Up, Up, and Away...

Suffered For Us

2014-01-16T07:25:00.000-08:00

Think of all Jesus endured before He died.... for us...

Sweat blood in the garden

Soldier struck Him across the face for His silence

Betrayed by friends

Soldiers mocked Him

Palace guards passed by, spat on Him, and struck Him across the face

Battered

Bruised

Dehydrated

Exhausted from a sleepless night

Blindfolded and Blasphemed

Falsely accused

Dressed up to be made fun of

Stripped, hands tied to a post, whipped, and scourged

Crown of thorns pressed into His scalp.

Trades life for a death sentence of a murderer

Forced to carry a heavy beam of the cross tied to His shoulders

Stumbles and Falls

Nails driven through the wrists and arches of His feet

Cramps and lunges for Oxygen

Hung between two criminals

Insulted for saving others, but not for being able to save himself

Cursed by a criminal

Spear driven through His ribs, into the heart

Death

Is there any way you could say no to this man? Consider the suffering and pain Jesus went through leading up to His death on the cross, yet we gain so much because of His death. "Why should I gain from this reward? I can not give an answer." Thankfully, I can say I have life because of His death. Have you experienced true life, life with Christ as your savior? "How can you look in His tear stained eyes, knowing it's you he's thinking of? Could you tell Him you're not ready or give Him your life? Could you say you don't think you need His love?" I am so thankful that God showed us His love while we were still sinners and weak to allow Christ to die for us (Romans 5:6-8). Now I have been made strong through the power of God because Jesus conquered death. There is not a more beautiful story in this world that we can tell outside of our salvation and God's love for us!

"Blessed are those...."

2013-12-19T06:33:00.001-08:00

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." - Matthew 5:10-12

When Jesus went up on the mountain to teach, he opened by saying how blessed we are if we are peacemakers, meek, merciful, pure in heart. But, Jesus ends it by saying that we are blessed if we are persecuted for righteousness sake. Rejoice and be glad?? How can I do that when the world wants Christianity to be silent while other groups are pushing their agenda on us on a daily basis.

As, you know by now, a well-known Christian, due to his TV show, was suspended indefinitely from filming due to remarks on his beliefs about homosexuality. His remarks have been turned into "hatred" toward a particular community; however, this was not Phil Robertson's intent, at all. If you read his comments, he does paraphrase scripture from I Corinthians 6:9-10, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived:neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."

If you have ever watched Duck Dynasty, you know the Robertson family are Christians and God believers. So, why are we surprised Phil believes homosexuality is a sin, along with other things listed there? The ones who are speaking out against him, more than likely, do not watch the show because of his Christian beliefs; yet, they are the same ones shutting him down.

Phil, as a Christian, understands he will persecuted for Christ's sake. He also understands that we are blessed when people speak evil things against the Christian faith, because our "reward is great in Heaven." Do you think he is upset about being suspended? If I had to guess, I would say no because he is not going to compromise his beliefs in God to be on a television show.

Here was Phil's response to the comments he made:

“My mission today is to go forth and tell people about why I follow Christ and also what the bible teaches, and part of that teaching is that women and men are meant to be together. However, I would never treat anyone with disrespect just because they are different from me. We are all created by the Almighty and like Him, I love all of humanity. We would all be better off if we loved God and loved each other.”

I support Phil Robertson. I am a Christian and believe in God. I believe in His word and the power it has to save mankind. Each one of us should have that mission mindset to Go Forth and tell people about the love of Christ. Not in hatred but in love.

Romans 3:23 tells us that we all fall short of the glory of God due to our sin. The beauty of Christianity is that we are all sinners, but we strive daily to not live in sin.

Have a blessed day!

"What will people think?"

2013-12-10T06:13:00.002-08:00

It’s scary to admit how much we do to impress others—what John Ortberg calls “Impression Management.”

We shake our heads at the pressure teenagers are under to act a certain way to be accepted—or at least not rejected or made fun of—by their peers. But I’m not sure we ever get past that; it just changes forms. Why do we wear what we wear? It’s not mere comfort and warmth . . . we choose them to make an impression.

What people think of us influences what we drive, where we live (and how it’s decorated), how we talk and walk, everything. We keep it to ourselves, but we want to shape what people think of us: we’re smart, savvy, pretty, stylish, athletic, successful, well-read, funny, kind, or whatever. Impression management.

It even affects what we do religiously. There’s pressure at church—pressure to talk and dress and act a certain way so that we fit in, so other religious people know we’re part of the Christian “in” crowd. It shouldn't be there, but it is, and always has been. Jesus warns us about it here:

Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven (6:1).

Everybody at the front of the church building feels the pressure, of course. The preacher wants people to like his sermon, and the song and prayer leaders want to impress with their leading. But it’s happening in the pew as well. Ever found yourself wondering—just for a second—if anyone noticed how beautifully you were harmonizing in that last song? Ever hoped that people might find out how much you give to the church? (They might be impressed)

Have you ever gone to a church event because you were afraid of what people would think if you didn't?

Ever picked out a dress for church and hoped that people noticed it?

Ever cooked a meal for someone and hoped word got out?

We probably need to hear these words from Jesus again. What we do religiously needs to be motivated by gratitude for what God has done for us, not to make people think we’re good or holy or righteous.

It’s amazing how quickly spiritual things can become self-centered, isn’t it? In fact, religion becomes negative when it stops being about God and starts being about us.

This would be a good prayer theme for today.

Lord, help me to obey you because of you. Help me to follow Jesus because of Jesus. Help me not to be merely religious, but to be you-centered. Create in me a heart that is concerned about what you think but doesn't obsess over what others think.

- Written by Chuck Webster, Minister for Hoover Church of Christ, Birmingham, AL

Spiritual Health

2013-11-26T08:58:00.000-08:00

Growing up I played little league baseball. I always had teammates who had younger siblings and coaches who had sons that were not in our league. Sometime, the coach's son would come to practice with us. He would "help" his dad with practice, round up loose balls on the field, etc. Essentially he was a part of our team (without the uniform); however, when gamedays rolled around and it was time to get ready and put our uniform the coach's son watched from the stands as we played ball. He's a noticeable outside on gamedays, but in practice you would think he was a valuable part of the team. 6 days a week he would come and be part of the team, but on the day it mattered he was an outside playing the role of fan. The one important day when everyone dresses up, he's left out.

Do you ever feel that way in your spiritual life? You do all the right things but have no meaningful influence. You see the coach's son parallels our lives because we are doing what seems to be all the right things but we have no meaningful impact because of our own spiritual lives. When we do not value our spiritual life, our contributions become sidelined. It is foolish to think our spiritual growth can come from helping others grow spiritually. It's common for those doing God's work to live with spiritual neglect and fatigue.

Don't misunderstand me: you don't need the knowledge of a Bible scholar or the spiritual disciplines of a monk, but you do need a heart that's tender toward God and open to His leadings. You need to be in love with Jesus.We can get so caught up with being busy doing the work of God that we forget the importance of being God's people.

Being connected to God on a daily basis is more important than any book you read, conference you attend, or church event that your are a part of. Jesus said, "Abide in me and I'll abide in you, but apart from me you can do nothing." This image of being connected to God in John 15 is the picture I want you to focus on. You must value your spiritual life to survive the marathon of life.

Tell it to Jesus

2013-11-14T06:54:00.004-08:00

Are you weary, are you heavy hearted?
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
Are you grieving over joys departed?
Tell it to Jesus alone.

Do the tears flow down your cheeks unbidden?
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
Have you sins that to men’s eyes are hidden?
Tell it to Jesus alone.

Do you fear the gathering clouds of sorrow?
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
Are you anxious what shall be tomorrow?
Tell it to Jesus alone.

Are you troubled at the thought of dying?
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
For Christ’s coming kingdom are you sighing?
Tell it to Jesus alone.

Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus,
He is a Friend that’s well known.
You’ve no other such a friend or brother,
Tell it to Jesus alone.

This hymn was on my mind this morning and I wanted to share it with you. I pray that you receive comfort in knowing that in life's tough times you can tell it to Jesus.

Jesus said, “Don’t be troubled. Trust in God, and trust in me. 2 There are many rooms in my Father’s house. I would not tell you this if it were not true. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 After I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back. Then I will take you with me, so that you can be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.” 5 Thomas said, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. The only way to the Father is through me." - John 14:1-6

A Cheerful Giver

2013-11-07T08:13:00.002-08:00

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

—2 Corinthians 9:7

There are so many ways that we can be cheerful givers.

Everyone has to make his or her mind as to how much to give and how much he or she can give; this is an individual and personal decision. God loves a cheerful giver and he blesses those who are cheerful givers.

When we put God first in our giving, he is able to make this up to us by giving us everything we need, and more, so that there will not only be enough for our own needs but enough left over to give joyfully to others.

This is our Test of Mercy. Taking care of the poor and the needy and helping people in other ways is a test for us in being merciful. How we extend ourselves to the widows, orphans and the needy in other ways will test the genuineness of our faith.

"When Not to Come to Church"

2013-10-29T10:09:00.000-07:00

I receive a daily devotional e-mail from Chuck Webster of the Hoover church of Christ. Today I wanted to share with you one of his devotionals.

"When Not to Come to Church"
Chuck Webster - Minister, Hoover Church of Christ

Two quick questions:

Are you angry with anyone right now?

As far as you know, is anyone upset with you?

If so, it’s probably bothering you. It might be hurting your productivity at work or your relationships at home. It might be causing stomach problems or sleepless nights. It’s distracting you.

It also might be making your Sunday worship nothing more than a couple of wasted hours.

Might as well leave your Bible in the church foyer, Jesus says, than to sing praises to God from a heart with resentment in it. Sounds drastic, doesn’t it?

So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny (Matthew 5:23-26).

There’s a consistent theme in the Bible: God hates worship when it comes from people who aren’t getting along with—or treating fairly and kindly—the people around them. The vertical can’t replace the horizontal, and problems with people can make worship empty, ritualistic, and worthless.

So what’s Jesus saying? His words are set in a Jewish context, but we get the gist: Do everything you can to reconcile to fellow Christians every day. Especially before you worship.

If you’ve been around Christianity for long, you might’ve witnessed some ugly church fights—children of the same God treating each other poorly and refusing to reconcile.

God help us.

Help us obey Jesus. Help us take his words seriously. Help us do whatever we can do to get along with other Christians and, when problems arise, pursue reconciliation vigorously.

So before you come to church on Sunday, ask God to help you see if you’re at odds with anyone. If you are, do what you can to make things right, then you’ll be able to worship God with a clean heart.

"Thorns on His Head"

2013-10-24T07:02:00.001-07:00

Thorns on his head spear in his side

Yet it was a heartache that made him cry

He gave his life so you would understand

Is there any way you could say no to this man

If Christ himself were standing here

Face full of glory and eyes full of tears

And he held out his arms and his nail printed hands

Is there any way you could say no to this man

How could you look in his tear stained eyes

Knowing it's you he's thinking of

Could you tell him you're not ready to give him your life

Could you say you don't think you need his love

Jesus is here with his arms open wide

You can see him with your heart if you'll stop looking with your eyes

He's left it up to you, he's done all that he can

Is there any way you could say no to this man

How could you look in his tear stained eyes

Knowing it's you he's thinking of

Could you tell him you're not ready to give him your life

Could you say you don't think you need his love

Thorns on his head your life in his hands

Is there any way you could say no to this man

"For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
- Romans 5:6-8

Ribs, Anyone?

2010-10-15T09:01:00.000-07:00

Genesis is often called "the book of firsts," so it makes sense for us to turn to Genesis to see what God had in mind when he invented marriage. In doing so, we're in good company; the Genesis account is quoted by both Jesus and the apostle Paul as the foundation for an understanding of Christian marriage.

In Genesis chapters 1 and 2 we read the account of Creation. God created all matter, light, and life and declared that everything he made was "very good." Then God made man in his own image, and we discover the first "not good" in Scripture: "The LORD God said, 'It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him'" (Genesis 2:18).

Commenting on this passage, Scott Stanley, in his book A Lasting Promise, makes a very interesting point. He notes that this "not good" in God's eyes "came before sin and even prior to the relationship of Adam and Eve." Says Stanley, "There was no sin, no fall, and there were no consequences of these. Still, it was not good for man to be alone. Why? Simply because God created us for relationships—with him, in marriage, and with others."

The Bible tells us that God paraded all the beasts and the birds before Adam to see what he would name them. But Adam was not impressed. Genesis 2:20 strikes me as funny: "So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field. But for Adam no suitable helper was found." Perhaps lonely Adam blushed at that point and said, "No thanks, that's not what I had in mind!"

I can imagine Adam chatting with God about his situation. "It's not that I'm ungrateful or have anything against animals," he says. "I just need someone who is like me but different. Someone who is sexy, sweet, submissive, and sensitive to all my needs. Someone who is beautiful but not bossy."
"You know, Adam," God responds, "something like that will cost you an arm and a leg."
To which Adam replies, "What could I get for a rib?"

Well, maybe that conversation never took place. But Doctor God did put Adam to sleep, took out one of his ribs, and closed him back up. Then God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of man and presented her to Adam. And in Eve—not anywhere else in creation—Adam found the fulfillment of his unmet needs.

Since God made Adam from the dust of the earth, it might seem logical that Eve would have: been made from dust too. But God had a better plan. By deciding to create Eve out of Adam's rib, he demonstrated two critical things: First, the woman is to walk beside the man, not in back of him or in front of him. This means that on the first day of marriage for the first couple, God debunked male chauvinism and liberal feminism in one swoop. These should be non-issues for Christians in covenant.

Second, by making Eve from Adam, God emphasized the closeness of the special relationship between husband and wife. Man completes woman and woman completes man. As Benjamin Franklin once said, "It is the man and woman united that makes the complete human being.. .together they are more likely to succeed in the world." The two are part of each other and belong to each other in an intimate companionship that is infinitely closer than all other relationships. I like the poetic description Robin Williams’ character gives in the movie Patch Adams: "So close that when your hand is on my chest, it is my hand. So close that when you close your eyes, I fall asleep."

As an old rabbi once said, "God chose a rib from Adam's side, not a bone from Adam's head that she would be over him, or a bone from his foot that she would be under him, but from his side that she would be next to him, from under his arm that he might protect her, and from next to his heart that he might love her." Pastor and author David Jeremiah sums it up this way: "The man is restless while he misses the rib that was taken out of his side. The woman is restless until she gets under man's arm from where she was taken. It is humbling to the woman to know that she was created for the man, but it is to her glory to know that she alone can complete him. Likewise it is humbling to the man to know that he is incomplete without the woman, but it is to his glory to know that the woman was created for him."

Clearly, the Genesis account shows us that marriage, as designed by God, is a covenant of companionship in which two people become linked in body, soul, and mind. They become, as Genesis 2:24 says, "one flesh." They complete each other and give themselves to each other in a companionship that fills the void in their lives and provides for ultimate happiness and fulfillment. It is the ultimate friendship.

Overcoming Failure

2010-10-11T16:00:00.000-07:00

"Can He still feel the nails everytime I fail?"

What an interesting question. Does our failure drive the nails further in his hands? Does He turn away everytime we turn away from Him? Does He give up on us when its obvious we have given up on him?
Failure is the "state or condition of not meeting a desirable objective or task".

Peter found himself on a fishing boat in the Galilean sea, "But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary" (matt. 14:24). Galilee was a small and moody lake, 13 miles at its longest and 7 1/2 miles at its widest creating a vulenerability to the winds. Winter months being such storms every two weeks or so, churning the waters for two to three days at a time.
Peter and his fellow storm riders knew they were in trouble. Rain fell from the night sky in buckets, while lightining lit up the sky like fireworks on the 4th of July. They were left "in the middle of the sea, tossed by waves." Perhaps all we need to do is subsititute a couple of nouns to describe our own life:

In the middle of divorce, tossed by guilt
In the middle of debt, tossed about by creditors
In the middle of a recession, tossed about by stimulus packages and bailouts.

They spotted something coming out of the water. "'A ghost!' they said, crying out in terror" (v. 26). They had no idea Jesus would come to them this way. Neither do we. We expect to come in peace, in hymns, on Easter Sundays or quiet retreats. But it is in storms that he does his finest work, for it is in storms the he has our keenest attention. "Don't be afraid', he said. 'Take courage for I am here'" (v.27).

We cannot go where God is not. Love over your shoulder; that's God following you. Look into the storm; that's Christ coming toward you. Often time in our weakest moments we lose our focus, there fore leading to our failures in life.

Peter then challenges Jesus. "Lord, if it is you, commmand me to come to You on the water.' So he said, 'Come'. and when Petere had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus" (Matt. 14:28-29). What would happen next is where we often find the origin for people who use the phrases "keep your eyes on the prize", "keep your eyes on Jesus", etc.

For a few historic steps, Peter did what was thought to be impossible. He defied gravity; "he walked on the water to go to Jesus." "But when he (peter) saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, 'Lord, save me!'" Peter shifted his attention from Jesus and towards the storm, and when he did, he sank like a brick in a pond. "Give the storm waters more attention than the Storm Walker, and get ready to do the same."

Whether or not storms come, we cannot chose. But where we stare during the storm, that we can. It's like when you walk into a doctor's office and notices all his degrees, it is then we realize that we are in good hands. His call to courage is not a call to ignorance. We aren't to be oblivious to overwhelming challenges that life brings. We're to counterbalance them with long looks at God's accomplishments. "We must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift awy from it" (Heb. 2:1). Do what it takes to keep your gaze on Jesus.

Ponder the testimonies of faithful Christians. Memorize scripture. Make a decision to set your hope on Him. Courage is ALWAYS a possibility.
C.S. Lewis once wrote:

"Faith is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted,
in spite of your changing moods. For moods will change,
whatever view your reason takes. I know that by experience.
Now that I am a Christian I do have moods in which the whole thing looks
very improbable: but when I was an atheist I had moods in which
Christianity looked terribly probable. That is why Faith is such a necessary
virtue: unless you teach your moods "where they get off," you can never be
either a sound Christian or even a sound atheist, but just a creature dithering
to and for, with its beliefs really dependent on the weather and the state of its digestion"

Feed your fears, and your faith will starve.
Feed your Faith and your fears will.

Futhermore if you take your eyes off of the one who can truly help us be successful, we will sink just as Peter did. Cry out to Jesus, Abba Father, and he will lead you in the ways in which you should go.

God has hung his diplomas in the universe. Rainbows, sunsets, horizons, and star filled skies. His accomplishments are found in scriptures. His lesson is clear. He is the commander and pilot in every storm. Are you scared in yours? Stare at Him! Your Pilot has a call sign: I am here!

No Faith = Failure
Faith= Overcoming Challenges and Failure

Be Like Little Children.. Imitate

2010-10-08T09:42:00.000-07:00

Children are a joy to be around, most days. They have a keen sense of imagination and humor. Children also can pick up on the vibes you are giving off that day. It is funny how if I show up for work not in the best of moods that sometimes the children try to cheer me up, or they get in moods that are uncharacteristic of their typical behavior. Mostly I have learned when working with children is that I have to watch everything I do. I have to choose my words wisely, choose my actions and motives carefully, and how I have to treat others as I would want the children to treat their peers. At times I find myself holding my tongue, or choosing to act in a different way because Children are watching. One thing I have noticed is that the children in my class want to be just like "Mr. Andrew". Sometimes it is frustrating because they mimmick my every move and my every word. However, I know that I am someone they respect, love, and look up to. So, one may ask, "Why is it so difficult to act in a way that you want your kiddos to act." Simply, I don't know. Everything I want for them, I should want for myself. I should want to treat my peers with respect, talk gently to those around, and lend a helping hand when one falls down. When I think of how children always imitate their parents, teachers, or sibilings, I think of a verse in Ephesians 5:1 that says, "Therefore be imitators of God, as dearly loved Children." Man, I use to HATE for my brother to do what I was doing. He always wanted to go with me to basketball games, football games, or wherever I may have been going. However, I thought I was too cool to drag my little brother along. On the other hand, I knew that he just wanted to be like his Big Brother and that should have made me feel proud. Yet, I left him at home on many occasions which I feel terrible about because all he wanted to do was hangout with his older brother. At the same time, we should all be like little childrn when it comes to walking in the footsteps of Jesus. We should be imitators of Christ on a daily basis. Unlike my brother, I can't just leave Jesus at home; he is always with us. He is at school, work, church, parties, sporting events... He is always there. Just as little children imitate those older than them, we should imitate Christ in our daily walk of life. In verse 2 of Ephesians 5 it says, "And walk in Love just Christ loved us and gave Himself for us." Even though I get annoyed sometimes with my kids imitating my every step, I still love them because it makes me feel good to know that they even want to be just like me. At the same time, I want to be just like Christ who loved everyone, who surrounded Himself with sinners despite all the hate that was hurled at Him. I would give my life for those kids because I love them. Christ gave His life for us, because He loved us and wants to see us with Him one day enjoying the pleasures of Heaven. If you do not gain anything from this blog, gain this one thing.... Be like little children, and imitate Christ in your daily walk because imitation is the highest form of flattery.

Prayer

2010-10-07T06:23:00.000-07:00

Being raised in the Church of Christ, I have noticed several things that could be improved on. One is prayer. Have you ever noticed that all prayers almost are the same? "Guide, guard and direct us", that is a must in a C of C prayer. Or "ready recollection" is another. What happening to prayers coming from the heart? The ones where you are having a conversation with God, not a prepared statement that is used time and time again. Maybe it is a lack of prayer life outside of church, or maybe over the years being have heard these prayers and taken them to use as examples. I just do not think a scripted prayer is as effective as one who holds a conversation with God. Do I have any basis to rely on? No, but I do know that God asks us to "be joyful always, and pray continually" (I Thess. 5:16-17). If we have a good prayer life, it is going to come to us naturally whether we are in private, in front of the church, or wherever. "Is any of you in trouble? Let him pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise." (James 5:13). I am not going to really get into the specifics of prayer. It was just something that was on my mind. Strive to have a good prayer life, continually talk to God through prayers. He will hear, only if you speak. Speak from the heart and blessings will flow over you.

Signing off
Andrew

Face Your Giants!

2010-10-06T14:21:00.000-07:00

It all began on a battlefield, and it all ends on a battlefield. Let me explain, we have all heard the story of David and Goliath. We have this scrawny little shepherd boy who wants to slay the giant Goliath. In the other corner stands Goliath, he is of Andre the Giant size, if you will. He towers over every little human being that stands before him. Goliath wears a scowl that would send any army running for the hills, and delievers challenges that no man can seem to face. Yet, this one little boy steps up to the plate and today David becomes a man. Who would have ever thought that David, of all people, would want to face this giant? What experience does he have slaying giants and being a giant killer? After all, he sents in fields every day playing his harp, watching over the sheep, and praying to the Lord. David has one thing that Goliath does not.

Every day we face giants. No, not of the physical kind but things that Satan throws in our path to deter us from looking to God. "He taunts you with bills you can’t pay, people you can’t please, habits you can’t break, failures you can’t forget, and a future you can’t face. But just like David, you can face your giant, even if you aren’t the strongest, the smartest, the best equipped, or the holiest." (Lucado, Facing Your Giants). No matter how we look at it, at least one thing is controlling what we do, how we do it, and how we act. Some of us try to just brush the issue to the side, but a giant will not simply be swept under a rug, and it will not just go away. We have to face it head on, look it in the face, and tell that Giant it will not rule our lives.
Back to David's story, No one was giving him a chance to defeat Goliath. He was the laughing stock of the town, because while everyone was running from Goliath, David was ready to face him head on. "When all the Israelite men saw Goliath, they retreated from him terrified" (I Samuel 17:24). David decided he would go tell King Saul that he would face this giant and save their land from any more persuction and embarrasment. While Saul laughed at him for his youthfulness, David listed his resume:

"Your servant has been tending his father's sheep. Whenever a lion or a bear came

and carried off a lamb from the flock, I went after it, struck it down,

and rescued [the lamb] from its mouth. If it reared up against me, I would grab

it by its fur, strike it down, and kill it. Your servant has killed lions and bears;

this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, for he has defied the armies

of the living God." Then David said, "The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the

lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine" (I Samuel 17:34-37).

Saul then gave David the blessing to enter into the battlefield and to fight Goliath. King Saul let David borrow his armor, however, David was not use to the armor and it was a bit too big for him. Therfore, he took his staff, went to the river, gathered 5 smooth stones, took his sling, and approached Goliath. (I Samuel 17:38-40)

Goliath began to mock David, for all he had was his youth and good looks. Goliath had strength, and a sizable advantage physically, but this is where David's advantage comes into play. "David said to the Philistine, "You come against me with a dagger, spear, and sword, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel's armies— you have defied Him."" (I Samuel 17:45).

David also delivered a promise that once Goliath was defeated, he would cut off his head and then everyone would know that the battle belongs to the Lord. David delievered on his promise as he sank one stone into the forehead of this Giant who had embarrassed and perscuted David's people for far too long.

If David can face his giants head on, why can't we? We have an advantage over every single one, just as David did. Our battles belong to the Lord, he will guide us to victory. Make the perscution stop. Instead of hearing your giant in the back of your head laughing at you, face him, defeat him, and laugh at him. Do not let the giant of failure bring up past failures, instead look to the future and learn from your mistakes. Do not be haunted by them. Giant of divorce, you will not rip through my home. It stops right here, my family will no longer suffer from your constant reminder of the pain that you brought to us. Instead, we will look ahead to the future GOD has layed before us. FACE AND DEFEAT YOUR GIANTS!
We have hope! God saw something in David that many others did not see. David stumbled more than he stood tall. He was defeated more than he was able to gain victory. David had an affair, a love child, and formed a plan to have someone killed. Yet God said David was a man after His own heart. If God can give David so many chances, he will give us the same opportunities to experience His love, if you will let Him. God will take over your battles if you allow him. Many of us have heard the voice of the giant, we know his name, we know what he looks like, and where he lives. For those of you who know the sound of a giant, David gives this reminder:

"Focus on giants—you stumble. Focus on God—your giants tumble."

(Lucado, Facing your Giants)

Let David's story inspire you to defeat the giants in your lives, and realize the battle belongs to the LORD.

Be the Change....

2010-10-06T09:25:00.000-07:00

A song often comes on the radio. I know this is an older song, but keep reading. However, I already know that some of my readers do not like John Mayer, but just hear me out and see where I am going with this. As you may have guessed by now the song was "Waiting on the World to change." This got me thinking... Why wait on the world to change?? Why not be the change in the world that you want to see?? I am not sure that our mindset these days is that of someone who wants to change the world, but wants the world to change itself. Newsflash: If we sit back and allow the world to change.. It will change, but is it the change you want? It is the change of continued hatred, racism, violence, and other negative things. Not the change of more love, a sense of peace, or more happiness and joy. As a Christian, I feel as if it is my duty to be "The Change" in the world that I want to see.. If more of us develop this mentality we will begin to see things beginning to change. We can not just preach hope, love, and change. We have to exemplify change in ourselves before everything around us will change. We have to our show our love to others through our actions, words, and deed. We read in Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and praise your Father who is in Heaven." Last, be patient. Things will not happen in an instant, allow God to work through you and through those you minister to... I believe we can change the world one soul at a time, if we all decide to jump on board and Be the change that you want to see..

Vanishing Life..

2009-04-23T20:27:00.000-07:00

"You don't even know what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be! For you are a bit of smoke that appears for a little while, then vanishes." - James 4:14

In Life, we all experience death in some fashion or another. Whether its a family member, friend, co-worker, aquaintance, or someone you know through a friend. We all experience it. Unfortunately for some, we experience more often than others. It is a tough situation to deal with. I find myself not knowing what to say, how to act, what to do and it becomes very awkward at times. When in reality, all I want to do is lend a helping hand.

Let me be honest, I do not deal with death well. I never have, never will. I will never understand why young people have to die so soon. They have dreams and goals that still need to be fulfilled, families that need to be formed, and kids that need to be blessed with loving parents. The good news is, I do not have to understand why these things happen because God is in control. His hand is in all things. Some will ask, "But why does he let these evil things happen?" Accidents happen, He does not make bad things happen. However, from the bad, he makes Good! "All things work together for the good of those who LOVE the Lord." -Romans 8:28

In my 21 years (soon to be 22), I have experienced all the pains and emotions you can feel through death, even to the point of being numb at times. I have questioned God to the point where I believed He took my best friend away from me, because He was playing some kind of cruel joke. I sat in worship services not believing that He could do anything for me if He let bad things happen to people. Thank God, my life continued to be spared. From my adversity, it has made me a stronger person today. I just lost a teacher, mentor and friend who loved her students. It has been rough, but I find peace in knowing she touched so many of her student's lives. I believe she had served her purpose and it was time for her reward. Today, I lost someone who I had grown close to through the "adopt-a-student" program at my church, my adopted "dad" Tom Dukes. I firmly believe his life on this Earth was well served. He loved God with all his heart, and knew so much about the bible. He had a way of touching people's lives through the way he lived. Again, there is no doubt in my mind he served his purpose during his earthly life. I know I will see him again one day in Heaven.

How are you living your life? We don't know when the Lord will come back, we do not know when we will take our last breath. Life is so short-lived, its like dust that gets picked up by the wind and vanishes away. We are not guranteed to live tomorrow, or any other day! Love the Lord and know "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens Me" -Phil. 4:13

The Latest Youtube Sensastion

2009-04-19T18:19:00.000-07:00

As I sat in the condo at Panama City Beach, my brother asks, "Hey, have you seen the Susan Boyles video?" My reply, "No, I havent seen it and if its another one of those stupid videos you want me to watch, I am not doing it!" Well, needless to say he persuades me to watch this video of this lady on "Britain's Got Talent". Ok, she is probably one of the ugliest people I have ever seen. However, she has one of the most incredible voices ever! I was shocked when I heard that voice from that body, not what I expected. If you have not seen it, here is the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Il5TBgD9kHI

Blogging...

2009-04-17T23:56:00.001-07:00

I have 3 different accounts to blog on now. One for personal use, one for religous use, and one for public use. One may ask, "Why do you have so many blogs?" Well, to put it simply. I enjoy writing, but everything I write I do not want viewed by the public. I enjoy putting down religious thoughts, but do not enjoy the debate that goes along with it. So, as I set up a twitter account today, I set up another blog account to give you a glimpse of what goes on with me. So, I post try to post daily I hope that you enjoy reading what I have to say and will respect my insights on life!