Tag Archives: scripture

Uncategorized

Fired Up Friday!

Together Is Better!

Together Is Better!

Friday tends to be one of those days when we are tempted to make it all about us.  We have been busy all week long – giving ourselves to someone or something else and it would appear that now it is almost time to make it about ourselves.  Before we make the leap, I want to share some thoughts that the Holy Spirit has been laying on my heart.  And let me be the first to say:  “I’ve got some work to do!”

Jesus said:  “If any man would come after (follow) me, then he must deny (surrender) himself, take up his cross (sacrifice) and follow me!”  This is what it means to be a Christian!  Being a Christian is about so much more than getting out of Hell and into Heaven!  It is so much more than going to church and going through the motions.  Being a Christian is about living in a relationship of following, surrender and sacrifice!

I often hear “church attenders” make so many excuses about what they can and can’t do, about what they are and are not going to do.  And what it really boils down to, is this one question:  Are you going to be a Christian or not?  If you are going to be a Christian, then you are going to follow Jesus because you have a “want to” to follow Jesus.  If you are going to be a Christian, then you will surrender your will to His will, because you truly believe that His will is better!  If you are going to be a Christian, then you will sacrifice everyday, multiple times throughout the day, because you know and appreciate the sacrifice that Jesus made for you!

Let’s stop making excuses!  Let’s start making a difference!  Let’s really be what we say we are!  I am a Christian!  I choose to follow Christ!  I am excited about surrendering my will to His will!  I count it all joy to be able to sacrifice for His glory and other’s blessing!  I am following Jesus and I know that I am on a journey of “right direction!”  Let’s do it together!  The journey is so much more enjoyable when we do it together and I do it better when I have someone that I can help and someone that will help me back!  I just can’t wait to see where God is going to take us together!

Uncategorized

GRACE!

1 Comment

Old Well At Campbell's Covered Bridge!

Old Well At Campbell's Covered Bridge!

This Sunday I will be preaching the second message in our Matthew series.  We will be taking a look at the genealogy of Jesus recorded in Matthew 1:1-17.  All week long as I have been studying and preparing for this message, I have just had an overwhelming sense of God’s Grace!  

I don’t deserve any of the good that God has allowed me to experience and share!  I deserve – well I don’t even want to get into what I deserve, because it ain’t pretty!

If we are all honest – God is better to us than we deserve!  Take some time before Sunday to think about God and His grace and how it has made a difference in your life.  Also take some time to think about how you can open up your life to receive and appreciate more of God’s grace!

I hope to see you at one of our two campuses on Sunday!  Grace to you – until then!

Uncategorized

Do You Really Trust God?

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”  Proverbs 3:5-6

We all know this verse and we all quote this verse and we all forget to apply this verse!  Our first temptation is to always lean on our on understanding.  We only get around to trusting God, when we have exhausted all of the other options!  We try to manipulate our paths and make them straight and when we can’t do that we will take any available short cut that might seem like an out.

When life is not working the way that you want it to work, then what you need to do is stop right where you are and start trusting God.  Don’t take another step until you have determined in your heart that you are going to trust God!  Now, once you have decided to trust Him, make sure that you are really trusting Him by trusting Him with all of your heart.

You know that you are trusting God with all of your heart, when you have gotten rid and thrown to the side your understanding!  Now your goal is to acknowledge God and let Him work on the paths that you are traveling on!

I hope this little reminder is good for all of us:  Trust the Lord!  Throw your understanding away!  Target God and His will!  Transition to letting Him do it for you!