Live Out Loud

This is our resurrection song, hope is alive, hope is alive.  He has risen SHAKES the dawn like thunder, like thunder.  This is our EVERLASTING song, all praise to Christ, all praise to Christ. Glory to the Risen Son!  Our Savior Jesus is Alive!  The words of this song have continued to resonate in my mind, or it has been STUCK in my mind since this Holy Easter Week.  WOW, what a song of celebration and worship to our risen Savior, Jesus Christ.

So much effort, energy and passion went into last week called which we call "Holy Week".  When Monday came, it was difficult to emotionally prepare for my day.  I was spent both physically and emotionally from the week.  Then I became somewhat convicted in my apathy.  The real work of "living out" what I prepared so diligently for became a reality on Monday.  It was time to put into action what I was singing about and celebrating.  It was time to walk the walk and talk the talk.

So many times I can sing about the love of God and celebrate the greatness of who He is, but after the platform, I can have amnesia, forgetting what I was singing about and that the truth of the songs and scriptures were telling me.  Have you been there?  Can you relate?

My challenge to my self and to our ministry is for us to "LIVE OUT" the resurrection song today and forever.  Might we turn our mourning into gladness and our sorrow into joy knowing we have a Savior who loves and cared for us today, and a God who is for us, not against us.  Might we "LIVE OUT" our commitment to the Lord and run to Him today.

For further reading on these passages, go to Romans 8, 2 Corinthians 5:16-18, 1 Corinthians 9:23-25

LIVE OUT LOUD!  Blessings - Keith

Welcome Home

Today I spent the afternoon with our JOYUS and Missions Ministry at DFW Airport greeting our men and women serving in our United States Military.  What an amazing experience it was to welcome each one of these 171 soldiers off the plane.  They came from all over the world, from Iraq, Afghanistan and many other places.  For me personally, watching a mom and 4 year old wait to see their dad for the first time in over 8 months just brought about emotions of thankfulness, love and care.  To be reunited with friends and family after being away from home must be the best feeling in the world.

Then I got to thinking about our eternal "Welcome Home" when we are reunited with our heavenly father for eternity.  Can you imagine the anticipation God has when we see Him for the first time and we run to Him and embrace all of His holiness and beauty.  What a day that will be!

Do we think about heaven often?  Do we reunite with our heavenly Father on a daily basis so when we get to see Him face to face someday we run to Him?  He is waiting for us.  Run to Him today.

Philippians 2 - Jesus on the Throne of Your Life

Imitating Christ’s Humility

 ¹ Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ² then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

I am leading the Worship & Arts Ministry of my church in a Sunday morning Bible Study through the book of Philippians.  It has been a very encouraging time together as we study God's word and yesterday truly resonated with us all.  The most difficult thing for me to do as a follower of Jesus is to place the interest of others before my own.  And why is that so difficult?  It is truly simple.  I allow the things of this world to distract me and take my focus off of Christ as my everything.

We used the illustration of a throne that was created by God where Jesus sits.  When Jesus is on His throne and in control of our lives, we find it much easier to follow, trust and live life as Christian.  When we are distracted and place other things on the throne of God, we become more concerned about the things the world deem as important of vital. 

So how to we place Christ on the throne of our lives?  Read what Paul tells us in Philippians 2; in humility, come before the Lord.  Ask the Lord to take His proper place in your life at the beginning of your day and humbly submit your life to him in all areas.  When we falter, allow the grace of God to restore you back to Himself.

God is a great and faithful God.  Trust Him with your all today and love Him with your heart. mind, soul and strength, then love others!