Reaching Out Ministries

Hope is the cause!

2012-02-01T11:52:00.000-08:00

"I would rather lose in a cause that will someday win, than win in a cause that will someday lose"

Woodrow Wilson

Inseparable!

2011-12-01T11:55:00.000-08:00

When I was a child I learned very early on that some things were best when coupled together. Peanut butter has never met a more suited partner than jelly, and hot bread will never collide against a substance more complimentary than butter. These are some things that just seem inseparable, like best friends if you will. Coexisting as unique entities, and together causing an explosion of both flavor and experience. The same is true of so many characteristics of God.

God placed so many things inside of us that are very uniquely Him. Where love meets acceptance and where mercy meets compassion is the place that the coupling of two things produces greatness. His love compels us to accept just as His compassion evokes mercy. These two, love and compassion, are foreign to humanity outside of Christ. God introduced them to the world when He gave His only Son to a world undeserving, unappreciative, and unrelenting. In this most unselfish act, God brought love/acceptance and mercy/compassion directly to our hearts.

Each day these matters of the heart can be stirred by the world around us. We should see them in the faces of the people we encounter. It is not within the words, actions, or even appearance of people. It can only be found when looking through the eyes of potential. God looks on us each day and He sees potential in spite of our inadequacies. He sees this through eyes of love and acceptance, and gives to us without limit through mercy and compassion. He is able to do this without fail, and without malice, even when knowing the decision in the end is our own. This is how God IS love, and those things He has done for us are always done not for our own benefit, but for the benefit of the world around us.

Our life, it is a daily seed, being planted somewhere in the world around us. What we plant and even to whom we plant it, is our own choice. However, the type of seed was determined by God long ago. The seeds characteristics are uniquely Him and are beautiful. We give this same seed and must do it without fail or malice to free will. In the end we and God are inseparable, as are those things of Him in our hearts!

A No Name, Going in His Name!

2011-11-28T21:08:00.000-08:00

For far too long so much emphasis has been placed on the names of what is being done for the Kingdom. It is as though we have become focused on the definition of the action instead of the defining factor. When what we are doing overshadows whom we are doing it for, the cart has indeed past the horse!

Those things most valuable to the work of God are accomplished at a heart level. When the very essence of who He is, occurs through our obedience. Often times the very core of His work, that which shifts all of humanity in an instance, seems unnoticed and unmerited. In the dark corners of humanity, the grime of the world, the uncleanliness of sin, and the most uninviting of atmospheres lies the pulse of God.

Realizing this compels the soul to grasp that it is not important, nor even necessary that the world know our name. No running tallies are necessary of good deeds or monumental accomplishments. The need for platforms and stages begins to wain in the overwhelming sense of His power and message. Our name, our works, our identities outside of Him become so minuscule in the light of Him.

We can neither be judged nor rewarded in this life for those things we so desperately want others to notice we have done for Him. Our flesh, so flawed yet so useful, when yielded to Him should instead find solace in this fact. The comfort of knowing not only do we not have to claw for recognition, but neither do we have to beg for it. Both are freely given by the One who sends us, those "no names" out to do His most precious work in His name!

Knowing How Much!

2011-11-10T11:15:00.000-08:00

How much will it cost? How much time will it take? How far will I have to travel? How difficult will it be? Will there be pain involved? Is it uncomfortable? Am I capable? All of these questions and so many more flood the mind when God poses a vision to the heart. It is amazing how something that can be seen so clearly and felt so assuredly is overwrought with doubt. The humanity of balancing science and fiction while intermingling faith is often unparalleled. The exact science of God is in fact found in faith and trust, which ironically are both intangible. In reality the balance to doubt is found not in the finality of answers but in the spirituality of our own human limitations.

Knowing what we can do is often of little use in the work of the Kingdom. Experience, situations, and testimonies are valuable, yet can also be limiting. The true power of possibility and capability is found in knowing what we can not do as an absolute. It is within this somewhat controversial thought, that we come to a conclusion.

God works not in the question and answer of what He asks versus what we can do for Him. On the contrary God works in the what He asks versus what we are willing to surrender to Him. The dreams and hopes He places in our heart can only be realized when the questions end. It is at the end of the questions that we find the end of ourselves. He is begging for us to do as He asks, not because He believes we can do it for Him. Instead He knows how much He can do, and equally how much we can not do on our own. The two sided tale of knowing how much He is, and understanding how much we are not!

Where He is.......

2011-09-21T10:38:00.000-07:00

It seems so many times that being a Christian is made out to be a game of seek and find. Always hoping to be the "one" to find the most of Him or seek Him out in His most secret of places. Although I know that God is a great mystery to the human mind in certain aspects, and that we must put forth effort to know Him.........if just can't be as complex as it is often depicted!

When Jesus was on earth He often made reference to "knowing" His Father. He told those questioning Him and antagonizing Him with laws and adherence's, that He truly knew the Father and they did not. In the book of John in the 5th chapter, Jesus tells them that "you do not have His Word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one who He has sent". There is no doubt Jesus knew His Father. Jesus knew His Father in one of the most simplistic yet powerful ways.......TRUST!

When we trust God, a complexity in our human nature, we find the most simplistic connection to Him in our Spirit. It was that same absolute surrender and obedience that Jesus came, lived, and changed the world. Jesus didn't bring volumes of explanations and formulas, He just brought the one message. His message was simplistic in it's application and allowed for an immediate connection to God.

Where we find God, is that daily connection. We find Him in the everyday life, the heart of living, the power of helping, and the absolute authenticity of loving. Where He is, is found in the moments that we connect the simplistic application of His message to the complexities of human sorrow! The hope of who He is, many times is attempted to be expressed only in words.........when we can only fully express it through LOVING!

A Despairing Heart!

2011-08-03T07:54:00.000-07:00

Despair is defined as the feeling that everything is wrong and nothing will turn out well. When this word is used as a verb the definition is to abandon hope. Our hearts often attach to this feeling as we live day to day. Sometimes it seems easier to hope for the worst and be surprised by the best, when in reality there is no hope that exists within that at all! God always provides a feeling of hope beyond any situation or issue, and His desire is for us to trust Him.

We will have bad days, mistakes, heavy hearts, problems, difficulties, suffering, hardships, and all of those things that come with just being a human. The key is we have to always see beyond those things and find the hope. If hope were a ball team it would be sponsored by vision, and its coach would the the Word and we would be the players! The world we live in doesn't offer hope only temporary things with dissatisfaction as the end result. There is only one hope that stands, only one hope that can outlast despair, only one hope that will prove itself in the end.................GOD!

A person who has hope can not be silenced. A heart that has hope will not be stopped. A life infused with hope will always reach the end. The love of God saves us, the faith of God maintains us, and the hope of God keeps us! Despair divides a man from his Spirit and removes clear vision from His heart. God is hope!

Europe!

2011-05-10T15:01:00.001-07:00

Loss!

2011-05-02T10:06:00.000-07:00

There are many different levels to the understanding and acceptance of the word "loss". It can be as simplistic as losing your favorite pen, or as devastating as losing someone close to your heart. It is often a word and concept, we find frustrating and disturbing in any circumstance. The degree or value of the loss often pales in the light of our need to restore situations back to there original state. We as human beings often fear change, attempt to restore all things, and regret loss!

Why we regret loss is a difficult thing to answer. When we suffer extreme loss, such as a loved one, the difficulty is in our heart and the extraordinary feeling of emptiness. The loss of money, possessions, and even time, causes us to feel extreme regret and often times angry and frustrated. We find ourselves in all of these circumstances asking why, how, what if.....etc. Hoping to find a way to restore what has been lost.

In the Word of God "loss" is dealt with many times. Jesus in the very beginning of His ministry called the disciples to give up everything and follow Him. The apostle Paul speaks of having lost it all for the gain of knowing Christ and His resurrection power. He counts all that he has lost as "rubbish" for the resounding privilege of knowing Jesus. When we survey loss through the eyes of the Word of God, concepts change!God speaks to us and tells us that to live is to die and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21). Because of this very applicable part of the Word, we have to accept loss, and not only accept it, but thrive in it!

How do we thrive in loss? By understanding that loss is a part of gain, we begin to thrive in every area of life. Losing our focus, losing friendships, losing a job, losing earthly possessions, losing loved ones, losing time, losing opportunities, etc.... No matter what the loss may be, in God we know that the loss become gain. We are guaranteed this fact because God has one purpose and that is restoration. From the fall of man, to present day, that is and was and will be His plan. He wants to restore us back to what He created us to be for His Kingdom. We need not forget that something that is whole can not be restored, and so "loss" must come in many avenues of life, before restoration can take place.

When we begin to view all of life as gain, because of Jesus, things change. Each day becomes a gift, full of surprises, and never full of disappointments because the giver knows us better than ourselves. When we keep close to our heart and our minds that we serve a "giver", then we never lose sight of the purpose in our losses. God gave us His Son, but He gave Him to us through loss on Calvary. The bottom line is, we have to come to a place of maturity in our understanding of who God is, that we always know He is for us. Serving God is a win/win.....even in loss.....we receive gain through restoration!

2011-04-11T09:09:00.000-07:00

The world spins 365 days a year....24 hours a day....7 days a week....as long as we live and breath this fact is sure. God created the universe as we know it, and since that day that He spoke things into existence, life has continued. He began a grand plan on that first day of launching life, so long ago. The plan was a people that glorified Him, that took a turn, around the fall of man, and became about restoration and reconciliation. He instituted a plan, it exists, it is real, and it is actively being played out each day! Yet, how seemingly quick we forget this plan, and replace it with our own. Never giving thought to the much, much greater picture!

It has never been more imminent than it is today, that the Body of Christ began to focus their attention on the completion of His plan. Each of us must find new fervour for the cause and purpose of the Gospel. We play a monumental role in this last great push to the end. The church, so powerful, so present, so passionate, has yet to reach our full potential. Just as in the beginning, our Creator beckons us for more. He challenges us to give more, be more, and trust more. How do we answer the call of such a precise and strategic voice like that of our Father in a clamorous world?

The Word speaks with phrases of "without ceasing", "be unwavering", and "stand" each one requiring knowing our Father and His plan to succeed. We have to begin to channel every resource, every effort, every talent, and every hope to the plan of God. His plan requires walking in daily focus and obedience to His voice. Only He knows the part we play, only He knows the hearts of mankind, only He knows where we are most beneficial. So, as we walk with Him each day, it is imperative we not forget the plan. We need not forget the heart of restoration from which all people were birthed. Sinners, lost, left, hopeless, yet through Him promised everything we would ever need.

As sure as the earth spins on its axis, Jesus will return for His church. The challenge is with the certainty of knowing He will return, with the certainty of knowing our eternity, we not lose the heart and desire for the world full of things and people most uncertain around us! His plan, is to reach them!

When It Comes to the Holy Spirit, Don’t Settle for Less

2011-03-16T11:39:00.000-07:00

When It Comes to the Holy Spirit, Don’t Settle for Less

Hostility meets peace.....

2011-03-01T18:40:00.000-08:00

Hostility is something that has been around as long as people have existed. In the earliest stories of the Old Testament we read of Cain and his hostility towards his brother Abel. Things are no different in our world and society today.

The evening news is ravaged with current stories of brewing hostility in North Africa and across the Middle East. It is an intimidating thing to look at the condition of the world around us, and the hostility in the hearts of people. Yet, it is into this hostility that we are called to carry the message of Christ. How do we go into such an atmosphere and effectively make a change? How could God be calling us to be those change agents in such a less than ideal world?
Ephesians 2 says that "He himself is our peace, who had made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility." Jesus came into a world full of hostility with less than ideal circumstances. He was an effective agent of change because at the heart of His cause was unity. Jesus came to tear down separation and to unite believers in the common cause of the Kingdom. At the core of all hostility is separation. When we allow ourselves to be separated in belief and purpose we create differences and hostility. Although much of the unrest in our world seems political or social in nature the root is the same - separation!
Jesus came to bridge the gap between the old covenenant and the new covenenant. He was to be that one great sacrifice to redeem ALL mankind. When we go into this hostile of all times in our life span, we too carry the same message. We carry not only the message, but the peace that goes along with knowing Jesus. Just as He came to bridge the gap, speak peace, and tear down separation so can we. It begins with not seeing the task as impossible or hopeless, but recognizing that we are alive now so the time is now!

What is a Trader? - RightNow.org

2011-02-16T06:18:00.000-08:00

Be Encouraged!

2011-01-25T11:26:00.001-08:00

Breaking the Mold!

2011-01-03T13:04:00.000-08:00

So many things in our life and society are standard. We have lower, middle, and upper class distinctions. Kids go to school at a set age, we graduate in a set number of years, we drive at 16, we vote at 18, and at 21 we receive a free pass to the world! It is important to have boundaries, because without them we would become uncivilized. The question is where is the line between unique and unacceptable?

As believers we have unique talents, giftings, and Spiritual paths. The Bible says that we are all parts, working towards one total goal in Christ!The Word says that we are all beautifully and wonderfully made, to be just like Him! Yet, we often times try to squeeze ourselves and others into man made molds. God has given us so many things, all of which, we do not deserve. He chooses to use us, because He loves us. The issue in most scenarios is not what we lack in giftings, but what we lack in perception.

The world Jesus stepped into when He began His ministry was full of people focused on the mold of common standards. Those in power, those in infulence, were always talking endlessly about the things Jesus was doing and how those things did not fit the mold. Time after time, Jesus gave explanations as to who had sent Him, and why He was sent. Those same people after hearing the explanations could never overcome their perception problem to see the purpose!

We have a committment to each other within the work of the Kingdom to allow for the unique to flourish because of the purpose. How much more could we accomplish, how many more could we reach if we chose to empower the unique instead of enable the mold of the familiar. The problem is not new, and the answer has been around for a few thousand years....JESUS!

Rules, standards, guidelines, boundaries....they are all God given concepts. However, balance is the key to success in all things. Imagine if we took the uniqueness found in each of us, and partnered it with the guidance found in the Word, what things we could accomplish. Wrapping our hearts around the message of God, allowing it to propel us to the harvest, stepping where He leads, putting our hands to His work, all while encouraging each other to follow His voice........SUCCESS in the sovereignty of God!!!

Missions and Sacrifice

2010-12-08T08:34:00.000-08:00

Gospel for Asia- K.P. Yohannan

The Missional Church... simple

2010-11-22T18:11:00.000-08:00

Put the TEST back in TESTimony!

2010-10-26T11:28:00.000-07:00

Throughtout the Word we read countless accounts of Gods delivering power. From the rescue of the children of Israel to the resurrection of Christ, there is no greater power than that of our God. He is always timely, He is always efficient, and He is always strong. Over and over again, different men and women in the Word, find themselves in difficult situations. These ordinary people had their faith tested and tried to extreme limits. These TESTS produced something that would last beyond a lifetime, and that is a TESTimony!

A TESTimony is something far greater than God comforting us in our ordinary life. It is in fact God's divine providence carrying us in our pursuit of His will in our life. To truly secure the power housed in our TESTimony we must in fact TEST ourselves, TEST our faith, and TEST the Word of God for our life. We don't TEST His will for us, by questioning it, but by acting upon it.

Romans 12:2 challenges us to be separate from the world, and to TEST what is good and perfect in His will. A TESTimony begins at salvation, but it is up to us where it ends. We determine how far we are willing to TEST ourselves in our walk with Christ. We the followers of Christ have a responsibility to never forget that TESTimony is not just speaking of what He has done, but proclaiming He can and will do it again! There is no better way to capture this concept and hide it in our hearts, than by recapturing the heart of God. His heart is full of challenge, vision, and faith!

Step out of the familiar, step off the edge of comfort, and free fall in the will of God........TESTimony will prove it's power again and again.....and will carry us where ever He leads us!

Let's Go Fishing......

2010-10-21T11:05:00.000-07:00

We within the Body of believers are all familiar with the story of Jesus telling the disciples to put down their nets and follow Him, and challenging them to become fishers of men. It is indeed the greatest of all Christian principles to share the good news of Jesus Christ with the world. As we go out as ambassadors for Christ, speaking His truth, shedding His light, extending His heart of compassion, we must remember the basics of the cause. The basics are in fact found within Matthew chapter 4, as Christ challenges them to take time from ordinary and anticipate the extraordinary. We too have this same challenge in each day that we live for Christ. It is in fact a basic principle, but more often than not a lost art in modern Christianity.

The concept of daily witness in a world of opportunities, has been replaced in many Christian circles. The relationship based Biblical Gospel of Jesus, has been redirected as a more event based, Hollywood version, of grandeur. It is of course, always important to dream big in God, and anticipate great things in His name. However, when we replace the every day experience of knowing Christ and seizing opportunities to share that knowledge with the world, we have effectively unplugged the power source.

We must never lose sight of the Biblical concept of Christianity. It is not found in scheduled meetings, it is not grand opportunities to minister to thousands, it is not having everyone know our name, it is not finding prosperity as the world defines, it is not a dress code, it is not cliches, it is not an imitation of others success, it is not about us. It is in fact just a relationship of intimate time with the Savior, from which all of the opportunities He provides to us in individual service flow. Those opportunities do not have to fit a mold, they only have to fit the divine plan of God for our life.

We are at a place as the Body of Christ that we have never seen before. As with so many other great seasons in history, we are standing on the edge of seeing many souls won for the Kingdom all over the world. Because of this, we also have to begin to get back to the grass roots of who Christ is meant to be in our life, what He has in fact empowered us to do, and what He absolutely expects of each of us every single day. We must survey our motivations, contemplate our goals, and recapture these most basic concepts of relationship.

The Word promises in 2 Chronicles 7 that when God's people humble themselves (let go of impure motives), pray and seek (abandon ourselves to the cause), turn from the world (leave all of our idols in ruin), He will HEAR AND HEAL! What an awesome promise to ponder!

Think About It......

2010-10-06T11:03:00.000-07:00

Jesus on the cross, means redemption, salvation, and sacrifice!

Jesus resurrected means victory, triumph, and empowerment!

In both views Jesus was our portion for all eternity, hope for all mankind, and comfort in every situation....however, on the cross it was all about what Jesus did for us, and in resurrection it is about what He enabled us to do for Him!

PURPOSE - to live without it, is not living at all!

2010-09-16T08:38:00.000-07:00

The Women of Worth Conferences in Kampala and Masindi, Uganda were all about empowerment.The message was not that women should abandon their roles as Mothers, Daughter, and Wives. The message was more that in addition to those things, God has a divine purpose for our life. Many of the women who heard the messages from the Word, had never heard before that in Christ women are valuable. As we journeyed through the countless stories in the Word of God using women to accomplish amazing things, the Holy Spirit began to do an amazing work in our lives as women.

In this area of Uganda, polygamy is practiced as common place. Most men receive ridicule by other men, if they stay with just one woman for a long period of time. In this area women are treated as possessions, just as livestock and other things. Many of these women live out their days, working and raising children all alongside what is referred to as "co-wives". We heard many testimonies of women's hearts being shattered because their husbands had replaced them with a new wife, and many times kicked them out on the street! The message of worth was a divine appointment for this group of women at this appointed time!

As the conference came to a close, we began to feel the wind of change in the words of these women, as well as, several pastors from the area in attendance. The men gave testimonies of repentance for mistreating their wives and not realizing their worth in Christ. These men being in attendance was God, preparing the way for the call and purpose His Holy Spirit had placed in the hearts of these women. For many of the women to accept the call to carry the message of Christ will cost them everything. However, the message we heard from each of them at the close of this conference was "the cause is greater"! To God be the glory!

God is at work in Uganda!

2010-09-06T21:36:00.000-07:00

Carrie, Darin and Melissa - Uganda 2010

A Lesson In Obedience!

2010-08-19T10:43:00.000-07:00

Most of us have read the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30). This parable is more than a story but a valuable life application that can make us active in what God is doing in the world around us. As we all know, each servant was entrusted and given a certain number of talents from their master. One servant received 5, another servant 2, and then the third servant received only 1. The servant who received 5 traded his for 5 more and the servant who had 2 traded his for 2 more. The servant who had one buried his rather than making a wise investment. It would have been easy for the servant who received 2 talents to look at the guy who received more and then conjure up the excuse that because he had been given little that he wouldn’t trade what he had for more…. But as the story goes, we know he invested.

We can evaluate the servant’s faithfulness with what he had been given and apply that to our life. Many times in our own lives we can view what we have been given as insignificant for many reasons and have limited vision of the effectiveness of the things that God has placed in us. By comparing ourselves with other people we enter a dangerous zone that provokes us to excuse ourselves from actually becoming part of God’s kingdom work.

When we read in Colossians 2:10, we see that God has made us complete in him and this promise eliminates every question or excuse that we may come up with that hinders us from faithfully investing in people or embracing open doors in our life. What God has placed inside of those who trust in Him is valuable and worth investing in others. Not only is it valuable and worth investing but the world longs for the hope that we have been entrusted with and experienced.

It would be tragic to have been freely given the love, hope, peace, restoration, authority, power, and future from our Savior and keep it all to ourselves, never faithfully investing as we are commanded. God doesn’t expect you to give more than what you have been given, but He does require that we faithfully invest what He has entrusted us with and have faith that He will multiply it. Notice at the end of the parable that the Master didn’t expect a greater return than what he had given the servants, but he was pleased by their obedience to go out and invest.

Because God has empowered us with the Holy Spirit and transformed our lives, we have something great to offer a broken world in need of a great truth and great hope. Paul says in Philippians chapter 4, that he learned to be content. Learn to be content with what God has given you, search out the great things He has been faithful to entrust you with, and don’t be afraid to ask where to invest your “talents”. What you have to offer in the hands of the Master, is unlimited, powerful, life changing and effective. Don’t bury the hope, don’t take what you view as little and compare to someone else’s “much”. Let’s be faithful stewards and active in the kingdom of God finding the people he wants us to build a relationship with or share the gospel with and let’s pour out all that he has given us, then watch it multiply by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Written by: Carrie Tucker

Do You Want To Be Made Well?

2010-07-28T10:06:00.000-07:00

At work, I saw a man using crutches because he had broken his ankle. His wife was very sympathetic towards him, and as he whined and complained about how tired he was from having to use crutches, his wife lovingly sat and pampered him. What I found to be interesting about this whole situation was the fact that he complained about using crutches but didn’t want to undergo physical therapy to help him regain function of his broken limb. I mean if you are tired of living a certain way, why not do everything you can to change it, right?

As I sat there, I thought about John chapter 5 where Jesus asks the lame man, “Do you want to be made well?” That’s a funny question to ask someone who has been lame for 38 years if they want to walk, is it not? You see the problem with the man in the waiting room was not his broken ankle, but the acceptance of his current issue. Instead of undergoing physical therapy to regain the use of that ankle, he chose to be crippled. Why? -Because, not everyone that is crippled wants to be healed.

It’s the same way in our relationships with people and with God. We walk around allowing our past and present issues to cripple us for the rest of our life, instead of allowing God to heal. We seek counsel for those issues, but all we really want is to be encouraged in those issues. We walk around with a victim mentality and expect our brothers and sisters in Christ to be our crutches. We resist change, but embrace status quo. We hinder the move of God in and thru our lives with our inability to “let go and let God.” It only takes a moment with God to take you from where you are to where you can be in Him. As the body of Christ, it’s time we stop using our spiritual crutches to justify why we are the way we are and allow God to touch the areas in our life that have been crippling us from fulfilling all that God has for our life. Just as Jesus asked the man at Bethesda, I ask you…”Do you want to be made well?”

Written by: Cassie Lacy

More Than A Number!

2010-07-12T11:06:00.000-07:00

The latest statistics given by the Joshua Project are that 6,759 unreached people groups exist in the world today. The number of people waiting to receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ is daunting. There is today, still, so much work to be done before the return of the Lord. We "the Body" have answered the call on so many fronts. We have begun to invest more and more in the efforts of taking the message and saving knowledge of Jesus Christ to the world. Yet,when we are faced with such an extreme task, it can be easy to focus on the work at hand and lose sight of the purpose!

The purpose in going to the nations has to be about more than checking people groups off of a list. It has to be about more than adding a number to those that have heard the Gospel. It has to be about helping people, individually created by God of every nation, tribe, and tongue, to know Him!

The Apostle Paul spent his life reaching those "throw aways" that society felt were not worth an investment. He didn't just reach them with the Gospel, He established them in a relationship with Christ, gave them a body of believers to stand with, and then continued to water them with the knowledge of God. He allowed them to be at the level they were in their revelation of God, and trusted God to complete the work inside their hearts. He never force fed those that were still at an infant stage in their understanding, but instead allowed God to mature them in due season.

As we go into all the world and fulfill the great commission, a few things are vital to success in Christ. We have to always realize as Paul did, that the initial contact is only the beginning. We can never view the unreached as numbers, or statistics to be changed. Instead we must always be mindful of the purpose God has in sending us. God is sending us to share the salvation message, share the tools required to build a relationship with Christ in everyday life, and establish disciples to multiply the process.

The task of reaching the nations is one that provokes both excitement and intimidation. The great news is that we have been given everything we need to successfully complete the Kingdom work in His name. The Holy Spirit accompanied by the intellect we have in our human capabilities is a very efficient partnership. We know the numbers, the locations, the reasons, the answers, and the God for all of those yet to be reached. As we the Body began to answer the call, let us always be mindful that God is not interested in changing statistics, but molding and shaping lives for His Kingdom!

The faces that make up the sea of those waiting to hear the good news are more than a number, indeed they are the created sons and daughters of Christ! The "going" is often not the greatest sacrifice, but instead the greatest sacrifice is found in becoming who God requires us to be to "go" effectively!

Snapshots!

2010-07-06T19:47:00.000-07:00

In church recently there was a message given by a young minister. The message was that our daily lives should exemplify “snapshots” of Jesus. Imagine the Holy Spirit traveling with us each and every day with His camera rolling. What would He capture in our lives? Would he see selfishness or selflessness? Would it be giving or taking? Would it be life or death?

What would a snapshot of Jesus look like? If we were to see a picture of a helping hand reaching to poverty, a considerate friend reaching beyond conflict, a monetary blessing planted in the most unknown places of the world, or even a word fueled by love. All of these things would encapsulate a snapshot of the heart of Jesus.
It is vital that we as disciples of Christ take daily inventory of our motives and purpose. That we do as Paul did, and count all but Jesus Christ loss. It is only when we daily recognize the value of each opportunity to be obedient that we can finally effect change.

Jesus life could be summed up in so many different descriptions. The greatest of all of the concepts of who He was, is found in the word servant. Jesus gave all that He had, was, and would be, to sinful humanity. He poured out His heart for the impoverished, and the unwanted. Jesus literally gave until He had nothing left to give, when He died on the cross. His greatest snapshot was not just on the cross, or the resurrection but the countless photos of an encounter with Him etched in the minds of those healed, saved, and restored throughout His ministry.

In the final analysis we must accept that it is impossible to take a “snapshot” of words. Jesus, His message, behavior, and sacrifice must become more than idle talk. We the church have to graduate from the immaturity found in mere discussion of Him as a topic, into living Him as a life application.

What an amazing album it will be to journey through at the end of our walk with Him. To know we were sold out with reckless abandon to Christ. Being able to flip through the endless pages of His goodness, provision, and miraculous works, will be immeasurable. To get to that day, it takes a decision in the here and now. A decision to hold nothing back, to not talk it but live it, to embrace the uncomfortable for the cause, to seek out the voice of God in all things, to be obedient in all things, to crucify ourselves, our ambitions, our motives, our agendas, and take a snapshot of the heart of Jesus!

Beyond Ourselves!

2010-06-15T11:36:00.000-07:00

Relationships in life can be some of the most valuable and enjoyable aspects of our human existence. Since the dawn of creation God has placed the desire for relationships, companionships, and friendships in our heart. There is nothing more enriching, than feeling the love and support of those special people.

At the same time, it is hard to overlook the many failures in relationships in our world today. The countless failed marriages, friendships, and even business partnerships are astounding. As a matter of fact, marriage is become somewhat of an archaic union, in our society. People are deciding more and more that to be free to do as they wish, with whomever they wish is a much more attractive alternative.

We could attribute these massive failures to many things. Lack of holiness, lack of responsibility, lack of commitment, these would all be valid. However, at the heart of the matter, we could strip it all down to just one word - selfishness.

Our nature, propels us to be self-driven, self-focused, and self-absorbed. We as human beings, unfortunately come with very strict rules and limits, as to how much we will give, and under what circumstances. We often find ourselves determining someones worth, based on their ability to re-pay. So many times we fail at seeing beyond ourselves and realizing the true nature of God.

Jesus spent His life as a man doing only one thing - giving unselfishly. All throughout the Gospels, we read of Him offering all that He had to those in need. Never once did Jesus say "I will give you salvation, only because of what you will owe me in return". Quite the contrary, Jesus freely gave of Himself, and never once determined His limits by the payback.

The heart and nature of Jesus, forces us to see beyond ourselves. By receiving that enlightenment, we understand that Jesus gives to us exactly what we need. He then requires that we selflessly give it to others. Which is followed by Him depositing more, and so it continues on and on.

To get to this place, we all have to stop chasing after our own ambitions and ideals. We have to embrace the message of empowerment found only in Christ. Then finally, we have to share that message, not for our own gains, but so that those we reach can then "go" and reach others in His name.

God is working to save, heal, liberate, and encounter His people each and every day. God is still calling people into the full-time ministry of His Gospel. He is still filling people with the power of the Holy Spirit. He is still moving on the hearts of ordinary people to do extraordinary things. God is searching out those willing to see beyond themselves, and invest in His greater cause!

Follow Up!

2010-06-09T10:44:00.000-07:00

Often times when we look around at our small and individual worlds, we see familiarity, comfort, and routine. In the daily grind of life it is difficult to realize the size of the awesome world God has created. It can be an incomprehensible thought to imagine each day how busy God really must be!

When we open our minds and hearts to the magnitude of the different cultures, languages, and nations around us, the task of reaching them with the Gospel can seem impossible. To imagine that every tongue, and every nation on this big, spinning ball must know the message of Jesus, is overwhelming.

In the midst of all of the statistics, the unreached people groups, the languages, the distance, the needs, the cultures, if we are not cautious we can lose the most important fact. The most valuable statistic of all time, is that Jesus died for all men, every nation, every tongue, every tribe, and when He begins a good work, He is faithful to finish!

When we begin to view the task at hand, not as taking Jesus to the world, but instead as following up on what God has been doing since the foundation of the world, the impossible becomes possible! God is everywhere, His Spirit resides on every part of the globe. He created all things, and He is alive in all things. When we open our hearts and minds to this one single fact there are no limits to what we can accomplish for His Kingdom.

Realizing that as creations of the King, we are not pioneering the working power of His Spirit, but instead we are simply following up, on what He has been doing. No matter where you are being called to minister through your testimony, there is power in this thought process. If you are reaching your family, your friends, your neighbors, your common ethnic group, or a foreign people in a foreign land, God is already there. When we truly understand and allow ourselves to be captivated by this knowledge, then we can finally produce the fruit that will remain.

The key to "follow up" is that the work is not up to us, but God. Embracing the omnipotence of our Creator, takes the pressure of performance away, and replaces it with the simple expectation of obedience to Him!

The Feet of Jesus!

2010-06-03T20:26:00.000-07:00

In our great Christian history many songs, poems, and stories have been written about the feet of Jesus. We have sang about the peace, rhymed about the acceptance, and told of the compassion found at His feet. All of which is true, and accurate characteristics of Christ. However, I believe if we were to take a look deeper we would see that there is much more!

Imagine yourself living during the time Jesus walked the earth. Put yourself in one of the many crowds found throughout the Gospels. The dirt roads, the hot climate, the hustle and bustle of those following Jesus. Place yourself in the middle of the action, stretching to see one of His signs and wonders. How amazing must it have been to follow after the feet of Jesus?

When we allow ourselves to be transported into that time, we realize a very important fact about His feet - they were always moving. The feet of Jesus, were traveling from city to city. They stopped to touch the untouchables, they rushed to avoid the crowds, they walked into the synagogues, they stopped at the feeling of a touch, they stood and called the dead to life, they were washed, they were anointed with wonderful fragrance, and they traveled up a long and difficult hill.

The most important thing we find at the feet of Jesus is not for us at all. Instead it is the inspiration to go. When we envision the feet of Jesus as they were before He was on the cross, we realize they are demanding. His feet demand action, movement, discipline, devotion, and direction. His feet, were a call to sacrifice and abandonment of agenda and ideals. His feet lead to suffering, and death.

We will receive everything we ever needed at the feet of Jesus. His presence is beyond comparison. Yet, it is only when we follow after Him that we truly capture the impact of His feet and the prints they left behind!

Break My Heart For What Breaks Yours

2010-05-25T10:23:00.000-07:00

I really love comic superhero movies, especially the X-men movies that have been released recently. I love all the different characters and the different story lines. However, Wolverine would have to be my favorite character. I mean, how can it get any better than having six retractable bone claws, an accelerated healing process, an acute sense of smell, sight and sound, superhuman strength and speed, and great hair! Even though he seems to be virtually indestructible, he has this constant struggle within himself. He carries around the burdens of the past, while his animal-like behavior competes with who he really wants to be. In fact, to add insult to injury, someone tells Wolverine, “People never change, Wolverine. You were an animal then and you are an animal now.”

What a hopeless message, right? Unfortunately, the world has adopted that same philosophy and hopelessness. It seems that many times we define people by their dysfunction, because it does not take a revelation to see people by their dysfunction. It takes revelation to see what people can become. God loves us enough to see past where we are and sees us for who we really are, which is the righteousness of God through Christ Jesus! It’s time for the Church, as a united body, to step out and start loving the way Christ does. It is vital that we start loving people enough to see beyond where they are, what they look like, or how many times they’ve been to the altar. We must deliver the message of hope and redemption to a culture that is crying out for a Savior.

It is heartbreaking to know that suicide is the fourth leading cause of death for adults between the ages of 18 and 65 years in the United States, with 27,321 suicides per year. In fact, a person dies by suicide about every 16 minutes in the United States and an attempt is estimated to be made once every minute. It is imperative that the hearts of God’s people be awakened and sense the urgency at hand. Let us take on the heart of God and proclaim to the world that our God saves!

By: Cassie Lacy

Proverbs 24:11-12

2010-05-19T10:34:00.000-07:00

11)Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. 12)If you say, "But we knew nothing about this," does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?

Many times in life we excuse ourselves from action, because our actions will not entirely "fix" the problem. We say "this thing is bigger than what I can offer" or "so many people have gone before me and tried, and nothing has changed"....when all the while we are offering a God of action......EXCUSES!

The hungry, the wounded, the lost, the hopeless, the thirsty, the distressed, Jesus took time to minister to all of these. During His walk on this earth He could only physically encounter so many, but He still reached out. You and I only have so much to give! What we have to offer is essentially important to the world around us. If we can only rescue one, is it not worth the effort?

It's About the Ordinary, Not the Elite

2010-05-12T11:00:00.000-07:00

Jesus’ main focus was on the ordinary people in life, like you and me. He wants to use the ordinary to do the extraordinary by being his hands extended so that the powerful gospel may be spread. Jesus could have called anyone to disciple, but instead of calling a scholar, He called fishermen.

Mark 1:16-18
As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him.

Jesus asked the ordinary people to do three things. 1. Deny themselves 2. take up their cross & 3. follow Him. Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. Luke 9:23
This shows us that it’s not mandatory only for the “elite” Christians, monks, seminary graduates, or priests but Jesus said that if anyone wanted to follow Him, these were the steps to be taken in order to do so.

No one who is a follower of Christ is exempt from these 3 things and these steps can’t be questioned or omitted in the quest of going after Him. When the disciples followed Jesus they showed us a prime example of what it meant to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow after Christ. These steps aren’t for an elite Christian, such as pastors, teachers, prophets, apostles only, but are steps for every Christian to take.

When the ordinary fishermen were called by Jesus they left their nets, denying themselves. One may ask how you deny yourself by simply putting down your net, but to a fisherman a net is his identity. In terms that relate to us, we are to deny those things that hinder us from saying “yes” to God and anything that keeps us from being obedient, even if that means giving up the safety net of our identity and all that we are familiar with.

When the disciples left their nets and began to follow after Jesus they took up their cross and became missional. The idea behind being a disciple is to take on the ways of your teacher, so in this specific scenario Jesus was instilling in the disciples his burden, care, and love for humanity. While Jesus was on earth He came in contact with masses of all sorts and ministered to them in teaching, healing, etc. and the disciples were to learn from this so that they in return could go out and do exact same ministry as Jesus states in the great commission.

As ordinary followers of Christ, he has given us an extraordinary call to deny ourselves and take up our cross. Although this does require a sacrifice of self and countless of other sacrifices, the journey and call of living out an extraordinary life, fulfilling the ministry of Jesus, taking on His burden and purpose are far greater. Being ordinary doesn’t mean a thing, when following a Great God. Through obedient acts, He transfers His love for humanity into us so that we can be driven as He was to reach the lost.

By: Carrie Tucker

2010-05-12T10:47:00.000-07:00

The Heart of the Matter!

2010-05-07T10:43:00.000-07:00

We often pray to see as God sees, to know as He knows, to feel as He feels, to love as He loves. We ask God often times for His heart, but do we truly desire it?

As we study Jesus, who was God made flesh, we see the love of God acted out in the world. We read about how one man was able to accept all people, allow them to be as God created them, give love even to those who were undeserving, and sacrifice His entire existence, not just IN the cause but FOR the cause. As the believers of Christ we find ourselves daily IN the cause, but are we working unselfishly FOR the cause?

The actions of so many today, portray the opposite of all that Jesus embodied. As we look around our world, we see those same believers that prayed for the heart of God, being selfishly driven IN the cause. So many times the efforts we offer, are equal too and never to exceed what we believe we will receive in return. The conflict comes in that our mouth prays to receive the revelation of who God is, but our actions often tell a different story.

Being FOR the cause FORces us to abandon our ideals, our agendas, our excuses, and our fears. Being FOR the cause of Christ FORces us to embrace the concepts of the Bible and apply them to our existence, not just have a head knowledge. Being FOR the cause FORces us to seek only "the heart of the matter".

The heart of God is complex in description, but easily captured....LOVE!

Do you see what I see?

2010-05-04T10:42:00.000-07:00

As human beings our identities are formed at a very young age. Our early innocence coupled with the need to be cared for creates the image of how we see ourselves and those things around us. We realize early on that if we want to get something we have to make a racket. A baby crying for a bottle, a toddler pitching a fit, an elementary age child back talking, a junior high student trying wrong things, a high school graduate being disrespectful, a college freshmen being obnoxious, a newbie on the job site spouting off volumes of book knowledge. For so many of us we are conditioned to believe strength is in the noise.

Christ example is much different than what we have conditioned ourselves to be. When we find Christ in difficult situations He always chooses strength in His silence. But what fueled Jesus in His everyday dealings that we so often lack? The answer to this question is simply "identity". Jesus was affirmed in who He was, what His purpose was, and Who held His destiny.

As we look around in the Body of Believers today, there is a lack of identity. It seems we have allowed who we are to be defined by movements, styles, or second rate sacrifice. We see our lives, our contributions, and our future as our own. When in all actuality when we received salvation, our rights to our life ENDED.

Be encouraged to see your life, your ministry, your faith, your gifting, your place, your future, and your heart as God sees. If you don't know what He sees, ask Him to show you. It is only when we see ourselves as God sees us, that we can truly find that perfect space, between His will and our accomplishment!

We See Things As We Are!

2010-04-27T11:21:00.001-07:00

It is said that "we see things as we are", so who are we?

Are we chosen, or overlooked? Are we victorious, or defeated? Are we comforted, or abandoned? Are we passionate, or destitute? Are we powerful, or lacking? Are we worshippers, or haters? Are we giving, or selfish? Are we doing, or watching? Are we sacrificing, or taking? Are we pressing, or content? Are we encourager's, or negative?

Are we part of the problem, or the solution?

One thing is certain in each of these scenarios, we are either one or the other. There is no middle ground in the work of the Kingdom. If we focus on our needs, then everything in life is about or needs. If we focus on the negatives of the world, then everything in our life is about the negatives in the world. And so we GO out to change our world, seeing things as WE are - and wonder why there is no change!

Only when we see the needs, the people, the world, the ministry, the positives, the negatives, the suffering, the sacrifice, the Body, the future, the purpose, and the call as God sees will we truly advance the Kingdom.

Our ideals often slow the Gospel down. The good news of Jesus Christ has been saving the lost for thousands of years. It is time we learn "who we are" in the Word, and then share that simple message with the world. Building the Kingdom one act of obedience at a time!

In The Arms of My Savior!

2010-03-22T09:24:00.001-07:00

When my daughter was born she had several complications. The nature of these issues required surgery, which meant I was to be released from the hospital before she would. I remember going into the NICU the day I was released, for the last visitation of the day. As the moments ticked away, I could feel the walls closing in on me. The anxiety that I felt over leaving this innocent, little, being was intense. I felt as though my feet were nailed to the floor.

As the time came for us to leave, I remember saying in my heart "God, I can not leave her without your help"......The nurses came around and said that visiting hours were over and we could come back at 7:30 a.m. the next morning. As I turned my lead shoes toward the door and took a few steps, I had to turn and look back just one more time.

When I looked back, I saw something absolutely awe-inspiring. It was my daughter laying in her cradle, with God's hands under her as she slept!

God gives restoration in troubled times, confirmation in uncertain times, and affirmation in all things!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXn-iwOHWMY

Lincoln Brewster: Arms of My Savior

Did You See That?

2010-03-15T11:00:00.000-07:00

When my daughter Hannah was 4 years old, she was scheduled for a yearly test of bladder functions. Out of all the things she had endured through her 4 years of life, living with spina bifida and hydrocephalus - this was one of the worst. The test was uncomfortable, and for a 4 year old just down right scary.

The night before I sat in dread of the next morning when I would have to take her in to the hospital. Before I fell asleep I prayed for God's strength, and comfort for the next day. We woke up early and took my son to stay with my Mom. We got on the road and like most kids, Hannah was chattering away. We made the 30 minute journey and pulled into the hospital parking lot. As I drove around looking for a park, Hannah said "Mom, did you see that?" I said, "see what?" She said, "I saw a man, but now he's gone." I was in such a stress to get a park, and get the test underway and over that I just replied "That's nice, Hannah."

We got out of the car and went into the hospital, a little while later they called us back. As they got the test started, Hannah became more and more upset. She was crying and snubbing and really afraid. I kept telling her it was going to be alright, but it seemed nothing helped. As, I stepped away from the table while the x-ray machine ran the films, I just felt helpless. All I could do was say a little prayer. I asked God to comfort Hannah at the point of her need, in a way that in my humanity I so obviously could not!

In the next few moments I began to see a change in Hannah's state of mind. She stopped crying, she calmed down, and she began to just relax. I thanked God for His help, and in a few moments the test was over.

As we traveled home in the car, once again Hannah was chattering away. Amidst all her endless thoughts she said "Mom, you know that guy I saw in the parking lot." I said, "yes." She said, "he came in the room with me, and held my hand."

God can go places we can not, He can minister in ways we never could, and He can calm the hearts of mankind with love that we will never know!

That New Car Smell!

2010-02-22T12:00:00.000-08:00

Picture walking onto the lot, feeling like a wounded wildebeest surrounded by hungry lions. Walking briskly up and down the endless rows of cars, reminding yourself over and over that you are "just looking". Then the salesman walks up, and begins to rattle off countless volumes of information about mileage, model, accessories, rebates, colors, leather, tint, tires, ratings, airbags, interior, exterior, and then asks the question "do you wanna drive it?" To which we reluctantly say "I guess", knowing full well that on the inside our body is racing with the excitement and anticipation of taking this unscathed beauty out on the open road!

Then we take the keys, sit in the seat, buckle our seat belt, and take a deep breath to inhale the most intoxicating aphrodisiac every created....."that new car smell." We put the keys into the ignition, turn the key, and right on cue the engine fires up. Pretending to be the safest driver ever to be graced with a license, we check our mirrors, slowly back out of the space and towards the exit of the car lot. Then we ease out onto the road, and into traffic. Always mindful of our speed, our surroundings, the cars sounds, the radio, the steering, the power, the feel of this awesome machine! As we drive we imagine what it would be like to own this car, we picture ourselves driving to work, church, school, or out to eat in this new ride. Before long we are convinced......we must have it!

Let's hit the fast forward button for a few years beyond this moment if we could. Now we find ourselves leaving our house and jumping into, not our new car, but just ole faithful. We are running late for an appointment so we peal out of the drive, and straight into traffic. The brisk take-off causes the kids to spill their breakfast on-the-go onto the back seat. This spill, coupled with others has replaced that "new car smell" with the smell of "wet dog". We weave in and out of traffic, believing that this behavior will produce time that is clearly past us by. We peer out of a windshield littered with bug parts, and the shiny new paint job has been replaced with the occasional scratch and ding. As we sit at the stoplight, a shiny new car pulls up beside us. We look over at this perfect specimen, and think "I really should wash my car, but maybe it will just rain". And off we go, no longer captivated by the beauty and reverence we once felt for this vehicle, instead it has become just another way to make it through the day.

If you haven't guessed it by now....the above can be a metaphor for our relationship with Christ. When we become saved we receive that "new car smell". We have a pride that can not be contained, a confidence that is inspiring, and a desire to keep that experience fresh. However, as time passes if we are not careful we stop listening to the sounds, and we are no longer concerned with the condition of our spirit man. Instead of investing the time and effort required to keep up the "new", we find ourselves settling for "used".

The plan God has for us promises that although time might cause some wear and tear, anytime we allow Him....he can shine us up, set us on the right road, and give us that "new car smell" over and over again! Believe in your destiny today, and go get it!

The Burden!

2010-02-03T10:42:00.000-08:00

I received Christ into my life many years ago. Immediately following this life renovating event, I felt the call to begin in ministry. I suddenly felt myself burdened daily with a heaviness. This cloak that I woke up and put on everyday, soon became more than I could bear.

In the years that followed my salvation experience, I put my ministry fishing pole in a lot of ponds. I worked in any area necessary, as long as I was busy. This was the beginning of the end for me, I just had not yet realized!

As the years past and I grew older, I found my burden turning to frustration. I began to counter any productivity with scheduled breaks in ministry due to aggravation. I would question, complain, and confront God over my struggle. Years and years flew by, and I lay trapped in the same cycle. Experiencing God in a phenomenal way, then wallowing in self-doubt for an extended period of time. Then I had a revelation!

One day, in reliving my anguish, I asked God to relieve me of my burden. I told God that if I had to live everyday in frustration, I would rather not live at all. I opened my heart to my Savior, and exposed all of the doubts, fears, and failures, I had been carrying for so long. Then, I heard the voice of God.....He said that perhaps my burden would not be so heavy, if I had ever taken time to give it a name!

You see I felt the burden to go and do, to preach and minister, and so I did! I had not failed in the doing, I had failed in the preparing. It was in that moment that I realized that a specific God given burden, brings fruit and productivity to a life that would otherwise be filled with frustration and emptiness. It is then I asked God to take my burden, focus it, name it, and then return it to me with a fresh desire!

In finality, the point of this testimony is quite simple. God will give burdens to those that follow Him earnestly. Therefore, it is imperative that we take the time to focus our life's work towards that burden, so that we do not wind up at the end of our road unproductive, frustrated, and lacking!

The harvest is great, and the laborers are few; name your burden and

then see it through!

The Best Is Yet To Come!

2010-01-25T11:59:00.001-08:00

I recently had the privilege of being involved in a service that focused on bridging the generations. The discussion was outlined by 3 different speakers, each from a different generation of believers. The message was clear- the church has created voids between the young and the old, and it must change!

As I began to ponder all that had been said and done within this service, I prayed and asked God to give me that one nugget. I wanted God to trim everything I had heard down into one mission statement. As I continued to meditate, the Lord spoke to me and said quite simply, "The best is yet to come".

You see, if we look at all of those younger than ourselves, if we consider their contributions, if we value their Kingdom work, if we consider their struggles, then there will be no room for gaps! Instead of problems and failures, we will begin to see power and potential. We will see a future in Jesus carved out by the faces of those blazing the trail after us. Each time we invest in mentoring and discipling others we are living by the motto "the best is yet to come"!

It all begins with understanding that ALL were created in God's image, ALL can respond to the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, and that ALL can share the gospel that they have freely been given. When we begin to make these eternal investments, then we are living out the hope of heaven here on earth. We are embracing the message of the death and resurrection of Christ , not just for what it has done for us personally - but for what that sacrifice did for the entire world!

It is great to know that no matter where you are, or what you are doing, or what social class you are in, or what your ethnicity, that in Jesus Christ.....

The Best Is Yet To Come!

Get In!

2010-01-14T10:34:00.000-08:00

When Paul and Silas were in prison, in stocks and bonds...they sang. In that moment they were transported from a prison with bars, guards, in lock down into the very presence of God. When John was alone on an isle of Patmos, he experienced a vision. In that instant John went from exile to the throne room of God. When Jesus was in the garden awaiting his betrayal, he spoke a simple prayer to His father in heaven and received the overwhelming comfort of God's presence. What a magnificent thought to consider this concept, that in each of these situations, with one song, one thought, one prayer everything changed!

The powers of darkness that we battle from day to day, will stop at nothing to keep us from His presence. The devil recognizes that their is no bondage strong enough to limit a child of God that in any situation can get in the presence of the King of Kings. When we find ourselves in the prison situations of our life, we must always remember that we are just a praise away from the very presence of God!

A Fresh Start!

2010-01-09T18:08:00.000-08:00

Everyday life can become somewhat mundane to say the very least. We have schedules, habits, and obligations that never end. The words do not exist to describe the anguish in having to wash, dry, fold ,and replace the same clothes over and over again. From the weekly grocery bill to the weekend house cleaning, we often times feel robotic. These tasks become such second nature to us, that they have a complete absence of passion. Although in daily tasks not much is lost in an emotionless venture, in our spiritual life such lack can spell demise.

In our spiritual walk with Christ we have a daunting task found in re-inventing ourselves. The basics of serving Him can never become passionless, emotionless, acts of robotics. Instead we must ensure that we find new challenges each and everyday. Prayer is the one practice that always improves your life. Fasting is a sacrifice that never becomes easy and demands discipline. These three, the basics, are of the utmost importance to our success in the Kingdom.

What Christ is most known for is the cross. When Jesus died on that hill so long ago, He in essence gave you and I a "fresh start". We are all familiar with the Bible's teaching of forgiveness. We have all heard that God is a God of second chances. So, the great news is that we do not ever have to stay in the bondage of yesterday. Any day is a good day to start fresh in our passion, our vision, our ministry, our witnessing, our Bible, our prayer, our fasting, etc...
In this new year make A FRESH START in Jesus no matter where your starting point might be!

All I Want For Christmas is.....

2009-12-09T11:58:00.000-08:00

There are so many emotions during this time of year. On the one hand we wake up everyday joyful, plugging up my lights, smelling the seasonal spices, and just excited that Christmas has come around again. On the other hand we wake up aggravated that around every turn we read "happy holidays", frustrated that Santa's over sized self has overshadowed all the Nativity Scenes, and just down right mad that it seems no one wants to acknowledge Jesus on His birthday. So, it can sometimes feel like a bad case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hide. Who are we really and what do we really want out of Christmas?

It is amazing how Christmas lists change as we age. We start out with baby dolls, coloring books, and candy. Then we graduate to skateboards, trading cards, and Cd's. Next we want iPhone, ipods, and laptops. Finally, we arrive at just wanting to be with family and enjoy the simpler blessings in life. There is perhaps one thing that always seems to be missing from our lists, and unfortunately it is the one thing that matters most - Jesus!

It is a travesty that during this season church attendance plummets. It is an outright hypocrisy that in one breath we say "Merry Christmas" and "Let's keep the Christ in Christmas", and in the next breath talk of our busy schedules and how stressed we are about money! It is truly a world gone mad at Christmas!

Do we really believe that Jesus is the reason for the season? Can we really expect our children to understand the true meaning of Christmas while getting their picture made with Santa? How do we communicate charity, when grabbing all we can - while we can? Tough questions indeed!

Think about it.....Christmas did not originate in gifts, good deals, hams, stockings, candy canes, jingle bells, Rudolph, Nat King Cole, programs, lists, fudge, mistletoe, Rockefeller Center, eggnog, or fruitcake.

The Author, Founder, Creator, Mastermind, to which all of these traditions followed was none other than JESUS CHRIST - Born of a Virgin, Light of the World, Prince of Peace, Son of Man, the Baby that Changed EVERYTHING! Don't just say it.....let your life show it.......................

Jesus is the Reason!

I wonder......

2009-11-30T12:18:00.000-08:00

I wonder what it will be like to stand face to face with my Creator. I can not even begin to absorb the feelings I will have or the regret I will experience. It is phenomenal to think that He will know me by name, and frightening all at the same time. How immeasurable it will be to experience my Savior in Heaven.

I wonder about Heaven. It is unthinkable to think of a place that has no sorrow, when sorrow is so much a part of our everyday. It is unimaginable to consider a home that will be for all eternity, when I am surrounded daily by death and deterioration. It is incomprehensible to consider my family and friends there with me, living in this "perfect" place.

Amidst all this wonder, there is reality. The reality is I live in this world, full of hate, hardship, death, disappointments, sorrow, and lack. But, turn the coin......On the other side is the hope of what is to come. After all, what fuels my wonder, what makes me take time to think the unthinkable and imagine the unimaginable is the promise!

The promise that one day I will no longer have to speculate or wonder.....

I WILL BE THERE!

Give Thanks!

2009-11-17T10:24:00.000-08:00

It is a tremendous thought to ponder all that we have been given, and will be given in our lifetime. The providence of God supplies everything from the breathe in our lungs to the shoes on our feet. There is nothing, literally nothing in our possession both spiritually and carnally that is not a gift from God. So, I wonder do we thank Him enough?

The importance of thanking our Father for all that He has done through prayer is immense. However, this alone is not enough. The greatest way to show gratitude for the blessings we have been given is found in what we do with them. Often times we feel that by saying "Thank You Lord" that we have done our part, but I believe actions truly speak louder than words. Without question thankfulness should be verbalized, but if the words are the result of the heart it will not stop there.

We find contradictions in believers in today's world. So many pray for financial blessings only to be bad stewards, others long for ministry opportunity only to neglect the moral standard of the Word, and some seek a deeper experience with Him only to shut Him out! The only way around this vast divide between the spirit and the flesh is to learn to give thanks. A simple concept that is restrained by complexity.

It is easy to say "thank you", it is quite different to "give thanks". One takes little to no thought, the other takes a lifetime of careful consideration. Giving thanks requires us to relent control, and recognize that all that we are and ever will be is up to the one true and Living God. We must learn to acknowledge God's providence in the largest to the smallest of blessings. When we acquire this habit, then and only then can we live a life that truly "GIVES THANKS"!

After all is said and done.....nothing is earned or gained that Jehovah God did not supply!

Ritual or Real?

2009-11-10T11:39:00.000-08:00

It has been said that humans are creatures of habit. Many experts claim that we "crave" routine and stability. When we experience the daylight savings time change, it takes days to get our "inner clock" on the new time schedule. Indeed we are such creatures, we desire a life that is adventurous, as long as we are in bed by 9:00 p.m. It seems that this same adventure within reason mentality has infiltrated our spirit man as well.

We want our church to grow, but we don't want to invite people. We want the Gospel to spread, but we don't want to evangelize. We want our world to change, but we don't want to acknowledge our own impact. We want a new move of God's power in our generation, but we don't want to do anything that is uncomfortable. We want to be blessed, but we don't (under any circumstance) want to sacrifice! We have become so comfortable in our "ritual" that we are forgetting what is "real".

The only thing that is just as real today as it was 2000 years ago is the power of God. So, why are we choking this out of our modern worship services? Why are we so compelled to be an "easy grace" body, instead of the kind of body inspired by God's word? Because, everyone wants heaven and no one wants hell. Obviously no one wants to go to hell, but we are living in an age where people preach love without judgement. We tell people about heaven, but never warn them about hell. What society has defined as being "seeker friendly", God defines as being "luke warm".

It is time that we stop apologizing for the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, and start freeing Him to move on peoples hearts again. History will prove that there has not been anyone ever saved by the pews, the power point presentations, the colors of the sanctuary, the visitors station, etc.... What it does prove is that the only thing capable of invoking life change is the real unadulterated power of the Almighty God!

Let's release Him to move!

Hurricane Survival!

2009-10-29T10:56:00.000-07:00

Living in South Alabama we spend many months out of the year staying prepared for a possible disaster. When Hurricane season rolls around, people on the news and radio start announcing a list of supplies for hurricane survival. Everyone checks their stock of batteries, ply wood, and gasoline. Some people stock pile water, canned goods, and propane. Others try their hand at waiting to see if we get hit this season or not. Regardless of which side of the fence we are on, we all have no choice but to consider the possibility of disaster and prepare accordingly. It is interesting that as human beings we always seemed to carefully consider our preparations for what "might" happen, and too often never prepare for what "is" going to happen.

There are so few definite things in life, however one place to find absolutes is the Word of God. According to it we "will" be blessed, be prosperous, be healed, be safe, be protected, be loved, be comforted, be rewarded, be guided, be powerful, be anointed, be a voice, be a light, and the list could go on and on. Yet, we spend such little time preparing for these good things. It seems as if when we pray it is to evade disaster, if we fast it is to cancel out wrong doings, and if we read the Word it is to find a way of escape. It is high time the children of God start preparing for the promises!

So much of what determines every situation is the preparation. How can God truly bless us if we live life our way every day until disaster strikes? What are the chances of us stumbling upon His will down the wide roads of our choosing? The only way we can truly be used of God is to be prepared for Him to use us. Another words it all begins with a heart of expectancy, that says "I know God wants to use me, and I need to be prepared".

It can be difficult to slow down long enough to prepare for what God wants to accomplish through our lives. We bust out of the gate, running 100 mph, panting and sweating hoping to beat the horse in the stall next to us to the winner's circle. All the while we failed to invest the time and preparation for victory. Victory that we do not have to fight for, but victory we can wake up each and everyday fighting from!

Salvation should come with a warning label that reads:

WARNING: This vessel may be used anytime, any place, and anywhere! BE PREPARED!

I Saw God Today!

2009-10-26T10:49:00.000-07:00

Life is short, time flies, and sun up to sundown seems a "blink" these days. With all of the junk swirling around us in our lives, there is still one thing worth noticing - God! He truly is everywhere. For example I was in a restaurant eating on Sunday, and an older gentleman handed us a coupon on his way out. This may not seem like much, but it was a blessing for that moment. It is in these things that we see God!

We get weary of day after day, more drama on the news between our current President and his nemesis. Over and over, time and again, more and more, and more negativity. So, much in fact that if we could process into an edible delicacy, world hunger would be solved in an instant. It seems that we are losing our minds one strand at a time! It feels some days as though we have been strapped in to a ride at the local fair, and it starts to spin feverishly then the bottom drops from under our feet. Often times life feels more like survival instead of living!

Now that we have reviewed the current devastation, let's discuss some GREAT NEWS! God is still in control, and you can see Him anytime you choose. He is in a smile, a hug, a handshake, a thank you, a thought, a gesture, etc... In essence He is everywhere, in everything, and working on our behalf in all things!

No doubt life his hard, but on the flip side there is no doubt God is able. Take time today, not to smell the roses, but to observe your Lord and Master at work. He is listening to you, watching you, walking with you, riding with you, fighting for you, loving you, leading you, protecting you, and most of all WAITING FOR YOU! Look around, and you will see God today!

A Believable Voice!

2009-10-23T12:36:00.000-07:00

I recently watched an interview with Country Music Star Tim McGraw. During the interview they were talking about his latest album titled "A Southern Voice". The commentator asked him why he chose this song as the title track. McGraw said "I have never claimed to be a great singer, but I have a believable voice when I sing the lyrics. People, come to my shows and buy my records, because they believe I have lived what I am singing." What a tremendous thought to ponder. Although this album and artist doesn't glorify God or his message, this statement can certainly be drafted to fit the church. "We have never claimed to be great, but we have a believable voice."

When we know that our voice is worth listening to, then we no longer buy into the lies of society around us. Then and only then can we as the body get to the place that we no longer view the "anointing" as something given only to those on television. We would no longer view ourselves as step children in the faith, second rate laborers, or outcasts of the family of God. After all, the only thing that is required to carry the message is a voice. When the smoke finally clears at the end of the day it is not the "vessel" that determines the outcome of the message, but the "author".

Perhaps the reason we fall short in our ventures for Christ is that we truly don't have a believable voice. When our focus is on being a "spotlight hog" for Jesus, how believable are we? What set Jesus apart was the honesty of his message. When he spoke to the woman at the well, it was just Him and her. There was no spotlight, no crowd at the time, and no theme music. All Jesus had was His words of Truth, and that is precisely what she responded to.

Don't believe the lies, avoid the traps set by society, and be the "believable voice" that God intended. One of the greatest things we attain in times of trial is a witness to God's greatness. Let your motto be "I never claimed to be great, but I have a believable voice."

LOVE is a verb!

2009-10-13T12:10:00.000-07:00

There seems to be a new vibe sweeping the church world. We are hearing more and more ministers talking about love. The great thing about this current movement is that the word "love" has gotten a bit of a face lift. It seems the Body of Christ is no longer just saying "God is Love", but instead we have begun to say "SHOW THE WORLD that God is love"! What was once just an emotion, has now sprung on to the scene as a VERB!

If we pause and think about what that means it is quite thought provoking. Over the years we have cheapened the word love. We throw it around lightly in uncommitted relationships, it has been demoted to beer adds between drunk buddies, it has even been used to coin the phrase "just love the one your with"! To say the least this word has needed a spiritual overhaul for quite sometime!

God has begun to birth a new definition of this most popular word in the heart of his people. Instead of finding harsh judgement, cold shoulders, and insinuating stares in the Christian community, now we can experience LOVE. We are starting to see the church take off that plastic mask, and be real. There are more and more instances of God's people opening their ministries to the homosexuals, prostitutes, drug addicts, abused, oppressed, depressed, etc.... We have seen a complete swing of the spectrum over the past few years, and it is all because those four little letters became a multi-sided front!

Love is like the word Bar-B-Q in the South, it takes on many forms! We use the word Bar-B-Q to describe a taste, it is a style of cooking, it is a type of sauce, it is a piece of equipment with which to cook with. To say the least around these parts the word Bar-B-Q is quite versatile! Love is no different!

Love is a feeling, love is a description, love is a committment, and most of all love is an action! God expects us to show His love everywhere we go, to every nation, tribe, and tongue! God's love knows no color, no social class, no boundaries, and CAN NOT HATE! So, take time today and remember LOVE IS A VERB!

I Know Who I Am!

2009-10-10T09:38:00.000-07:00

Vincent Van Gogh said "I dream my paintings, and then paint my dreams." This statement confirms that he had an image that he carried from his mind to the canvass. We wake up everyday with this same opportunity. It is vital as human beings that we have a good working knowledge of "who we are". We must always be aware of what actually defines us as people. We can never truly be defined by the car, the clothes, the hair, the job, the money, or the social status. However, too many times that is exactly what we cling to from day to day.

We often work feverishly to keep up with the image in our mind of "who we are". We have to realize that with God it is much simpler. In James chapter 1 we are told that if we are poor, find wealth and encouragement in Christ, and if we are rich, find humility and understanding in Christ. Then it goes on to say that the sun comes and withers the grass, just as time takes care of us all.

Who we are, and what we mean to this world can not be a result of temporary investments. Instead it is and must always be a direct reflection of our eternal works! There is power in KNOWING WHO WE ARE IN JESUS!

Push or Pull?

2009-09-28T08:12:00.000-07:00

There is no greater embarrassment than walking up to a door and pushing, only to realize that you should have pulled. As you get out of your car, and hurriedly approach the building you never stop to ask "push or pull?" Why? Because the goal was to get to your destination as quickly as possible, thus you never considered preparing to enter!

How guilty are we the Body of Christ today to driving our spiritual cars into the church parking lot at the last possible minute, hopping out running to the building, just to miss the last choir song and struggle through worship out of breath and exhausted! Our behavior is a result of living 6 days a week taking care of things our way, full of fun, entertainment, and weekend bliss. Then we approach the House of God in a rush never asking our selves whether we should spiritually "push or pull?"

We move so fast we forget that we are entering a holy place, the throne room of God, and most of all His Presence. If we paused long enough to absorb this thought, we would most assuredly take time to prepare to enter! It is not up to the pastor, the worship leader, the teachers, the greeters, or the nursery worker to get us into the presence of the Almighty God. It is up to us as individuals to enter the House of God saturated in prayer, fasting, the Word, and ready to receive from Him.

We must take the time to consider how we ENTER, because it will most definitely determine how we EXIT!

Pray!

2009-09-22T11:25:00.000-07:00

In recently watching a religious television broadcast, there was an interview with a prominent theologian. This man had traveled the world, written numerous books, and is very well respected in the ministry. The host asked this theologian "What is the greatest downfall of the church today?" This man with no hesitation replied "We do not pray enough."

When researching his most recently published book he said that he found most ministers only pray an average of 4 minutes a day. He said that we have become so busy, so technological, that we have abandoned our personal time with God. This man who is well in his 60's said that "Prayer is as essential now, as it was in the beginning of time."

Let us be encouraged today to find time to talk to God. Not just have "text messaging" encounters with Jesus on our way to the market, or while washing the car. Instead let's STOP, and actually talk to God and then give Him time to respond as necessary. The Bible encourages us to meditate daily on Him, to take every thought into captivity, but these passages were never meant to be a replacement for one on one prayer with our Savior!

We must realize that our power as the Church is found on our knees! It is in those times that we bow down, that we find the strength to STAND!

Don't Just Apologize...CHANGE!

2009-09-17T11:16:00.000-07:00

When I have told my children to turn the light off when they leave the room for the hundredth time I find myself weary. As the day comes to a close and I have heard myself say "stop arguing" at least fifty times, I feel irritated. The countless times I remind my son to pick up his shoes, and my daughter to put her glasses in their case leave me trembling. Each time I say these things to my kids I get the same response "Sorry, Mom!" About a year ago I adopted an answer for this response...

"Don't just apologize....CHANGE!"

My children understand the very moment I give them this response that I expect better. They realize that after a while "sorry, Mom" becomes only mere words. In my heart I know of an as surety that our Father in heaven feels the same disappointments. I believe the Body of Christ could learn from this child/parent dynamic. How many times have we repeatedly failed to do what God has asked us to do. It is troubling to stop and think of ourselves as "repeat offenders" in Christ. However, I believe one of the greatest issues facing the church is the loss of a Godly standard.

If we are not careful we begin to excuse our actions, and we treat them as recurring accidents instead of sins. Often times we live with certain issues in our everyday life so long, that what was once a spiritual intruder becomes a roommate.

It is in these times of spiritual revelation that we must demand better from ourselves. We should stand up square our spiritual shoulders and say "today I will not just apologize...I will CHANGE!" To truly repent is to turn away from that thing that has been the source of your error. Thus we should learn to turn away and stop turning again, and again, and again! We can no longer hide behind the childlike words "sorry, God". Instead, when He asks us to shine our light to the world, when He asks us to stop bickering with our brothers, when He asks us to be responsible for the gifts He has given we should without hesitation say....Yes!

Where Do I Go From Here?

2009-09-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

The year 2009, like many years before, has been marked with great accomplishment. We have seen the progression of electric cars, tiny laptops, iPhones, and many other things. As a society we have always embraced the knowledge of today, and anticipated the knowledge of tomorrow. This ability for we as humans to be forward thinkers is a tremendous thing, that has been largely responsible for the progress of our humanity on many levels. So, now it begs the question - "Why no the church?"

Unfortunately, we find the church doing the opposite of progression in a lot of areas. We as believers go to our jobs and work for promotions, we look at our finances and plan for prosperity, we trade our cars for improved models, we buy the latest fashions, we are careful to avail ourselves of all the latest technology, but we come to church and settle for "more of the same". Please do not misunderstand, this is not a plug for the latest radical movements. Instead this is a cry for the church to apply it's modern everyday attitude to the work of the Lord.

It is simply unacceptable to live expecting progression and improvements in every area of our life except our relationship with our Savior. It is insanity to move with the flow of the world's technological advancements and what they can offer our daily life, and then stand in defiance of the movement and progression of God.

We must understand that in Jesus there is always "somewhere to go from here." Whatever defines your "here" there is more. It is time to embrace the plan of Heaven, and understand that change is imminent. God will move on with or without us, and His plan will be completed. Let's get on board, and move with His direction. Let's stop trying to pull the opposite direction of the Spirit of God because of fear. Finally, let's embrace the presence and power of God, His heart in ministry, and be a part of this last "push" in these last days!

Finding Purpose!

2009-09-10T07:28:00.000-07:00

It can be a good thing to spend most of our days anticipating "greatness". As human beings we were created with a need to progress, invent, explore, and improve. However, as believers we must use caution, and be certain we are not only involving ourselves in activities for the "pay-off".

In Jesus Christ there is no difference in the moments of greatness, and the wallpaper which is our everyday life. Because, in Jesus they are all precious gifts. Whether we are up speaking to 100,000's of people, or at home mowing our neighbors lawn, we are blessed. We are blessed in that in every moment of our lives we serve a Savior who loves us and wants nothing else but to prosper us. Issues arise when we loose our focus!

When we take our eyes off the cross, off the sacrifice, off the suffering and focus only on the "greatness" of the moments, we miss so much. It is in these times that we turn left, when God says turn right. We frantically search day and night for the next potential moment of "fabulous", and in doing so we reduce Jesus to a "showmen" not a "Savior".

In these times of busyness and haste, the body of Christ has forgotten so many important things. Such as the Bible's message of "loving thy neighbor", "thou shalt not lie", "caring for the widows and the orphans", etc. We must get back to a place of servitude that says "Lord, whatever You have for me today I accept it." Then we must walk that out, in any way the Lord dictates. If it is giving food to the needy, ministering in a foreign land, or just doing devotions with our children.

Think of the greatest ministry you know of, and consider the time invested. Those on the mission field impress us with their ministries and sacrifice, but consider the investment. Consider all the days and nights when no one knew what God was doing in their lives. Consider the times when they did not know where their next meal would come from. Consider the mental, emotional, and physical attacks endured from the devil. When we consider these things, we realize that there is no room for superstardum in servant hood.

Aspire to be a super Mom, a super friend, a super citizen, but not a superstar. We as the body must remember that Jesus' shining moment was on the cross, not on a stage! Our purpose in everyday life must be found in His sacrifice, not in "greatness"!

Voices To The Nations!

2009-09-08T07:52:00.000-07:00

William Carey (1761-1834)

Missionary To India

"Expect great things from God; Attempt great things for God."

David Livingstone (1813-1873)
Anti-slavery Crusader & Missionary to Africa

"I will go anywhere, provided it is forward."

Hudson Taylor (1832-1905)

Missionary to China

"I have found there are 3 stages

to every great work of God;

First it is impossible, then it is difficult, then it is done."

"The great commision is not an option to be considered;

it is a command to be obeyed."

Jim Elliott (1927-1956)

Missionary Martyr to Ecuador

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep

to gain what he can not lose."

God is not looking for perfect people,

just those willing!

What part can you play?

Legacy?

2009-09-03T08:17:00.000-07:00

The Lord had been dealing with me for 15 years to preach His word, and I refused. I kept myself busy, distracted, and detached. I went to a service in January of 2008 and God said "Melissa, I'm going to ask you one more time." I did the usual routine...EXCUSES upon EXCUSES! Then the Lord said something to me that resonated in a way no words ever had before. He said "Don't ask me to grow the seed of the Gospel that has been planted in your children for future ministry, when you won't travel the path I have for you." Wow, I was stunned, because in that moment I realized that my children would begin their path where my footprints ended!

We have a responsibility to the generations after us, and there is imminent danger in forgetting. When we forget, and do not assume responsibility then we may be followed by a generation that "knows not God" as found in the book of Judges. With no clear path to follow, those coming after you and I will be lost. We must answer the call!

We take action by considering each day as an opportunity to impact. The reality is whether we realize it or not, we are impacting the world around us each day. Sometimes we impact positively and sometimes negatively, but every step we take leaves a mark. When we step out of the will of the Father our footprints reveal it, when we change directions according to the pressure from the status quo our footprints reveal it, and when we take the broad path instead of the straight and narrow our footprints reveal that as well.

The bottom line is our generation must stop stepping lightly around the issues that are defining our Christian world today. We must stop living in a mind frame of "tolerance" and start living in a heart of "standard". We can not leave indefinite, unclear footprints for those behind us, and expect the message of Christ to live big in the generations to follow.

No matter what generation you identify closely with, you have a message. If you are from the older generation that was raised on the "backbone" of the Bible, if you are from middle aged generation that focused on the "power" of the Holy Spirit, or if you are from this modern day generation that at it's core worships in "Spirit and in Truth" your legacy is vital. No generation is more important than the other, but each and every generation has a legacy!

We are defined by what we leave behind....step firm....let your footprints be definite.....so that those behind you will "know your GOD"!

We Need Not Forget!

2009-09-02T07:26:00.000-07:00

Church family in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (Africa)

Kitopeni, Tanzania (village)

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

San Pedro Sula, Honduras - children living in the river community!

Angie (the missionary in San Pedro) ministering!

A handicap women trying to catch the van to get a bag of food!

When I find a silent place in this noisy world, and I close my eyes I can hear the saints singing in worship to God in their native tongue of Swahili. I am transported to Africa, where I can smell, taste, and feel the culture. Even though I am thousands of miles away, my heart remembers! In my heart I can recount each time a child held my hand in the prayer circle during the church services. I remember the smiles that greeted us at every stop, and the willing hands that went out of their way to make us comfortable. I can wiggle my toes and feel the dry, hard soil between them, and recall the power of the Holy Spirit that I felt with each step. My body can conjure up that same feeling of total anxiety and helplessness when faced with the daunting task of offering help and knowing that it was not enough.

Pause today....pray....fast....encourage.....remember....those missionaries sacrificing it all in these last days for "the cause of Christ"!

The Treasure!

2009-08-31T07:24:00.000-07:00

If you have received salvation, then you have received a treasure. Your heart has gone from a wasteland of despair, to a shiny treasure box. The coins in your box are better than any earthly gold, they are coins of eternal value that never lose their worth. We have the coins of wisdom, hope, grace, peace, protection, power, courage, etc.... The wonderful thing is they were given to you for you to share the wealth.

So much of what is wrong with the gospel locomotive, is a lack of conductors. We all want to ride it, but no one seems to want to drive it. God gave you and I a treasure when we received Him unto salvation. He not only gave us wealth, but He gave us an unending supply so that we can share with others. He gave us so much, that we could spend a lifetime sharing it with others and it will never run out.

The treasure of salvation has been locked away in too many hearts. We have adopted an attitude of gather all the blessings you can from God, and share nothing. We have become tight fisted instead of open armed. We have become "me" oriented instead of "we" planted. We have accepted the treasure, but rejected the message!

Please take time today to ask yourself this one question...."What good is a treasure, that never becomes an investment". Invest the love of God into your world today. Step out into that ministry God has planted in your heart. Clothe yourself in the will of your Father. There is a harvest of people waiting to see the real Jesus, not the superstar! Give your friends, neighbors, family, and strangers part of the treasure God has given you, because

THE HARVEST

is worth the investment!

Space For Rent!

2009-08-25T11:26:00.000-07:00

We serve a wonderful, understanding, and loving God, who is eager for us to "cast our cares" on Him. There is never a problem too big, or an issue too small that God is not concerned for us. As believers we should exercise this right and "cast" all that baggage into the arms of our Heavenly Father. The question is "what do we do with all that new found available space?"

When we lose our inhibitions, free ourselves from worry, walk in healing, etc.... then we have effectively put a "space for rent" sign on our heart and mind. When searching out this new tenant we should consider an obvious, but often overlooked choice. Instead of occupying the vacant space in our hearts and minds with "whatever" is available, why not "the cause of Christ". Sounds simple enough, however it can prove to be quite difficult.

The true "cause of Christ" has nothing to do with our needs, our desires, or our goals. Instead of spending each day asking God for our needs, we would spend each day asking His needs. To sum it up into a commonly used phrase "Ask not what God can do for you, Ask what you can do for God". When you have truly clothed yourself in this cause, the lines of separation between your heart and God's will fade. We are no longer selfishly driven in our actions, words, and prayers, but are motivated by the desires of our Heavenly Father.

God desires the expansion of His Kingdom in souls, He desires the gospel to be spread to all the nations, He urges love not hate, He inspires fighting resolve, and He effects CHANGE! So, take caution in renting your heart out to just any passing need. Take time to consider this thought....

God is always standing at the door of your heart knocking...will you let Him in?

Let us rid ourselves of the weight and worries of things beyond our control. Let us find rest in knowing that just like the sparrows, our Father knows what we are in need of, and let us devote our time, energy, finances, and hearts to the furtherance of His kingdom. Just remember it starts by cleaning Him out a space, and inviting Him inside!

Haters Beware!

2009-08-22T14:01:00.000-07:00

It is difficult for us to wrap our brain around the concept of how people can love God, but hate each other. In our world today it seems around every corner we encounter hate and anger. The majority of people in our society see nothing wrong with constant conflict and unrest. It would seem that most folks have replaced the peace and harmony mantra of days of old, with the static and feedback of malice. We have come to a point in our humanity, that we no longer believe in the goodness of anything!

As Christians it is easy to talk about the goodness of God, because after all He is good! However, as the body of Christ we find ourselves stumbling to find the words to express the goodness found in our brothers and sisters. Why is faith in each other a foreign concept in our world today? Perhaps, it is due to the inevitable occurrence of human error, or maybe - just maybe - it is because if we don't believe, we can't be disappointed. After all disappointment calls for forgiveness, and forgiveness is an expensive commodity in our spiritual store!

When those around us fall, it seems so easy to just rest in knowing that it was exactly what we expected. But, just imagine if as the body of Christ we began to EXPECT the UNEXPECTED! This radical concept would start a wildfire of productivity, accomplishment, and expansion for the Kingdom of God. Imagine a world where, when you messed up you didn't have to get up on your own and try again - someone ACTUALLY HELPED YOU BACK UP!

In this foreign world, failure would never be an option. The word defeat would be stricken from the English language. The ability to experience joy, peace, and power would no longer be earmarked for the elitist, but instead given freely to every beleiver. It would be experience by everyone, because NO ONE WOULD EVER QUIT!

This is not a fictitous concept, quite the contrary. It is a biblical concept that has been long forgotten. The Bible says that we can not have bitter and sweet spewing from the same fountain. So, if that is true then how can we ever justify discouragement, hate, malice, conflict, etc.... We can't! Instead we are to embrace the love of God and strengthen our "Godly Family" in every circumstance. There is no room for racism, neglect, ridicule, judgement, or insults at the foot of the Cross! Instead we must let those things GO and embrace the GOODNESS that is found only in a real relationship with God!

Lord help us to take every thought into captivity....so that those thoughts that become words will do no harm only good!

Crying Out!

2009-08-20T10:43:00.001-07:00

Father:

Give us the strength to stand in the midst of such uncertain times. Help us the body of Christ to raise an anthem of praise to You, when the world says be silent. Make this city on a hill, fortified with Your power and strength. Not for our own purposes anymore, but for the cause of Christ. Let Your Spirit shine it's provoking light into our hearts and minds, so that we can "see" and "know" clearly the "real" ministry yet to be done.

God, give us discernment to know the wonderful things from our heritage to hold fast too, and those things to be in bondage to no more. Restore our brokenness, revive boldness, and please rescue our holiness. In surge us with a passion to reach out to the lost, help the broken, and aid the neglected.

For there will come a day when the true worshippers won't be seeking a perfect building, program, or event. Instead that remnant will be seeking You, and where You are THERE we will worship You in spirit and in truth! Protect our children, comfort our ministers, and encourage our youth! For upon this rock You built Your church, and the gates of hell shall "NOT" prevail!

Amen!

Fast for our country today!

Safe Haven!

2009-08-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

I was invited a couple of years ago to sing at a service held at the Haven of Hope. From the moment I walked in I knew God was linking me to this place. After the service ended I felt the Spirit speak to me to GET INVOLVED! I contacted the Director the next day and we got started!

The ladies in this program often come from living in their cars, battered relationships, prison, and the streets. They are all substance abuse addicts. Their addictions vary and their backgrounds are unique, but their brokenness is the same!

The message at The Haven Of Hope is that there is hope in Jesus and you are safe in His care. The ladies go through an intense Bible based program for 90 days. They do a Bible Study 3 times a day everyday except Sunday. They are not allowed to watch, listen, or read anything secular. They have limited contact with family, but are allowed regulated visitations. The one thing that sets this program apart is that they approach these ladies not as addicts, but as souls needing help to find their way!

Too many times we take for granted stability, love, acceptance, home, family, and God. We live in a fluffy world untouched by the harshness of drug addictions, hate, abandonment, etc. God is looking for those Saints that will look beyond themselves and GET INVOLVED!

I have never done drugs, drank very little, never lived out of my car, never been to prison, never lived on the streets, but I know JESUS! He is the common bond between us. We can't always relate to each others struggles, but we can always find a connection through Christ!

Let us STEP OUT into our world unafraid, unashamed, and unhindered in the ministering of our faith. Let us STEP UP to the call of Christ to reach out to the broken and abandoned. Finally, let us STEP ON the head of the devil, and expand the Kingdom of God for His names sake!

Church, "Get to Steppin"!!!!

(Click Haven of Hope on the IMPACTing Links to get involved)

God Is Listening!

2009-08-15T10:45:00.000-07:00

Prayer is a life essential in living a life for Jesus. However, sometimes it feels as though our prayers are never ending and our needs are all consuming! We find ourselves sounding like a broken record: same requests, same needs, same words. Often times we think of our prayer life as a giant hamster wheel that our Spirit man can't seem to break of, instead it seems we just keep spinning our wheels. Finding the "stick to it" can seem impossible, when waiting for God to move on our behalf!

We must remember that perspective is everything in life. If we view our life as an endless need instead of endless opportunity, we are destined for disappointment. As we established in an earlier post, all we have is NOW! Therefore, we can not waste, that's right waste, our time being consumed by needs, circumstances, situations, and struggles that are beyond our control. Instead we must learn to RELEASE them to our Father in Heaven!

A wise person once said "the great thing about the future is, it always starts tomorrow". So, don't spend another second, licking your wounds, spinning your wheels, or grieving over a circumstance. Instead, open your mouth, give it up in prayer, and know that no matter how many times you have prayed "God Is Listening"!

Not only is He listening, but He is working, and waiting on His time to release that miracle He has been designing just for YOU! Pray On!!!!!

It's the Follow Through!

2009-08-12T11:50:00.000-07:00

How many times have we made goals, resolutions, or commitments to new ideas? I know I have done this many times in my life. I have sworn to never drink cokes, promised to eat right, vowed to not lose my temper, and the list goes on. I came to a point in my life where I realized the problem was not found in the goals or the commitments, but the problem was in the "Follow Through"!

I have never lacked the vision, never lacked the knowledge, never lacked the ability, but too many times lacked the resolve. I found it impossible to cast a vision, and go forward no matter the circumstance. It seemed at the slightest mishap, I would throw my hands up and quit!

This was a foreign issue for me, I was raised that if you start something you finish it! Quitting was not in my vocabulary in any aspect of my life. I would under no circumstance give up on a commitment that others knew I had made. However, when it came to my intimate conversations with my Father in Heaven, I was missing this mark!

I was in one day out the next, moving left one day and right the next, never giving up on my salvation, never sinning, just not FOLLOWING THROUGH! I had to accept the harsh reality that unless I actually accomplished my grandiose goals made in Christ I was USELESS to the Kingdom of God. As harsh as that may sound, take a moment and look at it in this manner. If you talked about buying groceries, but never went to the store and actually bought them - who would ever benefit? As simple as that may sound, this same concept applies to our spiritual lives!

I know God has a plan for you and for me. It won't be easy, it won't be predictable, but it must BE! Please join me in praying for God to raise us up as DOERS and not just TALKERS! Storm heavens gates with prayers for our generation - that God would not miss us on the "Follow Through"!

God's Not Finished!

2009-08-10T09:09:00.001-07:00

We wake up in the morning and stumble out of bed, drag to the coffee pot, and yawn and stretch. We turn on the news to find nothing much has changed. We are still in a recession, people are still suffering around the world, and God is the farthest thing from most of the worlds attention!

In such a dismal environment, as with most things, we have choices. We can view our current circumstance as a sinking ship, a diseased body, a devastated land, or we can declare "God's Not Finished"! If the body of Christ is still on this earth, then there is still work to be done, hope to be found, and love to share. We can not afford to slow down, or relent an inch at this stage of our race. But, instead we must be that heavenly marathon runner and "finish STRONG". How many races have been won in the last few tenths of a second? How many runners have trained a lifetime, just to lose it all in their last feeble efforts? In Christ it is vital to begin with salvation, it is crucial to mature in ministry, and it is imperative that we FINISH!

I believe for Christians to have the resolve to survive in such a tumultuous era we must adopt this as our mantra. Our battle cry must be of the hope found in the cross, and to never surrender!

After all there is an entire lost, hurting, and dying world counting on YOU and Me!

Because......God's Not Finished!

"I will rise, when He calls my name. No more sorrow, no more pain. I will rise!" Chris Tomlin!

Commitment!

2009-08-06T10:22:00.000-07:00

Why is commitment so hard?

I find myself in so many situations relying on my "no excuses" upbringing to carry me through my obligations. The issue - why do we so often consider our worship opportunities with God as "obligations". I believe that our constant battle between the words opportunity and obligation is a direct result of our Self-Lordship.

In our fast paced, cut throat society we have little time to stop and think. We don't take in the moments of the day with care, instead we take over the moments with haste! Imagine what each day would be like for us if we did as the Bible said and actually took every thought into captivity. Then every moment in the grocery store, at the gas station, fixing dinner, at soccer practice, at the bank, getting the oil changed could be a God moment! When we truly take every thought into captivity then we are no longer in captivity to ourselves. Each time we allow God to reveal Himself in our moments, a little more of our Self-Lordship dies!

Why is commitment so hard? Because, commitment to God and His purpose has nothing to do with our plans, and everything to do with His! There is no room for Self-Lordship in a heart surrendered to the purpose of the Master!

My prayer is increasingly becoming focused on fulfilling the will of my Father each day, and overcoming the need to feed my SELF!

The Love of God!

2009-08-04T08:57:00.000-07:00

Playing baseball at Hope House!

Delmi, one of four siblings brought to the home

a few days before we arrived! They were removed

from their home due to neglect.

In the van with the kids - never a dull moment!

Leyda and I - she is one of the oldest girls at

Hope House. She really loves God and it shows!

We are traveling behind a truck loaded with bags of

rice, beans, salt, and matches that we gave out to

the river people. They are an impoverished social

class found in San Pedro Sula that live plagued with

sickness due to unsanitary water supply. We

bagged 350 individual portions and returned with NONE!

Children that live in the river community!

I was impacted in so many ways during our trip to Honduras. However, the main thing I took away from this experience was a better understanding of "The Love of God"! It is amazing to me the transcending power of the love of God. It blurs the lines of separation, it mutes the noise of prejudice, and it heightens the human senses of reality. Reality is God sees no boundaries, no race, no distance, no culture, only LOVE!!!!!

"The Love of God how rich and pure, how measureless and strong. It shall forever more endure" by recording artists Mercy Me.

The Love of God makes us go, The Love of God inspires us while we are there, and the Love of God takes us back again and again!

GOD GIVE US A HEART...for the least of these!

2009-07-21T07:33:00.001-07:00

Our trip to Honduras is fast approaching, and the excitement is mounting each day. I find myself filled with curiosities. What will the people be like? What type of worship do they have? How will the children respond to us? There are many things that I wonder, but eventually my mind always comes back to the purpose. The purpose is found in the great commission and that is to preach the Gospel to all the world!

The concept of foreign missions has never been easy for me. I always thought I was a cutting edge, radical believer, and then I took my first missions trip to Tanzania, Africa. I refer to this trip as "my wake up call". I realized the moment I stepped foot on African soil that I had spent my whole life "missing it". I had missed the global understanding of the great commission. I was devastated, disappointed, and disturbed in myself. I remember thinking "God how much time have I wasted on ME, when all along these people and others are RIGHT THERE?"

That is something every Christian should stop and evaluate. It is true not everyone will be "called" to foreign missions, but no one can deny the great commission. What this means for you and me is that we have to find our place to spread the Gospel. It might be Africa, New York, London, or Alabama, the key is it is somewhere. No one is exempt from this commission from God!

I have come to realize through the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit that missions=LOVE. It is not some big complex schematic event. It is just the LOVE of God shining so brightly that it carries you hundreds of miles from where you first received the light! Training is necessary, preparation is wise, schedules are helpful, but nothing gets a job done like the LOVE of Jesus Christ! LOVE prompts you to go, LOVE drags you to the fundraiser, LOVE pushes you to plan, LOVE calms your nerves, and LOVE changes hearts and lives forever!

God give us a heart for the least of these, give us Your heart! AMEN!

Responsiblity!

2009-07-17T11:48:00.000-07:00

Psalm 145:4

"One generation shall praise thy works to another,

and shall declare thy mighty acts."

We must never forget our "responsiblity" to the world around us. We as believers have a mandate to praise the works of our Savior to our generation. We can no longer back away from the heartbreak, abandonment, and neglect that has become our world! There is healing in the name of JESUS!

Lord help us to not lock away the good works you have done for us in shame. Help us to find the freedom to tell ALL the world not just the church world, and Father, when my life is done let there be a generation after me, that KNOWS YOU and the MIGHTY ACTS You have done! AMEN!

Fighting Without A Cause!

2009-07-15T11:14:00.000-07:00

As we look around and survey our world today, we see a growing trend. Too many of us lack the passion and zeal to truely FIGHT for the causes of Christ! We have accepted the worlds stigma of "radical Christians" and don't want to "offend". What happened to the kind of discipleship that "turned the world upside down"? We see more and more concessions in the church world today. We have retreated to our homes and churches and it is as if we are a hidden army for God! I know that I have never witnessed anyone win a fight that did not believe in the cause they were fighting for! The battlecry of anyone who has ever successful won a difficult battle has been "no retreat". So, why has the church retreated on so many issues?

The reasons are numerous, but the problem is very real! I believe God is impressing the hearts of His people to be as the Bible says we should be true worshippers in Spirit and in Truth. Truth is a cause worth fighting for - Amen? The truth found in God's word never changes, never fails, and never ends!

Where do we find the truth of God to fight for? In our everyday life, ofcourse! When we give money to missions, when we share our testimony to a stranger, when we aid a loved one, when we pray for our leaders, when we stand in the midst of WRONG and declare RIGHT! The direction of our faith and purpose can not be guided by the world's standard, but by the Word of God!

You and I were created for such a time as this! We must put our hands to the plow and labor for the cause of Christ in whatever way He demands. God give us Your heart - a heart to love, and to labor - a heart to fight, and to rest in Your peace - a heart to change, and be still in the unchanging presence that is You! Do you believe in His cause enough to FIGHT?

You and I were MADE 2 WORSHIP!

2009-07-13T10:08:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest opportunities we have to worship is in our GIVING! What we give our time, attention, and money to is a reflection of our priorities. This is a simplistic concept, but can be very difficult in application.

We as humans suffer immensely from self-lordship. Too many times we pour our resources into the things that society dictates are important. All the while God is looking down from heaven searching for believers that will champion His cause.

Our problem is in persepctive. We view any donation of time, attention, or money as a grave sacrifice. We act as though God should feel priviledged when He receives the tiniest of contributions from us. Let's compare!

1. God gave His only Son as a living sacrifice

(He knew the plan)

2. Jesus lived his earthly existence in persecution

(He knew the price)

3. Jesus endured the cross and death for our sins

(He knew YOU)

What have we done? Whatever it is I am positive it pales in comparison. Don't water down the meaning of the word worship with just an outward expression of song and uplifted hands. Let the true meaning of worship become a life principle.

BE A CHEERFUL GIVER of time, attention, and money - not for our gain - but for the CAUSE OF CHRIST!

Searching?

2009-07-10T14:29:00.000-07:00

I look back over the years of my life, and have to face a stark reality. That reality is the amount of time I spent "searching". I realize sometimes we truely are in a holding pattern with God, waiting on Him to lead, guide, or answer. However, it seems more and more I encounter believers who are stranded on Searching Island with no hope of rescue!

We have to be sure that we do not adopt "searching faith". This occurs in our walk with Christ when we are inactive in ministry, uncommitted to ministry, and lacking a real purpose in our life. I don't believe that God hides his will for us. I do, however, believe that we hide from His voice.

For so many it has become easier to just say we are "searching" than to actually do what God has purposed for our life. Even the children of Israel eventually were lead out of the wilderness, which lets me know that no one is given a lifelong free pass to spin your wheels in Christ and label it "searching".

I know that God's purposes can be challenging and difficult, but never impossible. God help us today to be careful in our deeds. Make us Christians that don't "search" a lifetime for what we already know in our heart we are to do!

We only have NOW!

Encourage or Discourage?

2009-07-08T09:43:00.000-07:00

As Christians we are all individuals trying to blaze a trail for Jesus. Our paths, goals, and direction will often be different. However, our destination is the same. I find myself disturbed many times by the reponses I often receive from fellow believers while sharing my goals and visions in Christ. Many times I feel as though instead of it being a conversation it is a competition.

We live in a "dog eat dog" world, and competition is King. I fear that this "better than you" mentality has crept it's way into the church. It is as if our walk with Christ has become a potato sack race to see who can get to the finish line first. Instead of uplifting each other we are throwing our elbows and shoving our way to the finish. This can not be God's plan!

I know that each time we share or have someone share with us their dreams and visions in Christ there is a choice. We can encourage or discourage.

If we feel inclined to match accoplishments instead of praising our brothers and sisters in the Lord WE HAVE A PROBLEM!

God make us encouragers!

Gateway Woship - WAKE UP THE WORLD!

2009-07-06T09:53:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0F5D-1JVz2g

If you like to have theme music for your adventures in Christ. This is a link to a song title Wake Up the World by Gateway Worship!

WAKE UP THE WORLD!

2009-07-06T09:22:00.000-07:00

My family works a fireworks stand every July 4th and New Year to raise funds for our missions efforts. This season was unlike any other. It was HOT and STEAMY as we sat in the SWEAT BOX! We said thing like "Why do we live in the south?" "Michigan is probably nice this time of year!".

Fireworks are an amazing thing. They have an extreme WOW factor when they take off with such a loud explosion! As we sat their at the stand July 4th at about 9:00 p.m. the skies were full of explosions and color. It was beautiful!

I couldn't help but think how our faith should be like a firework display. We should wake up everyday and take off like a rocket for Jesus, and then as the day goes by we should display lots of unique colors and effects like our Father!

Most importantly fireworks can not be ignored or overlooked. If we ever plan to succeed and "wake up the world" we have got to make some RACKET!

I would never have dreamed that a small white metal fireworks stand could be a ministry tool for God, but it is! As you go about your day today and throughout the week remember that everything we do can be an opportunity.

An opportunity to:

ENCOURAGE

LOVE

SUPPORT

MINISTER!

Go out today and be firework for Jesus and WAKE UP THE WORLD!

Conversations With God!

2009-07-02T11:18:00.000-07:00

God spoke to my heart during last nights youth service, and said He wanted to have a conversation with us. At first I thought "well that's no revelation". However, if we were to really consider every prayer as a scheduled conversation with our Heavenly Father how much more productive would each prayer be?

God spoke intimately to each and every one of us in our service last night. All of the words in our vocabulary pail in comparison to the "sweet nothings" whispered into our heart by the Lover of Our Soul.

The challenge is to not wait on God to get our attention, but to be determined to give Him our attention!

Gideon!

2009-07-01T08:19:00.000-07:00

Recording artist Israel Houghton recently released an album titled the Power of One. It has since become a campaign titled the same. You can view an unplugged version of his title track "The Power of One" by accessing the videos related on this blog!

God has been dealing with me for several weeks about the concept of "The Power of One". I will be ministering in the youth service at my church tonight. God has given me a message about this concept found in the book of Judges. The story of Gideon is just one example in the Bible of God's ability to use "The Power of One".

There is a line in the song that says "Don't hang around, stand up or sit down". To me that is our world today, and I believe God is waiting on the church to STAND! We have wasted enough time "hanging around" in indecision, and "sitting down" in inactivity! What if it all depended on me?

Woman, You've been called out!

2009-06-29T10:03:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege to minister in service Saturday June 27 with a wonderful group of ladies from the New Beginnings Church of God. These ladies came to have church, and experience a move of God and His awesome power. There is no greater feeling than to be surrounded by people hungry for the Word, presence, and purpose of God. The theme of the service was Woman, you've been called out! I believe God did just that - Called us out! God gave a message of "Turn Again" faith as found in Ruth 1.

Thank you Lord for this group of women with a desire to work for Your Kingdom. It is my prayer that You would continue the work You began in all of us on Saturday! Father now that You have called us out, give us the faith to step out in Jesus name!!!! Amen! Thanks be to God for the New Beginnings Church of God!