Freewill

You will keep in perfect peace him who is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal. Isaiah 26:3-4


The more I deepen my relationship with God, the more I find out how wrong I have been about Him. We may have had someone else's interpretation of God influence the way we view Him today, but make no mistakes, God is the God of love and freedom.


God has given us all this great freedom and one that we can easily take for granted is the freedom to choose the focal points of our minds. If you look at all of the living creatures God has created, humans are the only species that have this remarkable capacity because we were created in His image.


Every day we should strive to focus all of our thoughts on our Loving Father. When we bring our thoughts into focus on His presence, God provides us with a deeper sense of peace and wisdom that can only come from His unconditional love.


Supported by God's unchanging love and mighty power, we can stand firm despite trials and tribulation.

God Give Me Strength

All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.  We also pray that you will be strengthened with all His glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need.  Colossians 1:10-11

With the push to save our environment and reduce our dependence on foreign oil, I have started seeing electrical charging stations for cars that run off of rechargeable batteries popping up everywhere. 

Just like a rechargeable battery, we also need to tap into sources of power to find our strength to persevere through life.    We are all unique in the fact that we all have an unlimited power source in God, as believers.  You see, God is working in and through each of us, at all times.

The more we become obedient and in tune with God, His power will strengthen us and ignite our ability to persevere; not just survive, but persevere with great joy!

Thanks be to God!!

Shine

“Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Trust in God; trust also in Me.” –Jesus (John 14: 1-2)

Jesus makes it clear that the most direct path to heaven is to walk the high road with Him.  Unfortunately, many of us veer off path.  The low road is twisting and turning, dark and ominous, and I have been there far too many times over the course of my life. 

We may find ourselves on the wrong road by relying on our own strength and limited resources.  It’s when we place our absolute trust in Jesus Christ that He makes our paths straight and His glorious light shines bright!

Piece of Mind

We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to Hus purpose for them.  Romans 8:28

Our oldest son, Elliott, is scared of the dark.  In an effort to convince him to sleep through the night without a lamp on in his room, I named a few items to give him peace of mind.  For starters, our master bedroom is right down the hall.  No one would be able to sneak past our room without us hearing it.  We also have a security system that is armed at night before bedtime, so it is highly unlikely that someone would be able to enter our home without triggering the alarm.  Last but not least, we have a dog named Charlie, a Shetland Sheepdog, that can hear a leaf drop a mile away, and will bark upon hearing any suspicious noises in or around our home.    

All of these things are great, but we are still having to leave a light on in the hallway to get him to go to bed at nighttime.  This reminds me of the way many believers live their lives as well; in fear.   

We have no reason to live in fear once we understand that Jesus died on the cross to spare us from eternal punishment and the free gift of eternal life puts the troubles of this world into perspective.

We can live with peace of mind knowing that our eternal futures are secure. 

No matter what happens to us in this lifetime, we can have peace knowing that the trials and troubles we face won’t last forever…

The Grand Illusion

“I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace.  In the world you have trouble and suffering, but take courage-I have conquered the world.”  -Jesus Christ  (John 16:33)

People, myself included, often go to great lengths to live problem-free lives.  I have a nightly routine that I follow so that my morning routines are more manageable with feeding the boys breakfast and getting them to school before I head off to work.  Regardless of how much I prepare for smooth sailing in the mornings, something unexpected always seems to take place when kids are involved.  And such is life.

Jesus clearly told His disciples “in the world you will have trouble.”  Too many of us cast our hopes into problem solving in this life rather than focusing on a problem-free eternity in the next life.  If we could redirect our time and energy into seeking Jesus Christ instead of seeking perfection in the fallen world in which we live, we could find peace and joy, even in the face of difficult circumstances. 

You see, Jesus’ light shines the brightest for believers who trust Him during dark times, but doing so requires a supernatural kind of trust.

Remember that Jesus is less concerned with the ‘right circumstances’ rather than in the ‘right response’ to whatever comes our way!

Control (Part 1)

I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.  For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.  Romans 7:18

·         We admitted we were powerless over the effects of our separation from God-that our lives had become unmanageable. 

If you have ever been through The Twelve Steps or attended Celebrate Recovery, the above passage should be very familiar to you.  Our Life Group is currently going through The Twelve Steps over the next 30 weeks, in an attempt to deepen and grow our relationship with God and with each other.  The next time we meet, we are going to work on Step One, which essentially is facing reality and admitting that our lives are simply NOT working with us in control. 

I certainly struggle with control issues, specifically, wanting to be in control of my marriage, my children, work, etc.  The problem is, I am not God and only He can be in control of our lives. 

The apostle Paul even struggled with his humanness and sin, but he never let is interfere with his commitment to do God’s will.  You see, this first step is all about admitting that we are powerless and also admitting that our lives have become unmanageable as a result.  This First Step is the foundation of all of the Twelve Steps-letting go, and letting God.   

There will be more to come on this as I personally work through the Twelve Steps.  I hope that you may find this useful as a reader of this Blog as we can all learn from these principles of faith.

Call On Me

The Lord is close to all who call on Him, yes, to all who call on Him in truth.  Psalm 145:18

There are few things I enjoy more in life than having one of my children seek my limited wisdom on something.  Usually, the questions are pertaining to Star Wars or superheroes, but it still warms my heart. 

Our prayers to God are received in much the same way.  Prayer is our way to share an intimate conversation with our heavenly Father.  It’s through prayer that God makes His love and resources available to us. 

Just as we enjoy being with the people we love, the more learn to enjoy spending time with God, the more we get to know Him and understand just how much He truly loves us.

Thanks be to God!!

Keeping The Faith

If you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.  James 1:25

I have been attempting to mix up my workout regimen this year by adding the P90X workout into my weekly running and weight lifting.  Finally, after suffering through the Chest and Back workout a few times, I am  just now able to complete the many sets of push-ups and pull-ups without feeling like my arms are about to give way.   

Our faith is a lot like our muscles; it grows stronger the more we exercise.  When we do what God asks us to do, despite the degree of difficulty, we will see Him bless us as a result of our obedience, and our faith will grow stronger. 

The next times God asks us to do something, you will have more confidence to take that leap of faith.

Tightrope

The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.  Deuteronomy 33:27 


The more we realize that God wants us all to Himself, the more we understand how much we need to wean ourselves from our other dependencies.  


Some people find their security in all of the wrong places-their jobs, financial status, homes, etc., but we can only find security in God alone.


Depending on God is at times like balancing ourselves on a tightrope, but rest assured that His loving arms are our safety net.  All the while, we must fix our eyes on Christ, without looking left or right, up or down.  Don't be afraid of falling either as there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God!

Honesty

If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones.  But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.  Luke 16:10

A popular saying in our home comes courtesy of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.  When Peter Parker gained super-human powers after being bitten by a radioactive spider, his Uncle Ben offer the follow words of wisdom:  “With great power comes great responsibility.”

In terms of our integrity, our character too must become more and more like God’s.  Just as pure gold is the result of a refining process, a life of integrity is also the result of a refining process in which we are tested daily to see how pure we are.

If God sees that our thoughts and actions are becoming more like His, then our character is becoming more like His, and we are gradually gaining integrity.

What Is Life?

“When that day comes,” says the Lord, “I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as the Lord…I will show love to those I called ‘Not loved.’ And to those I called ‘Not my people,’ I will say, ‘Now you are my people.’  And they will reply, ‘You are our God!’”  Hosea 2:16, 20, 23

There is no doubt in my mind that God wants a personal relationship with each and every person He has created.  A good friend of mine recently shared a series of events that makes it crystal clear that God is not only pursing a relationship with him, but He is reminding him almost daily that He loves him.

While God is almighty and powerful, we still must be ‘in tune’ and look for evidence that He is seeking a personal relationship with us.  Being into music, God has certainly spoken to me through song.  I could hear a particular song on the radio, be in the record shop a day later and hear the same song, and then some random place like a restaurant and hear it again.   It becomes almost undeniable that God will speak to us in ways that are unique to us. 

He pursues us, not to get something from us, but to give something wonderful to us-love, hope, power, salvation, joy, peace, and eternal life.  God pursues us because He knows that only He can transform our lives forever!

Thanks be to God!!  

Don't Stop Believin'

Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.  Acts 16:31

Faith is much more than simply believing; it is entrusting your very life to what you believe.  Take for example, our children.  They trust that the food that we prepare for them is safe to eat.  They trust that we have let the food that is oven-hot, cool down before serving it to them, as well.   

Our faith in God works much the same.  It means we are willing to trust him with all of our lives, not just select parts.  When we are willing to faithfully follow him, we are willing to adhere to his guidelines for living, found in the Bible, because we have a conviction that his will for our lives is the best.  We must also be willing to endure some ridicule and even persecution for our faith, but God is who he says he is and he promises us all eternal life in heaven.

Steady, As She Goes

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that  far outweighs them all.  2 Corinthians 4:17

Reading about the disciple Paul always fascinates me.  He never wavered on his commitment to sharing the Good News of the gospel despite some difficult circumstances he faced like being beaten and imprisoned for his faith.  We would be wise to learn from Paul’s behavior as he always seemed to understand that his trails and suffering were only temporary.  He was always able to press on, knowing that one day he would be able to obtain God’s rest and rewards.

As we face our own personal troubles, it’s easy for us to lose our focus and zero in on our pain rather than the ultimate goal.  Just as athletes are somehow able to perform and focus on the finish line rather than their discomfort, we too must focus on the rewards that await for us in heaven for our faith and the joy that will last eternally.

No matter what happens to us in this lifetime, we have the assurance of eternal life, where there will be no more suffering, sorrow or pain.  Thanks be to God!

Panic

In Your hand is power and might; in Your hand it is to make great and give strength to all.  1 Chronicles 29:12

In this new year, I have made a conscious effort to respond more than I react to difficult circumstances.  This is something that will take quite some time to achieve, but the above passage has brought me peace and served as a reminder of God being in total control.

Any of my family, friends, and co-workers would tell you that I have been known to over-react from time to time.  For instance, I thought the world was coming to an end last year when I contracted the flu for a week.  Seriously, I know that I am a very reactive person and in the heat of a moment, I sometimes forget that God is in control, not just in my life, but over everything. 

Right before Christmas, I faced a small scare at work.  Instead of my usual (panic and ‘freak out’) I instead turned to the Bible and prayed with thanksgiving and praise.  God filled me with a sense of peace and calmed my nerves and everything turned out to be better than fine.

Thankfully, we have a God that is bigger than you and me and the problems we face.  Turn to Him in all situations and never forget that He is in control!

I'll Be Good To You

God is waiting around to be gracious to you.  He's gathering strength to show mercy to you.  God takes time to do everything right-everything.  Those who wait around for him are the lucky ones.  Isaiah 30:18, The Message


I love the above passage, particularly the beginning....God is waiting around to be good to us. That means He's actually looking forward to an opportunity to show his goodness to us!  Our loving God wants to make every wrong right, but He can only be good to us if we believe his promises and we are patiently waiting on Him to be good to us. 


The enemy will stop at nothing to drudge up our pasts and make us believe that our futures' look bleak. We must keep our hearts and minds focused upon Jesus Christ and choose to believe God.  


When we do so, we are prepared to face each day without thinking negatively and we are ready to receive all of the wonderful gifts and blessings that God is waiting to give us!   

Lovers In A Dangerous Time

The love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.  Romans 5:5

The Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. is remembered today and a man that I truly consider a hero for the life he lived and the sacrifice he gave towards achieving racial equality. 

There is not a more appropriate time to be reminded of God’s amazing love for each of us, regardless of our race, gender, nationality, or any other factor.  He loves each of us unconditionally and without limit.  He also loves us personally and as individuals.

Not only does He love us and desire to shower us with love, but He desires to be loved by us as well.

Finally, He desires that we love and be loved by other human beings.  God is extravagant in His love and He delights when we express His unconditional love to others and when we experience that kind of love in return.

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

That Is Why

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 9:12


It is inevitable, but we will always face hardships while we are here on this earth.  Regardless, we must come to a place in our relationship with Christ where we can truly open our hearts and minds to receive all that He has in store for us.


Our youngest son, Elijah, threw a major temper-tantrum the other night.  Despite our efforts to calm him down, he eventually calmed down when I picked him up and began to dance around the room with him.  Just like a child finding comfort in his/her parent's arms, we took must seek our Father with a child-like faith and determination.


We must also let our guards down and simply allow Jesus into our hearts to do the work only He can do.  Little by little, Jesus can turn our weaknesses into strengths through His transforming power and grace.  


Have peace knowing that there is absolutely nothing that can separate us from His presence!  

Born of Frustration

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Psalm 34:8

Our oldest son, Elliott, was given several sets of Legos for Christmas.  The problem is that he is only four and many of the Star Wars sets are made for children 6 years of age and above.  Needless to say, I have been busy over the past few weeks building Legos for Elliott.  He enjoys playing with them after I have completed them, but I can sense that he is frustrated that he cannot build the Lego sets on his own.

Much the same, I truly believe that the reason God allows us to experience trails and sorrow in our lives is so that we might learn that He has the power to sustain and provide for us all things that produce earthly blessings.  All of God’s children go through storms in their journeys through life. 

We must remember that it is while we are in the “ going through” stages of any crisis or trial that God’s peace becomes clear to all.  Praise be to God!

It's A Mistake

When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, "Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners ?"  But when Jesus heard this, He said, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. "But go and learn what this means : 'I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,' for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

Matthew 9:11-13

It was only a matter of time in this new year, but I have made my first mistake at work in 2012.  I am certainly not proud or boasting here, just accepting the fact that I am only human and do make mistakes; a lot of them. 

There is a common misconception about Christians in that all believers should be perfect.  Many of us go to extremes to pretend that we have every facet of our lives in order, but the truth is that we all have many shortcomings. 

Salvation through Christ doesn’t change the fact that sin is still present in our lives.  When we become believers, God forgives us and sees as righteous.  We must continue to renew ourselves and fight the ongoing battle against sin while we are on this earth.

We must be careful not to put up a façade and cover up our shortcomings so that we appear to be “good Christians” to the outside world.  Instead, we must recognize and confess to God, our sinfulness, so that we can be forgiven when we do screw up and fall short of his glory.

Desire

Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.  Luke 12:34

One of my high school teachers and friends recently reminded me that we should learn to ‘bank’ on God during the good times as well as the bad.  I never thought of it like this before, but putting your trust in God on a daily basis is like making a deposit in the bank.  When you need it, you will have money in your account.  The same thing applies with our faith-we must store up our trust in God when life is easier and then we will be confident when turning to him during a crisis or difficult situation.

When God is the center of our lives, we make our relationship with him the highest priority.  We long to spend time with him, talk to him, listen for his direction and we think about him quite often.   

Let your heart yearn for him, after all it is our heart that really matters the most to God. 

Flashlight

You are a chosen people.  You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession.  As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.  1 Peter 2:9

The other day, I tore up the house looking for one of Elliott’s old toy flashlights.  When I finally found it and turned it on, nothing happened because the batteries were dead.

It got me thinking how we are kind of like flashlights in the way that flashlights have the potential to provide light, but without batteries, they are useless.

Like every believer, we all have within us the light of Christ and the potential to shine our light brightly  upon others in this dark world to draw them closer to God.

God promises to do amazing things, but only we will let him work through us!

You Are Never Alone

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, through its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.  Psalm 46:1-3

If you are being perfectly honest with yourself, you can admit that you have experienced days where you have felt like God is nowhere to be found.  I can honestly say that I surely have, but one thing we can all be reassured of is the fact that God is always with us and for us.  Far too often, we forget that  God is not like any person on this earth, especially someone who proved to be undependable or has broken our trust.  You see, God is omnipotent and omnipresent in each of our lives.

In the above Psalm , the author expressed a quiet confidence in God’s ability to save him-even in the face of utter destruction and chaos.  We too must learn to enjoy the journey we are on and let God make the paths clear we are to take in each of our lives.  If you are fearful of tomorrow and what the future holds, slow down and enjoy the peace and blessed assurance that God loves you and is your very present helper!

Wherever You Find It

If you seek him, you will find him.  1 Corinthians 28:9

Life can become so chaotic at times, it’s easy to forget that God is with us all day, every day at all times, ready to listen to us talk about anything that comes up in any area of our lives, at any given time. 

We must remember to seek him by sharing our thoughts, needs, and concerns with him through prayer.  The more we practice acknowledging his presence, the more we begin to gain the intimacy with God we so desperately desire and need.  

I Can See Clearly Now

I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me.  Psalm 57:2

Being into music, people often ask me why I didn’t pursue a career in the industry.  For one, I can barely hold a tune. Second,  I cannot read music and I am simply not proficient at playing an instrument.  I was a DJ at one time and enjoyed it very much, but it’s not as simple as sitting in a production booth and just spinning tunes for a radio audience.  Oddly enough, God has blessed me in profound ways that have intertwined both my love of music and my love for Christ.

Many years ago, I fulfilled a dream by becoming the bass player in a local band back in my small hometown in Alabama.  This would have never been possible if I was not serving as a youth minister at the West Point FUMC at the time.  Here in Knoxville, I am equally blessed to serve on the audio video production team at Cokesbury’s West Campus. 

You see, God has created all of us with both a general purpose and a specific purpose.  In a general sense, we are all to share the love of Christ with other people.  In specific terms, we have all been given unique Spiritual gifts that God wants us to use to make a worthwhile contribution while we are here on earth.

The more we fulfill God’s general purpose, the more clear our specific purposes become.  

Patience

The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives…patience.  Galatians 5:22

Sleepless nights with sick children at home and living in Atlanta with an insane amount of traffic has taught me a little bit about patience.  God’s word tells us that patience is actually a form of perseverance and endurance that allows us to respond to difficult circumstances with grace and self-control.

Patience is not a learned behavior as many would have you believe.  It’s actually the by-product of the presence of the Holy Spirit in the heart and mind of a believer. 

God promises that when the Holy Spirit is in us, he will produce more patience in our lives. 

Go Your Own Way

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.   The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.  2 Corinthians 5:7

Just like an athlete who trains to be victorious in his/her specific sport, for us to live victorious lives requires us to live in deep dependence on God and God alone on a daily basis.

The world usually associates victory with success, not stumbling or falling and making mistakes.  But when we are successful in life, we tend to go our own way, forgetting about our loving Father and depending on our own limited strength.

Coming to a place with God where we rely solely on him is not necessarily the path of ongoing success; often times we must encounter multiple failures before we totally depend on him.  However, with each failure, we grow in our reliance with him and live the lives of blessed assurance that we will be victorious in this life and the next.

Praise be to God!   

Better Days

“I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord.  “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”  Jeremiah 29:11

Less than a week into the new year, a series of events has led some close and dear friends of mine looking forward to better days ahead.  I often recall the above passage from Jeremiah when life seems to have taken a turn for the worse. In addition to giving me peace and comfort, it also helps me to better understand just how much God loves each and every one of us.

When things aren’t going the way that we would chose to have them, many people grow angry with God and view him as this angry and rigid deity that is just watching and waiting to zap us with misfortune.  This misconception couldn’t be any further away from the truth about our Father.  You see, God loves is and only wants good things for each of us.  He not only wants us to have a bright future with him eternally in heaven, but also in this life as well.

When we recognize his goodness in our everyday lives, we begin to understand and believe that he really does love us and wants the very best for us, which ultimately provides us with hope.

Just Another Day

"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow, God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes."  Matthew 6:34, The Message


Most people have made their New Year's resolutions and stay faithful for at least a short time. The gym is typically packed the first few weeks of January and then back to normal by the middle of February. When we make resolutions, we should make some attainable goals to that we don't become frustrated and give up. The same holds true with God as we need to learn to trust him one day at a time.


When we take each day as it comes, it keeps us closer to God and more responsive to his will for our lives. The problem is that trust is not a natural response for us, especially if we have been hurt before.


If we can exert our will to trust God in all circumstances, he will provide for us our needs each and every day, which helps us to live in a deep dependence on him for all things in all situations.

This One's For Me

Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8

I truly believe that there is much more to prayer than simply asking and receiving. In many ways, God always seems to work on issues deep within my heart when I petition him with my requests.


This new year as we persist in talking and listening to God, open your mind and heart to allow God to work in his supernatural ways to give you a greater understanding of yourself, your situation, as well as God's purpose and direction for your life.

Reap What You Sow

Create in me a clean heart, O God.  Renew a loyal spirit within me.  Psalm 51:10


My wife, Alicia, enjoys making our home and yard more beautiful by planting plants and flowers.  She picks specific plants to grow during different seasons of the year. If Alicia plants sunflower seeds, the seeds will eventually produce sunflowers, and so forth.  


We are all familiar with the saying that "we will reap what we sow" and just like seeds, if we have sinful desires and thoughts, it will become evident that some 'bad seeds' have been planted in our hearts.


We must continually go to the Lord and ask him to give us clean hearts so that our lives will produce clean thoughts, motives, and behaviors.  


None of us will be entirely 'clean' or free from sin in this life, but one of the most worthy goals we can pursue in this new year is to glorify God in all that we say or do.

New Year's Day

Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.  Lamentations 3:23

Life is certainly a series of new and fresh beginnings and how we approach them makes all of the difference.  We can sometimes face new beginnings with anxiety, others complacency.  We must remember that each new day/new year presents a whole new series of opportunities, including opportunities to fall in love with God more deeply and to know him better.  When we remain positive and ‘begin again’  with the right attitude, it will impact our relationship with others and effect the people in our lives. 

God’s mercy towards us is new every day, despite what we have done or not done the day before and regardless of how we have treated him or others.  This frees us from the burdens of yesterday’s failures and regrets to live the lives that God intended for us to live. 

May you and your loved ones be blessed in the new year!!