Gratitude Versus Ingratitude

Thanksgiving Outreach at CCBC

This Sunday, our ministry, the Worship & Arts Ministry, was able to team up with City Church and provide 33 Thanksgiving Meals to our city and families that are in need.  We collected money from our church members and provided a turkey and all the fixings for a Thanksgiving meal.  What an amazing opportunity we had to share the love of Christ.

I was privileged to deliver 3 meals yesterday.  My entire family went with me to make these deliveries.  I was touched to hear my kids voice a prayer over these families as we gave them a free dinner.  One sweet lady accepted the turkey and said with tears in her eyes, "I did not think we were going to have a Turkey this year!"  God continues to provide!  What a blessing to serve Him.

I continue to be challenged by God in my spiritual life.  So many times I neglect to live my life with a heart of gratitude.  I become self seeking with thoughts centered around me instead of thoughts placed of God and how I can serve others.  I was listening to a devotional this morning about generosity.  Chip Ingram was sharing how our society can become so consumed with life and looking inward instead of outward to help and serve others that we become depressed because of our need to be so consumed with materialism.  The cure?  Serve others!  Think of others!  Once we take our focus off of ourselves and place them on God and serving others, the depression and self gratification of our needs all passes away!

Read the following from Nancy Leigh DeMoss


Gratitude Versus Ingratitude

• Consider with me some of the contrasts between a grateful heart and an ungrateful heart.
• Grateful people are humble; ungrateful people are proud.
• A thankful person is conscious of God and others; an un-thankful person is self- conscious and self-centered.
• A grateful heart is a full heart; an ungrateful heart is an empty one. People with thankful hearts are easily contented; un-thankful people are subject to bitterness and discontent.
• A grateful heart will be revealed and expressed by thankful words; an ungrateful heart will manifest itself in murmuring and complaining.
• Thankful people are refreshing, life-giving springs; un-thankful people pull others down with them into the stagnant pools of their selfish, demanding ways.

So,  this Thanksgiving, take an inventory and live your day with a thankful heart!

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanks Be To Our God

Thanks Be To Our God.

As I was preparing for the Thanksgiving season and planning a couple of worship services, God brought a song to me that really made me stop and reflect on the heart of God and helped me focus my attention on true thanksgiving.  Read these words from this song by Travis Cottrell...

For the road that leads from darkness into light,
For the hope that rescues us from endless night,
For the grace covers sin, at the the door where life begins,
For salvation reaching in to guide us through,
Thanks be to our God.

For the healing that no mortal can explain,
For deliverance that breaks the sinner's chains,
For the strength to carry on, and forgiveness great and strong,
And the promise of Your mercies ever new,
Thanks be to our God.

Hallelujah! Everlasting songs will rise
For all You've done.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Thanks be to our God!

For the emptiness that cries out to be filled,
For the promise that Your word is deeper still,
For the longing and the need, to have more of You in me,
Because nothing satisfies the way You do,
Thanks be to our God!

For the mysteries beyond the veil of death,
For the peace that opens with our closing breath,
When our struggles pass away, and we finally see Your face,
And a greater glory rises into You.
Thanks be to our God!

For all God presents to us in our life - the good, bad, great, ugly, joy, heartache...Thanks Be To Our God.  Why can we say this?  How can we praise God in all circumstances?  Because we understand God Loves Us!  He has a perfect plan for us that is filled with gratefulness and love.  On this Thanksgiving, might our hearts turn to God with a heart of true gratefulness and we can respond and say, "Thanks Be To Our God".

1 Corinthians 15:56-58  "The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

Making a Difference

How can we make a difference for Jesus today?

 I am flooded with emotion through reading the scriptures this morning.  I am challenged by the words of Jesus from Matthew 5, where he begins sharing the famous Beatitudes then works his way down to pulling up a chair in front of me and challenging me to make a difference in my world today by being salt and light.  Here is how Jim Denison shared this passage..."Until he returns, our nation needs us to be the "salt of the earth" (Matthew 5:13), leaving the safety of the saltshaker to stand for Christ with bold courage; and the "light of the world" (Matthew 5:14-16), going wherever the night is darkest."

I love the imagery here of "going wherever the night is darkest", and this is where I am struggling in my nice little neat Christian world.  What am I going to do to be salt and light today?  What area of my world is dark and needs the light of Jesus shown on it?  How can God direct me and allow me the opportunity to share his light with someone today.

I truly believe in order for me to make a difference for Jesus today, I must think of others before myself and be willing to follow Jesus to the dark areas of this world to share His light, but Lord, I need your guidance to know how to do this.

Join me in making a difference today - share Jesus with someone today.

Jesus Ultimately Revealed

I have been leading our Worship & Arts Ministry through a challenging and inspiring Bible curriculum called "The Gospel Project".  Each time I read and prepare for my lessons, I am reminded more and more about the love and sacrifice Jesus showed for me on the Cross.  I grow daily with humility the sense of who I am as a follower, and more than often, I become disappointed in myself.  Why?  Because of the sin in my life.

Read the following comments from this week.  It speaks to the love and sacrifice Jesus made for me and the sin I commit daily...

Jesus ultimately revealed the character of God in His DEATH and RESURRECTION.  He revealed the Father's JUSTICE against human sinfulness and rebellion, He revealed the Father's POWER and authority over Satan, and He revealed the Father's GRACE and MERCY toward undeserving sinners of every ethnicity.  After comprehending these statements, I ask the question today, "what should be our posture towards God?"  Not one of pride or arrogance for anything we can offer or do for God, but all about what God has done for me.  Humility, serving, loving, caring for others.  

My posture today towards God?  Seeking Him and striving to know Him more.  I can become easily distracted with different events from my day, so I posture myself to God today with humility and teach-ability.  I want the Lord to shape and mold me.  Lord, lead me and teach me to follow your example daily.  Through your sacrifice, I want to tell you, with a grateful heart, thanks.  I follow you today Lord.  Lead me.

The Old has Gone and the New Has Come!

The Old has Gone and the New Has Come!

Here are some thoughts I had as I challenged our group to Lima Peru on taking the Buckner Mission Trip back home to America.

Focus our attention on continuing what we have learned here in Peru and taking it back home.  We can never replicate our experience here this week.  What has happened here is unique and special; carved out as a moment in time that God has used for His good pleasure.  My challenge for us is how do we use this experience as an onramp for things to come in our lives back home?  How can we take the act of using our gifts, persevering, serving others and relying on God’s power and apply it to our lives back home?

First thought – We must change our worldview to see things as God sees things.

·      2 Corinthians 5:15-17 - ¹⁵ And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. ¹⁶ So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

·      We have been focusing on what has God done through us to benefit & minister to the people here in Peru and how it will change their lives, but in reality, our lives have been changed.  Through serving others, it has allowed God to change us and taught us that we need to go back home and make some needed changes with how we do life.  How we view our neighbors, our finances, our churches and more.

Second thought – We must get out of our comfort zone and allow God to stretch us and take us to places that make us rely on Him and not ourselves.

·      Matthew 28:19-20 - ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” 

Third thought – We must look for opportunities to serve the mission field in our own back yard. 

·      Acts 1:8 - ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Final thought - We carry this further – we all open our hearts up to going on mission again and bring someone with us! – How powerful and impactful the trip has been and encourage others to get our on the frontier with us.  Thank you to Cynthia and Buckner for making this a reality and success to want to do this again and again!

Humility in Christ

Die to Self - Humility in Christ

Philippians 2:2-11

2 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with 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 purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.  5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:  6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!  9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

I agree with these statements as believers in Christ:

• We have encouragement because we are united with Jesus Christ as our Lord.   
• We are comforted by the love of Christ for us.
• We have great fellowship with the Lord through His spirit.
• We have shown tenderness and compassion for others.

Because we are learning these things and acting according to these principles, we are offered a challenge by Paul to RESPOND - TODAY – He is challenging us to "MAKE MY JOY COMPLETE"

How do we make the joy of the Lord complete?  How can we do this?   So, how can we bring people to God today and make the Lord’s Joy Complete?

Honest Answer – WE CANNOT DO THIS!  We cannot go out and do the things we just read on our own power and strength.  If we do, then we are acting out of our own will and not the will of the Lord.

While serving on a mission trip in Peru, I challenged my team with this question.  "What makes what we are doing this week different from other humanitarian organizations that can come in here and offer the same service? If we bring them only our giftedness and talents, then we are bringing the world to the world, right?  I want to bring these people more than the world – I want to bring them Jesus!"

So, how do we bring people Jesus today?

·      By being like-minded

·      Having the same love

·      Being one in spirit and purpose

·      Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit

·      In humility consider others better than yourselves

·      Look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others

Challenge: How can we pass on these things to those we follow Christ today?  How can you make today all about making the joy of the Lord complete?  We must put into action this verse from Paul!

Prayer: Lord, I desire to make your joy complete in my life.  Replace my strength with your strength today and use me to be like-minded, sharing your love with others.  Teach me to be one with your spirit and to do nothing out of selfishness for my own gain today, but truly humble myself and consider others better than me.  Help me to see the interest of others more important than my interest today.  

How to Run with Perseverance

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How can we persevere today?

Hebrews 12:1-2

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything

that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked

out for us.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

God is for us! 

Our God is in control! 

We see this reminder in Hebrews 12 that He is with us today…”that such a great cloud of witnesses” – men and women who have gone before us and paved the way for us, surrounds us.  I like to look at this as our cheerleaders encouraging us today.

Let us throw off everything that hinders us – WEIGHS US DOWN – and the sin.  It is not just talking about the sin, but the weight and the sin that entangles us and keeps us back from running God’s race for us.

Challenge

What is hindering you from giving your all to the Lord today? 

What barriers are in your way today? 

What weight are you carrying today?

What is keeping you back from running the race God has set for you today?

What are you about to face that is going to be difficult? 

On the spiritual aspect of things, specifically, what sin do you need to confess before the Lord and throw off, or cast away? 

The Lord has a race for us to run today – His race, not our race.  No matter what our desires are for the day with our lists, expectations and more - they have to be put under God’s priority list for the day.  That is a difficult thing to do!! 

What does this race look like?  I do no know, but I am confident it is filled with hope and excitement.  Looking even deeper - this race must be run with perseverance!  There will be some tough hills to climb and some valleys to go through, but we are encouraged to run the race.

How do we run today with perseverance – FIX OUR EYES ON JESUS!  He is our perfect example to follow!  He has gone before us and seen the difficulty of running a race by enduring the cross and experiencing shame.  He endured such opposition, why?  So that you would not lose heart and not be weary, but endure and face adversity with the strength of the Lord.

From the Message Bible - 

12  Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God.

Prayer – What adversity are you experiencing today?  What sin is in your life that is prohibiting you from experiencing the race God has called you to run?  Lord, teach us to fix our eyes on you and run the race in front of us with perseverance. 

The Journey Begins

1 Peter 4:10 - Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

Devotional 1 - Journey Begins

Setting out on an adventure – we are prepared and equipped, but what is in front of us is unknown.  What are our expectations?  What opposition will we face?  We are excited about the unknown, yet anxious about the unknown.  Are we equipped to do what is in front of us?  Did we do what we were supposed to do to prepare for this moment?  What if something goes wrong or not as planned?

We are feeling all of these emotions – real emotions.  Here is the beautiful thing.  Right now, GOD IS IN CONTROL!  He has orchestrated everything in your life and prepared you for this very moment to face this day and whatever this day presents.  (1 John 5:18-20)

1 John 5:18-20 - ¹⁸ We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him. ¹⁹ We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. ²⁰ We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true—even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

We must understand that God goes before us today!

Deuteronomy 1:30-31 - ³⁰ The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, ³¹ and in the desert. There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.”   Moses offers even more encouragement to Joshua with these words. Deuteronomy 31:8 - ⁸ The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”  What great words of comfort for us today!

How should we respond to this?  Micah 6:8 – “He has showed you, O man, what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

The only thing required of you and me today is to act justly, love with mercy and walk humbly with the Lord.  The people we meet today are no different than you and me.  We are all created in the image of God.  We are all His children.  Because we have been given a privilege of living in difference circumstances does not give us the right to act unjustly towards anyone.  We are not riding in on a great white horse to save the day.  We do not have all the answers.  We are servants of the Lord sent from God.  Our Goal is to serve those He puts before us. 

To live out this challenge today, we need to understand that it will take an act of total surrender to God.  We must totally surrender our all – everything to Him today.  We must rely on God’s amazing spirit to lead us and to give us power to meet whatever faces us.

Acts 1:8 – “But you will receive power when the Holy Sprit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

We go out today in the power of God through His spirit to serve the widows and orphans that are in need.  (James 1:27)  We are going out today to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those who are literally dying, physically, emotionally and spiritually.  We are going out today to love the unlovable, to care for the broken-hearted and to share hope to the hopeless.  (Matthew 10:42)  We cannot do this on our own, but only through the power of God in and through us.

Micah 6:8 – “He has showed you, O man, what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

James 1:27 - Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Matthew 10:42 – And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.

Isaiah 41:13 - For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

Deuteronomy 13:4 - It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.

1 Peter 5:17 – Cast all your anxiety on the Lord, for he cares for you.

We need to move past ourselves and move into the hearts of the men, women, children we will be meeting and reaching out to today.

Prayer for the day:  Acknowledge God as the God who is in control.  Pray for him to lead you to act justly, in mercy and to walk humbly before Him today.  Claim Isaiah 41:13 today, that the Lord, your God, who is with you will help you in any situation today – Do not fear, trust God.  In Jesus Name, Amen

God Loves You - Just the way you are.

Fact – God Loves You!

Fact – God has an amazing plan for your life

Fact – You are fearfully and wonderfully made in God’s IMAGE

Fact – You are beautiful – just the way you are

Fact – Like it or not, you are who you are – unique, silly, quirky, odd and different – yes you cannot run from who you are.

We all struggle to fit in at times in our lives with school, sports, church, family and more.  We have this desire to be accepted for who we are.  Sometimes we desire this so much that we have compromised who we are and be accepted.  I think we have all been in these situations. 

Concern I have for us today - If we are all seeking acceptance from others all the time as our focus, might I challenge us all today with this thought-provoking question…If we are so intent about seeking acceptance, then who are you trying to win over?  What is your motivation to be accepted?

Listen to the struggle this teenager has in her life…

Why am I so obsessed with being accepted by others?

I think that I am less important than other people and I'm always complaining about my appearance and I feel really insecure about how I Iook.  I feel really bad because I will say I look ugly all the time and sometimes when I think that I don't look horrible I will still say that I look bad anyway so people will say 'no you don't look bad' and if they don’t that's because they think I'm ugly and if they say that I'm not ugly they're just lying and the think I'm ugly anyway. I hate that I do it but I can't stop.  I think that I'm a failure at almost anything and all I do is daydream about being pretty and smart and people liking me and then I think that I must be an egomaniac for thinking that. I hate that I live in an imaginary world where everyone likes me.  I really want to stop hating myself and comparing me to other people. I can't stop.  I always compliment people endlessly even if what they did wasn’t good . I hate making people unhappy and I just keep making them want to like me.
please help me stop thinking I'm horrible. I hate myself for dreaming of being superior to others. I'm really full of myself.

She is struggling to be accepted for who she is.  She is seeking self, looks and popularity as her self-worth.  She is placing her dependence on what others think of her more than what God things of her.  Listen to this statement.

“The desire to be accepted by others is a distortion of the desire God has placed in each of us to be accepted and affirmed by God.  REALITY – The ultimate acceptance and affirmation we need can only come from God.”

Why do we feel unacceptable?  Simply – SIN.  Listen to what Isaiah has to say - Isaiah 64:6 says, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.”  Our best effort to be accepted will ALWAYS come up short.  Because of sin, we will never measure up or be good enough.  Comforting thought, huh.

Truth and reality - acceptance can ONLY come through God and understanding the sacrifice His son, Jesus made for us on the cross.  We can continue to seek acceptance in other things, but you will NEVER FIND IT! 

Romans 5:12; 18-19

You know the story of how Adam landed us in the dilemma we’re in—first sin, then death, and no one exempt from either sin or death.  Here it is in a nutshell: Just as one person did it wrong and got us in all this trouble with sin and death, another person did it right and got us out of it. But more than just getting us out of trouble, he got us into life! One man said no to God and put many people in the wrong; one man said yes to God and put many in the right.

Can I encourage you to do a very difficult thing?  Can you train yourself to view yourself through the eyes of God and not the eyes of man?  Allow these verses to help you in your journey with your search for significance.

John 15:5 - “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Ephesians 1:7-8 - In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.

John 1:12 - Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God

Question – Have you ever given your all and given your life to Jesus to receive eternal acceptance?

Casting Your Cares

1 Peter 5:7 says, "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

Cast = Throwing out in front of you - away from yourself
All = leaving nothing behind - an entire object leaving nothing behind
Anxiety = worry, bottled up fear, hesitation, fear of letting go
Him = God, the Father and Creator of the universe and man-kind
Cares = to be selfless, to think or serve someone else in a kind way
You = An individual who is in need of a Savior

So, after defining this verse, here is how it reads in the Keith Tyler Version...

Throwing everything out in front of you, leave nothing behind; all your worry, bottled up fear, hesitation of letting go of life or fear of the unknown, and place them on your God, the Father and Creator of the universe and mankind.  You see, this God we speak of, cares for you.  He is a very loving, kind and selfless God and desires for you, an individual who is nothing without Jesus, to trust Him.

God is here for us.  Are you casting all your cares on Him today?

Check Your Attitude

Checking our attitudes can be a very healthy, but difficult thing to do.  Some days our attitudes are so positive and it is easy to deal with life's opportunities, and other days our attitudes can be as sour as biting into a lemon with no reservation!  In either situation, our attitudes make a difference in how we live our life.

Our pastor, John Mark, is beginning a new sermon series this week and the first topic is on ATTITUDE. In order to prepare my heart for this series, I had to take an honest evaluation of my attitude, with myself, my wife, family, friends, work and ministry.  WOW, I can tell you that I struggle at times with my attitude. I want to be positive and on top of my thoughts, emotions and actions, and it all deals with my approach to my attitude.

How can I work to have the right attitude?  Well, of course I turn to the Bible to see the example Christ has taught us about our attitude.  Might we read these words and allow them to encourage us as we follow Him and work on our attitudes today.

Philippians 2:1-11 (Imitating Christ’s Humility)

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with 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 purpose. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. ⁴ Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. ⁵ Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:⁶ Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,⁷ but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.⁸ And being found in appearance as a man,he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross! ⁹ Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

What an amazing example we have for living our lives in true humility and as a result, our attitudes brings Glory to God.  So, how is my attitude?  Is it bringing Glory to God?  Think through that today.

Ability vs. Availability

I help coach my son's Sixth Grade football team, the Gators.  We are having a blast together this year.  At practice tonight, our coach, Todd Vestal, was talking to the players at the end of practice and he shared something so simple, yet profound.  Todd said, "God does not need our ability.  God needs our availability."  I have heard this phrase before, but tonight, it struck me to the core.

What does this mean that "God does not need my ability?"  Let us take a look what I have to offer the Lord.  Come on, now?  Look at all the things I do for you God?  I have a daily quiet time, pray with my kids and lead by the best example I can, I even wash the dishes after dinner, sometimes!  I even work at a church and have surrendered my life to You in ministry.  Aren't you proud of me?  Look at me, God! 

WOW, is this ever a HUGE misconception in the Christian life.  God does not need me.  Let me say that again.  GOD DOES NOT NEED ME!  All he needs for me to do is to be available to Him and allow Him to work anything and everything He desires through my life.  This is not accomplished by my ability, but only through my availability.

Matthew 16:24-26 says it like this.  Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.  What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

What a concept.  To rely totally on Jesus and not ourselves to find truth and purpose.  Such a RADICAL concept, especially in the culture we live in today.  So, realize that God loves you just the way you are and desires to have your availability, not your ability.  Die to who you are and live for Christ today. 

 

Power of Prayer

I have the opportunity to go to Lima, Peru in October for a Medial Mission Trip with Buckner.  I have been asked to serve as the Chaplain for the trip and lead worship for the group going.  It is going to be a blast.

Here is a letter I wrote my team.  I ask you to join me and pray for us as we prepare for our trip.

Many of us are in the middle of getting kids settled into the new school schedule, morning the fact that summer is over, yet getting excited about the fall opportunities that are coming our way.  We have family, work, activities and more to do each and every day.  It is a busy time, and before we know it, it will be October 20th!  So...

I would like to encourage us as a team to not let the trip "slip up" on us and forget to begin preparing TODAY for the trip.  I know Cynthia has given us a list of things to physically be thinking about to prepare, but I am talking about SPIRITUAL PREPARATION for the trip.

How can we prepare spiritually for a trip like the one we are going to take? PRAY

It all begins with prayer.  Pray daily for God to prepare your heart for what he wants to do in and through you on this trip.  I am challenged by the prayer of James...James 5:15-17 - "And the prayer
offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.
The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.  Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years."  There is POWER when we pray to God in FAITH.  Yes, we are going to be using our hands and feet to deliver the message of Jesus on the trip, but today, let us lift our hands and bow to our knees and pray.

Here is a great song that speaks to preparing our hearts for the trip.

"Surrender" by Marc James
I'm giving You my heart, all that is within
I lay it all down for the sake of You, my King
I'm giving You my dreams, I'm laying down my rights
I'm giving up my pride for the promise of new life
And I surrender - All to You, ALL TO YOU

Grieving

"Ask the Lord to help you grieve for what grieves him."  Jim Denison. 

There is no side stepping this direct prayer to the Lord.  If I am going to walk in faith today, then I must be sensitive to the need around me as Christ is sensitive to the needs of others.  Question...what grieves the Lord?  Answer...Sin and disobedience

Well, I know as I grow older, I am becoming more sensitive to the younger generations God is raising up, especially since I have my first born child that is about to be 13 years old.  I set my DVR to record the MTV Music Awards that aired last week and finally got around to watching it last night.  I went to bed sad and grieving.  I talked to my wife about it and made the comment to her, "I can only imagine how sad or God is with this culture."  What a night of self gratification, self promotion and senseless arrogance.  Between the outlandish language in the songs to the sexual driven content of the night, I was just sad, and I know that our Savior is sad also.  I think this is what it means to grieve for what grieves the Lord.  But this is only one aspect that I am facing.

What about the ignoring God in our lives and not making Him known in your every day life?  What about going through the motions with your family and not leading them as a Godly husband and taking a stand for truth and righteousness?  What about knowing what God is telling you to do and disobeying him and doing what we want to do?  Guilty as charged.  We have all been there.

So, take the challenge with me today and ask this question..."Ask the Lord to help you grieve for what grieves him."

James 4:8-10 - Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

Are You Prepared?

As a worship leader, what are the elements or steps you take as you prepare for a morning worship set or any other time to sing out or play your instrument or lead?  Being present and available is important...rehearsal time...song choice...understanding the purpose for which you are leading worship on this occasion...who you are leading...how to move from one song to the next and so on.  It can become extremely overwhelming once you take a step back and look at the entire process, UNLESS you are prepared.  How can we as worship leaders accomplish such a huge task?  By being prepared.

How do we prepare as worship leaders.  It begins with you humbling yourself and asking God to speak to your heart.  It begins with you getting out of the way and asking God to reveal himself to you.  We have no idea what God is going to do in and through you as a worship leader, so in preparing, we simply ask God to show us, reveal to us and to lead us as we prepare.  I was reading a daily blog today by Jim Denison.  Here is a great example of how we are worship leaders are encouraged to prepare.  "A great evangelist was asked how revival begins.  His answer: Go home, draw a circle around yourself, and pray until everything inside that circle is right with God.  When it is, revival will be upon us."  It all begins with us first being still before God first, not choosing the perfect song, or the coolest song, or the greatest transition to lead people.  No, it begins with a humble heart.

When was the last time you took time to draw a circle around yourself and prayed to God?  We are so consumed with planning that we can easily forget to be still before the Lord.  Psalm 46:9-11 says, "He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire. “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”  The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress."  Let us not get the cart before the horse, as my parents would tell me.  Pray, seek God and allow Him to take the initiative with your life.  Then we will be prepared as worship leaders.

Are You Thirsty?

Are you thirsty?  

It is suggested that we should consume close to eight 16oz. bottles of water a day.  That is a lot of water.  When we overexert ourselves through running, exercising or playing sports, we can become thirsty very quickly.  Our body longs for a drink of water.  It is a necessity for us to get water inside our bodies or we feel like we are going to pass out, and sometimes we do!  Ouch!

What happens when we are thirsty and consume water then return to running or exercising?  Obviously, we become thirsty again.  In other words, we receive a temporary fulfillment or satisfaction, then we become thirsty again.  

As I was reading John 4 and the story of Jesus (a Jew) meeting a Samaritan woman at Jacob's Well.  She was thirsty and going to the well to fetch water, but her life was changed forever when she met the Savior who shared with her these words...

John 4:13-15 - Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.  Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”  The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”

Notice the response from the Samaritan woman?  Hear the urgency in her voice?  She is demanding to have a drink of water that was different from what she would receive from the well.  She was longing for eternal living water - eternal life!  She was dehydrated and suffering for something more than a temporary fulfillment or satisfaction.  She was worn down from filling her life with hopeless love and relationships.  She wanted something more satisfying and He was standing right in front of her!  

Today, Jesus is standing in front of you.  Are you thirsty?  Are you seeking temporary satisfaction and trying to take a drink from life that only satisfies for a moment?  Let me introduce you to Living Water - Jesus will always satisfy.  Taste and see that the Lord is good. (Psalm 34:8)

Be an Imitator!

Philippians 2:5-11 - As we read this passage from Paul, I am challenged to be a better worshiper.  Am I an imitator of Jesus in my life?  Have I valued the sacrifice Jesus made for me on the cross today and how am I responding to this reality in my life?  Allow this passage to grow you in your walk with the Lord.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:  Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death even death on a cross!  Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

It is all because of Jesus that we are alive.  He is our hope of salvation.  No other Name but the Name of Jesus brings hope to a dark and searching world.  Share this today.

Keith Tyler

Looking Back

Life experiences teach me the most valuable lessons about myself and who I am as a follower of Christ.  Don't you agree?  We experience life, both positive and negative, and learn how to replicate the process, or learn from a bad decision and promise yourself that you will never make that mistake again!  We all have this in common.

One life lesson which has helped me over the years is the value of reflecting.  So many times I become anxious to continue moving forward to the next thing without taking the time to PAUSE and reflect, or look back, at a life experience, and try to apply a life lesson before I move forward.  So, today, on this Monday after Passion Week, I am going to practice the art of reflection and look back at my week before I go forward with the rest of my life.

What did I learn as I walked through Passion Week? 

On Monday, I saw Jesus become outraged at the sight of people selling goods and sacrifices for their own personal gain in the House of God.  I was reminded that I should never use God for my own selfish gain in life.  There is no room for this in the House of God.  I asked God to turn over the tables in my life so there was nothing left on it but a broken relationship that needed to be mended.

On Thursday, I saw Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane praying with all of His might to His Father, asking for deliverance from what He knew was going to come.  He prayed with such might that He literally was bleeding sweat drops of blood.  Later that night he met with His followers to break bread and share with them what was to come, even though many of them had no understanding of the impact of that last time together.  As I reflect, I become overwhelmed with conviction with my personal prayer life and the lack of passionate prayer I have with the Father.  No matter what Jesus was facing, his first response was to go to the Father, rely on the Father and TRUST in the Father, even when it meant His life would end on earth.  Prayer is foundational to the Christ follower.

On Friday, I saw Jesus broken, beaten and crucified.  Jesus was on display with His hands stretched open wide for the world to see...how vulnerable He was before the world.  Here was the most powerful man in history hanging helpless on the cross - enduring the scorn, pain, brutality and agony - to stay there and do nothing.  Why would he do such a thing?  As I reflect, I can do nothing more than bow my head to Him in reverence and humbleness.  The King came to die like this, for me?  Why?  I grew up knowing John 3:16 and knowing He gave His only son to die for my sins.  I know that, but this Friday, I really went to the Cross of Jesus.  "What a sacrifice, that saved my life.  O the blood, it is my victory."

On Sunday, I saw Jesus glorified and lifted up and celebrated.  What a day it must have been to realize the Temple - Christ BODY - was truly rebuilt in three days!  The Christ literally was raised from the dead.  The Savior did exactly what the prophets foretold he would do.  Jesus was alive.  As I reflect, I lift my hands to Him in praise.  I am moved to emotion that is difficult to contain.  I am even speechless.  The Savior has stared death in the face - Satan himself, and overcame it all and is alive.  He is alive.  By trusting in Him as my Lord and Savior, He has given me a hope and a future, a true understanding in Him and through Him I have purpose for living and a place in eternity through Him.

So, as I reflect, I thank you, Jesus, for a week of remembrance - a difficult week to walk through, but a week that has brought me closer to my walk with you as my Lord and Savior.  It is good to look back and remember.  Father, may I move forward from this week learning the valuable lessons from Passion Week.  Might my prayer life be stronger, my life be seen as an open book before you, and might I raise my hands to you in celebration for the sacrifice you made for me on the cross.  I love you Lord.

What is Maundy Thursday?

Today is Maundy Thursday.  What is Maundy Thursday?  Maundy Thursday is observed during Holy Week on the Thursday before Easter. Also referred to as "Holy Thursday" or "Great Thursday" in some Christian denominations, Maundy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper when Jesus shared the Passover meal with his disciples on the night before he was crucified. In contrast to joyful Easter celebrations when Christians worship their resurrected Savior, Maundy Thursday services are typically more solemn occasions, marked by the shadow of Jesus' betrayal.

What a day this is in remembrance of what Christ did to conquer death and sin!  We remember on this Holy Thursday the culmination of three years of ministry by Jesus.  He is surrounded by his friends, sharing His life with them and instructing them on what is next.  

Read this passage.
1 Corinthians 11:23-32

 ²³ For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." ²⁵ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." ²⁶ For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

 ²⁷ So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. ²⁸ Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. ²⁹ For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. ³⁰ That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. ³¹ But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. ³² Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.

Let us remember on this day.  Love you Father.  Thank you for the sacrifice of your Son, Jesus.  Amen.

What is Maundy Thursday?

Today is Maundy Thursday.  What is Maundy Thursday?  Maundy Thursday is observed during Holy Week on the Thursday before Easter. Also referred to as "Holy Thursday" or "Great Thursday" in some Christian denominations, Maundy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper when Jesus shared the Passover meal with his disciples on the night before he was crucified. In contrast to joyful Easter celebrations when Christians worship their resurrected Savior, Maundy Thursday services are typically more solemn occasions, marked by the shadow of Jesus' betrayal.

What a day this is in remembrance of what Christ did to conquer death and sin!  We remember on this Holy Thursday the culmination of three years of ministry by Jesus.  He is surrounded by his friends, sharing His life with them and instructing them on what is next.  

Read this passage.
1 Corinthians 11:23-32

 ²³ For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." ²⁵ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." ²⁶ For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

 ²⁷ So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. ²⁸ Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. ²⁹ For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. ³⁰ That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. ³¹ But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. ³² Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.

Let us remember on this day.  Love you Father.  Thank you for the sacrifice of your Son, Jesus.  Amen.

And Then There was Monday

 ¹² Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. ¹³ “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers.’ ”

Yesterday, Jesus was celebrated with shouts of praise all over our country and world as churches remembered this special day and what it represented...Palm Sunday; a day that Jesus entered into the city of Jerusalem.  "Hosanna" they would shout.  "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord".  "Salvation is here!"  "Hosanna, God is with us!"  Jesus was riding in on a donkey as a humble servant, entering a place he had not been to for over 30 years.


On this Monday 2000 years ago, we see a very different side to the personality of Christ.  Jesus returned to the temple - GOD'S HOUSE, and there was activity occurring that was inappropriate to worship.  Not only were people using the temple for their own personal gain, the people had lost their focus - they lost their first love.  They were so concerned with a ritual, religious acts and making a profit.  Jesus entered HIS HOUSE and was outraged!  "My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers.’"  He yelled at them, turned over tables, got right in their faces and pointed His finger at them.  I could imagine His saying, "YOU FOOLS!  DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE DOING?"


You see, Jesus was returning to the temple - a dwelling place of God and the Spirit of God.  Jesus was returning to make all the wrongs right this week.  Jesus was entering the temple to clean up the mess that sin and selfishness created, and all for the name of God.  What a scene.  This is what Jesus dealt with on this Monday.


So, for you and me this Monday, are we selfish?  Are we religious in our actions all for the sake of our own gain and not for the gain of Jesus Christ?  If Jesus were to walk into our house, would he be furious, outraged, righteous in His actions of anger towards us, or would he be at rest and pleased?  What a reminder on this Monday to clean our house.  Prepare the way of the Lord.  He desires ALL OF OUR LIVES.  Give Him your life today.

Tim Tebow - What a Leader

I have been on the sidelines watching the Tim Tebow circus that started when the Broncos went on a six game winning streak last NFL football season.  Watching him lead the Broncos to the Playoffs and winning their first round game against the Steelers in overtime was amazing.  When the Broncos chose to bring Payton Manning in and be the starting QB, I was interested to watch to see how Tim Tebow would respond.  Well, to say that I was impressed is an understatement.

Without putting a man up too high on a pedestal, Tim Tebow is a man who obviously is a Christ follower.  Watching the News Conference that the Jets hosted today proved that God is in control of this man's life.  When questioned about other players, coaches, difficult NFL situations with leadership in the organization, Tim chose to respond with humbleness and respect.  Many comments he made were "politically correct", but Tim is a man who is true to who he is - a follower of Christ.

When asked about his faith - which we as believers interpret as our relationship with Christ, Tim was strong to state who he was - a Follower of Jesus Christ.  I think of Romans 12:1-2, Philippians 1:21, 1 Corinthians 11:1 as verses that tell us to live for Christ first in all things.

I have a 10 year old son, and I am so proud of Tim Tebow being the man of integrity, humbleness and strength...a man that I can point to and tell my son to be like.

Question for you and me today is simple.  We did not have news conference for the world to see today, yet each and every day we have an opportunity to be who we are in Christ to our neighbors, our co-workers or the people we stand in line with at the grocery store.  Will we stand up today for Christ?  It could change eternity forever.

Perfect Peace

Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

Just imagine...perfect peace.  Can you go there?  A life of perfect peace.  My mind just drifted off to St. John British Isles, laying on the beach watching the waves trickle on to shore in a state of comatose between heaven on earth and a really great nap!  Can you imagine if all of life was like that?  WOW!  Sign me up. 

Ok, back to reality.  Yes, moments and glimpses of "perfect peace" like ones I describe are amazing, but can I suggest that moments like these vanish as quickly as they happen in life.  If I am not careful, I can begin to live for the next time to find peace, rest and escape from life.  I begin to set myself up for failure to experience times of peace instead of experiencing a full life of peace - every day of my life. 

How can one experience peace each and every day of our lives?

Read this verse from Isaiah.  "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you."  What does this verse say?  If I trust in the Lord with my life - all of my life, and be steadfast (strong) in the Lord, then the Lord will give us PERFECT PEACE!  Wow, what a promise.  Perfect peace in the middle of my day?  I need that!

So, escape today, in the middle of your life circumstance, to trust the Lord and stay strong in the Lord and allow Him to give you perfect peace today.  No need to travel to a distant shore to find it.  It is available for you today.  Trust Him.

Morning of Conviction

I returned home last night to my son in true tears and remorse.  We have a rule in our home about electronic devices.  In order to protect them, we are not allowed to take them outside of the house in order to protect them from the elements or being dropped.  Well, you know when you set up a rule like that what will happen next, and it happened last night.

No sooner could I walk in the door and put down my bag was I greeted with by my son.  His look was one of remorse and guilt.  He quickly shared with me what had happened and how he dropped my iPad and cracked the glass.  You would have thought that he lost his best friend, crying and all!  It was a great conversation about taking responsibility.

God taught me a lot last night through this situation.  You see, God spoke to me last night through my son.  First of all, my son was not hiding from me.  He was not trying to keep this accident from me.  He was not going to just let me find out about it, but could not wait until I got home to tell me what he did.  He wanted to tell me and confess to me what he did with regret.

How many time do I sin against my heavenly Father, my Abba Father, and try to "hide"from him when I sin against him.  How many times do I just ignore a sin and go on with life thinking that my Father will not notice or recognize how I disobeyed Him.  God knows everything and desires for me to come to him, like my son Mitchell did, with expectation and remorse, expressing to Him how sorry I am for going against what His will.

Secondly, my son was truly remorseful.  He came up with his own discipline and actions to repair the situation.  There was true repentance for what he had done...it was in his eyes and in his heart!  He went to bed very sad.  I had to express to him how proud I was of him for telling me all what happened and not keeping this from me, but it happened and we need to move past it.  "Son, I forgive you and I love you" is what I told him.  Let us deal with the consequence and move on! 

WOW, again, confess my sins to my heavenly Father, learn from my mistakes to not make them again, and pick myself up and move on!

Thank you Mitchell for teaching me to be a better follower of God.

1 John 1:8-10

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

God is Love

I continue to be challenged by the words of 1 John 4 when he speaks to us about love.  How can we love?  Love is an overflow from God.  Love is given to us from God and we are able to love others because of His love for us.  If you have a minute, please read 1 John 4.  Love cast out fear.  Love is from God.  Love never fails.  Love is God and God is love.  When we can dive into this understand, then we might "get" what it means to love one another.

Look at the current situation you live in today.  Have you told God that you love Him today?  He loves you...and he desires to have a relationship with you today.  The next question for you is how can you love your neighbor.  Who is around you, your co-workers, you neighbors, your friends who need to be encouraged by God's love today.  Who is in need of a meal?  Who is in need of affirmation and prayer?  Who is in need of an act of kindness to show God's love to another?  Do not let the business of life destroy your love for God and others.  Take time today to love God and love those around you.