Life has many roads we can travel, some are easy, some are not. If we choose the wrong path our travels can be rough. I do not know the correct path to be on sometimes but I am motivated to finish the course. If as a christian I am discouraged by the travels of life, what is my alternative?
In the past nine months there have been many potholes in this path of life I am traveling, potholes that force me to stumble. In a marriage we must realize that when we travel as a family, we are never alone! My wife has been the force behind me and has supported me even when I am wrong. I am blessed! The problem is that at this junction of my life I am becoming scared, scared I have failed at being who I am called to be. I know that the devil has put these thoughts in my mind to take my focus off God, but I am scared.
I am scared at failure in ministry. I am scared at faling in my marriage, not that I would do anything wrong, but that the pressure I have on my wife would hurt her. I am scared that when I get to heaven Jesus ask me why I missed out on an area of service and I have no answer. I am scared that I am loosing focus.
I am aware that this is a weary heart that just needs to vent and open up, so I say thank you for listening! I am aware that as I travle this path I am on God is in control!
Matthew writes in chapter 7:13-14
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. (ESV) This is the path I choose, the narrow gate, and I know that the road is rough!
peace out
Categorized in Prayer, Rambles of Mind Bog, Reflections and people
Yesterday was a beautiful day in the lives of many people. Kids did special things for there mom, took them out to lunch, breakfast in bed, or maybe they washed there car. All of these acts were done out of love for the one who gave birth to them. That is cool. But there are many people who are homeless,orphans, and all alone that do not have that ability and chance to experience this kinda of joy. I am one of those.
I am blessed though to have had two mothers, one birth and one adopted. They both loved me and carried for me all the years they were alive. Both tought me about life and how to live it. Both held me when I was sick and was there at my graduation. Both knew Jesus and loved him and taught me about Him in their own way. Both are in His arms in heaven watching over me as i type. To have been blessed with two mothers is a cool thing, the love and compassion was just beyond measure.
But see I also have 2 fathers, an earthly father and a Heavenly father, both loved me, cared for me, made sacrifices for me and taught me about life. One worked a 40 hour a week job, 4:30am until 2pm 5 days a week, no complaints, no regrets, he was a provider for the ones he loved. The other allowed my brother Jesus to die on a cross for my sins so that my eternal life would be spent in Heaven with the ones I love and the ones who love me.
Jesus made a sacrifice that paid the price for my sins, a price that nailed him to a cross. He never looked back he only looked to my and your future in heaven with him and the ones we love. This was a non selfish act of the Son of God that provides each of us with the security in knowing that when we confess our sins, except Jesus as Lord we will be saved!
So, what is your choice, turn from sin or burn in eternity in hell?
this is a choice that you must make!
peace out
Categorized in Choices, Church, Church Today, Faith, Family, Rambles of Mind Bog, Reflections and people
Each of us have one, we use it , abuse it, take advantage of it, we go through it never aware of all it has to offer, and then it is over, life! What do we need to make it more filling? Kids , a job, a house, car, or a front porch to sit in and watch others in the process of doing life go by. Life is a scary ordeal for many because they replay all the past and never look to the future! Engulfed in the experiences of former ‘happy times” we miss the here and now, the life we are living. Sometimes life is tough, we loose people we care about, we get sick or grow older all in the stages of life, why? Why, because that is the way things are to be, an ongoing saga of LIFE!
Jesus said,”I came to give YOU life!” With this truth there we must do as HE says and live the LIFE he has for each of us. Love as he loves, forgive as he forgave and strive to be like Jesus each day of our life!
Remember, He came so you could live the life he wants you to live…..life!
Categorized in Choices, Faith, Family, Rambles of Mind Bog, Reflections and people
When will we stop all we are doing and start what God has for our lives? I had a dream that the church was a place where we could find peace but now it is sadly a place where we find pain. People are coming to our church and are scared to walk through the doors because of all the pain they feel inside. They are aware of a need to heal but because the church is so wrapped up in the stuff of the world,politics, money, big buildings, they miss the homeless person sitting on the steps or the hooker at the window looking in! We as a fellowship of believers must put aside our personal agenda of what church is to look like and begin to get on our knees and seek the “Big Picture of God for THE CHURCH!”
When Jesus was sitting by the well and the lady with many husbands walked up in the heat of the day for water, Jesus did not condemn or disgrace her, he showed her compassion! When we stand at the doors of our church and see the hurting walk by, we must be willing to love the unloveable and welcome them in. It is a calling to ALL believers to love as Christ loved and do as Christ did. If i am not willing to forgive those who hurt me than how can I expect to be forgiven!
I am concerned that as we are growing closer to the return of Jesus we forget that there are those around us who hurt. Open my eyes that I may see, open my ears that I may hear, open my mouth that I may speak the love of Christ into your life!
Categorized in Choices, Church, Faith, Family, Rambles of Mind Bog and Reflections
I am tired of time…we never have enough! We are always faced with a lack of time that we never get to finish what we start! If i could have all the time in the world I am not sure I know how I would use it, could I give roll over minutes to those that run short at the end of the day.. could i stop time and just bask in the moment, or could i just let it slip through my fingers never to have again? What can i do with TimE!
In the church there are always references made to time, the time that Jesus comes back for those who have excepted his gift of salvation and grace. The catch is that with each day that passes many in the world we live just do not care! There are so many lies and untruths in our world that the false religions are now The Religions! I just want to say that religion is not what Jesus is about, he is about relationship!! I have time for a relationship with Him.
If we have time to waste than we have time to … I not sure i just can not understand.
Categorized in Jesus Applied, Rambles of Mind Bog, Reflections and people
For the past 6 days I have seen the east coast at a high rate of speed. From Sc to WVA to TN to SC all in just 4 days, man I am beat! But, and you know there is always a but, I have encountered some interested and interesting things in the travel. From the smallest to the major, from old relationships renewed to new ones in the making, good food and great laughs, life HAS been good. So let me tell you about the days….
Saturday I traveled to Morgantown,VA to meet a church, this was crazy. I traveled to a wrinkle on the face of GOD! Beautiful town in the hills of West Virgina with a heart to change the town for Jesus. The church was a tribute to the vision they had. I was blown away! On Sunday got to do the God Thing and be the pastor for the day, GOD ROCKED! All things were for His glory, Good word, good fellowship, good food, what more can I ask for. Monday i was in Knoxville TN, the home of my niece and my football team, GO BIG ORANGE! I was blown away by the joy I felt as I spent time at home. Back that day and finally sleep!
Wednesday was crazzzzzzy! Went had dinner with friends and met a waitress! This was a different kinda meeting, aah, if u can figure a southern born and raised 26 year old that had never seen a farm, or “duckies” or cowizzees, I was blasted with laughter! I was stunned! This was the nuttiest thing I had heard!
See our life in church to day is like this. We go through life at a high rate of speed, hitting the high points, but never seeing the “stuff”around us. We become sooo wrapped up in the act of doing we miss the reality of being part of God’s plan. THE Church has misses so much of the things around it, that because of our blindness we are dying. If the church is to continue to impact the world, we have to open our eyes and see the beauty of it. I am a firm believer that Soon and VERY soon Jesus is coming back! I pray that my eyes are turned on HIM SO MUCH I SEE HIS GLORY AND HEAR HIS CALL!
Just like the lady that grew up in the south, many of us have grown up in the church and have not seen the blessing of God for our lives laid out befor us!
peace out
Categorized in Jesus Applied, Prayer, Rambles of Mind Bog, Reflections and people
I am still wondering how as a country we pay so much in taxes and we are still in a bind on our money. When will we ever see daylight? As i sit here I am relieved to know that Uncle Sam is paid and I have a few days,or months, to feel relief! There is a concern though, if we are feeling the pressure of tax season, than the church must be feeling it also!
As a believer we are directed and required by God to tithe our income, this is not a suggestion!As a believer we are aware that as we try to out give God he will pour his blessing into you and on you everyday of your life. To give back what God has given you is like putting money in an IRA that never looses interest, it just gets better and better! Granted when income is cut in half and the $$$”S are short, God IS THeRE! I am encouraged to know that as we give God our part He pours out ours.
In the mid-west a church was about to close there doors. They were deep in debt and giving was down, way down. At a business meeting they as a member to be the finacial director for the church. He was a man who had a strong business sence and was doing Quite well. He excepted the position under some dress and made a few requirements. First, NO ONE was to ask how they were doing finically for 1 year, Second,No one would get a report on the money for one year, and Third He was in Control. This was a trusted man, a Godly man, so the church agreed.
At the end of 1 year the church came together for the report. The church was packed, not a seat in the house! The man stood up and said, The church is debt free! We have money in the bank! All our bills are paid! Everyone was blown away, they screamed with joy! HOW?
Well you know I own the grain store where you sell your crops, yea said the crowd, and you know I pay you when you bring in the harvest:yea, so as i Paid you i just went ahead and took out your tithe of 10%!
Question, If we are committed to God, why can we not do what he calls us to do?
Peace ouT
Categorized in Family, Jesus Applied, Rambles of Mind Bog, Reflections and people
I remember from the days of college the pressure that finals brought and the hours spent studying for the test. It was nights of long endless”cramming” and gallons of ice tea to keep you awake. I remember going to Alex’s restaurant and eating a cheeseburger with a glass of pure sugar call tea, then bouncing off the walls till mid day the next day. That was nuts!
But as adult, or those who try to be adults, go through life we face new test every day. The test of life do not get any less difficult they just do not have study guides attached. But this is not always the case, there is a study guide that each of us,as Christians have, to fall back too; the Bible.This is the foundation for study that we should enlist into our everyday life. If we are tested in our spending we must study the act of tithing. If we are challenges in our area of trust we must increase our understanding of forgiveness. The fact is we must stop trying to make our life fit the way we think things should be and do what the Bible teaches us the way things are.
In the past week I have felt the attack of the enemy on my life and my family. It seems that after eight months of seeking God and His plan for my life, the search goes on. I am faced with a strong inner drive that makes me “blame myself” for all the junk, when the fact of the matter is this is a growing ground for my faith. In this time of seeking my family has not did without the things we need, I have a roof over my head, my meds are here when I need them, and I am safe. These may seem like small things to some but in the world we live many are not as blessed as I am. I feel that as I grow closer to God I also become stronger in my faith. I believe that I am His child, and daddy watches out for His Kids!
So, if you are having a hard time and answers are hidden from you, remember “All things work for the good to those who are called according to HIS purpose!”
peace out
Categorized in Church, Church Today, Faith, Family, Jesus Applied, Rambles of Mind Bog, Reflections and people
As a baptist before birth I have many memories of church. I, as a child, remember the adjustment to the seat of my pants from my mom because I was acting out during preaching, or trading chickens on the back row of the chapel,and running off from Sunday School to ride horses at my friends house. All of these were the way that rebellion became a major part of my life. I also remember the sixth Christmas when I was to sick to attend the Christmas program at our church, so my teacher, Bruce Watson, drove all the way across town to bring me my gift, a Bible, I still have.
See we as adults have safe memories that mold us into the sane adults we are suppose to be, even though the sanity is sometimes clouded by the reality of life. So of my favorite memories are that of Easter;the flowers, the birds and the new suit I wore to church. I remember the late spring snows, the smell of the ham my mother prepared and the fresh rolls in the oven. I remember the preacher in the pulpit share the story of Christ resurrection and the blood of the cross. All of these memories are the foundation for who I am in Him.
Today there are many memories that are lost in the battles in our church. There are believers fighting with other believers over the stupid stuff of religion. We forget that the “Blood Shed” was for each of us, that Christ died for “ALL OF US!” In our present day world the number of associated followers of Christ has dropped by 10% in 10 years! I hate to say it, but I bet that the devil is excited about our progress in the fellowship of the Father. I bet that as these numbers increase his smile gets wider and wider , why are we allowing this to happen?
If we as a nation founded on Christian beliefs convince ourselves that all is ok than we are believing a lie of the enemy! This Sunday the part time believers will make their token apperance in Church to support their fake commentment to Christ…I pray that God pour His conviction on them and they see the path they are on. Easter is a time to celebrate the Risen Savior, not a time to make momma happy that you and the kids got up for church!
Categorized in Choices, Church, Church Today, Faith, Jesus Applied and Rambles of Mind Bog
I am a car buff, I love the old muscle cars of the 60’s and the 70″s. There is alot of power under the hood of some of those beast. The 70 SS Chevelle, 69 Yanko Camaro, 79 Cuda, and the list goes on and on……ya gotta love it! All of these have one thing in common, power, raw horse power! All that power stuffed in the body of pure steal. Big power that has rocked the world of many a kid who grew into an adult.
Cars are the passion of many people. We mold them to fit who we are and we make them look like we think they should. It is like our relationship with Christ. We like the power but we make it fit the way we think it should. We harness the POWER by tying the hands of God. We do not pray but expect His blessing, we are not disciplined but we expect to make us more like him. We do not tithe but expect His propestery.
We take a body that is filled with rust and dents, beat up and battered, trashed and totaled, but without the hands of God in our Life we are finished. Sin destorys and devestates lives of non believers. God makes things new! There must be a willingness to follow and allow God all he wants in your life. Today is your day for forgivness, TODAY!
Categorized in Faith, Jesus Applied, people
