Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas. It’s been awhile since December 25th landed on a Sunday. However, it’s seems very fitting that we are celebrating the birth of our Lord on the day that we regularly come together to worship Him. Corporate worship is in itself a celebration.

Each week we celebrate our Great God for all that He is and for all He has done and is doing. Today we focus in on celebrating our Master: “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.”(Phil. 2:6,7) Praise and glory be to Him!

As you celebrate this Christmas be sure and take some time out just to thank Jesus for being willing and obedient to step into your journey so that you could have a relationship with His Father. Celebrate Him for being the greatest gift ever known to man. Celebrate His Father for being the Giver of such an incredible gift! Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! (2 Cor. 9:15)

The greatest gift and celebration that you could offer, if you have not already, would be to receive the Greatest Gift from the Greatest Giver that He is offering you today. So, if you do not know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, give your life to Him today and experience why the God of the universe moved heaven and earth just so your could celebrate what we call Christmas day.

Have a very Merry Christmas and remember to say Happy Birthday to Jesus!

Pastor MJ

Love = Sacrifice

”This is how God showed his love among us….”
1 John 4:9-11

There are many definitions of love floating around. We hear it almost daily in relation to food, weather, and articles of clothing, celebrities, music and more. One of the sad things about how love is portrayed today is that it just comes and goes. We see people falling in and out of love. One day they are “madly in love” with each other, the next they are in a bitter divorce. For many, love is conditional and is based on circumstances rather than a choice.

I am so glad that God sheds light on the true meaning and foundation of love in His Word. When we look at love through God’s eyes we see something that is not only possible, but promised when we look to Him for direction and ability to love like He loves.

In John 15:13, we read, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Jesus not only spoke these words, but He had the example of His own Father who, out of love for His creation sent Jesus to be sacrificed as redemption for us.

Love = Sacrifice

In 1 John 4:9-11, it is clear and concise how God displayed His love, by sending His one and only Son to be sacrificed for our sins.

Rarely do we see or hear a conversation about love where sacrifice is brought into the conversation. Love is almost always depicted or defined as something that makes us feel good, comforted, cared for and safe. And although the large picture of love does ultimately include those things and more, foundationally true love begins with sacrifice. That is why John tells us that love is, “Not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”(vs. 10) In this way, we are reminded that true love involves sacrifice. And that is the love that we are called to extend to all those that God places in our lives. We must be willing to sacrifice, or give up, feelings, comfort, safety, or the expectation of anything in return and love unconditionally, because that is the way that Father God loves us.

As we reflect this Advent season, and today on love, take a moment and think about the Love that it took for the God of the universe, the Prime Mover of all that was, is and is to come to will the sacrifice of His one and only Son because of His love for you and for me. John 3:16, proclaims, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Love=Sacrifice=Giving – This is what God did by sending Jesus to be born that very first Christmas morning and what He will again express on that day that we look forward to as He comes again.

Blessings.

Still Not All We Should Be

“No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be,

but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing:

Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.”

Philippians 3:13 (NLT)

Not too long ago, I was laying down resting and thinking deeply about my past and how, if I had the chance to do it all over again I would change some things I’ve done, not speak some things I’ve said, not go some places I’ve been, not think some things I’ve thought. It almost became discouraging as I realized none of my past can ever be changed until God began to replace those thoughts and blanket me with truth from His Word. His Spirit spoke Psalm 30:11 to me, where it says, “You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy.” (NLT) And then Joel 2:25 “So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you.” (NKJV). And finally, Isaiah 43:18-20 "Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past. "Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness. (NASB)

God has given you and I breathe today in order for us to bring glory to Him. One way that we can do that is to not focus on the past, except to repent of anything there that might be displeasing to Him, accept that it is covered by the blood of Christ and live today in a way that is pleasing to Him. When Jesus spoke to the woman caught in adultery, he did not excuse her sin, yet He pointed her forward and said, “Go and sin not more!” (John 8:10-12)

We cannot change yesterday, but we can, with God’s help and our obedience change how tomorrow reflects on today. Where have you really blown it? What things do you wish you could change about “yester-year”? Remember Isaiah’s words, “Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past.” And don’t forget the words of Jesus, “Go and sin not more!” Today is a new day. Go in His strength and through obedience to His Word put a smile on the Lord’s face about your “today”. From that morning, recently, I’ve been holding on to this thought: that I will live each day, “Striving to put a smile on the face of my future’s past as I put a smile on the face of my Lord today”!

Let’s praise and worship the Lord today for being a God who can indeed take a failed past and turn it into a bright and joy filled future. Glory to His name!

Pastor MJ

Don't Worry About Anything

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.

Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

Then you will experience God’s peace,

which exceeds anything we can understand.

His peace will guard your hearts and minds
as you live in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

As we look at the children of Israel in the book of Exodus, how many times can and do we see ourselves? God had just done so many miracles, things that only He could have done. They had watched Him turn the Nile River into blood. They had witnessed God sending boils to cover all of the men and animals throughout the land. Then they saw the plague of locusts and darkness that culminated in the death of all first born children of Egypt while all of God’s chosen people who were covered by the blood of the lamb did not see death. You would think that after all of that, that trust would not be an issue with these folks. However, our human nature is strong and how soon we forget God’s gracious provisions and protection when the going really gets tough.

Their thought was that this had to be a trick. All that separated them from their enemy was land and in front of them sat the Red Sea. They cried out, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” (Exodus 14:11-12) But God in His incredibly gracious way, once again provided for His own. He opened a way where there was no way. He made a roadway in the wilderness and a path way through the sea. The pathway of life for the Lord’s people became a roadway of death for the Egyptians.

God had given His word through Moses and Aaron that they were going to a land that He had prepared for them. He had made a covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. He was not about to break His promise. However, circumstances were giving them other signals. God has given us His word. He has promised to never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). He promised to give us the peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7). In every circumstance He has promised to meet our every need (Philippians 4:19)! He has promised to not only hear, but to answer our prayers if we ask according to His will (1 John 5:14-15). We need but to exercise our faith and believe Him at His Word. He is worthy to be trusted, He has never failed, and that’s a reason to praise Him. Let’s do so together today and throughout this week.

Pastor MJ

Living With Hope

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:17-19 (NIV)

While Job saw and felt the boils that were covering his body, God saw the millions of people who would be encouraged by his story of praise in the midst of trials. As Joseph was surrounded by the darkness of the dry well that he was thrown into by his brothers, God saw the store house of food that would feed thousands during the severe famine. At the time that David’s family saw a “ruddy” young man God saw the greatest human king of Israel. And over two thousand years ago, while the magi saw the infant Messiah, the Jews hope for gaining freedom from Roman oppression, God saw the cross of Calvary.

Scripture teaches us much about perspective and hope. Things that look strange and unreasonable to us are at times perfect and purposefully part of God’s Sovereign plan. “For my ways are not your ways…”  ( Isaiah 55:8).

Such truth and living examples throughout Scripture should give us hope day in and day out. Just knowing that what we see in our present circumstances is only from our vantage point and that God sees the whole picture should help us to put our trust in His goodness and sovereignty, not our present situation.

Remember Peter? His present circumstances dictated that he was going to probably drown. But that was when he focused on the water. When he focused on Jesus, not the water, He was safe. Peter saw the waves crashing around him; Jesus saw an opportunity to show that He was the Lord of all creation, even the sea.

I must admit, I often struggle when the “resource box” is empty. Too often, my first reaction is to fret and to wonder, “How in the world is this going to work out?” It must break God’s heart when after doing miracle after miracle; after meeting me around the corner from the impossible, time and time again with “I’ve been here all along with this incredible (some provision)”, that I still worry and don’t remember that God’s ways are not my ways and His timing is not my timing, but that His love is real, His faithfulness is great and eternal and that He is worthy of my undying trust. Our hope is not in our circumstances, rather in the one who will one day, right every wrong and wipe every tear from our eyes (Revelation 21:4). That is a hope worth holding on to.

Pray with me today that He would grant us the ability to live with hope and a eternal perspective.

Pastor MJ

Be Thankful in All Circumstances

Never stop praying.

Be thankful in all circumstances,

for this is God’s will for you

who belong to Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 (NLT)

Saying “thank-you”: two words that are so strong and significant that they even bring pleasure to the heart of Jesus, Himself. Two words that mean so much that an entire story was written about Christ’s reaction about not expressing thanks in Luke 17:11-19.

Someone asked me a question not too long ago that I want to pose to you today:

“What if the only things you had left tomorrow are the things that you have given thanks for?”

All I could say after I heard that was, wow! What a thought provoking question.

We have a chance today to say, thank you. Here is some space below to do just that.

Happy Thanksgiving!

                                                                                                      

                                                                                                      

                                                                                                      

                                                                                                      

                                                                                                      

                                                                                                      

                                                                                                      

                                                                                                      

                                                                                                       

                                                                                                       

But He Knows the Way That I Take

“But he knows the way that I take;

when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.”

Job 23:10 (NIV)

Not too long ago, one of my piano students was admiring a blown glass piano in my office. After explaining to her about the process of how glass is made and that sand is the major ingredient, she said, “I can’t believe something as ugly as sand can become as beautiful as blown glass!”

It’s amazing how the words out of a child’s mouth can reinforce such deep biblical truths. Immediately, I began to picture what condition I was in before Christ saved me. John Newton’s song says it perfectly, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me…” The most undesirable looking sand is “eye candy” compared to what I was, what you were before a loving Father gave His only son for us. Our sin, the dark filthy stain that separated us from having any kind of relationship with God, when laid upon His son on the cross was so reprehensible that He could not even look at Jesus. For one moment in history, God the Father turned His back on His only Son, due to the depth of the filth laid on Jesus. But just as 3,000 degree fire takes sand, gypsum, soda ash, limestone and dolomite and turns it into pure glass, the refiner’s fire through the blood of Christ takes our dark sin and makes us as pure as Christ Himself.

As the heavenly angels gaze upon our lives and the lives of those saints who have gone before us; as they look upon us as the trophies of His grace, they must have a similar reaction to the one of my student commenting about my blown glass piano. I can hear the angels proclaiming, “I can’t believe that someone as wicked and vile as (fill in our name) can become as beautiful as Christ.

As we bring Him our praise and worship today, take a moment to reflect on who you were, who you are and who you’d be today without Christ in your life. And then stand in awe, sing in wonder, sit in humiliation and walk in a worthy manner as one who has been blessed beyond measure, comprehension or any merit of our own.

“Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD.

"Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;

though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”

Isaiah 1:18

Pastor MJ

WHY

Why, is a question that we tend to ask when we don’t understand the reasons for something taking place or the absence of the same. It’s a question that most of us if asked would admit that we’ve asked God. It’s a question that I’ve asked and have with tears in my eyes just yearned for an answer from God.

In John 11, when Jesus heard that his close friend Lazarus was dying, He told those around Him, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it." (John 11:4 NIV) Then it says that Jesus stayed where He was for two more days. If it were up to Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, they would have had Jesus drop everything and come right then to heal their brother and keep him from dying. But as we read this portion of scripture we see that it wasn’t up to them and that it wasn’t about them, or their brother, rather the circumstance that they found themselves in was all about God’s glory.

It’s a very natural thing for us to become focused on ourselves when in the midst of our circumstances we find ourselves weighed down and burdened by the reality of pain and suffering. Could it be possible that the cancer our loved one is facing is for God’s glory? Can my losing my job and not being able to get one for this long be because God wants to be glorified though it? Maybe you’ve said, “I’ve been praying for my husband for years to come and know the Lord, but to no avail. Should I continue to pray or give up?” Could this journey of pain be for the glory of God? How could my life of struggling with my addictions ever turn out to bring glory to God?

Mary and Martha are beautiful in the way they relate to Jesus. They were honest enough to say to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” In reality Lazarus would probably still died, we don’t know, but we do know that the sickness, the death, the sorrow, the hurt and the pain that this family was feeling was all a part of God’s plan to reveal His glory. Martha follows her statement to Jesus by saying, “But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” In her pain, in her sorrow, she never gave up hope. Her brother was dead, but she still believed that Jesus could do the impossible.

As we take steps day by day, moment by moment and face circumstances beyond our control, let’s remember that it’s all about Him and His glory. It’s not about our good and well being, it’s about His glory which when accomplished will always work out for our good. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Rom 8:28 NIV) Our circumstances will look much different when viewed through the lenses of God’s glory.

Some Trust in Chariots

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses,

But we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”

~Psalm 20:7

During these seemingly uncertain times in our world I am holding firmly on God’s promises and His character, specifically in the way that He worked with His people during times of war. Time after time we see the key to victory was trust and obedience. As the people of God trusted Him and in doing so showed it by their obedience we see victory. There were times when they had the upper hand by pure might, but the victory was from the Lord. There were other times when they had just a few and were humanly out numbered, but God brought the victory. God Almighty is the Victor and those who trust in Him and obey His commands have already won.

In our times there are many who are assuming that no matter what happens in the coming days that America will be victorious, because we have the “bigger guns” and we are the world’s only “Super Power”. However, might alone in our day does not always help. I lived very close to the World Trade Center and we all know now that evil does not need to have the biggest guns. We are in a battle now that is not against flesh and blood. (Eph. 6)

Trinity, I believe that more than any other time we must face reality and realize that we are in times that we may well be seeing the change of life as we now know it. We are afforded so many privaliges and freedoms, such as we are enjoying today. Do we take for granted the freedom to come and worship this morning without the fear of being jailed or worse? Do we take for granted that we have a corporate prayer time that will “always be there”? Are we crying out to God for our nation, our leaders, our children, etc.?

I’ve heard that some of the most incredible worship services are in the places where the people experience the most pain and suffering. I myself, went to one service where the room was filled with people delivered from crack, prostitution and sexual addictions. Next to them were others with hearts being mended from divorce, rape, post-abortion and more. I heard more praise, worship adoration and thanksgiving that day than I had ever heard. Those who have been forgiven most, love the most...hopefully.

What happens tomorrow in Iraq is uncertain. What the United States will be like next year is uncertain. Who our God is, is sure and unchanging. Let’s not wait until the worst hits to cry out to Him. Let’s not wait until we are in the midst of the furnace to praise Him. Acknowledge His love, strength, hope, mercy, forgiveness, power, might, grace, peace, healing, provisions and more and worship Him for them today and the next and the next, so when trouble comes you will rest in the place where you’ve already been and not forget in the dark what He revealed to you in the light. The battle is the Lord’s:

“Look at the nations and watch— and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.” Habakkuk 1:5 (NIV)

Purpose Driven Destruction

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.”

(John 10:10a)

 From the beginning of time we see him working out his purpose with Adam and Eve.

We are all created in the image of God. That image is best seen in the expressions from and in our hearts. Satan cannot take away our salvation but if he can destroy, break or in other ways nullify the heart of Almighty God’s image bearers then He will be happy. God’s glory is expressed best here on this earth through the lives of His children. As Saint Irenaeus wrote, “The glory of God is man fully alive”. Satan’s plan is to break your heart, especially in things towards God. If he can do that then the glory of God coming from your life is dimmed and less of an influence for God.

Satan tried to do this to Adam, the nation of Israel, Jarius, Joseph, Abraham, Daniel, Jesus and millions of others. Where was God when the Jews were commanded to make more bricks with less material? Were was God when Jarius held His almost lifeless daughter in his arms? Where was God as Joseph as being thrown into the dry well? Where was God when Jacob received news of his favorite son being killed by wild animals? Where was God when Daniel was being thrown into the lion’s den? Where was God while Job was getting the mess kicked out of him? Where was He when your husband/wife walked out? Where was he when your best friend died of AIDS? Where was he when you were betrayed by those you trusted the most? Where is He now? Why didn’t/doesn’t He step in?

Each one of those questions is fueled by Satan’s sole purpose to destroy your heart. He wants to steal your joy, your hope. He wants to kill your emotion towards your Creator, your Father and to kill your heart towards Him and in some cases not only your heart but your very life.

Without the well, Joseph would have never brought the Jews to Egypt. Without the cross, no resurrection. God won. He always does.

My friend, you may not see, feel, sense, or even believe that God is with you in the midst of your situation or that He even cares.

He is and He does… One day every question will be answered, every doubt will be erased, every fear quenched, every tear dried. Go ahead, cry, get mad. My prayer for you today is that you will be able to say, even in your brokenness, just as Job did, “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him (Job 13:15 NIV) Today may be your “Friday”, but your “Sunday” is coming.

With you, desiring a heart fully alive……...MJ

At This I Fell At His Feet

At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me,

"Do not do it… Worship God!” (Rev 19:10 NIV)

As John was caught up with what he was seeing in heaven he was so overcome with the culture of praise and worship and being in the presence of the Almighty that he began to worship the messenger of God rather than the God of the message. The angel reminded him that there is only one who is worthy to be worshipped and that is God Almighty! We are created to be worshippers. Every created being is made with the ability and the drive to worship, to give worth to something, someone higher than themselves.

The problem comes when the object of our worship is wrong. Since the beginning of time people have been worshipping “out of focus”. This happens when we see incredible things coming from something that has been created and we become so focused on the beauty, the talent, the power, the love, the comfort, or the provision that we forget where those things ultimately originated from.

Lest we think that only those who worship trees, the sun, feet, or animals are the only ones off course, consider some of the things even many Christians can fall into the trap of worshipping and by doing so, ascribe more worth to the creation than to the Creator.

Financial stability – instead of worshipping the One who provides.

A loved one – instead of worshipping the One

who brought the loved one into our lives.

A sports hero – instead of worshipping the one

who gave them their talents and abilities.

The tools of worship – instead of worshipping the Object of our worship.

Physical beauty – instead of worshipping the One

who fashioned the beautiful one.

God is the only one worthy to receive our worship. Today, ask the Lord to reveal in your life where this may be true. Is it your finances, your family or even your religion? Talk to Him about it today and make the journey back to the place where He receives the worship that He is worthy of. Be sure to thank Him for the gift, but never allow your thankfulness for the gift to get in the way of your worship of the Giver.

Pastor MJ

Called By His name

“…everyone who is called by my name, whom

I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

(Isaiah 43:7 NIV)

“Why?”, is a question that we tend to ask when we don’t understand the reason for something that has happened. It’s a question that most of us if asked would admit that we’ve asked God. It’s a question that I’ve asked and have with tears in my eyes just yearned for an answer from God.

In John 11, when Jesus heard that his close friend Lazarus was dying, He told those around Him, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it." (John 11:4 NIV) Then it says that Jesus stayed where He was for two more days. If it were up to Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, they would have had Jesus drop everything and come right then to heal their brother and keep him from dying. But as we read this portion of scripture we see that it wasn’t up to them and that it wasn’t about them, or their brother, rather the circumstance that they found themselves in was all about God’s glory.

It’s a very natural thing for us to become focused on ourselves when in the midst of our circumstances we find ourselves weighed down and burdened by the reality of pain and suffering. Could it be possible that the cancer our loved one is facing is for God’s glory? Can my losing my job and not being able to get one for this long be because God wants to be glorified though it?

Mary and Martha are beautiful in the way they relate to Jesus. They were honest enough to say to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” In reality Lazarus would probably still died, we don’t know, but we do know that the sickness, the death, the sorrow, the hurt and the pain that this family was feeling was all a part of God’s plan to reveal His glory.

In the midst of our circumstances, as we face uncertainties day in and day out, we must remember that not only were we made for God’s glory, but that every circumstance in our lives, the good, the bad and the seemingly indifferent, are all a part of the plan that God has to bring glory to Himself. It’s not about our good and well being, it’s about His glory which when accomplished will always work out for our good. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Rom 8:28 NIV) Our circumstances will look much different when viewed through the lenses of God’s glory. My friend, that is why we are here.

Are You Hard Pressed Today?

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed;

perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned;

struck down, but not destroyed.

We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus,

so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

2 Corinthians 4:8-10 (NIV)

Are you hard pressed today? Are you feeling perplexed about life and persecuted at work and at home? Do you feel struck down by the illness that is overwhelming your body?

It seems today that those kind of feelings are almost becoming common place for many, especially in the world we live in today. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring and one almost wants to sleep with one eye open.

My friend, today Father woke you up one more time for you to know that you are not defeated, that you are not alone. That doesn’t mean that you’ve never experienced loss, or that you’ve never failed, but it does mean that it’s not over and that today is a new day, a day for you to, in the midst of your circumstances realize that reality goes beyond what you can see and that as you begin to look at things from His perspective that it puts a new light on everything that you’re going through.

Scripture is a great example of seeing things from God’s perspective. We have the privilege of reading things after the fact, when in reality that is how God saw them all the time. God is not confined to time and space so everything is here and now in His eyes. Abraham could have felt defeated as he raised the knife, but God saw the ram. Job could have felt defeated as he scraped the boils off, but God saw the double portion of blessing in chapter 42. Mary could have felt defeated and crushed at the foot of the cross but God was already at the resurrection. Daniel could have felt defeated as the lions approached, but God was already telling the lions that a better meal was coming a bit later.

Whatever your present circumstances, my friend, whatever situation you find yourself in, the Holy Spirit wants to remind you as He did as He opened eyes of Elisha’s servant in 2 Kings 6:16-18, to remember that "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them."

Let’s praise Him together today and thank Him that He has already won for us and if God is for us, who or what can be against us? (Romans 8:31) And remember to pray for those who are going through the “storms of life” right now.

MJ

His Lordship

What comes to mind when you think of “Lordship”? We hear that word used a lot, especially as we sing words phrases such as “He is Lord”, “Lord, I lift Your Name on high”, “Lord, You are…”, “The Lord is Good,” or “In my life, Lord, be glorified.” We use it when we pray, “Dear Lord…”, but what does this word mean in our relationship to Jesus?

For many years, I thought that I had to get to a point in my life where I allowed Jesus to be “Lord” over my life; that I had to allow Him to be “Lord over all or He was not Lord at all…” Those make for compelling lyrics, and in truth I can daily give more of myself to Him to be under His control, but the truth of the matter is that Jesus is Lord, period. “He is Lord of heaven, Lord of earth, He is Lord of all who live, He is Lord above the universe, all praise to Him we give!” (see Revelation 17:14)

What we must realize is that Jesus is Lord and it’s up to us to accept that fact and live according to that reality. Either we will accept His Lordship under His grace and mercy in this life, or we will be forced to accept it in his judgment and condemnation after this life is over.

His being Lord is not up for debate. Our acknowledgment and acceptance of His Lordship is what we are to live out and exclaim with our every breath! He is your Lord whether you like it our not. The question is whether you acknowledge it and choose to live like it. Just saying “He is Lord” does not make Him your Lord, either, however, saying it in truth only comes from the power and leading of God’s Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:3)

When Scripture says in Philippians 2:9, “…every knee shall bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father,” these will not all be willing participants. Will you be? Are you now? This week read Romans 14:11 and be resolved with the right choice now and experience a life lead by His Lordship today. Give Him your everthingness today. That is one way we can worship Him with our lives this week by acknowledging His Lordship in our lives and in all we do. He is worthy of our doing so!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)

Ten Years After 9/11

It’s hard to believe that 10 years has passed since that morning that changed our country forever. I’ll never forget watching building one of the World Trade Center burn and then watching the plane hit building two. My heart sank and the only thing that I wanted to do was to get home to my wife and children and know that they were safe. Our nation was under attack.

As a result of those attacks in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, DC, we will never be the same. Many lives were lost, many families forever changed and the world and how we view terror and how to combat it will never be the same.

Since that day, depending on how close you were to someone you know that died or what part of the country you were in at the time, the effects of 9/11/01 are different. That night and for several days following, churches were packed and the Nation was “one”. Since then, for many, they no longer attend church and you only have to turn on the news for a moment to see how divided we are as a nation. Today, let’s pray for our nation, pray for our leaders. Pray that God’s beauty would come from the ashes of that dreadful day.

Although the towers are gone there are two other “monuments” in our nation that are under attack as we speak. Tower 1 – Husbands; Tower 2 – Wives. The enemy has a full frontal attack going on to destroy this God ordained institution. Unlike the events on 9/11, the attack on marriages and marriage as an institution is a daily event. The Enemy sends his “planes” into the buildings of marriages every moment of every day. There were thousands of lives affected by the actions of a handful of terrorists on 9/11. Today, there are millions and many generations being affected by the onslaught on the family.

Today as you remember 9/11, “run home”! Make sure your family is safe. Protect yourself and your marriage and family by placing it and yourself under the control and protection of the God of the Universe who ordained and will sustain you against any and all attacks of the unseen Enemy who seeks to kill and destroy your family today.

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12

Reminder: This afternoon, please come by and join members of our worship team and the worship team from WoodCreek Church for a time of praise and worship as we take time on this day to focus on our great God Who is our ever present Help in time of need.

Today - Sunday, 9/11
Location: Haggard Park, downtown Plano on 15th, east of 75.
Concert time: 3 - 6 pm.

From the Rising of the Sun

Living a lifestyle of worship! As we look at a glimpse of heaven as portrayed in scripture we see that worship will be our sole occupation in heaven. Imagine worshipping God throughout eternity and joining our voices with the angels and those who have gone before us responding to His wonderful works and His glorious name. What will that be like? Well, we won’t know until we get there, however, we don’t have to wait to get there to live lives that worship Him day by day. How can we begin now what we will spend eternity doing?


Psalm 113:3 says, “From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised.” Most likely, the thing or person that you are the most in love with will occupy your mind and your thoughts at the beginning of your day. Is that God? Take a moment today and praise Him for the sunrise, for the ability to see the sunrise. Thank Him for one more day to serve Him here on this earth. Think about the blessings of the past week and take a moment before you begin your activities of the day and bow before Him and adore Him by singing a love song to Him. Use the words in scripture or let the emotion from your heart be poured out to Him.

You might be struggling today and you have been wronged at work, you’re tired, you’ve got problems at home that you cannot get off of your mind and you’ve got financially problems that seem to pile up every day. During your lunch break or at your desk, take a moment and bow your head or get on your knees at your chair and pour your heart out to God. Tell Him that you are struggling and that you are at the end of your rope. Tell Him that you have been anxious and that your heart has not been focused on the right things. Confess everything that is on your heart to Him and tell Him that you need Him to step Him. Tell Him that He is worthy of you giving your all to Him and then do it. As you drive home that evening and think over your day the Lord lays someone on your heart that you know is in need. The Holy Spirit prompts you to pray for them, do so and then ask God for wisdom and the words to say and then ask God what you can do to minister to them and show them His love and then do it. When you are done, praise Him for being a God who knows everything and is concerned about our every need.

Before you turn your lights out at night reflect on your day. Think about the ways that God revealed Himself to you through the day. The ways that He’s blessed you, protected you, provided for you and met you. Take the next moment and kneel by your bed and lift up praise and adoration to Him for being such an awesome God!

That’s a day filled with acts of worship. That’s a day where worship was our lifestyle. That’s a day when we put a smile on Father’s face. May we together live more and more days where we make it our goal to worship Him with our everythingness “From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets”.

I Have Fought the Good Fight

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race,

I have kept the faith. (2 Tim 4:7 NIV)

If I were able to offer people my age one thought to hold close to their hearts, it would be expressed in just two simple, yet powerful words: Finish well.

Throughout history we have examples of men and women who began their journeys as husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, pastors, businessmen, and friends with a bang. Life was good and they were at the top of their game in every area of life. Their walk with God was good, their relationships with their wives/husbands and children seemed to be second to none. Their zest for life was energized simply by waking up in the morning. Then something happened, the circumstances of life took over and some, sadly enough, ended their journey here, sad, burntout, brokenhearted, rejected and alone.

Finishing well begins by viewing life not as a sprint, but rather as a marathon. Sprinting through life puts the weight of completion on our shoulders and when circumstances cause us to trip and fall, we become disillusioned, convince ourselves that we deserve better and we often feel like failures and ultimately, many times give up. Realizing that life is a marathon helps us to make it through the pit falls of life and get up again, not to give up, but rather to continue towards the finish line of life, longing to hear the most important duel words in eternity, well done.

Satan would have us think that we should rush though life and get all we can before the other guy gets it and all the while destroying anyone or thing that gets in our way. He also wants us to think that happiness should be our goal in life. Jesus on the other hand set the example of the marathon in life that takes one day, one moment, one circumstance, one person at a time, keeping our eyes on the “Author and Finisher of our faith!” (Hebrews 12:2) He also told us to expect trouble, not happiness. (see John 16:33)

Where are you today? Are you on the sidelines, tired, unhappy, bruised and injured after a long sprint? My friend, it’s not over, it’s far from over. Extend your hand out and our Lord and a trusted brother or sister in Christ will join hands with you and help you to the finish line. Are you running well? Slow down and take a moment to pick someone else up and don’t rush through life so fast that you forget that you won’t truly finish well unless you bring someone else across the finish line with you.

This week, purpose anew not only to finish, but by the grace of God to finish well. And along with that know that God is more concerned with your holiness than your happiness.

Pastor MJ

God’s Forgiveness and Mercy

David's Prayer

He was a shepherd boy who was skilled as a musician as well as being a man’s man. He killed a bear, he ripped apart a lion, and he eventually killed a giant with a stone and a sword. He held kingdoms in his hand and had the favor of thousands upon thousands. He was a part of one of the greatest nations in the world; God’s chosen people’s favorite son and he became their greatest earthly king. He had the “whole world” in his hands, and we read in Scripture that if he had asked for more, he would have received it.

With all that David had, with all of the power, prestige, women, followers, and God’s favor, he still came to a point in his life where he stepped off course and set aside all God had done for and with him and he gave into fulfilling the passions of his flesh.

However, the incredible thing about this story is not that a great man fell, (all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God), but that a holy, pure God would still love and forgive someone who shamed His name and spurned His favor. In David’s life and in the lives of men and women throughout history, we see God continuing to reach out His hand through the hands that were nailed to the cross, saying, “I offer you forgiveness and I love you”.

No matter what you’ve done or where you’ve been, God’s forgiveness and mercy are available to you. And He’ll never stop loving you. You worship the God of mercy today. Before you come, pour your heart out to Father God confessing your sins and receive forgiveness and cleansing from the One who know you best, yet loves you most.

Beautiful that's how mercy saw me

Though I was broken and so lost

Mercy looked past all my faults

The justice of God

Saw what I had done

Mercy saw me through the Son

Not what I was but what I could be

That's how mercy saw me.”

~Geron and Becky Davis

Now, that’s something to praise Him for!! Amen?

Freedom of Expression in Worship

It's amazing how the "face" of corporate

worship has changed over the years.

Not only in the music, but in the personal expression in worship. Back in the seventies and early eighties, the only churches that were using, what we know as praise and worship music or contemporary music were charismatic or Pentecostal churches. I remember attending a Assembly of God church with a friend in the early eighties, I was blown away. People were actually engaged in participatory worship. They were not only praying out loud, they would clap after a song, raise their hands while singing with their eyes closed.

There were even those who would kneel with their

heads and hands on the floor.

This was new to me! In the church where I grew up, if you raised your hand during the service, you'd better have a question. If you clapped...well, we didn't have any of that.

For all of the struggles that the Church at large has gone through, one of the many things that I am encouraged about is the continuing freedom of expression in worship.

I remember being so confused being at a Yankee game with members our church on a Saturday, seeing and hearing everyone's response to a great play or when they saw their favorite player. And when their team won, they smiled, shouted, high fived and rejoiced boldly. Then I'd see them in service the next morning and during worship there was little to no expression at all.

There the Guest of Honor was the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the creator of the universe! We'd hear messages and sing songs about the victory that we have in Christ, that He has defeated the enemy, about our eternal home and there were no shouts of joy, no raised hands, no outward expression at all from they same people who the night before were "raising the roof"
with expression for a sports event.

Now sports and a worship service are indeed different, but it is something to consider when we express outward excitement about our favorite pastime and remain silent about the creator of our past and the One who holds time in His hand.

At TBC, we understand that we all have different personalities and ways that we express our joy and excitement. With that said, we also give you permission, under the biblical directive of 1 Corinthians 14:33, 40, (that all should be characterized by peace and done in a decent and orderly way) to worship the Lord with your "everythingness". If that means raising your hands, do so. If that means responding with a "hallelujah, amen!" go for it.

If that means remaining silently in your seat reflecting on the majesty of God or doing business in your heart with Him, do it humbly before an audience of One.

May our worship time together so reflect biblical response so that when we get to heaven and join the eternal worship gathering, that we won't experience culture shock.

Mark W. Jones

Check out my about.me link
http://about.me/Heisgood.com

Do Not Boast About Tomorrow

"Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring."Proverbs 27:1

It was 106 degrees outside, but on the field it was hovering between 115 and 120. The boys seemed to be doing alright and the coaches and team doctor were doing a great job of keeping the boys hydrated and as cool as possible. Cold water, buckets of ice with sponges and large misting fans were in abundance.

Right at 6:00pm it was time for a dinner break. As the players and coaches headed to the field house they looked hot, but all in all good. Moments later as he approached the field house, one of our coaches hit the ground. While the coaches and team doctor worked to revive him, we prayed and we hoped that coach would sit up and be okay. That would not happen. As his son, wife and other members of the coaching staff and some football dads looked on, a coach, friend, teacher, father of five and husband took his last breath and went home to be with the Lord.

That was very hard to watch and although he is now with his Lord, our hearts are braking for his family and their loss.

This again was another reminder to me of the brevity of life and the importance of making sure we remember that we are not promised another moment. Which is why, most importantly we need to make sure that we are in right relationship with God-knowing Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

Additionally, realizing that God's purpose for us is not limited to eternal life in heaven, but a Full Life lived in the image of His Son, we need to strive each and every day to live a life of obedience all the while committed to pleasing him in all that we do in and with our lives.

This week got me thinking again, "What has God designed and desired for me?" and am I striving to please Him in all that I do? Also, have I fulfilled my commitments to Him as a faithful follower, so that whenever my final moment arrives, He will say, "Well done?"

Commit with me today to live this life like it was our last opportunity to bring pleasure to our Lord on this side of glory. That's lifestyle worship as a participant rather than a spectator.

Grace & Mercy

Grace has been defined as “receiving what we don’t deserve.” Mercy has been defined as “not receiving what we do deserve.” I hear children all of the time saying, “That’s not fair!” Many times, when life hands us a bad twist we say the same thing, “God, that’s just not fair!” As I’ve told my children many times, fair would be an eternity without God, and us paying the price for our own sin. That would be impossible, but it would be fair. Anything outside of that is God’s mercy.

We live in a world today that needs to see mercy in living color. People who have blown it sexually, financially, personally, in their marriages, in their jobs, etc., need to be shown mercy. The world around us is much like the man who was beaten and robbed by the thieves in the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37. People need the Lord’s mercy. Many have been beaten and broken by the effects of sin, theirs and others. They are sinking deep in their sins, however, many times we walk right by them on the ‘other side’ either by saying that they have made their bed so they must sleep in it, or we just ignore them and pretend that they don’t exist.

Maybe you are a person who feels, toward the ‘wounded’, “Oh, just pull yourself up by the boot straps and move on!” Well, my friend, without Christ and without His divine help and guidance and without the love and power of His Spirit through His people, the world’s ‘boot straps’ are paper thin to non-existent! They are helpless and need us to show God’s love, grace and mercy towards them. The forgiven are to show mercy like we’ve been shown mercy. Let’s never forget the ungrateful servant in Matthew 18:23-35.

Samaritans knew what it was like to be an outcast and to feel ‘thrown-away’. Do we remember what it was like to be lost and without Jesus? As we recall where we were before Christ in our lives we should be drawn to be merciful as Christ was and is to us.

Jesus, the “Good Samaritan” saw us on the road, but”

“Beautiful, that’s how mercy saw me.
Though I was broken and so lost,

mercy looked past all my faults;
he justice of God saw all I had done,

mercy saw me through the Son. Not was I was,
but what I could be,

that’s how mercy saw me. ) Geron Davis

May we today, this week and in the days to come have the same eyes~

“A Cheerful Heart Is Good Medicine!”

As I prepare for our worship services each week, I filter through many psalms, hymns and spiritual songs and try to put together the ones from each category that I believe will best lead us to the place that the Lord wants to take us on any given week. One of the criticisms of modern or contemporary (music of the day) specifically “praises choruses” is that many of them are repetitive. I heard someone once call them 7-11 songs - seven words sung eleven times! Admittedly, many of them are repetitive. The reason for this may be that most take their scriptural basis for the psalms. For instance, have you ever read Psalm 136? God wanted the first singers of this song to get the point—that “His love endures forever!” So much so that He repeated it 26 times in a row!

I’ve had many conversations with people about the strength and need for repetition and how our Lord used it throughout scripture, and have read much about it. I want to share with you one of the funniest illustrations I have ever seen regarding the subject. Enjoy.

An old farmer went to the city one weekend and attended the

big city church. He came home and his wife asked him how

it was. “Well,” said the farmer, “It was good, They did

something different, however. They sang praise choruses

instead of hymns.” “Praise choruses,” said his wife, “What

are those?” “Oh, they’re okay. They’re sort of like hymns,

only different,” said the farmer. “Well, what’s the

difference? “ asked the wife. The farmer said, “Well, it’s like

this: If I were to say to you, ‘Martha, the cows are in the corn,’

well, that would be a hymn. If, on the other hand, I were to say

to you, “Martha, Martha, Martha, Oh, Martha, MARTHA,

MARTHA, the cows, the big cows, the brown cows, the

black cows, the white cows, the black and white cows, the COWS,

COWS, COWS, are in the corn, are in the corn, are in the corn,

are in the CORN, CORN, CORN,” then if I were to repeat the whole thing two or three times, well, that would be a praise chorus!”

Go ahead and laugh. “A cheerful heart is good medicine!” Today, whether we say or sing, “God is good!” or God is good, He is good, He is so good, God is so, so, so, so, so, so good!”, our Lord is blessed as He hears His children singing His praise. In these day of uncertainty, keep repeating the truths of God’s word over and over again, your heart will gain from the repetition. “Sing them over again to me...wonderful words of life.” MJ

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay
to show that this all-surpassing power

is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side,

but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted,

but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”

(2 Corinthians 4:7-9)

The longer I live, the more I come to understand that freedom and suffering usually go hand in hand. Take for instance, the freedom that we will celebrate tomorrow. Independence Day, 2011. The 4th of July! We celebrate our country’s freedoms, but one cannot truly appreciate the value of the freedoms we have without understanding that suffering was involved in gaining that freedom for us.

I’m coming to understand that suffering will always be a part of our earthly existence. Suffering comes from several sources: we may suffer as a result of our own sin, or of others sin, or, the most difficult to accept, our suffering may come from the hand of the Lord. Whatever the source, we are sure that Scripture teaches us that suffering is a part of God’s plan to mold us and shape us into all that He is creating us to be. It is a tool to cause us to hold loosely to the things of this earth and to help us yearn for Him and for “Home”!

When you boil it down, every great thing was born out of someone else’s suffering. How so? Well, for example, in order to perform the first heart transplant someone had to die! Braille was created for and is a help to the blind today because someone lost their sight. We would never be able to receive eternal life were it not for the suffering of our Savior.

May we never forget that freedom is really not free, it comes with a cost. So, my friend, as we celebrate the freedoms that we enjoy in this great country, let’s take a moment and celebrate the lives of those who fought and in some cases gave their lives gaining, protecting and defending our freedoms as Americans. And more than anything let this be another reminder of the freedom that God offers us in Christ, who gave the ultimate sacrifice to attain our freedom. And as we praise him let’s lift our voices with the “Song of the soul set free!!” Oh, the great joy of being free, as an American and much more than that, a Christian. To God be the glory. Happy Independence Day!

Pastor MJ

Hard Pressed on Every Side

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed,

but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned;

struck down, but not destroyed.

We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus,

so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

2 Corinthians 4:8-10 (NIV)

Have you ever woken up in the morning and before you even roll out of bed felt like your day was already a wreck? Like you’ve already been defeated even before you’ve put your feet on the floor? Have you ever been in a relationship and no matter how much you want things to work out, just a thought of the person or the situation that you are in gives you a heavy sense of defeat, one that keeps you from ever trying to approach that person ever again? Have you been out of work for such a long time, been through so many interviews and faced so many rejections that just the thought of sending out one more resume’ crushes your spirit?

My friend, today Father woke you up one more time for you to know that you are not defeated, that you are not ultimately a failure. That doesn’t mean that you’ve never lost, or that you’ve never failed, but it does mean that it’s not over and that today is a new day, a day for you to, in the midst of your circumstances realize that reality goes beyond what you can see and that as you begin to look at things from His perspective that it puts a new light on everything that you’re going through.

Scripture is a great example of seeing things from God’s perspective. We have the privilege of reading things after the fact, when in reality that is how God saw them all the time. God is not confined to time and space so everything is here and now in His eyes. Abraham could have felt defeated as he raised the knife, but God saw the ram. Job could have felt defeated as he scraped the boils off, but God saw the double portion of blessing in chapter 42. Mary could have felt defeated and crushed at the foot of the cross but God was already at the resurrection. Daniel could have felt defeated as the lions approached, but God was already telling the lions that a better meal was coming a bit later.

Whatever your present circumstances, my friend, whatever situation you find yourself in, the Holy Spirit wants to remind you as He did as He opened eyes of Elisha’s servant in 2 Kings 6:16-18, to remember that "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them."

Let’s praise Him together today and thank Him that He has already won for us and if God is for us, who or what can be against us? (Romans 8:31)

Seeing from God’s Perspective

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed,

but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down,

 but not destroyed. We always carry around in our

body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also

revealed in our body. 2 Corinthians 4:8-10 (NIV)

Have you ever woken up in the morning and before you even roll out of bed felt like your day was already a wreck? Like you’ve already been defeated even before you’ve put your feet on the floor? Have you ever been in a relationship and no matter how much you want things to work out, just a thought of the person or the situation that you are in gives you a heavy sense of defeat, one that keeps you from ever trying to approach that person ever again? Have you been out of work for such a long time, been through so many interviews and faced so many rejections that just the thought of sending out one more resume’ crushes your spirit?

My friend, today Father woke you up one more time for you to know that you are not defeated, that you are not ultimately a failure. That doesn’t mean that you’ve never lost, or that you’ve never failed, but it does mean that it’s not over and that today is a new day, a day for you to, in the midst of your circumstances realize that reality goes beyond what you can see and that as you begin to look at things from His perspective that it puts a new light on everything that you’re going through.

Scripture is a great example of seeing things from God’s perspective. We have the privilege of reading things after the fact, when in reality that is how God saw them all the time. God is not confined to time and space so everything is here and now in His eyes. Abraham could have felt defeated as he raised the knife, but God saw the ram. Job could have felt defeated as he scraped the boils off, but God saw the double portion of blessing in chapter 42. Mary could have felt defeated and crushed at the foot of the cross but God was already at the resurrection. Daniel could have felt defeated as the lions approached, but God was already telling the lions that a better meal was coming a bit later.

Whatever your present circumstances, my friend, whatever situation you find yourself in, the Holy Spirit wants to remind you as He did as He opened eyes of Elisha’s servant in 2 Kings 6:16-18, to remember that "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them."

Let’s praise Him together today and thank Him that He has already won for us and if God is for us, who or what can be against us? (Romans 8:31)

Unity is Essential

Unity is essential for any long-lasting success in all venues of life. And it is viewed in Scripture without option. As our Lord said, in Luke 11:17, “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall.”


However, I believe that we have adopted, in much of the American church, a philosophy of the world that says, “unity at any cost”. When unity becomes our goal, compromise is on the horizon. This is because when we purpose to be united in and of ourselves, we often must lay aside who we are, our hopes and dreams, and sometimes our convictions, because those to whom we wish to be united with may have a different set of their own.

Our view of becoming united must begin, not with unity, but with Jesus. We must all purpose in our hearts to have Jesus Christ and the knowledge of and obedience to Him as our foundation. When this happens, He can take a group of people, totally different, with differing viewpoints, likes and dislikes, similar and opposite tastes, and make them unified, becoming one. This can only happen through Jesus.

Just look through Scripture. Was everyone that worked together in the Bible united on the “hows”? No, but the beauty of it is that when they were committed to the WHO, Jesus Christ, the result was always unity. Not sameness, but unity.

Look how the Word describes it. “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves” (but it doesn’t stop there-the key to unity comes)….”as you follow Christ Jesus”, (and still the goal is not unity in and of itself. It is…) “so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (And what does true unity look like”) “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” (Romans 15:5-7 additions mine).

Unity

“In a mighty auditorium are four men. They really desire to come together, but neither will come to another’s corner. In the center of the room is a beautiful fountain. Finally someone proposes that they all meet at the fountain. They start for the common center. They come on – forty – fifty – one hundred feet. The nearer they come to the fountain, the nearer they come to each other, each making concessions of location and space. At last they reach their destination, and clasp hands around the sparkling waters of the fountain. Jesus Christ, the great fountain of life, liberty and love is set up in the center of the world. The nearer God’s children come to Christ, the nearer they will come to each other. Let us help hasten the day when we can all clasp hands and sing, “Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love.” Let the Christian world strike hands in the spirit of those of old who said, “We are brethren” “– Hall

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”
(John 17:20-21 NIV)

Memorial Day

“…In You our fathers put their trust; they trusted

and You delivered them…” Psalm 22:4

Tomorrow is Memorial Day. It is a holiday in our country that is set aside to remember the dead service men and women of all wars. This gives us an opportunity to honor those who have died in our nation’s service, a time when we can remember those who shed their blood for our country’s freedom. These men and women lived and died for a cause. They believed in freedom for a place called the United States of America.

This year we also honor and remember one of our own fallen hero’s; 20 year old Army Private Andrew Krippner. Andrew was one of our youth that just graduated last year and was in his first month of his first tour of duty when he lost his life on the battlefield in northern Afghanistan earlier this week. Andy was loved and will be missed by many. Please say a prayer for His Mother and Father as they have now lost their only child.

Father God made the establishment of memorials a regular part of the Israelites lives. Memorials were set up so that there would always be an understanding and acknowledgement of what God had done.

We experience that every time we partake of the Lord’s Supper together; remembering what our Lord Jesus has done for us in His death. We are also partaking in memorials every time we come together to worship. As we worship together, read scripture, meditate on devotionals and sing songs of praise written by men and women of God who lived and died serving their King we look into and remember the events that God brought them through. We also get a glimpse into what God did in and through them to pave the way for what we are able to experience today.

The list of people is great: Moses, Isaiah, David, Peter, Paul, D.L. Moody, Fanny Crosby, Oswald Chambers, Keith Green and many more.

Remember, freedom isn’t free. A life is always required to be sacrificed. As a part of your day tomorrow and in the days to come, let’s do two things: Thank Jesus for His sacrifice bringing offering eternal freedom from sin and the penalty of sin. And secondly, thank a soldier for their commitment and sacrifice providing you and me with the freedoms we enjoy freely today.

His Eye Is On The Sparrow

“Look at the birds of the air;

They do not sow or reap or store away in barns,

And yet your heavenly Father feeds them.

Are you not much more valuable than they?”

Matthew 6:26

As I sat and took in the morning breeze one day, I noticed a dove perched on a telephone wire. It looked perfectly healthy and seemed to not have a care in the world. That dove came back to mind later that day. Where was it? Did it get food? Where will it go if it were to begin to storm? How will it protect itself from danger? It seemed that I worried more about this bird’s welfare than it did for itself.

As I thought about this, however, I was reminded of one of my favorite songs, that Ethel Waters used to sing, “His Eye Is On The Sparrow.” That song reminds me that, even though I have a huge advantage over a bird to take care of myself, I am just as dependent on God for my welfare and survival as that bird is.

Neither that bird nor I have any clue as to our destiny for the day. However, both of us have a God who created us for a purpose and has faithfully provided for us each day of our lives, and He will continue to do so until that purpose is completed.

As your week begins, you may feel like a bird on a wire, wondering what you will do, where you will go, or how you will make it emotionally, physically, etc. Take that burden and give it to the Lord. Remember that if He cares and provides for the birds of the air, then He will most definitely provide and care for you. Don’t think that He can’t handle your burden. He carried the weight of the world on His shoulders, so He’ll have no problem caring for you.

Don’t forget to give a special “thank You” to Him for that today through your praise and worship.

Gratitude

O Thou, whose bounty fills my cup

With every blessing meet!

I give Thee thanks for every drop-

The bitter and the sweet.

I praise Thee for the desert road,

And for the riverside;

For all Thy goodness hath bestowed,

And all Thy grace denied.

(Jane Crewdson)

Who Am I?

Every once in awhile it’s good to take a moment and reflect on how God views His children. This helps us go through our days and our circumstances, whether good or bad, with the proper perspective on life and of our God. When our perspective of God is correct our perspective of life is made clearer. Here’s a reminder of who we are in Christ. Let’s be encouraged and thankful.

I am accepted…

John 1:12 I am God’s child.

Romans 5:1 I have been justified.

1 Corinthians 6:17 I am united with the Lord, and I am one with Him in spirit.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 I have been bought with a price and I belong to God.

1 Corinthians 12:27 I am a member of Christ’s body

Ephesians 1:3-8 I have been chosen by God and adopted as His child.

Colossians 1:13-14 I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins.

Hebrews 4:14-16 I have direct access to the throne of grace through Jesus Christ.

I am secure…

Romans 8:1-2 I am free from condemnation.
Romans 8:28 I am assured that god works for my good in all circumstances.
Romans 8:31-39 I am free from any condemnation brought against me and I cannot be separated from the love of God.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 I have been established anointed and sealed by God.
Colossians 3:1-4 I am hidden with Christ in God.
Philippians 1:6 I am confident that God will complete the good work He stated in me.
Philippians 3:20 I am a citizen of heaven.
2 Timothy 1:7 I have not been given a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind.
1 John 5:18 I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me without God’s permission.

I am significant…

John 15:5 I am a branch of Jesus Christ the true vine and a channel of His life.
John 15:16 I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit.
I Corinthians 3:16 I am God’s temple.
Ephesians 2:6 I am seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenly realm.
Ephesians 2:10 I am God’s workmanship.
Ephesians 3:12 I may approach God with freedom and confidence.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.

Look deep into that mirror today and let’s give Him praise!