Tag: Jesus

My heart, To Yours

April 3, 2017

My heart, To Yours

I wanted to share some thoughts today about my responsibility as a pastor, and all of our responsibilities as Christians.

There are those who tend to complicate these issues. Wrapping them around theological issues and statements of faith. This approach is ok for those who enjoy the depth of the scriptures and the plan of God for our lives.

I am one of those who digs deeper and deeper as time goes by. Looking at the church fathers and writings from the Apostles who studied and followed the original 12, and throughout over 2000 years of writings from church fathers, desert fathers and so on.

There is so much great stuff available. It is awesome. With that said, the Bible is my heart and my life as I follow Christ. It is knowing Him. The Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Back to my original point. As a Pastor I believe that we all must take on the heart of Jesus. He looked beyond the religious community and their acceptance of people. He offered His love and compassion to everyone He came in contact with.

The world today is raging with controversy. Even in the church world people are divided by boundaries and theology.

Before I go further, I have never been a fan of the reformation. It had to happen, but it created an historical divide in Christianity. At the time there were basically 2 recognized churches. Catholic and Orthodox.

Today, the most recent statistics I could find, tell us that there are over 41,000 different denominations and religious institutions. Many of these are related to each other, still there is too much room for division.

There are many praying in intercession today to tear down these walls of division. Revival is coming. With all my heart I believe it.

The Gospel is simple in nature, yet profound in accomplishment. The story of Jesus, His birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension is the Gospel message. It has changed the lives of millions when delivered in that form. It will continue to do so today.

To take on His heart means I have to care about others. Every Christian has this responsibility.

Not only to care, but we must endeavor to help in what ways we can.

Prayer is the most effective way to join people together, and feel the burden of those who need us.

Prayer softens our heart and moves our will, to His will. It will reveal your purpose and the steps you must take to fulfill it.

One of the things that the Holy Spirit moves in me is a burden for those who are struggling. Often I don’t even know the reason, but when prompted to pray, I do so.

Many times it is a physical drain as intercession cries out from my heart to His.

I want so much to help, yet often I can only pray. God positions healing, and answers as we intercede in prayer.

From feeding thousands and healing the sick. Encouraging the hopeless, and teaching His followers, Christ taught us how to care.

How can we turn our face from the tragedies in this world and call ourselves, followers of Christ.

Start in your local area and begin to pray. The Holy Spirit will open a path for you to follow.

It will lead you to more prayer, and intercession. It may also lead you to someone in need. Be ready. He will test your faith.

I am praying everyday for His love, mercy, and grace to move throughout this world.

Remember this. It moves through us. He loves, through us. Heals, through us. Reveals Himself, through us.

We are the light of the world. We must shine the light of Jesus.

Be blessed this day. In Jesus name I pray.

#lovewins #hopelives

When He Comes

March 29, 2017

When He Comes

In many of my sermons and Facebook posts I deal with inspiration. I believe that one of our duties as Christians, and Christian leaders, is to inspire others to follow Christ.

During this process we also pray and endeavor to inspire one another to embrace the principles that Christ taught in His earthly ministry.

I am humbled and blessed when other leaders embrace principles that the Holy Spirit used us to bring to light.

One of those recently is the work of the church in the community. We must enrich our communities with the love and grace of the Gospel. Meeting needs as directed by the Holy Spirit, and the community.

For the last 9 years Amazing Life Church has done just that. Reaching out to our community with an annual backpack school supply event.

In these 9 years we have given 3800 backpacks, along with school supplies, and various other items we are able to obtain.

We also feed these folks as they wait in line.

This may not seem like much to some, but for an average of 35-40 in attendance, God has blessed abundantly.

The word inspire is defined this way. To affect, guide, or arouse by divine influence.

In a broader sense Jesus left us with a Helper that leads us, corrects us, and inspires us.

John 16:7 NASB

But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.

After Christ ascended, the Apostles along with others met in an upper room and received that promise.

This is what Jesus said the Helper would do.

John 16:8 NASB

And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.

Then Christ defined these three principles.

John 16:9-11 NASB

9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me;

10 and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me;

11 and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

Jesus kept things simple.

Sin, is not believing in Christ.

Righteousness, is a perfect sacrifice ascending to the right hand of the Father.

Judgment, the ruler of this world has been rendered ineffective.

The Holy Spirit today continues this work. Revealing Christ, and enriching our lives with with the Gospel story.

The Holy Spirit inspires us as God’s Word becomes light to our lives. Relevant to our circumstances. He inspires us to move forward in faith, bringing to our mind the many that came before us who walked in their destiny.

Facing fear, doubt, and enemies, that hindered at every opportunity.

He is still using us, as individuals, to inspire others to follow Christ. Inspiring others to work in their community. Inspiring us with the awesome words of God.

Teaching, revealing, and encouraging every moment of our lives. “To affect, guide, or arouse by divine influence.”

#lovewins #hopelives

Just Some More Random Thoughts

March 28, 2017

Just some Random Thoughts

There are times that I look in the mirror and wonder, where did the years go?

I look forward to each day and the opportunities that God presents. It may simply be just prayer that moves me. Often it is His word that continues to challenge and reveal.

People speak of purpose and destiny. I talk about it all the time. I wonder sometimes, if we really get it.

Our purpose or destiny is never about us. It is about the work of God through us that He has defined for our lives.

A person that God places in our lives to share His love with. This person may seem insignificant, yet God sees what he or she can do, and who he or she will become.

There has been story after story for generations about God taking a simple person, with little qualifications, and using them to change the world.

I read an article recently from Charisma magazine about toxic Apostles. It listed several character traits about them but the one that stood out to me was this. Everything is about them.

I love the church. I say this often. Local and globally the church is the hope of the world. We live, breathe, move, and have our being in Christ.

The Bible warns us of thinking too much of ourselves. Accepting praise and glory instead of passing it on to Christ.

In the church we join together as one to reach our communities. It is not about filling our building. It is all about meeting needs in the community, and telling everyone the story of Jesus.

The mission of the church is to be the light of the world it is planted in. The light of Christ.

We are in an awesome season of change. Prayers from generations past, have joined in synergy with prayer warriors today, to bring healing to our land.

To ignite again the fire of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. To change the message of the church from one of death, to the message of life.

The story of Jesus. His birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension.

Yes, you hear this from me all the time. It is because it is the only thing that works.

Tell me the story of Jesus, write on my heart every word. Tell me the story most precious. Sweetest that ever was heard.

#lovewins #hopelives

What about Them?

January 20, 2017

“What about Them?”

This year is moving fast. Not only in time, but in involvement in our community. God has been moving in people’s hearts to see this ministry bear the fruit that God has positioned us to bear.

Ever since we started the backpack event at Amazing Life Church, our mission has been to serve our community. We have also been committed to provide a safe place for any and everyone to hear the awesome story of Jesus.

The only walls we have standing are the ones who hold back religious persecution. Those who use the Bible to divide God’s people, and alienate others who want to know Him.

“These walls will stand strong, as we continue to do what Jesus did. Minister in every way we can, to everyone we can.”

Jesus spent much of His time refining religion. He tried to put God first in the hearts of His priests but they would not hear. The concept of God being present, and in them was something they could not embrace.

As a result He moved God and His power beyond the singular control of the Levitical priesthood. He empowered common people to build His future church, and establish His presence in the hearts of man.

He took people who lacked education, and most lacked wealth. Many were common sinners, some prostitutes. Some housewives. Tax collectors and fisherman.

He chided the Jews for their unbelief. Healed lepers, blind men, demon possessed. He fed thousands with a prayer. Many of these unnamed men and women followed Him. He sent forth people to establish His works and many more were touched by His words and deeds.

After His ascension He empowered His church to work the works of God.

His ministry was rough on the religious community. He caused them to look beyond the normal standards of service. He taught that service must be shrouded in humility.

That word shrouded has 2 meanings. It means to conceal or hide something. It is also speaks of the garment that dead people were wrapped in.

Many years ago, even before God moved me here. He began to deal with me about the focus of my preaching. He moved me away from what was normal. Simply put everybody preached against sin. The sins for the day would vary, based on news cycles or whatever our favorite preachers would establish each week. That was considered hard, tell it like it is preaching.

One day God showed me what hard preaching was. Like the story of Isaiah I shared last week, He showed me a picture of who I was. I didn’t like it. He showed me wasted time. A critical spirit. The need for prayer. Most notably, He showed me my failure to love as He loved.

It changed my life and made me a rebel in certain circles. A title that even today I am proud and honored to claim. Compromise they say. Afraid to tell the truth.

I have never feared God’s truth. He is Truth. His way is Truth. His life is Truth. I love Truth. The truth is, the hardest preaching is not preaching sin. It is preaching that makes us look at ourselves. Saint or sinner. Preaching that challenges our faith and our love. Preaching that demands we forgive. Preaching that moves us to hunger for more of His presence. Preaching that challenges us to love sinners and tell them, without prejudice. The story of Jesus.

It is this preaching I embrace today. It is this preaching that will change us, and as a result, it will change the world we live in.

There is no greater revelation than that which comes from seeing ourselves, saint or sinner, for who we really are. Seeing what God sees.

I have found myself many times referring to portions of Psalms 51. David’s prayer of repentance. Although I have never been guilty of the sin he had committed. Sin is sin, is it not? Failure to love. Being critical. Wasting your time or your gift. Pride, arrogance, and so on and so on. This is part of David’s prayer.

Psalms 51:10-13 NASB

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit.
13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be converted to You.

Message

God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life. Don’t throw me out with the trash, or fail to breathe holiness in me. Bring me back from gray exile, put a fresh wind in my sails! Give me a job teaching rebels your ways so the lost can find their way home.

This prayer speaks to a very important trait that all of God’s people must obtain.

Being in a position to reveal God, and to day, the path to God, Jesus. In a manner of authority and accountability. A position of humility and repentance.

I find it awesome that a prayer from a repentant OT figure can be relevant today. Cleanse me, renew me and give me strength. Embrace me with your presence. Restore my joy and my willingness to obey. “All of this so I will be able to tell your story!!!”

In The Gospel of John chapter 21 Jesus had risen and found some of the disciples at the sea of Tiberias.

Preparing to go fishing. When you get down to verse 15 you find Jesus challenging Peter. Do you love me more than these. Peter responded several times in the affirmative.

Just above verse 18 is the title, “Our Times Are in His Hand” Then Jesus said this.

John 21:18-23 NASB

18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go.”

19 Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He *said to him, “Follow Me!”

20 Peter, turning around, *saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; the one who also had leaned back on His bosom at the supper and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?”

21 So Peter seeing him *said to Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man?”

22 Jesus *said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!”

23 Therefore this saying went out among the brethren that that disciple would not die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?”

Preach-What about Him?

What about you today? Your relationship. Your dreams. Your faults and failures.

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