I am pretty excited about some of the things that God is doing in my life!  I must admit that this last year has been a tough one for me personally, but I am glad for what God has taught and is teaching me through the experiences!  Thank you to my family and friends who have not judged, but loved me and allowed me the space to grow.  I believe that it has all come together to help me to be a more caring and effective pastor and preacher!

More than anything in this world, I want to be a disciple of Jesus Christ that makes disciples for His glory and this world’s blessing!  I know who I am and what God has called, created and gifted me to do.  I love His Word and look forward to every opportunity I have to preach and teach it.  I know where He wants to take the ministry of His church and I am excited about seeing us go there!

I hope you will make plans to join me this Sunday as we learn from Matthew 3:13-17 which shares with us the amazing story of “The Baptism Of Jesus!”  There is great glory and blessing in surrender!  The only plan that matters is God’s plan – work to discover it and surrender to it today!

I have noticed a very disturbing trend developing in our country!  Men, women, boys and girls of all ages are looking for someone else to blame!  It really does not matter the issue – big or small.  Most of us are not willing to step up and take responsibility!

We don’t want to take responsibility, but we will huff and puff about how “somebody” else should have taken responsibility.  We want to stand back at a distance and sling mud, rather than get in there and do some work to get rid of the mud!

Many of us are waiting on someone else to do what we should be doing!  We have become lazy, apathetic, stubborn and resistant to the change that would bring amazing growth to our own lives.  Stop looking at everyone else and what they are or are not doing and take a good and honest look at yourself.  What in your life needs to be worked on?  What changes can you make that would make a difference in you and those around you?  I have been taking a look at myself and can tell you that I have a lot that I am working on and need to work on!

God has an incredible plan for all of our lives!  God wants to do some amazing things in and through each one of us!  It is time for us to stop pointing our fingers, placing blame and dodging responsibility.  Step up and step out!  A lot of the frustration that you live with and blame on others everyday is in reality caused by you and your wrong reactions or inaction!  Step up to the plate and deal with the stuff that the Spirit is revealing in your life.  Step out of your comfort zone and allow the Spirit to take you to some new places so that you can experience some new experiences!

God has given you two eyes!  Put the “judgmental eye” on yourself and put the “grace eye on others!”  Take responsibility for you – no one else is going to, so you might as well!  And by the way – you will be glad that you did!