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It is your choice

April 30, 2012 in Devotionals, Featured, Life with 0 Comments

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Deuteronomy 30:19 – “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessing and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make.  Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!”

Everyday God gives us a chance for a great life, but we have to choose it.  We have to awake and choose to love and obey God.  We have to awake and choose to listen and learn from God instead of the world.  We have to awake and choose to be firm in our devotion to God.

Years ago I went to a waterfall with my family.  As we walk down the creek to where the waterfall was located I was amazed.  Before I ever saw it, I could hear it.  Then as we got closer I could see it.  Finally we arrived and people were swimming in the pool that the waterfall poured down into.  As I stood on the shoreline I could feel the midst of the waterfall.  Eventually my family and I joined the others and got into the water and swam up into the waterfall.  It was amazing the power that poured down on us as we swam under the actual waterfall.  Such power, such enjoyment!

In order to enjoy the full power of that waterfall we made a decision to do so.  We made the choice to enter into the water and swim to the place where the waterfall came down.  We could have stayed down creek or even on the bank, but we decided to get into the water and enjoy this great creation.

This is the way of the blessings of God.  They are always flowing for each one of us, but we will not enjoy the full blessings of God today unless we make a decision to do so.  You can hear about them and even feel a bit of them by being around others that are blessed, but until you get into the water and swim you will not experience real life.  The evil one Satan wants to steal and kill and destroy your opportunity for life and blessings.  Yet Jesus promised us in John 10 that he wants to give us life and the blessing of abundance.

Today, you have a chance to be blessed or cursed, to find life or death; it is all in the way you decide.  As Deuteronomy 30:19 states, “Oh, that you would choose life…” Get into the water and swim out to the fullness of what God wants for you today.  The waterfall of God’s blessings is always pouring out for whoever will come and choice to swim in them.  Today is your day for life and blessings so step into the presence of God.

What Attitude?

April 25, 2012 in Devotionals, Featured, Life with 1 Comment

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Are you a person of Joy? Or are you a person who complains? I find it interesting that it is hard to do both.

So many people would rather live their life complaining than receive the great joy of the Lord. In John 6, people complained. Jesus was offering these people a life that was satisfying and fulfilling, yet all they wanted to do was complain. So what did Jesus say? In Verse 43, it states, “Jesus replied, “Stop complaining about what I said.”

Complaining never changes a thing. Instead all complaining does is help you to remain in your mess. When you fill your thoughts and your life with that which is negative, you continue to move toward those negative things. As you continue to read John 6 you find out that Jesus time and time again tries to lead these people to life in Him, but at the end they all leave complaining. Complaining is a sin that keeps us in bondage instead of moving us toward change and life

Today, if you want to be fulfilled and satisfied, stop complaining about your situation, your life, or your position. Instead, take joy in your lot and trust in the Lord. Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again.” God wants to give you Joy today. You have to delight in Him and not complain about your current situation.

In Psalm 40:8 David reminds us what Scripture says, He states, “I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart.” Today, wait on the Lord, trust in His words, and before long you will be amazed at the Joy in your heart. The Joy of the Lord is your strength.

Spiritual Workout

March 5, 2012 in Devotionals, Featured with 0 Comments

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This is a guest blogger named Nathaniel Calloway.  Nate was one of the students in my discipleship class at Real Church last session.  He is a businessman that is serious about the Lord.  Today I am sharing a recent devotional he sent out to encourage some friends and co-workers in their faith.  I love watching God grow young men into being real disciples that follow after Him.  Be encouraged by the following words.

Spiritual Workout

Our spirit is something that needs to be maintained on a daily basis.  We
can’t accomplish the things that God has set out for us to do without the
Holy Spirit guiding us.  Imagine trying to run a marathon training only one
or two days a week.  You would begin to tire fast and eventually end up
quitting.  I believe this is what happens to us spiritually.  We give our
lives to Christ and ask him to direct our paths.  But for one reason or
another we don’t pray or read the Word as often as we should.  Suddenly
being a Christian starts to become tiresome.

This happened to me when I realized I was only praying and reading my Bible
a few times a week.  It began to become more like a chore to spend time
with God than something I hungered for.  We must take and make the time to
spend with God on a daily basis.  We should never be too busy for God,
because He’s never too busy for us.  Now imagine preparing to run a
marathon by training everyday.  Not training by yourself, but having a
personal trainer and nutritionist as well.  By the time race day comes you
will be able to give your best effort.

Having this mentality for or walk with Christ also applies.  Pray and read
the Word everyday.  Find people in your life who will help you do your best
and will be there to hold you accountable.  So when that time comes when
God calls on us, we can give Him our very best.  I challenge you to find
the materials, people and time you need to begin your spiritual workout.

Acts 20:24- However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is
to finish the race and complete the race and complete the task the Lord
Jesus has given me- the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

Luke 9:23- Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must
deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”

Love is what???

February 29, 2012 in Devotionals, Featured, Life with 0 Comments

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Jesus said the greatest thing you could do with your life is to Love God and Love others (Mark 12:31-32).  I think the biggest challenge in loving others is learning to be patient and kind.

For the most part, each of us wants what we want when we want it.  And if we do not get what we want, we get upset, we get frustrated, and we get rude.  When there is no patience, there is no kindness!  And when you don’t show patience and kindness; there is no real love.

Because 1 Corinthians 13:4 says, “Love is patient and kind!”

So who does God want you to be patient with today?  Oops, I mean love today?

What will be said?

February 21, 2012 in Featured, Life with 0 Comments

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I know you probably do not want to think about this, but someday you and I will die.  When we die, someone is going to stand up at our funeral and tell all about our life.  I wonder often: what will be said?  When you die what do you want people to remember?  What do you want people to say about how you lived your life?

Maybe someone will tell about how funny you were during your life?  They will tell about all the crazy things you did and people will laugh.  While people are laughing at your funeral about how funny you were; what will be said about you in eternity?

Maybe someone will stand up at your funeral and talk about how good you were at your job.  They will tell how you solved problems, made money, and how professional you were.  People will leave your funeral filled with respect for you.  Maybe they will even buckle down and work harder.  You will be viewed successful here, but in eternity, what will be said about you?

Maybe someone will stand up at your funeral and talk about what a great mom or dad you were.  They will tell how you took care of them and provided for them.  They will shed some tears and people at your funeral will vow to be better parents.  Yet you will be in eternity; what will be said about you there?

Maybe someone will stand up and talk about how much money and time you gave to people and causes.  And at your funeral, you will be respected for the contribution you made to many.  But, you will be in eternity, what will be said of you there?

I could go on and on about things that might be said at your funeral, but the question is; will they really matter?

You see, each of us can do many great things here on earth and be admired by people, but we can still miss the mark in heaven.  In heaven, things will be judge differently.  They will not be judge by the surface or the look of things, instead in heaven; we will be judge by our motive.  The reason we did what we did.

Read 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 and hopefully all my words will make sense.

1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Today, all that matters is how you love.  Go out and love God and love others.

Forget it…

February 8, 2012 in Featured, Life with 0 Comments

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Forget about your circumstances for a moment.  Most of the time you have very little control over what is happening around you.
Forget about your self imagine and weight for a moment.  We all struggle on this, but neither will give you what you really desire.
Forget about your finances for a moment.  Money is nice, but it will not buy you a fulfilled heart.
Forget about all the petty pursuits that make you feel good on the outside.  Hobbies only bring momentary happiness.
Forget your sin issues.  This is too big for you; only Jesus can help you here.

Forget it all…

Today allow God to change you on the inside.

When God changes your heart, he changes your life.
God always does an inside work before He cleans up the outside.

Forget your agenda, Remember Him, and you just might GET everything you desire today.

Matthew 16:25 “If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.”

More than a feeling…

January 19, 2012 in Devotionals, Featured with 1 Comment

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James 2:15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who needs food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Well, good-bye and God bless you; stay warm and eat well” – but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?   17 So you see, it isn’t enough just to have faith. Faith that doesn’t show itself by good deeds is no faith at all – it is dead and useless. 

Right now, at this very moment, there are so many people who are hurting in this world.  I could show you places in the world that have no clean water and in your heart, you would feel compassion.  I could show you places where children are eating out of the dump and you would be broken inside.  I could introduce you to homeless men who are strung out on addictions and your emotions would be tugged at.  I could take you into a single mothers home without furniture to sit on and you would feel shocked.  And I could even introduce you to teenagers who are hungry everyday when they go to school and you would be angered at their parents.

All of these opportunities, all of these chances for men and women who pursue faith to make a difference.  Listen, feeling compassion, brokenness, or anger will not change the world.  At some point, your pursuit of real faith in Jesus Christ must minister to the needs of those God brings into your life.  It is not enough to see the hungry, the homelessness, the poor and do nothing.  As James says in this passage, “what good does that do?”

We must become men and women not only of faith, but of action.  We have to dream big dreams that will change the lives of other, but then we must take action.  We must give love, give money, and give our time to help those in need.

Jesus said it this way when he was speaking of our responsibility to help others in Matthew 25…

37 “…‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 “…‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Real Faith is more than a feeling!

The Poor

January 18, 2012 in Convictions, Featured with 0 Comments

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  • Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need. (Proverbs 21:13 NLT)
  • Some people are always greedy for more, but the godly love to give! (Proverbs 21:26 NLT)
  • The rich and poor have this in common: The Lord made them both. (Proverbs 22:2 NLT)
  • Blessed are those who are generous, because they feed the poor. (Proverbs 22:9 NLT)
  • A person who gets ahead by oppressing the poor or by showering gifts on the rich will end in poverty. (Proverbs 22: 16 NLT)
  • Don’t rob the poor just because you can, or exploit the needy in court.  For the Lord is their defender.  He will ruin anyone who ruins them. (Proverbs 22:22, 23 NLT)
  • A poor person who oppresses the poor is like a pounding rain that destroys the crops. (Proverbs 28:3 NLT)
  • The godly care about the rights of the poor; the wicked don’t care at all. (Proverbs 29:7 NLT)

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What are you thinking?

Dr. King I want to see your dream!

January 16, 2012 in Featured, Ministry with 2 Comments

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In 1963 Dr. King spoke many words that have transformed our world.  Words that were powerful and words that are still being put into place today almost 50 years later.  Each week as I pastor a small church here in NW OKC I pray to see the fulfillment of the dream Dr. King spoke of.

You see, we have a president of color and we have color mixed in many areas of our society.  Our schools, our work place, our parks, and our sports!  Yet for some strange reason when it comes to Sunday morning, there is a great divide.  People of color tend to go with their color.  Yet in one part of the speech that Dr. King wrote he says some words that I think we need to pray for and seek.  He writes…

“With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.”

Dr. King I want to see your dream.  I want to see men and women of diverse color praying together and struggling together.  I want to see men and women of diverse color worshiping the God who made all the colors.  I want us to listen to one another’s struggles and work together to solve the issues that are still at hand.  I want to see the local church filled with all the colors God created.  Only by the power of God and the presence of God will we see true brothers and sisters of color worshiping together in one place.

Each week, one of my greatest joys as a pastor is the getting to worship in a place where the dream of Dr. King is a reality.   Yesterday, our church was full of color.  We had such diversity in skin color and in social status.  I am so proud of our people for loving and accepting each person regardless of their color or income level.  Yet, I want to see this all over this great country.  I want to see the dream of Dr. King come true in each and every church.

Our road to this place of diversity has not been easy.  I have seen the sickness of racism as people have left our church because of the fear of diversity.  I have heard the echoes of racism as people have voiced their concerns to me as a pastor.  I have seen fear in the eyes of people who love when their sporting team has a person of color or they go on a mission trip to help the poor, yet for some reason cannot handle when their church is filled with people of color and poor people.  This does not make sense.  My Bible still reads, “For God so loved the world…” I think this includes the rich and poor, as well as all those of skin color.

May it be that the men and women of God rise up together and break this Sunday morning barrier.  May our church be filled with diversity.  May we strive to worship the God of all colors together.  May it be that we repent of the sin of racism and become radical inclusive of all men and women regardless of color.  Dr. King I want to see your dream.

Grace and Truth

January 14, 2012 in Convictions, Featured with 0 Comments

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John 1:14 “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, (Jesus) full of grace and truth.“

Jesus was full of grace and truth. Each day we must strive to be full of grace and truth if we are to really follow after Christ.  Think about it, when one of the two are missing you get religion. One religion is a license to sin and the other is legalism.

I see religious people often in church, on the Internet, and as I talk with individuals.  They are usually upset because they feel judged by someone.  These people believe in a god of all grace.  The judgment they feel is sometimes legit, but most often it is because of the condemnation they feel inside because of a desire to live outside the boundaries of God’s word, His truth.  In the name of grace, they have willfully given their heart over to sin.  Sin that is paid for in eternity, yet still has consequences in the here and now.  This religion of God being only graceful is dangerous because it destroys the abundance Jesus promised in the here and now.

Other people (commonly know as the religious or those who judge; the legalistic) have so immersed themselves in truth that they have begun making up rules in fear of loosing their faith.  Because they only see truth and have no grace, eventually they become legalistic.  They have convictions and believe everyone else should follow such convictions or they are not right with God.  They get very upset when people do not live up to their expectations or do something they deem wrong.  Unfortunately, they do not always have the truth of scripture; instead they depend on the truth of their conviction from scripture.  This is very dangerous because you begin to live above others and in the name of fear (truth – to the legalist) you basically push others away from Christ and yourself.

This is why Jesus was full of grace and truth.  An authentic relationship with Christ happens by grace through faith but is lived when the truth sets you free. My deep love for Jesus comes from the grace He has shown to me and from the truth that He has revealed in me.  The combination of the two ultimately gives me the freedom to live.  Without his grace I am doomed for hell, yet without His truth I am a slave to sin.   I am so thankful for a Savior who is full of both grace and truth.


 

 

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