Milt's Journey

God's Way

2010-11-30T15:40:00.003-06:00

Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

The way of human ingenuity and discernment, according to the Bible, leads to death. This verse is often applied to salvation, but it is much farther reaching than that. It applies to all of our choices. We are confronted with constant decisions between self will and God's will. And the choices may be much more subtle than that: the easy way versus the hard way, small compromises versus absolute truth, or any other such confusing fork in the road. We don't realize the gravity of our direction. Man's way leads to death, while God's way leads to.......well, death.
Have you ever considered that? If we serve ourselves and cling to our false values, we will die. If we submit to Jesus, we must die. But the outcome is not as uniform as it seems. This world offers us "life" and then "death"--forever. God offers us "death" and then life--forever. Fools choose the life of this world, the "life" of the party, the "life" of freedom from responsibility. The wise choose God. Yes, it does mean a cross now....a daily cross, a painful cross, a difficult path of aversion to our own wills and submission to God's. But in the end, it leads to LIFE!
God is constantly calling us into His will. But we are afraid of Him. We've been convinced by a hostile world and lying enemy that God's will involves untold sacrifice and pain without a corresponding benefit. We think it's all pain, no gain....or a lot of pain with a very uncertain gain. We just can't see the blessing beyond the cross.
But do you think you have a real alternative? That cross we carry may be painful and sacrificial--It is not the easy way. But it's the only way. The alternative is to live outside the will of God, which equals a thousand deaths, each a thousand times worse than the blessed life of submission to our compassionate Lord. What "life" are we really embracing when we opt for self will? A momentary sense of satisfaction, perhaps. But that won't last. God's Kingdom will. It's where life will live forever!!

David's Armor

2010-10-21T10:47:00.002-05:00

As we have been talking about the armor of God lately, something else came to my mind that I would like to share.....

1 Samuel 17:38-39
Then Saul gave David his own armor-a bronze helmet and a coat of mail. David put it on, strapped the sword over it, and took a step or two to see what it was like, for he had never worn such things before. "I can't go in these," he protested to Saul. "I'm not used to them." So David took them off again.

David, the young shepherd boy, heard the challenge from the Philistines to send someone to fight Goliath. No one volunteered to fight except David. King Saul reluctantly....but finally agreed and offered David his armor. David put on the weighty equipment, but quickly discovered he couldn't fight in this heavy armor.

God equips each of us in such a way that is unique to our strengths and abilities. David was trained as a shepherd to use another weapon. For David, it was a slingshot. David showed great maturity in realizing he could not be effective with Saul's armor. God called David to be David....not Saul. What are the gifts and talents God has given to you? Have you ever tried to accomplish a task with tools you were not trained to use? God allows each of us to develop skills that are unique to our life. He will not call you to use someone else's tools. He is a very personal and amazing God!

However, this is only half of the equation. These talents must be mixed with faith. Talent alone is not enough. Faith alone is not enough. It is only when the two are combined that God's power is unleashed and manifested. Mix your unique gifts with faith today and watch in amazement at the power of God that you will flow through you.

What is reality?

2010-09-22T08:24:00.002-05:00

1 Kings 19:18 Yet I will preserve 7,000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him!"

One the great acts of the prophet Elijah took place at Mount Carmel where he called down fire upon the altar of Baal and slaughtered 400 prophets of Baal. Once the miracle took place Elijah was forced to flee because Jezebel swore to take his life for what he did.

Elijah went into depression after this event. He fled to the desert and sat under a broom tree and asked God to let him die. He was so discouraged because he felt he was the only godly prophet left in the land of Israel. This is often what happens after God does a significant work through us. Satan comes along and wants to steal what God has done and bring the servant of God down. Satan makes us believe a lie about our situation. This was the case for Elijah.

Elijah's perception was not reality. He thought he was the last of the prophets. He could not see what God was doing. God informed Elijah that there were actually seven thousand of His representatives in the land who had not bowed down to Baal. Now give some thought to that statement. Elijah thought he was the only one left. God says there are 7,000 left! What a discrepancy in perception and reality.

This is often the case for you and I. We look at our situations and conclude based on the circumstances that reality must be this way. But God says, "No, you do not see what I see or what I know or what I am doing. The situation is very different than what you are perceiving."

Be careful not to draw conclusions about your situation that may not be based on truth. God always has a plan for His servants that we may not know about. Ask God to give you His perception of the situation, not yours.

Reflecting God's Glory

2010-08-12T17:19:00.003-05:00

Psalm 145:11-12 They will speak of the glory of your kingdom; they will give examples of your power. They will tell about your mighty deeds and about the majesty and glory of your reign.

How do you measure your effectiveness in God, or should you even be thinking like this? The early Church turned the world upside down in that first century. What made them so effective? Was it their theology? Was it great preaching? Was it due to one man's influence apart from Jesus?

The Scriptures are clear as to what made the early Church effective. It is at the core of God's heart, and it is quite simple. God desires to reflect His nature and power through every individual. When this happens, the world is automatically changed because those who reflect His glory affect the world.

We serve a jealous God. He is a God who will not share His glory with anyone. God sets up situations in order to demonstrate His power through them. He has done this since the day He created man. His desire is to reflect His glory through you and me, so that all men may know of His mighty acts and the glorious splendor of His Kingdom. The apostle Paul understood this principle:

1 Corinthians 2:4-5 And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.

If you do not see His glory being reflected through your life, then you need to ask why. He has promised to do so if we will walk in obedience to His commands.

Do me a favor....Pray this prayer from your heart and watch Jesus come alive in your life!

Father, I present my body to you as a living sacrifice. Please help me to be holy and acceptable, which is my reasonable service according to your word in Romans 12....Guide and direct me. Protect me from harm and evil, and shine through my life to influence the world around me for You. May You be glorified and may the lost be pointed to Jesus through the testimony of my life. Please keep me pure and forgive me Lord for my sins and my failures so that I might start fresh again today. In Jesus' name, Amen!

God's Plans

2010-08-05T12:20:00.002-05:00

Psalm 37:4 Enjoy serving the Lord, and He will give you what you want.

When we submit to God's plans, we can trust our desires. Our assignment is found at the intersection of God's plan and our pleasures. What do you love to do? What brings you joy? What gives you a sense of satisfaction?

Some long to feed the poor. Others enjoy leading the church....each of us has been made to serve God in a unique way.

The longings of your heart, then, are not incidental; they are critical messages. The desires of your heart are not to be ignored; they are to be consulted. As the wind turns the weather vane, so God uses your passion to turn your life. God is way too gracious to ask you to do something you hate.

Rust-Proofing Your Treasure

2010-07-27T12:50:00.001-05:00

Jesus said, “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Matthew 6:20-21

It was a large crowd; people were hungering to hear words that would make a difference in their lives. They left homes and jobs to go to a mountain to hear the Man everyone was talking about. They were not disappointed. Using just the power of His voice and a charisma that could not be ignored, Jesus laid out practical truth for everyday living. He spoke of relationships, prayer, and even financial matters.

On the grassy hill, Jesus brought a unique teaching to these matters. Those around Him were concerned with meeting the day’s needs and acquiring tomorrow’s wealth. Jesus spoke of riches with eternal value; He spoke of treasures that were not subject to the destructive forces of this world.

People spend a lot of energy acquiring the necessary “treasure” to live. You work hard, you save, and you count what you have. The things you value become your treasures.

Your riches can be art, precious stones, or valuable metals like gold and silver. Whatever form they take, however, they are all subject to the forces of nature. They deteriorate, rust, and corrode; at the very least, they remain earth-bound. Jesus spoke of a treasure more secure than the gold in Fort Knox.

The treasure that lasts is work done for God and on His behalf. How do you build an eternal, rustproof treasure? By expressing the love of God in all that you do and say. Each kindness done in God’s name builds a treasure that is indestructible and a wealth you will enjoy in this life and the next……Your most important treasure won’t fit in a safety-deposit box, but it will fit in your heart. Build on faith and invest in love.

The Power of Prayer

2010-07-12T08:34:00.002-05:00

Luke 11:1
Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."(NLT)

When you consider that Jesus was the greatest miracle worker who ever walked the earth and the greatest preacher who ever lived, it is amazing that His disciples asked Him to teach them to pray. Why didn't they ask Him to teach them how to work these miracles or how to preach and amaze the people with their doctrine?

It's because Jesus' prayer life was even more powerful than His miracles or His doctrine. Indeed, it was His union with the Father that gave Him His power to work miracles and His authority to speak as no man had ever spoken before. Jesus said repeatedly that it was His Father who was doing the miracles through Him and that His doctrine was not His own but the Father's.

The same holds true today. Jesus said in John 15:5 that without Him, we can do nothing. There are many things that we should do in addition to prayer, but there is nothing that we can effectively do without prayer. Prayer is one of the main ways of abiding in Him (John 15:7). Therefore, our request should be like these disciples' — "Lord, teach us to pray."

We should come expecting to receive answers to prayer. The Father is ready and willing to answer our prayers. Just ask and you shall receive.

God is in charge

2010-07-01T10:14:00.002-05:00

God's Spirit, who is in you, is greater than the devil, who is in the world.
1 John 4:4

Satan has no power except that which God gives him.

To the first-century church in Smyrna, Christ said, "Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer for ten days. But be faithful, even if you have to die, and I will give you the crown of life." Revelation 2:10

Analyze Jesus' words for a minute. Christ informs the church of the persecution, the duration of the persecution (ten days), and the outcome of the persecution (a crown of life). In other words, Jesus uses Satan to fortify His church.....Even when Satan appears to win, he loses.

Praise our mighty God!!

God's Authority

2010-06-24T10:53:00.002-05:00

There is a constant war waging inside Christians....A war waging between good and evil. In Christians, the Holy Spirit of God seeks to direct us to be under the authority of our heavenly Father. Every person is under some sort of authority whether you like to acknowledge that or not. It is just true! If you are not under the authority of God, you are under the authority of Satan. We are to be Christ followers, correct? Doing what He did! Jesus lived under the authority of His heavenly Father. He made no independent decisions. He, unlike us, was sinless and always remained under His Father's authority. He acknowledged that the prince of this world has a hold on many, but did not have a hold on Jesus.

The prince of this world....that rat we call the devil, Lucifer or Satan has his hold on many in our world. Especially as Americans, we long for freedom. Freedom to make our own decisions...to do what we want. It goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden when the decision was made to exercise a personal choice. And we know how much joy and freedom that has brought, huh?

Each day we must choose if we will be under the authority of the Father and the direction of the Holy Spirit. It is a choice each of us must make. It is a choice that actually leads to freedom, not bondage. Choosing to live under the authority of our heavenly Father frees us to gain the greatest fulfillment in life....It is the little decisions of daily life that reveal whether we truly live under His authority or not. What will you do with this decision in your life? It's a choice you will make. Please follow Jesus!

Memorial Day

2010-05-31T13:21:00.002-05:00

Memorial Day.....The specific day set aside for us living Americans to honor and remember those military men and women who have served with honor protecting our rights and privileges and have now died. The purpose of this holiday is to pay honor and set aside time to remember the contributions of our military members. I am hopeful that we all do that. Yet, I am a realist. Now, I know that there are exceptions to the norm, but what I see even within our church are people who simply take advantage of another holiday. A day to focus on self and feed our own desires and wants. This case and point fits well with my sermon yesterday about really quenching the thirst of Christ by not only receiving the life He offers, but to be life giving people...sharing what we have with those who are far from God. Sound familiar? This holiday is not for us. It is for those who have served our nation with honor and are no longer with us. Show honor to them today. Don't miss this one....

Father...Thank you for your love. Thank you for our country. Thank you for the freedoms we enjoy today as Americans and thank you Father for the men and women who have served and died allowing us to worship You freely without fear of persecution. Bless the military members serving our country right now and the families of those brave men and women. In Jesus' name, we pray....Amen

True Worshipers

2010-05-06T09:06:00.002-05:00

As I sit here this morning offering Jesus my worship from my easy chair in my "shack"....Some of you may be wondering, "What is my shack?". I am so glad you asked. We built an addition on to our house last year. It's a cozy room where I can escape from the noise and clanging. I at first named it the "Man Cave". Cool name, huh? But there was one problem.....Maddie didn't like that name cuz the name "Man Cave" would thereby exclude her. So she came up with the name, "Sugar Shack" Yeah, that's what I thought too...... "What kind of name is that? How manly is that to say to your fishing buddy, 'hey, I'm going to go study in the sugar shack'?" So, long story short....I shortened the name to shack. Now aren't you glad you got the whole sordid story on how the shack became the shack? Anyway, where was I? Ever do that where you are just so scatterbrained that you forget like who you are? Oh yeah...worship. That's what I was going to blog about. Ok. Here we go. Ready? Good.

As I sit here this morning offering Jesus my worship from my easy chair in my "shack". See, now you can feel the picture, huh? Oh yeah, focus, Milt. As I sit here offering Jesus my worship, I find myself always getting distracted and I just wished that I could really visually see Jesus sitting here with me. You know what I mean? I am praying and singing a song...(You probably don't want to put audio to that thought)and reading the scriptures and I can't help but long to see Jesus face to face. What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see. When I look upon His face....the One who saved me by His grace. When He takes me by the hand and leads me through the Promise Land....what a day, glorious day that will be. Hopefully by now you just stop reading for a moment and close your eyes and picture Jesus Christ, the Righteous, taking you by the hand and leading through heaven...wow. I'll be right here when you finish your stroll with the Savior.

While you were strolling, I got a fresh cup of coffee. Mmmmmm. I love coffee in the morning. But not just any coffee. Oh, here ya go again, Milt. Focus, dude!

John 4:23-24
But the time is coming-indeed it's here now-when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth."(NLT)

God is scanning the earth this morning and He's looking for true worshipers. Those who will choose Him over everyone and everything else. Must we remain so stoic and dignified? I long to just worship the way Jesus longs for us to worship. What does that look like? Great question! And I'm sure great Bible scholars will have 834 different answers to that. But since I'm the author of this blog, you'll get my thoughts. I believe that Christ is looking and scanning the earth for people who will put Jesus first in their lives...above their jobs, above their families, above their hobbies, above their bank account, and above their macho or dignified image. I believe Jesus wants us to become even more undignified than David was...Huh? What are you smokin'? Well, read 2 Samuel chapter 6 and read it closely. Then tell me how dignified the King of Israel, David remained. Hint.....pay close attention to verse 20. If you have any questions about this, let me know and I'll be happy to elaborate.

My friend, what I am saying is this....Don't get all uptight about how worship looks or feels. Don't worry about what others tell you that you should or shouldn't do. You do what God tells you to do. You lose that fear of what the person next to you might think. You and I certainly are not gonna stand before the person next to us one day. Nope....We'll stand before the King of all kings and the Lord of all lords and I long for Him to one day say, Milt.....you can't sing or dance, but I'm glad you offered your best!!"

But the time is coming-indeed it's here now-when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.

May He have all of you today and everyday.

"911"

2010-04-13T08:35:00.002-05:00

Have you ever called "911"? As a former police officer, I have responded to hundreds of "911" calls. They varied in severity and type. But the bottom line is that it was an emergency for the people who called. It was their crisis moment.

I went on a lot of calls for runaways. Parents would call the authorities to report that their child had run away from home. Perhaps there was a disagreement and the child didn't like the result so they grabbed some clothes and out the door they went. Perhaps there was some discipline and they didn't like being punished so they hit the road. Perhaps they felt like they were the "blacksheep"....always picked on and the only child who had to do this or that. They felt like they weren't being treated fairly so they take their toys and move along. I gotta tell ya, I rarely felt much sympathy for the child. I would defintely hear both sides. I would hear what the parent had to say and then I would find the child and hear their side. Most often times, I would simply find a child acting childish. A child who didn't get their way and acted out. A child who became extremely disrespectful, disobedient and self-centered. More times than not, it was the right thing for the parent to call the "authorities". Sometimes with a little firm discussion, they saw the light. Sometimes it required some paperwork and they were entered into the court system and placed on probation to try to get their attention. Sometimes this child had some previous experience acting out childishly and they were awarded a night or two in JDC (Juvenile Detention Center).

Why am I blogging about cop stuff and runaways? Right? I hear ya and now it's time to pull a "Paul Harvey and the 'rest of the story'".

Can you imagine if children were free to just pack up and say, "You know, Mom, Dad....I'm just not that happy here, so I'm gonna go live with someone else." The rules and atmosphere here just don't please ME that much....I think I'll go live with my friend where I will like it better." "You know, dad....I just don't like where I live. I mean, all my friends live there, so I'm gonna just pack up and move somewhere more convenient to my friends and school." WOW! What chaos we would have if we allowed such nonsense!!

Yet, in God's family, this seems to be the accepted norm. We are called brothers and sisters in Christ! We do life together. We worship our God in the same place and we laugh together and cry together and grow together. We are family. That is what we are called to do and be!

I know there are lots of churches out there. There are growing churches. There are dying churches. There are traditional churches. There are contemporary churches. There are deep and meaningful churches. There are entertaining churches. There are small churches. There are large churches. There are churches that tell the truth and there are churches that tickle your feet. Your options are endless! I am very grateful for Quarry Rock Church. For all of my brothers and sisters in Christ who worship at Quarry Rock, I love you and am so blessed to be your pastor! I long to do the right things and do things well. I am, however....human! Perfect? Not even! I would like to leave you with a poem that I love to use often:

The Perfect Church

If you find the perfect church without one fault or smear,
For goodness sake don't join that church, you'll spoil the atmosphere!

But since no perfect church exists made by perfect men,
let's cease looking for that church, and love the church we're in!

So, remember....there is no perfect church! Love the one you are in. And by the way, you made a great choice in my biased opinion by choosing Quarry Rock. If, however, you try running away, I'm calling the authority! "Father!!!"

Entertaining Angels?

2010-03-28T15:03:00.003-05:00

Hebrews 13:1,2 Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!

Wow.....(large sigh) What a day!! It is Sunday and we experienced our largest attendance of our church history....186 people. God is just too cool! I can't wrap my brain around how awesome Jesus really is. Suppose God was impressed today? Was He impressed with 186 people coming to Quarry Rock today? Was He impressed that we held church and sung some songs, heard a message from God's Word? I'm not sure God is all that impressed by our accomplishments! But what i want to share today in this blog/devotion is not about 186 people. I want to share about one man. We'll call him Mike....cuz that is what he said his name was.

As church ended this morning, I happen to notice that a young man was standing in our welcome area. He appeared a bit unkept. That is the polite way to put it, isn't it? He had hair in dreadlocks, wearing a blaze orange stocking cap, jeans and a jacket of some sort. See how observant I am? Not that good for being a former cop, huh? Oh well...anyway, Mike was speaking to Isaac and Isaac called me over to introduce Mike to me. Mike told me that his brother was critically ill and was awaiting a serious surgery to save his life. Mike went on to explain that he was on his way to Washington, D.C. to see his brother but had run out of gas money to travel on. He stated he spent the night in his car across the street from our church. He walked in a little after 11am. I told him that we could get him a tank of gas. I gave him directions to the gas station and told him to go in and state his name and the type of vehicle he was driving and I would call in to "OK" the gas assistance. Mike shook my hand and walked away.

Within a few minutes, he walked back up to me and said, "What was the name of that gas station again?" I told him, shook his hand again and he started to walk away from me for the second time. God spoke straight to me and told me to stop Mike. I yelled, "Mike!" He kept walking.....(About now, I am suspicious his name is not Mike). "Mike!?" No response. "Mike!" This time, he turned to me. I said, "Would you like some soup before you go on in your trip?" He lit up like the sky and said yes. He walked back up to me, shook my hand and I escorted him to the snacks, sandwiches and soup. He got some food and disappeared. I got distracted by some other people who had talked to me in the line. I frantically scanned the room for Mike. Then I saw him sitting down in a booth eating his soup and snacks.

Yeah, I know what you're thinking. All alone like he has leprosy. Poor guy isn't even noticed in this room full of people. Oh....my worst nightmare as a pastor!! How embarrassing to lead people like this, right?

No!!!! That is not the picture I saw. When I scanned the room for Mike, I saw him sitting at a booth eating and talking to a family that just invaded his space. They loved him like he was one of the family....Indeed he was! There was Lance, Kim, Alex, Derrick, and Austin....all about Mike!! They laughed and talked with Mike. I was deeply moved as I watched. To think I almost sent him out with a lousy tank of gas!!!

Mike had something magical about him. He captured the hearts and attention of about everyone in our fellowship hall. They weren't staring like "who's the dude with the cap.... Oh gross!" No, not at all. It was more like, "Hey pastor, who is the guy in the orange hat talking with Alex? What's his story?" He moved everyone in the room. It was........well, really it was weird. In a cool sort of way.

Fill his gas tank and fill his belly. Cool. Now send him on his way, right? Nope, not yet. Our church wasn't done yet. People almost in a line kept filing by Mike, giving him a hug and a wad of cash.....yeah, for real!! Hugs and cash. Then someone went to the food pantry and packed a box of groceries for him as he travelled. Mike was speechless. He received the soup, the gas, the groceries and the cash. But what really lit Mike up was the hugs. I wonder how long its been since he felt that. On second thought.... I don't want to know how long it has been. But today........today, he got hugs. He saw, tasted, felt and experienced Jesus in a very real and raw form.....It was indescribable. I have tried in this blog but there is no way possible to fully describe what happened here in our church today!!

Mike.....(If your name is Mike) and really, I don't care what your name is. I don't care if you have a brother or not. I want you to know I love you, man!! Jesus loves you. He died for you!! You are amazing! You are God's handiwork! And you have changed my life. You touched our hearts and my prayer for you, Mike......My prayer is that the love of Jesus will fill your heart at this moment and I can only hope that we blessed your life half as much as you blessed ours!

Talk about a proud moment!!! I wouldn't change places with any preacher in the world. I have the greatest congregation of lovers of Jesus and lovers of God's people. Way to go, Quarry Rock!!!! You rocked my world today. I am so proud!!!

Mike, I will look for you every time I see a blaze orange stocking cap or dreadlocks. Travel well, my friend.

Hebrews 13:2 Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it.

Busy

2010-03-23T12:06:00.002-05:00

My, how we become busy! There are things to do with every turn of our heads, isn't there? Especially now with the snow melting. All of the remains from a harsh winter remain after the snow disappeared....mud, ruts, debris. There is spring cleaning to do and preparations have already begun to plant the garden...or not. Time to get the lawn mowers out and get things cleaned up and tuned up. Should we paint this year? Maybe.... And then if there are children involved, you have to think of track events, and softball, baseball, drivers ed.....It could really make a person lose their hair....Oops. Too late! And we are still expected to take care of the normal daily routines...cooking meals, doing laundry, cleaning the house, going to the job site...... Is there no time to rest?

If there isn't, you are living in a lifestyle that is less than pleasing to God. The devil tells you to hurry, go faster, do more, tomorrow..yeah, tomorrow there will be time to rest. God says something much different, doesn't He?

Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength......... Sounds nice, huh?

Matthew 11:28 Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light."

So....let's stop fretting. Do not listen to the devil. He is not the boss of you.....he better not be!!!! The Lord Jesus tells us to come to Him and find rest.

The schedules stay busy but remember that God gives you the same 24 hours He gives to everyone else. Use it wisely. Put Him first, not in the "if I have time" category. He comes first and then it is just amazing how He allows us to get done what He wants us to get done. The rest......Well, i guess it wasn't His will to get that done today.....because He wants you to have "The Rest"

The Only Way

2010-03-11T13:56:00.004-06:00

And Jesus said unto His disciples, "Go into all the world, teaching all men to live any way they want, and urging each to find his or her own path to God. Let not any one of you make someone feel inferior or victimized because of their beliefs. Above all, be tolerant. Verily, verily, I say unto you that what you believe and how you live do not matter, so long as you are sincere."
Leaving that place, Jesus led His disciples to Jerusalem where they broke bread at Club Upper Room. There He addressed them again, saying, "I am one of the ways, one of the truths, and just one possible life. If you are basically a good person, you're okay in my book. And if you choose to come to the Father (or Mother, if you prefer) through Me, that's cool. Now go forth to live according to whatever feels good to you."
And there was much rejoicing.

I promise you that you won't find that passage of scripture in any Bible translation. But there are plenty of people today who live as if that's exactly how the Bible does read.

In the 21st century, everybody wants to be cool with everybody else. Nobody wants to offend others or be thought of as narrow minded or intolerant. Ours is a live-and-let-live world.

It's tough to be a Christian in that kind of culture, isn't it? You want to follow Jesus. You want your friends to know about Him, too. But whenever you start talking about the Bible and what's right or wrong, everyone jumps up and calls you a judgmental bigot. After all, who are you to say what's right or wrong?

The TRUTH is out there.....and Jesus is that Truth. Jesus didn't say He was one of the ways to get to God; He said He was the only way. When it comes to being intolerant, Jesus is the leader of the pack. He will not let you stay on a fence.

Choose today who you will serve......As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Jesus is the Truth. You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. We should be intolerant of being held captive by people, world views and even our own fear....fear of being labeled a Jesus Freak. I can think of no greater honor. How about you?

I pray that you receive courage, strength, and a holy boldness to stand up for Jesus this week. Stand up and speak up! Time is drawing to a close. And then no more.....
"If only I had talked to him/her when I had the chance..." I don't want you to ever have to say or think that. This is your chance....Go for it!!!

The Dash

2010-03-03T10:31:00.002-06:00

Paul, in his letter to the Hebrews tells us to run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Imagine walking through a spiritual "hall of fame". You read the names. You scan the faces. You see on every plaque those two dates that indicate when the person's race began and when it ended......with a little dash (-) in between. Then you come to your plaque. What does it say?

I would like to invite you to personalize this. Take a piece of paper. Write your name at the top. Under your name, write the date you were born, a dash and then a "?" for the date at the right. Something like this:

___________________________________

________________ - _______?________

You had no say at all in the number on the left. You arrived on this planet one day without being consulted at all ahead of time. Ready or not, here you came. You did not get a vote on your parents, your birthplace, your family order, or your DNA. All of these were chosen for you. You were made the bearer of a human soul, created in the image of God, destined for an eternal existence.

You may be very happy about having entered the world, or you may feel that your life is a crushing burden. But you should know this: God is very pleased that you exist. He "knit you together in your mother's womb." That year when you were born is one of His favorite years.

One day the question mark on the right will be replaced with a number as well. We don't have much say about that number either. This is part of what gives life its urgent value. We have one shot at it.

That brings us to the great question: What are you going to do with your dash? What will you do with the turns you get to play the game? That little dash is yours to spend: to shape character, to give allegiance, to choose hope or cynicism, to seize initiative or resign in passivity; to grow stagnate, to be known or to hide.

And the range of what is possible in one life is staggering: Adolf Hitler, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King Jr., Attila the Hun, my grandmother--each of these was given a single dash.

And now....ready or not.....you have been given a turn. The bell has sounded. It's your race now. What will you do with your dash?

Can we see the forest for the trees?

2010-02-23T17:37:00.002-06:00

My wife and I are in Rapid City, South Dakota for pastor's retreat. A few educational sessions, some encouragement sessions and hopefully somewhere in here will be some relaxing sessions. This afternoon, God really spoke to me and I felt I really need to share.

A few questions were asked that prompted my thinking in this direction. The questions were: 1)What are your greatest hopes for God's Church? 2) What is the local church doing to spread transformational hope and holiness? And 3) What barriers prevent or hinder this?

I don't think my answers to those questions would win me any profound answer awards, but I just have to ask, "Are we making this thing too difficult? What is my greatest hope for God's Church? For me, a Wesleyan....my hope is that the Wesleyan Church will be what people turn to. It will be what people take comfort in BECAUSE of our stand on holiness, not in spite of it. I believe we are living in the last days and that people are hungrier for truth and holiness than ever before...or at least for many, many years.

Answer to question #2...What are we doing at Quarry Rock to spread transformational hope and holiness? I believe I must not only be a pastor to Quarry Rock, but I must be a pastor....a trusted shepherd to Dell Rapids and the communities around us. Serving outside our 4 walls is imperative. We absolutely must continue to love and accept people just as they are. Christ certainly did. Christ did not condone sin. He hates sin, but he loved and accepted the sinner...thus our motto: Come as you are in every way....spiritually, physically, emotionally. It doesn't matter, just come!

And #3...What barriers prevent or hinder this? Well, I think it is just too obvious. Instead of focusing on all the negatives.... "Well, if only I had this" "Well, we can't do this because..." But.... but....but.... forget all the excuses! What is hindering the progress? What is preventing a spiritual stir and revival from shaking us to our core? How about this? I believe it is the absolute truth and I for one am sorry. I am. But I want you to hear me really well. It stops now! What prevents or hinders this work of holiness?

A lack of prayer!
A lack of faith that God just might do something awesome and amazing before our very eyes!

2 Chronicles 7:14
Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.(NLT)

John 14:12-14
"I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!(NLT)

Everything else you do will be burned up...It will amount to nothing. But what is done for Christ will last forever. Please...... for the sake of the Kingdom, let's be a people of faith and prayer. Pray for the lost people you know to be saved. Pray for God to turn our city upside down with the love and power of Jesus Christ. Pray and then believe it to fruition.

Email me or post on my blog if you are seriously willing to commit with me to seeing this happen. God bless and let the Spirit of God fall heavy upon us!!

Johnny the Bagger

2010-02-15T08:43:00.004-06:00

This blog is a story taken from John Ortberg's book, "When the game is over IT ALL GOES BACK IN THE BOX" May you be blessed by it as much as I was.

Let me tell you one of my favorite stories of someone searching for a mission...the story of Johnny the bagger.
Johnny works at a grocery store. One day he went to a training event led by a speaker named Barbara Glanz. She was talking to 3,000 front line workers for a supermarket chain--truck drivers, cashiers and stockers.
Barbara was speaking on how people can make a difference....Isn't that what we are about at Quarry Rock? She described how every interaction with another person is a chance to create a memory, to bless some one's life. She talked about how important it is to look for those moments. She placed on the walls, as she always does when she speaks, posters with inspiring sayings. She told some stories and then went home, but she left her phone number behind. She invited the people at the conference to give her a call if they wanted to talk more about something she said.
About a month later, Barbara received a call from one of the people at that session, a 19 year old baggger named Johnny. Johnny proudly informed her that he had down syndrome, and then he told her his story.
"Barbara, I liked what you talked about. But I didn't think I could do anything special for our customers. After all, I'm just a bagger." Then he had an idea: he decided that every night when he came home from work, he would find a "thought for the day" for his next shift. It would be something positive, some reminder of how good it was to be alive, or how much people matter, or how many gifts we are surrounded by. If he couldn't find one, he would make one up.
Every night his dad would help him enter the saying six times on a page on the computer; then Johnny would print 50 pages. He would take a pair of scissors and carefully cut 300 copies and sign every one.
Johnny put the stack of pages next to him while he worked. Each time he finished bagging some one's groceries, he would put his saying on top of the last bag. Then he would stop what he was doing, look the person straight in the eye, and say, "I've put a great saying in your bag. I hope it helps you have a good day. Thanks for coming here."
A month later, the store manager called Barbara. "Barbara, you won't believe what's happening here. I was making my rounds, and when I got up to the cashiers, the line at Johnny's checkout was three times longer than anyone else's. It went all the way down the frozen food aisle."
The manager got on the loudspeaker to get more checkout lines open, but he couldn't get any of the customers to move. They said, "That's okay. We'll wait. We want to be in Johnny's line." One woman came up to him and grabbed his hand, saying, "I used to shop in your store once a week. Now I come in every time I go by--I want to get Johnny's thought for the day." Johnny is doing more than filling bags with groceries; he is filling lives with hope.
My prayer is this: Lord, may everyone who reads these words realize the potential they have to impact some one's life in a positive and eternal way. Lord help us to speak words of encouragement. When we think something good, God help us to say it. You can be a difference maker and a world changer right where you are. Go for it!!

Integrity

2010-02-08T11:30:00.002-06:00

Integrity is more than knowing the right thing or knowing what the rules of the game are.

A man is being tailgated by a woman who is in a hurry. He comes to an intersection, and when the light turns yellow, he hits his brakes. I know...many of you hit the gas, but is that the correct response??? Anyway, he hits his brakes. The woman behind him goes ballistic. She honks her horn at him; she yells her frustration in no uncertain terms; she rants and she gestures. You can fill in the blanks.

While she is in mid-rant, someone taps on her window. She looks up and sees a police officer. He invites her out of her car and takes her to the police station where she is searched and fingerprinted and put in a cell. After a couple of hours, she is released, and the arresting officer gives her stuff back to her and says, "I'm very sorry for the mistake, ma'am. I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, using bad gestures and bad language. I noticed the 'What Would Jesus Do?' bumper sticker, the 'Choose Life' license plate holder, the 'Follow me to Sunday School' window sign, the Christian fish emblem on your trunk, and I naturally assumed you had stolen the car."

My friends, the world gets pretty tired of people who have Christian bumper stickers on their cars, Christian fish signs on their trunks, Christian books on their shelves, Christian stations on their radios, Christian jewelry around their necks, Christian videos for their kids, and Christian magazines for their coffee tables but don't actually have the life of Jesus in their bones or the love of Jesus in their hearts.

Integrity is much bigger than simply avoiding breaking the rules. It is becoming the kind of person who does the right thing. It means actually becoming the kind of person who wants to do the right thing as well. May the grace and love of Jesus Christ rule and reign in your hearts, minds, and actions today......and tomorrow!

Dead.....but oh so ALIVE!

2010-02-02T09:17:00.003-06:00

Sometimes we aren't the sharpest knives in the drawer, are we? I mean, we read the Scriptures. We know what the Good Book says. Yet we get upset and mad at God when things aren't always going our way. We experience a trial and what is our first question? "Why, God?! What did I do to deserve this?" Right????? You know what I'm talking about. If things don't go according to "our plan", we get frustrated and think either God is punishing us or simply ignoring us. Do you sometimes feel like if God really loved you, He wouldn't let these things happen to you or come into your life? I don't want you to feel alone in your confessions of guilt. I feel that way too. I am human and I live in a fallen world. A world that is dripping with sin and evil. We look around and see the wicked prosper. We see people who don't deserve blessings receiving them and "we"...who deserve God's best suffer and live with trials and heartache and health problems and death and poverty, right??? Let me share a few things that really helped me this morning. I am praying at this very moment that it will speak life and hope into you as well. God bless you, my friend!

1 Peter 4:12-14
Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad-for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. So be happy when you are insulted for being a Christian, for then the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you.(NLT)

2 Timothy 2:12
If we endure hardship, we will reign with him. If we deny him, he will deny us.(NLT)

John 15:18-19
"If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.(NLT)

Galatians 2:20
My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.(NLT)

Colossians 2:13-15
You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.(NLT)

God still reigns!

2010-01-25T11:14:00.003-06:00

Well, to all my fellow Minnesota Viking fans, I feel your pain. I really do. Last night when the game was over I sat in my chair and actually felt sad and maybe a bit depressed. Sounds kind of silly coming from someone who "should know better", huh? Well, I'm just being honest.

I remember being a Vikings fan since I was just a little boy. Year after year I'd repeat our famous quote..... "There's always next year!" Man, I got tired of saying that.

Finally, in 1998 when they lost the NFC championship game to the Atlanta Falcons in overtime, One game away...one field goal away from a trip to Miami and a Superbowl, I decided that I was done. No more would I be such a fan to be let down that hard. Then this year, we acquired Brett Favre and I thought, "Come on, Milt....This is the year. This is the one." So, I got my purple clothes out again and I routed for my team....just like the good ole days. It appeared Brett was going to do it. We might actually make it to the big game again....and hopefully this time, we will be world champions.

Well, irony came knocking and last night we lost the NFC championship in overtime, one game away....one field goal away from yet another trip to Miami for Superbowl 44. I was crushed. How could I have allowed myself to feel so much passion for a game in which all the players get paid way too much money and....well, really it has no eternal consequences, does it?

I say all that to say this: I am human. I got caught up in the moment... a chance for glory with the Minnesota Vikings....And once more, we did not get to taste that sweet victory. We were not victorious in the game, however Brett Favre is a champion. Whether he returns for another season or not, my hat is off to him. He did all anyone could have expected. He took 16 hard hits last night and he isn't exactly 21 and bullet proof anymore. Brett Favre is a champion...because he brought the Vikings to another NFC championship game? No. Because he broke almost every record possible as a quarterback? No. Because he took Green Bay to world championships? No...He is a champion because he made a split second decision. Not a decision to scramble or stay in the pocket but the decision to trust Jesus Christ with his future. He could walk across the field last night and congratulate the vicorious team with a big smile because he knows what really matters. He knows he has a home in glory and he knows whom he has believed in. One day he will tread the streets of gold and I'm guessing he will still be wearing a jersey that reads "4". And I'm pretty sure it will be purple.

Defeating the Divide

2010-01-18T13:00:00.001-06:00

Knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, “Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself will not stand.” Matthew 12:25

Standing before Jesus was a man who had three hard strikes against him. He was blind, mute and possessed by a demon. Still he had some friends who led him to Jesus. Jesus wasted no time in casting out the demon, healing eyes that had ceased to work, and freeing the tongue that had never spoken.

The crowd was impressed and began to ask if Jesus was the Son of David, a reference to his being the long-awaited Messiah. When Jesus’ heard this praise, they snapped back, “This man casts out demons by the ruler of demons.” In other words, Satan. Their logic was critically flawed, and Jesus made that clear. A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand.

Jesus was the only person to live a perfect and sinless life. Still His enemies created reasons to be critical. Even in the face of great healing miracles, His adversaries used the sharpest words and the most cutting remarks to turn people against Him. Many of the greatest lessons for life came from these confrontations.

On June 16, 1858, Abraham Lincoln used Jesus’ words to highlight the danger of a nation split over slavery. The logic was undeniable. Division is always damaging. It is true for countries, families, individuals, and people’s own minds. Unity is strength; harmony is powerful. This is true for groups and it is also true for the internal conflict people often feel.

The divide of heart and mind must be defeated, and Jesus stands ready to help, just as He stood ready to heal a man with three crippling strikes against him. Seek unity of mind, of family, of business, of your spiritual life.

One final thought….. A divided mind and heart is a slick slope, but a determined and unswerving person stands stronger than all others. Division can be healed.

2010

2010-01-04T16:11:00.003-06:00

Wow! It is so weird to be in a new decade already, isn't it? I mean it seemed just yesterday that the whole world was in a panic about what was going to happen when we left 1999 and entered y2k....Remember? And now we are in another decade, 2010. I have been reminded of scripture in 2 Peter, chapter 3 lately as several people have asked me the question, "So tell me preacher man.....when is Jesus coming back anyway?" laugh, laugh, chuckle..... I find it very soothing and calming when I get persecuted for standing up for Jesus, don't you? It makes me smile to know I am in the same company with Jesus Himself as well as many great men and women of the faith who were mocked and persecuted. "Where is the promise of His coming?" they ask. I encourage you to take a few minutes of your day today and read these verses of scripture and be reminded that this life....this earth is just a moment. We must be preparing for eternity. God....please bless those who read these verses. In Jesus' name....Amen

2 Peter 3:1-18
This is my second letter to you, dear friends, and in both of them I have tried to stimulate your wholesome thinking and refresh your memory. I want you to remember what the holy prophets said long ago and what our Lord and Savior commanded through your apostles. Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, "What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created." They deliberately forget that God made the heavens by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water. Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed. But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God's righteousness. And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight. And remember, the Lord's patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him- speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction. I am warning you ahead of time, dear friends. Be on guard so that you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing. Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen.(NLT)

Perspective

2009-12-30T09:39:00.002-06:00

Greetings in the name of the One who alone is worthy of nothing less than our very best each and every day! I lead a men's Bible study every Wednesday morning at 6am. It is a blessing to me. I admit when the alarm goes off at 5am, it doesn't always feel like a blessing but it truly is a blessing to me.

This morning we talked about living a life without the fear of death. We talked briefly about dying not being the end but the beginning of "real life". I thought that this would be our focus for the Bible study. It turned out that it wasn't. We spent the majority of the time talking about our perspective on life, death and eternity. What do I mean? Well, I'll try to explain it this way......If you found out today that you only had 1 month to live or 1 week or even 1 day...would it cause you to live differently? The correct answer would be, "no".......but I think most of us would use the wrong answer.

We get tangled up in the fabric of stress, money, high expectations from ourselves or others, regrets, and leaving a legacy worthy of discussion for years to come. What really matters? What are we living for? Who do we seek to please with our lives?

So, is fear of death to be a concern? Absolutely not, but please let the thought of dying challenge you to ask yourself if you are living every day as if it could be your very last day on earth......because we have no guarantees, do we? Live your life to please our Heavenly Father and all of the mess that entangles us will simply disappear. God bless you today as you refocus and gain true perspective on this life.

Running Persistently

2009-12-17T09:53:00.002-06:00

2 Samuel 22:33-34
God is my strong fortress, and he makes my way perfect. He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights.

Bob Kempainen was determined to make the 1996 U.S. Men's Olympic marathon team. He was willing to go to any lengths, no matter how gut wrenching. On a hilly course in Charlotte, NC, he won the trials--but was sick 5 times in the last 2 miles. Kempainen, the American record-holder in the marathon, had experienced stomach problems since junior high school. But that hasn't kept this medical student from pursuing marathoning.

"To stop was out of the question," he said, when asked about his physical condition. With the goal in sight, he knew there would be plenty of time to rest after the race and 5 months to prepare for Atlanta.

When God puts a desire in your heart to achieve a specific goal, you can have the confidence that He will give you the strength and the ability to accomplish it. Every person has their own obstacles to overcome in life. In Kempainen's case, the condition of his stomach is trying to hinder him from winning the marathon race at the Olympics. In your life it will be something else. But we all face difficulties and challenges on the road to success--and the difference between those who succeed and those who fail is simply persistence.

Life is not a level, smooth path, but rather a series of hills and valleys. There are times spent on the moutain top, when everything seems clear and perfect. Then there are those times when we feel like we're wandering around in a dark cavern, feeling our way along and trusting God for every step of faith.

A runner gets a "second wind" after forcing himself to go on when he feels like he can't. We feel the joy of God's Spirit lift us up and carry us on when we choose to continue in faith, no matter how we feel or what's going on around us.

Take a moment and set your heart to be persistent in your faith--faith in God to lead you, pick you up when you have fallen, give you strength to go on, and ultimately bring you to victory.

Gimme a Break!

2009-12-08T16:12:00.002-06:00

"Gimme a break" has been a popular phrase in American culture for more than two decades now. And the fact is that now more than ever, we need a break.

Often, our day does not go as we planned. Problems emerge and demand solutions. Questions arise and require answers. Conflicts erupt and we must settle them. Situations shift and we must adjust. New opportunities come our way and we find ourselves making tough decisions.......few days do as smoothly as we would like.

In the midst of the chaos we can take a momentary break. No matter how frantic the schedule or desperate the situation, we can turn to God's Word for strength and wisdom. There is simply no better break than one that pulls us away from trouble and draws us closer to the Answer, the Lord Jesus Christ.

He alone can give us the truth, courage to stick with our priorities and get back on track if we have erred, peace that passes our understanding, and perspective marked by faith, hope, and love. He alone can provide a powerful word for our hearts that speaks to whatever we are facing.

No one may "give" you a break today, but you can give yourself one. In the middle of your day, give yourself a Coffee Break With God!

Good Morning

2009-11-30T09:52:00.003-06:00

I am a blessed man. I don't have much money. (I use "much" loosely.) I don't have a mansion. My cars all need something done to them. Relationships seem strained at best some days and yet I can say that I am a blessed man. Why? How? Because, I know that my redeemer lives. I know that Jesus is my Savior. I know that this world is not my home. I know that I am going to Heaven. I know that Jesus considers me worthy to suffer shame for His Name. I am a child of the King of all kings. I have a beautiful wife who loves me. I have 4 wonderful children that are healthy. I have a home that is warm and welcoming. I have the greatest occupation I truly believe I could have. I have my health. I have awesome friends. I have a congregation that loves me for who I am. I am forgiven in Christ. I am free in Christ. How could I not say that I am a blessed man?! Sure, life isn't perfect and there are days of heartache and disappointments. Brothers and sisters.....be encouraged by these words:

Job 19:23-27
"Oh, that my words could be recorded. Oh, that they could be inscribed on a monument, carved with an iron chisel and filled with lead, engraved forever in the rock. "But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last. And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!(NLT)

God is bigger!

2009-11-22T21:29:00.002-06:00

What a weekend it was! Saturday night Simple worship service was awesome. This morning was awesome. I preached about the baggage of addictions. God showed up in such a cool way. People were really set free today and last night. Those addictions are big, that is for sure. But they are no contest for God. No matter what size those giants are......God is bigger and tonight, many Quarry Rockers are sleeping lighter and are free. He whom the Son sets free is free indeed! I praise the Lord in this blog tonight because He is so awesome. Me? Nope, I am weak. You? Nope, you are weak........we boast about our weaknesses so that the power of Christ can work through us. I get the feeling the devil is a little nervous today....and he has good reason to be because today, the chains are broken and you.....you are free!

You are dead!

2009-11-19T10:19:00.002-06:00

Galatians 2:20
My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.(NLT)

Is this the statement of every believer in Christ? I believe it certainly should be. But, unfortunately, for many........for most, it is not. Sure we say we are in Christ. We say we have accepted Jesus as our Savior. We say we are born again. We talk the "Christianese" so to speak.

Once we accepte Christ as our Savior, that is just the beginning. He then wants to be Lord of our lives. That requires us to die. We must die to our selfish desires so that the power of Christ may live in and through us.

What is keeping you from a deep, intimate, and rewarding relationship with Jesus? Is it a job? An addiction? Your way of life? Is it an existing relationship? Money? Those are the things that must be nailed to the cross so that He might live in you and so that you might TRULY LIVE. With everything in me, I urge you to make the decsion today to die to your selfish desires......die so that you might truly live.

Risky Business

2009-11-10T10:24:00.002-06:00

We talked a while back in a sermon about Luke warm Christianity. Some people just think a little bit is better than nothing and that God should just be thankful for what was done or given. That is so unscriptural! Christ told the church of Laodicea that He wished they were either hot or cold...Pick one, but don't straddle the fence. You are either all in or all out. What's it going to be? Luke warm? Makes God want to......(pardon the crudeness), puke.

I am re-reading John Ortberg's book, "If you want to walk on water, you've got to get out of the boat" There are a couple paragraphs I would like to share from this book. I thought it quite interesting.

"If you step up to the plate, you may strike out. The greatest hitters in the world fail two times out of three.

But if you don't step up to the plate, you will never know the glory of what it is to hit a home run. There is danger in getting out of the boat. But there is danger in staying in it as well. If you live in the boat--whatever your boat happens to be--you will eventually die of boredom and stagnation. Everything is risky."

May we step up to the plate boldly today and say, "My answer to you, God, is 'YES', now what's the question?"

Temporary....

2009-11-03T12:28:00.002-06:00

2 Corinthians 4:17-18
For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.(NLT)

What about the tragic changes that God permits? When children are abused or the sick lose thier dignity? What about the faithful spouse who holds on to the end only to come to the end.....divorce? Do such moments serve a purpose? They do if we see them from an eternal perspective. What makes no sense in this life will make perfect sense in the next. I have proof: you.....in the womb.

Some prenatal features went unused before birth. You grew a nose but didn't breathe. Eyes developed, but could you see? Your tongue, toenails, and crop of hair served no function in your mother's belly. But aren't you glad you have them now? Some of you have some of your hair anyway.....

Certain chapters in this life seem so unnecessary. Holocausts, martyrdom, monsoons, tornadoes, divorce, disease. If we assume this world exists just for this life and happiness, these atrocities don't follow our assumptions. They are not fun and it does not provide happiness. But what if this earth is the womb? Might these challenges, severe as they may be, serve to prepare us, equip us for the world to come?

Remember, we look through a glass dimly....it's a little foggy and unclear right now. But one day we will look into the beautiful face of Jesus Himself and it will all become perfectly clear....and it will be beautiful.

Are you really who you say you are?

2009-10-27T14:40:00.002-05:00

Good afternoon. Blessings to those who read this blog. May the words be His words. May the One true God speak straight into your life and bring about the changes that will bring you closer to Him.......

Isaiah 29:13a "And so the Lord says, 'These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me."

We say we believe in God and then we live as though He does not even exist. We give Him lip service. We talk the "God talk" but yet when God looks at the way we do life, He says, "You're far from me".

May these words find your hearts open to the challenge of this verse. My prayer is that you would allow God to speak to your heart and show you in what areas you are saying you believe in God but yet living as if He doesn't exist. Don't be threatened, ashamed or embarrassed. We all have areas in our lives that can be brought closer to His precious side.....if we will but open up and allow Him to show us. God bless you today.

Am I doing any good?

2009-10-19T23:42:00.003-05:00

Some of you may start to read this and think, "oh....the preacher is feeling sorry for himself." And maybe I am. I am not sure. All I know is that in this season of my life I am doing what I know I am suppose to be doing. I am preaching the gospel the best I can every week. I am asking God to speak through me. But I don't just want God to speak through me. I long to see some tangible results. I know that I will stand before God one day and answer partly for those in the congregation I pastor. Are lives being radically changed through Quarry Rock? Are we being more than just hearers of the Word? Are we really doers of His Word? This blog for instance.....I am writing this at midnight cause I can't sleep. I will be up at 6am to go to the church and work until 6pm and right now I can't sleep......and so I blog. Is anyone reading this? Am I doing any good? I suppose I have whined long enough. Thanks for listening.....or not listening.

God is with you

2009-10-13T13:11:00.002-05:00

Have you read Psalm 34 lately? Re-read it soon. Focus on verse 7. "For the angel of the Lord is a guard; He surrounds and defends all who fear Him." Let that truth lower your anxiety level! The wealthiest of the world don't have the protection God's servants give you. God sends his best troops to oversee your life. Imagine the president assigning his Secret Service to protect you, telling his agents to motorcade your car through traffic and safeguard you through crowds. How would you sleep if you knew D.C.'s finest guarded your door? How will you sleep knowing heaven's finest are doing just that? You are not alone. Receive God's lordship over your life. Heaven's many, mighty angels watch over you.

Are we really aware of God's presence?

2009-09-15T13:37:00.002-05:00

God is so willing to enter your world. The hospital room? He goes there. Late night deadlines? He'll stay up with you. Are you watching the slow death of someone you love? He'll sit by your side every single moment. Just invite Him. "Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends." Revelation 3:20

Psalm 138:7
Though I am surrounded by troubles, you will protect me from the anger of my enemies. You reach out your hand, and the power of your right hand saves me.

James 4:8
Come close to God, and God will come close to you.

Keeping it Simple

2009-09-02T09:21:00.002-05:00

Preachers and teachers and Christians of all sorts spend hours after hours and dollars after dollars trying to figure out how to really impact their community. How do we do ministry? How can we grow our church? How can we really make a difference? I am certainly not stating I have it all figured out because I do not.

Lately, however I have been wrestling with God.....a lot. By the way, He always wins! But nonetheless, I wrestle with Him. I want to know Him in such an intimate way and I want to please Him with every ounce of my being.....and that's a lot of ounces!

I recently finished reading the book, "Simple Church" by Thom Rainer & Eric Geiger. That book can and should be church transforming. And I honestly believe that we won't have an effective simple church until we as individuals experience a fresh dose of His extravagant yet simple love. Jesus just loves you more than you and I will ever be able to comprehend on this side of glory. To become a fully devoted follower of Christ means that we stop trying to build His church.....He said that He will build His church and nothing will stop Him...not even Hell itself. Our job is not to build His church but to be the church. I say all that to say this: You and I need life transformation. We do! And I completely and honestly believe that we can experience that life transformation as we put into practice the words of Jesus found in Matthew 22.

Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus replied, " 'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments."(NLT)

Talk to God today. Ask Him to start an exciting life changing experience within your life. Love Him because He is so worthy of our love.....Love people because the people around you need to know that someone cares. Is it you?

Unexpected Faith

2009-08-16T14:37:00.002-05:00

Jesus was surprised when He heard this; He turned around and said to the crowd following Him, "I tell you, I have never found faith like this, not even in Israel." Luke 7:9

No two people were more different. Jesus was an itinerant preacher, poor and without social position...a carpenter with miracles in his hands. The centurion was a Roman army officer who oversaw the work and training of one hundred soldiers. He was one of the Roman conquerors who held Israel in their tight fists.

The centurion was different. Beneath the breastplate of his armor beat the heart of a man who respected the Jews, built a synagogue for them, and cared for his servants, including one who lay sick and dying. Despite his high social rank, he was too humble to approach Jesus to ask for help. He sent others in his place. Jesus saw this as great and unexpected faith.

Someone said, "Faith is not believing that God can, but that God will!" The centurion ran the risk of ridicule from his peers and rejection by Jesus but sent for Christ's help anyway. That's how strong his love for his servant was; that's how great his faith in Christ was.

One of the great hymns is "Trust and Obey" by John Sammis. As the song was being sung in a church, a child...as children sometimes do.... misheard the title and sang the chorus incorrectly as "trust and okay." Maybe he wasn't so far off.

Faith is the application of belief to life. It is not an academic principle; it's a tool for daily living. Like the centurion, you need to trust Christ with your problems and with your life....even if it seems to everyone else an unexpected and unlikely thing for you to do. Whether you're an outsider or an insider, Jesus is the one to turn to. Trust and okay.

One final thought.......Jesus saw a powerful man's request for help as a mighty display of faith. Nothing has changed. The most courageous thing you can do is approach Jesus in faith and belief.

2 Corinthians 5:7 For we live by believing and not by seeing.

A Useless Thing

2009-08-11T11:15:00.002-05:00

Luke 12:25
Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

Anxiety is self-torment, and it gripped the people who listened to Jesus. The word Jesus used means to "examine minutely," to stew over something. People dwelled on how and when their lives would end. Such thoughts ate at them, and such concerns swallowed up the better thoughts of life.

Jesus made sure His listeners understood that such anxiety was a destructive waste of time. No matter how anxious they became, no matter how much they troubled themselves over such things, it made no difference. Anxiety couldn't extend a life, put food on the table, or drive away disease. Anxiety made things worse. It was time they let go and let God deal with matters out of their reach.

When Ann Landers was writing her popular advice column, she received an average of ten thousand letters a month. When asked if she saw a trend in the letters, some problem that seemed more common than others, she replied that most of the letters dealt with some form of fear. People were afraid of losing their health, wealth, and loved ones. In short, people were afraid of life itself.

Impossible is a hard word for many to swallow, and learning that some things are beyond your control is unnerving. No one can control aging, world events, or decisions of loved ones, and that is unsettling. People fall into anxiety; they worry, they fret, they even lose sleep. And when it is all over, nothing has changed.

Anxiety is the most useless thing in the world. Like worry, it achieves nothing good but can cause great harm. The solution is simple. Change what you can and leave the rest in God's hands......The opposite of anxiety is trust; not trust in self---good as that is--but trusting God's love and ability. Anxiety is useless; faith is everything.

Our God is faithful

2009-08-05T09:10:00.002-05:00

Good morning. It is my prayer that people see God in a real and authentic way today. We talk about God, we pray to God, we say we are Christ followers and we go to church like good church folks do....Right? Sound familiar? Yet as we follow Christ, it becomes painfully obvious that many of us are following Him from quite a distance. We can barely see Him from that distance. We long for holiness yet we won't allow the holiness of God to get too close to us. Many times we say that we have been trying and waiting and wanting God to do amazing and cool things in and through us......but He just hasn't yet. Stay with it. Don't give in or give up.

1 Thessalonians 5:23,24 says, "Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful."

Please know that God loves you and is working in your life to make you like His Son....Jesus. Let Him be God. Let Him be the King. Let Him be The Lord of your life. God bless you today....or should I say, He already has blessed you?

Free

2009-07-07T13:38:00.003-05:00

I trust the 4th of July was a good time for you. I hope you had time to relax and read or maybe go swimming or fishing or something that you like to do that you normally don't get to do. I hope you had some time to reflect on life....to reflect on your purpose in life. Perhaps along the way somewhere this past weekend you had a few minutes to thank God for the men and women who aren't home right now because they are off somewhere defending our freedom....Watching guard through the night so that you can sleep in peace. Freedom...it doesn't come easy and it is not free. It cost something to be free. Be thankful for your freedom as Americans!

Speaking of freedom, John 8:32 says, "And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."(NLT) We were once in bondage... slaves to sin. But when Jesus came (The Truth), He set us free from that and now enables us to walk in the light rather than darkness. He sets the captives free.

Why do so many people walk around in chains today? Why do so many people walk around in darkness? You don't have to. Jesus is the light that lights every person's heart. He is the way. He is the truth and He is the life. He is everything. Thank Him for your freedom both as Americans and as Christians!!

Ordination

2009-06-30T00:04:00.002-05:00

Hello friends....Today is a great day! I have been working towards the goal of being ordained very intently for 25 months. I finished my academic obligations for ordination in April and then was scheduled to be ordained in June. I honestly was excited to be ordained but maybe felt more relieved to be done with all the homework and travelling to meet the requirements for ordination. Last night was my night....I was ordained at 7:30pm Mountain time on June 28th, 2009. Dr. Joann Lyon preached the message. It was definitely a holy occasion. I am so honored to be an ordained minister....to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. Dr. Lyon went into depth to explain the significance of a verse of scripture that she used for her text. Very powerful.

John 12:32
And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself."(NLT)

It is not about the people. It is not about the church building. It is not about the cute messages or technology. It is the simple truth of Christ. To preach Jesus crucified on the rugged cross and that as He was lifted up on that cross, He would draw all people to Himself. It is my prayer that I live every day to the fullest and that with every opportunity I have, I can point people to the cross and that He indeed will draw all to Himself. Praise be to God that the story did not end with the cross. Jesus did indeed die on the cross, was taken down and buried but three days later, Jesus arose from the dead.......alive forevermore....Victorious over death, hell and the grave.

Last night, I entered into a fresh, lifelong, and renewed commitment to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Lord.....Please make this fire burn hotter and more intense every day until my work is done. May I run faithfully and finish well. This same prayer is for all who read this as well. God bless you as you serve Christ and His church!

You were created for.....

2009-06-27T21:45:00.002-05:00

Ever heard that line.....It's my life, I'll do what I want? I have heard it so many times. Interesting enough I have heard it a lot lately even from Christians. Do we really remember why we were created? God created us for His good pleasure. You and I were created to worship Him and bring glory to His name. That is it. Everything else is just a side task...a part time hobby. We are created to give our lives completely away to Jesus Christ. Think about that the next time you get overwhelmed with your job or career. Think about that when the car breaks down or you have some unexpected bill to pay. You are created to worship. Worship God who loves you and created you in His image. When your focus is on Him, it is just amazing how small the things of this world will become. God bless you and I pray this will encourage you today.

Real Purpose

2009-06-15T09:36:00.002-05:00

Let me ask you a question: Is God good? I not only believe that God is Good, I know it with every fiber of my being. He is the definition of good. God is good...all the time. And all the time, God is good.

Another question: Do you believe God is all powerful? You should because the scripture is very clear that all power was given to Jesus Christ. Matthew 28:18

Does God have your best interest at heart? He sure does...Matthew 6:25-34 is very clear that God cares about every need in your life and he meets every one of your needs.

So......If God is good and if He is all powerful and if He has your very best interest at heart, why don't we listen to Him when He gives us instructions to leave? What do I mean?

Genesis 12:1-4
The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father's family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you." So Abram departed as the LORD had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.(NLT)

God told Abram to leave...He didn't tell him details of where he was going, how long he was going to be gone or if he was even coming back. God said, "Go" and Abram went. Following that one command was 7 promises. God will never ask you to do anything without some sort of reassurance or promise or provision. For example:
Matthew 11:28
Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.(NLT)

Jesus said come to me. If you come to me, I will give you rest. The scripture is filled with examples of how God always provides promises and provisions with His commands.

Today, He is asking you to leave. Leave what? It might be geographical. Maybe God wants you to go on the mission field for Him. Maybe it is spiritual. God wants you to leave where you are spiritually so that He can take you where He wants you to be. Are you spending as much time in the Bible as you can? How about prayer? Doing a lot of that? Do you spend time just quiet waiting for Him to speak to you? I think that one fits us all, doesn't it? Maybe He is asking you to leave the pain of the past and embrace the incredible future He has for you. Maybe He wants you to leave that addiction or life of sin. Turn from that and embrace the gift He has given us in His Son, Jesus Christ. Don't question God. His ways are so much better and higher than our ways. He is good. He is all powerful and He has only your best interest at heart. Trust and obey. You won't go wrong and you won't ever regret leaving when the Spirit of God asks you to.

God is so good!

2009-06-09T17:10:00.002-05:00

I think of Jesus' words in John chapter 8 when He is talking with the woman who was supposedly caught in the act of adultery. Jesus told her that He didn't condemn her and encouraged or commanded her to go and sin no more. I'm not sure how accurately we can use street language here but it almost seems as if Jesus is saying, "You're gonna mess up. Don't walk around defeated. When you fall off your bike, let your Daddy pick you back up, dust you off and tell you to get up and try it again. I'm so glad that God forgives me and takes me back when I mess up. He is so good. This is a powerful video that reminds me of God's love and mercy.

Don't Lose Hope

2009-06-02T10:59:00.002-05:00

It is really easy to get caught up in the stress and worries of this world, isn't it? Think about it. You and I spend so many hours taking care of our homes, our yards, our jobs, our cars, our bodies, our selfish motivations. The list could go on and on. We are given 168 hours in every week to live....Jesus wants us to cast all our cares upon Him. Why? Because He cares for us. He loves us. He is so much more deserving than what we offer Him.... Think about those 168 hours a week that you live. How many of them are given to the Lord? How many are spent on selfish desires? How many of them are spent on the temporal things of this world? How many of them are set aside as sacred..holy...just for Him? 1? 3? 10?

Christ is coming back! And it could be today. Are you ready? Are you anxiously looking for that day? That day.....hmmmmm. What will that day look like?

Revelation 21:1-5a
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, "Look, God's home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever." And the one sitting on the throne said, "Look, I am making everything new!" NLT)

Live for Him today. Don't lose hope. Don't get caught up in the worries and cares of today. There is so much more...so much more

I wanna be like my Jesus. Do we know what that means?

2009-05-17T18:38:00.002-05:00

We certainly do live in a culture and society where we talk the talk of being like Jesus, don't we? I mean we say it over and over....."To be the heart, hands, feet, and mouth of Jesus......To do what He did, to love like He loves" But how can we truly talk like that and state that we want to be like Jesus when we are so lukewarm in our spiritual journey? How can we really be committed to Christ and skip church for any and all reasons, slander and gossip and act so selfish and childish, and walk through this life acting like this is all there is? I believe the spiritual formation of the American church is in dire need of repair. We walk into the church and are fed so well. We receive instructions for life and eternity and walk out of the door an hour later as if we had earplugs in our ears. I can't imagine how Jesus must have felt to have to speak the words we read in Revelation 3:15,16. "I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!(NLT). May this video start a fire in your bones that cannot be put out. May all who read this and watch this video become so aware of Christ's love for us and our indebtedness to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Broken Plate

2009-05-13T08:26:00.002-05:00

Good morning! My heart has been touched quite regularly lately on the issue of tough love and feeling the need to stop enabling wrong behaviors. I have been praying and seeking God in this matter. I have asked, "God, I can't do this on my own. It seems so huge of a decision. What if I make a mistake? What if I'm being too harsh? What if I'm not being harsh enough and actually contributing to the problem? What if......." Yeah, you get the idea. I have been a mess lately with these thoughts. Then this morning I read a few lines from a book. It is entitled, "On the Anvil" by Max Lucado. Here are the lines that spoke to me:

The Day My Plate Was Broken......It was past midnight in Dalton, Georgia, as I stood in a dimly lit phone booth making a call to my folks. My first summer job away from home wasn't planning out as it was supposed to.

The work was hard. My two best friends had quit and gone back to Texas, and I was bunking in the Salvation Army until I could find an apartment. For a big, tough nineteen-year old, I sure felt small.. The voices of my mom and dad had never sounded so sweet. And although I tried to hide it, my loneliness was obvious. I had promised my parents that if they'd let me go, I'd stick it out for the whole summer. But now those three months looked like eternity.

As I explained my plight, I could tell my mom wanted me to come home. But just as she said, "Why don't you come.......," my dad, who was on the extension, interrupted her. "We'd love for you to come back, but we've already broken your plate." (That was west Texas talk for "We love you, Max, but it's time to grow up.")

It takes a wise father to know when to push his son out of the nest. It's painful, but it has to be done. I'll always be thankful that my dad gave me wings and then made me use them.........

Give us clean hands

2009-04-29T08:28:00.003-05:00

As I sit here in my office this morning, I look outside and see the rain just pouring down. It is coming down in buckets......almost. Anyway, as I watch this rain coming down from the sky I envision God telling us we need a cleansing. I pleaded with God to examine my heart this morning and to reveal to me of anything that is in need of purification or washing. I began to pray for God to renew within me a pure heart....a clean heart. It made me think of this song, "Give us clean hands". Let us be a generation that truly seeks your face....Oh God of Jacob. So, let it rain. Purify my heart today, Lord. Wash me and make me clean. May this be your prayer this morning too.

It has been a long time....I'm sorry

2009-04-24T18:39:00.002-05:00

Time sure did not slow down any lately, did it? I write this from a coffee shop in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. I just finished with my ordination requirements that I have been pursuing for.......well, in reality since 1994. Actively pursuing since 2007. I am praying to be ordained this June in Rapid City, SD. I feel a huge relief in my life. I can read a book because I want to, not because some professor is telling me I have to. I can take my "day off" to work in my garden or trip trees on my acreage instead of spending every waking moment on school work that isn't being spent on sermon work or visiting folks and the daily tasks of a pastor. Don't get me wrong. I am not complaining. I am a blessed man and it has all been worth it. I am just ready to take a fresh breath of air and relax for a few minutes. God is good----All the time! And all the time, God is good! Today reminds me of a verse that I used when we first planted our church, "Quarry Rock".....Zechariah 4:10 Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin...... When I started this journey to be ordained, it seemed insurmountable. God just kept prompting me. My wonderful wife kept encouraging me. I am blessed and I pray for blessings to be yours today as you live for Christ who makes all things possible!

It's not about you?

2009-03-17T08:34:00.002-05:00

Matthew 11:28-30 Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light."

Rick Warren wrote the book, "Purpose Driven Life". And the opening line was this: "It's not about you." That is perhaps one of the most memorized lines in modern literature. I must confess, I have quoted it. I have stated it. Do I believe it? Yes and no. I do not question Rick Warren because in the context of this book, it is very pertinent and accurate. There are those who are overly needy and seem to think it is all about them. "serve me. Pay attention to me. Take care of me. I want....I need..." From that aspect, this statement is very fitting and I love it. that is how I have used it. When someone says something like what I mentioned above, I have to say something like, "Pal....get over yourself. It is not about you."

With that being said, it brings me to say this: I am in the little town of Frankfort, Indiana this week. I am here taking a couple classes. What I have come to do is to learn and complete an academic requirement. But God had something else in mind this week also. God knew that my tank was running low and therefore God set this week aside for me as a time of "tank filling", spiritual renewal and re-charging my battery. What is God telling me? He's telling me, "Milt....in a way, it is about you because if you are empty you have nothing to offer others."

Jesus tells us that all the commands in the Bible can be captured in two commands; Love God with everything you have and love your neighbor as yourself. Let's look at that last part. Love your neighbor as yourself. We are to love others the very way we love ourselves. How much do you love and care for yourself? Think on that. God calls us to take care of ourselves...to value and nourish our bodies and our souls. So, don't feel bad when you take some time for yourself. Don't feel guilty when you prioritize your day so that you have your "God" time first...your devotional time....your prayer time....your spiritual journaling time before you make time for anyone else. God calls us to set priorities and boundaries. A good friend and fellow pastor says often, "We are like batteries. A battery cannot put out what it does not have." Fill yourself with God's Word and His love and His power. Watch how He will take that and bless it to allow you to be the light he wants you to be. God bless you. God is good.

What's so amazing about Grace?

2009-02-25T11:45:00.002-06:00

What is so amazing about grace? Grace is a story. It begins with the great gaping chasm that stretched between creator God and his created humanity. That chasm was the work of man and the heartbreak of God. Grace is that our holy, infinite God was not pleased to be separated from his people. So, he reached down and healed the gaping wound. He healed it with the very blood of his own Son.

Then humanity was, again, invited to walk towards God and hide in His embrace. So, grace is also an invitation. It is an invitation out of loneliness and struggle. It is an invitation to draw near to the One who loves us most.

Psalm 27:7-8 Hear me as I pray, O LORD. Be merciful and answer me! My heart has heard you say, "Come and talk with me." And my heart responds, "LORD, I am coming."

Have you heard God say to you, "Come and talk with me"? Today, be still and listen. There is an invitation waiting for you. Will you respond like David? David said: "And my heart responds, 'Lord, I am coming'."

To worship God is to walk towards him, to walk with Him. He is not asking for perfection, only nearness. To worship God is to turn our eyes towards the author of grace and the lover of our very souls.

Hebrews 10:22 let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.

Jesus gives us confidence

2009-02-16T08:19:00.002-06:00

Hebrews 10:19-22 And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven's Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God's house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.

In the temple in Jerusalem, only a priest could enter the most Holy Place, and only on the Day of Atonement, when he made the annual offering for sins. But when Jesus died, the temple curtain was torn in two. The wall between us and God was shattered.

Because of Jesus, anytime we have need, without ritual or special dispensation, we can come into the presence of God. We can come boldly, with confidence that we will be received by the Father who adopted us through His Son's blood. Because of the relationship with God we have through Jesus, we can approach Him with a free, untroubled heart.

May that give you comfort, confidence, and a bold conviction that you are very special in God's eyes.

Jesus really does love us!

2009-02-11T11:14:00.002-06:00

John 15:12 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.

We watch Jesus loving people throughout the Gospels. Sometimes His love is exasperated, like when He laments over Jerusalem, "How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!" Luke 13:34b......Sometimes it is challenging, like when He challenges the rich young ruler to give up what was most important to him. And sometimes His love is simply indescribable, like when He stretches out His arms and allows Himself to be crucified.

Jesus loves us with an everlasting love. And He shows us His love in many ways through our lives--but never more plainly or powerfully than dying on the cross.

Father, please let us ever be mindful of your amazing love....your amazing grace! May we never get comfortable with your love. May it bring us to our knees every day. Thank you for your love, Jesus......Now, may we be a church....a people who loves like you love. Make us more like you today than we were yesterday!
In Jesus precious and holy name.....Amen.

Jesus gives us a clean slate

2009-01-30T10:21:00.002-06:00

Romans 8:1-2 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.

We know the feeling well: guilt. It has followed us during the day and kept us awake at night. We can't forget the things we've done, no matter how much we may want to.

The good news is that in Christ, God accepts us as His children. We can be free from guilt knowing that He has forgiven us--completely. "Though yours sins are like scarlet," He tells us, "they shall be as white as snow." Isaiah 1:18b. And while we still face the consequences of our sin and sometimes the discipline of our Heavenly Father, we can finally sleep at night, resting in the assurance that God is for us.

Jesus talks with a Samaritan woman

2009-01-20T16:20:00.002-06:00

John 4:5-26
Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Please give me a drink." He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, "You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?" Jesus replied, "If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water." "But sir, you don't have a rope or a bucket," she said, "and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? And besides, do you think you're greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?" Jesus replied, "Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life." "Please, sir," the woman said, "give me this water! Then I'll never be thirsty again, and I won't have to come here to get water." "Go and get your husband," Jesus told her. "I don't have a husband," the woman replied. Jesus said, "You're right! You don't have a husband- for you have had five husbands, and you aren't even married to the man you're living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!" "Sir," the woman said, "you must be a prophet. So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?" Jesus replied, "Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. But the time is coming-indeed it's here now-when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth." The woman said, "I know the Messiah is coming-the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." Then Jesus told her, "I Am the Messiah!"

He was seated on the ground: legs outstretched, hands folded, back resting against the well. She stopped and looked at Him. He was obviously Jewish. What was He doing here?

Sensing her discomfort, Jesus asked her for water. But she was too streetwise to think that all He wanted was a drink. Her intuition was partly correct. He was interested in her heart.

They talked. Who could remember the last time a man had spoken to her with respect? He told her about a spring of water that would quench, not the thirst of her throat, but of the soul.

"Please, sir...give me this water! Then I'll never be thirsty again, and I won't have to come here to get water."

"Go and get your husband,"

"I don't have a husband." (Kindness has a way of inviting honesty.) This woman wondered what Jesus would do. He will be angry. He will think I'm worthless. "You're right! You don't have a husband-- for you have had five husbands, and you aren't even married to the man you're living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!"

No criticism? The woman was amazed. "Sir, you must be a prophet."

Then she asked the question that revealed the gaping hole in her soul. "Where is God? My people say he is on the mountain. Your people say he is in Jerusalem." I'd give a thousand sunsets to see the expression on Jesus' face as He heard those words. Of all the women to have an insatiable appetite for God--a five-time divorcee? And of all the people to be chosen to personally receive the secret of the ages-- an outcast among outcasts? His eyes must have danced as He whispered the secret. "I AM the Messiah!"

Then leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 'Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could He possibly be the Messiah?" Did you notice what she forgot? She forgot her water jar. She left behind the burden she brought. Suddenly the insignificance of her life was swallowed by the significance of the moment. God is here! God cares for me and He cares for you!!

Quarry Rockers and cyber rockers.......Burdens are lifted at Calvary. Jesus is very near. He longs for us to bring the heavy burdensome things we carry around to Him.......and leave them at His feet. He is the only one who can truly help you through your life's problems. He is here! And so is your church family!

Thankfulness

2009-01-14T14:43:00.002-06:00

The magic of a thankful spirit is that it has the power to replace....

anger with love,
resentment with happiness,
fear with faith,
worry with peace,
the desire to dominate with the wish to play on a team,
self-preoccupation with concern for the needs of others,
guilt with an open door to forgiveness,
sexual impurity with honor and respect,
jealousy with joy at another's success,
lack of creativity with inspired productivity,
inferiorities with dignity,
a lack of love with an abundance of self-sharing.
Donald E. Demaray

Colossians 3:15-17 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

As I sit here in my office pondering this past year, I have been reminded with many emails, letters, phone calls, personal visits and even text messages of the roads travelled by the people of Quarry Rock this past year. I have compiled a list of many of the highlights. Some of them were joy unspeakable. Some were sadness unspeakable. And many in between. God is good....all the time. And all the time, God is good!! Here it is:

This year I.....

got involved in the prison ministry,
changed jobs,
took children horseback riding and fishing,
had children move away,
had children move back home, ( smile....)
had my marriage restored by the "Fireproof" movie,
traveled overseas,
retired,
had a baby,
lost a baby,
became a parent,
lost a parent,
got married,
lost a grandparent,
became a grandparent, (ha ha)
got promoted,
got engaged,
completed my master's degree,
got new foster kids,
was healed of cancer,
acquired a deeper love for God and the scriptures,
found family, love and acceptance at Quarry Rock!

In all of this, we will raise our hands and praise our God who gives and takes away. He is more than sufficient. Join me today in praising our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Jesus teaches faith, not legalism

2009-01-05T11:49:00.002-06:00

There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. "Rabbi," he said, "we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you." Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God." "What do you mean?" exclaimed Nicodemus. "How can an old man go back into his mother's womb and be born again?" Jesus replied, "I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. John 3:1-6

Nicodemus is drawn to the carpenter, but he can't be seen with Him. Nicodemus is on the high court. He can't approach Jesus in the day. So Nicodemus goes to meet Him at night. He goes in the darkness. Appropriate....for legalism offers no light.

It's rigid. It's mechanical....and it's not from God.

Can I give you the down and dirty about legalism? Legalism doesn't need God. Legalism is the search for innocence-- not forgiveness. Legalists are obsessed with self, not God.

Legalism:
--Turns my opinion into your burden.
--Turns my opinion into your boundary.
--Turns my opinion into your obligation.

If you want to be in the group, stay in step and don't ask questions.

Nicodemus knew how to march, but he longed to sing. He knew there was something more, but he didn't know where to find it. So he went to Jesus.

May we truly see that Jesus has the answers for everything in life and may we come to see that His yolk is easy and His burden is light. He is not hard to follow. Legalism is hard to follow. Jesus is the source of contentment, peace, and acceptance. Legalism is the source of stress and rigid rules. Jesus makes it simple. We make it difficult. Seek Him today. Don't chase after what the world considers, "religion" or "spirituality". Jesus is the author of peace and contentment.

Jesus turns water into wine

2008-12-30T15:22:00.000-06:00

John 2:1-11
The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus' mother told him, "They have no more wine." "Dear woman, that's not our problem," Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come." But his mother told the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told the servants, "Fill the jars with water." When the jars had been filled, he said, "Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies." So the servants followed his instructions. When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. "A host always serves the best wine first," he said. "Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!" This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

A wedding in the time of Christ was no small event. For several days there would be gift giving, speechmaking, food-eating and-- you guessed it!-- wine drinking. Food and wine were taken very seriously. The host honored the guests by keeping their plates full and their cups overflowing. It was considered an insult to the guests if the host ran out of food or wine.

"Without wine," said the rabbis, "there is no joy." Wine was crucial, not for drunkenness, which was considered a disgrace, but for what it demonstrated. The presence of wine stated that this was a special day and that all guests were special guests.

The absence of wine, then, was a social embarrassment.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, is one of the first to notice that the wine has run out. She goes to her Son and points out the problem: "They have no more wine."

Jesus' response? "Dear woman, that is not our problem....My time has not yet come."

Interesting statement. "My time." Jesus is aware of the plan. He has a place and a time for His first miracle. And this isn't it.

Jesus knows the plan. At first, it appears He is going to stay with it. But as He hears His mother and looks into the faces of the wedding party, He reconsiders. The significance of the plan is slowly eclipsed by His concern for the people. Timing is important, but people are more so.

Why did Jesus do it? What motivated His first miracle?

His friends were embarrassed. What bothered them bothered Him.

So go ahead. Tell God what hurts. Talk to Him. He won't turn you away. He won't think it's silly. "For our high priest is able to understand our weaknesses. When He lived on earth, He was tempted in every way that we are, but He did not sin. Let us, then, feel very sure that we can come before God's throne where there is grace." Hebrews 4:15,16

Jesus calls Peter, James, and John

2008-12-26T11:24:00.000-06:00

Luke 5:4-11
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish." "Master," Simon replied, "we worked hard all last night and didn't catch a thing. But if you say so, I'll let the nets down again." And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking. When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, "Oh, Lord, please leave me-I'm too much of a sinner to be around you." For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed. Jesus replied to Simon, "Don't be afraid! From now on you'll be fishing for people!" And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.

Push out into the deep, Peter. Let's fish. I groaned. I looked at John. We were thinking the same thing. As long as He wanted to use the boat for a platform to speak, that was fine. But to use it for a fishing boat--that was our territory.
With every pull of the paddle, I grumbled. "No way. No way. Impossible. I may not know much, but I know fishing. And all we're going to come back with are some wet nets."
Finally we cast anchor. I picked up the heavy netting, held it waist-high, and started to throw it. That's when I caught a glimpse out of the corner of my eye.
"Boy, is He in for a disappointment," I thought as I threw the net. I wrapped the rope once around my hand and sat back for the long wait.
But there was no wait. The slack rope yanked taut and tried to pull me overboard. I set my feet against the side of the boat and yelled for help.
We got the net in just before it began to tear. I'd never seen such a catch. We began to take in water. John screamed for the other boat to help us.
That's when I realized who He was. And that's when I realized who I was: I was the one who told God what He couldn't do!
"Go away from me, Lord; I'm a sinful man." There wasn't anything else I could say.
I don't know what He saw in me, but He didn't leave. Maybe He thought if I would let Him tell me how to fish, I would let Him tell me how to live.
It was a scene I would see many times over the next couple of years. The characters would change, but the theme wouldn't. When we would say, "No way," He would say, "My way." Then the ones who doubted would scramble to salvage the blessing. And the one who gave it would savor the surprise.

Jesus Begins His Ministry

2008-12-18T11:48:00.000-06:00

Matthew 4:12-16 When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he left Judea and returned to Galilee. He went first to Nazareth, then left there and moved to Capernaum, beside the Sea of Galilee, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. This fulfilled what God said through the prophet Isaiah: "In the land of Zebulun and of Naphtali, beside the sea, beyond the Jordan River, in Galilee where so many Gentiles live, the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined."

He looked around the carpentry shop. He stood for a moment in the refuge of the little room that housed so many sweet memories. He had come to say good-bye.

He had heard something that made Him know it was time to go. So He came one last time to smell the sawdust and lumber. Life was peaceful here.

I wonder if He hesitated.

You can almost see the tools of the trade in His words as He spoke. You can see the trueness of a plumb line as He called for moral standards. You can imagine Him with a pencil and a ledger as He urges honesty. It was here that His human hands shaped the wood His divine hands had created. And it was here that His body matured while His spirit waited for the right moment, the right day.

And now that day had arrived.

Our God is an awesome God!!

Jesus' Baptism and the witness of John

2008-12-16T11:28:00.000-06:00

Some Pharisees who had been sent asked John: "If you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet, why do you baptize people?"
John answered, "I baptize with water, but there is one here with you that you don't know about. He is the One who comes after me. I am not good enough to untie the strings of His sandals."
This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan River where John was baptizing people.

John 1:24-34
Then the Pharisees who had been sent asked him, "If you aren't the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?" John told them, "I baptize with water, but right here in the crowd is someone you do not recognize. Though his ministry follows mine, I'm not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandal." This encounter took place in Bethany, an area east of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing. The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! He is the one I was talking about when I said, 'A man is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.' I did not recognize him as the Messiah, but I have been baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel." Then John testified, "I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him. I didn't know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, 'The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of God."

John the Baptist saw a dove and believed. James Whittaker saw a sea gull and believed. James Whittaker was a member of the hand picked crew that flew the B-17 Flying Fortress captained by Eddie Rickenbacker. Anybody who remembers October of 1942 remembers the day Rickenbacker and his crew were reported lost at sea.
Somewhere over the Pacific, out of radio range, the plane ran out of fuel and crashed into the ocean. The nine men spent the next months floating in three rafts. After only eight days their rations were eaten or destroyed by saltwater. It would take a miracle to survive.
One morning after their daily devotions, Rickenbacker leaned his head back against the raft and pulled his hat over his eyes. A bird landed on his head. He peered out from under his hat. Every eye was on him. He instinctively knew it was a sea gull.
Rickenbacker caught it, and the crew ate it. The bird's intestines were used for bait to catch fish...and the crew survived to tell the story.
You may have heard the Rickenbacker story before. The greatest event of that day was not the rescue of a crew but the rescue of a soul.
James Whittaker was an unbeliever. The plane crash didn't change his unbelief. The days facing death didn't cause him to reconsider his destiny. In fact, Mrs. Whittaker said her husband grew irritated with John Bartak, a crew member who continually read his Bible privately and aloud.
But his protests didn't stop Bartak from reading. Nor did Whittaker's resistance stop the Word from penetrating his soul. Unknown to Whittaker, the soil of his heart was being plowed. For it was one morning after a Bible reading that the sea gull landed on Captain Rickenbacker's head. And at that moment Jim became a believer.
Who would go to such extremes to save a soul? Amazing the lengths to which God will go to get our attention, huh?

Jesus' Birth

2008-12-15T14:34:00.000-06:00

The Word became a human and lived among us. We saw His glory-- that belongs to the only Son of the Father-- and He was full of grace and truth. Because He was full of grace and truth, from Him we all received one gift after another. The law was given through Moses, but Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. But God the only Son is very close to the Father, and He has shown us what God is like.
John 1:14-18

It all happened in a moment, a most remarkable moment that was like none other. God became a man. While the creatures of earth walked unaware, Divinity arrived.

God was given eyebrows, elbows, two kidneys, and a spleen. He stretched against the walls and floated in the amniotic fluids of his mother.

God had come near. No silk. No ivory. No hype. To think of Jesus in such light is....well, it seems almost irreverent, doesn't it? It is much easier to keep the humanity out of the incarnation.

But don't do it. Let Him be as human as He intended to be. Let Him into the mire and muck of our world. For only if we let Him in can He pull us out!

Jesus' Birth Announced

2008-12-08T10:34:00.000-06:00

During Elizabeth's sixth month of pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin. She was engaged to marry a man named Joseph from the family of David. Her name was Mary. The angel came to her and said, "Greetings! The Lord has blessed you and is with you."
But Mary was very startled by what the angel said and wondered what this greeting might mean.
The angel said to her, "Don't be afraid, Mary; God has shown you His grace. Listen! You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of King David, His ancestor. He will rule over the people of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will never end."
Mary said to the angel, "How will this happen since I am a virgin?"
The angel said to Mary, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you. For this reason the baby will be holy and will be called the Son of God."
Gabriel was never one to question, but this time he had to wonder. God will become a baby? That's okay for humans, he thought to himself. But God? The heavens can't contain Him; how could a body?
But Gabriel had his orders. Take the message to Mary. Must be a special girl, he assumed as he traveled. But Gabriel was in for another shock. The mother-to-be of God was not regal. She was a Jewish peasant who'd barely outgrown her acne and had a crush on a guy named Joe. It was all Gabriel could do to keep from turning back. "This is a peculiar idea you have, God," he must have muttered to himself.
Are God's guardians given to such musings? Are we? Only heaven knows how long Gabriel fluttered unseen above Mary before he took a breath and broke the news. But he did. He told her the name. He told her the plan. He told her not to be afraid. And when he announced, "With God nothing is impossible!" he said it as much for himself as for her.
Remember from the message yesterday, "Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God all things are possible."
I continue to pray for God to use us to accomplish the impossible. What an opportunity and privilege we have. Don't miss it!

It's all about Jesus

2008-12-04T12:43:00.000-06:00

Good afternoon! I am not sure how many are following my journey in this blog or how many actually care but I find this a multi-purpose tool. It challenges me to study; it allows me to offer thoughts, teachings or maybe even inspirational words that will help people right here at Quarry Rock Church or clear across the world. It also serves as a good devotional time for me to read, reread and seek God in the meaning and value of what I have typed. Not that any of you are interested, but just in case, I will tell you. My favorite author is Max Lucado. I love his writing style, his clever illustrations, and the fact that he writes in short story form which is good for me as I am not a fast reader. But most importantly, Max writes about the heart of Jesus and after all, isn't that what it is all about? It's all about Jesus! I am going to start a little journey for a while talking about moments Jesus invested in us for our benefit. Max will help me with some of his clever words from time to time as I read through his many wonderful books.

Simple moments. Quiet moments. Moments missed by many, but created by God, forever punctuating the timeline of history. You can't open the gospels without reading about them. They are the greatest moments:
Mary watches her baby boy in a feed trough and ponders, "How can this really be God?"
The apostles stare at a lunch bucket of loaves and fish that never goes empty.
A leper sees new fingers appear where only nubs had been and runs back to thank his God.
God does what He would be doing only in your wildest dreams--wearing diapers, riding donkeys, washing feet, dozing in the midst of storms, and dying for your sins.

These are the greatest moments, when God put on humanity, not only to save us from our sins but to experience life as we do, with all its laughter and tears.......

What a God! What a Savior!

Enemies Within

2008-11-26T11:33:00.000-06:00

Have you ever listened to a Christian speaker and had the uneasy feeling that what you were hearing did not ring true? Perhaps it was a television preacher whose appeal for funds seemed a bit manipulative. Or maybe you've attended a Bible study where the leader seemed to suggest that the Bible is a helpful book but not necessarily true in all it affirms.
The early church faced many threats. Some were from outside enemies, but the greatest danger came from within. The problem was false teachers. People who claimed to be students of Christ began emerging in various locations with new or distorted versions of the gospel. Some were chasing tangents, while others claimed to possess a new, superior knowledge of spiritual things. The same is very true today as well. Ancient heresies never die, they are simply recycled after a hundred years or so. The church today is in no less danger from false teaching than it was in the first century. The scripture I am reading from this morning deals with the problem of false teachers in the church. While we must be cautious about making an accusation about false teaching (a person may simply be uninformed or poorly trained as a teacher), we must also be vigilant about guarding the essential tenets of the Christian faith. Read 2 Peter 2:1-22 today. Ask God to speak to you. Remember God is not the author of confusion. He is very easy to understand.

Love God...

2008-11-26T09:22:00.000-06:00

Ok...So Jesus lays it out there. He tells us to, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind." How do we do that? Is it tough? Should it be hard? I don't think so. You wanna know why? Because we are created in the image of God which we read in Genesis 1:27. Got that so far? We are created in the very image of God. You are created in the likeness of God Himself! That is cool, huh? We go towards the back of the Bible in the book of 1 John 4:8 we read that, "God is love." So if we are created in the very image of God.....just like God and God is love, it should be pretty natural and easy to love, correct? I'm tellin ya, it has to be that simple. God is a straight forward God. He is not a God of confusion but rather The Author of Truth and Love. I am really perplexed by people who say or act like they have an upper hand with God. Like God reveals Himself to only a select few. Not the God I serve! Not the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Not the God who loved you so much that He sent Jesus, His Son, to die upon a cruel cross so that we could have life. He loves us all the same. He is a righteous and holy God who is worthy of our love. So.... Jesus tells us to love God with all of our heart, soul and mind. We are made to love. So, won't you try it today? I promise it won't hurt. Just lean in and maybe even whisper, "I love you, Jesus.... Thank you for loving me." What an awesome start! Give your heart to Jesus and He will preserve it and protect it. Let your mind be captured by thoughts of His beauty and goodness all day long.

Is it really supposed to be this hard?

2008-11-20T13:09:00.001-06:00

You know, we humans really make things hard, don't we? I mean I really don't think God intended for us to struggle with all of the finer details of the Christian life. Jesus laid it out pretty simply in Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus replied, "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself. The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments." Two commands; Love God with everything we have and love others. I like how one church puts it, "Love God and love people". It really is that simple. But somehow we make it much tougher. I believe part of it comes from how we define how we are to love God. There are so many hurdles to jump. There are so many i's to dot and t's to cross. It is just unmanageable sometimes, isn't it? My thoughts lately tell me this is all wrong. After much deliberation and intellectual discernment, I have come to a one word conclusion...... Are you ready? Here it is: "Hogwash". I told you it was sophisticated! If this life is hard as a believer, it is because we are making it hard. Make no mistake about it; Jesus told us we would suffer persecution because we follow Jesus. But Jesus also promises that He is with us every step of the way and when it gets too hard, He carries us through. We never go it alone as followers of Christ! Isn't that awesome? So tomorrow I hope to start a walk through these verses in scripture to see how we can simplify things and be dedicated, on fire, committed followers of Jesus Christ. May you spend some time today seeking Him in the quiet places of your heart. He is there waiting..........

And so it begins...

2008-11-16T21:55:00.000-06:00

I have been encouraged for quite some time to start a blog but never got around to it. I was inspired to finally start one last week while I was in South Carolina taking a couple classes. My instructor and friend, Mark Wilson encouraged me to get it started. It is my hope to post the happenings of my life and ministry on this on a daily basis. I want to grow closer to God through this experience. I want to be held accountable by being vulnerable about life's challenges that come my way. But perhaps most importantly, I want to be used of God to help others who walk this journey of life. I want my life, ministry and experiences to be used to help someone...to encourage someone to never give in and to never offer God less than our very, very best. May He use this blog to bring all of us closer to the cross and make us more like Jesus today than we were yesterday. God bless!