The Journey

God at Work!

2011-05-02T08:16:00.002-05:00

I cannot believe it has been 3 months since my last post. I really got to keep up with this. The sad thing is I have a reminder pop up on my computer every Monday morning.

Well, what a three months it has been. God has been at work at Bethel. If you haven't noticed, you haven't been. To experience the power and presence of God week in and week out is just amazing. We see the hand of God moving in the lives of this body of believers, this "Faith Family", if you will. My prayer is that things will continue and we will keep growing.

I don't know about you, but God really spoke to my heart with the message He gave to us yesterday. I am blessed to have two men in our church who have allowed me the opportunity to mentor/disciple them. I am determined to pour my life into theirs, to share with them all that God has shown and taught me and to turn them loose to do the same thing with someone else. This is how it ought to be family, come along side one another serving, sharing, loving, giving and sacrificing.

I believe there are some in our faith family that need and elder in the faith to come along side them for this reason. I want to encourage each of us to do this. Life on Life, pouring into each other. I pray that this is only the beginning of the move of God, but it will depend on our willingness to allow God to continue to move.

Peace and blessings

What's it to you?

2011-01-26T13:14:00.002-06:00

I just got back from an evangelism conference in Shreveport, LA. There were several speakers and one afternoon breakout session/s. I thought I had a pretty good bead on things. My thinking has changed a little. I was shown some different perspectives on worship and planning for the service. I did find that I was on the right track, and realized that with a few tweaks and a lot more prayer, what we've been experiencing in worship will only multiply. I envision a mighty move of God every time we meet. So, I prepare with that thought at the heart of it all. I don't believe God just wants us to show up; I believe He wants us to experience Him when we come together. I know that as a staff we are of "one accord" in what we want for our corporate worship. We all need to spend a lot more time praying for the pastor as he prepares the message, the worship team as we prepare to enter into the presence of God and for hearts to be open to the work of the Lord. I am asking that you join with me, pastor Mike and Blaine in prayer for the services we experience here at Bethel.

May God bless you on your Journey!

Not Just Savior, He is Sovereign

2011-01-17T09:39:00.002-06:00

When you talk about the sovereignty of God there so much more there than we really care to know most of the time. We do realize what it all means, but just don't want to act on it. The word Sovereign means "supreme authority". That means it begins and ends with God. What he says goes, what he commands is to be followed. That may sound a little scary to some, but to me it means I am off the hook. When life comes at me 100 mph, if God is my sovereign, will be hadled by Adonai. Sometimes he may choose to use me and sometimes he may use someone else. Either God has all control or none at all. This week reflect on how much control you allow God to have, and determine to give him everything!

Any Other Name

2011-01-10T08:54:00.002-06:00

We are doing this new study at church on the names of God. In that, we find there are many different names for God and each one has a different meaning. Elohim means "God", Adonia means "Lord", El-Elyon means "Most High God", the one thing you will come to find is that in each of these names it's still God. Each name is given in accordance with a prescribed characteristic of God. Many different characteristics, but only one God. The amazing thing is that all those characteristics describe the God we serve; he is our peace, our provider, our banner, our salvation, our Father, etc.

God is exactly what we need exactly when we need it. All we have to do is rely on him in every area of our life. The one name that I believe is all inclusive is "I AM". That is awesome that name tells all, He is Omniscient, Omnipotent, and Omnipresent. There is not a need that you have that he can't fill, and if he doesn't, he knows it's not what you need or not the right time. That is all I need.

New Year, New Outlook

2011-01-04T10:37:00.003-06:00

Dealing with my dad and his liver cancer, has helped me in my outlook on life. I have always believed that "life is fragile", but really never considered the validity of that statement. Although I have experienced death through one of my grandmothers and one of my grandfathers, as well as, one of my uncles, it has never been as close as a parent. I can say without regret that my relationship with my dad has never been what I would have wanted it to be, but I now realized it worked out for my good. I believe all things will work together for good, because God has called me into his family. So, no matter what happens in my life God will use it for his Glory and my good if I allow it. So that is what I intend to do.

I am sad at the thought of losing a parent to death. I am unsure of how my children will handle it, but I am sure of the peace that God will provide when death does come. Let me remind you that the Bible says that "it is appointed unto man once to die, and after that the Judgement". It reminds me of the fact that we will have to face God one day, and probably sooner than we think. Everyday should be lived as if it were our last. If we live as if we were going to be standing in front of God tomorrow, how different would your day look?

Have great Journey

No Longer Condemned

2010-11-01T10:04:00.004-05:00

Jesus said that He didn't come to into the world to condemn the world, because the world was already condemned. Condemnation didn't come from Jesus, it came from breaking the law. "What Law?", you say. Well, the Ten Commandments to start with. Have you ever lied? If so, then you brought condemnation on yourself. Here is the thing, the book of James tells us that if we "offend" the law in just one of it's points, you "offend the whole law". This happened long before Jesus came to earth.

The cool thing is, that Jesus came to take that condemnation from us. The blood of Jesus has covered our sins , therefore removing our condemnation. Only through Salvation in Jesus Christ, are we free. Only Jesus can fulfill the requirements of the law, so only he can save us from the condemnation of sin.

Don't think that you can do anything to find freedom from sin, it can only be found in Christ.

Identity Crisis

2010-10-18T11:13:00.002-05:00

How often do you forget who you are? For me it is a daily thing; let me explain. If there is one thing I do on a daily basis, it's getting in the flesh. Sub-conscientiously I must be thinking I am someone I'm not. How often do we say we believe that God is all powerful, all knowing and can be every where at once? Now ask yourself this, "How often do I try to wrestle control away from God?" Somewhere along the way we actually think we are in control and that we could do a much better job than God is doing. After all, He is not doing things the way I would. At that point SELF becomes the center of our life.

Job had it all, wealth, possessions, good family, and a strong faith in God. The Bible says there was no other man on earth that loved God more. One day God allowed all but his faith to be taken away. Satan wanted to show God that Job only loved God because of physical things. Job stood tall until he decided he should defend God to his friends. At that point God stepped in to remind Job who he was and who God was. By the time God finished speaking, Job could say nothing more, but repented and God restored him.

The point is this, we cannot even begin to imitate God or to explain him, so let Him represent himself. Try not to have an Identity Crisis this week, and enjoy the Journey God has you on; no matter the roads taken or the bumps you may encounter.

Count It Loss

2010-09-30T08:53:00.003-05:00

The apostle Paul really knows how to make us feel low, huh? Most of us would be satisfied trying to be as good as him. But the truth is Paul even said He was the chief of sinners. Our aim is perfection, Christ. Our problem lies in the fact that we seek to much to please self. We seek so many earthly comforts, that our vision gets blurred. Paul said, "Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ" (Phil3:8). There is nothing more valuable than knowing Christ. Cars, homes, clothes, flat panel TVs, gadgets, these things don't even begin to compare to knowing Christ as Savior.

When we start to hold so tight to these things we put Christ in a place He was never meant to be. We need to be like Paul and be willing to sacrifice our earthly comfort in exchange for the life Christ offers. Make no mistake, it will most likely not be comfortable. It will be filled with joy and peace, because Christ is our comfort, not "corruptible" things.

Have a great Journey!

Bad Boys, Bad Boys whatcha gonna do...

2010-08-25T11:37:00.001-05:00

What character comes to mind when you think of the "Bad Boys of the Bible"? Cain, Ahab, or maybe Judas Iscariot? We will tend to look at those and a few others, that God used to shape the course of History, as bad and never could change. But what about the Apostle Paul? Before he was Paul His name was Saul, and He was notorious as a "Christian Killer". The Bible records that he was present at the stoning of Stephen; he even held the coats of the men throwing the stones. The early church leaders probably never thought that this man could be saved by God to be used to bring many to Christ. But that is exactly what happened. God revealed himself to Saul and he repented and was changed forever. His name was changed to Paul and he went on to start many churches, as well as, writing half of he New Testament. We tend to think sometimes that we are to bad for God to do anything with us, but that is contrary to scripture. God can, and will, save even the hardest sinner. And that person can go on to do many marvelous things for the cause of Christ. Believer, maybe you know someone that you think, "there is no way that guy will ever change!" If He did it with Paul, there is no one that is beyond the reach of God. Have a blessed Journey and see you soon.

Faith?

2010-08-01T21:53:00.003-05:00

What is faith? Faith is believing in something and then putting all your trust in it. It takes more than belief to have faith in God. And this is the problem that face most "so-called" Christians, belief without trust. These "Christians" tend to wonder why they are not experiencing the promises of God. I believe if we read the Bible and take it for what it says, then trust what it says as truth, then and only then can we experience the promises of God.

Read James 5:13-18. Now, what conclusion do you come to? If we are obedient to what this passage says, will we not experience its promise? I believe so! If it were not so, it would not be in the canon of scripture. Either the Bible is all true or not true at all.

Christ Above All Else

2010-07-13T08:10:00.005-05:00

What would it take for you to completely surrender to Christ? I know, you say you've done that. But really have you completely surrendered your will to Him, your finances, your time, your stuff. What if God told you to sell all that you have, and give it to the poor, and then follow him? What would be your reaction? That is exactly what Jesus said to the rich young ruler. The Bible says that man turned away very sad, because he had a lot of money and stuff. He was not willing to put Christ above all else. He was a very moral person. He had kept most of the ten commandments, at least the ones Jesus named.

He forgot the two most important ones. Jesus said “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” This was more than He could handle. Because he knew what that meant. Jesus went on to tell the crowd that witnessed this interaction, that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than it is for a rich man to go to heaven.

We have to be willing to drop everything to follow Christ, and that may mean following Him to the ends of the earth to share the Gospel, or maybe just across the street. So ask yourself, "Am I completely surrendered to Christ?" The answer could most definitely change your life!

Have a great Journey!

Take, Take, Take it all!

2010-06-11T13:36:00.003-05:00

I just finished reading "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. No, he is not related to Jackie Chan. Let me just warn you before you go out and get the book; prepare for a challenge. Aside from the Word of God, this book has been a life changer. It really directs you back to the word of God, and to get real with your faith. So many times we read the Bible and we walk away no different that we were before. The thing is, the Bible is the living, breathing, Word of God. We should be challenged and motivated to increase our faith every time we read it. That doesn't mean we increase how much we believe in God, but how much we trust Him. God says "...my righteous ones will live by faith,,,", what does hat mean? We tend to think behavior is related to faith, but that is simply a by-product. To live by faith means to adjust everything we do according to the word of God. Jesus told the rich young ruler, to sell all that he had and come follow Him. The guy turned away sad. He didn't want to give up all he had and give it to someone else. He had worked hard for that, it was his. The Church in the book of Acts did just that, they sold all they had, gave it to the Church to be distributed equally among the believers.

That is such a foreign concept in the modern church. We want what we are due. We actually believe the church exists to serve us! How arrogant are we. It's time we surrender COMPLETELY to Christ and to the Word of God. We should be willing to sell all that we have and come follow Jesus. Let me encourage you, start small. First make sure you are giving to the church your tithe, then look for ways to meet the needs of your brothers and sisters in Christ. It won't be easy and it may sting at times, but the reward far outweighs the sacrifice. Be willing to say to God "take it all, it's yours anyways".

Keep going on your Journey and give God the glory He deserves.

Are Your Expectations Great

2010-05-26T14:45:00.002-05:00

What do you expect out of life? Do you expect success at work, or wealth? Are your expectations great? Think about that phrase "Great Expectations". If you spend any time in the word of God you will realize that your expectations should be great. Not because of promised wealth, but promised life. We tend to focus on so many temporal things, that the things of God are way out of focus. So many people, like the Disciples, want God to do it all now.

The great thing about God is that he doesn't do things on any ones time line but His own. God has a plan, that the Bible says, was set before the foundation of the world. That plan was set in motion the day He began creation, and it will be finished the day we stand before God. God put in His Word the expectations we can have. We can expect God to never change, we can expect God to keep His promises, and we can expect God to be right on time. People are late, they don't keep there promises, and people always change. That makes The expectations we have in God great!

Have a Great Journey!

Upper Management

2010-05-19T10:46:00.003-05:00

The hardest thing for us humans to do is relinquish control. We like the power we think we wield. The truth is we are powerless on our own. Every area of our lives will fall to ruin with out the proper management. In the business world "Upper Management" are the people who keep things running smooth and error free. In the Christians life, "Upper Management" is the Holy Spirit. With the Holy Spirit in control, our lives would run smooth and error free. Our problem is we only let him in a few areas; most Christians have trouble submitting every area.

If we don't let "Upper Management" do His job then we will mess things up. Galatians 5:16 says " So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves." If we are "SPIRIT" controlled, sin won't rule our lives but the fruit of the spirit will. Take some time to read Galatians chapter 5 and take inventory on whether you are controlled more by the Spirit or by the flesh. Have a great Journey.

Via do Christu!

2010-04-26T15:12:00.000-05:00

The way of Christ is no mystery. Every step is laid out for us. All we need do is open the guidebook and follow it's instructions. It will tell us how to be submissive to God and the blessings that follow. It will help us as we seek to share Christ with others by following the example He set for us. It will, also, show us how our fears can be calmed. If you haven't already guessed I am talking about the BIBLE.

This next month, as we shift from the revolution, we begin a series talking about "Life Management". The next five weeks we will talk about areas in our lives, that for most of us, are out of control. God's word is our help. It is the PDA (personal digital assistant) for the believer. If we rest in its words we can find the rest we so desperately need. Troubled? Find your help in the right place.

Viva La Revolućion

2010-04-19T19:00:00.000-05:00

Long live the revolution! The conclusion of the mission conference brings some about some resolve for me. I have determined that no matter what any one else does I must continue to serve, to love, to share. My calling has nothing to do with anyone else; God called me and I cannot wait on anyone else to get on board.
The apostle Paul did what he did not because anyone else was doing it; he actually was doing what no one else was doing at the time, reaching the gentiles. He was the epitome of what a christian is supposed to be.
In order for the revolution to continue the attitude we need to have is that of, " if it's going to get done, I have to do it". Don't wait for anyone else, take matters into your own hands; YOU turn the world upside down for the cause of Christ.

The Finished Product

2010-03-23T08:29:00.000-05:00

The reason I don't mind doing a little house work, is the way things look when I am done. I love the look and feel of a clean house. It makes me feel comfortable and at ease. It makes me want to sit back and relax. I do understand that the work is never really done, there is always a little maintaining to be done.
Our Families are a lot like that as well. We have to do the initial cleaning; seeking those things that are messy and removing them. Some times we need a little help to get that done and God will always help us. Once the hard part is done, maintaining should make it easier on life. The problem is we don't maintain, we try to sit back and relax too much and let thing go.
There is not a person out there that would say they don't want a happy family life. So if we are willing to work hard enough to get it all cleaned out, then we need to go a little farther to make sure it stays cleaned out. We need to take the steps necessary to ensure that things to go back the way they were. That may mean we have to sacrifice a little to do that, but remember the work it took to get to this place.
Ask God to give you the power and strength you need to do this; without Him none of it is possible. Have a great Journey this week.

Jon

Date Night

2010-03-16T20:40:00.000-05:00

They say, to keep the romance alive, you have to take your spouse out every once in awhile. It is supposed help get things back in alignment. To help you focus just on each other. It is the "stop and smell the roses"action in marriage. With all that life throws at us guys, we find it difficult to do just that. Be patient ladies, in case you had forgotten your man is not perfect. Chances are he does love you and wants to show you, but he gets a little side tracked sometimes.

Guys, we have to get our priorities in line. Your job is important, but when you put it before your wife, your headed for disaster. Another mistake we sometimes make is putting our kids before the wife. You do know, that without her their would be no kids, right!

Come on guys, ask her out. Take her to her favorite restaurant, go see that chick flick with her, let her know she is the most important thing in your life. It'll make the Journey just a little sweeter.

What did you expect?

2010-03-08T09:33:00.000-06:00

If you had the perfect wedding; I mean no hitches, no problems, then raise your hand. Did the groomsmen play a trick with the ring, or did the preacher mess up the words? Maybe your 5 yr old nephew, the ring bearer, wet his pants (that was me). Needless to say, none of us had a perfect, fairy tale wedding. They don't exist! If you expect something to go wrong, when it does, it won't surprise you.
That same principle goes for our marriages too. Our expectations are different than reality. The truth is, things will go wrong in your marriage, you will fight and you'll get mad at each other. Your expectations should be to that affect. Know that those things will happen, then when they do, you won't be caught off guard. The GI Joe motto says," knowing is half the battle", and that is true for you.
Be ready for what ever comes to you this week, and handle it with the grace of Christ. Have a great Journey this week.

The Many Actions of Worship

2010-02-24T14:08:00.000-06:00

There are so many ways we show our worship. I have never been a big "hand lifter", but I want to be. The Bible tells us to "lift up Holy hands", and because of Christ I have the ability to do that now. Because of Jesus, we have direct access to God himself and and the ability to worship for ourselves. Maybe you've been holding back a little when you worship, for one reason or another. I want to encourage you to humble yourself before God and truly offer your worship, whether by serving or singing, lifting your hands high or lying prostrate before Him. However you worship, put yourself entirely into it. Have a great Journey this Week.

Worship in the Middle of??? (A Heart For Worship Part Deaux)

2010-02-17T13:21:00.000-06:00

How do you worship when life is going on around you. How do you stop and give God the time He deserves in the middle of whatever is going on. In Ministry, there is always something going on. Whether it's a couple who's marriage is on the rocks or a Family who is in a financial predicament. There is always someone to counsel; there is always some one who needs ministering to. There is always some kind of administration that is going on, but in the midst of it all worship is supposed to happen.
The life of a minister is no that much different that anyone else. although, I feel it is the most rewarding life. Worship has to be done during life; that means on Monday we worship, Tuesday we worship, the days we're not at church we worship. That means, anything we do in the name of God is worship. Service is worship. Anything we do that shows our love a devotion to God, is an act of worship. I want to encourage you to act out your worship, don't just give "lip service", prove your love. Then you'll understand what worship really is.

Enjoy your Journey,

Pastor Jon

A Heart For Worship, Part 1

2010-02-01T09:14:00.000-06:00

Worship is such a vital aspect of the Christian life. It is so intertwined into it that everything we do should be conceived as worship. Every act of love, compassion, giving or speaking should be construed as an act of worship to Christ.
Jesus said "when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!" When we "act" as we should, worship naturally happens. God is Glorified in the little things we do everyday for those around us. Next time you do something nice for someone, remember Jesus words, "you were doing it to ME." May your Journey bring you closer to the King this week.

Connections

2010-01-25T17:46:00.001-06:00

There are many types of connections. Electical connections, flight connections, connections for hoses, etc. As believers there are two connections that are most important, with God and with other believers. We have to be sure not to think that we connect with God only once or twice a week, but we must do so daily. Our connection to God is the most important one we make. It's like a patient that has to be connected to life support, without it you cannot survive.
Out connection to other beleivers is also an important one. Part of the reason we meet together on Sundays is to connect to one another for encouragement, accountability and worship. But that cannot be the end of our connection to one another; we must connect throughout the week. In Acts they believers met daily with each other, because, like it says in Proverbs, iron sharpens iron. We need each other to grow. That's why it is important to get involved in Connections at Bethel, you not only connect with God and with other believers. Let your Journey get you connected.

Staying on Task

2010-01-18T10:11:00.001-06:00

The hardest thing in leadership, to me, is finishing one project before starting another. I tend to have 4 or 5 things going at anyone time. I still have to prioritize those things. I can't let my focus stray off the mark so far I forget about the main thing. The church is a lot like that, we get bogged down with so many programs and activities that we lose sight of the main focus, the Gospel. Everything we do is supposed to center around the Gospel. We have to make an individual choice to make know the Gospel of Jesus; we have to take it personal. We just started a small group dedicated to train people for personal evangelism. I want to encourage you to come and find out what it's all about. Come talk to me if you're interested.

Pastor Jon

A Week Behind

2010-01-14T13:56:00.000-06:00

Let me just say, we have hit the ground runnin' this new year. Planning and doing the things that have already been planned. As church staff we are committed to increase the spiritual health of Bethel as well as in our own families. I am encouraged as a father when I see my 9 yr old son getting up early to read his Bible and devotion book he received for Christmas. My children have started to catch on, that when we pray we don't just pray for our family, but for other families as well. To here them recount how God has used them to minister to there friends, is such a blessing. I am excited to see what God is doing in their lives and am even more excited as to their future. Most of the time I feel like I am a week behind on everything, but God always seems to show me the progress that is being made. Don't get so caught up in the feelings of being behind, that you don't see the progress that God has made in you. If your not moving then your not on a Journey, so stop and notice how far you've come.

Expand the Kingdom

2010-01-04T11:20:00.000-06:00

If you missed it, yesterdays service was off the charts. Pastor Mike gave a great challenge for us, "Each One Reach Out to One". Just imagine if each one of us just focused on reaching out to one person a year, what that would do. If I reach out to one and that person becomes a Christian, and then next year both of us do the same, the multiplication process takes over and not only Jennings, but SW Louisiana can be impacted for the cause of Christ. Don't say it can't be done, the disciples did it in the first century church. All we need is to dedicate ourselves to the task and to the Lord.

This is a Journey I want to be on, and I pray that you will get "on fire" for God and seek to be an impact to those you come into contact with.

"You GO...into the whole world" - Jesus

It's 2010 already!?

2009-12-31T11:55:00.000-06:00

The first 10 years of the 21st century is officially behind us and we begin this new decade. So much has happened to change our world in the last 10 yrs. Terrorist flying planes into the world trade centers, Hurricane Katrina, the first African American is elected President; so many life changing things. Even though these events were sometimes catastrophic, they pale in comparison to the life changing events hat have happened to so many because they chose to receive Christ as Lord and Savior. Most of the world has no idea the importance of such an event.
We are starting this year off with a call to "make disciples". This Sunday Pastor Mike will be preaching a message about EXPANDING the kingdom. What better way to start the New Year than to equip ourselves to "make disciples of all nations". Come and see what God is doing, and join us for worship.

Over Hill and Dale...

2009-12-21T10:52:00.000-06:00

For a lot of people Christmas means traveling. So is the case for me. My family lives in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. If I'm not careful I lose sight of what Christmas is all about. My parents divorced when I was 15 and I have had split Christmas's ever since. I have to go to my Moms, then to my Dads then to my Grandparents, and since I am married we also go to the in-laws. Sometimes I feel like it's go,go,go! Once I am there, all is well. I enjoy the visits and I love to see my kids have the fun they do.
Life is kinda like that, go,go,go...move, move, move! With all that goes on in life and all that happens everyday, we tend to forget we are on a journey; we are simple travelers. The Bible calls us "aliens and strangers". Life is that traveling between family and friends we do during the holidays, but once the journey is over and we are there with our heavenly father and all our brothers and sisters we see that it was worth the journey. The Apostle Paul reminds to "not grow weary in well doing, for in time we will reap". Keep going, keep doing, keep moving forward and when the journey ends you will reap for all your labor.

Merry Christmas!

"Near........Far"

2009-12-15T08:31:00.000-06:00

I remember as a child the Sesame Street skit with Grover coming close to the camera and saying "near", then running away from the camera and yelling "far". This was to teach children the difference between the two words. Somehow, we have lost that knowledge when it comes to our relationship to God. I have been watching the attendance at church slip since the holiday season began. Each week it has dropped, and it causes me to think, what is its replacement. Christmas parties and Christmas shopping seem to rule our time. We really need to be careful, because the rest of the world is looking for a reason to take Christ out of Christmas. Now is the time we have to show how near we are to God. This is the season we celebrate the day that God came "near".
Have Merry Christmas!!

Football and Blood Pressure

2009-12-07T08:38:00.000-06:00

Normally, I am pretty even keeled. But for some reason when my football team of choice loses, what I believe to be, a game they should easily win, my ears get real red and every little thing becomes an irritation. Things that wouldn't normally bother me so much, become like a splinter just below the skin, festering it's way to the top.

Just another instance of how we let circumstances control our spirit. Football has no impact on this life we lead, as do much of the things we let control us. In Romans chapter 8, the first 12 verses, talks about being "Spirit" controlled. The problem is we tend to get "in the flesh" a lot, and if we are "in the flesh" then we are not "in the Spirit". It's always gonna be one or the other. The hard thing is to recognize those times when we are in "the flesh" and repent. Yes I said "repent". Being in "the flesh" means being our old sinful selves; it means letting that old sinful nature we were saved from have some control in our lives. Once we recognize and repent, then can we be "Spirit controlled".

Hopefully, you will recognize those times this week and will make the proper adjustments. Have a great Journey this week!

"It Has Begun!"

2009-11-30T10:06:00.000-06:00

The Turkey has been consumed, as was the dressing, Green Bean Casserole and Pumpkin Pie. Football games have been watched (go Cowboys!). Like Eisenhower planning for the invasion at Normandy, Amanda was strategically planning her "Black Friday" shopping trip. From the wee small hours of the morning after Thanksgiving she embarked on her crusade to conquer the Christmas list. Her success would only be thwarted by exhaustion. By the time she came home, she was just that, exhausted! While she was engulfed in the conflict, we (me and the Kids (moslty me)) began to fortify our Christmas head quarters with the elements of Christmas traditions (i.e. lights, and inflatable Santa).

I said I love Christmas! If we're not careful, we misplace our Christmas allegiance, and fail the true test of Christmas. We nee to remember to start the season off right. If we don't put Christ first the it really does become "Xmas". Only with Christ being at the forefront of everything we do this season can it truly be called Christmas. Christmas must begin with Christ or it doesn't really begin at all. So, put Christ first, and your holiday season will be filled with Joy, Peace and Love.

Being Thankful

2009-11-24T09:53:00.000-06:00

The last few days God has made me aware of a lot of things I have not said thank you for. I gotta practice what I preach, right. When I stop and think of all the things, lately, that God has blessed me with, I have to stop and say "thank you, Lord". The problem we tend to run into, is that we express thankfulness when it's something big, and forget God in the small stuff, the everyday stuff. We need to be as grateful for the everyday things as we are the big blessings. Start looking at the little things that you think are insignificant and praise God for them. When we can show our gratitude in those moments, we will be begin to live a more thankful and content lifestyle. Begin by thanking God for putting you on this journey.

New Day, New Mercy

2009-11-16T08:38:00.000-06:00

Lamentations 3:23 says "Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning." The Bible speaks a lot about taking each day one at a time. and in this passage it tells us we get to start fresh, with "new mercy" every day. What a great promise. God wants you to approach each day in a new light, maybe even a new perspective. Repent of and forget the failures of the previous day, and let God begin to work in you anew. What an awesome God we serve!

Another way to look at it is like this; These aren't the same mercies He showed you yesterday, they are new. It would be like some one giving you a brand new pair of clothes for you to wear each day. You don't have to get rid of the old ones, they are there for remembrance, but the new ones, wow. Who doesn't like to put on a new set of clothes. That's exactly the attitude this verse should bring to our attention, a new fresh start.

Get out and let God make it happen in you today. I hope you enjoy your Journey this week

The Right Foot

2009-11-03T15:39:00.000-06:00

Being a righty affords me a lot of advantages. Most everything that is made is made for right handed people. Now my son, Logan, is left handed, but only when he writes. When he plays baseball he bats right and throws left. That would be confusing to me, like deciding which foot to start off with. I usually push off with my right foot, because it's my dominate foot. I get going a little faster using my dominate foot. The Christian life is much the same, if I don't get started right things don't seem to go right. Most every morning I begin my work day by reading my Bible and devotional book. After a time of prayer I am ready to begin the day. Those days seem to be more productive than others. As well, my attitude and demeanor are better. Often I get attacked the moment I walk in the door, and I miss that precious time with God. It's important to get off on the right foot, and start the day with God. You will need Him sometime during the day, so start it off right. Have a great Journey this week!

Baby Steps

2009-10-27T21:22:00.000-05:00

We are always in a hurry to get nowhere fast, and life struggles to keep up. The same goes for our walk with God. We try so hard to be grown up Christians that we miss the life God has for us. Try feeding a steak to a baby, or even some chicken. their teeth don't start coming in until about six months, then it takes a few years until they have the teeth to chew meat.

I have been a believer for about 20 years now, but it has been in the past 7 to 5 years that I have really grown. The problem was, I had grown up in church and thought I already knew everything, and tried to rely on that. What I didn't know was that I didn't have real understanding of God , the Bible or the Christian life. It wasn't until I fed on the "milk" of the Word that growth began.

Don't be weary of the "milk", it is essential for growth, you have to cut your teeth spiritually on it first. God will use it to grow you to become a healthy Christian.

¹ Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in the Christian life. ² I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready, ³ for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world?

I Corinthians 3:1-3

Keep it between the ditches!

2009-10-19T11:28:00.000-05:00

Whenever Pastor Mike leaves for a trip, he always says to me "keep it between the ditches". He wants to make sure nothing happens to pull our attention away from the main thing. In life we try to do the same thing, but how often do we end up in the "ditch". We probably spend more time there than we would like to admit.

In Psalm 37:23 it says "The Lord directs the steps of the godly.He delights in every detail of their lives." When Peter stepped out of the boat, it was at Jesus' command. He didn't begin to sink until he took his eyes off of Christ. When we focus on the things around us, rather than on Jesus, we will certainly get off track. That's when everything seems to fall apart. In Isaiah 26:3 is says "
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you,all whose thoughts are fixed on you!"; notice those last three words. Perfect peace has a contingency, fixing our focus on God.

It's amazing how things always seem to work out, when we let God handle the details. It's easy to keep it between the ditches when God is in control of the steering. Where ever you are headed this week, let Christ have the steering wheel of your life, and keep your "thoughts fixed" on Him.

"Where He Leads Me I Will Follow"

2009-10-14T14:15:00.000-05:00

So many Christians seem to think they are doing everything they are supposed to do. There is a statement that has been said of the modern church, "10% of the people do 90% percent of the work". How true that statement is. The problem is, the other 90% don't even realize that they are doing just 10%. I think we rely to much on the belief that that is all God requires of us. We think God only owns 10% of our money, time or effort. The truth is God owns it all. He created us, gave us all we have and we return just 10%. Christ was our ultimate example, he gave everything to bring us into a right relationship with God. We should be willing to do no less. When we respond to the grace bestowed on us, after realizing where we stand with God, nothing less than the entirety of our being will suffice.

In your journey do you stand with the 10% or the 90%? The key is to realize there is always more you could be doing. Do get caught in the mind trap, thinking " I have done enough". Enough is never enough, we should continue to follow God wherever He leads and do the work that is there before us. That line in the old hymn, "Where He Leads Me I Will Follow", should be the anthem of our Journey.

I pray your journey will take you to a new level of commitment this week.

Jon

In The Beginning

2009-10-06T12:10:00.000-05:00

In the beginning man was created in the image of God. He was the mirror reflection of God, but something happened that distorted the reflection, sin. In the beginning the world was perfect, no war, no hunger, no disaster. Eden was the place to be, and man had it made, but then sin entered into the world. Everything changed! God had created man to live forever, he had made the world to stay in perfection, but then sin.
Sin has a way of getting in and messing things up. What about the"in the beginning" of your journey. How quickly did sin bring you down from the place God set you up on? God wants that mirror reflection to be perfect again. He wants us to reflect to the world who he is. Is sin distorting the worlds view of God because of you? Where will this take you on your journey?