tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-275617442024-03-07T18:31:09.097-05:00An Open DoerrUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger485125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27561744.post-19654626972563165142011-01-03T20:15:00.003-05:002011-01-03T20:20:56.912-05:00Happy Birthday Live Wire!It's hard to believe that it's been two years since God started a new thing in Southern Indiana. I must say that I've never been more excited about Live Wire's future. Our best days are ahead and it will be immeasurably more than all we could ask or imagine! <div><br /></div><div>Take a look at this video we put together to celebrate what God has done over the last 24 months. Praise the Lord with us for all He has done!<div><br /></div><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/In2-SsfIXy8?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/In2-SsfIXy8?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27561744.post-4201610689939208192010-12-26T11:27:00.003-05:002010-12-26T11:31:51.263-05:00I'll See It When I Believe ItLast night, my daughter, Kayla, wanted to use the familiar phrase, "I'll believe it when I see it," but it accidently came out, "I'll see it when I believe it." As I laughed at her apparent slip up, it hit me the incredible truth of what she had just said. We are called to walk by faith, not sight (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians%205:7&version=NASB">2 Corinthians 5:7</a>). To wait to believe only when I can see it and touch it, is not faith at all. I will believe based on a Word from God (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+10:17&version=NASB">Romans 10:17</a>)! As a result, I will see it manifest in my life. Thanks Kayla for setting straight our theology, even if it was accidental:)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27561744.post-55313009223663753372010-06-26T17:00:00.002-05:002010-06-26T17:05:29.279-05:00The NBA Combine & Gordon HaywardI thought this video was pretty interesting. The first few minutes is a documentary on the NBA combine which is held in Chicago every year, just prior to the draft. The last few minutes is a story about Butler's, Gordon Hayward - an Indiana boy whose dreams came true on Thursday night, getting picked 9th overall by the Utah Jazz.<br /><br /><object width="388" height="394" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="ep"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="movie" value="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/swf/1.1/cvp/nba_embed_container.swf?context=nba&videoId=channels/nba_tv/2010/06/25/20100625_draft_combine.nba"><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000"><embed src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/swf/1.1/cvp/nba_embed_container.swf?context=nba&videoId=channels/nba_tv/2010/06/25/20100625_draft_combine.nba" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" bgcolor="#000000" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="388" wmode="transparent" height="394"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27561744.post-82825767420103935202009-10-17T23:07:00.004-05:002009-10-18T09:00:52.455-05:00The Urinal Story<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxo3Ymrcizo2XK-EahaMS4MG-qn5ulxG3fM0VnUbkYnmwOKdDjbNdxcDLuP5aY9RT80M2H14dE16_Kp3dAqbp8vveGMSK1_l5LornKy_2OlmqO-NPaEGZ1wQ6vUIiEsvCvcN7d/s1600-h/urinals.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 138px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxo3Ymrcizo2XK-EahaMS4MG-qn5ulxG3fM0VnUbkYnmwOKdDjbNdxcDLuP5aY9RT80M2H14dE16_Kp3dAqbp8vveGMSK1_l5LornKy_2OlmqO-NPaEGZ1wQ6vUIiEsvCvcN7d/s200/urinals.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393939539847970978" /></a><div>Disclaimer: I realize I haven't blogged in a coon's age and I would love to break the drought with something spiritually edifying, but...I have to share what happened tonight. It was absolutely hilarious. Or at least I thought it was:) </div><div><br /></div><div>It will go down as one of my funniest parenting moments. It took place tonight at Faith Harvest. I had packed five children (three of my own and two teens from church) in our van and went for a night of worship with friends. I was the lone parent as Jennifer had taken the girls to a women's ministry event. The night started off great. Emrie and Christian were worshipping with flags and were really into it. I was lovin' it as Jennie Mosier was leading worship and the presence of the Lord was filling the room. It was one of those moments you don't want to end. Now let me say that over the last couple of years I've had to learn to worship with minor childlike distractions. "Daddy, I'm thirsty", and, "Daddy, I have to go to the bathroom," is heard frequently. I've learned to deal with it and get back in the presence of the Lord. Well, tonight was a bit different. Like I said - the glory was thick and it was really getting good but as we headed into "Shout Unto God" and the intensity began to increase, I feel a tug on my shirt and my 3 1/2 year old son says, "Daddy, I have to poop." As you can imagine that made for a rapid descent down glory's mountain:) In an effort to grab a couple extra minutes in worship I instructed him to head to the bathroom and start his business and I would be there in a minute to help him finish up. I felt confident that he could do this as we had been to this particular church numerous times therefore he was well acquainted with the "facilities". I stayed as long as I could in worship and then slid out knowing I had a toddler in the bathroom, by himself. What I saw when I entered the men's bathroom was one of the funniest things I've ever seen. I saw my son, pants down, sitting on <b>the urinal with</b> his poop face on! He was of course stunned and a bit embarrassed when he saw his father explode with laughter and nearly fall to the bathroom floor. I'm happy to say, I caught him in time and transitioned him to the appropriate location before any damage was done, but the memory is forever locked in my mental vault of hilarious moments. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27561744.post-70663151519104000722009-09-18T18:53:00.002-05:002009-09-18T18:58:37.045-05:00As Not To Be Upstaged...A couple days ago I posted <a href="http://anopendoerr.blogspot.com/2009/09/andrews-touchdown-run.html">a touchdown run </a>by my nephew, Andrew. Well, his older brother, Austin, refuses to be upstaged and took a recent recent reception to the end zone. So, to give my my nephews equal web presence on An Open Doerr, here is Austin's touchdown catch! Go Austin! Those were some pretty evasive moves:)<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/av8XhuaDCz8&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/av8XhuaDCz8&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27561744.post-7728572684125166082009-09-14T12:05:00.001-05:002009-09-14T12:07:14.975-05:00Andrew's Touchdown Run!My sister just sent me a video of my nephew, Andrew's, touchdown run. I thought I'd share it with the world wide web. Go Andrew!<br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/a5Md41vZVzw&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/a5Md41vZVzw&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27561744.post-41904017715509009182009-09-07T13:34:00.002-05:002009-09-07T14:12:34.153-05:00UpdateIt's been a while since I last made a fresh entry to my blog. I thought I might take this down time on Labor Day to share some updates.<br /><br />Family:<br />The kids are enrolled at <a href="http://evangelchristianschool.com/index.php">Evangel Christian School </a>here in Louisville. It's much smaller than Christian Academy but they seem to love it. Jalen is playing tackle football and the girls are taking piano lessons. Kayla is preparing for her first mission trip to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belize">Belize</a>, Central America this spring. Jennifer is growing exponentially in her role as a mother, wife, and pastor. The house is still for sale as we long to sell and move back to Southern Indiana.<br /><br />Ministry:<br />Live Wire is now eight months old and God is continuing to focus on building a strong foundation. Many that started this journey with us no longer with us but we are confident that God is in this and will be faithful to build His church and meet our every need. He is solidifying a core that will sacrifice all to see God's vision come to pass. We finished up a phenominal summer with visits from <a href="http://www.whcc.net/apps/staff/default.asp?relationid=581025">Apostle Jeff Johns </a>and <a href="http://ghsinternational.org/index.html">Apostle/Prophet Bill Norton</a>. I'm so excited to see what God is going to do at Live Wire.<br /><br />Personal:<br />God is teaching me much in this season about depending on him with my whole heart in every facet of my life. My faith is on the increase and the devil's influence is on the decrease. I'm learning every day what it means to be led by the Spirit, to walk in His gifts. On the job front, I recently became a front-line supervisor at <a href="http://www.ups.com/">UPS</a>. This promotion has come with added hours which I praise the Lord for. I've also been working a couple days a week for <a href="http://browninglandscaping.com/default.aspx">Browning Landscaping</a>.<br /><br />Quote that's on my mind:<br />"Prayer is preparing your future." - Bill Norton<br /><br />Upcoming event that's on my mind:<br />Young Adult Conference at White Horse (other than the date I have tonight with my wife)<br /><br />Song that's on my mind:<br />Where You Go I'll Go - By Kim Walker & Jesus Culture<br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bDqUBR72j8g&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bDqUBR72j8g&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27561744.post-36826940370953298432009-07-09T10:18:00.003-05:002009-07-09T10:22:46.038-05:00Whitehorse, Here We Come!I'm minutes away from leaving to meet a group of Live Wire teens and we're headed to West Lafayette, Indiana for the <a href="http://www.whcc.net/pages.asp?pageid=58661">Whitehorse Youth Conference</a>. I'm so pumped about what God is going to do! Please be in prayer for the following people and I'll try and post some thoughts, quotes, updates, etc. on this blog or my <a href="http://twitter.com/anopendoerr">twitter</a> account. <div><ul><li>Heaven</li><li>Justin</li><li>Kayla</li><li>Brianna</li><li>Dwight</li></ul></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27561744.post-75047408462716493272009-07-06T20:09:00.003-05:002009-07-06T20:16:45.767-05:00Pastor Jeff Johns Coming To Live Wire<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZjsHv2nkK1EURhRYfqnUMU4bFvmMZ6ABFU1jOmv79TpJIhmoTgRDrI6SSxtApC82razvK2M72S54_Xmm_5t1mSYhdYU2qv4KEgV88_rKGhGa6rOU2eBEyOW2SsS6anFNZo0gx/s1600-h/Jeff+Johns.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 125px; height: 186px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZjsHv2nkK1EURhRYfqnUMU4bFvmMZ6ABFU1jOmv79TpJIhmoTgRDrI6SSxtApC82razvK2M72S54_Xmm_5t1mSYhdYU2qv4KEgV88_rKGhGa6rOU2eBEyOW2SsS6anFNZo0gx/s320/Jeff+Johns.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355520593082030450" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Pastor Jeff Johns is the Senior Pastor of <a href="http://www.whcc.net/">White Horse Christian Center</a>, a revival celebration center in West Lafayette, Indiana. He has been a minister of the gospel from his youth and is anointed to identify, nurture and raise up leaders. His ministry cuts across denominational and generational boundaries. Building covenant relationships in the love of the Father is the cornerstone of Pastor Jeff’s apostolic ministry to churches and ministers worldwide. He is recognized by many as a pastor of pastors. He will be ministering at <a href="http://www.livewirechurch.net/">Live Wire</a> this Sunday at 6:00pm. We'd love for you to join us. </span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27561744.post-35914856282870381232009-06-21T03:16:00.002-05:002009-06-21T03:23:58.833-05:00Happy Father's DayIn honor of Father's Day I wanted to share this powerful video of a father's confession to his family for not always being the dad they needed him to be. Lou Engle is the founder of The Call and travels the nation calling people to prayer and I so admire his passion for the Lord. <div><br /></div><div>Happy Father's Day dads! What a privilege. What a responsibility. <br /><div><br /></div><div>Note: The audio/video is out of sync towards the end but it's powerful nonetheless. It's a must watch!<div><br /></div><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rv18RyesbS0&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rv18RyesbS0&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27561744.post-67707902080560031012009-06-16T21:15:00.002-05:002009-06-16T21:24:56.513-05:00Blog PropsI wanted to highlight two blogs that you'll want to take note of. The first is my wife's. She doesn't blog very often but when she does it is usually profound. Today's post was a response to the "April Rose" blog hoax. It's a long read but oh so anointed. Check it out <a href="http://jennifer-forgiven.blogspot.com/2009/06/dear-rebeccah-beushauseni-know-what-its.html">here</a>.<div><br /></div><div>The second blog is from a pastor friend of mine, Russ Benson. He pastors a great church in the New Albany area and is using this blog to fuel revival. His writings, posts, and videos blessed me and I'm certain they will bless you as well. Check his blog out <a href="http://russbenson.wordpress.com/">here</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've finished "The Ultimate Treasure Hunt" and hope to share some thoughts about that read in the days to come. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27561744.post-54921657650796845782009-06-02T14:47:00.003-05:002009-06-02T15:19:44.816-05:00The Ultimate Treasure Hunt<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKX2XI54yQcnWgfpPxslD4oaNNgaWLRQIw4pt6T8pV21Mk64QPqH2W88BWtFz6y_DvWSlsRRG1HfpoMD_UCuywg7NpfQSPT6xtdb2HVAA3RWo-hcY2TqXM5AR5KAdZtQ9d3yIY/s1600-h/9780768426021.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKX2XI54yQcnWgfpPxslD4oaNNgaWLRQIw4pt6T8pV21Mk64QPqH2W88BWtFz6y_DvWSlsRRG1HfpoMD_UCuywg7NpfQSPT6xtdb2HVAA3RWo-hcY2TqXM5AR5KAdZtQ9d3yIY/s320/9780768426021.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342823776358791554" /></a>I've been reading Kevin Dedmon's book, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Treasure-Hunt-Supernatural-Evangelism/dp/0768426022/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1243972935&sr=8-1">The Ultimate Treasure Hunt</a></span> and I can't seem to put it down. It's a phenomenal book and extremely practical when it comes to evangelism. In short, a "treasure hunt" is when a group of people ask the Holy Spirit for specific "words of knowledge" or "clues". These clues that are written down on paper lead them to a divine encounter with a specific person (aka treasure - based on <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2015:8-10;&version=31;">Luke 15</a> and the lost coin). Sounds crazy but this book is chalked full of stories that build your faith and stir your heart towards evangelism. I want to share one such story, not only because it's one of the most remarkable stories I've ever heard, but because it also keeps in theme with my last couple of posts. It's a bit lengthy but it will be worth your time! Trust me!<div><br /></div><div>Recently, my (Kevin Dedmon) son Chad took a group of junior high school kids out Treasure Hunting. They had several odd clues that led them to the parking lot of a well-known supermarket. One of the kids had "a woman with a back injury" on his list. As my son scanned across the parking lot, he saw an angel holding a banner that read "encounter" over a Middle Eastern woman who was beside her van.</div><div><br /></div><div>Chad and the team approached the woman and asked if she wanted prayer. The woman adamantly declined, indicating that she was in a hurry. Instantly, the "back injury" clue came to his mind as the woman was backing out of the parking space, and he yelled out, "You were in a car accident two weeks ago. You have pain in your back and it hurts to sit down." Absolutely shocked, she stopped in the middle of the parking lot and confessed that she had been in a severe car accident two weeks prior, leaving her with a debilitating back injury.</div><div><br /></div><div>They began to explain to the woman that they were on a Treasure Hunt and that she was the Treasure they were looking for. Chad then explained about the angel that he had just seen over her, and then felt impressed to boldly tell her that Jesus had recently visited her in her dreams. The woman began to cry and explained that she had been a very dedicated Muslim her whole life, but had recently been visited by Jesus four times over the previous ten nights in her dreams. She had not known what to make of the visitations other than that the messages she had received specifically told her to be expecting an "encounter."</div><div><br /></div><div>Chad and the team gathered around and began to release the presence of Jesus on the Muslim woman. Immediately, all the pain left her back, and she was completely healed. Chad then talked to her about Jesus, and she responded, "I want to know Jesus the way you know Jesus."</div><div><br /></div><div>So, there in a parking lot, this Muslim woman had an encounter that changed her theology in a moment. The team did not argue with her about the differences between Islam and Christianity. No, they just demonstrated the Kingdom of God in response to some "clues" they had received from the Holy Spirit, and followed a vision that directed them to the place in which God had already prepared a treasured heart to receive Him.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27561744.post-87633243779502533162009-05-27T14:15:00.002-05:002009-05-27T15:15:58.201-05:00Fast Food EncountersIt seems to be that God is fond of fast food joints. <div><br /></div><div>Yesterday, my wife and I were enjoying some down time at <a href="http://chickfila.com/#home">Chick-Fil-A</a> in New Albany. We'd been there for a couple of hours, waiting to pick the kids up from school, when out of the blue this guy walks up, and without an introduction, just begins to prophecy over me! It was the craziest thing! He just began to share a word from the heart of God that was oh so encouraging. Though we had never met prior, he knew things about me that were specific to me and my situation. I just smiled and received the word he was delivering by the Spirit of God. I was floored that God would arrange this divine encounter at a fast food joint of all places. I would expect something like that at church, but at Chick-Fil-A?! I would eventually invite him to sit down and chat. We exchanged stories and found out he was the pastor at the Dwelling Place in New Albany. He had just come to Chick-Fil-A that morning to wait for his car to be worked on. He hadn't set out that morning to prophecy but as he communed with the Lord outside the four walls of the church, the Spirit of God moved upon him and before you know it, pastor Jerry was used to encourage another brother in Christ!</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's another similar story that has God all over it. A couple weeks ago, my friend and pastor, Russ Benson was meeting a friend for lunch at the Wendy's in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corydon,_Indiana">Corydon, Indiana</a>. In the midst of conversation Russ perceives, by the Spirit of God, that a young man across the restaurant (a man he had never seen before) was a pastor. Russ tells his friend, "This guys a pastor. I need to go talk to him." So Russ gets up from his table and walks up to this stranger's table. He says, "Hey, my name is Russ Benson...blah, blah, blah. Are you a pastor?" The guys says no and Russ is like, "Oh dear, I missed this one." But the stranger immediately says, "...but I have this longing to plant a church." At this Russ begins to get excited because he himself is a church planter at heart and has a passion to see churches planted and partner with pastors to see this happen. He's been a huge help for me over the past six months! Anyway...to make a long story short...come to find out, this stranger at the Wendy's in Corydon actually lived in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabethtown,_Kentucky">E-town</a>, which if you're not familiar with the geography of this story, is in a completely different state! He told Russ that his intention that afternoon was to hit the Wendy's in E-town but the Lord told him to go to the Wendy's in Corydon:) Are you kidding me?! So he obeys the Lord, tracks across the river, takes his seat in the corner of the restaurant and God brings a strange church planter to his table to minister to him and establish a divine connection. Wow! God is good.</div><div><br /></div><div>Even as a I share these two stories I'm seeing three very important lessons surface.</div><div><ol><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">God has no desire to be confined to the four walls of the church!</span> He's just as happy (if not more happy) to move supernaturally on Monday at Wendy's then He is to move on Sunday at church. </li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">God is looking for people who will be his mouth piece in the market place!</span> In talking to both Russ and Jerry, I'm pretty certain they both had passing thoughts like, "God, are you sure you want me to go talk to this stranger. What if this isn't you? What will they think?" But they obeyed God and God moved in supernatural ways to establish divine connection. He'll not only do this Christian to Christian, as was the case in the above mentioned stories, I believe if we'll stay sensitive to the Spirit's lead He'll bring us in contact with hurting people who don't know Jesus and will be open to the gospel as they have a supernatural encounter with God.</li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Stay sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading, even when picking a fast food joint! </span>We have a tendency to turn off our spiritual ears when we're not in church or don't have our nose in the Bible, but if we'll continually be aware that the Spirit of God desires to lead us, we'll be surprised at the things that happen and the people we meet. Stay sensitive! </li></ol><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Note: I would encourage you to go back and read my previous <a href="http://anopendoerr.blogspot.com/2009/05/whos-leading-whom.html">blog entry</a> as I think the two stories above are case in point. </span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27561744.post-46454733092451468332009-05-12T11:59:00.004-05:002009-05-12T13:06:12.829-05:00Who's Leading Whom?I love the <a href="http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=90333">new Bible</a> Jennifer gifted me for Valentine's Day. It's a comparative study Bible that lays side by side four of the most commonly used translations (KJV, Amplified, NASB, & NIV). For study purposes it is great! If you want to dig into a particular verse you can quickly reference the verbiage used in the other translations. Okay, I'm a geek but bare with me:)<div><br /></div><div>Today I was reading in Acts 19 and stumbled upon something that I thought significant. Paul is finishing up a lengthy visit to Ephesus and the NIV says, "After all this had happened, Paul <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">decided</span></span> to go to Jerusalem..." No big deal. This was one of a plethora of decisions Paul would make over the course of his ministry. But wait! The NIV leaves out something incredibly significant! The other three translations, mentioned above, paint an entirely different picture. The NASB and KJV say Paul "purposed in the spirit" and the Amplified says he "determined in the Holy Spirit". You see, Paul didn't just wake up one morning and say, "Hey, I think I'll make a trip to Jerusalem. Sounds like a good idea." No! It was as he walked with the Holy Spirit and communed with his "divine tour guide" that the Holy Spirit put that leading and purpose in his heart. There's a big difference! I know because there have been many times in my life that I HAVE DECIDED to do this or that. Some of these were good decisions; others were not:( But what God has been teaching me over the last couple of years is that His desire is that we would be led by His Spirit. He gave us the Holy Spirit to be our Guide and Counselor. If we'll commune with Him and rely on Him, He will lead us to make decisions that are in alignment with the Father's will. And that my friends is when things begin to happen to advance the Kingdom of God. </div><div><br /></div><div>And here's something else. Not only did the Holy Spirit prompt Paul to travel to Jerusalem, He gave Him a specific route. The Spirit led Paul to pass through Macedonia and Achaia on his way to Jerusalem. If you were to look at a map, you'd see that's far from being the most direct route to Jerusalem. But the Spirit of God had reasons, things He knew Paul would need to be a part of, people he would need to meet. So Paul's decision to go to Jerusalem was not conjured up in his own head. Paul was simply following the prompting and lead of the Holy Spirit.</div><div><br /></div><div>"For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God." (Romans 8:14) Teach us Father to be led by Your Holy Spirit!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27561744.post-38170208652551223062009-05-04T16:51:00.003-05:002009-05-04T16:59:50.434-05:00House For Sale in Southeast Louisville - 3 bed, 2.5 bathOur house went on the market today! If you, or anyone you know, is looking for a house in the Southeast part of Louisville area, please send them our way. I've set up a website with descriptions, pictures, and price. Visit <a href="http://7017ospreyridge.blogspot.com/">www.7017ospreyridge.com</a> the scoop.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27561744.post-72704041254999425582009-05-02T02:35:00.002-05:002009-05-02T02:58:21.893-05:00Financial Miracle!"And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19)<div><br /></div><div>I couldn't go to bed without sharing the incredible miracle that took place today. A few weeks ago our van's transmission went out and so we began to prayerfully shop around to see who could get us the best deal. The quotes ranged from $4,000 to $2,500. After talking to my friend Jack who owns Jack's Muffler in Greenville, we felt like that was where we needed to go. Not only was it the cheapest bid, but Jack was willing to double the warranty at no cost to me. I saw that as a blessing from God. </div><div><br /></div><div>So we had the van towed to Southern Indiana and waited. All the while Jennifer and I were praying for God to meet our financial need. $2,500 is a big chunk of money and so we prayed and believed that God would come through some how. He's a faithful God and we know Him to be a miracle worker!</div><div><br /></div><div>Well...today I call Jack's Muffler to make arrangements to pick up the van and pay what I thought would be a hefty invoice and the receptionist proceeds to tell me that I owe nothing. What?! She wouldn't go into detail but she said that it had been taken care of! Needless to say I about dropped the phone:) God had come through! Not simply with a double warranty but a free transmission! I mean I would have given Him praise for a big discount, but to pay my invoice in full! God is awesome! I thanked Christie (the receptionist) and told her to thank whoever it was that carried out this blessing and then the party was on:) My wife and I celebrated all day and will forever remember this day as yet another day that our God came through on a miracle. One of many we will have the opportunity to tell about. I'm certain of that!</div><div><br /></div><div>We have an awesome Heavenly Father who loves to bless His children and as the scripture above states, he meets the needs of those who have put their trust in Him. He makes a way where there seems to be no way! Thank you Jesus! </div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27561744.post-9705492466591854122009-04-18T11:32:00.002-05:002009-04-18T11:35:47.792-05:00Resurrection InjectionCheck out <a href="http://www.stevenfurtick.com/uncategorized/resurrection-injection-and-such/">this video</a> Elevation Church put together for their Easter services. If this doesn't fire you up, your wood is wet! Go Jesus!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27561744.post-23939875351072656192009-04-11T22:20:00.003-05:002009-04-11T22:43:53.972-05:00Help Lord!My family and I just returned from the Prayer Conference at <a href="http://www.whcc.net/">Whitehorse</a> and had an incredible time. I've never left a conference in West Lafayette without feeling built up in the Lord and ready to take on the kingdom of darkness in Jesus' name. <div><br /></div><div>Before I hit the sack I just had the share a profound thought that Pastor Jeff Johns shared on the last night. Pastor Jeff had been talking on and off throughout the whole the conference about how God can bless His children even in the midst of a struggling economy. The heart of the message was that God is not affected by the recession so we have no reason to fear. But on the last night he made a one liner that I don't think I'll ever forget. He said, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">"Some of you are going from Psalm 12 - 'Help Lord!' to Luke 5 'Help Lord!'"</span></span> In <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2012;&version=51;">Psalm 12</a> David is in a fight for his life and is feeling alone and he cries out "Help Lord!". In <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke%205:1-11;&version=51;">Luke 5</a>, after a fishless night, Simon Peter obeys Jesus' simple word of instruction to toss the nets on the other side of the boat and Peter catches so many fish his nets begin to tear. His catch is so massive that he cries for help for his fishing buddies to come assist him in bringing in the mess of fish. Both boats were on the verge of sinking from the abundance!</div><div><br /></div><div>The lesson was this - We serve a God that can take us from Help Lord! (we're in need, we're struggling) to Help Lord! (the abundant harvest is so large, what do we do?!) and he can do it in the blink of an eye! </div><div><br /></div><div>I don't know about you, but I'm moving to Luke 5! "And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27561744.post-42984807455345527412009-04-04T17:50:00.010-05:002009-04-04T18:26:33.223-05:00High Ropes Course Pics<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKrhj86D7tD30lgk7FMFSvz6d0d9XCqguIzweaQ7GlffUjT2D88M-64uzkd8l62Vwvem0vLbiEoiM3O86rbJl0KwrqvFzK54sESzkpMRmk-RydrJdyt72IPn07-I9qj65Hklwg/s1600-h/securedownload_3.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKrhj86D7tD30lgk7FMFSvz6d0d9XCqguIzweaQ7GlffUjT2D88M-64uzkd8l62Vwvem0vLbiEoiM3O86rbJl0KwrqvFzK54sESzkpMRmk-RydrJdyt72IPn07-I9qj65Hklwg/s320/securedownload_3.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320979925712400018" /></a>It appears that God is opening a door for me to begin leading team building events with Mt. St. Francis and the Essence Retreat Center. I'm excited because I'll be given the opportunity to pour into people but it will also help me pick up some extra cash:) Today I spent the day in training under the tutelage of <a href="http://www.experientialresources.com/">ERI</a> and my day culminated with what they refer to as the "diaper pole". They name is given because many who get to the top of the 30 foot telephone pole and look down will wish they had a diaper on:)<div><br /></div><div>Here are some pictures of the ascension, the countdown at the top, and the jump. I just wish you could have heard the scream:)</div><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA-dspZB70vz0nrq8Znzi4yNkpOstV8ZBRvl66e65SJ_-Rl5mGsiaLLuPfRBAUzbhoPhWEdWmkC8UeEXRYLlpk_NpAk_wNB8CmbwosWI8uSOiZyZbP0FS6jx5yRokF_CX8C1Yc/s320/securedownload.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320979598819078274" /><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3KrxUH3IVstlLKxdzh5yjH5s6i6iiSM5UFoAjjlVik_HaszfYFQMgaMKmZkotnkSH1EhJtGCq1_7CD-QOKmQMWzdJDCZNbM9hS3Kv7EWQK31pVO51dsKrPQPZ6WGVj7AsZnfs/s320/securedownload_2.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320977859885851122" /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27561744.post-87612907839804954152009-03-31T21:10:00.004-05:002009-03-31T21:19:53.841-05:00The Spirit of Love CenterJust wanted to announce that I'll be ministering at <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">The Spirit of Love Center</span> in Louisville on Wednesday at 7:00pm. This church is so dear to our hearts and we're excited about having the opportunity to minister to their people! Pastor Derek Wilson, their pastor, is a spiritual father to me and I praise God for the love, wisdom, and prayer he has lavished upon me over the last year. This church means business and his forcefully advancing the kingdom of God. <div><br /></div><div>If you desire to attend then visit their site <a href="http://www.spiritoflovecenter.com/directions.html">here</a> for directions. If you can't attend, please do me a favor and pray for me. I'm honored to have this opportunity and just desire to be a mouthpiece for God. He has a word for these people and I can't wait to share it!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27561744.post-22107270643080107872009-03-17T15:59:00.006-05:002009-03-17T20:31:25.866-05:00Book Reviews<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcI-wjynZuYY-Gr2aCXADETkgq9WoFeVGfdxWJJOb06yijuumvQmAM3qna3nh2NAFtPgqGU9yI761PEcxMlzcad_ECCk12Z9bMgPaNMrcQy2Xpt1SgERIT4QEagvnWV7DDCais/s1600-h/51WARBrb4SL.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 142px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcI-wjynZuYY-Gr2aCXADETkgq9WoFeVGfdxWJJOb06yijuumvQmAM3qna3nh2NAFtPgqGU9yI761PEcxMlzcad_ECCk12Z9bMgPaNMrcQy2Xpt1SgERIT4QEagvnWV7DDCais/s200/51WARBrb4SL.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314331994182429138" /></a>I've recently completed two really good books, both of which made great deposits in my walk with Jesus. I thought I'd take a moment and give a review of each book. The first was <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Fasting</span> by Jentezen Franklin. I picked up this book a couple months ago because of the stirring God has put in my heart to make fasting a regular part of my relationship with Him. I've fasted for years but I want to grow in this area. The subtitle of this book was, "Opening the door to a deeper, more intimate, more powerful relationship with God," and I can honestly say this book has done just that, for me. I loved this book because it was full of scripture as well as story after modern day story of how God moves when his people "push away from the table" and fast to draw close to Him. Here are a few of my favorite quotes:In reflecting on how Jesus began His ministry with a time of intense fasting, Franklin said, "If Jesus could have all He came to do without fasting, why would He fast? The Son of God fasted because He knew there was supernatural things that could only be released that way. How much more should fasting be a common practice in our lives?"<div><ul><li>In talking about Adam and Eve he said, "They ate themselves out of the will of God for their lives. They ate themselves out of God's provision and plan for their lives and out of His magnificent presence." Wow!</li><li>"Fasting is not just a physical discipline; it can be a spiritual feast." Taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8).</li><li>"There are dimensions of our glorious King that will never be revealed to the casual, disinterested worshiper." I don't know about you, but I have no desire to be a casual worshiper! I have no desire to be ordinary!</li><li>"In the life of a believer, there should always be more private than public ministry to God...Victories are not won in public but in private." Wow!</li><li>"Fasting with prayer just seems to open a different frequency in God's ear!"</li><li>"Any time you fast, it is a hunger strike against hell."</li></ul><div>The second book I've just completed is <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Catch The Fire</span> by Guy Chevreau. This book was written in the mid 90's to shed light on what has come to be known as the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Toronto Blessing</span>, a mighty move of God that took place in Canada but has left a long-lasting global impact on the kingdom of God. If you know much about this revival you know that quite a bit of talk was made in regards the radical, physical manifestations that took place during this move of God, many of which received criticism even within the Christian community. What I enjoyed about the book was how the author shed scriptural and historical light on what happened in Toronto. Bottom line - nearly every move of God, past and present, has been met with criticism and controversy. It happened at Pentecost and will probably continue to happen in the future. It seems that when God moves beyond our experiences and outside of our preconceived ideas of what "revival" or "renewal" looks like, we have a tendency to move into "this can't be God" mode. I really liked how the author, Chevreau, incorporated excerpts from revivalists of old as they observed what God was doing in their time. This opened my eyes to the fact that the phenomena that was taking place in Toronto in the mid 90's was not really new. It was neat to hear the writings from men like Jonathan Edwards, a preacher and revivalist from the 1700's. If you didn't know better you would have thought as you read Edwards that he had been to Toronto and was reporting what he had experienced. Amazingly similar!<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 131px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0cv-0dk-3m7qVqH0ZaDTwPMHFLPRX2mvPX65TPelLYgSrplgmvXdr8IIfQiyv0jFjolE8X7Szvdg2q1YWnO95R1x3gmxF-XMxL250hFBetsfPjfdO_iwl7r-5EX85jcR4r2vp/s200/catch.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314333466131127762" /></div><div>Here are a few of my favorites quotes:</div><div><ul><li>In talking about what he saw at the Toronto Airport Vineyard Chevreau said, "All of this makes apple sauce of a fellow's theological applecarts." Love it!</li><li>"That's one of the things we need to have settled. As much fun as all of the manifestations are - and church has never been so much fun, the manifest presence of God is a radical life-changer. There is no record in the Scriptures of the Lord manifesting His presence, and people staying the same as before."</li><li>"When the Spirit manifests His presence, if often, if not always, requires that WE 'lose control'."</li><li>He made a funny as he looked back at his Baptist roots. He said, "I figured it was a significant manifestation if we could get people to lean forward, take out their wallets, and put something in the offering plate." Hilarious! Needless to say he was a little taken back the first time he saw the Spirit of God drop someone to floor.</li><li>In putting some of the physical manifestations in biblical perspective he quotes the Airport Vineyard's then Senior Pastor John Arnott. In using Saul's conversion experience as an example, Arnott said, "If someone in your church suddenly fell to the ground, heard his name called, and said that he had seen a vision, and was left blind after the whole experience, what would you conclude? And, how would you explain it to his mother?"</li><li>"A work of God without stumbling blocks is never to be expected."</li><li>"We should distinguish the good from the bad, and not judge the whole by the part." This quote would applied to the recent Lakeland revival. That's all I have to say about that:)</li><li>"God's desire to bless us is far greater than Satan's ability to deceive us. It is far healthier to focus attention on the wheat, and not the chaff, nor on the enemy sowing weeds." (Matthew 13:24-30)</li><li>18th century preacher, Jonathan Edwards, said, "A man's having much affection (a word he uses synonymously with passion and zeal), does not prove that he has any religion; but if he has no affection, it proves that he has no true religion."</li><li>"The visitation of the Spirit at the Toronto Airport Vineyard has forced many of us to reshuffle pre-suppositions and expectations; it has knocked out the ends of the box in which we had neatly contained our God."</li></ul></div><div>Over all, I highly recommend both of these books. They have blessed me immensely. I'm now on to Sean Smith's, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Prophetic Evangelism</span>:)</div><div><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27561744.post-55372366962202672682009-03-09T09:36:00.005-05:002009-03-09T09:45:19.300-05:00Say CheeseJennifer and I needed to get some pictures taken for the new <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Live Wire</span> website (should be launching soon!) and so our friend Carol Davis came early to church last night and took some great shots. I posted several on my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=225879&id=510785001&ref=mf">Facebook</a> but wanted to leave a couple of my favs here. I praise God that my wife is beautiful, both inside and out:)<div><br /><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW9urS9s1gvgDLXc9cKmGbaRSZt28M5o5xaPuYFVOSv6NY9Fp8gXXTNML5NCRqZp13hUj-OaXMpU0rN-OBB_Y1Rkee0G2ayM61gTvuDTwfRa3VmwrsCG_E1MiXPDkqwAL4G7uT/s200/IMG_0349.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311197542289897458" /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>My personal favorite (above)<br /><div><br /></div><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6LrStxIIzpCjss2UkewdCQ-i4-KzjoLVmCY4hw-F1FFDmpjt4ZcdwYWxWXzQAiZZaA7wtb4pcMTB0hQeHBwf1J8Dxa9e1r37WXd65d8fryEzcC2-Sdo_HLxNoxpMGK_P9A5Jd/s200/IMG_0354.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311198248891614242" /></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27561744.post-3337247307827786632009-02-23T17:13:00.002-05:002009-02-23T18:36:31.305-05:00Monday ReflectionsLast night marked the two month mark for Live Wire and God is continuing to blow me away. In so many ways He has exceeded my expectations. Jennifer and I, having never started a church, stepped out in faith because we were certain that is what He was asking of us, and He has been faithful beyond measure. Here are a few reflections from last night:<br /><ul><li>First of all let me say that I had a sense of expectation coming in to Sunday night. I didn't know what God was going to do but I knew that a lot of prayer and fasting had taken place and that always results in a Holy Ghost explosion :)</li><li>I about lost it before service even begin. This deserves a quick story. Sunday morning/afternoon I was spending some personal time in worship and prayer and out of the blue this friend from my past came to mind. Immediately I made a mental note that I wanted to make contact soon to check up on their walk with the Lord. I hadn't seen this family in several months and wondered how they were getting along. Would you believe that thirty minutes before service, in walks the <strong>very</strong> family the Lord had brought to remembrance. I mean, are you kidding me?! They told me that that morning they had a sudden prompting to look me up on the internet and find out where I was. They found the <a href="http://www.livewirechurch.net/">church site</a> and the rest is history. Is God awesome or what?!</li><li>That family was not the only new family to Live Wire. We had several guests join us for worship. I can honestly say that in two months, we've had new people <strong>every</strong> week! Praise God!</li><li>Worship was awesome! Our regular drummer didn't show so Meechy stepped in and rocked the house. It was his first time ever playing during a praise and worship set. You would have never known. It must have been the anointing:)</li><li>The Holy Spirit came on Alonzo towards the end of worship and he busted out into a series of prophetic songs. Oh my word! I cannot tell you how that stirred our hearts. Not only that, it confirmed in my spirit that the message God had given me was the very message He wanted to share because the reality was, Alonzo had no idea what I was planning to preach on, and yet his prophetic word ran parrallel to the very word God had given me.</li><li>For only the second time in nine years, I stepped to the pulpit with not a single note. God had given me a text and a general direction but that was it. But as I preached I could feel the anointing carrying me. I knew that the Holy Spirit was ordering my words. I have never in all my life felt the presence of the Lord in such a strong way as I preached. God was incredible and gave an on time word that many needed to hear - there is <strong>nothing</strong> too difficult for God (Jeremiah 32:27)!</li><li>The time of ministry and prayer was powerful. Both young and old were touched as God met them where they were and imparted faith and courage to face the days ahead. Wow!</li><li>Kim Piaggio cooked some killer tacos for my family and the worship team. What a blessing!</li></ul>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27561744.post-78525357431225751012009-02-11T20:51:00.004-05:002009-02-11T21:07:48.492-05:00Childlike Faith<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQb7q1hhY3w5NWayK58M0zWXdZ5EmYBypcf4yyGPEfTMVRpUQ8Ymz_psJjxHl4EtY_lO7Efu4vWkMn8uF-VUpYasgpVOk1LVF8nCTqzWd2KyVsJHByTbuFvmxkO9pGdCRLzF7l/s1600-h/accounting-dollar-sign.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 171px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQb7q1hhY3w5NWayK58M0zWXdZ5EmYBypcf4yyGPEfTMVRpUQ8Ymz_psJjxHl4EtY_lO7Efu4vWkMn8uF-VUpYasgpVOk1LVF8nCTqzWd2KyVsJHByTbuFvmxkO9pGdCRLzF7l/s200/accounting-dollar-sign.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301726690668798674" /></a>My girls blessed me this week and showed me that they're getting it. <div><br /></div><div>Last night the kids got a Valentines package in the mail from Mamaw Doerr and in their cards was five dollars each. Of course they begin strategizing about how they're going to spend every last penny. Well, Emrie decided to give the entire five dollars to "charity". I guess her teacher had told her about a particular charity that helped sick children. So she constructed a card, doctored it up with stickers and then paper clipped a five dollar bill (and one penny) to the card and took it to school. It melted my heart!</div><div><br /></div><div>Then tonight Kayla blessed me. She casually made mention to her mom and I that she had given five dollars to Jesus on Sunday and low and behold on Tuesday got the five dollars in the mail from Mamaw:) She didn't say this to brag. I knew she had recognized God's blessing upon her giving. It's evident to me that Kayla gets the law of the harvest. When we sow into the kingdom it always produces a harvest. It melted my heart!</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm just thankful that my children seem to be getting it...one piece at a time:) If only more of us adults had child like faith when it came to our finances.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27561744.post-594531961125802282009-02-06T05:02:00.002-05:002009-02-06T05:42:48.318-05:00Kids and Their "Lot" in LifeI was reading <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=gen%2019;&version=31;">about Lot</a> this morning. You may know the story. The "mercy" sand in the hour glass had ran out on the city of Sodom, the residence for Lot (<a href="http://anopendoerr.blogspot.com/2009/02/waiting.html">Abram's</a> nephew). But God is merciful to Lot, leading his family to safety before the fire fell. Well, as the story goes, Lot soon settles in the mountains and a strange thing happens. Scared about a childless future Lot's two daughters conspire to get their father drunk and take advantage of him in hopes of becoming pregnant. Sick and twisted I know but as I read that this morning my heart broke for these girls. As I see it they were a product of their environment like so many of our children today. I'm sure these girls didn't get a vote when dad decided to <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=1&chapter=13&verse=12&version=31&context=verse">pitch his tents near Sodom</a> where they would be exposed day after day to sexual sin of legendary measures. And what about the time that dad offered their bodies <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=gen%2019:8;&version=31;">to pacify a group of horny, perverted locals</a> that wanted to sodomize his house guests? Tell me that wouldn't mess up your sexual identity! I put much blame on Lot for allowing his daughters to be raised in an environment that would corrupt their view of sex. Is it any wonder they acted as they did? Had they seen anything different.<div><br /></div><div>And before we come down on Lot too hard, how many times have we exposed our innocent children to sexual environments that have distorted their view of sex. If you have no problem watching fornication on television don't be surprised when Junior invites his girlfriend to sleep with him long before the wedding day. If you feel like your stash of porn is an issue of "personal preference" and you talk about women like they're less then honorable, don't get bent out of shape when your daughter struggles to find a healthy self image and is drawn to men who view her as a sex object. She may have picked up from home that that was the way it was supposed to be. </div><div><br /></div><div>I don't know about you, but this story prompted me to cry out to God this morning and examine the environment I'm creating and allowing in my home. I desire my children, and I hope you do as well, to realize what a precious gift sex is and to treat it as such. I want my girls to realize they are more than a cheap sex object. I want them to realize they are a valuable child of God who is dearly loved. I want my boys to realize this as well and to treat women with the honor and respect they deserve. God help us as we try and raise children in a culture that has seared it's sexual conscience. <br /><div><br /></div><div>On a side note, I found it ironic that the girls would eventually give birth to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Moab</span> and Ben-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Ammi</span>. In case you didn't know, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Moabites</span> and Ammonites would become historic enemies of Israel. The lesson...sometimes we give birth to the enemy by our inability to run from sin. </div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0