Impact and Insight

Get Up, Get Going

2011-06-03T13:27:00.000-07:00

I will admit that it is easy to become discouraged. For a lot of people the only thing they see around them is negativity. I am not saying that you see everything as hopeless (maybe you do), but you are not moving forward within anything in your life. Due to our “every day schedule” we begin to let the great things in life drift away and seem impossible. The average goals in life move up the ladder and take the place of those “great” things. To put it in simple terms, a lot of people just go with the flow of life, or become stagnant altogether, and abandon their dreams and goals.

I know what you are thinking. I need to be responsible and focus on getting the bills paid, finish my classes for the quarter, get the children fed, the oil changed in the car, the lawn mowed, the soccer schedule coordinated with the ballet schedule, and find time to go to whatever job it is you may go to every day (yes, if you stay at home and take care of the children you have a job. A very important job). That list can go on and on. It is true; most of us live very busy lives. Some of us have lives that are too busy. I can also assure you of this; in all of your busyness you see life as mundane. You look at your life, as busy as it might be, and consider it boring.

Most people don’t feel as if they have accomplished very much, especially as they reach what they consider to be landmark birthdays. I will agree that most people don’t reach the goals and dreams they once desired. You can use any excuse you want, but the truth is that we have forfeited a great deal of what we believe to be important for something that is in reality a waste of time. Rather that reach excellence we settle for mediocrity and wonder why others have what we want.

Did I offend you with that? Take a deep breath and keep reading. Don’t view what I am telling you as something negative. I am about to put a positive twist on things. Keep reading and let’s take life to a brand new level and do things you thought were impossible.

The economic state of America right now is really affecting a lot of people. Unemployment is on the rise, the housing crisis is still taking homes from families, and the price of everything seems to be climbing. You may be one of the millions of unemployed right now. If you are I can assure you that I know and feel your pain. I know that not having a job can leave a person feeling defeated, worthless, and even hopeless. Dreams and goals have turned to fantasy.

I want to give a bit of encouragement from history. I’m not going to give a lot of boring facts and force you through my research. I am simply going to highlight a few facts about the “Great Depression”.

What we are going through today is being called “The Great Recession”. In truth we are enduring another Depression that is equal to what was experienced in “The Great Depression”. The unemployment rate today is astronomical; it was in the 1930’s also. Stocks were down and the economy was running on fumes just as it is today. During the terrible period of “The Great Depression” America experienced natural disasters that mirror what we have experienced recently. The Mississippi flooded, there were tornadoes of an epic proportion, and to top all of this America experienced “The Dust Bowl”. The 1930’s and early 40’s should have been the end of America, but we climbed from beneath the rubble and rose to a greatness only a few Nations in history have experienced.

In the midst of tragedy, people, individuals like you and me, turned negatives into positives. New businesses that are still thriving today were born out of the “Great Depression” period. Instead of giving up people stood strong. Rather than accepting what seemed to be the inevitable people reached deep and made things happen that seemed impossible.

I Corinthians 9:24-25 Do you not know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Now everyone that competes exercises self control in everything.

Guess what Paul is telling us here? Paul is saying that we shouldn’t be quitters. He is telling us strive to be more than average. God wants us to be more than a statistic, He intends for you to step up and stand out. God doesn’t want you to sit on the bench and watch the Michael Jordans, Lance Armstrongs, Mike Tysons, Hank Aarons, and Babe Ruths of the world do all the work. God expects you to step up to the plate and give your all. You have to devote yourself to putting in the effort needed to succeed in any goal you have in mind.

I know; you still have responsibilities to focus on. Becoming great just doesn’t seem to be in your cards. You are wrong if that is what you’re thinking. The problem is that you don’t have the determination to make your greatest dreams happen (yes, I am stoking the fire and working on your emotions). I can promise you that there are things in your life right now that you can restructure as well as things you can eliminate completely. If you don’t believe me just take a look at how much time you spend watching TV. How much time are you wasting making a million trips per week doing little errands that could be grouped into one big run? Guess what; every great man or woman that ever lived had or has responsibilities. You just have to see the day to day responsibilities as a hurdle and not a roadblock.

It is time to break through the ordinary and become extraordinary. It is time to move forward and stop making excuses that are keeping you stagnant. Don’t let your life waste away, live your life in such a way that you leave a legacy.

Will reaching your goals be easy? I highly doubt it. It has been said that nothing great comes easy. That holds a lot of truth. Anything worth having requires effort. The effort you place into getting what you want gives the end product its value.

Will you begin to see immediate results? It is possible, but I wouldn’t bet on it. Take your big dreams and goals and break them apart into smaller goals that you can achieve. Then you will become encouraged when you accomplish each step rather than discouraged when you don’t conquer everything you were aiming at in an unrealistic timeframe. For example, if you want to lose 100lbs set smalls goals of 10lbs increments. As you drop each pound you will become eager to lose even more. If you want to get out of debt set a goal to pay off the small bills and when they are paid in full apply the payment you were making on the smaller bill to the next one in line. Before you know it you will be debt free, saving money, and paying cash for your next car and maybe your next home.

Don’t give up because something takes too long. Don’t let the status quo tell you how to live. If extra effort is required dig a little deeper into yourself and focus. Become determined and move forward.

You will encounter negatives along the way. There is no way around it. People will judge you, criticize you, and some will even get in your way. Unforeseen obstacles will pop up out of nowhere. Things will break, and not everything will work in unison with what you are envisioning. Don’t be discouraged and DO NOT allow the negatives control you. Use the negatives as a springboard that will launch you forward. Learn from your mistakes and from the mistakes of others. If you focus on the negatives you will find yourself depressed, overwhelmed, and defeated. Don’t become a slave to the negatives in life. Push for freedom.

By the way; whining, complaining, and making excuses is not moving forward. If you are whining and complaining you are looking for ways to make your lack of success acceptable. You are trying to get others to buy into your lack of accomplishment.

I am not telling you to keep your problems to yourself. Seek advice and learn from what others have to say when you have a problem. You will find both good and bad advice along the way. Pray for wisdom and keep moving. By the way, advice is not siding with you and encouraging more whining and complaints. Advice is constructive, not destructive. Advice directs you away from trouble and gives encouragement, it does not help you make your case that things are too difficult.

Right now you may be having a hard time with self confidence. I will agree that it is hard to believe in yourself when you feel beat down by whatever stands in your way. I want you to know, you are not a disposable person. God created you on purpose. You are someone special with amazing abilities. You are God’s greatest creation, a creation God personally sacrificed for in Jesus. Yes, you have weaknesses, but in your weakness lean on God and trust Him. Pray for direction and wisdom. Take time to read through the Bible and get to know the people in the book. Take time to watch God turn the impossible into impressive in people’s lives just like you and I. David, Moses, Paul, Peter, Abraham, Joseph, and so on were all people like you. What made them great was their faith in God coupled with a determination to move forward with a goal. They didn’t give up because things were tough, they leaned on God.

Your hope and future isn’t dependent upon the next President to take office. Your future is decided by you and only you. The direction the Country moves in depends on the choices of individual, regular, everyday people, not politicians. Don’t wait until tomorrow to get moving, move now!

If your goal is to lose weight, put down the ice cream and decide on an exercise regime and stick with it. If you want to write a book, start right now by writing down your ideas and do a little brainstorming. Before you know it you will have an outline. Do you want a college degree? The same thing applies, start looking for a school right now and research everything from the school’s structure to financial aid then choose what fits you right now. College is attainable for everyone with today’s technology. Are you unemployed? I am not going to tell you to just find a job. It isn’t that easy, if it were millions would be working. Don’t give up, keep applying. Look past your comfort zone in terms of relocating, and change professions if need be. While you are looking consider what is available that will bring income in. You never know, you may end up with a home based business that ends up becoming the next Fortune 500 Company.

The great things, the big goals and dreams, they may not appear to be a world changer. However, your goals can and will change your life.

Will The Real God Please Stand?

2011-05-03T19:48:00.000-07:00

I was asked a very simple question that I felt a need to answer. That question is this; “How can I know that the Christian God is the true God? There are a lot of religions in the world, so how do I know what I believe is right?” I am going to try and keep this as simple as I possibly can. I know that I am leaving room for more questions, and that is fine. Feel free to ask me all the questions you would like and I will give you all the answers I can.

The first response to a question about God is usually responded to with something trivial and superficial. The response is normally one word, “faith”. Just have faith. Just believe. Well that doesn’t cut it for me. Telling me to just believe is telling me that you don’t know, or that you don’t care. It could possibly be both. I do not believe in blind faith. You have to have a reason to trust. There are people that will disagree with me on this, and that is fine. However, without a sound foundation to base your faith upon you will never be stable in what you believe. You will have major hurdles of doubt to overcome, and in trying times you will find yourself questioning God.

I have no doubt whatsoever that God is real. When I say God I am speaking of the One True God. The God I serve as a Christian, the God of Israel and of Moses, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I believe in the God that spoke all of creation into being. I can keep going, but I think you have the point. Before I go any further I need you to know that I believe in the trinity of God. God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are all one in the same while being separate individuals. I am not going to get into that topic of the Trinity right now, but I do want to make that known. You cannot effectively claim to be a Christian and reject any one member of the Trinity as being God.

Yes, there are a lot of religions in the world. Throughout time people have worshipped many different things. However, the gods worshipped have come to nothing. They have proven to be nothing more than idols made by the hands of man. The many gods of the Egyptians and the Greeks were nothing more than statues and fairy tales.

There was a time in my life, before I was convinced that God is indeed the true God, that I thought the different religions of the world all pointed in the same direction. I had the assumption that people had a different name and a different view of God no matter whom it was they served. I made no distinction between Buddha, Allah, Jesus, or Zeus for that matter. I assumed that there were as many different names and ideas about God as there are languages in the world. I was wrong in a big way in my religious thinking. I was trying to accept everyone. I didn’t want to say that anyone else was wrong. I also didn’t want to be wrong myself. In my mind an umbrella of religions had to be the answer. I had never researched or read any of the other religious teachings, so this view seemed comfortable. Only someone that doesn’t understand the world’s religions would make the claim that they all basically teach the same thing. Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, New Age, Scientology, and Christianity do not teach the same thing or anything close. (By the way, Buddhism doesn’t even claim that there is a god).

I am a rational person. When I decided to find the truth about God, I didn’t just pick up a Bible and believe what I read. My thought was this, if the God of this book is not true, then what it says doesn’t matter. I would not find any proof of God within a book that was written as His own witness. I needed a rational way to discover the truth about God that would lead me to the Bible if this was truly God’s Word.

There are a lot of ways to claim that God, or a god or gods exist. To look around and see all that has been created is proof enough that life did not just appear. If you dig even deeper into life we find complexities that boggle the mind of the greatest thinkers. It was only a short time ago that we discovered DNA. Before this, we only know of atoms, electrons, protons, etc. We did not have the knowledge of DNA. There is no possible way life just happened. There is too much order in place. The order of everything we know on this planet from the ocean tide to the way trees make oxygen point to an intelligent designer. If we look outside of our own atmosphere we find solar systems and galaxies that stretch beyond our knowledge. These stars, planets, and moons function together with a majestic order that can do nothing but display a creator. We can even look to ourselves and see that a creator had to be involved. Our intelligence, our body and the way it works, the fact that we have a conscience; it all points to a god. With everything that points to a creator, there is only one thing that points to the One True God as being the Creator of all things. Even the Apostle Paul tells us that men are without excuse about the knowledge of God. However, creation is limited in what can be revealed about God.

What changed my view of world religions is rather simple. Jesus claimed to have risen from the dead. No other religious figure can make this claim. Buddha is still in his burial spot. So is Muhammad, Confucius, and every other religious teacher and prophet from the past. The only empty tomb is the tomb of Jesus. Don’t assume that I took this as face value at first. I needed proof. It isn’t that I am a doubter; I am just someone that needs concrete evidence. I needed the kind of evidence that would stand up in court if need be.

Believing that a man rose from the dead was not easy to accept for me. Dead people just don’t come back to life, especially after three days. Certainly a man couldn’t survive after enduring what Jesus did. He was beaten to the point that he was unrecognizable. Jesus was beaten with whips that literally ripped the skin from his body. People punched Him, spat on Him, kicked Him, and abused him in every way imaginable. After that was over with Jesus was made to carry His own cross up a hill. Then He was nailed to the cross to die in the hot sun. How can a beaten and abused man, a man exhausted beyond my imagination, a man that was certainly dehydrated, survive being nailed to a cross? How could he survive being stabbed with a spear? The answer, He could not and did not survive. Even if there was an ounce of life left in Jesus when He was taken down from the cross and placed in the tomb, there is no way He would have lived for three days after enduring all He had. You have to remember, the medical technology of today didn’t exist 2000 years ago. There was no way to maintain a person in a critical situation. To be in critical condition 2000 years ago would have meant you were just waiting to die.

How do I know that the resurrection story is real? How do I know that Jesus was a real man? How do I know that the Biblical accounts are true? These are all great questions. The answer to every one of these questions can be found is history. There is not a single historian that will tell you that Jesus was a myth. Jesus was a very real person. His life can be accounted for. The death of Jesus was recorded. There are historians such as Josephus, historians that were not proven to be Christians at all that recorded facts about the life of Christ. If you would like some of the books written by Josephus and other historians let me know and I will tell you where to find them. At the very least I will give you a few excerpts of their writings. I can assure you that Jesus was and is a very real person.

The Church of today is a huge witness of Jesus and that He is truly God. The church of today would not exist if Jesus was not who He claimed to be. When we take a look at the lives of the Apostles, men that walked and talked with Jesus every day for three years, we find men whose lives were completely changed by the resurrection of Jesus. At the crucifixion of Christ the Apostles were cowards. There is no polite way to say it. Not a single man that had called Jesus a friend, master, teacher, or Rabbi rushed to Jesus’ side during His abuse or crucifixion. Peter and the others were yellowbellied chickens. Peter even denied knowing Jesus. He denied knowing Jesus with the strongest words and language he could think of. After the resurrection of Christ the Apostles became different people. They lost all fear. These men had no doubt whatsoever that Jesus was exactly who He claimed to be. Peter, the same man that denied Jesus publically was now preaching and leading people to Jesus. Peter was beaten and jailed and still preached. The Apostles and other disciples were persecuted and killed for following Jesus. If Jesus was a fake, would these men have died for a lie? Would you die for a lie? I wouldn’t.

If Jesus did not live a sinless life, die on a cross, and rise again on the third day then our faith is based on nothing. This would mean the Bible isn’t true. This would mean that everything we know about God is a lie.

Here is one more proof that God is really God. The God I serve, the Creator of all, Jesus, He is not a distant God. We were not created and abandoned. Even in our rejection of God, He seeks us out. We do not call out to God first; it is God that reaches out to us. God has revealed Himself to us through Jesus, through the Bible, and through salvation.

There are a few books I would like to encourage you to read that will elaborate on this topic in much greater detail. Take the time to get a copy of “A Case For Faith” by Lee Strobel. Also get Lee Strobel’s book “A Case For Christ”. Both of these books take a look at God through the eyes of a doubter. Lee looks at the topics of faith and God through the eyes of a journalist. The books are nothing short of amazing. One more book to read that will show you that God is intimate and loves you is “The Purpose Driven Life” by Rick Warren.

Do You Believe?

2011-04-22T17:25:00.000-07:00

If I were to ask you what the foundation of your faith is as a Christian, I wonder what your answer would be? The most common answer that I am sure I would get would be Jesus Christ. He is the Chief Cornerstone, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We are called Christian because we are followers of Christ.

I’m not going to disagree with you, Jesus is the foundation of Christianity. I Corinthians 3:11 states “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” Guess what I’m about to tell you? You should be able to say with a sure voice that Jesus is the foundation of your faith, but there is also something that we need to fully realize. Without Easter there would be no reason to have that faith. The Resurrection of Jesus marks is the single most definitive fact in history that separates Christians from every other religion. The Resurrection of Jesus is what makes Christianity true, and proves all other so-called religions to be false. I Corinthians 15:12-17 Now if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say, “There is no resurrection of the dead”? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, the Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is without foundation, and so is your faith. In addition we are found to be false witnesses about God because we have testified about God that He raised up Christ – whom He did not raise up if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised your faith is worthless, you are still in your sins.

For the Christian, Easter should be the most important day of the year. Easter is the day that we can claim to have victory because of the victory that Jesus had on His Resurrection Day. When Jesus rose from the grave He not only overcame death, but sin as well. He proved His authority over life, over natural powers, as well as supernatural powers. Jesus gave us proof in His Resurrection that there was nothing, is nothing, nor will be anything that He cannot overcome.

Luke 24:1-8 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning,, they came to the tomb. Bringing the spices they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. They went in but did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this suddenly two men stood by them in dazzling clothes. So the women were terrified and bowed down to the ground.
“Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” asked the men. He is not here, but has been resurrected! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, “The Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men to be, be crucified and rise on the third day?” And they remembered His words.

There have been hundreds of skeptics over the past 2000 years that would have you to follow along with them and believe that Jesus didn’t rise on that first Easter Sunday morning. The basis of their argument, “It’s impossible.” “Dead people do not come back to life.

Let me burst your bubble; Jesus did come back to life. He did rise from the grave, and He’s still alive today. You can go to the very tomb that Jesus was placed in today. Do you know what you will find when you look inside? Nothing, the tomb is empty. If you look inside any of the burial sites of any other so-called religious leader guess what you will find? You will see the decayed remains of a body.

The answer that a skeptic will give you to why the tomb of Jesus is empty is interesting. They say that His body was stolen by either the religious leaders or Jesus’ followers. To say that either of these groups would want to take Jesus body makes no sense.

If the religious leaders took the body they would have been more than happy to present it and make the followers of Jesus out to be liars. You can be sure that Jesus’ friends didn’t take the body. During the crucifixion of Jesus the disciples were cowards. Peter even denied knowing Jesus. The men basically hid because they were terrified. After the resurrection it was a different story. The disciples had no regard for their physical life. They were completely sure of who they served. There were people dying for believing that Jesus was the Son of God. If they had stolen the body, do you really think that they would have died for a lie?

Have you ever given thought to the fact that “not even the religious and political leaders that had Jesus crucified doubted that Jesus had risen.” Matthew 28:11-13 Now when they were going, some of the watch (guards) came into the city, and showed the chief priests all the things that were done. And when they were assembled with the elders, and took counsel, they gave a large sum money to the soldiers, Saying, Say His disciples came by night, and stole him while we slept.

The religious leaders gave a bribe to the soldiers on watch so that they would lie if someone asked what had happened. Do you know what would have happened to a Roman soldier if he fell asleep while on guard? He would have been tried and executed, especially if a prisoner escaped. The leaders of that day had to have accepted and believed that Jesus was raised from the dead. (If not I wonder what kind of punishment there was for allowing a dead prisoner to escape?)

There is something else that gives us proof that Jesus really did rise from the grave. Not only is there an empty tomb, not only do you have Roman Soldiers and government leaders that believe, not only do Jesus’ followers believe. After Jesus’ resurrection there were witnesses.

Listen to Paul’s statement. I Corinthians 15:3-8 For I delivered to you first of all that which I received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at one time; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
There were about 500 witnesses that saw a living Jesus after He was crucified.

History gives proof that Jesus was crucified and then died. There are several historians that you can look up to find the account of the crucifixion in history. History proves the resurrection of Jesus as well. There was the establishment of the church first of all that made a mark in history.
What does the church stand on? That Jesus died and then rose again. Easter is the foundation of our faith!

I have been looking into the doubts that skeptics have, another mark in history is that many of these die hard skeptics have looked at the evidence against them, weighed it out, and then became Christians themselves because there is no way to discredit that Jesus really did rise from the grave. That Jesus really is the Son of God. One of the biggest skeptics of Christianity that I can think of was Saul that became the Apostle Paul. Saul had one goal in mind, get rid of the Christians because they were disrupting and confusing devout Jews. Paul was willing to do whatever it took to remove Christianity.

One of the very first Deacon’s of the Church was a man by the name of Stephen. Because of Stephen’s faith in Jesus he was stoned to death. Guess who was there in approval? Saul, or rather Paul. Acts 22:19-20 But I said, “Lord, they know that from synagogue to synagogue I had those who believe in You imprisioned and beaten. And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving, and I guarded the clothes of those who killed him. While Saul was on his mission to rid Israel of Christians, He was converted. Saul became Paul and became a follower and believer of Jesus. This was a man that was fanatical about preserving and protecting Judaism. Saul was a Pharisee.

In just a matter of minutes Saul is convinced that Jesus has risen from the dead. He is convinced that Jesus is that Son of God. Paul became one of the most dynamic Christian leaders that the early Church had. Paul was now risking his life to proclaim that Jesus had really risen. Would Paul have been converted for a lie? Not a chance.

There is no doubt that Jesus died and then rose from the grave. When Jesus arose from that tomb, He gave all mankind all the proof that we need that God truly does love and care for each and every one of us. Jesus, by His willingness to give His life for you gave us proof of just how much He really does love you. John 15:13 Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Do you know that you are more than just a creation to Jesus? You are considered a friend.
When God created all that exists, He didn’t just turn His back and abandon us.
Do you realize that God sees and understands the trouble and problems that you’re going through and that you’ve been through? God understands your life. It was for you that Jesus died. Jesus died so that you could have access to God the Father, so that you can have access to an endless source of power to deal with whatever it is that life might send your way.

What we all need to understand is that there is sin in our life. That sin has set up a roadblock.
Because of God’s righteousness, there has to be punishment for the sin that we have. That punishment is separation from God. Without accepting what Jesus did on our behalf through His death and what Jesus overcame through His resurrection, that roadblock remains. That separation remains. Hell remains. Without Jesus that separation is eternal, placing those that choose not to believe and accept holding the full force of the responsibility that sin holds.

Jesus took all of the consequences of your sin upon Himself on the cross. When Jesus died on the cross, He took all of your punishment upon Himself. When He rose from the grave He was able to offer us a gift of Salvation that begins the moment that you accept. Notice that He offers a gift that you have to make a choice to accept.

Do you know what an empty cross and an empty grave tells us? That Jesus is alive and well today. This Easter I want for you to realize that today is a day of victory. Today is a day for you to realize that through Jesus sin was overcome, death was overcome, satan was overcome. You need to realize that because of Jesus’ Resurrection, Every problem that you might be facing in life can be overcome by the power you can possess through Jesus.

I don’t know what you might be facing. I don’t know what this past week or month has held for you. I don’t know what tomorrow is going to bring. I do know that Jesus can help you with whatever there is in your life.

Are you ready to make a change?

If God is so Great?

2011-03-01T17:56:00.000-08:00

If God is love, how and why does hate and evil seem to abound? If God is all powerful and all knowing, why do we see and experience suffering? If God is perfect, and all He creates is perfect, why does chaos exist? The questions could go on and on, but in reality they all point towards the same target, “Why does God allow suffering in our world and in our lives?”

If you have been paying attention to the news lately you have seen a world in crisis. There are major political struggles taking place in the Middle East that are taking its toll around the globe. Oil prices are being affected, which continues to raise fuel prices, stocks are dropping, and an already bruised and beaten economy is threatened. In truth, there is little in the news today that seems to be positive. There are murders, kidnappings, rapes, and other violent crimes being committed every day.

There are entire Countries that are lacking things that we in America and other progressive nations take for granted. Things like food and water, sewage systems and treatment, medical care, and education. There are Countries dealing with diseases on a scale that you and I are likely not even able to comprehend. The residents of these Countries are literally helpless due to an unimaginable poverty level.

Allow me to continue adding to the ugliness I have been describing. There are children born each and every day with birth defects, deformities, and genetic diseases. There are children being born into abusive homes in which they are mentally and physically mistreated. Parents with AIDS are giving birth to children that unfortunately have to bear the disease as well. It’s sad and sickening to know what many kids endure in private.

Throughout history millions have been killed in wars and in natural tragedies. Genocides have taken place in which countless numbers of lives were taken out of prejudice and ignorance. Tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes, and other violent weather occurrences wreak havoc on our planet every year killing thousands, and sometimes hundreds of thousands.

I could go on mentioning the terrible things that occur globally. Sadly, I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface. So again this leads to my original question, “How can a loving, all knowing, all powerful God allow suffering and evil?” If God is so powerful why didn’t He create a perfect world without sin?

The only way one can answer a question about God is to refer to the Bible. It is after all, His Word. If we open the Bible to the very beginning, Genesis 1:1 we read that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. There is no denying it, God created the world according to scripture. As you continue to read through chapter one of Genesis you notice that as different stages of the world are completed God reviews His creation and confirms them as being “good”.

God never once said that His creation was flawed. Not once did God say there may be an internal glitch that needs to be worked out. God said, “He saw it and it was good.” In the very beginning God created a perfect world without sin. God created a world that knew no death, no pain, no suffering, no shame, nor conflict of any kind. God created a paradise that is beyond our imagination.

I know what you’re thinking, “If God created a perfect world how was sin and suffering introduced?” That is a great question. If God created a perfect world how did things become so tarnished? Why did God allow His perfect creation to become damaged?

That question is not easily answered. I will not promise to remove all your doubts and answer all your questions. All I can do is give you the best explanation I can and hope it helps you see a little clearer.

In Genesis 1:26 God created humankind. Everything that had been created on earth and in the sky was created to support and sustain people. We were placed on earth above everything else and told to care for and maintain all creation. We are God’s greatest creation. We are God’s most cherished creation. God has a love for us that is greater than any love you and I have ever known. He created us in “His own image”. What this means is that we were created in such a way that God would be glorified through our life and existence. In reality, we as people are quite magnificent. We are intelligent, we have individual personalities, we experience emotion, and we have a conscience. To go further, humans were created with an eternal soul. God created us with “free will”. This means that we are free to make our own choices. We were not programmed to perform in a certain manner. God did not create robots that would obey His every wish and command. He could have, but He didn’t. Instead we were given the right to obey or reject God. Yes rules and laws were given, but God did not and does not force us to follow them.

Free will is a great thing, but it can also be very dangerous. It is free will that allowed sin to enter into a perfect world. We can place the blame on a lot of things. We can say that satan introduced temptation and man fell, but that isn’t all there is to it.

In Genesis 2:16-17 God tells Adam, “You are free to eat from any tree of the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, for the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.” This was not God tempting His creation. God was setting up a ground rule. He was giving instructions that would keep them safe.

God telling Adam that he was not allowed to eat of the tree of knowledge and good and evil was done in pure love. It can be compared in some degree to a parent telling their child not to put a fork in an electrical outlet. We know the dangers of the electricity that the outlet possesses, and we know that that power can kill, or possibly maim a child. Our instructions are not to tempt the child, it is to keep him or her safe. This is exactly what God did for Adam and Eve. He gave them instructions that would keep them safe and out of harm’s way.

In chapter 3 of Genesis we find “the fall”. Satan tempts and taunts Eve. He questions Eve in such a way that she begins to question what God has commanded. She begins to doubt the seriousness of God’s warning. Then the fruit itself came into play. It looked good, and I am certain it smelled good. Combine that with a snack that will give wisdom and you have a very tempting treat on your hands. She couldn’t resist, she took a piece of fruit and ate it. Then she presented the fruit to Adam and he followed suit, doing the very same thing she did.

Everyone always sees the eating of the fruit as the “first sin”. I won’t say that they are wrong, but I will say that the sin went much deeper than just the fruit. Adam and Eve blatantly disobeyed God. That is really what sin is. Sin is disobedience towards God. It is trusting self and one’s own understanding above God. Sin is rebellion. No one forced Adam and Eve to sin. They committed sin out of choice.

Here is a question for you. “Can a righteous and just God who is perfect in every way look the other way as sin is committed?” Absolutely not! That would show God to be tolerant of the very sin He hates, and it would show a flaw in His perfect character and nature. God must hold true to Himself and sin must be punished. God did not warn Adam and Eve for nothing.

One choice, one sin is all it took to disrupt all of creation. This is what God was warning Adam and Eve about. They were told if they ate of the fruit that they would certainly die. It was with sin that death entered into the world. In Genesis 3:17 God begins to reveal to Adam and Eve the results of their choice. The ground became cursed, labor pains in women were introduced, thorns and thistles began to grow, and ultimately mankind was sentenced to death. Not immediate death, but death nonetheless.

What does all of this have to do with the suffering and pain we see around us today? It’s simple; we are still experiencing the curse of sin. The world is no longer perfect. We live in a world that became corrupt due to the rejection of God. Unfortunately for us, once that first sin was committed the damage was done, and sin nature was passed down from generation to generation.

Matthew 15:19 says, “For from the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual immoralities, thefts, false testimonies, blasphemies.” These are not characteristics that God gave, these are choices made. Most of the evil we see in the world can be attributed to the evil of man’s heart. Think about it; contaminated drinking water is a result of man-made pollutants that were improperly disposed of, normally out of greed. The Holocaust of WWII was the brain child of a mad man. There are entire Countries oppressed by their government; governments that control every necessity and leave a great number of its residents hungry and without proper medical care. The crimes committed are in reality much like the very first sin. They are all centered on self, around greed, and pride. God is being forsaken for personal gain.

Don’t get me wrong, there is a great deal that we experience that can only be considered a natural occurrence. Violent weather, droughts, earthquakes, and the like are responsible for a great deal of tragedy. Diseases that mutate and become stronger are a natural occurrence. And again, I could go on and on, but that wouldn’t answer the question of why?

The answer to the question literally goes back to the very first sin. Once God was rejected in the garden evil, death, destruction, and chaos became a reality.

Can’t God put a stop to all of this and turn everything around? Yes, He could. There is nothing impossible for God. Nothing is out of His control. However, if God were to stop everything right now and start over you and I would be disposable. We would be nothing more than a Science project that went bad. This would also mean that God made a mistake, and a perfect and just God does not make mistakes. To go one step further, a loving God will not abandon His greatest and most cherished creation.

I can assure you that God does not enjoy the pain that His people (even those that do not confess to believe) endure. I will even go so far to say that it hurts God when we suffer.

John 16:22 says, “So you have suffering now.” God knows and understands that there are major problems here on earth. In fact, we are told to expect hard times and pain. This does not mean that God is ignoring us by any means. In fact it is quite the contrary. If we continue to read the rest of the verse you will find hope. Jesus says, “But I will see you again. Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will rob you of your joy.”

The world we live in will never be the same. Time will not be turned back. What has happened has happened, and because God refuses to let us go He provides a way for us to connect with Him. No matter how dirty, poor, broken, diseased, or sinful you may be, God loves you and truly desires a relationship with you. It is that relationship that gives us hope in a messed up world.

In all that we have done, no matter how far we have run from God, it is God that seeks us out with a desire to restore our broken relationship. God always initiates the actions in restoring a relationship with Him. Luke 19:10 says that Jesus came to seek those that which was lost. We are not looking for God; it is God that is searching for us. It is not us that looks for salvation, it is God that provides and offers salvation to anyone willing to accept it.

The greatest act of kindness and love has been given to us in Jesus. Jesus is God. John 1:1 tells us that “In the beginning was the Word (Jesus) and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Verse 2 and 3 backs this up by stating, “He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created.” God literally gave and gives Himself to us.

Remember when I said a just God could not just let sin happen? There must be a penalty for our sin. That penalty was death. The death God was speaking of in the beginning was much more than just a physical death. It was a separation from Him. God is life; it was He that breathed life into mankind in the beginning. God Himself paid the price that you and I deserve. God allowed Himself to be beaten, abused, publically shamed, rejected, and ultimately killed in order to restore a relationship that we messed up in the first place.

How awesome is it to know that the creator of all things loves us so much that He was willing to step into our messed up, corrupt, dirty, sinful world. God didn’t turn His back on us, even as we turned against Him. Jesus endured more than you and I have ever known, just for you.

The great thing about all of this is that Jesus did not remain dead. Jesus rose from the dead. He was resurrected. God is not defeated. If Jesus had been killed on the cross and never rose again we would have no hope. We could look at this chaotic planet and then say assuredly that God had forsaken and abandon us and left us to our own destruction.

The resurrection of Jesus screams out loud and clear that God is above all things. It proclaims victory. All Jesus asks of us is that we believe. We are asked to realize that we are far from God because of our own personal sin. God has already forgiven you, all you have to do is realize and accept it.

Tear Down The Walls

2010-09-28T13:38:00.000-07:00

A friend sent a link to me a few months back titled “Church Without Walls”. That title has echoed through my mind for weeks. Within that title alone there is a great deal of truth as to what the Church should really be versus what the Church is today within American culture.

Jesus never intended His Church to become a location, a business, or an organization as we know it. The Church is a body; to be more specific, the “Body of Christ”. The Church is a living organism that should grow and thrive and not be held back or held down with denomination, location, buildings, or politics. The Church should be a community that thrives on impacting the lives of others as it reaches out to others where they are instead of waiting for those we want to reach to come into the doors of a building.

Please don’t misunderstand me. A building serves a great purpose. God led and instructed the Hebrew people to build very elaborate and specific structures for His temple. The best of everything had to be used. No corners were cut, no expense was too much, and no sacrifice made was too great or too small. God’s Temple as built by the Jewish people was a true wonder to behold.

There is something to note about the temple. The temple itself was about God and God alone. The building was designed to place focus on God’s glory, not on the internal structure and political development of an organization. The only agenda in existence was to honor, worship, and glorify the One True God. This was the place God met with His people. However, one could say that God’s people were separated from God by a wall or a veil if you will.

The death of Jesus removed the walls, the veil that separated God from man. The death of Jesus shook apart the sin that tore apart the relationship of God and man. For the believer a temple is no longer needed to meet and communicate with God. The believer is God’s Temple. The Christian is God’s dwelling place. You are the Church.

As Christianity spread after the death of Christ groups of people met in homes and wherever they could that would provide safety for a meeting of encouragement, teaching, and fellowship. There was not a specific building, only a group of people that were known as followers of “The Way”. These people were not worried about themselves. They were willing to die for serving Jesus. They had no regard for their own life. Their life was about serving others and leading them to know and trust in Jesus as their Savior.

There is something we need to know and understand about being a Christian. To be a Christian means we are to be Christ-like. Jesus was not found in one place waiting for people to come to Him. Jesus was always found on the move, reaching those in need. Jesus ministered with people one on one. What Jesus did for those He personally interacted with is what drew the crowds. Jesus never relied on a building, never used a pulpit, didn’t have a choir or worship band, and there were no chairs, benches, or pews in a building with stained glass windows.

In American culture the mention of church brings about mental images of buildings, steeples, pulpits, and choir lofts. This isn’t the Church, it is only a church building designed around our personal culture. The Church is comprised of the people, with or without walls. I honestly believe that our buildings are getting in the way of our worship (Remember, the temple was designed to honor and glorify God). The Church building as we know it is getting in the way of what the Church’s intention should be; that is leading people to Jesus. Rather than going to those in need of Christ, we are waiting for them to come in. We are treating the Church building as a store front in many ways. We have the sad misconception that a lost world will walk through our doors to find Jesus.

We need to tear down the walls. Not the physical walls, but the walls within our minds and hearts. The physical walls serve a great purpose, and their purpose will grow as we bring the focus back to Jesus. We need to tear down our walls of politics, tear down the walls of programs, tear down the walls of manmade tradition, and remove our pride and desires to be in control. It’s time to stop allowing ourselves to be controlled by the opinions of others. It’s time to stop being led by fear. We need to understand that we come to church so that we can be the Church. We are there to be led, not to fight over policy and procedure. We are to serve, not to rule. We are to completely take the focus off of self, and place all focus on Jesus. This will ultimately lead towards a focus on others and their needs. When you begin meeting the needs of others the Church will grow beyond our imagination. To quote Rick Warren; “To not reach out to the world is to say to the people you can go to hell.”

Why did a persecuted early Church grow by the miraculous leaps and bounds it did in the book of Acts? It wasn’t because of a church government. The growth was not caused by slogans, programs, or a great pastor. Growth was not the result of a building. The people were serving and reaching beyond walls. They were selling their possessions and giving to the poor. Those that had to give gave until it hurt, and then they gave some more. People were communicating with one another on a very real level. The Church was relevant, real, and personal. To be a Christian in the early Church meant you could lose your life and yet people accepted Jesus by the thousands daily. Jesus was made real to those that had never met Him through the acts of Christians.

It's time to tear down the walls. It's time to go beyond the church building and fulfill the purpose of The Church.

Friend of Sinners

2010-06-09T14:03:00.000-07:00

Allow me to ask you a question; How are we supposed to impact the world if we stay within our comfort zones? How are we to touch the lives of the lost if we never take the time to become involved in their lives? Romans 10:14-15 But how can they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe without hearing about Him? And how can they hear without a preacher? 15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How welcome are the feet of those who announce the gospel of good things! In today’s culture most people are not going to just walk through the doors of a church. It is our job (we are the Church) to take Jesus to the world.

Jesus was called a friend of sinners. If you don’t believe me, take a look at Luke 7:34. The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners! Why was Jesus called a friend of sinners? The answer is simple, Jesus could be found hanging around with sinful people. Jesus’ friends were tax collectors (the IRS has a long history of being hated), prostitutes, fishermen, and other people that were considered the low life’s of the world. Mark 2:15-16 gives an account of the judgments made against Jesus. 15 While He was reclining at the table in Levi's house, many tax collectors and sinners were also guests with Jesus and His disciples, because there were many who were following Him. 16 When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that He was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they asked His disciples, "Why does He eat with tax collectors and sinners?"

I love the answer that Jesus gives in Mark 2:17 in response to the Pharisees. 17 When Jesus heard this, He told them, "Those who are well don't need a doctor, but the sick [do need one]. I didn't come to call the righteous, but sinners."

What is the greatest excuse Christians have for not reaching into the lives of the unchurched? The reason generally given is that we do not know any non Christians. The purpose of the “Church” is to impact the world for Christ. It is our job to share Jesus. This means that we need to stop segregating ourselves and begin relationships with people outside of our own little circles. We need to learn to see people through God’s eyes and love people with God’s heart.

We cannot expect those that are far from God to walk into a church somewhere. We also have to understand that Jesus placed himself in situations that required him to interact with people in need. Are you willing to go into the world and truly be "the Church"?

Let's Pray?

2010-05-31T14:39:00.001-07:00

I have noticed something recently that is driving me insane. Anytime there is a problem among Christians the first response is always “I’ll pray about it”. I agree that we need to pray, and pray continuously. However, there should be much more going on with Christians than prayer alone.

“Let’s pray”, has become an easy out that sounds faithful and dependent upon God. Unfortunately “Let’s pray” is nothing more than a way to avoid an issue we don’t want to tackle. It’s an excuse. Rather than moving forward and addressing what needs to be addressed, we pray and walk off with the hopes that something will just happen. This is nothing more than believing in God as if He is a genie in a bottle rather than a loving Father.

Right now I am certain that I have your attention. You are likely thinking that I have lost my mind. You may think that I have no idea of what I am talking about. Some of you may be concerned about my faith. Trust me; my faith in God and in prayer is intact.

Jesus could always be found in prayer. Jesus stayed in contact with the Father at all times. (This always amazes me because Jesus is God’s own Son. God in the flesh. Still, Jesus lifted up the Father and took His concerns to God). When there was a problem, Jesus prayed. When someone was healed, God was praised in prayer. We see Jesus praying throughout the Bible, and if prayer was important to Jesus, then it must be important to us as well. I said all of that to make a point. I am not telling anyone to stop praying, or to back off of their prayer life any at all. I hope you begin to pray even more. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to “Pray constantly”.

What bothers me about the statement “Let’s pray” is that we stop at that one phrase. If there is a problem in church or with another person we simply pray. When an issue arises at work we just pray. When a friend is in need we do the same thing, we pray. When we find a homeless person on the street our first response is to pray for that person and leave them in God’s hands.

James 2:14-26 14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith, but does not have works? Can his faith [a] save him?
15 If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well," but you don't give them what the body needs, what good is it? (Q) 17 In the same way faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead by itself.
18 But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." [b] Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith from my works. (R) [c] 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. The demons also believe—and they shudder. (S)
20 Foolish man! Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless? 21 Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active together with his works, and by works, faith was perfected. (T) 23 So the Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness , (U) (V) and he was called God's friend. (W) 24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way, wasn't Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by a different route? (X) 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

We need to put feet to our prayers. We need to act as we pray.

Allow me to place things within another perspective. You, as a Christian, are the hands and feet of Jesus. It is “YOU” that God works through and uses. Don’t get me wrong, miracles still happen today, but you may be the vessel used to carry that miracle. God expects us to act, not just ask.

When Jesus found someone in need, He never talked to them about spiritual matters before He met their needs. There is a reason for that. When someone is hungry the only thing they care about is the pain in their belly. When a woman has a hungry child, she isn’t worried about what you have to say, she wants to hear a happy baby. When a person is cold, they could care less about your words, they want to be warm. When bills are due, bills are the focus of life when you know there is not enough money to pay those bills.

Do you understand what I am saying? If you want to become effective for God and see something happen with your prayers you must act and move forward. Action is required, and sometimes action is required more than the words you speak. Stop saying you will pray and move as you pray. Our faith requires action. Get up and do something. Don’t wait on someone else to do it for you.

The next time someone tells you about a problem, don’t just tell them you are praying for them. Ask them what you can do to help as you pray about their situation. Expect that God is about to do something big. Go where Jesus asks, and do what you are led to do. The person in need may say that they need nothing, and then tell you that they need to pay their mortgage that is behind, that their power is about to be shut off, and that the cabinets are bare. Reach deep and help that person out. It may hurt your wallet, but who gave you the contents of that wallet? You may not be able to help with all of their needs, but easing the pain of one wound is better than showing up with a band-aid you don’t intend to apply. That kind of action speaks loud. God’s Word will be heard. Act with faith; don’t just speak as if you have faith.

Ask, believe, and move – not necessarily in that order. Sometimes we need to get moving and pray as we walk.

….….but I need to pray in order to know that God is leading me to do something?
That isn’t how God works. We are placed where we are in order to make an immediate impact. Stop making excuses and make progress for Jesus.

Be the Church!!!

Do Church

2010-04-05T11:46:00.000-07:00

There is a misconception that we have become accustomed to within our culture. In Church World, “service” has become centered around Sunday morning gatherings. The cooperate worship setting has become the pivot point of our Christian lives. Church service does not take place within the sanctuary or auditorium. Church service is what we do, not where we go.

Don’t misunderstand me; I am not saying that attending church is not important. Hebrews 10:25 encourages us to gather together. Depending upon your translation, we are told “not to forsake the assembly, or gathering together” in order to support and encourage one another (my paraphrase). Sunday mornings, or whenever your congregation meets is necessary. It is during this time that we are energized, charged up, and challenged. We are able to meet with people we miss throughout the week. We are able to plug into the church and become engaged on a level that cannot be obtained in small group settings. This is also a time to listen to the pastor’s words as a whole. It’s a time to fellowship. It’s a time to sing together and worship God as a church body.

Not to get off topic, but as a pastor, preaching is something that I do on a continual basis. I enjoy what I do. I have fun on stage. However, I can’t connect with everyone. I can try, but it’s not possible to generalize everything to fit into the lives of everyone. I see my job on Sunday mornings as a motivational speaker of sorts. I want to encourage you and bring to light where you may be messing up. I want to do what I can to inspire you to make the changes needed in your life to become successful. I want you to understand Jesus and learn how to grow in a relationship with Him.

Guess what, I cannot change your life with a twenty minute, thirty minute, or forty-five minute message. No matter how much I try, it just won’t happen. For you to change requires a personal decision that requires committed action. That brings me back to Sunday mornings. I see a need to decentralize Sunday mornings as our weekly “service”. Attendance to church isn’t service. To be “in service” one must be engaged in an action of some sort that assists others. Service means work and effort.

When you become engaged in the action of service, you take your relationship with God to a new level. You are no longer just sitting idle, you are getting plugged in. When you act, you are able to put your faith, beliefs, and talents to work rather than just soak up the lessons taught. James 2:15-17 says, “If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well," but you don't give them what the body needs, what good is it? In the same way faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead by itself”. If you do not put what you know to work, it’s useless.

If you want to see growth take place in your spiritual life, you must become active in service. You will learn a lot from reading and studying, but you will learn so much more in the real world. That is one of the reasons employers place a greater emphasis on finding experienced people rather than those that only have a great education. Recently I returned to school (Luther Rice University) to increase my knowledge. I can tell you from experience that my education in Theology is extremely useful, but all of the Theological education in the world cannot teach me to be a pastor. Being a pastor is something I had to learn by experience alone, and I learn more and more each day.

I have a pastor friend that said something one Sunday that completely rocked my world. His church (a rapidly growing church that impacts thousands weekly) only holds services (there’s that word "services" again) on Sunday mornings. There are other things that take place throughout the week, but for the most part there is one time of gathering. I had always wondered why this was, but never thought to ask. Then in a message one Sunday I got the answer. He said that we need “do church” not just “come to church” so that we can “be the church”. My eyes were opened and I began seeing things much differently than I previously had. His church has a Sunday morning “service” only in order to allow people more time to engage in “serving”. Sunday evenings at my friend’s church are filled with people gathering together for small / home groups, ministry prep, brainstorming, and serving and giving within the community. These people don’t attend church, the do church. They connect with their church, and ultimately Jesus through what they do, not where they go.

Rick Warren says it best when he claims that “a church is known best for its sending capacity, not its seating capacity”. The Church is called The Body of Christ. As members of a body we have a job to do. We were designed to perform a function. We have a service to provide. It’s not just the pastor’s job, or other staff, to do the work of the Church. We are called “The Body of Christ” as Christians. God has a purpose for you.

Getting involved is something that the people within your church want to do. It feels good to be involved. It feels good to play a part and not sit on the bench. It feels good to know that you are making a difference. Serving also gives church members a feeling of ownership. Not a bossy, selfish attitude of worship, but have a humble sense of belonging that drives them to bring others in so they can impact their life as well. There needs to be a sense of belonging that gets them excited when the time comes to gather on Sunday morning. Belonging also drives people to do their best rather than just getting the job done. God doesn’t want you to just give, He expects your best. We are commanded to offer up our first-fruits, our very best. If many of us were to do our job at work like we serve at church, we would get fired.

I would rather see 400 people working behind the scenes and 25 people in the seats than have 25 serving while having a full house. I am certain that every person has a talent. Every person has a job to do and a way to use their talents and interests. In today's church there is a need for multi-media personnel, sound crews, lighting directors, and many other production workers. There is a need for drama teams, musicians, and prop designers. Youth leaders need assistants. Children's church programs need volunteers. The office staff needs volunteers. There is a need for photographers and graphic artists. Web designers are also needed. The amount of work and workers needed grows daily in a growing church.

Volunteering for your church can provide many more benefits than what you are a part of at church. You gain experience that can launch you into something exciting later in life. For College and High School students volunteering can be added to resumes to show community service and experience within certain fields. You also gain contacts and build relationships that have the ability to connect you to a greater field of people. The benefits are endless.

Let's get involved people. Don't give excuses, remove the obstacles and let's see amazing things happen that will not happen without you.

Where God guides, He provides!

That First Impression (The deal breaker)

2010-03-25T09:31:00.000-07:00

Presentation, presentation, presentation!!! Presentation is everything when it comes to making a good first impression.

First impressions are not just for first dates, business interviews, and meeting your future in-laws. First impressions are applied and evident in everything we do. First impressions and presentation is seen everywhere we go. From the grocery store to the day care to the neighborhood you live in, preparations are made that will make you take notice in a positive way.

At the moment, my family and I are looking at new homes. The first impressions made on us normally make or break the deal before we ever see inside the house. When I call a home owner or realtor I expect to be treated professionally and courteously. I want the person giving me information on the home to have all the details I need about the house, the neighborhood, and the school system. When I see the yard for the first time, I want to see a place that is well taken care of. I expect that the neighbors around me have well manicured lawns and maintained landscape as well. When I walk inside, I expect to be greeted by a pleasant smell. I expect to be impressed. If the house falls short of my expectations, I will pass it by regardless of the price.

When you visit some place new, you take everything into account. Every detail matters. You look for gas stations that meet your requirements. You are picky about the restaurants you dine in, no matter the reputation. If you are like me, you even take notice of the trash on the side of the road. This isn’t being picky or snobbish, this is human nature and we are all guilty. We all have standards we hold to and place prerequisites on things we are unfamiliar with.

Going to church is no different. Unfortunately, we overlook the impression our church makes on most days. We forget about what those on the outside think. The impression you and your church makes on others speaks volumes to first time visitors. The impression received will either welcome people back or turn them away. A first impression will make or break a church. People generally give one shot when they try out somewhere new. You have one chance to make new people feel at home and at ease.First impression has much to do with preparation. Just like that first date, you want to take your time to make sure you look (and smell) your best. The clothes have to be perfect. Your hair is freshly cut and styled. Every blemish is hidden as best as it can be. Before that cherished date gets there, you will diet and exercise in order to drop any extra vanity pounds that no one other than you has ever noticed.

If you want to have your church make a greater impact than it is right now, ask yourself how your church looks to a first time visitor or a passer-by. Is the parking lot clean? How do the floors on the interior of the church look? How does the music sound? Will the programs taking place relate to those that you want to reach? Is there a greeter available to direct people through the unknown and into the nursery, children’s programs, and to the main service? Everything must be taken into account.

One of my biggest pet peeves is with the music and audio visuals of the church. Multi-media and sound will turn a person off faster than running into a rude person in the parking lot. Again, it takes preparation in order to make a good first impression. This means that a sound check shouldn’t just be needed before service, it is a requirement. A run-through of how everything will work and sound will make sure that lighting and sound issues are ironed out before the first note is played in public. It also ensures that the musicians are locked in and working in unity. A full sound check will test lighting, sound levels, back-up vocals, and video. Everything must flow with perfection. If there are flaws, visitors will see them.

A run-through isn’t just for the music. A rehearsal of sorts is sometimes needed in many areas of service. Let me say this again, preparation is everything when it comes to making a first impression. You want to make sure that all of the bugs are worked out before you step in front of people. Preparation and rehearsal gives you time to correct issues, and if need be, abandon a project altogether.

Here are a few questions for you to consider. Is there a visitor’s center / area / desk with a knowledgeable person behind it? Are new people being greeted properly and directed towards the right areas? Does your children’s area and nursery have the right security in place to deter any potential problems? When people walk into the main service area, is it quiet, or is there background noise and a video of announcements and upcoming events to ease the tension? Are there people mingling, if not they need to be? Does the service start on time, every time? Do visitors feel comfortable and welcome? Does your church fit in with the surrounding community in music and dress style? Do the people already here seem genuine and real?

You may see your church as being too small to worry about some of the things I have mentioned. If that’s your mindset, you need to rethink how you see your church. If you think small, everything will be small. Think big and do big things. You may have more people working behind the scenes than you do in the audience, but that isn’t a bad thing. This is called “service” for a reason. People want to be involved. Find out where they fit in the best and plug them in. In the end you will see that you are preparing to see a very large impact made. You will see new visitors.

Complacency is a very ugly thing. When you become complacent you become accustomed to things that could be detrimental to the important first impression. We don’t consider the run of the mill things that the “regulars” are used to seeing. Every time you pass your church, pass it as a visitor and see things through their eyes. Complacency equals failure.

Are We Relevant to Those Around Us?

2010-02-20T17:24:00.000-08:00

What do you wear to church? That is a loaded question for some. For many of us, we cling very tightly to what we are accustomed to. Change doesn’t come easy, so a lot of people would answer saying that they wear their best suit or dresses on Sunday. This is a culture many have engrained within them.

I didn’t grow up in a home that enforced going to church on Sunday’s. However, on the few times that I did attend one was expected to dress in business attire. I remember my grandmother telling me that I had to look my best, and wear the best I had. She would tell me, “Men should be seen wearing suits complete with jacket and tie. At the very least he is expected to wear a pair of casual khaki pants with a collared pull over shirt.” I never had the lecture on what women should wear (My parents had three boys, we didn’t have a sister to bully us around) but Ladies generally wore a dress or a skirt. Some could also be found to wear a pair of dress pants paired with a blouse to pull off the business look.

When I first started out in the ministry as a pastor I can remember dressing in the best clothes money could buy. Every Sunday I would put on a double breasted jacket with matching pants, a silk shirt and tie, and a perfectly polished pair of shoes. That’s what a pastor’s wardrobe was expected to be. As I would look out over my congregation, I would see much of the same thing every week. People dressed up as if they were attending a black tie event.

I can remember inviting a few friends to church one Sunday, and they gave me a response that changed my entire outlook on how to dress at church. They looked at me and said the same words I had used as an excuse to stay away from church a million times. I was told, “We don’t have anything to wear to church.” My friends were everyday working people that rarely had a need for anything more than standard casual dress. They wore jeans, t-shirts, sports shirts, and the like. These people were not poor. They owned nice things. In fact, the clothing they wore fit in with the styles and trends that were around them. They did not stand out in a restaurant or other social gathering. They did not see a need to purchase dress clothes. For them to attend church meant they would have to purchase a different wardrobe.

I remember encouraging them. I told my friends that no one cared what they wore to church. I told them that they were dressed just fine. They agreed to worship with us, and kept their word. However, when this couple arrived at church you could see just how uncomfortable they were. They did not fit in at all. It looked as if they had walked into another dimension. To make matters worse, people were staring. Don’t get the wrong impression. The people in the congregation were nice. They smiled, welcomed my friends in, and they carried on conversation. However, there was an obvious wall due to something as simple as clothing. I felt like an idiot, and I realized that I made a huge mistake in simply inviting a couple of friends to worship with me in church. That couple never set foot inside that church again.

I started thinking, “Why do we dress to such an extent when attending church?” I started doing research, and from this I saw a lot of churches that were breaking what I thought was a church law. The first church that caught my eye was Saddleback Church in California. The pastor there never wore a suit. In fact, Rick Warren could be found each and every Sunday wearing a brightly colored shirt that was untucked, a pair of khaki pants, and deck shoes without socks.

I was instantly intrigued and impressed. Rick Warren’s church is located in one of the most affluent areas of California, and yet he was able to grow one of the Country’s largest churches while looking like he was ready to hit the beach or go sailing at any moment.

As I began investigating more, I noticed what was at that time a growing trend and change in church culture. I was seeing the beginning of the “Contemporary Church” of today. I became aware of churches like “North Point Community Church” in Atlanta, GA; “Willow Creek” in Chicago, Il; Fellowship Church” in Grapevine, TX; and many others. What began as a simple investigation concerning attire opened my eyes to something I had failed to see. These churches were making those that didn’t go to church (like the friends I invited) feel comfortable within a worship environment. These churches were communicating the gospel and were introducing new people to Jesus on a continuous basis. These churches took traditional dress codes, music, and seating and threw it all out the window. These churches looked like coffee houses and concerts. There were no pews, stained glass, or hymnals. In fact, I noticed a few churches using lights and smoke machines. I was perplexed to say the least.

Oh, don’t get me wrong, I tried to judge these churches and condemn them for being “modern”. I criticized the café, the light show, and the full concert. I even criticized the way people were dressing in church. I was astounded by the fact that people were sitting in the sanctuary drinking coffee while the pastor spoke. My immediate reaction said that these churches were nothing more than people pleasers trying to trick people into coming through the doors so they could boost the Sunday offering.

I was so wrong. What I began to realize is that many of today’s churches are failing in growth because they are basically turning people away due to man-made traditions. I started to see that there was a huge communication barrier between my first church, and the culture I lived in. The church was not growing because we had slowly disconnected ourselves from the people that need Jesus. The church I was a part of, like thousands of others, were alienating the people Jesus desired for us to reach. We had become a group of people that could be accused of the same hypocritical actions that the religious leaders of Jesus’ day were confronted with. We were expecting people to become like us and follow our rules. They needed to dress like us, talk like us, sing like us, and even understand the Bible like us. It was then that we would try to introduce people to Jesus. We were doing things backwards. Jesus never asked anyone to change until they realized who He is and who they are? It was then that Jesus would tell the new follower, “Go and sin no more”. (….and not once in scripture did Jesus command us to dress in a business suit to worship.) Guess what, as a church, I started to notice that we were the people pleasers. We were trying to please those within the walls of the church in order to maintain what we had rather than doing what was necessary to follow Christ. The fear of the opinions those within the church walls were keeping us from reaching those that needed to hear about Jesus.

I didn’t change overnight. It took me years to realize that the church really has nothing to do with worship styles, dress codes, buildings, music styles, hymn books, theater style screens, or programs. The church is a body made up of normal, everyday people that have given their lives to Christ. The Body of Christ exists to do one thing, lead a lost world to the Savior. The church is people doing people business.

I have fallen in love with Paul’s assessment in I Corinthians 9:19-22 For although I am free from all people, I have made myself a slave to all, in order to win more people. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win Jews; to those under the law, like one under the law—though I myself am not under the law to win those

under the law. To those who are outside the law, like one outside the law—not being outside God’s law, but under the law of Christ—to win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, in order to win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I may by all means save some.
What this verse basically says is this; “Communicate with people in a way they will understand and comprehend. Speak in their language, eat their food, dress in their clothing, and even listen to their music. However, under no circumstance compromise the truth of Christ.” Make people feel comfortable so that they will be able to focus on the message rather than on the superficial things such as man-made tradition. In other words, when in France speak French. Our churches should speak clearly to the cultures around us without compromising God’s Word. Our churches exist within a mission field. How different would you do church if you were in another Country?

I no longer wear a suit and tie (unless there is a special event, wedding, funeral, etc). I’m not saying there is anything wrong with dressing up. The times I do dress up, I enjoy it. It feels good to look in the mirror at a fitting suit that screams class. However, there isn’t a need all the time. Would Jesus have worn a suit and tie to speak to most people today? I don’t know, but I can assume He wouldn’t. Jesus could be found speaking to common, everyday, regular people. In fact, the Pharisees and other religious people of Jesus’ culture ridiculed Him and called Jesus a friend of sinners. Jesus called them hypocrites and vipers because they were defiling God’s message and character by turning away those that needed to know the truth of God. With that being said, I think we would find Jesus wearing jeans and an untucked sports shirt. He would look just like the everyday average people found at the mall, the bookstore, the local coffee shop, or other gathering place.

I no longer see a church as being traditional or contemporary. I see it as being relevant or not relevant. You may see my view as being a little extreme. That’s OK, there was a time I didn’t agree with what I have said. Ask yourself this though; “Are we sacrificing our youth and those that are far from God in order to keep our traditions”? That isn’t my quote, it belongs to Andy Stanley, but it makes an eye opening impact when it sinks in. Are we allowing the opinions of others as well as our resistance to change hold us back from the commission of saving souls?

The 2000s Decade is Behind Us

2010-01-02T18:46:00.000-08:00

This past decade (2000-2009) was full of events. We have experienced destruction, wars, and uncertainty in many different areas. This millennium was one that launched the world into one of the worst financial times since the Great Depression. Home forclosures, bankruptcies, and bail-outs have become a common place occurance in many locations.

Not all has been ugly though. We have also seen victory take place in ways that will forever change the lives of those involved. American's have learned to do more with less. People have started saving now in ways that haven't been seen since the 1930s. People, families in particular are learning to bond again because of the financial pressures seen in many homes.

The way people communicate has improved faster this decade than any time before as we are introduced to texting, smart-phones, social networks, and better technology for email. Technology as a whole has made huge advancements.

I'm not sure how your personal life faired the start of this millennium. Hopefully your personal time-line is full of success and great memories. I know that I have experienced many life changing events that forever changed my life for the better. Both of my girl's were born this decade. I committed my life to serving in ministry. I built my first home (for sale). I won't say that my life has been without struggles, but I can say the this decade has given blessings to me that outshine the negatives.

These are the highlights of America this past decade as I remember them. I'm sure much has been left out, but this list will likely jog your memory and help you review the past 10 years.
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2000
*America experiences a Historic Presidential between George W. Bush and Al Gore. The results were close enough to demand a recount of ballots. The hanging chad will forever be remembered.

*George W. Bush wins the election to become the 43rd President of the United States.
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2001
*Apple introduces the I-Pod

*George Harrison of the Beatles dies

*9-11-2001 will forever be remembered as terrorists highjack commercial airliners and crash them into the World Trade Center Buildings and the Pentagon killing 3000 people. Another highjacked airliner crashed into a field as its passengers heroically overpowered the terrorists.

*War in Afghanistan begins as America vows to protect itself from future attacks.
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2002
*America invades Iraq

*The Euro replaces the currency for 12 European Countries
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2003
*Shuttle Columbia explodes over Texas

*Shock and Awe is launched by American troops in Iraq and Baghdad is captured

*Saddam Hussein is captured
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2004
*Ronald Reagan dies

*Olympic games are held in Athens

*Tsunami kills 200,000 in Indonesia on Dec. 26th
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2005
*Suicide Bombers kill 56 on London’s transit system

*Pope John Paul II dies

*Hurricane Katrina rips apart New Orleans, LA and the Gulf Coast
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2006
*Saddam Hussein is executed

*North Korea performs nuclear testing
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2007
*I-Phone is introduced

*Airbus A380 makes its first commercial flight
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2008
*Barack Hussein Obama is elected to become the 44th US President. History as made as the Country elects its first black President

*Lehman Bros, AIG, GM, Chrysler, and many other iconic corporations crash along side the stock market. Bankruptcies and bailouts are seen throughout many of America’s best known banks and businesses

*Cyclone in Mayamar kills 146,000 upon landfall

*Earthquake in China kills 69,000
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2009
*Passenger plane crashes safely into the Hudson River

*A new American Health Care Plan is introduced and reviewed. Town Hall meetings become a place to hold public arguments as the American people reject Obama’s plan for a Heath care reform.

*Swine Flu / H1N1 virus is deemed a pandemic

*Michael Jackson dies at the age of 50

*As this decade comes to a close America sees the unemployment rate sitting just above the 10% mark.

As 2009 passes away most people are greeting 2010 with open arms. As the clocks across the Nation struck midnight ending a tough decade people cheered with the hope of a new beginning in a new era of the 21st Century. Americans, as well as the rest of the globe are looking positively towards what the next 10 years will bring.

My prayer is that God will allow us once again to experience prosperity, happiness, and to use what we have learned from the mistakes we have made. We have a long way to go in terms of recovery, but we can become smarter and stronger if we will only look towards God and lean on His wisdom.

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

Are You Ready For Christmas?

2009-12-13T08:08:00.000-08:00

The Christmas season can be tough for a lot of people. There are so many different things on our minds. There are problems, gifts to buy, decorations, and plenty of other stress inducing issues.

My question; How different would things be if you were to take you focus off of the "things" of Christmas and instead focus on the "reason". Are you ready for Christmas? Is your focus on Jesus and the gift He offers?

Move On Move Up

2009-11-22T13:30:00.000-08:00

Everyone makes mistakes, but not everyone learns from those mistakes.

Over the course of the past few weeks I have been determined to show how our past holds us down, and holds us back. For many of us that is true. We look at our personal shortcomings and then develop excuses that keep us from moving forward with our life. The problem is that many of us never move past the mistake, or the past person that we once were. We accept the past to a point that it dictates what and who we are forever.

How many times have you admired a particular job, position, or person in your life only to look at your past and bring up the things you have done, or not done? How many times have you thought to yourself, “I don’t have the education”? How many times have you decided to move forward in your life only to have your personal failures brought to light”? How often have you claimed to be content while only giving an excuse to not meet your fears head on?

I’m guilty. I have made mistake after mistake. I have wanted to tuck my tail between my legs like a scared puppy and run to a corner that looked safe.

The past really can hold us back, but only if we allow our personal mistakes, experiences, and the opinions of others to rule our lives. The past is just that, it is the past. It’s behind us. Our past is something that can only haunt us.

Don’t get me wrong, the choices you have made can and will govern your life, but only for a short while. You are a product of your decisions. This includes the decisions you make right now. This includes what you do with your mistakes. A person’s past and their mistakes should never be an anchor, but a tool that is used to shape something ugly into something beautiful.

In order to move forward and become productive we need to embrace the fact that we have made mistakes and then look at how we can learn from where we have been. How can we use a failed Church or business to build a productive one? How can take a derogatory comment that we personally made and use it to produce something positive? How can we take something that has shaped who we are for decades that use it to reshape us to something that we have only dreamt and imagined?

Instead of seeing how you have done something wrong, look at where you are in a different light. If you have tried to accomplish something, and have failed you haven’t necessarily failed, you have discovered a way in which NOT to do things. Now you have a guideline so to speak.

Maybe you are looking at a great job, but you don’t have the education or experience to obtain the career you’re after. Does that mean you should just quit. Absolutely not, that should be the encouragement you need to go to school again. Become a volunteer, and allow those doing what you dream of to become your mentors. If you don’t, you are doing nothing more than allowing your past to govern you.

Is it possible that you live in the small town you grew up in? Yes, people saw you crash and burn. There are eyewitnesses to your habits and embarrassing moments. Yes, there are people that will remember your drunken stupor, the time(s) you were arrested, or the skinning dipping. Someone will still remember you as being an idiot, a nerd, or a jerk. There are people that will remember who you were at one time, and they will continually bring up the bad points to keep you down. There are people that will remember your deepest darkest secrets.

The past is the past. Embrace what you have done. Laugh about the immaturity, and then show those around you how much you have changed. Let people see you as a success, not as a failure. I know that some of what you have done is terrible, and it is damaging, but you cannot, and will not take back what happened yesterday, or five minutes ago. You can only begin to live life in such a way that builds a positive reputation that destroys an ugly past.

I Surrender

2009-10-08T18:41:00.000-07:00

Whenever I write a blog, I ask myself what I can teach that is new. What can I give people that may drive them to think a little deeper, to love a little more, and to be motivated to follow God closer? I am always asking what there is I can do that will place me on the cutting edge so to speak.

I have spent an entire week wondering what to write that may impact your life. What can I say that will move you into action? What can I do in order to inspire you to forgive your enemies? Is there something I can show you that will make you commit your life to Jesus with a depth that you have yet to fathom?

In the middle of my efforts of trying to break new ground, I reached a conclusion that shook my world. I am in the way. I can not, on my own, give anyone anything that has to do with God. I can only give what has been given to me. I am nothing more than a messenger. I am a mouthpiece. For me to think that I am any more than a vessel to be used by God is placing myself on a pedestal. In my efforts to give you something, I have been humbled. I have been brought to my knees. I have realized that on my own I can do nothing, but with God’s strength, wisdom, and leadership I can do greater things that I have imagined. Isaiah 55:9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

There is nothing I can say or do that will ever be greater than what God leads me to do. The real question is; will I go where God calls me to go, do what He asks me to do, and have complete faith and trust even when it seems that the world around me is falling apart.

This verse has been beating on me, and speaking to me all week long.
Matthew 36-40 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'[b] 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[c] 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Love the Lord, love God, love Jesus with all of your heart. Not some of it. Jesus is telling us to make a committed move towards Him. We are to make a conscious decision that puts God on the pedestal of our life. The world does not revolve around us, even when we think we have a great deal to offer.

All 10 of the Commandments Moses was given gravitates around loving God with our every being.

…….and if we will humble ourselves to give our all to Jesus, loving our neighbor will come with ease. Loving those we despise will change the world. Loving those that hate us will show God in ways greater than any word you can speak.
In order for me to give you anything, I have to first realize that I can only give you Jesus. The only way I can give you Jesus is to remove me and place God at the top of my life. Will you surrender your life as I surrender mine?

Storms of Life

2009-09-17T22:14:00.000-07:00

At one point or another, we will all experience a storm. We will all go through trials, adversity, and pain. It's not a question of "if" you will deal with problems, it's a question of how you will deal with these problems when they arise.

Who are you leaning on? Are you trusting your opinions and ideas, or are you looking towards the Creator of life for answers?

Focus

2009-09-14T22:51:00.000-07:00

I have told people over and over to simply focus when asked for advice. That’s the last thing anyone wants to hear when asking for advice. We are generally looking for answers. However, focus is a large beginning to most of the answers we need.

When someone gives you the advice to focus, do you really take the time to consider what is meant by the word or term? My goal is to first get the person with a need to slow down or possibly stop all together for a moment. As a general rule, we are wrapped up in more than we can handle at one time. After a while everything becomes a blur, especially in a time of crisis. Nothing seems to be clear.

What does it really mean to “focus”? To focus is to make the target clear. Most people have used a camera. We all know what it’s like to look through the lens and see what looks to be a foggy mess. If the camera isn’t focused, the picture you take will be wasted. No one wants a fuzzy picture of an unrecognizable blob.

There is more to focus that just removing the blur we see. Take a rifle’s scope for instance. The reason a scope is used is to see farther, and to block out the distractions we have in our peripheral. It also helps to dial in on the target in order to accurately hit the bull’s eye.

Many, if not most people are going through life with no control at all. There is no direction. The only goal is to move along with the flow of things and HOPE to see something positive happen. Both, the book of Ephesians, and the book of James speak of indecisiveness. We are warned about being tossed back and forth by the waves of uncertainty. (Ephesians 4:13-14, James 1:6) There is a serious need to focus. You will not accomplish much by accident.

Focus isn’t something that automatically happens. You have to make an effort. It takes a conscious decision to adjust our life, as well the perspective on life. You have to realize what your goals are and remove the distractions that may keep you from those goals. Sometimes there are tough choices to make. We may have to give up things that are dear to us in order to move forward.

Angry

2009-04-29T21:41:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I posted last. Even as I sit with my laptop, I am not sure what to type. There isn't a lack of topics, the problem is that I am overwhelmed with things, ideas, and issues. In truth, I have had a topic boiling on the back burner for a long time. I just don't know how to verbalize it.

At this time in history we are experiencing a very turbulent time. People are confused, and in truth I am right there with them. People are angry, and I am right there with them. People are struggling, and I am there.

Among all of the things I am angry with, and mad at, I have no choice but to include the Church. When I say I include the Church, I am not just speaking of a particular congregation or denomination. I am speaking of the Body of Christ as a whole. It will take me a moment, but bear with me and I will share with you my view.

I have been in the ministry for 10 years. I accepted Christ as my Savior at the age of 19, and knew right away that I would be a public servant in some form or another for Jesus. At around the age of 24 I surrendered into the ministry. Not long after this I took on the challenge of my first Church. This was a challenge all its own that opened my eyes to a world I never knew existed within the ministry.

There is a big problem within the Church today, and I saw it within 4 different views, in 4 different Churches. It's a sin that is over looked. It's a sin that I am certain makes God sick. As Church leaders, we are being people pleasers more than leaders.

In order to maintain the numbers, we refuse to deter from the path that the people are comfortable with. We bash Aaron for forming the Golden Calf, and yet we do the same thing with our traditions. The idol was familiar to the Hebrew people, and our traditions are familiar to us. The sad part is that we forsake God for garbage, just as the Hebrew people did.

In many Churches, we are forsaking our youth to preserve our tradtions. How is this any different from what the Pharisees were doing? They were called hypocrites because they were wrapped in religion that pushed God away.

As the Church, it is time that we stand up for what we believe. It's time that we stop replacing meekness with weakness. It's time that we begin following God without being ashamed. It's time for us to realize that we are pushing people away rather than inviting people in.

WHAT?

You read the last sentence correctly; we are pushing more people away than we are bringing in. The reason is because we are too wrapped up in pleasing those within the group of the Church. We are trying to please ourselves, and we are putting a wall up around the Church that tells the world to stay out.

Guess what, Jesus was called a friend of sinners because He fellowshipped with the world rather than with the religious leaders of His day. Jesus let a lost and dying world know that He loves them.

We are called the Body of Christ; shouldn't we act like it. We aren't a body of Pharisees. There is a world in need of Christ, and we are the preachers. We are the hands and feet. We are the mouths.

If Jesus were walking on earth today, would He visit a bar? Would Jesus stand on a corner and talk with a drug dealer or prostitute? Would Jesus ride a motorcycle?

Jesus would befriend the Doctor performing abortions. Jesus would lead meth dealers and drug lords to repent. Jesus would put aside all of the judgements about people. You are a member of the Body of Christ.

How big of a hypocrite are you?

I'm sure this short blog will anger some. If what I have said has angered you, you are likely someone I am speaking to.

I'm a Loser and So Are You

2009-03-28T22:29:00.000-07:00

Have you ever felt like a "nobody"? Sure you have, we all have. There are times in which we go through life feeling as if we are not able to accomplish anything.

There is a major problem with that mindset. First of all, it's very negative, and shines a bad light on you. I'm sure you have heard the term, "If you believe it, you can achieve it". Well, that can also be applied to your negative thoughts. If you don't think you are anything or anyone important, you are lessening the impact you can have on the people around you.

I'm not telling you to believe you are greater than anyone else for any reason. Luke 7:28 I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John, but the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he." No man is ever greater than another. We should never try to compare ourselves to what someone else is doing in order to build status. Never let anyone tell you that they are better than you because of a skill or talent. Never allow a person's education or job title dictate greatness. Never allow money to be a governing factor of one person over another. There is nothing wrong with having a Ph.d, a large bank account, and a great job title, but that alone does not say that that person is better than you.

I want you to understand something that has likely been over looked. Jesus uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Look at the Disciples; they are average everyday people. Matthew was a tax collector that was hated. Peter was a fisherman that came home from work every day smelling like sweat and fish. I could go on, but there are examples like this throughout the Bible. King David was a shepherd before he was a king. Moses was a Jewish infant destined for death, tossed in the river in a basket, and then raised as an Egyptian. Later in life Moses was a murderer that took refuge in another Country. He found work as a shepherd. God used this man to lead millions out of Egypt, and has lead the world since then through his words.

The next time you feel worthless, take into account that God created you. He knows everything you are going through. God understands your pain, your shame, and your every mistake. God knew what you were going to become before you were born, and God believes you are great.

Allow me to say this again, "God uses extraordinary people to do extraordinary things".

Adultery - more than you think

2009-03-15T15:25:00.000-07:00

After an amazing service at Journey Community Church, I felt it was time to address an issue that I have had working within my mind for years. The message that Bobby Smith gave this morning was based on Exodus 20:14, Do not commit adultery.

Revelation 21:9 Then one of the seven angels, who had held the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues, came and spoke with me: "Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb."

The Bride being spoken of here is the Church. The Church is considered to be the “Bride of Christ”. This title brings with it a description that many Christians overlook. We don’t tie the intimacy that comes with the marriage relationship to our relationship with Jesus. However, the intimacy and closeness a husband and wife share is a great example of the walk God wants to have with you.

A typical wedding vow states that a husband and wife accept one another in sickness and in health. The vow proclaims that there will be dedication and devotion whether richer or poorer, and in good times and bad. What is being proclaimed in a wedding vow is unconditional love.

In marriage, a couple shares in everything. The couple exists in support, and in love. Marriage is a union that touches the heart like no other personal relationship known to man. In marriage, secrets become a thing of the past. Feelings are to be placed in the open. Literally allows a man and a woman to become one. Marriage holds a bond so strong that divorce brings with it mourning that is equal to the death of a loved one.

I could go on and on with a description of the depth of marriage. However, that isn’t what I want to discuss. I simply need you to be aware of the passion and power that exists within marriage. The reason for this is due to the same passion, devotion, and intimacy that God’s has for you. As a Christian you are a member of the Church. That places you as the “Bride of Christ”.

Let’s go back to the 10 Commandments. We are commanded in Exodus 20:3, Do not have other gods besides Me. Unfortunately, we place many things before God in our lives. When other things, no matter how great we may think they might be, are placed before God, we are allowing these things to invade the intimacy that God wants to have with us. We are giving parts of ourselves to something else that was intended only for God.

I’m not about to tell you that God doesn’t want you to have anything. In fact, many of God’s people are, and have been very blessed in riches and worldly things. These people were able to have many possessions. No matter how much these people had though, they did not allow these things to invade the relationship God intended for them alone. In essence, when we place our devotion of things above our devotion to God we commit adultery. We are allowing parts of ourselves to be given away to something that was never supposed to be included within the intimacy of our life.

When you place the word “adultery” in place of rebellion, sin, or neglect of God it allows us to see things in a whole new light. God takes marriage and divorce very seriously. Where is your relationship with God today?

Proverbs 6:32 The one who commits adultery lacks sense; whoever does so destroys himself.

Who Are You?

2009-03-04T21:31:00.000-08:00

There is a word that has been floating around in my mind all day. The word is one that came up in a conversation with a pastor friend. For some reason, this word has not had the impact in many people’s lives that it should. However, if everyone was to fully understand this word and what it truly means, the world would be a very different place.

OK, I know what you’re asking. “What is the word”?

The word for the day, and likely the rest of my week is “Authenticity”.

Dictionary.com defines Authenticity as this:

Authenticity

Au`then*tic"i*ty\, n. [Cf. F. authenticit['e].]
1. The quality of being authentic or of established authority for truth and correctness.
2. Genuineness; the quality of being genuine or not corrupted from the original.

In my conversation with this particular friend, it was stated that people today are looking for more than a person’s status or title. People are not willing to follow something simply because their golfing buddy enjoys it. People today refuse to take things for its face value. People today are looking for Authenticity. People are looking for something that is genuine.

To my amazement, the younger generations are very keen on picking up on hypocritical people. If someone seems fake in the least little bit, that someone loses credibility. Their words become questionable, even if everything they speak is an absolute truth.

If a person desires to influence anyone, family included, that person must be accountable for their own actions. Influence only comes with reputation. In order to maintain a valid reputation one must hold onto integrity.

What does it mean, in regular words, to be authentic?
First, it means you must be yourself. You cannot try to copy the lives of others. I’m not telling you that lessons cannot be learned. What I am telling you is that you can’t try to mimic the successes of those you admire. You must accept you as being, you. What are your strengths and weaknesses? How can you apply your personality? How can you use the person God made you to be?

Next, a person cannot flip flop in his or her decisions. It’s OK to admit a mistake or to change your mind. It’s not OK to change simply because you have a need to please others. Great people do not succeed as people pleasers. Great people are willing to hold firm and take risks. Great people are sometimes very wrong, and they go down in flames. However, great people hold onto their integrity, and with this they are able to step back up to the plate and start over.

When a person is authentic, that person can use their own life as an anchor for others. How can a person offer a challenge if he, or she, is already known at failing? There is no standard to measure with when you live a life that lacks authenticity.

James 1:8 An indecisive man is unstable in all his ways.

A lie, even a small white lie, is a lie. To lie is to be unstable.
To lead a double life, or to hide things that are shameful to you, is to lack authenticity.
To compromise morality is unstable.
When you intentionally let those around you down, and when you can't be taken at your word, you are not authentic.
If you have a price in which you can be bought, you are not stable.

To be authentic is not easy. It takes knowing what you believe, and not waivering. It takes holding firm, even if holding firm costs you everything. It takes dedication and faith. Not a faith in self, because self will always let you down. Faith in God, and God alone.

Ephesians 4:13-15
...until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God's Son, [growing] into a mature man with a stature measured by Christ's fullness. Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head—Christ.

Get Up, Make a Difference

2009-03-02T18:08:00.001-08:00

The media is announcing a worsening economy day after day. With the close of every day on Wall Street, it seems that the markets are destined to fall. More and more people are looking back towards the events that Historians say started on Black Tuesday. A global catastrophie that began with America on October 29, 1929 known best as "The Great Depression". With this research, more gloom and doom is being cast before America and the world. It's as if people are accepting a bad economy as a fate that they are to endure. The Internet is full of remedies of how Grand Parents and Great Grand Parents survived the worst economic period in American History. A time in which an estimated 25% of Americans were out of work.

There is a flaw in many people's reasoning in researching information concerning "The Great Depression" period. Many of these people are giving up. They are looking back while trying to see how bad things may get.

I will never tell you to ignore reality. Things are tough right now. There are millions out of work, and they are having a tough time finding a job that will provide for their families. Hiring employers are watching hundreds of resumes and applications pile up on their desks as job hunters investigate every available option. People are desperate, scared, and confused in many ways. I know this in a personal way. I am one of the millions out of work at the moment. I am not one of the many without hope though.

There is a plus side to our present economic situation. You will never see a positive among the negatives if you are not willing to see through the negative.

...and what is the positive among our economic recession? Many Americans, and others around the globe, have an opportunity before them to step up, stand out, and be great. Many have a clean slate so to speak. There are dreams that need to be sought after. There are plans to be filled. People have a chance to see a brand new life begin that would have never presented an opportunity without a crash of sorts.

First, let me say this; A stimulous package or government handout will not get you back on your feet. Unemployment is a temporary fix that will not last forever. In fact, every means of financial assistance is a band aid that slows the bleeding. It does not heal the wound. Nothing in this world comes easy or free. With the billions of dollars being given to auto manufacturers and banks, comes a note that you and I are paying as tax payers. The same is with every penny given from the government for any one that recieves money.

History shows that America overcame the Great Depression after they grew tired of the government's many failing attempts to correct the financial disasters millions faced. AMERICA WAS NOT BUILT ON A GOVERNMENT DEPENDANCY!!! America was built on the backs and minds of great people. People with determination, strength, and most of all faith. America has never been given an easy road. What makes America look like a dream come true to the world? It's during these hard times that great people with innovative dreams and drives begin to shine.

So, in these hard times we have today, what are you supposed to do? The answer is simple; stop waiting on others to provide your way and make your path. Get up and get busy. If you aren't working for someone else, go to work for you. Use your talents, skills, and gifts to build an income. You could possibly found the next Fortune 500 Company. America did not survive the "Great Depression" and the "Dust Bowl" by sitting on its hands. America got creative, and innovative people determined to succeed got to work when it didn't look like work existed.

People do not stop spending in an economic down time. They simply look for the best deals available. I guess you could say, people get thrifty. A great deal of success is waiting for creative people and their investors.

Proverbs 10:4
Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.

Just a little History:

Interstate Bakeries, the maker of Twinkies Snack cakes and a home to the Hostess brand, was founded during the "Great Depression". Interstate was founded by Ralph Leroy Nafziger in 1930, in Kansas City. The mid West was not only home to a tough economy in terms of the Stock Market. You have to remember, this was also the home of the "Dust Bowl". Greatness still prevailed.

Texas Instruments was founded in 1930 as GSI. In 2008 Texas Instruments ranked 185 on the Fortune 500 list. This has been one of our Country's major innovators for more than 80 years. Do you have a cell phone, calculator, broadband modem, etc in your home? Guess what, TI is likely in the works somewhere in that product, or in their history.

20th Century Fox was formed by the merger of Twentieth Century Pictures and Fox Film Corporation in 1935.

United Technologies was founded in 1929 as a holding company for airlines. Boeing holds its history in this Company.

With a bit of research, one can find hundreds of companies that were born out of a determination to succeed. Many of these success stories appear to be miracles due to a lack of funding.

I know there is greatness within you. How are you going to use the amazing gifts God has given you to change the world?

Where is Your Faith

2009-02-26T09:54:00.000-08:00

It's true, things are ugly. The economy is in a nasty downward spiral. I don't completely understand how things have gotten to the place they are now. It's almost as if America woke up out of a coma only to see a world of change. One day things were fine and fairly stable, and the next day we are fighting for our lives.

There are more people out of work and filing for unemployment today than there has been within my lifetime. Home forclosures are at an all time high. People are not spending money, because they have no money, and this is killing an economy that is already on life supoport. The government is talking about nationalization of failing banks (which is another mystery to me; if bank executives can't fingure out how to repair their problem, what makes elected officials think they can). Auto companies that are an icon to our Country are crashing. I could go on, but there's no need.

I wish I had an answer, a miracle, or at the very least, a suggestion. Sadly, I don't. I am walking in the same shoes as many Americans at the moment. However, I do have hope.

Matthew 6:25-34
25 "This is why I tell you: Don't worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn't life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the sky: they don't sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren't you worth more than they? 27 Can any of you add a single cubit to his height by worrying? 28 And why do you worry about clothes? Learn how the wildflowers of the field grow: they don't labor or spin thread. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these! 30 If that's how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won't He do much more for you—you of little faith? 31 So don't worry, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?' 32 For the idolaters eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. 34 Therefore don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

God promises not to leave or forsake His children. When we worry, and bath ourselves in fear, we doubt God. The God we serve is a covenent God. He is a God of promises.

I understand that it's hard to follow and have faith when it seems that all of your faith is being tested. Let me ask you; what is faith without a fearful situation? When things are tough, the depth of your faith is seen. The belief you have in God is seen when you decide to lean on Him in life's storms.

We also have to look towards the faith of those that have endured hardships before us. There are many of people around us that lived, and survived the "Great Depression". These people were able to see an economy collapse. They lived a very minimal life in terms of finances, possessions, and nutrition. These same people over came the poorest time in America's history at this time. They not only survived, but they thrived, and America became the leading economical force in the world for close to a century.

Many, if not most of these people that survived the "Great Depression" made it through with the help of Christ. They trusted God in order to overcome what seemed to be a hopeless and helpless situation.

Where is your faith?

If you recieved an email...

2009-02-25T22:16:00.000-08:00

Now that Access Point Church is a page in the History books, I have decided to start over with my blog. The Access Point Church blog page has been deleted.

In my efforts to do a few things differently, I am asking you to join my blog as a member so you too can share your thoughts to the world in response to my comments. I have chosen a handful of people in my address book that I want to be a part of my ramblings. You will recieve an email every time I log a post. Many, if not all of you, are musicians within the Christian community. Because of your service, I look forward to the impacting words you may have to share.

This will not be a daily blog, but it will be updated at least once a week. I can not promise you that things will always be serious. I like to laugh and enjoy life. Be prepared for anything.