SHHHHHHHHHHHHHH


“Quiet is bliss” is a term that is uncommon in our society. From the moment we wake up to the time our head hits our pillow, we are surrounded by noise. We have radios in the shower, morning T.V. news while eating breakfast, car radio while driving to work, the work noise, the car radio driving home from work, evening news while eating dinner, and T.V. for the rest of the evening. We have no quiet time to speak of. In order to have quiet, most people have to put it in our day planner.

I personally have never thought about how much noise is in my daily life until this week. While reading Experiencing God this past weekend, the Spirit of God laid it on my heart to fast this week. There are different types of fasting so I’m fasting from different things (food, caffeine, T.V./radio, etc.) this week. On Monday, I choose to fast from T.V. and radio and man it was awesome. Instead of watching morning news, I read some additional chapters in Proverbs (my book of choice when seeking wisdom and discernment), and I drove to work with no radio or Worship CD playing. Instead, I spent my time praying. During lunch, I started to read a book I bought last month, but haven’t started yet. After a day of work, the silence driving home was like a breath of fresh air. I was able to think about what Teresa and I am seeking wisdom and discernment for. There was no noise to distract me from talking with my heavenly Father. After eating dinner and talking with Teresa, I went into the bedroom and read more of the book. I read up until bed time. I spent a whole day with unless noise in my life; it was awesome.

Monday showed me that we need to go back to the basis of quiet time. Our quiet time is when God is able to talk with us. How is he suppose to talk with us (in His still small voice) if we constantly have noise? I enjoyed the quiet time so much that I’ve stopped watching morning news so I can spend a few more minutes reading my Bible. I’ve stopped listening to the radio in the morning and talk with my heavenly Father while going to work. And I enjoy the quiet on my way home. I’m limiting my T.V. watching in the evening so I can read more. Some of you who are reading this maybe thinking, “Duh!”. You may have already been doing this. If so; good for you. If you’re like I was, you hit the ground each morning with radio, T.V., and general noise until the time you go back to bed for a night of sleep. And you lie there trying to turn off your brain so you can fall asleep but can’t because the noise (T.V., radio, etc.) has given you things that won’t go away.

God has designed us for having quiet time. He wants us to spend this time with Him. This is when we can talk with Him, and through His word talks back. In quiet, there is peace. Nothing to distract you from the One who created us and loves us.

Try to spend some time in quiet. It will leave you refreshed. Thanks for reading, and until next time grow where God has planted you.

Diamonds In The Rough


When you read the gospels and see what a motley crew the disciples were when Jesus called them to follow him and see how rough around the edges the founding fathers of the church were, it’s amazing what has been done throughout the ages for Christ. Jesus saw something in these men that most of their families didn’t see. He saw leaders where others saw followers with no direction of their own. Jesus saw men of valor; where there were only men who were fearful. What men saw with their human eyes were dumb, rough men with no direction, but Jesus saw through His heavenly Father’s eyes men who will turn the world upside down. He saw diamonds in the rough, where others just saw stones.

Since Jesus is the Great I Am, He exists outside of time so He knows the future. When He called His disciples, He saw what they will become and not what they were. He saw men who would lead His church to all the world to proclaim Jesus as Lord of all and Savior to those who accept the gift He offers. He saw men who would stand before councils of men desiring their deaths with no fear. He saw what these men would be through His power and His resurrection.

When God draws us to Himself, He takes us as we are at that time. He takes a person where they are and turns them into something beautiful in Him. He takes a raw diamond and shapes it and polishes it into a beautiful glowing jewel. There is no way a diamond on its own can turn itself from a rough unshaped rock into a beautiful polished shaped jewel. It takes a gifted artisan to chisel the rough parts off and shape it into its potential. God is the One who shapes us into what we will become. We can’t do it on our own. He uses the valleys in our lives to shape us into the beauty.

When people don’t see in you what your Father sees, rely on what He will do to make you what you are meant to be in Him. All the beautiful polished diamonds all started out as rough dirty rocks until the One found them and shaped and polished them into something beautiful. He is at work in your life. Rely on Jesus to complete what He started.

Until next time, grow where God has placed you.

The Great Unknowns

The Christian race is full of unknowns. Paul writes about being focused on the mark or finish line of the race we’re in, but what we don’t see are the mountain tops and valleys from the starting point to the actual finish line we must travel. We’re told again by Paul that God has already finished works for us to accomplish for Him, but we don’t know what these works are. Even though we have all these unknowns, the one thing that is made clear is that we’re never alone. In last half of Matthew 28:20, Jesus tells us, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Since Jesus is with us, there is no sense to be afraid of all the unknowns in our lives as we serve Christ.

When one of the tasks that Christ has for use to do is revealed, we know that He has already accomplished it in His power. Jesus is the One who does; we are the ones who follow. Since Jesus has already completed the task, there is no need to be fearful. In 2 Timothy 1:7, we are told, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” Because of the payment Christ gave on the cross for us, we have power in Him.

When you look forward as you travel on the Christian road, remember Jesus is walking beside you. Sometimes you can’t see or feel Him with you, but He’s there. When you feel that you can’t go on, He’s carrying you on His big strong shoulders. When fear leaves you too scared to move, Christ will carry you pass it. Christ is our lamp unto our feet. These lamps were strapped to a person’s sandals in the Bible times to help people see at night. When a person had to travel at night, these lamps allowed them to see about 3 feet in front of them. In the known of the Christian race, Jesus shows us just enough. He gives us what we can bear. Slowly, Jesus reveals His plan for our lives as we are molded into the vessels He can use. He has a plan for all His children. He reveals each differently to each of us. You’ve trusted Christ to save you, so you must trust your future to Him as well.

There are unknowns to us humans, but there is nothing unknown by God. He has known us since even before the world was created (Ephesians 1:4). He knows what we must go through to become the people He has for us to be. Rest assured, our Great Knowns are known to God.
Thanks for reading. Until next time, grow where God has placed you.

Frontline


In the SBCV’s Basic Training for us Church Planters, we were told that after the training we’ll be on the frontlines when it comes to the spiritual warfare. The adventurer in me thought it cool about the idea of being upfront of the action. I know that God has already won the war in the form of Jesus Christ on the cross when He paid the sin price for me and all mankind. That day, Satan lost the war and was given the death blow (Genesis 3:15b - He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.) He’s walking around wounded. The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:8, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” According to animal experts, when a lion roars while he’s walking or prowling means he’s hurt. The most dangerous animals are the hurt ones. The good part of this is that you can hear a roaring lion coming so you can be ready with the armor God has given you when you accepted Christ as Savior and Lord.

The armor we’re given is mainly for protection; mostly defensive. The only offensive piece of the armor is the “Sword of the Lord” which is the Word of God (the Bible). When on the frontlines of the battles we find ourselves, we must hold high the shield of faith. The frontline is where the arrows of the enemy hit first. The shield is designed “to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one [Satan].” The flaming arrows are the temptations of Satan. You know the thoughts that creep up to stop serving God or to follow your own agenda instead God’s agenda for your life. These thoughts can enter your thoughts very smoothly. That’s why in 1 Peter, we’re told to be watchful.
Satan wants to destroy you. God has given us power in His Son. The power we have is found in the His Word. The only offensive weapon we can use against Satan is scripture. Like any soldier or warrior it takes time to learn to use the equipment we’ve been issued. Learning the Bible is the same. You need to spend time in it, to learn to use it to have a fulfilled life in serving Jesus Christ. When Satan attacks you with fear or doubt, hold up your shield to block the arrows and swing your sword back at him with 2 Timothy 1:7 (For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.). Jesus tells us that if we resist the devil, he will run from us. He runs because we quote the Word of God. Satan has no power over us. The only power he has is what we give him. Keep your eyes on The One (Christ) who saved you, and everything will work out for His good.

When you’re on the frontlines, be watchful and keep your armor on. Remember the power we have in Christ Jesus. No force on heaven or on earth can defeat the God we belong to. The war is over, and we have won because we belong to the Victor.

Thanks for reading. Until next time, grow where God has planted you.

A True Man

I was able to see the movie “300” this past weekend. I love history, so I wanted to see it because I especially love ancient history. The movie is based on the graphic novel by Frank Miller. Frank Miller is a well known artist who retooled Batman in the mid-1980s into a darker version of what he was before. Frank is known for making Batman the “Dark Knight.” Well, Frank Miller’s graphic novel is very loosely based the historical events where 300 Spartans stood against thousands of Persians. At the end of this movie, I walked out of the theater with my chest sticking out and my posture straight. The movie made me feel good to be a man.

Society, as a whole, changes on what we as men should be like. At one time, society says a true man is tough as nails. At another time, society says that a true man is sensitive. Which is it? Our example in all things is Jesus Christ. When it comes to being a man, Jesus is who we should be modeling after. Jesus is a man’s man. The world misunderstands the idea of meekness. In the eyes of this world, the word meekness is taken to mean weakness. That is far from the meaning of this word. The Greek word meek means strength under control. It takes more strength to turn the “other cheek” when hit than to hit back. It takes more strength to forgive than to hold a grudge. It takes more strength to answer in a light tone, than to yell back. Jesus had strength.

Jesus is the model we should pattern our lives. Whether it’s regarding on how we should conduct our behavior, or what we shouldn’t be doing. The views of society change faster than the seasons, but Jesus Christ never changes. As men, we should try to be more like Christ than model whatever view society thinks a true man should be.

Building A Connection Point to the Community


I feel that one of the ways a church can reach the community is to be part of the community that God has placed them. With this in mind, I’ve contacted the Suffolk Chamber of Commerce. Lord willing, I’ll be able to join the Suffolk Chamber of Commerce and use this organization to reach Suffolk with the good news of Jesus Christ.

When most people think about church, they see it as a taker and not as a giver. The churches have tax free property, and they tend to be apart of the community and not really part of it. God has lain on my heart that the best ways to reach the unchurched lost of Suffolk is to be “Going” to them. Getting involved with the civic organizations is one part of this goal.

Other ways to achieve this goal of reach the community with Christ are many. The church can reach out through the PTA, allowing the Red Cross to use your property for a blood drive, and the list can go on. The point is that I feel the best ways to reach the community is the think outside the box.

The USA of the past no longer exists. At one time, U.S. was a Christian nation. That’s no longer the case. The U.S. is in the top 4 unchurched nations in the world. There’s China, India, the U.S., and Indo-china. With this fact in mind, the old traditional ways of reaching the lost need to be revisited. I know that If God wants a person to be saved, He reaches out to them. But since I’m not God and don’t know who will be saved I’m supposed to cast out my net and pull in all who God has me to draw in for His glory.

Take a moment and think about what ways you can use to reach out to the lost around. Thanks for reading.