Keeping on Track

When you want to go hiking in the wilderness and don’t want to get lost, you take a map and a compass. This helps you keep going in the right direction. Without a map and a compass, it’s easy to get lost. The map gives you the big picture and a compass will tell you what direction you are heading.

In this life we live, it’s easy to get off track. We are in a wilderness (the world) that unless we have the map and the compass, we will easily get off the correct path. The map is God’s Word (the Bible) and the compass is Christ.

As a map gives you the big picture, God’s Word gives you what you’ll need to live a fulfilled live in Christ. Just as a compass helps you keep track of your direction because it always points North, Christ is our point to determine our direction in our lives. Just as north never changes (it’s fixed), Christ never changes. He is the “Great I Am.”

Without staying in God’s Word, and keeping out eyes on Christ, this world will make it easy to get off track. Christ-followers who aren’t using the map and stop looking at the compass find themselves off the correct path. They have no clue that they are lost in the woods until they look at the map and see the compass and discover that aren’t even close. They use the map and the compass to find the right direction. This is great when they are back on the correct path but they loss time in their journey.

We should always make time to look at the map and keep our eyes on the compass to keep us going the right direction. God has given us His Word for instruction. Christ has given us Himself so we will always know the right direction to go. Don’t let the beauty of this world distract you from the true beauty of God.

Make time to read God’s Word and always keep your eyes on Christ. You will never go the wrong way as long as you have the map and the compass.

The Need

God is working on us to move to Montana to share the good news of Christ. We are looking to move in the spring of 2008. We are moving to Bozeman, MT that is part of the Treasure State Baptist Association of the Montana Southern Baptist Convention. The need is great for churches that preach Christ only to heaven. In a world that is increasingly spiritual but lost in their sins, the true way to heaven must be shared. Here are some statistics for the ministry area the Treasure State Baptist Association is working:

Over 240,000 people live in eleven counties covering nearly 40,000 square miles in the Association. There are only 28 churches/missions that have reached less than 1% of our population with the gospel.

The need is great in Montana as is the need great throughout the world. The methods of reaching people with the gospel change but not the message. Jesus is the only way to heaven and eternal life. Think about what you can be doing to reach your family, friends, co-workers, and your community with the gospel.

“Then He [Jesus] said to His disciples, ‘“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.
Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”’
Matthew 9: 37 – 38 (NASV)

Seeing Through God’s Eyes

Just before Teresa and I went to Bozeman, MT, I started asking God to allow me to see through His eyes; to see the needs of the people in this city. God allowed me to see through His eyes toward the end of our week of activities and praying. There is a 9 mile section of Bozeman that will have 1500 houses built in the next couple of years. We drove through this stretch of road coming back from whitewater rafting. God showed me the areas that could be connection points (what I call possible places to meet people and introduce them to Christ). Seeing people through the eyes of our Savior will give you the right perspective.

We walk through our day most of the time just doing what we need to do. We seldom look at the people around us. We have Living Water and are surrounded by people who need this Water. They are dieing without it. We need to start seeing people like God see them. People who are in need of true life and not the counterfeit one they have now.

Ask God to allow you to see your family members, co-workers, friends, and neighbors through His eyes. You will see people for who they really are. You start seeing the happy go lucky co-worker who “plays the field” as who he/she really is, a lonely person looking for true love. You start seeing the rude neighbor who no one likes, as a person who just wants someone to talk with them and listen to them. Jesus saw through the facade, and if we ask He will give us the ability to do so as well.

We need to get over ourselves and get out of the comfort zone and start looking at the real world. We live in a world full of people looking for something to fill the void in their hearts (i.e. traditions, spiritualism, church, sex, drugs, etc.) instead of Who truly can fulfill them; Jesus Christ. It’s about a relationship with Christ and not attending church.

If we had a canteen of water and found a person dieing of thrust and didn’t share our water with them and they die, we will be guilty of murder. Well, we are surrounded by people dieing and are in need of the true Living Water. We have the Living Water living in us. If we don’t share Him with our family members, co-workers, friends, and neighbors, wouldn’t we be guilty of far worse than murder? People are dieing in their sin in this world, and we are called to go and share with them the Living Water. Ask God to allow you to see through His eyes, so you can share the Living Water with them.

Thanks for reading and until next time grow where you are planted.

The Practice of Seclusion

Every week, I receive an article from ChurchStaffing.com. These articles cover any topic that will help people in the ministry. On Monday, 6/25, the article that came to me dealt with making time to be alone with God. The article was written by Whitney Hopler and is titled “The Practice of Seclusion.” Take a few moments and read through it. This article may help you in making more time to be alone with God.

“And He said to them, ‘Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.’” -- Mark 6:31 (NASB)
One day years ago while I was listening to a book on tape in my car, the cassette’s thin tape caught on a tiny wheel inside the machine and began playing the same few sentences over and over again as it looped around. Try as I might, I couldn’t eject the tape from the player. Neither could I turn the player off, no matter how many times I pushed the “on/off” button. I was trapped inside a car filled with incessant chatter, and I had at least one more hour of driving to go before I reached my destination.
My pulse increased and my concentration decreased as I began to panic, trying in vain to override the tape by switching the player over to the “radio” setting. Finally, in desperation, I turned the volume down to its lowest level. Yet I couldn’t escape the tape’s muffled droning in the background while I drove. A wave of relief washed over me when, at last, I reached a parking lot and was able to shut off the tape by turning off the car.
Do the tapes that play in your life cause you stress sometimes? Maybe it’s the buzz of technology that clamors for your attention every waking moment – your cell phone, e-mail, fax machine, and pager. Perhaps it’s the static of people who place constant demands on you – young children, difficult co-workers, ailing parents, or a friend in a crisis. Do you wish you could turn off your schedule, only to find that it keeps you looping around in a frenzy of activity?
If so, God invites you to come away with Him to secluded place. There, in the embrace of solitude and silence, you can turn off the world’s voices and tune into the voice of the One who made you. You’ll never hear all He’s whispering in your ears until you meet Him in seclusion.
No one who has ever walked the Earth had more important work to do than Jesus. He was confronted with crowds, demands, noise, and interruptions nearly everywhere He went, and He could easily have been constantly busy. Yet He made seclusion a priority: “In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there,” (Mark 1:35, NASB). After He had spent time away in quiet, Jesus returned to His work renewed.
God will recharge your batteries, too, if you make seclusion a daily habit. Here’s how you can do so:
· Give yourself permission to enjoy a daily time of seclusion. Realize that seclusion is a vital habit to have in order to gain the perspective, clarity, and peace God wants for you. Recognize that God designed life’s natural rhythms to include times of aloneness as well as relationships, and times of silence as well as sound. Don’t feel guilty about making time for seclusion. Don’t worry that a habit of seclusion will impair your relationships or make it harder for you to get things done. Trust that, in your time of seclusion, God will strengthen you to deal more effectively with every person and situation in your life.
· Choose a specific time and place for seclusion. Realize that if you don’t schedule a daily appointment for seclusion, the shouts of urgent tasks will overpower the whispers of important ones. Choose a time of day that works best for you, such after you first wake up in the morning, during your midday lunch break, or in the evening before going to bed. Plan to spend a set amount of time – even if only a few minutes – in solitude and silence. Go to a regular place for your solitude: a corner of your bedroom with a cozy chair, your backyard, a break room, or even your car. Whenever you can manage a longer time of seclusion (such as on a weekend or during a vacation), schedule it and go to a special place (such as a park or retreat center) for it.
· Break away from distractions. Don’t compromise your seclusion by carrying your cell phone with you, answering the doorbell if it rings, or sneaking a peek at your “to-do” list or a newspaper. Make a conscious effort to break away from all distractions. Ask God to help you break free of your daily pressures and quiet your spirit.
· Bring vital supplies. Take a copy of the Bible, a notebook, and a pen with you. Have a particular Scripture passage in mind to read and meditate on during your time of seclusion. As you pray about it and other topics, ask God to speak to you, and write down the insights you receive.
· Be honest. If people ask where you’re going when you break away for seclusion, don’t be ashamed to tell them the truth. Simply say you need some time to think and pray about things. They will likely respect your decision.
· Be patient. Expect it to take at least a few moments for echoes of the world’s pressures and noise to stop reverberating in your mind. Relax and sit still. Listen to the silence around you. Anticipate hearing God’s voice speaking to you when the time is right.
· Do it when you need it. Whenever you’re facing a particularly stressful situation and feel the need for some time in seclusion, make time for it however you can. Just excuse yourself and pull away so you can return in greater strength later. Make use of the downtime stuffed into the pockets of your day by turning it into extra seclusion time. For example, while you’re sitting in a line of minivans waiting to pick your kids up from school, turn off the radio and sit alone in silence to clear your mind, then pray.
· Reengage with enthusiasm. After withdrawing for your times of seclusion, be enthusiastic as you reengage with people and activities. Celebrate your newfound peace, strength, and clarity. Thank God for the gifts He has given you during the times you’ve accepted His invitation to “come away” with Him.

Who’s the King or Who’s the Leader?

In the Men’s Bible Class I teach, we are starting a study on 1 and 2 Samuel. The study is on David, but I’ve been reading the first part of 1 Samuel as a backdrop of the events leading to David being chosen King and why. In the early chapters of 1 Samuel where Saul was chosen to rule over Israel, Saul hesitated when first approached by Samuel feeling not worthy of the office. He wasn’t confident in his own ability. In fact when it came time to crown him king, Saul was hiding (1 Samuel 10:22). Saul had the ability to be king only after God’s spirit came on him to enable him to be king.

Years later, Saul was so full of himself that he chose do what he thought was right and wise and disobeyed God’s command of killing everything (people and animals) in a campaign against an enemy. Because of that disobedience, God chose David to rule over His people. Saul started out so strong with him knowing that he needed God’s help to rule Israel. As God blessed Saul with victory after victory, Saul forgot that it was God who was giving the victory and not Saul winning the day.

As leaders in the church, we must never forget that God is the true King (King of Kings and Lord of Lords) who rules the church. He is the true leader of the body of Christ. We as leaders (Pastors, Elders, Teachers, etc) are stewards of the abilities, gifts, and experiences God has given us to lead His people. The church is His people and not ours. Jesus shed His blood and we didn’t. We must remember the error of Saul in thinking that his way was better than God’s way. Saul thought that his wisdom would work just as well as God’s wisdom. Everything we have and are has been given to us by our Creator and King. We march to His plans and not to ours. Remember what Samuel told Saul after Saul tried to point the blame on to his army (I Samuel 15: 22 – 23):

“Samuel said,
‘Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
As in obeying the voice of the LORD?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.
For rebellion is as the sin of divination,
And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry
Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,
He has also rejected you from being king.’”

As leaders of Christ’s body, we follow what Christ has commanded us. He is the true King. He is the true Leader of the church. He has given us His trust to lead His people. Let’s remember who the King is and who is the Leader of the church and do what He wants us to do and not reply on our own wisdom.

Thank you for reading and until next time grows where God has placed you.

The Phalanx

We are called to be part of what God is doing. We are called to go where He wants us, so He can bless us. It is God who is doing; we are simply called to go. As we go, we are promised that we are not alone. God is with us in the form of the Holy Spirit. God also sends us partners to work with in the tasks He has called us. Paul never worked alone as he went to the cities of Asia Minor. Paul always had another person or a group with him.

As we are called to tell others about what Christ did on the cross, we have partners in the ministry. We serve with a body of other Christ-followers (the church). Even as a body or a church, we aren’t alone in the work. God has other like minded churches we can partner with to reach the community around us.

As one person or one church, we can only do some much for Christ. As we partner with others, we can do more. A great picture of this is the Greek Phalanx.

The Phalanx was used by the Greek army in battle. There have been few military units as devastating in their time as the Greek Phalanx. Heavily armored and insanely well trained, these soldiers were capable of standing against any and all challengers. Phalanx units were funny things. Each man depended on every other man to hold the formation. If enough of your fellow soldiers lost their courage, your unit would be lost. It was an interesting practice for phalanx commanders to divide their very best soldiers among the front line and the very last line of their units. The front line fighters needed to be strong because they were slamming headlong into their opponents. But the back line warriors needed to be experienced because they needed to keep all of the other soldiers from running away. They would shout encouragement, push against the lines ahead of them and, if necessary, threaten the other soldiers to make sure they kept their minds on the business at hand. Running from a fight was considered cowardly, not just because you lost your nerve, but also because you doomed your mates to a horrible fate. It was said that a Greek should never die with a wound in his back.

Just as a Greek soldier depended on his fellow soldier in the phalanx, we as Christ-followers depend on one another for encouragement as we serve Christ. God sends people our way to equip us (Pastors). God sends people our way to encourage and assist us (mentors/teachers and friends). One person can only do so much for the cause of Christ. We need to help each other to grow in the Word and encourage one another as we do what God has called us.

Take the time to encourage a friend and fellow Christian. Ask them how you can pray for them. Be the one to encourage because one day, the person you just encourage will be the one who will encourage you.

Thanks for reading and until next time grow where God has placed you.

One Connection Point

The number of people seeking spiritualism has risen in America, where Christianity is on a downward trend. People are seeking enlightenment, but finding darkness. The idea that there are many ways to enlightenment or eternal life is a lie. People think the way to heaven is a 9 lane paved highway. There’s the Muslim lane, the Hindu lane, the Christian lane, the Buddhism lane, etc. All these ways lead to heaven or enlightenment, right? That’s a lie right out of the mouth of Satan himself. John 14:6 says, “Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

There is only one connection point to God the Father and that is through Jesus Christ. The people who are seeking spiritualism only find a lie that Satan has been telling since the beginning of time. The lie he tells is that we can achieve enlightenment in ourselves and not in God. We can make ourselves happy and fulfilled. The truth is that we enter this life empty. The fall of Adam and Eve caused mankind to be born dead in sin. We are born with a hole in our heart that only God Himself can fill in the person Jesus Christ.

Jesus has called Christ-followers to let people know that the 9 lane paved highway leads only to death and destruction (Matthew 7:12-14, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”). As Christ-followers, we are to tell people what the truth really is, and the truth is that Jesus Christ is the only way to God the Father and to true enlightenment.

Jesus Christ is the only connection point that mankind has to reaching the forgiveness of God the Father. As Christ-followers, we are to connect people to Jesus Christ. God has placed us where He wants us for His purposes. One of these purposes is to connect people to Jesus. We aren’t the connection point. We serve only to point people to the true connection point to God which is Jesus Christ. We are called to go and tell what we know, and God draws people to Himself. The only true way to God the Father is through what Jesus did on the cross.

It’s time that we as Christ-followers get over ourselves and get out of our comfort zones and do some “going.” We have the truth, and this truth we have has set us free from bondage. Go and show your neighbors, friends, family, and co-workers the only true way to enlightenment and eternal life is through the man Christ Jesus.

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

As You Are Going

In the book “Breaking The Missional Code,” the author points out an interesting view of the phrasing of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19). In many Bible versions, verse 19 of Matthew chapter 28 states, “Go.” According to this author and others I’ve read, the phrasing in the Greek is best stated, “As you are going.” So basically, the Great Commission is stating, “As you are going, make disciples of all [people groups], baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,” In this passage, Jesus is talking to His followers just before He goes to heaven. Up to this point, Jesus has been telling them that they will face persecution, and be spread across the known world. So Jesus is telling His followers, “as you are fleeing for your lives and moving to other places preach the good news of Me.”

In our lives today, we are charged to tell others about Jesus Christ and what He did on the cross for mankind. The word “preach” means to proclaim, so we are all preachers in God’s eyes because we are to claim the good news of the cross. With knowing the correct phrase of the Great Commission (As you are going . . .), we are to constantly be preaching (proclaiming) Jesus. If you are a stay at home parent, verse 19 means, “As you are going to stay with your children, make them disciples of Jesus. If you work in the corporate world, verse 19 means, “As you are going to the office, make disciples of your co-workers.” If you are in the military, verse 19 means, “As you serve in the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, or Coast Guard, make disciples of you fellow servicemen and servicewomen.” Or if you are a student (grade school, middle school, high school, or college), verse 19 means, “As you are attending school, make disciples of you fellow students and teachers.”

Let me inform you of this fact (if you don’t know it already) that we’re not the ones making disciples. It’s God who is making the disciples. We are the vessels He chooses to use to spread His love to the world. He is the One who is doing. We are told to follow Him. As you live the life God has given you, be mindful of opportunities to share Jesus with those He puts in your path.
Thanks for reading and until next time, grow where God has put you.

Life Song

I connect best with God through music. I enjoy all styles of Christian music. There have been songs throughout my life that have struck a chord with me. The newest one is the song “The More” by Downhere. It echoes my desire to serve God all my days. Below are the words to the song. I hope you enjoy as much as I do.


I met you like a little child
Wide-eyed and mystified
That you could love even me
So I'm here to testify
That's been an amazing ride with you
And I have never walked alone
Wanna give you every moment, every minute
It's takes a lifetime to know you, to know you

And the more you show me, the more you grow me
The more your glory becomes all there is
And the more I know you, the more I need you
The more I love you, the more you become to me

Fast-forward to the golden years
A smaller pride and a bigger fear
But still, no way are we done yet
I pray that you would keep me mystified,
In every way that I will still abide in you
Till you come to take me home

Wanna give you every moment, every minute
And take a lifetime to know you, to know you

And the more you show me, the more you grow me
The more your glory becomes all there is
And the more I know you, the more I need you
The more I love you, the more you become to me

God Is My Protection

I’m reading through Psalms, and today I read Ps. 7. God had verse 10 pop out, “My shield is with God, Who saves the upright in heart.” What struck me about this verse is that David was being surrounded by his enemies. God had judged him for his sins with Bathsheba, and God has restored him to his thrown. David was basically saying to God, “You are my protection from my enemies. I don’t need a shield or physical protection, because you are my protection.” David knew that he could count on God to protect him, because God had been faithful to David for years leading up to this point in his life.

Our God is so faithful to us (His children) even we aren’t faithful back. As a loving Father, He disciplines those who practice sins. He did so with David (read Psalms 6). Since God is faithful to us, He will prevent any harm that may come our way unless He has a purpose for it. Yes, God did use harm in the Bible to both punish and develop His people; however, He also protected His people. As a Christ-follower, we are His people. We are His children. He will be faithful to be our shield. He will be faithful to protect us from harm.

When God gives a task to one of His children to accomplish (which He has already completed in Himself), He will protect that child. I’m sure as David was writing this Psalm; he was remembering how God protected him from the bear and lion when he was a teenage shepherd. He could have been remembering the day God had Goliath fall at his feet. He could have been thinking about all the times, he saw God protect him. And he knew that God would continue to protect him because of the God’s faithfulness.

When God gives you a task to complete, rely on Him who has given the task to you. He will complete it. He will protect you as you go about doing “your Father’s task(s).” Because of Christ’s payment for our sin, we are “the upright in heart.” Whatever maybe going on in your life, remember this God is faithful to His children and He will be your protection. God is our shield. Rest in HIM.

Thanks for reading, and until next time grow where God has placed you.

Faith and Open Doors

As we seek God’s direction and discernment, we must truly rely on God’s wisdom and not our own. God’s wisdom is great, and ours is so small. I heard a preacher recently who echoed this statement regarding seeking an open door. He spoke about the children of Israel when they we entering the “Promised Land.” In Joshua 3, God instructs them to walk with the ark on their shoulders into the water of the Jordon River and He would part the water so the children of Israel can enter the land He promised their fathers. I’m sure as He was talking with Joshua about what to do, Joshua must have been wondering why this way? When God parted the Red Sea, He did so in the dark of night so when the sun rose they saw dry land. It took little faith to walk on dry ground to the other side to safety from the Egyptian army. This time, the people had to trust that the water would divide. There were only 2 men left from the previous generation who witnessed the parting of the Red Sea. All others only heard about it from their fathers and mothers. They had to trust that God would do as He promised.

Let's put “Flesh and Bone” on these people (as my college Bible History professor all ways said). Just imagine, you are one of the 12 men with the ark on your shoulder. Just imagine you are one of the 2 men in front. As you step into the water, it starts to recede away from your feet. As you go forward, the water starts moving to the right and left of you. The soft muddy bottom of the river floor becomes dry before your eyes. God is faithful. He does what He said He will do. Since God has kept His promise with this, He’ll do what He has promised regarding in giving us this land. You’re energized and ready to do your part in His plan.

When people seek God’s direction, we want to see an open door. Sometimes you must believe in faith that a door will open as you move forward. Just as the children of Israel had to believe God would part the Jordon River, we must believe God is faithful to His word. The only constant we have in our walk with Him is that He is always with us. He wants what is best for us. Sometimes that means we are stretched and molded to fulfill His calling.

As we continue to seek God’s wisdom, I’ll keep my eyes on Him who saved me. He knows what’s best for me and for Teresa. We are right where He wants us to be.

Thanks for reading, and until next time grow where God has placed you.

Knowing Purpose

Below are comments by Dr. Jack Allen in a newsletter he sent out to his contributors. He has some good insights.

We commemorate the saddest and happiest days during the same week every year. The Day of the Cross and The Day of Resurrection when Jesus redefined life. He completed His task against all odds because He knew His purpose. He taught us that finding ultimate success depends not at all on money or education, but on sacrificing one's personal comfort to the Father's will. Easter reminds us that knowing what one is supposed to do (purpose) can get him or her through the darkest day. It seems that most of Christ's followers have no clue as to their purpose, and opt instead for mediocrity.

Not too sure about that? OK, take a quick test: in your opinion, considering all the Christians you know, how many live either defeated lives, mediocre lives, or victorious lives? Let's define "victorious" as: relative freedom from anxiety; freedom from substance abuse (including alcohol, drugs, sex, materialism, and gluttony); and freedom from the negative tendency to let someone else spread the Gospel.

One of my classes recently concluded that only 3 percent of the Christians they know can be observed to live victorious lives. Three percent on Victory Lane, that's it. At least, that's what we figured. We estimated that 10 percent of all Christians live defeated lives, and the rest (a whopping 87 percent) live in mediocrity. Lukewarm, on plateau, declining, purposeless, yuck. Sounds like . . . failure.


In The Wizard of Oz, the Scarecrow tells Dorothy that it makes no difference which road she's on because she does not know where she's going. Life without purpose is like traveling a road without knowing your destination. Yogi Berra, a relatively intelligent catcher for the Yankees, once said, "If you don't know where you're going, you'll end up somewhere else." I could not agree more.

Jesus gave humans a clear purpose: love God and love people (Mk 12:29-31). How exactly does one do that? Can't I just as easily love God and people by mowing grass, building houses, fixing cars, clerking at a grocery store, teaching school, starting churches, selling cars, or just about anything else that's legal and moral. Maybe I need some refinement.

It might help to ask yourself where you want to go. More important, where does God want to take you? Someplace boring or exciting? Someplace fast or relaxed? Edgy or safe? The end of the earth or the end of the block? Let me give you four things to think about while you're trying to decide.


Leading.What draws you? What makes you think, "That's me"? For now, let's assume that God put that leading in you. Get advice and follow it. See if God's develops a passion for it.

Passion.What gets your heart pumping? What task causes you to sit on the edge of your chair when you tell others about it? What would you do even if no one paid you to do it? It's fairly normal that if you get really good at something about which you are passionate, someone will pay you to do it. We can call passion your hearts desire. The Bible indicates that if you follow God closely, He will give you your heart's desire (Ps 37:4). He will also confirm whether or not your passion is from Him.

Confirmation.Start reading the Bible anticipating that God will give you a verse, a passage, or a story that confirms your leading and passion. It's very important that you get advice from a someone who has a good track record making wise decisions. You may consult parents, your Pastor, or a trusted teacher. There will be someone in your life--a leader that God gave you as a blessing. Once you find a biblical confirmation and your advisors confirm your understanding of it, memorize it. Then let God's Word build your faith.

Faith. Faith is what we need when we start second guessing our purpose (Heb 11:1). Most days, you and I need to remember that God's word settles our second-guessing and fears of failure. Like Abraham (Genesis 11-26), we just need to start off in a general direction doing what we've been told to do. If you're a preacher who can't get a church to preach to, start a new Sunday School class or a Bible study group with your neighbors. If God told you to create art, but you have no canvas, draw on cardboard. Do something. My wife, who is often smarter than me, notices that Bible heroes are usually doing their best to obey God while working at something--then God gives them a special assignment. Be productive and have faith that God will send you an assignment. That's the story of Noah, Moses, Jonah, Peter, Paul, John and a few others best I can tell.

With those four thoughts in your pocket, you should be set to find your God-given purpose. Once you know God's purpose for your life, it's time to make a big decision. Ask yourself, "will I trust God, or will I go my own way." If you trust God, you will be headed for success.

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.