Two Years Ago

Well, it just dawned on me as I was telling my story to a friend from high school; Thursday was the two year anniversary of the day which changed my life and the lives of my family forever. I was overwhelmed with emotion and began to thank God he saved my life. I remember someone asking me if I ever questioned God as to why it happened. I can honestly say the only question which ever entered my mind was "WOW, I wonder what God has in store for me in the future?" I ask this same question again today. God, what do you have in store for my life. I had a good friend tell me the other day fasting is really the only way to get true clarity in your spiritual ears. So I guess I should do this just to clean the wax out of my spiritual ears. Again I want to proclaim to the world, or my 2 readers, I give God all the credit for my complete and continued recovery.

Have you ever ...

had one of those moments when you know God is trying to shift your paradigm. It all started on Sunday at church. My pastor talked about happiness, and how we will never be happy until we learn to become people centered instead of self centered. Then Sunday night I was talking to a friend of mine, and we began to talk about consumerism. Then on Monday morning I was talking to my friend and boss at work and he mentioned consumersim. He began to talk about living life not for what we can get out of it, but what can we give back. Then on Tuesday my wife asked me to run by the store on my way home to pick up some tea. As I was entering the store I saw some people selling something as you exited the store. I had already made up my mind I wasn't going to look at them on the way out. So as I was leaving I very quickly ran out the door and didn't look their way. They asked if I would.... I cut them off in mid stream telling them I wasn't interested. I hurried on my way toward my truck when I hear that little voice, the one we try to drown out from time to time, say to me "How do you know you are not interested? You didn't even hear what they had to offer. Go back and see what they wanted." Well I tried to drown out the voice and argue with it, which didn't work. I got in my truck, started it and the voice said don't leave. I thought to myself what's going to happen if I do, but truthfully I didn't want to find out. So I turned off the truck and walked back up there to find out they were raising money for D.A.R.E. So I bought a $5 teddy bear. On the way back to the truck I said God you must really be trying to shift my paradigm. I get in my truck start it to go home and on the radio is "Paradigm" by All Together Separate. They were singing the line "Oh, I stand solid while the paradigm is shifting'. That is when I realized God is shifting my paradigm. Maybe he wants to shift yours to.

Rebuilding Together

The company I work has teamed up with Rebuilding Together to help a family here in OKC make repairs to their house. Without our help this family would be unable to make these repairs themselves. The date is April 12th, and Jennifer and I are going to volunteer. If you would like to join us in making a difference in someone else's life drop me a comment or an e-mail, and I will get you all the details.

Are you a pimped out S-10?

This afternoon on my way home from Auto Zone I saw an S-10 Blazer with Lexus rims on it. I almost had to pull over to laugh it was so hilarious. I thought to myself check this guy out trying to be something he's not. Then the Lord buzzed me. You do it all the time. "I do not!" was my first thought. As if I know myself better than the Lord. You know we all try to pretend we are something we aren't. I can't tell you how many times I have have been mad and tried to hide it, or back in the day when I was living in sin and trying play church. The truth is no matter how much I tried I was still mad and I was still buried up to my neck in sin. Just like the S-10 today no matter how hard we try we can't really hide who we are. We will still be an S-10, pimped out, but still an S-10.

Food for Thought!

Have you ever wondered why God waited so long for Sarah to get pregnant? Could it be to prove beyond all doubt Abraham was truly Issac's father. What if Abraham had never lied about Sarah being his sister? Would it have taken 14 years after the promise for the promise to be fulfilled? How many things in my life have been delayed because of a lie or a hidden secret?

More Thoughts

Have you ever wondered how Abram felt when God told him He would make his offspring like the dust. If anyone could count the dust so could his offspring be counted. Do you think he would have done anything different if he had know the Messiah would come from his descendants?

Just Thoughts

I have started using a read the bible in a year program on Facebook. I am currently reading in Genesis. I find it very interesting how Noah's son, Ham, disgraced him and Noah cursed him and all of his descendants. The really interesting part is later in life the Israelites fought and defeated two of the descendants of Ham, the Canaanites and the Philistines. As my pastor always says you will fight your daddy's and your daddy's daddy's battle. I praise God Christopher will not have to fight the battles his daddy has had to fight. Thank God for the breaking of Generational curses.

Are you conformed?

Well I can’t sleep tonight, so I decided to right what is in my brain tonight. Too many people in the church today are allowing themselves to be conformed to this world. Last time I checked my Bible said we are to be a shining example of Jesus Christ. We are instructed to avoid not only evil but the appearance of evil. Call me old fashioned, but being like the world is not avoiding the appearance of evil. You are actually embracing evil. If we play with fire too long we will eventually get burned.

Please Pray

Our church and Christian school had a tragic event occur over the weekend. Our roof caved in on the gym. No one was there so no one was injured. Please pray for us as we overcome with God leading the way.
If you would like to donate to the rebuilding of the gym please contact the church office at 405-677-1451.

Carpe Feline

I recently finished an excelent book entitled In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson. It is by far one the best books I have ever read, short of the bible of course. God has challenged me yet again it time to get my passport. This is the second time in 12 months I have heard this word. So, I am working toward making it happen. You can't chase Lions if you don't go looking for them.

Carpe Feline

Do Not Gloat Over Me My Enemies

While I was in the hospital a good friend of mine, Craig, gave me a verse which encouraged me and my whole family. Micah 7:8, “Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy. Though I fall I will rise; Though I dwell in darkness, the Lord is a light for me.” (NAS) Here I was in one of the darkest moments in my life and I hear this scripture. Micah is telling his enemies not to gloat over him because he is down. He tells us he sits in darkness, but the Lord is his light. Here he is surrounded by his enemies arrogantly gloating over him about his failure and his condition and he is still able to proclaim God is his Light. I felt like God was telling me to ignore all of my enemies, everyone telling me to expect the worse, and focus on His light of truth and He would pull me through.

Church Life Lessons Part III

Part Three of Church Life Lessons

Indecisiveness

Because we will not take ownership we spend to much time trying to plan out how we should reach the lost instead of digging in. People are dying and going to hell everyday while we decide what the best way to reach them is. We need to step up to the plate, take a swing, and hit it out of the park. You might take a strike on the first pitch, but you’ll never get the strike if you stand at the plate first.

Poor Accountability for Performance

The church is lacking in accountability period. It’s not just on performance good or bad, but the things we keep tucked away and hidden. My wife and I have started a new thought process, “If it’s out in the open satan can’t use it against you.” This is not an easy concept in a society of isolationism where there is a computer and TV in every room. We have allowed ourselves to become isolated from our spouses and family. How can we ever expect someone at church to hold us accountable when we won’t allow our families in? The only way to achieve true accountability is to be apart of an in your face community of close members. We need people who are not afraid or embarrassed to ask about our personal lives. God did not design us to loaners through life. We have been connected to some from the day we where conceived, just take a look at your naval to remind you of that.

Church Life Lessons Part II

Part Two of Church Life Lessons

Misalignment with Vision

Garlinghouse was quoted as saying "We are separated into silos that far too frequently don't talk to each other. And when we do talk, it isn't to collaborate on a clearly focused strategy, but rather to argue and fight about ownership, strategies and tactics.” We have allowed ourselves to become isolationist totally oblivious to what God’s master vision is.

Relying on Outside Hires

Too often we rely on someone else. I know in my church I see a lot of the same people doing it all. I once heard it said 20% of the people do 80% of the work in a church. To many times I hear people say God hasn’t called me to that ministry. I know because I used to be one. If we look at the Great Commission Jesus was not selective in who is called. If it involves reaching people then you are called.

No Defined Ownership

It is hard to get anyone to take ownership in anything they are told to do. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, told us to go into all the nations and make disciples for Him. Its that simple.

Continued ...

Church Life Lessons Part I

I first wrote this as one large blog, but a good friend of mine Andy Zook said I might want to break it up. So I did.

I was reading a blog by Tony Morgan, a pastor at Granger Community Church, entitled “Leadership Lessons from Yahoo”. It talked about an internal memo from Brad Garlinghouse, a Yahoo senior vice president, which was published in the Wall Street Journal a couple of weeks ago.

Tony began to discuss how if Yahoo, one of the world’s largest internet company’s can have these types of issues how can these lessons benefit our ministries. I really had to agree with him, and then the Lord began to challenge me with this.

We as a church and church goers really can benefit from this as well.

Lack of Focus

We sometimes lose focus on what our main objective in life is. This of course is the Great Commission.

Matthew 28:18-20
18 Jesus came to them and said:
I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth! 19 Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, 20 and teach them to do everything I have told you. I will be with you always, even until the end of the world. (CEV)

Our focus really can’t get any clearer than this. Go into all the nations. Jesus didn’t say go where we feel comfortable. He said into ALL the nations. Jesus was very politically and religiously incorrect with the things he did, and the people he reached out and touched. We should live by his example.

Continued ...

God Check

Tonight I was reading a blog by Scott Hodge, and he was encouraging everyone to test their Internet speed and post their results as a comment. I thought this was a fun idea, so I tested my Internet connection and posted my results. I noticed how the men where boasting about their Internet connection speed as if this made them more of a man. It was at that point I heard the small still voice say when was the last time you bragged about the number of souls you saved from the pit of hell. Now don't get me wrong I am by no means judging Scott for this fun post. I don't thing God was telling me we should brag about the souls we save, but rather when was the last you where able to brag about saving a soul. Anyway I thought this was a fun way for his readers to connect, and God also used it to check my spirit.

I serve an awesome God!

Well today is 6 months, and I am 2 1/2 week from finishing my therapy. God has been so amazing through this entire process. I have given God all the glory for my speedy recovery. I plan on playing softball in the spring. I have had people ask why this happened to me. My response is, "Who cares? I'm alive." I will get to see my son turn three next month. I serve an awesome God and I dare anyone to challenge me on this. I was removed from the grasp of death. No one will ever convince me MY God is not real or alive.

Give God Our Best?

I recently watched the movie “Facing the Giants”, and was challenged to give God my best. How exactly do I give God my best? Yeah I know the first fruits and all that, but am I really giving my best? What if I could have tried harder and made better first fruits, or worked harder and made more fruit thus producing more first fruits? Then it hits me my best will never come within miles of touching the shadow Jesus’ best, the Cross. All I can do is try my very best to follow His example, and when I don’t succeed at least I have given it the very best I can. This is really all He is asking for. Thank you Jesus for giving you very best and picking up my slack!

Send the Fire?

Do we really want God to send down His Holy Fire? In our churches we sing the right songs. People get the right feelings and emotions. The True Presence of God is more than a few chill bumps during worship. It is more than a feeling. It is a lifestyle change. So are we really ready for the Fire? I know I'm not. Now before you get all crazy on me I really do want the Fire of God in my life. When the Fire of God consumes every fiber of our bodies we are as pure as the purest gold. However, to get there, every single fault we have been trying to hide in our lives is exposed. Not that it was ever hidden. As in Genesis 3:8-9 "Late in the afternoon a breeze began to blow, and the man and woman heard the LORD God walking in the garden. They were frightened and hid behind some trees. The LORD called out to the man and asked, "Where are you?" ." So from beginning of time we have been trying to hide our sin from God. We have tried to hide ourselves from the Very Fire we cry out for. It didn't work then and it still doesn't work in this lifetime either. I'm not saying we should give up on attaining His Fire. I just wanted to say hey this is what happens when we get the fire of God. Now we have no excuses for running from the presence of God.

Broken Vessel

2 Chronicles 7:14 - and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (NAS)

This verse and the song which was written about it have been on my heart for several days now. Today in church Pastor N briefly mentioned Jonah and Nineveh. I really feel this all ties together. One man had a word from God and he changed an entire city.

At first Jonah ran from the very presence of God, but God had Jonah swallowed by a large fish. It took Jonah being vomited up by this large fish to finally obey the Word of the Lord. I really feel the Lord wants a people who are called by His Name, a people who are chosen by Him, who will voluntarily bring themselves into subjection and Pray and seek His face and will turn from their wicked ways. He will hear them from heaven, forgive their sins and heal their land. God saved Nineveh when one man obeyed the Voice of the Lord. Imagine how much damage all of GodÂ’s people could do to the forces of evil if they humbled themselves before God and seek His face. Today Pastor N said we should not yearn for the presence of God, but we should yearn to BE the presence of God. God wanted Jonah to be His presence in Nineveh. We need to be the presence of God to our Nineveh. This could be our workplace, our families, or sadly even some of our churches. You may ask how God can use me to do anything. The same God who turned a stuttering coward into one of the great men of the Bible can use any willing broken vessel. The funny thing about a broken vessel is it takes more going in to keep it full than a whole vessel.

Biblical advice for bloggers

While floating through the blogosphere tonight I found an interesting blog by James Smith. Here is the link to "Biblical Advice For Bloggers". I hope you enjoy it as I did.