express your heartfelt feelings. It may take some time, but it is a beautiful way to convey honor to your father. You may have been hurt or wounded by your father. A note of forgiveness will build a bridge over the pain and bring healing. Perhaps your father has passed on. Write him a note anyway. You will be amazed how personal and close just the act of writing will make you feel. If your dad is still living, and it is at all possible, deliver it to him in person. It just might turn his Father’s Day around.

Source: AACC

Remember

2011-06-02T14:02:00.000-04:00

Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose. -From the television show The Wonder Years.

Flowers, flags, parades and picnics. This past weekend we remembered. Memorial Day is time of remembering the more than 3.9 million men and women who have bravely given the ultimate sacrifice to guarantee our freedom, their lives. It is a day where “We come, not to mourn our dead soldiers, but to praise them". -Francis A. Walker

We were created with an amazing capacity to remember. Sometimes our memories haunt us. They are painful and filled with hurts that require a journey of deep healing. Often the healing is mostly about changing our focus from grievous experiences to the faithfulness of God. Paul challenges us to think often about, and remember, the good things. “…whatever is true… honorable… just… pure… lovely… commendable… think about these things.” (Philippians 4:8 ESV)

It is interesting that the word remember is used over 150 times in the Bible. Like the church of Ephesus in Revelation 2, we have the propensity to forget our first love to forget God to forget His fidelity and His faithfulness in our everyday life. And like that church, the spirit of God calls us to remember.

“…remember all the commandments of the LORD, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after. So shall you remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God.” (Number 15:39-40 ESV)

“Remember the wondrous works He (God) has done…” (1 Chronicles 16:12 ESV)

“Remember the LORD, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.” (Nehemiah 4:14 ESV)

“I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands.” (Psalm 143:5 ESV)

“I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your words.” (Psalm 119:16 ESV)

Celebrating the good reminds us of His faithfulness, especially during times of brokenness. “His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning.” (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Set up some “memorial days” in your life. Times where you stop, commemorate, and remember the good things of God. “Remembering” just might turn your life around.

Source: AACC, The Wonder Years, Francis A. Walker.

Abba Father

2011-06-02T13:51:00.000-04:00

In Mark 14 we find Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. He is in deep distress as he looks ahead to the Cross. Usually, Jesus referred to God as “Father”. With his soul grieved to the point of death, Jesus prays, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you…” (Vs. 36 ESV). The word “Abba” can be easily translated as “daddy”. It is a very intimate term that Jesus uses at a point of incredible anxiety, dismay and fear.

Most often, we conceptualize God as distant and far away. He is God, Holy, Magnificent, Powerful, Almighty. It somehow goes against our nature to think of Him with such a depth of affectionate that we can call him “dad” or “daddy”. After all, Jesus is His only begotten son. He has a relationship with His Father that we simply do not believe is possible for us to have.

In Romans 8:15, Paul turns this upside down when he says, “…you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba, Father!’”. (ESV) Again in Galatians 4:6 Paul confirms this line of thought. “And because you are sons, God has sent the spirit of His son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba, Father’”. (ESV) Remember the Garden where we found Jesus? He went from the garden, to Golgotha, and there drank the bitter cup of the “cross” that God had prepared for Him, for us. A cup that Jesus drank out of obedience to His “Abba Father”.

“For our sake He (God) made Him (Jesus) to be sin who knew no sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV)

For what? So that we could become the sons and daughters of God. Joint heirs with Christ. And so that your Heavenly Father, especially in the distresses of life, can be found. (Psalm 46:1) Yes, He is there for you… even now. Waiting to turn your life around.

Source: AACC

Forgiveness

2011-05-18T15:41:00.000-04:00

“Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” -Jesus Christ

In his book “Unconditional” Brian Zahnd asks this question, “So what is your story? Who has been cruel to you? Perhaps bitterly cruel. What injustice have you suffered? How have you been mistreated? Perhaps miserably so. Who has cheated you? Abused you? Lied to you? Lied about you? Maybe it was last week. Maybe it was a lifetime ago.”

It is interesting to look at Jesus’ words in Mark 11 concerning interpersonal forgiveness, “And, whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive your trespasses.” (vs. 25 ESV) Christ is in effect saying that our vertical relationship with God is much more related to our horizontal relationships with those around us, than we would like to admit.

As our personal creator, Jesus understands how we are made. Not just spiritually, but physiologically as well. Our bodies simply are not fashioned to carry the burden and weight of unforgiveness. Psychiatrist Loren Olson recently noted that “those more inclined to pardon the transgressions of others have been found to have lower blood pressure, fewer depressive symptoms and, once they hit late middle age, better overall mental and physical health than those who do not forgive easily.”

Forgive easily? Is that even possible? We all have heard someone say (or maybe even said it ourselves), “I will forgive, but I will never forget!” Ev Worthington, whose elderly mother was brutally beaten, raped, and left alone to slowly bleed to death by an enraged burglar, gives personal insight into this. “Sometimes people have a hard time admitting that they aren’t forgiving a person who hurt them. They think that forgiving is a matter of saying certain words ‘I forgive you’, but there is a heart by-pass. Being able to say the words is a step, but the Lord really wants our hearts touched.” At the core, forgiveness is releasing a debt. Choosing not to harbor the hurt and anger anymore. Opening the door for healing maybe even reconciliation.

Forgiveness isn’t easy, but it’s always necessary. And it only takes one to forgive. When you get to the heart of the matter, our ability to forgive is rooted in the fact that we have been forgiven by Christ, in God. (2Corinthians 5:18-20)

All relationships demand the deep oil of forgiveness. When we forgive it breaks the poisonous cycle of revenge, and allows the broken to walk in peace. The Jesus way is always the way of forgiveness. We forgive to free ourselves and to get our lives back. His way is the way that gives the future hope a hope that can turn your life around.

Source:AACC, Zahnd, B., (2010). Unconditional? The Call of Jesus to Radical Forgiveness. Orlando, FL: Charisma House. Olson, L. A., (2011, March/April). Forgiveness: You Life Depends Upon It. Family Therapy Magazine, 10(2), 28-31.

Seeing Red

2011-05-10T12:23:00.001-04:00

“In your anger, do not sin.” -Apostle Paul

Throwing a chair across the basketball court. Slamming a fist through a wall. The frustration when someone cuts you off in traffic. Those feelings you get when someone tells a trusted secret. How a child feels when dad doesn’t come home. When life isn’t the way we think it should be, it’s easy to get angry. God wired us that way.

Anger is one of the most often misunderstood, yet significant concepts in life. Best understood as "A state of preparedness" to respond to a real or perceived wrong doing or injustice in life, anger motivates a person to action.

Paul taught in Ephesians 4:26, “In your anger, don’t sin.” (NIV) While anger always finds an expression, what you decide to do in your “state of preparedness” determines whether or not you will “sin”.

Anger management starts when we:

1. See it — Identifying the cause of anger in your life especially opens your spirit for God’s help. “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness…” (Romans 8:26 ESV)

2.Delay it — Learn the value of "calming" to allow the anger to subside. “Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.” (Proverbs 14:29 ESV)

3.Control it — Control your response rather than reacting emotionally. “Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.” (Proverbs 16:32 NIV)

4.Settle it — Commit to not only “doing” the right things, but also “being” the right person. “Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.” (1 Peter 3:8-9NIV)

When you invite God to help you identify your anger and take positive action, anger becomes a servant rather than a master.

In your anger — choose not to sin. It just might turn your life around.

Source: AACC

Compassion

2011-05-06T10:17:00.000-04:00

“We must never minimize the suffering of another. Scripture’s mandate to us is, ‘Weep with them that weep.’” -Billy Graham

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” -Jesus Christ

Tucked in the midst of the 50 verses of Luke chapter 7, we find 5 verses that give us great insight into the heart of Jesus. As He approaches a little town called Nain, a funeral procession is just coming out of the gate of the city. A man has died. Luke is careful to point out that the man was the “only son of his mother”. As a widow, the death of her only son relegated her to a life of poverty and degradation. Sounds of her deep bewailing brought tears to the eyes of all who heard. A considerable crowd from the town is with her. Just as the cemetery comes into view, she meets Jesus. “And when the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her…” (vs. 13 ESV)

“Splagchnizomai” the Greek word for compassion literally means “to be moved as to one’s bowels” (for the bowels were thought to be the seat of love and pity). Henri J. M. Nouwen asserts that (Jesus) felt the pain of that woman in His guts. It is interesting that this deep empathy drew out of Jesus a much higher level of response than anyone expected, as well as the desire to meet the real need of the widow“ and (He) said to her, ‘Do not weep.’ Then He came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And He said, ‘Young man, I say to you, Arise.’ And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.” (vs. 13-14 ESV)

Nearly every day, God places someone in our life who is consumed with deep pain. A friend whose dad has died. A couple who have tragically abandoned their marriage. The teenage girl, pregnant, scared and confused. A mom and dad whose son or daughter has been killed in the line of duty. Someone’s daughter attempted suicide. Too often, we are so busy and preoccupied that we trivialize anothers pain. We are aware, but not touched. Even our own pain is masked and dismissed.

Christlike compassion sees beyond the surface and begs for a truly empathetic “from the bowels” response. Could Jesus have seen the widow and merely walked by? I think not. His very nature compelled Him to go beyond the “expected” and to fulfill “the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.” (James 5:11 ESV) I believe that God has no greater plan than to use His people as His ambassadors of compassion and mercy.

Let’s slow down and really pay attention to those who are “in our way”. Next time, look beyond what is apparent to see the real need. Offer the compassion of Jesus. Lives will be turned around. Not just theirs, but yours as well.

Source:AACC, Billy Graham.

Teacher

2011-05-04T00:04:00.000-04:00

Mary Magdalene. A woman whose entire life and persona had been controlled and dominated by demonic activity. She battled not just one spirit of evil. She was consumed with seven. Until one day, when she had a divine appointment with Jesus — “Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out…” (Luke 8:2 ESV) After that encounter, she became a committed follower of Christ. Her story had become His story. Perhaps that is why she was the first person to visit the tomb on that Resurrection morning – even while it was still dark. When she found the stone rolled away, and the tomb empty, she ran to find Peter and John, who ran back to the tomb to see for themselves. And Mary? She “stood weeping outside the tomb” (John 20:11 ESV). Weeping with the pain and grief that is only felt when mourning the death of someone deeply loved. Through her tears, Mary stoops to look inside of the place where her Savior had been laid just a few days before. Two angels tell her that Jesus is not there. When she turns around to leave, she runs right into Jesus. Perhaps because she was in such deep anguish, Mary did not recognize Him. In fact, she thought He was the gardener. After a brief discussion she turns to walk away. Jesus says one word — “Mary!” She “turned and said to Him in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni‘” (vs. 16) The meaning of the word is Teacher or Master. Can you imagine how she must have felt? Relief and joy certainly flooded her heart.

Rewind the story a few days, back to the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus had just finished agonizing in prayer, and was now speaking with Peter, James and John. Suddenly, “Judas came… and with him a crowd with swords and clubs… and when he came, he went up to Him at once and said, ‘Rabbi!’ And he kissed him.” (Mark 14:43-46 ESV)

Two followers of Christ. Both have life changing personal encounters with Him. Both spoke directly to Him, using the same basic word. A word that means teacher or master. However, when Judas uses the word, the meaning is simply that Master as a title of honor, which is how Judas viewed Him. When Mary calls Jesus “Rabboni”, the added emphasis deepens the word to express who He really was to her Lord.

What’s interesting is that some early Christian writings portray Mary Magdalene as a visionary who became a leader in the early church. We know without a doubt from scripture that Judas went out in remorse and hung himself. The difference? Judas had years of head knowledge. Mary’s heart had been changed. Judas was a trusted disciple (he kept the money bag) who “honored God with His lips, but his heart was far from Him” (Matthew 15:8 ESV). Judas said the right things. He believed the wrong things. On the other hand, Mary “believed with her heart and was justified” (Romans 10:10 ESV). Jesus knew her name Mary. Mary knew His saving power Lord.

Coming to grips with this difference personally honoring God with your lips or believing in your heart will turn your life around. Not just today, but for eternity.

Source:AACC

He Is Risen, He Is Risen Indeed!

2011-04-23T09:34:00.000-04:00

This is the story:

THE Passion. “And being in an agony He prayed more earnestly.” (Luke 22:44 ESV) The Garden. A place where Jesus had come many times before to pray. But this time was different. This time He was in an agony. What’s interesting is that this is the only time this phrase is used in all of scripture. It was not just agony. It was an agony. A battle,a fight,a struggle in deep anguish. “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me…” Lying on His face, prostrate before His Father. Crying out in such deep distress that the capillaries under his skin burst and “His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (vs. 44). Typically this kind of agony can cause brain damage, or even death. But Jesus lived on,to die.

THE Punishment. “But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities.” (Isaiah 53:5 ESV) Being hung on a cross to die was common in those days. But this was different. Before the actual crucifixion, Jesus was brutally beaten. Burly Roman soldiers used their clenched fists and pounded His face over and over again “we esteemed Him stricken” (vs. 4). Handfuls of His beard were yanked out. Onlookers walked up to him, cleared their throats, and spit in His face. A crown of thorns was placed on His head, and then driven deep into His skull with wooden reeds “He was afflicted” (vs. 7). Stripped naked, He was scourged with a cat of nine tails, so named because there were nine strands, and on the end of those nine strands were pieces of metal or bone, designed to dig into the skin and rip it open. Normally a man was whipped with 39 lashes. 39 lashes with 9 strands. Do the math. When they were done Jesus’ lacerated flesh hung from His body in long strips, exposing muscle, sinew and even bone, “with His stripes we are healed” (vs. 5) After all of that, He was then made to carry His own cross “Surely He has born our griefs and carried our sorrows” (vs. 4). Nailed to the cross, the One who knew no sin, became sin for us “and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (vs. 6).

THE Proclamation. Hours of wretched suffering. One last time Jesus pushed up against the nail in His feet to take the pressure off of His diaphragm so He could take His final breath. Burning lungs filled with air, and then from a parched throat, through swollen, broken bleeding lips, the very Son of God cried out, “It Is Finished!” Every Jew within earshot knew those words. They were the words the high priest used every year to proclaim that their sins had once again been atoned for, by the sacrificing of a spotless, unblemished lamb. But this was different. The Lamb of God, the perfect Passover Lamb, who came to take away the sin of the world, (John 1:29) was proclaiming for all to hear, that once and for all, the final sacrifice had been made. “He entered once for all into the holy places, not by the means of the blood of goats and calves, but by the means of His own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.” (Hebrews 9:12 ESV) Then He bowed His head, and gave up His spirit.

THE Promise. A few days before, Jesus had told His disciples that He was about to die. Sensing the fear and anxiety that they were experiencing, He gave them this promise, “I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:3 NASV) A dead god could never keep that promise. Surely He couldn’t mean that He would actually die. But then, albeit from distant hiding places, they watched Him do just that, die. Now what? Hopes, dreams and promises dashed upon the stone placed and sealed at the entrance of His borrowed tomb. Hear these words. In them you will find the hope of His promise, “Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James came to the tomb and looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them, ‘Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here!!‘” (Mark 16:1-6 NASV) Up from the grave He arose with a mighty triumph o’er His foes! We do not believe in a God who was once alive and now He is dead. We follow after a God who became a man to dwell among us with the purpose of dying for our redemption and now He is alive. Life is no longer a hopeless end it is an endless hope.

The death, burial and resurrection of Christ was THE moment in time that changed the course of humanity. A perfect offering presented. That which had been spoken of by the prophets in Scripture, fulfilled. God’s gift of love, freely given to all who will receive.

In the great “Resurrection Chapter”, Paul presents the gospel “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is in vain” (1 Corinthians 15 ESV). These words are not a defense of the resurrection. They are in effect a declaration of the most important words in Christianity. He is risen! Words that turned the world around.

Our response? He is risen indeed! Our opportunity? To “know Him, and the power of His resurrection” (Philippians 3:10 ESV)

Happy Resurrection Sunday!

Source:AACC

Respect

2011-04-19T14:23:00.000-04:00

R – E – S – P – E – C – T. This 1967 smash hit by Aretha Franklin quickly exploded up the charts. While it was written by Otis Redding in 1965 as a man’s plea for respect and recognition, the roles were reversed for Franklin’s version. Her rendition was a landmark for the feminist movement, and is often considered one of the best songs of the R&B era. The popularity of this song (she won 2 Grammys in 1968) seemed to voice the general feeling of people everywhere. In 2002, the Library of Congress honored Franklin’s version by adding it to the National Recording Registry.

Rodney Dangerfield developed a whole comedy routine, and ultimately career, with one simple bi-line — “I don’t get no RESPECT!!” His comedy album No Respect also won a Grammy Award.

In her book, For Women Only, Christian author, Shaunti Feldhahn, writes that when men are asked which they would choose, to be alone and unloved, or feel inadequate and disrespected (not that we men would really want either) nearly 75% chose alone and unloved. Think about that. These men would rather be alone with no love, than to be made to feel inadequate and disrespected. What’s interesting is that if you pay close attention to today’s teens, you will hear them express a desire not to be ‘dissed"… slang for disrespected. Often this disrespect comes in the form of insulting put downs, rejection, or dismissive behavior. It seems that everyone yearns in some way for this seemingly innate desire to feel respected.

While in prison, the great Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the believers in Philippi. The overall message of the letter is "joy". Paul is not writing to just the "saints" as he did in Ephesians and Colossians. It is striking that he adds the overseers and deacons (1:1 NASV) to his greeting, as if to make a special effort to include those in leadership. In chapter 2, Paul makes a heartfelt appeal. He asks that all reading his letter would make his joy complete. How? By being intent on one purpose — “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves.” (vs. 3 KJV) The ultimate in respect. Each person esteeming every other person better than themselves. Perhaps that is why he added the leadership to his salutation. It’s as if he was saying that status doesn’t negate responsibility. Dignity and worth were to be attributed to every person equally. Could Paul have been remembering what David voiced in Psalm 8, “What is man that Thou dost take thought of him? And the son of man that Thou dost care for him? Yet Thou hast made him a little lower than God (ELOHIM) and dost crown him with glory and majesty.” (vs. 4-5 NASV) If God feels that way about us, then we too ought to hold each other in high regard. If we lived out our lives exhibiting this kind of respect, where each person thinks of everyone else as more worthy than themselves, it just might turn some marriages, families, teens, work relationships, and maybe even counseling sessions around.

Source:AACC, Feldham, Shaunti Christine, (2004) For Women Only: What You Need to Know About the Inner Lives of Men. Sisters, Oregon: Multnomah Publishing

An Issue of the Heart

2011-04-14T12:27:00.000-04:00

Delilah said to him, “How can you say ‘I love you’ when your heart is not with me?. So Sampson told her all that was in his heart… when Delilah saw that he had told her all that was in his heart, she sent and called the lord of the Philistines… and called for a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his hair… she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Sampson!” And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the LORD had abandoned him. (Judges 16)

Sampson. Powerful and strong. It is interesting that his strength was not really in his hair. His strength was in his heart. He was a Nazirite. The Hebrew word nazir means consecrated or separated. And it was by choice. His mother Manoah had dedicated him to this Nazirite vow before his birth. However, Hebrew law required that when he was old enough to understand, he recommit his life, permanently to this vow. His heart belonged solely to his God. Until he gave it up to Delilah.

In a similar story, Amaziah served as king in Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 25:2 records this indictment, “And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart.” Again, the original Hebrew language gives incredible insight into this verse. The word perfect (shalem), denotes complete full finished. Most of Amaziah’s heart was God’s. But he had saved out a little portion for himself. In the end, he was defeated and captured by Joash.

Could it be that many of the struggles in our Christian walk can be traced back to the same issue that Sampson and Amaziah had? A heart that is not “perfect” toward God. Those tiny areas that we hang onto for ourselves. The hidden parts. It has been said, “You’re only as sick as your secrets”. Perhaps that is why the Psalmist David pleaded “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me.” Psalm 139:23-24 (KJV) Again in Psalm 19:12 “… cleanse thou me from secret faults.” (KJV)

The “grace” piece in all of this, is that God will do just that. He will show you the fragment of your heart that is not His. His Light will shine in the dark places of your heart to reveal the “secret place”. The sin that we cover, He will uncover the sin that we uncover, He will cover. Surrender your whole heart to Him. Without a doubt, it will turn your life around.

Source:AACC

Be an Encourager

2011-04-06T09:09:00.000-04:00

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” -Plato

Let me add, be an encourager. It has been said that everyone is either in the midst of the battle, just coming out of a battle, or about to enter the battle. At first glance, this is often not visible. A smile often masks deep feelings. The writer of the Proverbs put it this way, “Even in laughter the heart may be in pain, and the end of joy may be grief.” (Proverbs 14:13 NASV)

God’s directive to Moses in Deuteronomy 3 is very interesting. The children of Israel had finished 40 years in the wilderness. They were about to enter the land of “milk and honey”. The “promised land”. Sounds good, doesn’t it? But God knew that the real battle was just ahead. Amorites, Hittites and all of the other “ites” were waiting to steal, kill and destroy God’s promises to His children. In verse 28 God tells Moses to “charge Joshua,”and encourage him, and strengthen him: for he shall go before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt see.” (KJV) This “encourage” was not just a “pep talk”. The meaning of the word is to “fasten upon… strengthen to become even stronger… fortify”. I can imagine that this took quite some time. They probably had a few “counseling sessions” as Moses poured into Joshua’s heart, and spirit, the encouragement that it would take to persevere in the days ahead.

“Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together”. We have all heard this admonition to remind us not to miss church. But why? Why do we assemble together? To “stimulate one another to love and good deeds” and “encourage one another” (Hebrews 10:24-25 NASV). Worship is important. Sermons are wonderful. But could it be possible, that a core reason to meet together is to encourage one another? Something far beyond the “How ya doing?” and “Good to see ya!” platitudes we usually give each other as we pass in the aisle.

Just like the children of Israel, we have an enemy who came to steal, kill and destroy our walk with Christ. Too often we try to fight this battle alone. Remember that the enemy is strong and powerful. Someone once said, “The strength of the wolf is the pack,and the strength of the pack is the wolf”. Sounds like Hebrews 3:13, “But encourage one another, day after day, lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” When reminding the church at Thessalonica of the sure return of the Lord, Paul ended with this exhortation, “Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another…” (5:11 NASV).

Everyone you meet is fighting a battle. Encourage them. Fortify them. Pour words of strength and courage into their hearts and spirits. And one more thing, be encouraged yourself. You don’t walk alone. You always have an “audience of one”. He is with you and He has a “Barnabas the Encourager” on the way to encourage you, and to just maybe, help turn your life around.

Source:AACC

Soul Care

2011-04-01T11:34:00.000-04:00

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 have been encouraging verses for me for a very long time. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (ESV)

Often in the New Testament, the writers refer to the “God of all grace”… or the “Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ”. Amazing Grace. What’s important to understand is that we sometimes received the Grace of God poured into our lives through the life of others. Strong’s Concordance describes grace (charis) with these words, divine influence upon the heart, and it’s reflection in the life. And don’t miss this, God comforts us in ALL our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in ANY affliction.

Let me paraphrase all of this if I might:

When we are going through hard times, God comforts us with grace, and that grace has a divine influence upon our hearts. Often he uses someone else to help bring that grace to us. And He comforts us in ALL of our trials. Then, further down the road, when we meet someone else who is going through ANY hard time, the grace that God poured into our lives is now reflected into their life, so that further down the road, when they meet someone else who is going through ANY hard time. And on and on it goes.

Life is tough. Struggles, trials and hard times will come. When they do, look around you. God is probably bringing someone along side of you to pour grace into your life. Grace to turn your life around, so that one day you can help turn someone else’s life around.

Source:AACC

"Hope"

2011-03-25T11:26:00.000-04:00

“Speak Lord, because I am listening! I don’t want to hear any other voice but Yours, the voice of truth. The words You speak to my heart are powerful and convicting. You are telling me that I can do it…that I can make the finish line! The Lord is telling me to run to Him Who is waiting with open arms. The Lord is waiting to come to my rescue! Amen. Thank you, Daddy!” — Jen Barrick in Hope out Loud

Hope. The concept may be one of the least understood, and yet most common phrases we hear. “I hope I get that job.” “I hope today is better than yesterday.” “I hope it doesn’t rain on our parade.” Somehow, that is not the feeling that I get when I read Jen’s prayer. Her prayer of hope is much deeper. Much more active. Hope birthed through pain and trial.

At age 15, Jen was involved in a horrible head-on car crash. A drunk driver going around 80 miles per hour hit the family van and, as a result, she suffered a severe Traumatic Brain Injury. Before that tragic day, Jen was blossoming into a beautiful young woman. She loved God with all of her heart. She read His word every morning and memorized many verses. Then, in an instant, she was changed into a broken girl, in a deep coma, struggling for life. The doctors warned her family that even if she did emerge from the coma in a timely manner, she would be different. Probably angry and irritable, cursing and crying. That’s why it was a miracle when, even in the coma, she would start praying out loud in the middle of the night. And, as she did begin to come out of the coma, before she could even recognize her own mother, brother or dad, Jen started quoting Scripture out loud.

Jen will never be the same. She will never do most of the things that she used to do. But she radiates with God’s presence. The prayer quoted above is from her journal that she wrote after the accident. Full of hope. Full of trust. Full of God.

Isaiah 40:31 says “but those who HOPE in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”(NIV) In the Hebrew, the word is qavah (kaw-vaw) and means “to bind together by twisting”. This is not a sit back and “hope” something happens. The word here speaks of “hope” in action, and yet, it is not about activity. This is not the flurry we so often get caught up in of trying to make things happen. Rather, the energy in this kind of hope is found in deep, intimate, uninhibited communication with God. Intertwining ourselves with Him. Immersed in His presence. Now read the verse again,those who “bind themselves to God by intertwining themselves with Him”, will renew their strength. Wow, the verse takes on a new life does it not?

Your story may not hold the pain that Jen’s does. Or it may. It really doesn’t matter. This kind of hope is offered to all who will journey with God. Bound to Him. Intertwined. A hope that will turn your life around.

Source:AACC,Jen Barrick

“W-I-I-F-M”.

2011-03-24T15:47:00.000-04:00

Most really good sales people can immediately tell you what this acronym means. It has been pounded into their psyche. The knowledge of the depth of its meaning will drive them to success. The words? “What’s In It For Me?” The question every person asks every day, about seemingly everything in their lives. Answer this question for the prospective buyer, and you make the sale. In this self consumed world that we live in, the concept of “others” and “generosity” is sadly, a forgotten grace.

God loves a “cheerful giver”. (2 Corinthians 9:7) And so does everyone I know. However, in scripture, it is not the receiving of gifts (as much fun as that is) that is really significant. The greater blessing comes from giving the gift. Paul goes on to say in verses 6-11, “The point is this”… when we give “bountifully” (generously)… not grudgingly, or because we feel that we “must – or else”, God will then pour out His grace abundantly on us. Not just for our sufficiency, but so that we can be generous to those around us. Why? To produce “thanksgiving to God.”

When was the last time you were generous? It could have been a simple word of encouragement. An “at-a-boy” at a ball game. (I love what Benjamin West said, “A kiss from my mother made me a painter.”) How about a handwritten note to a friend? Or taking a couple out to dinner that is going through hard times? Maybe an anonymous gift to a family with no job? Gifts that are given with no motive beyond the simple joy of generosity.

The true spirit of giving can only flow out of a heart that has experienced God’s gift of Grace. Paul’s exhortation concerning generosity was anchored in God’s “indescribable gift” — His son Jesus (vs 15). Our generosity must be fixed securely there as well.

W-I-I-F-M? Cheerful giving brings abundant sufficiency and blessings from God.

Generosity. It just might turn your life around.

Source:AACC

Three Essentials

2011-02-22T23:31:00.000-05:00

In Matthew 6, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus encouraged His followers by identifying three opportunities that every Christian can, and should, participate in.

“When you give…” (vs 2)

“When you pray…” (vs 2)

“When you fast…” (vs 2)

Much today exists on the subjects of giving and praying, but very little is said about fasting. And yet, probably the most profound lesson found in the life of Jesus was His 40 day fast in the wilderness. Immanuel God with us abstained from food and pressed in with His Father to prepare not only for the temptation that would follow, but also for the days of ministry ahead. As we face the challenges of this life, this mindset of Christ should be ours as well.

Fasting is truly the source of great power in these three “D’s” of your spiritual journey:

Discipline. In 1 Corinthians 9 the Apostle Paul uses athletics as an illustration to describe a disciplined life. In verse 25, a great competitor “exercises self-control” (NASV). Today, in the Church in America, too often “King Stomach” is on the throne, and controls most of what we think and do. We plan our lives around meals. Fasting disciplines us to “just say no” to the flesh. When we get to the place where we lay aside the “natural” desire for food, we begin to learn the discipline of putting on the “spiritual” desire our critical need to go deeper with God.

Discernment. “And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting…” Acts 14:23 (ESV) Fasting coupled with prayer gave the early church discernment as they made leadership choices. Rather than making a decision, and then asking God to bless it, they discerned the heart and mind of God and then acted on it. One has to wonder how that might work today.

Direction. Jehoshaphat was in deep trouble. A “great multitude” of the enemy was coming against him. Overwhelming odds were stacked against him. And “Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his attention to seek the Lord; and proclaimed a fast throughout ALL Judah.” 2 Chronicles 20:3 (NASV) All of Jerusalem and Judah fell down before the Lord. God then gave them clear directions and they watched as the enemy literally destroyed themselves. Better than that (if that is possible) it took the people 3 days to gather all of the loot!!

“Fasting positions you to discern the difference between your thoughts and God’s thoughts. There is no higher authority than to know the heart of God for a situation you are facing. His Word is final.”

Start practicing the big three, Give, pray, and fast. It might just turn your life around.

Source:AACC

Valentine's Basics

2011-02-14T22:39:00.000-05:00

A husband and wife were driving down a country road. In the midst of a heated disagreement, everything went totally quiet. As they crested the top of a hill, there was a pasture filled with cows, goats and pigs. The husband looked over at his wife and sarcastically remarked, “Relatives of yours?” “Yep” she replied… “In-laws.” (lol).

Despite all that we know about love and relationships, the divorce rate is somewhere between 40 and 50% of those who actually get married today. And sadly, behind closed doors in the quiet corners of lots of hearts, resides profound sorrow. Pain from love gone bad.

Money, loss, work demands, illness, differences, expectations, so much works against our love and marriages. Solomon said that enjoying life with the woman whom we love all the days of our lives was our reward in life. (Ecclesiastes 9:9) More often than not, marriage can feel like anything but a reward. How can we get back to this place in our love and relationships?

When a basketball player struggles to find his 3 point shot, it’s important to get back to the foul line. He must work on the fundamentals and rhythm of his game to get his shot back. At the heart of every successful marriage you will find:

God. Psalm 127:1 “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.”(NASV) God must be the center of your home. Not just knowing about Him, but abiding in an intimate relationship with Him. And not just as an individual, but as a couple. In the well known marriage “triangle concept”, with husband and wife on the two bottom corners and God at the apex, as a husband and wife move toward God, they get closer to each other.

Love. 1 John 3:18 “…let us not love in word or talk, but in deed and in truth.” (ESV) As trite as it may sound, it is all about “the love”. Remember, love is not a feeling. Feelings come and go. Love is a choice. We must choose every day, in “word and in deed”, to show love and kindness to our spouse. Make sure she or he knows that you love them.

Blessing. 1 Peter 3:9 “Not returning…insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead.” (NASV) Your words are important. They will either speak life into your marriage, or death. Instead of bickering back and forth, speak words of blessing into each other’s lives. Here’s the key; honor not expressed, is not honor.

This Valentine’s Day, get back to the basics so that you won’t “miss” what God has for your marriage.

Source:AACC

Hillsong United - Saviour King - With Subtitles/Lyrics - HD Version

2011-02-09T16:53:00.000-05:00

Hillsong - Yahweh - Faith+Hope+Love - With Subtitles HQ

2011-02-07T13:34:00.000-05:00

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

2011-01-29T12:53:00.000-05:00

“Opportunity’s favorite disguise is trouble.” -Frank Tyger

Trouble: between a rock and a hard place, when life isn’t the way it is supposed to be. Ever been there? It’s been said that there are only three types of people, those who have just come out of trouble, are in the middle of trouble, or, are somewhere down the road, headed into trouble. Life’s like that.

The children of Israel experienced times of great heartache and trouble. Granted, most often it was brought on by their own actions. Invariably however, these times became opportunities for God to teach His people to trust their true King. Psalm 46 is actually a song to be sung to God in times of trouble. Within it we find amazing expressions of opportunity.

Our responsibility? Press in to God. Vs. 1 declares that “God is our refuge and strength. A very present help in trouble.”(NASV). In an emergency we “dial” 911. In times of trouble we can “dial” Psalm 91:1. When we dwell in the shelter of God, we will abide in His shadow. A place of refuge. And God is not just present. He is very present. The closer a train gets, the louder it becomes. The greater the trouble, the “louder” the presence of God.

Rest and relax. As difficult as it may seem when you are being pounded by trouble, God wants you to “Be still” and know that He is God (vs. 10 KJ). Let go, drop your hands, let Him be who He is, GOD. Take the opportunity to watch Him do what you could never do in your own strength.

Our response to trouble?

Don’t fear. “Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea” (vs. 2 NASV). No matter what happens, He is in the midst of it. And Paul reminds us “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” II Timothy 1:7 (KJV). Trouble is an opportunity to draw near to God as He draws near to us, without fear.

Trouble. While you will probably never welcome it (me either), you will, over time, learn to embrace it as a window for opportunity.

Source:AACC

Be a Doer

2011-01-19T14:40:00.000-05:00

“Que Sera Sera”… Whatever will be, will be. Or will it. Some resign themselves to a life of depending on fate. Others follow the thinking of Edmund Burke who said, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

During the Revolutionary war in 1776, the American forces were so outnumbered that they were forced to retreat from New York. A retreat which did not end until the crossing of the Delaware River at Trenton. With severely reduced forces who were scantily clothed and poorly armed, the American troops were horribly depressed. Washington did not give up hope, and Henry Knox followed his lead, there would be no reason for despondency. It was on Christmas night that Washington made the decision to cross the Delaware, directed by Knox, to surprise the Hessian forces at Trenton, capturing 1000 men as well as supplies. This event gave a much needed boost to the American morale and, most believe, changed the course of the war.

Life may have a strangle hold on you, but don’t give in to a spirit of defeat. Don’t quit! Pray, watch and wait expectantly for the Lord. And get some “fight” back in you. When Nehemiah was carrying out God’s call to rebuild the walls and gates of Jerusalem, enemies plotted to thwart the work. In the face of discouragement, Nehemiah energizes the people with, “Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.” Nehemiah 4:14 (NASV) And get this… 52 days later the wall was complete.

The Lord, who is great and awesome, is also on your side. Fighting with you for your home, your family, your life. The great Apostle Paul says it this way, “Those things, which you have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, DO!” Phil 4:9 (KJV) And then the peace of God will flow, from the God of peace, into your heart and life.

Source:AACC

What A Difference A Letter Makes

2011-01-14T09:03:00.000-05:00

Picture this, a desert. Hot, dry and uninviting. Now add something very small. The letter “s”. What do you have? Dessert. You decide, chocolate cake?, apple pie? The little things can make all the difference in the world!

F. B. Meyer once said, “Do not try to do a great thing; you may waste all your time waiting for the opportunity which may never come. But since little things are always claiming your attention, do them, for the Glory of God.”

The Apostle Paul encouraged the Colossians to be faithful in everything they did. Colossians 3:17 “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus…” (ESV) In verse 23 Paul enhances this concept – “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.”

Giving the kids a bath, showing up at the game, dropping a note to a friend, listening to someone share their heart as you leave church. What about those seemingly unnoticed tasks at work? Ecclesiastes 9:10 reminds us, “Whatever your hand finds to do, verily, do it with all your might.”

Don’t let the small routine activities become ruts and rob you of your joy. You might try something simple like “whistling while you work.” Proverbs 17:22, “A joyful heart is good medicine…” (ESV) Change your perspective this week. View the “small things” in your life as deeds done directly for the Lord. Maybe no one sees what you do but God. The good news is that you always have an “Audience of One”. He sees what you think goes unnoticed.

In Luke 19:12-17, when the servant was faithful in the very little thing, the master then gave him ten cities to rule over. Details left undone can cause the wheels to come flying off. The little things will forever be clamoring for your attention. Do them well, it just might change your desert into dessert.

Source:AACC

GPS

2011-01-07T10:49:00.000-05:00

“Inga”. “Freeda”. Even “Thomas”. Names given to the voices on the GPS in practically every car. Voices that help get you where you want to go. There never seems to be any hesitation or doubt to their instructions. In fact, make the inadvertent wrong turn and you will hear, “At the next available location, make a U-turn.” Or, my personal favorite, “Recalculating”. These little devices are constantly assessing where you are and if you are headed in the right direction.

The New Year seems to be the right time for so many to make changes in their lives. A time to reassess and recalculate. Look at these practical “G.P.S.” recommendations to help get you started:

Goals. Remember the old saying, “If you aim at nothing you will hit it every time”? Very true. Goals should be personal. They should be realistic. Most importantly, set goals that matter and reflect God’s heart. 1 Kings 8:61 “Let your heart therefore be wholly devoted to the LORD our God…” (NASV) Even the best of goals, however, need a plan.

Plans. This is where the rubber meets the road. A goal is the destination. Plans are the map to get you there. Great hitters in baseball don’t just happen. You will find them at the cage taking 3…4…even 5 hundred swings a day. Be specific in your plans, and then stick to them. “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance…” Proverbs 21:5 (ESV) Even the greatest plans will fail however, without a strategy.

Strategy. The Web defines strategy as “an elaborate and systematic plan of action”. It’s what I do to execute my plans,to reach my goals. The best strategies are written down and placed where you can see them everyday,all day. After the Lord spoke to Habakkuk, He then confirmed His word by directing Habakkuk to “Record the vision and inscribe it on tablets.” Habakkuk 2:2 (NASV) Strategies in written form will keep you on track.

So there you have it, GPS,Goals, Plans and Strategies…Let’s roll!!

Source:AACC

New day, New you.

2011-01-05T12:38:00.000-05:00

Dieting. Reading the Bible. Spending time with family. Finally getting to that “bucket list”. It’s that time of year when “change is in the air”. Most of us don’t have trouble making New Year’s Resolutions. It’s the “keeping them” part that gets us. In fact, 40 to 45 percent of people do make a New Year’s Resolution, and while it is true that 97% of resolutions are never fulfilled, 75% do make it past the first week, and 46% make it past the six month mark.

As we start this New Year, there are three “C’s” in Psalm 37 that can offer some encouragement to help create your “breakthrough” year!

Commit
Psalm 37:5 “Commit your way to the LORD; Trust also in Him, and He will do it.” Every morning, noon and night (Ps. 55:17) give your desires, plans and goals to Him. Ask Him to bring strength and light to your journey.

Confess
Often, when we think of confession, we turn to 1 John 1:9 which deals with confession of sin. While this is important in the life of a Christian, we should also consider confession to the Lord of our deep need for Him. In verses 39 & 40 of Psalm 37, David acknowledges “the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in time of trouble. And the LORD helps them, and delivers them…”(NAS) Confess to Him that you cannot “do life” without His help.

Confidence
David reminds us in verse 25 of the whole hearted confidence that He had in the Lord…“I have been young, and now I am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, or His descendants begging bread.”(NAS) Such a bold perspective caused David to look expectantly to the Lord. In 1 Samuel 30, even when all was lost at Ziklag, David “strengthened himself in the Lord his God” (vs 6 NASV). He then “inquired of the LORD” (vs 8 NASV), believing that the LORD would hear and answer him. And He did…

As you set new goals, and face new horizons, come with a “spirit of expectation” to hear from, and be encouraged by God.

Sounds like a formula to help you join the “3%” club. New day…New you…

Source:AACC

His Birthday

2010-12-23T13:27:00.000-05:00

Imagine your next birthday party. Ribbons, boxes and bows. Decorations are hung everywhere. Then you are lead over to a corner and sat on a small chair. You watch as everyone begins to hand each other birthday cards and gifts. They open them with surprise and excitement. It’s joyous. Periodically, someone looks over your way, waves, and says “Happy Birthday!”

The prophet Isaiah prophesied that a child would be born (9:6). Then, as if to call attention to the monumental importance of this child, he went on to say that a son would be given. Why? “For this is how God loved the world, that He gave His only son…”John 3:16 Jesus, God’s only son, born of a virgin, simply in an effort to show the world how much God loved them. And this was no haphazard birth. It was no accident. The Apostle Paul proclaims in Galatians 4 that “…when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His son… so that we might receive adoption as sons.” (vs 4 &5 ESV) God’s only son, given so that we too might be called sons and daughters of God. Amazing.

And yet, perhaps the saddest verse in all of the Bible is John 1:11 “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.” (KJV) Jesus was born in the shadow of the cross.

And so we celebrate Christmas. The birth of Christ. God’s “unspeakable” gift. Given freely, at exactly the right time. And we too often leave Him out.

This year, keep Christ in your Christmas,be sure to read Matthew’s and Luke’s account of His birth. Sing Noel. Stand up when you hear the Hallelujah Chorus…Make His story…THE story…

Merry Christmas!!

Source: AACC

Carrying the Holiday Load

2010-12-15T15:43:00.000-05:00

Santa may get the credit, but guess who’s handling most of the work and worry during the Christmas season? The children’s stories all tell of Santa’s workshop full of happy, toy building elves. But back to real life, the true superstars at Christmas are not elves, but women. Wives, mothers, daughters. Tireless workers who selflessly keep going hour after hour. They shoulder most of the holiday load. An enormous undertaking that is stacked on top of the normal everyday strain,kids,housework,jobs, caregiving.

While the holidays always bring an intensified focus on family demands and money, this added stress is felt more by women. Recently, an American Psychological Association (APA) survey found that women are more likely than men to report heightened stress levels during the holiday season. They’re also less likely to take time to relax or manage that stress in healthy ways. I guess you could say there simply aren’t enough hours in her day to get it all done.

Hey, rest of the family,Let’s give her a hand (and I’m not talking about applause). Maybe shopping, or wrapping gifts isn’t your thing (mine either), but you could help around the house. Make a bed. Wash the dishes. Walk the dog. Look for things to do that will say to her, “You are appreciated and valued…” the Apostle Paul reminds all of us to give honor to whom honor is due (Romans 13:7 NASV). That starts with the Christ of Christmas. Celebrate God’s unspeakable gift. And let’s also remember that the women in our lives certainly deserve honor. Give her room and space to do what she does best!

Who knows,it might just help turn this Christmas around.

Source:AACC,APA

FIRST LOVE

2010-12-13T12:09:00.000-05:00

“The magic of first love is our ignorance that it will never end…”

That’s from the early 1800’s writer Benjamin Disraeli. His “love for life” story is interesting. At 35, kind of old for his generation, he married a very wealthy widow. Years later, Disraeli remarked that he indeed married for money. And his wife replied, “Ugh, but if you had to do it again, you would do it for love.”

If you had to marry all over again, would you? I know that first love often gets covered up with the daily grind, the pace, pain and pressure of modern day life, all of the things that subtlety take precedence over one another.

The Church at Ephesus, busy doing good works, had lost something precious their “first love” for Christ. “I know your works…I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake…But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love that you had at first.” (Rev. 2:2-4 ESV)

Jesus firmly demanded that they come back to that love. “Remember…repent, and do the works you did at first.” (Rev 2:5 ESV)

In fact when asked what the greatest commandment was, Jesus basically said, “LOVE”. His answer was to love God with your whole heart…“You shall love the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matt. 22:37 ESV)

And even more, to love those around you…as much as you love yourself. “And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (vs 39ESV)

Is there distance in your “love” for God, or with others? What happened? Who moved? What came between you?

Find that love again. You can!! No, you NEED to. Why? Because “real love” connects us at the heart and changes everything.

Source:AACC

From The Horse's Mouth

2010-12-10T13:33:00.001-05:00

Ever get a word straight from the horses mouth? A horse survives on three basics…water…food…and a finely tuned fear response. However, the fear factor could be disastrous on a trail ride. Say a snake suddenly appears right in the middle of the trail. A thousand pounds of crazy horse instinctively wants to ignite. Expert trainers teach trail horses to “startle in place”. Ears forward,nostrils flared, eyes wide open,every muscle tensed. But for an instant the horse reacts to fear by standing still. That gives the rider enough time to cue the horse as to exactly what course to take. The rider, not the horse is in control. Fear is a natural instinct. Reacting correctly in the midst of fear, takes discipline and training.

Has something suddenly appeared in your life that has produced intense fear? Do you feel like you don’t know what to do, or where to turn? Do you just want to run away?

Jesus’ disciples once encountered this kind of paralyzing fear. He had just disclosed to them that He was going away. The One who had loved them and walked with them for three years was leaving them behind. Sensing their panic and despondency, Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you…Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27 ESV) Jesus knew fear was natural. He was simply forewarning them to “startle in place”. To be disciplined in their fear response. To allow Him to supply Peace…His Peace.

When the circumstances arise in your life that will incite fear, respond,don’t react. “Startle in place”. Develop a healthy fear response that will allow you to follow His course. Trust in Him with all of your heart. Peace will come.

Source:AACC

Unwanted Holiday Guests

2010-12-08T13:19:00.000-05:00

Watch out for these unwanted holiday guests… Stress and Anxiety…

You don’t invite them but they show up, seemingly out of nowhere. Often however, their arrival is a result of these three “R’s”:

Relationships. Conflict between family members can happen anytime. But the holidays seem to heighten our tension levels, or at least our awareness of it. Romans 12:18 says, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” (ESV) That’s a pretty tough assignment when the “Griswolds” are coming to visit. Do what you can to get along but remember, you are not responsible for the actions and attitudes of anyone but yourself. Smile, and be nice. Laugh, and be nice. Here’s a thought… make amends. Maybe even give forgiveness a try…

Resources. Making ends meet is always a challenge, and especially in today’s economy. Trying to make everybody on your “gift” list happy can be a real “joy”, and send you down the drain… financially and emotionally. Ask yourself these two questions: “Whose birthday is it?” and “What are we really celebrating?” 1 John 4:9-11, “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only son into the world, so that we might live through Him… Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” (ESV) Your greatest gift is love, His love. So be careful in your attitude and words.

Routine. Extra demands on your time, dietary free-fall, and a lack of rest will jerk the jingle out of you!! 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 reminds us, “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?…For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.” Take care of yourself. Rest. Eat right. Exercise. And don’t let the “busyness” rob you of time with your Heavenly Father. Keep your routine. Don’t get off track.

Remember the Christmas miracle? It’s in your heart. Make it all about Jesus this season. When you focus on Him, every “unwanted guest” fades into Peace and Joy.

Source:AACC

Love For Life

2010-12-04T15:15:00.000-05:00

“What’s love got to do with it?” Sounds like an old Tina Turner song.

If you asked anyone today, “What makes a great marriage?” most would reply “love”. The problem, however, lies in the fact that very few of us agree on what love really is…

Most marriage experts speak of three core components of love. Passion. That’s the romance, sensual, physical side of love. Intimacy. The side of love that describes that “soul mate”, best friend, emotional love. And then, you really have to have a big dose of Commitment. That’s the willful, “I’m here for you no matter what”, and “I love you because you are you” kind of love. All three are critical for love to grow and flourish.

In that sense, love is a lot like money, you’ve got to make deposits every day in order to be able to make withdrawals from that “love” account. You’re only going to get out of it what you put into it.

In 1 Corinthians 13 the Apostle Paul lists some of the best qualities of love. Qualities worth investing in your “love bank”. Patience…kindness…unselfish actions…humility. The larger your investment, the greater the return.

How’s your love life? Cold? Distant? Neglected? Close? What kind of deposit did you make today? Whatever you “did’ or “didn’t do” sent a message! 1 John 3:18 admonishes us “let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”(ESV)

When relationships tend to go south, someone usually feels like all they do is give, and all the other one does is take. Are you tired of giving? Frustrated because you don’t feel like you are being loved in return? Paul added in the same “love chapter” that love “bears all things…believes all things…hopes all things…and endures all things” (Vs 7 NAS). Difficult? Yes! But a love soaked in grace, and the oil of deep forgiveness, is essential for a “Love for Life”.

Source:AACC

Count your Blessings

2010-12-02T12:08:00.000-05:00

Turkey and dressing. All the trimmings. Pumpkin pie. Too many desserts. Did you have a great feast? If you partook of a traditional Thanksgiving, you took in between 3000 and 3500 calories. Not to mention breakfast and those midnight munchies. You spent all year counting your calories...and now what? Walk it off? Smile. That is a lot of walking! And now it is time to start counting calories again just to prepare for all of those Christmas parties coming up.

While we are counting, let’s consider counting something else...Blessings. Proverbs 28:20 “A faithful man will abound with Blessings...” (ESV) Sure, the news is depressing. It seems that trouble and trials are around every corner. But could this not be partly from our perception? Our focus often runs to the hard things. The struggles. What if we turned our attention to all of the ways we are blessed?

Do this. Get a notebook and just start writing down your personal blessings. If you are reading this, then you are blessed with eye sight. Write it down. Next? The ability to write. See how this works? As you begin to “count” your blessings, you will be amazed. And you will realize that your life actually abounds with blessings.

In the Old Testament, God told His children to make “memorials”. Often it was a simple pile of stones designed to call to memory all of the good things that the Lord had blessed them with. He knew how easy it would be to forget…and to focus on the negative. Your list can become your “memorial”.

Source: AACC

Thanks In Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T11:19:00.000-05:00

This year, don’t miss the THANKS in Thanksgiving...

Traditions. Turkey...Dressing...Pumpkin pie...Football...Macy’s day parade. All fun. And for many, a part of family gatherings. Traditions that give us pause to share warm memories, and the opportunity to make new ones. Occasions to relish in the old traditions passed from generation to generation, or perhaps, to even begin a new one.

Holiday. A time to knock off for a day. Rest. Relax. Forget the bills, the problems, the pressures of life. Slow down from the hectic, insane pace that drives us to exhaustion, emotionally, physically and spiritually. Take the day off...and enjoy it!

Attitude. An attitude of self-less-ness. In sports, one bad attitude on the team can, and usually does, hurt the whole team. Self focused and self absorbed attitudes destroy the heart of Thanksgiving. This year...have an attitude...of gratitude...

Nation. Thanksgiving was birthed as a part of our American heritage. The Pilgrims and the Native Americans joined together to establish what is now a favorite annual celebration. Our Nation’s foundation was built on thanking God. Spend some time thanking God for this great Nation.

Kinfolk. Family trees. Of course, it seems like in every tree there is an “old sap” that may be a bit cantankerous (you’re smiling aren’t you?). This Thanksgiving, put aside petty differences and simply enjoy each other. Strengthen relationships, and your family tree will grow strong and well rooted.

Sacrifice. Remembering the ones who gave the ultimate sacrifice so that we can celebrate and “feast” in Freedom. And especially thank our Heavenly Father for His Sacrifice, Jesus Christ His son, freely given, that we might have eternal life…

During your festivities this week, make a special effort to bring alive the “THANKS” in Thanksgiving…

And go easy on the turkey and dressing.

“Enter His gates with Thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to him; Bless His name.” Psalm 100:4 (ESV)

Source: AACC

Bitterness

2010-11-03T13:49:00.000-04:00

Have you ever had to deal with bitterness? I know I have, and here are some tips I hope and pray will help you.

1-Acceptance

Make a list of the persons who have hurt you.
Next to each name, write what you needed from that person.
Next to that, write how it made you feel when that person did not meet your need.
In the last column write whether you think that person will ever be able to meet your need. Be honest.
Accept your loss and grieve it.

2-Forgive

Ask God to help you forgive. Forgiveness is letting go of anger and your quest for revenge. Realize that you are powerless to forgive through your own strength, but God does not ask you to do something without giving you His strength and power to do it.
Ask God to help you feel compassion for your offender. Psalm 78:38 says that God is full of compassion.

3-Break the Chain

Bitterness often runs through families: When a parent does not meet a child’s needs, that child can become bitter and is then unable to meet his or her own child’s needs. The chain can continue through several generations.
Ask God to help you break the chain with your generation.
If you have a bitter parent, see your parent as an emotional cripple. Just as you would not expect a person in a wheelchair to run a marathon, don’t expect an emotional cripple to meet your needs—he/she cannot. Ask God to help you have pity for that person.

4-Look Elsewhere

Find somewhere else to get your needs met. If you are an emotional orphan, God will provide people to meet your needs.
Be proactive and look for those God has provided to meet your needs.
Join a women’s or men’s group, or look for a prayer partner.
If your mother did not meet your need for love and acceptance, find an older woman in the church who would be willing to mentor you. She can give you the love and acceptance your mother never could. The same action is helpful in a father-son situation.
If your husband or wife will not meet your need for friendship and intimacy, look around and see if there is a friend (of the same sex) or family member who is willing to be your friend and kindred spirit. Give of yourself to that person and meet each others’ needs.

And remember, God wants you to forgive so you can be free from the destructive power of bitterness.

Source: AACC

Sibling Rivalry

2010-10-28T15:56:00.000-04:00

If you or someone you know are a parent to multiple kids you more than likely have experience sibling rivalry, I know I have and here are some tips that can be used to lessen or eliminate it altogether.

1-Love Your Children and Don’t Show Favoritism.

Ask any son or daughter who the favorite child is in the family and you may get an answer—pointing to the rival. Sibling favoritism offends and infects the heart of a child and leads to feelings of inferiority, anger, resentment, and even bitterness.

The Bible story of Esau and Jacob is a prime example of how favoritism damages a family. We learn in the book of Genesis that the father of the boys, Isaac, preferred Esau while the mother favored Jacob (25:28). This led to deceit between the parents and to Jacob’s stealing Esau’s birthright and blessing.

In many families there is no favoritism, and you must challenge your children’s false belief that there is. You know that you love each of your children completely, but that you also have a different relationship and behave differently with each one. It is essential to know each child’s particular love language and to communicate your love in that style. You must constantly discuss this essential difference in how people receive love until your children get it—which may not be until adulthood or when they themselves have children.

2-Don’t Compare

Most siblings are already very sensitive to the competitive aspects of their relationships with brothers and sisters. Instead of asking themselves, How good am I at this? they ask themselves, Am I better than my brother [sister] at this?

It is best for parents to avoid directly comparing their kids to one another. You can comment on your children’s gifts and uniqueness apart from their siblings. For example, while it is good to say, “Jane is great at soccer, and David is a whiz at piano!” it is not good to say “Jane is better than David at soccer, and David kicks Jane’s butt at music.”

3-Counter Jealous Feelings

Often jealousy is at the heart of sibling rivalry. If an older sibling is experiencing jealousy of a younger sibling, try the following techniques:

Help the child verbalize his or her feelings.
When children are able to verbalize their feelings, they are much better equipped to understand them and cope with them. However, verbalizing feelings is not a simple process for children. For example, can you imagine a young child saying, “Mom, Dad, I’ve been feeling a bit neglected and insecure since my little brother came along and I could really use some more attention. Specifically, I would like us to spend more one-on-one time playing games together like we used to.” Yeah right! Children are much more likely to act out their frustrations. Only through practice and coaching can a child learn to describe their emotions and needs verbally.

Kids want attention, and even though it seems backwards, for some children bad attention is better than no attention at all.
Therefore, a good way for parents to improve a child’s behavior is to attend to good and okay behaviors and ignore the bad ones. For example, if your child behaved well while getting her shoes on, tell the child, “Thank you, honey. I am very proud of how good you are. You put on your shoes quietly when asked.” If your child misbehaves by putting up a fuss, ignore the behavior—don’t give her more attention.

Show the child the privileges of age.
All adults recognize that age has its privileges, but kids don’t always see it that way—especially when there’s an infant getting gobs and gobs of attention. Point out all the privileges of age to the older siblings. What are they getting because they are older? If they’re not getting many, give them some!

Hope these help.

Source: AACC

Settle It

2010-10-20T19:29:00.000-04:00

Today we close the series on anger with the last action step, and that is that we must settled the issue.

A plan should be made for follow up, perhaps:
Finding an accountability partner
Individual counseling
Joining an anger management group
Considering medication.

The most important thing is to actively continue spiritual growth if we are going to effectively manage anger. The Bible says, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).

Remember to:
Surrender—to the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16)
Reflect—on the mercy and love God provides (Ephesians 2:4)
Pray—admit to God feelings and regrets (Matthew 5:43-45)
Forgive—choose to let go of resentment and bitterness (Ephesians 4:31-32)
Avoid—ruminating and revenge (1 Corinthians 10:13; 1 Peter 1:13)
Give and receive—mutual respect with those close to you (Ephesians 5:31-32)
Love—even those who anger you (1 Corinthians 13)
Remember—what it was like to be on the receiving end of someone else’s anger (1 Samuel 19:9-10)
Resolve—the anger issues (Ephesians 4:26)

Underlying issues such as deep emotional wounds that have been identified in counseling need to be considered. Make plans to work on such issues through additional counseling and support groups.
There is a wonderful conclusion. Ephesians 4:31-32 says, “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.”

Source:AACC

Control It

2010-10-18T17:40:00.000-04:00

As we keep looking for ways to deal with anger, here are more tips and action steps:

Respond (rational action), don’t react (emotional retort).
Maintain a healthy distance until you can speak constructively (James 1:19).
Confront to restore, not to destroy.
Empathize (yelling is a failure to empathize). Speak slowly and quietly (makes yelling difficult).
Surrender the right for revenge (Romans 12:19).
If anger begins to escalate to wrath or fury, that is not the time to engage in interactions with others. Instead, temporarily redirect your energy to solo activities, or re-establish calm, before confronting others.

Remember that the Bible also tells us that we must not let the sun go down on our anger.

Source: AACC

Anger

2010-10-15T09:23:00.000-04:00

Sometimes we as Christians feel that it is wrong to feel anger, we somehow feel it's unspiritual. Well we will never be "anger free" so then what do we do? Our goal should be to learn how to control our response to present anger: both the emotional and biological arousals that anger may cause.

Here are some action steps:

See It

Focus on the source of the anger. List the triggers. Until you can control the anger, avoid the triggers as much as possible.

Learn to identify anger before it is out of control.

Identify angry feelings while they are still minor. State out loud, “I’m feeling angry right now.”

Be aware of the first warning signs of anger, which may be physical changes. Anger promotes a sympathetic nervous system response (a physical state of readiness) and the following biological changes: rising heart rate and blood pressure, amplified alertness, tensed muscles, dilated pupils, digestion clenched fists, flared nostrils, bulged veins.

Step number two is to:

Delay It

Take a “time out”; temporarily disengage from the situation if possible (20-minute minimum).

Perform light exercise until the intensity of anger is manageable.
“Write, don’t fight”; jot down troubling thoughts. This exercise is personal and writings should be kept private, possibly destroyed, not sent.

Talk with a trusted friend who is unrelated to the anger-provoking situation: Don’t just vent—ask for constructive advice.

Pray about the anger, asking God to show you insight.

Read proverbs 16:32, "It is better to be patient than powerful; it is better to have self-control than to conquer a city". And Proverbs 29:11, A fool gives full vent to anger, but a wise person quietly holds it back. -Proverbs 29:11.

Hope these tips help, I'll be posting more of them soon.

Source: AACC

Redeeming Our Time

2010-10-11T13:08:00.000-04:00

Imagine that you were given $86,400 a day, every day, for the rest of your life. Suppose you could receive that amount every day…but with a catch. You have to SPEND it every day. Do you think you could do it? We could probably have a lot of fun trying!

God gives you 24 hours every day. That’s 1440 minutes a day. Or 86,400 seconds…every day of your life. He makes that deposit in your life daily. But there is a catch: You have to SPEND it…all of it…every day. And guess what? You do…

Time, it is our most precious commodity. Wouldn’t you like to be able to buy back a day…or a week…or better yet a whole year? The Apostle Paul, in Ephesians 5, admonishes us to “be careful how we walk…redeeming the time…(Vs 15 & 16)NKJV”. The word redeeming carries the implication of “buying up for oneself”, just like Christ has “redeemed” us. It means to consider “time” so precious that we are never wasteful of a moment.

Stop, look and see…where does your time go? Show me where you spend your time, and I will show you where your heart is. Golf? T.V.? Emails? Texting? Facebook? Twittering? Surfing the web? Are the “things” in your life stealing time that should be spent in relationships? A relationship with your husband or wife? Time with your kids? Or even more importantly, how about the intimate time growing your relationship with God? Not for study. Not to prepare for teaching a class. But simply because you need to be in His presence. One on one. His heart to your heart to Hunger and Thirst for Him. Redeem your time. Why? Because there are obstacles in the way.

Source: AACC

REFINE YOUR SKILLS

2010-10-04T12:28:00.000-04:00

This is the last installment of the tips we have been learning to help us become better teachers, refining our skills.

Sometimes the more we use our voices while trying to discipline, the less effective they become. In other words, when we talk too much, children begin to tune us out. Instead, use these techniques.

Offer focused attention. Ever noticed that children seem to act up whenever you're crunched for time, short on help, or expecting a classroom guest? Children are very sensitive to our moods and can tell when we're under the most pressure. If you ignore or isolate them or, even worse, yell at them-the problems escalate and no one wins. The best solution is to stop and give children your undivided attention or, if they're young, simply hold them.

Move slowly and maintain eye contact. Look into children's eyes and truly focus on them, just as Jesus did. Avoid turning your back on a child you've just disciplined; otherwise, you may inadvertently set yourself up for round two.

Act detached from the deed, not from the children. Don't take children's misbehaviors personally. Pretend you're trying to win an Academy Award in detachment. As you begin acting that way, you'll actually start feeling that way.

When you do speak, pray that God will give you the right words and the right tone of voice. Our voices tend to go up when we're upset, which makes it harder for children to take us seriously. Instead, stair-step your voice down and use visual clues along with your words. As you state what you want children to do, nod your head and smile. As you state what you don't want them to do, shake your head "no."

Close the matter properly. Verify whether children understand you. Then ask kids to apologize to others involved, realizing that they may not. Don't force apologies; repentance is a learned skill. Even so, it's important to set forth the expectation that kids will apologize when they've hurt someone. Train children in the habit of apologizing and trust God to change their hearts.

Keep your sense of humor. Humor is an important principle of discipline because it helps us put things into perspective. Often we have to step back, take a few deep breaths, and pray that God will show us the lighter side of a situation. With little children who are squirmy and inattentive, you could say, "Did you eat wiggle worms for breakfast? I know you must've had silly cereal!" With older kids, you could say, "Is this my life, or am I in a TV show-because I'm ready for a commercial break!" Humor isn't for kids only; it helps us see the funny side, too.

When you have an established, loving discipline strategy, children feel secure and are able to learn more. And teaching becomes a joy, not a chore.

Source: Group

More Tips

2010-09-30T16:37:00.001-04:00

Before we got so rudely interrupted by Tropical Storm Nicole, we had been looking at ways that we can be more effective in ministering to kids in the classrooms. We last look at Defining A system. Today we turn our attention to Tailoring that System, here we go:

TAILOR YOUR SYSTEM

Although rules need to remain consistent, it's also important to factor personalities into the equation. Children often hear rules through the grid of their God-given personalities.

For a strong-willed child who may evolve into a discipline problem without guidance, preface a desired behavior in words that empower; for example, "You can be in charge of cleaning up the block center."

Otherwise calm, peace-loving children may have problems making transitions between experiences. They respond best when you provide warnings and time to respond. For example, "In five minutes, we'll move on to our centers."

Fun-loving children may be busy talking with their friends and forget the rules. They usually respond well to warm, loving words about something enjoyable. You might say, "I wonder if we can get our centers all cleaned up by the time I count to 10? Then we'll have time to play a game."

Perfectionists may have trouble because they get stuck emotionally or can't do something just right. They usually respond well to encouragement. You could say, "I know you're upset that those colors don't match, but it's a very detailed drawing. I'm sure your mom will want to hang it up when you get home."

Hope these help. Tomorrow we will look at refining our skills.

Source: Group

Hello Nicole

2010-09-29T11:46:00.000-04:00

One of the things we must get used to as residents of this great state of Florida is the fact that we get uninvited visitors all the time in the guise of hurricanes, tropical depressions, and tropical storms. Today is one of those days. We are getting ready to welcome Tropical Storm Nicole. As a result of Nicole stopping by we find ourselves with the need of canceling our Wednesday night service. We don't want to put any of our brothers or sisters in danger by having to drive through flooded streets. So stay home, stay dry, and have church at home like they used to do 2000 years ago. We will see you this weekend.

More Teacher's Tips

2010-09-25T12:47:00.001-04:00

DEFINE YOUR SYSTEM

Don't wait until problems arise to create a discipline plan. Teacher training needs to include details about how to handle common behavioral problems-and when to seek help for the "bigger" issues as well. Try these steps.

Set ground rules. I've found that three simple rules work well for children of all ages: 1. When you want to talk, raise your hand and wait to be called on. 2. When someone else is talking, be quiet. 3. Keep your hands and feet to yourself unless you have permission. If you teach young children, you may need to repeat these three guidelines every week.

Establish a clear discipline process. I recommend this simple three-step approach. The first time children violate a rule, walk to them and quietly tell them the rule. In other words, assume they have rule amnesia, which is prevalent in childhood. State the desired behavior first; for example, "We use our hands to love and help, not hit." For a second violation, walk to children and ask them what the rule is in your room. For a third violation, have an immediate consequence related to the misbehavior.

Develop logical consequences. The purpose of a consequence is to retrain the brain and transform the heart. Training through discipline requires that the deed and consequence be logically related and that it occurs right away. The consequence helps children see that their choices determined what happened. This brings accountability into the picture.

This one is EXTREMELY important. Consequences must maintain children's dignity. Respond only to the current misbehavior and don't bring up a long list of past offenses. Instead of saying, "You always…" or "You never…," simply say, "Because you've chosen to do this behavior, this is the consequence."

For example, if children talk rudely and inappropriately, they must find a nice way to say the same thing. If children hurt someone else, they must do something kind for him or her. Connected, immediate consequences can lead to significant changes in children's behavior.

I have noticed that these tips also help in parenting. Tomorrow we'll look at tayloring the system.

Source: Group, Jody Capehart

Teacher's Tips

2010-09-24T15:45:00.000-04:00

You love God and children. You feel called to teach and be enthusiastic about the year ahead. But now you find yourself faced with disruptive children. You don't want to give up; you're just frustrated beyond belief.

This probably sounds familiar. Most children's ministry teachers or volunteers have the passion and the right attitude, but relatively few are equipped for when the "little angels" behave less than angelically. Unfortunately, that leaves many formerly upbeat teachers ready to throw in the towel.

How can you prevent discipline problems from diminishing your effectiveness and joy? Here's a bounty of practical pointers:

RELY ON GOD

Ground your discipline strategy in God's Word. Hebrews 12:11 says, "No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening-it's painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way." Children usually don't view discipline as training in right living, though. They often interpret strictness as meanness. Although the former is okay, the latter is never appropriate.

A discipline policy is really a discipleship process that allows us to demonstrate Jesus' love. Although we may not like everything children do each moment, we always love them. They need to hear and feel that from us often.

Adults' character and conduct are very contagious to children, who learn more from how we act than what we say. So it's important to respond in a Christian manner rather than react in the flesh. When we adults rely on God to model respect, manners, concern for others, and a gentle spirit, we teach volumes.

Discipline is far more effective when you move slowly and quietly, praying for God's guidance. Prayer is the Christian version of "counting to 10." It slows down our human reactions, puts things in proper perspective, and gives the Holy Spirit opportunity to work. In our weakness, God can use us to glorify him.

Tomorrow we'll look at more pointers.

Source: Group, Jody Capehart

This Weekend at CCk

2010-09-23T14:40:00.001-04:00

If you want to see what God can do even in seemingly insurmountable circumstances...
If you want to hear a miraculous story of how God calls the most unlikely people to do his work...

If you want to be inspired to see how God might use your life to impact the world...
Then, join us this weekend as we welcome Pastor Raul Ries from Calvary Chapel Golden Springs to tell his story at all of our regularly scheduled weekend services.

Growing up with an alcoholic father who abused him and his mother caused rage to fester inside Raul. He lashed out by joining gangs and committing crimes in the Los Angeles area. The violence and pain escalated - until one day a judge told him it was either prison or the military. Raul chose Vietnam and came back angrier than ever. Eventually Raul's rage reached its boiling point, and just as he was about to do the unthinkable, God intervened. He has an amazing story, you don't want to miss it! So come and join us and don't forget to bring a friend.

Don't Quit

2010-09-22T14:41:00.003-04:00

September 8, 1990. The Texas Rangers were hosting the Kansas City Royals at Arlington Stadium. 34,412 fans were watching these two teams battle.

During the second inning, Bo Jackson, a fierce hitter for the Royals smashed Nolan Ryan’s first pitch to him right back at the mound. And it wasn’t pretty. Ryan misplayed the baseball and the line drive hit him right in the mouth. Ryan’s lip was split wide open and there was blood everywhere. Amazingly, he refused to leave the mound. With a shirt stained with blood, and a busted and swollen lip, he pitched to the 7th inning. The Rangers went on to win the game 2 – 1.

Crazy? Yes. Tough, hard-nosed baseball? You bet. Nolan’s picture from that day is hung everywhere as a reminder to keep “the fight” in you. To “get up” and keep doing battle.

The writer of Proverbs understood this. Proverbs 24:16 says, “For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again.” Wow. Can you imagine getting knocked down seven times and still getting back up? It sounds like the fight between Rocky Balboa and the Russian in Rocky IV! The Apostle Paul quoted Jesus when he felt his knees buckle from the pressures and pain in his life. II Corinthians 12:9, “My GRACE is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” Catch this, Paul went on to say that he was glad when he felt weak, because that is when he knew just how strong the power of Christ is. That’s what kept him in the game.

When life delivers those devastating blows, resolve to get up to stay in the fight. How? With God’s Grace, and in His Strength.

Source: AACC

911

2010-09-21T15:11:00.004-04:00

Once a kids pastor always a kids pastor, and living on that premise finds me always looking for tools to either help kids or help the parents who are raising them. While on that search I found this article and I thought it was good, so I'll share it with you.

Every school kid in America knows to call 911 in a crisis. Not if everything’s well or fine and the day is normal. But in an emergency…when there is tragedy or danger… that’s when you dial 911.

When you are in trouble or need help I’ve got another number for you. Remember…Psalm 91:1… “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty.”(TAB)

Is your heart heavy? Discouraged? Sick of the way you are living? Have you been hurt? Are you tempted beyond what you feel you can handle? Then go to Psalm 91:1. Dial it in. God knows and He’s there for you.

But the key is to dwell in the “secret place” of the Most High. That’s your responsibility. To spend time with the Father. Soak in His presence. And then when trials and hard times come…and they will come…you can remain stable and fixed. You can “be still” and “know that He is God”…and that this crisis – this journey – this season – this too shall pass. Don’t fear. Be secure. Where? Under the shadow of the Almighty.

Is all well with your soul? Then God has called you to care. Millions of people are searching right now for God. They need and want His touch. Let God use your hands to dial the number for them. 911. He will answer. Bear their burden with them. Lead them to the secret place. The place of safety and stability. A place where they can, and will, learn to Hunger and Thirst…for His protection…for His presence…

Source: AACC.

Amazing Weekend

2010-09-20T12:52:00.003-04:00

This past weekend I had the opportunity and the privilege of witnessing God moving in the lives of people. We had Pastor Bob Coy the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale speaking at our West Campus. He kicked off our new series called Story. As we expected we had a great turnout for the three weekend services. There were close to 3000 people that came out to hear him speak and they were not disappointed. Pastor Bob is a great communicator, not only that, but he is also totally committed to God and to spreading His Word. Bob shared his testimony and what God has done and is doing in his life. He did it in a down to earth manner and simply had us all laughing at times and also crying at other times. Overall it was great to see how the Lord used him to bring people to a saving relationship, as several people responded to the invitation to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. I am also thankful and at the same time humbled by the commitment of all the volunteers that gave of their time and their efforts to make this event happen. Without their help it would have been impossible to minister to so many people. From the set up and break down crew, to the Kidz Ministry volunteers, to the security people, greeters, ushers, everyone served with a smile on their face and a willing heart to help. I am honored to be the campus pastor serving alongside this great bunch of Jesus crazed people, I thank you all from the bottom of my heart and I look forward to more events like this that we can continue to bring people to light through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you want to read more about Pastor Bob's story go here.

More on Becoming a Better Parent

2010-09-18T12:35:00.002-04:00

Here are so more tips on becoming a better parent.

Tenderness

Tenderness is to love unconditionally, and it is having a soft hand of discipline even when children irritate, argue, or disappoint. It is the same message Jesus shouts to us, in any condition of sin or grace, we are worth everything to Him!
Also learn the way your child gives and receives love and overdose him or her with that love! According to Christian child psychologist Fran Stott, “Every child needs at least one person who’s crazy about him.”

Teaching

Whether present or absent, a parent is always teaching something to his or her child. Your child learned something from you today, guaranteed. Don’t miss a moment to teach your child important life lessons. And if one parent is absent, assure the child that he or she deserves two parents, even though one might not be around.

Tenacity

Today kids need structure and stability more than ever, for their lives are more erratic, confusing, and rapidly changing than for any generation in history! Parents, be a reference point, an anchor that holds firmly against powerful countercurrents.
The hardest part of parenting is staying persistent. Your investment now is what your child has to “bank” on as he or she grows into a compassionate, competent adult. The truth is children grow up way too soon. Never quit
being the parent your child needs.

Tomorrow

The most beautiful part of God’s love for us is in what Scripture calls the “blessed hope”, an eternity with Him in heaven. Parents, fill your children’s hearts with hope. Believe in them. Dream with them. Look expectantly to the future! Be big on praise, forgiveness, and grace, and be small on criticism. There is no better inheritance, no amount of money or privilege or worldly power that can compare to a legacy of hope in a godly future.

Well there they are, I hope and pray that they can be helpful tools in our journey as parents. I know they have helped in my relationship with my kids.

Source: AACC, Fran Stott

Becoming a Better Parent

2010-09-16T14:51:00.003-04:00

Our goal as Christians should be to become the man or woman that God wants us to be, and for some of us that means being the best parent that we can be. Whether a single parent or a family unit the following steps can help us in achieving just that.

The following guidelines are called the “super Ts” and are the foundation of any good parenting, whether the parent is single or not. They are a basic guide for all parents on how to build relationship and bring up a happy and healthy child. (It should be apparent that for many of these tasks, the single parent will need the help of other adults. No one person can accomplish all these alone.)

Time

Kids spell love T-I-M-E. There is no substitute for every hour, minute, and second of quality time fathers and mothers spend with their children. Kids need heavy doses of you every day if possible.

Touch

A hug and kiss, holding hands, brushing hair, wrestling, high fives, even cuddling on the couch, most child experts agree kids need at least eleven touches a day.

Talk

Find the interests you and your child share, and talk! Or ask your child about his or her day. Remember, communication is more nonverbal than verbal, so be careful of all the different ways you “speak” to your child.

Truth

Deuteronomy 6:6–7 says, “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (NIV). Parents’ morals fill the little hands and hearts of their children. Therefore, ground your child in the truth of God’s Word.

I'll look at more of these tomorrow.

Source: AACC.

Spiritual Intimacy Part IV

2010-09-15T15:24:00.002-04:00

So far we have looked at several action steps to improve our Spiritual Intimacy, they were:Talk, Listen, Sharing,Praying,Doing Bible Study and Spiritual Learning. Today I want to look at the last two action steps, they are:

Worship and Serve Together.

Worship is a vital part of spiritual intimacy and finding a church where worship brings you directly into the presence of God may be a key goal. Instead of the husband going to a men’s retreat, and the wife to a women’s group, attend religious activities together.

Make sure you are both actively involved together in your church ministry. This not only includes sitting together during services but also volunteering together and having your marital relationship be a vital part of your identity in the church.

According to Gary Chapman, "Because service to God is so central in the Christian life, it also plays an important role in developing spiritual intimacy within marriage. Spiritual intimacy greatly increases when a husband and wife serve together."

Well, there they are, I pray and hope that it may help some of you like it has helped me.

Source: AACC, Gary Chapman.

Spiritual Intimacy Part 3

2010-09-14T09:05:00.002-04:00

Continuing our journey to find and apply actions steps that will help us in our spiritual intimacy, the next action step we look at is,Bible study and spiritual learning.

Many couples find studying the Bible together a comfortable way to build spiritual intimacy. The downside is that studying together often takes more time than praying together, and it can feel impersonal if the study is more technical than reflective. Few couples will feel very close studying the ontological argument for God’s existence, for example. The key to building spiritual intimacy through religious spiritual study is bringing in one’s own personal reflection. Ask, how does this particular Scripture convict, encourage, or challenge us? Sharing and listening to each other’s reflections are key components of building spiritual closeness through study.

We got one more area to look at I'll post soon.

Source: AACC

More on Spiritual Intimacy

2010-09-10T12:09:00.003-04:00

Continuing on the actions steps to find spiritual intimacy with your spouse, last post I wrote about Talk, Listen, and Share, in this post we will look at:

Pray, Pray, and Pray Some More.

Paul Tournier, in his book To Understand Each Other, writes:
"Happy are the couples who do recognize and understand that their happiness is a gift of God, who can kneel together to express their thanks not only for the love which he has put in their hearts, the children he has given them or all of life’s joys, but also for the progress in their marriage which he brings about through the hard school of mutual understanding".

It is said that few spiritual endeavors have as great a potential for building spiritual intimacy as praying together. If praying together is not your style, or if makes you uncomfortable, you and your spouse can pray separately for each other daily, then talk about what you prayed. It is likely that over time, simply talking about prayer will help you be able to pray together comfortably.

Try some or all of the following tips they may help minimize any discomfort either of you feel about praying together:

Try praying together when the two of you are already in a spiritual mindset, such as after a church service or before small group meetings.

Try praying together when there is less pressure, such as while riding in a car or listening to music or taking a walk or while in a large crowd.

Try reading the Psalms together. Read a passage, and then pray about the content of the verses. Instead of making up prayers on the spot, find a book of prayers and pray them together.

Solicit prayer requests from others. Make a list and pray for the specific issues on that list.

Pray together silently.

Source: AACC,Paul Tournier.

Spiritual Intimacy

2010-09-09T17:12:00.004-04:00

In today's society where the divorce rate is so high, we must always be on the lookout for ways that will help us make our marriages stronger. One of the ways I think that is essential for the health of a marriage is that of spiritual intimacy. There are many ways couples can work to build spiritual intimacy. The following action steps give several of these ways.

Talk, Listen, and Share
Spiritual intimacy cannot occur in a relationship unless there is meaningful communication about spiritual matters. Set aside some time each week even if it is just fifteen minutes to talk about spiritual growth and the things of God.
Spouses need to be able to talk about:
What God is doing and not doing in their lives.
What they have learned about God recently.
Ways that God is speaking to or leading them.
Their doubts or faith problems, including any sense of disconnection with God.
Spiritual areas in which they need improvement.

Keys for listening include:
Be attentive to what your spouse is saying.
Do not condemn or judge your spouse’s struggles or mistakes.
Be supportive and reassuring, emphasizing God’s mercy and grace.
If you feel compelled to share a contrasting point of view, share it as your interpretation, not God’s. And don’t make it seem that your spouse has a warped understanding.

Preaching at your spouse, including pointing out his or her sins or beliefs that seem wrong to you, is not a good way to build spiritual intimacy.

So talking, listening, and sharing is a good place to start. More action steps to come.

Source: AACC

Perseverance

2010-09-07T20:59:00.004-04:00

Do you know who invented the light bulb? Thomas Edison. Do you know what else he discovered? Perseverance. He simply refused to give up. At least 6 other men had tried, failed, and given up on the light bulb. But Edison learned the importance of hard work, determination and a “can do” attitude, 6000 that’s how many different plants fibers he tried in the hopes of finding one that would work for the filament of the light bulb. He finally found that a carbonized cotton thread glowed a soft orange when voltage was applied to it. After this, it still took Edison over 2,000 attempts to light his bulb successfully. When asked what kept him going after so many failures, he replied, “Those weren’t failures. I discovered 2,000 ways that didn’t work.” Each try brought him closer to his dream.

The Apostle Paul certainly understood challenges and discouragement. In 2 Corinthians Chapter 11 he relates some of what he went through in his travels, sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. “Five times I received 39 lashes…Three times I was beaten with rods… Stoned once… Shipwrecked three times… Spent a night and a day clinging to life in the sea” And the list goes on. And yet this same Paul wrote in Galatians 6:9, “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary.”

Are you discouraged? Down? Filled with confusion? Or maybe doubt? Do you wonder if God is listening? He is. And even though you can’t see or feel it yet… He is at work in your life. Never, ever give up on God. Keep moving forward. Do not lose heart. Keep looking up. Your miracle is, quite possibly, just a prayer away.

Source: AACC

The Law of the Garbage Truck !

2010-09-06T12:17:00.003-04:00

A friend of mine sent me this and I think is sooo true. I hope the rest of your day is "garbage free."

One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car just by inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy I mean he was really friendly.

So I asked, "Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!"

This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, "The Law of The Garbage Truck."

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run all around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointments. As the garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets. The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day.

Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, resentments, anger, and frustration; so........... Love the people who treat you right, Pray for the ones who don't. Life is ten percent what you make it, and ninety percent how you take it.

Have a blessed, garbage-free day!

From Negative To Positive

2010-09-04T13:19:00.001-04:00

Peer pressure. Just say those two words, and they can strike fear in your heart! But add the word "positive" to this alliterative statement and you have a wonderful tool to help kids learn to make the best choices. Positive peer pressure. These three words pack a powerful punch, just the kind of positive punch we want in children's lives to help them make good decisions when we're not around. It's important to understand the nature of positive peer pressure and take action to foster its benefits. Read More Here.

Are We Protecting Our Kids

2010-09-01T12:58:00.004-04:00

As a parent raising kids in this date and age I want to make sure that my kids (they are not kids anymore) feel safe. In my constant search for tools to achieve that goal, I came across this information, I pray it helps you. We as parents must ask ourselves some questions and be honest in our answers. For example, how is it going with our kids? Do they feel safe with us? More importantly, do they feel protected?

* From the “bully” down the street…
* From the fear of failure…
* From peer pressure…
* From the daily evil in their lives…

In today’s world we want to protect our kids from ALL of the pain life often delivers. But we can’t. However, we, as moms and dads, can be a place they can run to. We can be their refuge. Our kids can feel safe. They can feel protected. And understand this spiritual phenomenon, we are an EXAMPLE to them of the protection found in their Heavenly Father. The pattern we set with them as they grow up, directly affects how they will relate to God throughout their whole lives. The degree of intimacy that we establish with our kids now, directly affects the level of intimacy they will have with their Heavenly Father for years and years to come.

I am convinced this is what Solomon meant in Proverbs 22:6… “Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it”. It is not so much about discipline as it is about relationship. The relationship they have with us will be mirrored in the relationship they have with God. The quality of our relationship, I believe, also directly impacts the effectiveness of our discipline strategy. Show me a home where all you do is discipline, and I will show you a home that has lost relationship.

This week as we interact with our kids lets commit to pray over them. Pray with them. Listen to them. Laugh with them. Spend time with them. Show them we care. Let them know that they are important. That they matter. And as we do this, they will hunger and thirst for relationship, with us, and more importantly, with God…

Source:AACC.

More Effective Leadership Tips

2010-08-31T23:21:00.002-04:00

Here is the last batch of tips:

11. Make corrections and changes when necessary.

12. Don't let your volunteers get in a rut. Don't keep doing the same old stuff in ministry. Watch out for complacency and familiarity. Keep volunteers excited by doing new things.

13. Always set the pace; be the leader. Be the kind of person you'd like to work for. Dare to lead no matter what. Give your volunteers an example to follow and a model worth imitating.

14. Don't fret about what you don't have. Commit yourself to help your volunteers grow into the next level as leaders.

15. As you experience success, don't forget about the things you did that caused you to gain success. Don't quit doing what has worked for you.

Well there you have it,delegation is not an option for those who want to succeed in ministry, but to succeed, you must take inventory of where you are. Start small and go from there.

Source: Group, Jim Wideman.

Effective Leadership (Contnd)

2010-08-30T16:54:00.002-04:00

Here are some more tips on delegation:

6. Push authority down. It's extremely important that you always delegate authority along with responsibility. Those you delegate to can only carry out the tasks you desire with proper authority.

7. Put your heart into the level of leadership under you. People can't represent you well if they don't have your heart. And you can't put your heart into your volunteer leaders without making a commitment to spend time with them. Take someone with you whenever you can. Be quick to pass on what you know to someone else. Allow those around you to ask questions. Establish excellent lines of communication. Take advantage of every communication tool available.

8. Establish accountability. Teach your volunteers how authority works. Help them understand the chain of command.

9. Support and encourage those who help you. It's imperative that you build a support structure around your volunteers.

10. Dare to confront those who are doing it wrong. When you see things that need to be done differently, gently confront people. Don't wait for things to become a problem. Be on the offense and deal with things as they come up. What if volunteers quit? Why be negative? If they quit, they quit. But what if they change and become super leaders?

More to come!

Source: Group, Jim Wideman.

Effective Leadership

2010-08-28T12:00:00.003-04:00

In my years of being a manager I have come to realize that the best resource I had was the people that worked with me or for me. Once I came in to the ministry I realized that people became a more valuable assets since now I was dealing with mostly volunteers. My dilemma was, how to maximize their potential. I found out that the best way to maximize their potential and abilities was through delegation. The bottom line is that over the years I found out that I cannot do the work alone. The Bible talks about leaders that tried to do the work alone and were headed to failure, one example is that of Moses. He learned the hard way about doing the job alone. In Exodus 18, we're told about how Moses did everything in ministry by himself, and it caused problems on the job. It was tough on the people, Moses, and his family. Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, gave him wise advice and counsel. Simply put...he told Moses to delegate or die.

In reading about the subject of delegating I came across an article by Jim Wideman were he talks about 15 delegating tips that can help us in becoming more effective leaders. I agree with them and I will share some of them here in hopes that it may help, here they are:

1. Identify what you need to be doing. There's a right way and a wrong way to delegate ministry to others. Delegation isn't finding someone who's willing and then dumping part of your ministry responsibilities on him. There are some projects that are easier to delegate than others. There are other projects that you should never delegate -- and still others that if you do delegate, proceed with caution.

2. Identify things others can do, and let them do those things. Once you delegate jobs, ensure that the responsible people are properly trained and coached. Next, identify areas where you could use a capable worker. Don't just assign a task; empower a person to do the task well.

3. Qualify all workers. Jethro gave Moses requirements for workers in Exodus 18:21: "But select capable men from all the people." A major rule of delegation is to qualify who you delegate responsibility to. Are they capable and able? If not, then help them become capable and able.

4. Define exactly what you want done. Everyone needs a job description. Especially volunteers! Give them checklists to show what you want them to do and to show you what was done.

5. Train and teach those you recruit. You must model to others how you want it done. Classes are good, but hands-on training is better.

Well that's good enough for now, I will share more in other post. Read Article Here.

Source: Group, Jim Wideman

Daily Living

2010-08-27T15:40:00.002-04:00

Have you ever wondered how we as Christians are supposed to live our daily lives? As you study the Bible you come to know that we should live daily by and in the grace of God. But what does that mean? How do we live by God's grace? Does it mean that we do nothing and just wait for things to "fall" on our laps? I don't think so. We have to take an active part, we must become fully involved in living by grace. However, our involvement develops through ways and means that God has ordained, ways that you or I would have never imagined. There are two characteristics in particular that are essential in living by grace, they are, humility and faith.

In the book of James 4:6 it says that "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble". That tells me that the grace of God does not flow into and through lives of self-sufficiency. What do I mean by that, lives that depend upon their own resources and their own abilities, and as I read the verse I take it to mean that those lives are actually resisted by the Lord. So in this context humility admits my/our comprehensive need for God to work in our lives.

The other characteristic is faith. In the book of Romans 5:2 it speaks of Jesus, "through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand." Here we see that the spiritual ground on which we stand in Jesus is a realm of grace. So how do we access that grace? How do we avail ourselves of it in every day Christian living? It is done by faith, by trusting in the Lord, day by day and step by step. In every situation that we may find ourselves daily, whether we need to make a decission or comitt to an action, everything needs to be dealt with by faith. That is what is meant by having total dependance upon the Lord, relying on His word, His provisions, His promises.

In light of all of this then I am to totally surrender to my Lord and trust that He will enable me by faith to live a life of grace.

Source: LICM.

Deja Vu

2010-08-23T12:21:00.002-04:00

Even though is my day off today, I got up really early (6 am). I did it to take part of what has become for me a yearly "tradition" for the past I would say 10 or 11 years, that is taking my daughter to her first day of school. This year was special, not only because she is now a junior in high school, but also because she is starting a new adventure in her education. She started in the S.A.S program, a program that is geared for students to work on their college at the same time as high school. Is kind of like a dual enrollment program. Anyways, as I was driving my daughter this morning (driving like a maniac I add, since we were running late), I realized how this might be the last year I get to do this since she will be driving by herself pretty soon. It also made me think about the brevity of life and how fast it goes by. I still remember the times of dropping her off at Pre-K and so on. It reminds me of what the Bible says:"LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered, and that my life is fleeing away".Psalm 39:4. So we must live our lives to the fullest and savoring the moments we get to spend with our love ones. For those of you that have kids that are young enough to be driven to school, enjoy it (in spite of the traffic), because before you know it, they will be all grown up and gone.

Family Force 5

2010-08-21T14:18:00.001-04:00

Get your tickets for

Family Force 5
in concert

Sunday, September 12

@ 7:00pm

at Calvary Chapel Kendall West Campus

John A. Ferguson High School

15900 SW 56th Street

Tickets on sale
on the LiFE FM website.

www.909lifefm.com

Tickets are $15.00 per person.

No childcare provided.

Lazy Saturday

2010-08-21T12:03:00.002-04:00

What a beautiful morning today. This is why people want to come and live here. Anyways, after a great invigorating workout, my wife and I went to breakfast at one of our favorite restaurants (Sergios). This has turned into somewhat of a tradition for us and is one that I have grown to look forward to. It gives me time to re-connect with my wife and catch up on the goings on of the past week, and look forward to the coming one. I am grateful that I can do this.

Hypocrisy in Action

2009-08-15T13:06:00.001-04:00

Speaker of the House Pelosi says that those who disrupt and protest at town hall meetings are un-American, however check the video out, and see her commending protestors and disruptors during protests agaisnt the war. I guess it only applies when people protest agaisnt what she supports, what a hypocrite.

Going to Jail for Praying?

2009-08-15T13:02:00.001-04:00

Students, teachers and local pastors are protesting over a court case involving a northern Florida school principal and an athletic director who are facing criminal charges and up to six months in jail over their offer of a mealtime prayer. Story Here.

Sharing with Others

2009-08-15T12:01:00.002-04:00

This morning during my devotional time I read from 1 Corinthians 9, is a chapter were Paul shares with us his views as it pertains to sharing the Gospel. He left us with some helpful hints about how to share God's message with others. He shows us that if we want to communicate, we must first take the time to understand the other person. Paul was a master at listening to his audience and afterward finding common ground with them. He did this before he told them about their need to change. As we seek to help others, we do well by applying Paul's method. We must begin by gaining their confidence. We don't need to be good at winning arguments; which seems to be the popular thing to do now a days. Instead we need to be good at listening to them and showing them we care. We should be like Paul who listened to the needs of people and then presented his message in a way that met their specific needs. We can do the same as we carry the message of hope to hurting people.

Dealing with Opposition

2009-08-12T09:39:00.003-04:00

If you are like me, you have probably felt at one time or another that doing God's will is bringing lots of opposition in your life. Well we are not alone, this morning I was reading the book of Nehemiah (very practical book by the way) and as I read, I realized that carrying out the will of God will always bring opposition. My, and your and even Nehemiah's experience is no exception. We may face ridicule, or sarcasm and those things may sting. But we must not focus our attention on the sarcasm or the ridicule; we must continue to look to God as we seek to obey His plans for us.

So then the question to be asked is; how do we counter ridicule and disdain? Well it is essential that we seek God and also keep our guard up. We must counter ridicule with prayer. But we must also remember that prayer must be accompanied by action. And finally we must also realize that there is a cost to obeying and following God's plan, but spiritual growth is always worth the pain and sacrifice.

Dealing with Sin

2009-08-10T10:02:00.001-04:00

This morning I was reading the Book of Ezra the tenth chapter, is a hard chapter to read. I can say that God was being harsh in dealing with His people, I mean making them divorce their wives and leave them and in some instances with their children. But these were the consequences that sin brought to their lives, and is the same with me, I have to know that sin in my life will always have terrible consequences, and not only for me but for those around me that love me and care for me. This reminder must help me in my choices.

I also must remember that if I do nothing about the sins in my life, I will never move forward. I must confess these sins to God and then take action against them.

In this chapter we read that the people did not stop at mere confession; they also committed themselves to reform, redirecting the course of their lives back into alignment with God's commands. It is never enough to just acknowledge that we have sins in our lives. We must follow the example of these Israelites and follow our confessions with action,accepting responsibility for our sins and then taking active steps to eliminate sinful and destructive behaviors from our lives.

The Insider

2009-08-09T20:40:00.002-04:00

We continue to go through the book of Jonah we are currently in the 2 chapter. Pastor Pedro named this teaching the Insider and it focused on Jonah 1:17-2:10. This is what I took away from the teaching today:

>God prepares a way. God will cause storms in our lives to bring us back. He will do whatever it takes to bring me back to where I need to be.

When we run from God, we miss out on His purpose for our lives.

>God hears us pray. It must be real prayer, we must be honest when we pray. We must own up to our mistakes our prayers must be repentant.

>God gives us a new day. No matter what we have done, God will give us another chance if we are sincere in our repentance.

If we want to go anywhere in life we need to die to self.

If you run from God you will always get burn.

God will restore the years that the locust has eaten.

Big Brother is Coming

2009-08-08T10:57:00.002-04:00

The White House strategy of turning supporters into snitches when they see "fishy" information about the health care debate may run afoul of the law, legal experts say. Story Here.

Awesome Quote!

2009-08-08T10:50:00.000-04:00

"Congress treats the American taxpayer like an all-you-can-eat buffet ... Pelosi and Reid, you need to put yourself on a diet, or we'll do it for you in 2010". Lynne Marino.

Congress Gets an Upgrade or The Irony of Hypocrisy

2009-08-08T10:43:00.003-04:00

Congress plans to spend $550 million to buy eight jets, a substantial upgrade to the fleet used by federal officials at a time when lawmakers have criticized the use of corporate jets by companies receiving taxpayer funds. Once again our representatives laugh in our faces and spend our hard earn tax money. Read Story Here.

Discipline

2009-08-08T09:36:00.003-04:00

I don't know about you, but there have been times in my life when I have made a mess of things, and is during those times when I find myself calling out to God in desperation. I have to say that He has never failed me although some times I have failed Him. Anyways, I have always felt great joy and gratitude when He has picked me up and does not allow for my problems to defeat or destroy me. Sometimes I have gone through some long, dark nights struggling with my problems before experiencing the joy of victory. All these things have taught me that there are times I must wait on the Lord. But when I do finally overcome, the joy of success is only that much sweeter.

I have also realized this, that sometimes we may be in the most danger when everything in our lives is going well. We tend to get overconfident and think nothing can happen to us. But we must remember that pride and overconfidence usually come before a fall. We must always remember that we can't make it alone. How do we keep things practical, by practicing spiritual disciplines, by staying close to God, seeking Him through prayer, meditating on His Word, and worshiping Him. These are all key spiritual disciplines that will help us in our spiritual walk.

Twitter Down

2009-08-07T23:56:00.002-04:00

If you were having problems posting on Twitter or Facebook, this might be the reason why. Twitter, Facebook, LiveJournal, Google Blogger and other Web sites were hobbled Thursday Twitter was completely down for many users and it all appears to have been because of a coordinated online attack on one political blogger in the Republic of Georgia. Read it Here.

His Plan

2009-08-07T09:09:00.002-04:00

There are some things about God that I still can't wrap my mind around, one of them is that He has had a good plan for us, yes for each one of us from the beginning of time. If we ask Him to work in our lives, that plan will come about. No matter how many mistakes you or I have made, God can still turn things around so they work according to His plan. Our part in all of this is simple, we just need to surrender our lives to Him and seek to follow His will as He reveals it to us. No matter what you or I have done in the past, God still loves us and can work His restoration within us.

Sometimes we might feel as if we have lost our direction, and our tendency is to blame God or feel that somehow He is making things worse. Well it is during those times that we must remember that He has wonderful things planned for us, things even more wonderful than we could ever imagine. We must remember that if we surrender our lives to God, He can build new lives for us that are beyond our wildest dreams.

This all may cause some of us to wonder how we could ever know God's will and plan for our lives. This is a valid question and one that I have asked myself many times, and the answer is that we can know God's mind and heart because He has given us His Holy Spirit to live within us, to communicate with us. What a privilege that is! God's presence in our lives will guide us in the way He wants us to go.

Decisions

2009-08-06T12:32:00.002-04:00

Sometimes when I talk to people about God and starting a relationship with Him, they tell me that they are not ready to commit because they don't want to lose their friends. Some also tell me that they don't want to deal with people mocking them. I can understand and even relate to what they say, however, I also tell them that we ought to look forward to what God is doing with our lives and not look back and become depressed or discouraged. I remind them that God has a new life for us that He has yet to unfold, and one day we will be made sinless just like Jesus.

We also need to remember that when we decide to be real about our relationship with God there will be opposition. When God starts to do a great work in our lives, enemies almost invariably rise up against it. There will be adversaries against our work as we seek to obey God's plan for our lives, but we must trust in the Lord to help us persevere in obedience to His will. Today, we must accept the reality that many will not be supportive of our new way of life. We must never allow such people to stand in the way of our spiritual transformation.

Simplicity

2009-08-05T08:38:00.003-04:00

The closer I get to the Lord and the more I seek to learn from Him I realize how simple it is to have a close personal relationship with Him. It seems that is us that complicate things. Let me explain, God makes it clear in the Bible that we need nothing but willing hearts to receive God's power and forgiveness. It is also clear that we have no power or ability that can overcome the power of sin in our lives. In fact, a life of self-sufficiency is ultimately self-destructive. When we surrender our lives to God, we accept His way, only then can we experience His power in our lives. Sounds simple right? But we tend to complicate things by adding all kinds of "hoops" to jump through. We as humans try to add our wisdom to the process when the Bible clearly says that God's plan for our redemption doesn't utilize our human wisdom, strength, or skill. And we don't have to be famous or rich to receive God's forgiveness and power. It is in our nature to be self-sufficient and as such we may have a hard time accepting all this. We want to feel worthy of our salvation. But until we can admit that we need God's help to change, we will not have the power to redirect the course of our lives.

This simplicity also applies when we talk to others about Jesus. Many times when we are sharing with people about Him we overwhelm them with a series of complicated explanations and instructions. We have to realize that doing this will only confuse them and maybe even turn them off to our message. We must keep the message plain and simple, and that is, that there is nothing we can do to save ourselves; God has done everything necessary for our deliverance. As we share this incredible great message, lets remember to keep it simple, and trust the power of the Holy Spirit to work in the lives of the people we are trying to help.

Chicago Style Politics

2009-08-04T22:44:00.001-04:00

Following reports that White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel has been orchestrating an effort to intimidate members of Congress and Governors who raise legitimate concerns regarding the effectiveness of the stimulus, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Ranking Member Darrell Issa (R-CA) sent a letter to Emanuel saying “While this type of scare tactic may work In Chicago, it will not work to intimidate me or other Members of the United States Congress.” Read letter here.

Random Thoughts

2009-08-04T08:56:00.003-04:00

These are some of the thoughts I took away from my devotions time this morning, they might seem like they are all over the place but I know that there is a reason for it.

Encouragement is extremely important for anyone pursuing spiritual growth and a vibrant relationship with God. We all need encouragement to face new and difficult tasks. As we seek to live as God says we will need the encouragement and support of others. our relationships with those who encourage us will help us preserve our spiritual gains.

Success: Worldly success is never the final measure. If we refuse to live according to God's plan, we will not be truly successful in God's eyes.

God's Will: We can never ignore God's will without suffering the consequences. As we discover God's will, we need to act on it, redirecting the course of our lives to align with His plan.

Fear: We have nothing to fear in this life if we put our complete trust in God as our guide, deliverer, and protector. If we continually seek God, we can be assured that when problems come, He will watch over us, make our way secure, and draw us even closer to himself.

The People are Fed Up

2009-08-03T20:12:00.002-04:00

I got this article from the Family Research Council:

Being home is no picnic for the Democrats in charge, as one blogger makes abundantly clear in a home video taken during a recent townhall meeting on health care. In a packed gymnasium, Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Penn.) and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius were booed so loudly that you can barely hear their answers to some basic questions. The comments that were audible only managed to cause more outrage.

One audience member asked how Americans can be confident in Congress to reform the health care system when members won't even read the legislation. Sebelius's response? "I'm not a member of Congress," which apparently absolves her from understanding the $1 trillion plan her Department will be tasked with implementing. That answer is still better than Sen. Specter's explanation, which was, "...[W]e have to make judgments very fast, and every bill is... understood by me before I vote." Sebelius tried to interrupt the hissing crowd but her defense of Senate Democrats was almost impossible to hear amid the jeering.

Of course, the mainstream press would have us believe through carefully choreographed broadcasts that Americans are perplexed but receptive to the White House plan. Producers have been wary to air anything but footage of the President in a controlled townhall environment, where he answers softball questions from a handpicked crowd. The media may show the grassroots as an agreeable bunch on the President's proposal, but as you'll see from the video on Panzramic, these public forums are turning into a public relations nightmare for the liberals in power.

In "Townhalls gone wild," Politico chronicles another side of the debate that includes "screaming constituents, protestors dragged out by the cops, [and, sad to say] congressmen fearful for their safety." More Democrats are canceling meetings, concerned about "angry, sign-carrying mobs" that greeted a long list of their colleagues including: Reps. Tim Bishop (D-N.Y.), Thomas Perriello (D-Va.), Allen Boyd (D-Fla.), Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), Bruce Braley (D-Iowa), and Russ Carnahan (D-Mo.). Bishop, who was escorted away by police after his meeting got out of hand, said, "I have no problem with someone disagreeing with positions I hold. But I also believe no one is served if you can't talk through your differences."

Unfortunately, Americans are talking. The leadership just refuses to listen. Until it does, House and Senate Democrats can expect a long, uncomfortable August where the temperatures outside are nothing compared to the heat they're feeling inside their District offices. FRC has posted a schedule of townhall meetings across the country and sample questions you can ask. Please make a point of going to the forums near you and share--in a respectable manner--your thoughts with your congressman. While you're at it, why not bring your video camera?

Only in a Free Country

2009-08-03T13:20:00.002-04:00

Have you seen this poster?

Apparently, it's beginning to appear in odd places in Los Angeles, but nobody seems to know who's responsible for it.

Be Doers

2009-08-03T09:26:00.002-04:00

In our Christian walk is not only good to read and learn the Bible, but once we have done that, we must do what the Bible says. God's words are available to everyone. Men and women can both learn, discern, grow, provoke, and encourage each other in what God has to say to us. We also need to understand that to be doers we need to set aside significant resources to devote to God and His kingdom. It will demand a great deal of commitment and sacrifice, but no matter what we give up,the gains will always be worth the cost.

As we become doers we need some definite standards of right and wrong. Without God's Word, such things become matters of individual opinion. That is why we see that today, whole systems of faith are based on opinions, they are founded on what people want to hear rather than what God has to say. Our path to being doers of the Word must follow the way God has set out for us in the Bible.

Hearing and learning God's Word is important, but we must act on what we hear. If we refuse to act, the hearing is all in vain. To be a doer, we too, must hear the Word of God and then act on it.

We are not All the Same

2009-08-02T08:13:00.004-04:00

There have been times in my past when I was tempted to do things that were not necessarily wrong but that could have led me toward a fall. I knew that such activities were dangerous, but it was hard to turn away, especially since some of my friends were involved. But as I got closer to the Lord and studied His word I learned that when we feel something is wrong for us, it is wrong for us. It may not be wrong for someone else, but that is not our concern. We are responsible for our own lives. We must accept this responsibility, which includes keeping our own consciences clean. I also learned that we must not only avoid sin, but we also avoid the path that leads toward sin. And this is why is so important to have people to hold us accountable, because is in those instances that they can help by reminding us not to follow the paths that have led us to sin in the past.

Living to Please Others

2009-08-01T08:58:00.002-04:00

In today's society, the concept of putting others ahead of us is foreign. Almost everything that we come in contact with tells us that we must do whatever it takes to please ourselves. Well that is not exactly what Jesus taught, He taught different, He told us that God wants us to show consideration for others. However, our spiritual pursuits should never cause us to be selfish. Rather true spiritual growth will be characterized by our willingness to take others into account and show care for them. Jesus who is our highest spiritual example, came to serve others, not himself. Therefore, we too, must learn to be patient with one another. This does not come naturally. In order to do it we must seek God and ask Him to help us develop the attitude of Jesus when dealing with others. This will motivate us to nurture our personal relationships, showing consideration and deference to others.

Does this Surprise Anyone?

2009-07-31T12:25:00.002-04:00

Ex-Idol Contestant Says Show Is Rigged, some ousted season 8 American Idol top 36 semi-finalists including Felicia Barton, Kendall Beard, and Ju'Not Joyner participated in an online chat with the Idol website AI Now today. And during his frank online conversation with fans, Ju'Not came right out and said that the TV talent show is in fact rigged, and that its contracts are unfair to contestants. Full Story Here.

This is a New One

2009-07-31T12:20:00.001-04:00

W.H. makes CEOs pay for lunch. Four of the most powerful business leaders in America arrived at the White House one day last month for lunch with President Barack Obama,but even for powerful CEOs, there’s no such thing as a free lunch: White House staffers collected credit card numbers for each executive and carefully billed them for the cost of the meal with the president. Read Full Story Here.

The Danger of Criticism

2009-07-31T09:02:00.002-04:00

Criticism is something that lures and entices people, and can destroy relationships, and cause major problems in the church, we must be vigilant and take personal inventory of our lives and see if we fall pray to this. Today I took some interesting thoughts from my time with the Lord dealing with this same subject, I was reading from Romans chapter 14. This is what I took:

We may find it easy to judge and criticize others who are still struggling spiritually. We might even be tempted to show them how "strong" we are by participating in activities that would cause them to stumble, tempt them to sin, or even offend them. We must realize that even if we have progressed spiritually to the point that certain circumstances no longer trouble us, we still need to be sensitive to the fact that our friends may be led astray by our activities. I know that we might say that is a big responsibility, but is what Jesus expects of us. And our love for others should lead us to avoid activities that might lead to their downfall. I found that the more mature we are, the more responsible we will be to respond to others in a loving way.

At times we may be tempted to point out and criticize the failures of others instead of looking critically at our own lives. But let me remind you that it isn't our primary responsibility to "straighten" out other people's lives. Besides, the job of "straightening" out our own lives is more than enough to keep us busy. If we spend our time pointing the finger at others, we will never make progress ourselves.

They Don't Get It Do They?

2009-07-30T21:16:00.003-04:00

Despite the questionable impact of the first stimulus package, there is actually discussion of a second stimulus package. So far, the states have spent roughly 10 percent of the $787 billion package, but it has yet to register on the "recovery" radar. In fact, the only thing that seems to have changed is the unemployment rate and not in the direction the President had hoped.

Given where the money's been directed, maybe none of us should be surprised. Mark Kelly of the Heritage Foundation did some digging on where the House Speaker funneled her District's dollars, and the list of projects is enough to send taxpayers through the roof. Let me put it this way: Nancy Pelosi is trying to stimulate a lot more than San Francisco's economy. While the average American is worried about losing his shirt, Congress is funding actors who aren't wearing any!

Here are some of the Speaker's pet project that are being funded with yours' and mine hard earned dollars:

According to Kelly, $50,000 was sent to an initiative called CounterPulse in San Francisco that just sponsored a "Perverts [Sleep Around]" event on July 25, urging people to "Join your fellow pervs for some explicit, twisted fun!"

A company called Jess Curtis/Gravity, Inc. will receive $25,000, presumably to help boost their Symmetry Project, which features nude couples in compromising positions.

Other programs are too crude and embarrassing to even mention. But shouldn't that say something to the third most powerful leader in America? If these projects are too obscene to talk about, what business does the U.S. government have funding them? This isn't just waste it's reckless, indecent garbage sponsored by Congress and paid for by you and me. If these are the priorities of America's new leadership, then we should definitely get a second opinion on their vision for an issue as significant as health care. For more on Pelosi's "waste" line, visit Mark's blog here.

Sources: FRC. Mark Kelly

Respect for Authority

2009-07-30T08:28:00.002-04:00

I posted before that in my opinion one of the reasons society is so messed up is because of the lack of accountability, no one wants to be held accountable for their actions. Well today I look at another reason I think is promoting the decline of society and that is the lack of respect for authority. Yet as I read my bible i see that God is very clear about this subject. this morning I was reading the 13 chapter of the book of Romans and there we see how God defines authority and what our duties are.

In this chapter, Paul is very clear in pointing out that government (authority) exists because God allows it to exist. Therefore, we are told to submit to the government as we would submit to God Himself. And we may wonder how God could want us to submit to authorities who do not always act with perfect justice. Well this too is addressed in the Bible, for example we see in the book of Acts 4:13-22 that there is a place for civil disobedience. Sometimes we need to resist evil, even if it is sanctioned by the governing authorities. But we must remember that we are called to support and obey authorities that seek to uphold justice. However, when governing authorities stand in direct contradiction to God's will, we need to seek the support of others and try to change the situation.