Jesus wants the rose

Today I really had the urge to blog something but I really didn't know what. I've been reading and studying several passages in the Bible today and God really spoke some good stuff to me. I thought "I'll share some of that". I've also listened to some good music. I've spent some time with my son Micah. All of these things were good experiences and very blog worthy. But as I was preparing for Sunday's message I came across this video clip. It may be a little offensive to some. It may be a little distracting to others. However, the last few lines are worth the 4 minutes it takes to watch it. This video is not meant to promote anything or anyone other than Jesus himself and how much He loves you and me.



I hate that this type of thing happened in a church setting. I love church and as a pastor I am always trying to be creative in my attempts to communicate the gospel. My prayer for all of us is that in our efforts to be creative we would not distort the true gospel message. Jesus wants the rose!

Friday's randomness

• Check out Mark Batterson's 5 creativity equations...good stuff.
• This is, in my opinion, Perry Noble's post of the week for pastors and church leaders check it out here.
• If you ever get the chance to look at Ed Young's blog at http://www.edyoungblog.com/ you will notice that under other bloggers he has his wife Lisa listed before TD Jakes. Good move! I always knew he was a smart man.
• Leadership/team lessons we can learn from the rock band U2...mmmm....check it out here.
• Finally...here is a video about managing money that is priceless...enjoy it and your weekend.

Elijah Offering Video from Elevation Church on Vimeo.

Leadership check

Just this morning God brought up two thoughts that compliment each other as I had some very needed quiet time.

As I was reading Isaiah 58 I found these words, "They delight in the nearness of God." (vs.2) This, to me, describes a life that is flowing in the waves of the Holy Spirit. God is always with us. God is always at work around us. A submitted life will see this and delight in it while a life that is in rebellion will resent it and even fight against it. One who delights in the nearness of God is one who has nothing to hide and doesn't want to hide anything because they know that God is love and grace and does not reject His own.

The other moment that connected with this was when a friend talked about pastors/leaders wanting accountability. His thoughts were that any pastor or leader with any decency about him/her would welcome accountability. This is especially true when the goal is not our own personal glory but the glory of God and the betterment of the organization/church.

Here's my encouragement today. Just take a few moments and "delight in the nearness of God". Then write down what He is telling you today. God is good and that never changes.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." (Romans 15:13 ESV)

Seriously????

Wow...and I thought men played rough...check out this story.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Monday morning thoughts

• Great service yesterday! We walked through Psalm 30 yesterday and talked about different things to be thankful for.
• My Bible has this Psalm labeled as one used in the dedication of the temple.
• 2 Corinthians 6:16 say that "we are the temple of the living God."
• So is it far to say that this Psalm is not only "for" the temple but also "to" the temple?
• God never ceases to amaze me at how He sets things up some times. It's almost like He really is in control like He says He is....mmmmmm :-)
• It's that time of year where budgets are being combed through for the next year and people are getting more and more stressed about money...personally, corporately, and otherwise.
• Lord, help us to live and move and have our being as if You really are sovereign...Lord thank you for having a plan long before we realize we need one.
• Pastors and church leaders...it would benefit you greatly to read this post from Perry Noble...click here.

Clayton on fasting

Here are some highlights from a message Clayton King gave this year at Newspring Church in S.C. this year. Clayton does a great job of just laying things out there for people. Here's a sampling...

Lincoln Brewster

Here's Lincoln Brewster's album version of "Salvation is Here"...enjoy!!!

It's Friday!!!!

Today is Friday...it's been a good week overall...here are some thoughts for today...

• Check out Perry's blog on leadership here...even if you don't agree with all of his points he at least makes you think...
• There is nothing in the world that sounds like a baby laughing...Micah rocks!!!
• This morning when we found the shirt Natalie wanted to where her response was a loud "Hallelujah!"...never a bad time to praise the Lord.
• I can not wait 'til Sunday. We are going to walk through Psalm 30 and God WILL be praise and He WILL be exalted!
• There are a few video clips that I want to share so keep checking back for those.
• Tomorrow some friends are running in a race to help end human trafficking. You can read more about it here. beherfreedom.com
• If you get the chance read Psalm 30 in whatever translation you usually use...then read it out of the Message Bible...good stuff!

Monday Morning reflections

• Yesterday's service ROCKED THE PLANET! There is nothing in this world like the love of Jesus!!!!
• We switched our service time and Sunday School time yesterday. With the later service time we actually saw some folks that haven't been in a while because the earlier time was too difficult for them. It was great to see them.
• There is nothing like Trick or Treating at the mall. Lots of people. Lots of costumes. Lots of security.
• The Candy Store at the mall gave out little peppermints to all the kids. YOU"RE A CANDY STORE...GET A LITTLE CREATIVE!!!!!
• Sorry about that last line...I'm not bitter...not at all...:-)
• November is here and that means Thanksgiving is coming up. YEAH!!!
• Here's today's quote..."It's kind of fun to do the impossible."-Walt Disney

What are you listening to...

Just thought I would share what I'm listening to while I work today...

Quote of the day

“In the total expanse of human life there is not a single square inch of which the Christ, who alone is sovereign,does not declare,'That is mine!'”
Abraham Kuyper quote

Monday morning thoughts

• Yesterday the church had a time of pastor appreciation during the service. Several people had very encouraging and kind things to say about myself and Logan. Everyone was very gracious and you will probably never know just how much your expressions of gratitude mean to the both of us and our wives. Thank you.


• Yesterday I preached on the flow of the Holy Spirit in and through our lives. I was so excited to get to preach that message. As I was preparing it this question kept coming to mind. What if we are not only saved by Grace but we are to live by Grace as well?...and how does that look?
  
• I have started writing this years advent devotions for the Advent season and God is showing me some cool things in the process. (Each one is based out of the Gospel of Luke)


• Today we had our second funeral in three days. I can not wait until Jesus comes and there will be no more death!
  
• Allison went back to work today. That means Micah is with me and so far we are having a fine day bonding. I think he kinda likes my office. (He should...it's looking more and more like his place anyway:-)


• This Wednesday is the fall festival at church. This is going to be a great time of celebrating with the whole church together. Everyone please come out and be ready to have a good time.


• This year Halloween is going to be a trip. I know some people are against Halloween for one reason or another. That's fine...but I'm excited because my little girl is going to be Supergirl...and that pumps me up!

Friday

Today is Friday and I'm looking at the next few days thinking..."Wow, what a weekend." Over the next three days we have 2 funerals and our Sunday morning service. I know this is not the busiest schedule out there by any means. However, when you think about how much each of these things means to people it can be over whelming. Death hurts. It is an enemy. Thank goodness it has an end. In the mean time we must all endure the separation we experience when our loved ones die. These funerals will be more about the celebration of life than the tragedy of death but we could still use your prayers as we walk these families through this.

Sunday's sermon is one that has been on my heart and mind for a while now and I am absolutely pumped to bring it. God is at work and we need to recognize that He will accomplish His purposes. The question is...how can we ride the waves of His Spirit?

Here are a couple of quotes that I came across recently that tie into this whole weekend.

"The Bible without the Holy Spirit is a sundial by moonlight."-D.L. Moody

"In commanding us to glorify Him, God is inviting us to enjoy Him."-C.S. Lewis

Have a great weekend and please pray for us that we would be open channels to God's Holy Spirit.

Darkness

I just finished reading Matthew 26-28. I don't know that I have ever read those three chapters straight through together...without stopping. Although, I have to admit, I was tempted several times to stop...take a break...it's so much to take in...really you can come back to it.

The story is dark. To say that it is difficult to read is an understatement. The emotions. The betrayal. The neglect. The abuse. The lies. The mocking. The isolation. The hopelessness. The Crucifixion. The pain. The bitterness. The punishment. The suffering.

The obedience. The grace. The love. The victory. The resurrection. The celebration. The good news. The commission. The promise. The King. The Lord. The Savior.

My description can not even begin to accurately describe all that Jesus went through and accomplished because He loved us and still loves us that much today.

It overwhelms me. I don't deserve it. I never have. Yet He generously pours out His love and grace even today. Wow!!!!!!

I encourage you to read Matthew 26-28 today. Don't stop. Keep reading it. It will be hard to read. It will be difficult to watch as Jesus is punished. However, when you reach the end you will witness a hope and joy victory that is like nothing else. The eternal. The everlasting. Amen and amen.

Monday reflections

• Yesterday was Youth Sunday and the youth ROCKED THE HOUSE!!! They did a great job at presenting the gospel through greeting, drama, music, and the Word of God.
• Aunt Jo's surgery went well this morning but she is in a great deal of pain so they are keeping her in the hospital overnight. Please pray that her pain will ease soon.
• Getting back in the office when you have been gone for a week is harder than it looks.
• Vacation is over and the 1600 calorie/day diet officially begins today...ugh!
• I can not wait for this coming Sunday. I have been rolling this message around for over a month and this week I'm putting the polish on it. I'm am pumped about how God's grace works in and through our lives!
• Traveling with a 3 year old and an infant can add HOURS to your travel time. (...but you get to see a lot of bathrooms along the way...)

seriously??????

So I've been on vacation this week and we have had a great time seeing family and friends. We even had the chance to see some of the fall leaves throughout the mountains. I have actually worn long sleeves all week. The temperature dipped down to the 50's the other day and Natalie was convinced it was about to snow. Ahhh my poor little Florida child.

In any case I was having a great week relaxing when I came across this news story. My first reaction was "SERIOUSLY???". Then I couldn't help but just shake my head and be reminded of other well meaning people who are sooooo guilty of taking things out of context. Whatever your reaction is to this story please pray for these folks because I'm sure there is something more productive they could be doing to build God's kingdom.

Here it is...

The Journey of Giving-3/3

So God woke me up in the middle of the night with a question. I had been working and studying the concept of giving, especially as it relates to our giving to God and His ministry. Most of my thinking up to this point had centered around how much I should give or with what type of attitude I should give. However, here is the question that God brought to mind that really rocked my world.

"What if it's not about you?"

What???? At first I was a little stumped. Of course it's not about me. However, I soon realized that while I agreed that it was not about "me" it was only "me" that I was thinking about. How do I give? How much should I give? What's the best way for ME to give?

I was dumbfounded by my own selfishness.

What if it's really about a Holy and Almighty God who is always giving and refuses to stop giving? What if He is the best at giving and pours out generously based on His love and not our efforts? What if He is simply inviting us to be open to Him so that He may not only pours in us but through us as well?

Then I began to read familiar passage of scripture in a new way as God's giving jumped off the pages.
Read Romans 8:28-39.
Read 2 Corinthians 5:17-21.
Notice how God gives. Notice what He gives. Notice who He gives. Notice and recognize the giving God.

When I realized that it is actually God who is the true giver and... when I recognized what a holy activity giving was and...when I admitted that my efforts were not adequate to be considered sufficient and...when I confessed and submitted to my Almighty God...He opened a whole new world of giving that I had not known before.

I'm not saying that I have this perfected today but I am saying that God is at work in me, molding me into His image...the image of a giving God.

The Journey of Giving-2/3

Many people take Malachi 3:10 to heart when it comes to their giving. They faithful give their 10% every week or every month or every year. They give it out of obligation, duty, fear, or maybe even worship and love. However, recently there has been a thread of teaching that sees giving a little differently.

People are beginning to point out that Malachi is actually in the Old Testament and we are living in a post-cross, post-resurrection world that is not bound strictly to the letter of the law and the 10% that Malachi speaks of.

At first this line of thinking made me nervous...until God took me a step further in my journey of giving.

In 2 Corinthians 8:1-15 the Apostle Paul is relaying what has been happening in the Macedonia churches. They have been giving what they can and then giving even more! They are so consumed with the idea of giving that they can not even stop themselves. Paul sees this and it is his desire to see that same passion flow through all the believers. In verse 8 he even tells them that he's not commanding them to give but wants to see the desire flow out of their hearts.

Don't give because you HAVE to. Give because you WANT to! Don't be so consumed with the idea of giving 10% to the point where if you don't have it you don't give anything. Give out of your love for Jesus Christ no matter the amount. Give what some would call a "love gift" to God.

Wow! That is so freeing in some ways. To not be consumed with the logistics and calculations figuring up 10% every week. That is awesome! That sounds so much easier to me.

Then in the middle of the night God asked me a question about my giving that rocked my world and I still can not shake. This question took me yet another step forward in my journey of giving...

The Journey of Giving-1/3

When it comes to giving, especially in the context of church, I believe my earliest understandings came from Malachi 3:10. God instructs his people to bring their tithe (or a tenth) into the storehouse. It's the only place that I have seen where God tells the people to test Him and see if He doesn't open up the very windows of heaven and pour out blessing.

Ever since I became serious about tithing I kind of took the approach of "why not". Why wouldn't I give a tenth of my money. After all if God really is almighty and can do anything then let's see what He can do with just 10%. What do I have to lose? I still have 90% to work with.

Even though God has always supplied for my needs I have to admit that I am tempted sometimes to give God less than a tithe. I start to think..."I could make more progress in paying off ______ bill." "I could make an extra car payment." "I could put that much more towards the house payment." The funny thing is that even while all of that is true God brings me back to the fact that He tells me to "test" Him with the tithe and He has never, ever failed any test before and never will. Do I really trust Him to do what He says? Do I really trust that God can do far more above and beyond all that I can imagine?

Sometimes I don't want to give to God. Sometimes I do it out of habit. Sometimes I do it out of obligation. Sometimes I just do it because I'm afraid not to. Sometimes it really is an act of trust and worship. But this is where I started the journey of giving.

Then God took me a step further...

Monday morning reflections

• Yesterday we experienced a great God service. God's word. God's music. God's generosity. God's people. God's timing. WOW!
• Saturday was a great day in the life of WJACC as so much of the church came together for the purpose of celebrating a wedding and a marriage. Congratulations Marshall and Sarah!
• My brother and sister-in-law were visiting this weekend and we had a blast together. Natalie took about 1 1/2 seconds to warm up to both of them.
• I will be blogging some of my thoughts from yesterday's sermon on giving soon so keep watching.
• Quote of the day...this one is for all pastors and worship leaders. "The hour on Sunday can be a time of wonder, a time of transformation, maybe even a time of awe."-Nancy Beach
• Check out this blog from Clayton...it should make all of us pause.

Back to the Basics

I've heard people from time to time say, "we need to get back to the basics". When asked to define what the basics are many definitions surface. A lot of times people define the "basics" as their own personal preferences. However, I do think the basics are not only needed but necessary. What basics do I mean? I think Ed Young does a great job of describing it here.

Who's growing what?

"So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth."

1 Corinthians 3:7 (English Standard Version)

We get so caught up a lot of times on what we are producing. "I have to do this or it won't get done." "If I don't do it no one will." It can become as if we don't think God is actually at work. It's almost as if He has left everything up to us to accomplish here on earth. However, I keep being reminded in God's Word that it is not about me.

God is the one who makes things grow (physically, spiritually, mentally, etc.). He invites me to play a part in it. I may get to water or plant a seed or maybe even be present for the harvest but it is God that does the actual growing. If I don't play a part God will use some one else in the process. He does NOT need me. He wants me. So that we walk in this process NOT out of obligation but out of the privilege of being used by the Almighty God of the Universe.

What is God inviting you to be a part of today?

Monday morning thoughts

• Yesterday's service was "off the chain"! Terry brought a great message, the music was flowing, the people were celebrating and the food was good and plentiful.
• We saw at least 16 people baptized between the two churches yesterday. Yeah God!
• We are seeing groups come together for Bible study and fellowship more and more throughout the church. Who knows what all God is up to...
• I found out that an MP3 player does not fair well in the washing machine.
• A 3 year old IS able to sleep through the night without waking Mommy or Daddy...now if we can do this on a consistent basis...
• Next weeks sermon is going to be a mind-bender. We are going to look at money and finances in a way that I have never preached before. Come next week and check it out.
• Going to a birthday luncheon today...Happy Birthday Uncle Robert!

Random stuff

Here's some links and random thoughts for the day...enjoy.

• Here's some special words about the flow of life here.


• John Ortberg answers who the Spirit is up to here.


• Read Phillipians chapter one today. Ask yourself, "Is the Apostle Paul thankful for the individuals in his life or the work of Christ that he sees in others around him?"
• This coming Sunday we are going to see people baptized! That is Awesome!
• Happy Birthday today MOM!!!!

The Chasing Song

We all chase something in our lives. We chase deadlines. We chase toddlers. We chase dreams. We chase each other. Today God reminded me that even in the midst of my chasing everthing HE chased me and caught me and loves me and will not let go.

Here is a song by Andrew Peterson that I think sums up a lot of what I'm trying to say today. Enjoy.

Isaiah 48:18

Isaiah 48:18 (English Standard Version)
18 "Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea;"

God's commands lead to a river type of life. Obedience allows us to flow and be active and be refreshed. A river moves, constantly flushing the impurities and making room for fresh water. Your righteousness will keep beating the shores of life...over and over again. Only God can stop the waves.

The more we obey God's commands the bigger the river...the mightier the wave. If we are seeing little flow or little waves in our lives then we need to ask...is there somewhere or something in our lives that we need to repent of?

God has called us to an intentional life of impact. The BEST way to live that kind of life is to flow with God's Spirit. Now how much impact we are allowed to make seems to be directly linked with how much we obey God's commands. How much we obey God's commands is directly linked with how much we believe God is worth obeying.

What do you believe about God today?
Is He worth obeying?

another quick quote

I know I haven't written much lately and today is no exception. However, I did want to at least offer another quote I came across this week that I really liked. Here it is for pondering...

"He didn't choose you to lose you." -T.D. Jakes

Brief Quote of the Day

“If we're growing, we're always going to be out of our comfort zone.”
John Maxwell

Are you growing today?

Tuesday Morning reflect

I hope everyone had a great day yesterday. We took advantage of Chick-fil-a's free chicken sandwich offer for lunch and loved it so much we almost went back for supper. You gotta love the cow!!!

Sunday's service was a little low in number. A lot of people taking advantage of the Labor Day weekend. I hope and pray you all have been able to take advantage of a little more family time this weekend. We had a great service. The music was hummin' and God worked despite my state of sleep deprivation.

Speaking of which, Micah had his two week check up today and he is healthy and strong. He seems to be changing by the hour. I look at Natalie right now and find it hard to believe that 3 short years ago she was that small.

In any case, enough rambling. Here are some cool links for you to check out today.

• Perry once again has another great, humbling post on leadership here.
• Tomorrow is the free online leadership conference "The Nines". Check out the info here.
• Here's a quote from Duke Ellington-"The most important thing I look for in a musician is whether he knows how to listen."
• Clayton challenges with the use of boundaries here.

Have a great day!!!

dead vs. alive

“A dead thing can go with the stream, but only a living thing can go against it.”
G. K. Chesterton

Sometimes I think..."I would just like to go with the flow and see where I end up." The only problem is this is anti-biblical thinking. Throughout the Bible God calls us to "intentional" living. Jesus was the perfect and most visible example of this. Everywhere He went He was intentional about who He was with and what He was doing. No matter the circumstances Jesus' message of love and grace and the mightiness of God was consistent.

The Apostle Paul wrote..."And you were dead in the trespasses and sins"..."But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved" (Ephesians 2).

As a child of God we have been placed into a reality that allows us to be intentional. Alive with Christ. If nothing else, I want to be so intentional about praising His name that I don't have time to worry about floating down a river of circumstance.

Prayer quote

"One can believe intellectually in the efficacy of prayer and never do any praying. "
--Catherine Marshall

Wow! That one can hurt if you have just identified with it. I'm realizing that a lot of times people are most offended by something if that is what they struggle with. For example, if the above quote just made you squirm a little it may be because you need to pray. I know I never pray enough. If you can honestly you pray a sufficient amount in your life then I have to question if you are really praying. C.S. Lewis said that he prayed because the "need flowed" out of him. The more you commune with God in prayer the more you realize He is God and you are not and that is the way it's supposed to be. You can believe in prayer all you want but until you commune with a holy, living God in prayer you are missing out on one of the greatest privileges we have in this universe.

"There is a mighty lot of difference between saying prayers and praying."
--John G. Lake

Dear Father,
Please show us today how we may so wrapped up in prayer that we hear Your heartbeat, see Your visions, and feel Your presence. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Amen

College Freshmen

Beloit College has released their latest "mindset list" for the incoming class of college freshmen this year. Here are some highlights...or low lights for some of us.

• The Green Giant has always been Shrek, not the big guy picking vegetables.
• They have never had to "shake down" an oral thermometer.
• Bobby Cox has always managed the Atlanta Braves.
• There has always been a Cartoon Network.
• They have never been "Saved by the Bell"
• Everyone has always known what the evening news was before the Evening news came on.
• There has always been a computer in the Oval Office.

For the entire list you can check it out here.

Monday morning thoughts

Finally, I have a semi-normal Monday again. The last few weeks have been anything but normal. Last Monday we celebrated the birth of our second baby (and first son) Micah Christopher Hall...7lbs. 11oz. 20 inches long. I am still amazed that God has seen fit to entrust two children to my care. This is definately taking my trust in God to a whole new level. Here are some pics from the past week.


Happy Grandparents!

This is how he fit in mommy's belly.

Sissy is not sure about Micah's first bath at home.

But she is a proud big sissy.

Monday morning

For the second Monday in a row I started the day by receiving an early morning phone call. Today it was my Uncle Robert letting me know that my Uncle Raymond passed away in his sleep last night. Please be in prayer for all who are now traveling to Jacksonville and for all of the arraingements that are being made. Thank you for your prayers.

Refreshing

This has been a week of ups and downs. I have been at the hospital for births and I've been at the hospital for people's cancer and other ailments. I've been on the phone and on the computer a lot this week trying to keep people in the church up to date on all that is happening. I really didn't realize how drained I was getting until I read these words from Isaiah this morning and the refreshing poured over me like cool waters. Even if this has been the best week ever for you read these words and let them just pour over you.

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
3For I am the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
Cush and Seba in exchange for you.
4Because you are precious in my eyes,
and honored, and I love you," (Isaiah 43:1b-4a)

links

Perry raises some very interesting "what if" questions here.

Here a little bit from "The Fray"...enjoy.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Tuesday morning reflections

• This past Saturday was another great day of serving our community. Even though numbers were down for the Back to School Bash God still allowed us to share His love in a tangible way for students and their families.
• We received a good number of prayer requests from people Saturday and we will be lifting those up in prayer.
• Our house had family come through this weekend and it was great to visit with Uncle Rob, Aunt Pam, and Diana. (We even let Rob pray in the service Sunday am:-)
• Sunday's service went very well. Another great day to Praise God for all He is and all He does.
• Please be in prayer for Logan and his family. Logan had a seizure yesterday morning and they are running tests today to try and find out what triggered it. Pray that the doctors have wisdom and insight into what's going on.
• This Sunday we are looking at Psalms 21-23. I can not wait! I get pumped when I think about God as our shepherd.
• Baby Micah is not here yet but could come any time now!!!!!!!
• The Randalls are at the hospital right now anticipating the birth of their twins.
• Remember, in all things..."To God be the Glory...Great things He has done!"

6 more countries

My normal Monday morning reflections has been put on hold today. I received one of those early morning phone calls today that required me to rush off to the hospital and I've been caught up in other stuff today. I will update on the past weekend at some point but I do want to let everyone know that as of today we can add 6 more countries to the thoughts and things blog hit list. Wow!!! Check back soon for updates.

cartoon from 1994

Scary to think this was 15 years ago.

pastors/leaders

Acts 20:28 hit me square in the face today.

"Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood."

I think most pastors can agree that paying attention to the flock seems pretty simple. After all, that's really what the job is all about right? It was that first part of the verse that grabbed me.
"Pay careful attention to yourselves..."

That led me to ask several questions that I think are productive questions for every pastor and leader to ask themselves from time to time.

1. How am I doing spiritually? Am I spending intentional time with God and His word outside of sermon/lesson preparation? God has led me this year to systematically reading through the Bible and it is one of the most rewarding experiences I've ever had as a believer. Am I being intentional about my prayer life? God is showing me the value of praying His scriptures. Wow! Now there is power!


2. How am I doing physically? Am I exercising? Am I eating healthy? Am I sleeping? I'm not the best at any of these areas. Actually, I even had a delicious bowl of cookie dough ice cream last night and did not feel bad about it at all. But am I consistently making healthy choices for myself or is that bowl of ice cream the most consistent part of my diet. Also, God has really pressed on my mind the need for a sabbath. Without proper rest we are not proper administrators of grace.


3. How's my family? I love my family soooo much. If something is not right at home it affects everything else in my life. Am I communicating love towards my wife? Am I available to my kids (both physically and mentally)?


4. How's my attitude? What is the state of my mental health? Am I more positive or more negative? Am I focused on spiritual things? Am I more concerned with what God wants or what anyone else wants (including myself)? Am I more irritable than calm? Do I have a sense of hope? Positivity is an intentional thing. I really don't think it just happens.


5. How are my relationships? Am I helping the people around me live out a Great Commission/Great Commandment life? Are they helping me in the same way? Putting God's purposes into every relationship really puts things in perspective.

I don't write all of this as if I have it all down. I write it to say these are things that God is putting on my mind. If I'm not checking my own health in these things then am I really being the most effective minister of the gospel that I can be? I pray that these thing may help you as well.

Qoute of the day

"The difference between believing that God is gracious
and tasting that God is gracious
is as different as having a rational belief that honey is sweet
and having theactual sense of its sweetness."

- Jonathan Edwards

Car tunes

This morning I had an awesome worship time with Natalie as we were driving into the daycare/office. We were listening to a Veggie Tales cd filled with praise songs when we started singing "God of Wonders". The next thing I knew I here this little voice belting out..."You are Hoooooooly, Hooooooly". It really almost brought tears to my eyes to think that my daughter is praising God. Even if she doesn't understand exactly what that means God is being glorified through her.

My next thought was how little I really understand God and His praise yet He uses my feeble attempts to bring honor and glory to Himself. Wow....what a cool God He really is.

Even Natalie knows this isn't "right"

Greatness of God

Isaiah 40:28 (English Standard Version)

"Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable."

There have been tooooooooo many times that I have looked at the last several verses of Isaiah 40 and never taken into consideration the rest of the chapter. Today as I was reading through it I was smacked in the face by the GREATNESS of God. To say that God is anything less than Awesome is a serious injustice to who He really is. I encourage everyone to go read the entire chapter of Isaiah 40 today and be amazed at our God.

Monday morning reflections

• Yesterday I had the opportunity to preach at New Life Community Church in the heart of Jacksonville. The folks there were very warm and welcoming. These were some of the MOST laid-back church people I've ever spent time with. It was fun.
• Had the opportunity to go with Logan, Scott, and Joe and share communion with some of our shut-ins yesterday. Someone PLEASE ask Joe about his balloon. :-) Great afternoon.
• Watched "Fireproof" again last night. This time it was with our Sunday School class. It was fun watching a movie with such a diverse group of people. Feel free to ask Laura how a mom should be treated...she'll be more than willing to tell you.:-)
• Right now I am using a reading plan I found online to systematically read through the entire Bible. It is one of the best things I've ever done in my walk with Christ. If you have never done this or journaled or scheduled regular time to pray I highly recommend giving it a try. If you need help getting started with something or need some suggestions feel free to ask me and I'll do my best to help you out.
• Micah is due three weeks from today!!!!!! The countdown continues.

Benediction

Here's a verse in Romans that I read recently that I think makes a great benediction for a worship service. See what you think.

Romans 15:13 (New American Standard Bible)

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Amen.

Psalm 22

Psalm 22:30-31 (New American Standard Bible)

"Posterity will serve Him;
It will be told of the Lord to the coming generation.
They will come and will declare His righteousness
To a people who will be born,
that He has performed it. "

God's works and righteousness will be told to the coming generation....then the next and the next...etc. God will get the praise for the things He has done. Generations will learn from past experiences. The question is do you and I want to be a part of that? Cause it will happen with or without us. Let's figure out today what it means to "declare His righteousness".

Only in the Bible

I was reading my Bible in bed the other night and I could not help but laugh...then I laughed again...then I was about to fall out of bed from the laughter. I was reading Genesis 28-31...a story I was familiar with but had not visited in a loooooong time. Here was Jacob who not only had two wives but his wives also gave him two maid servants for him to sleep with. Then when he got the maids pregnant the wives praised God for it. Then Rachel wants mandrakes from Leah's son and so offers Jacob as the price for the mandrakes. Now I'm not sure if that's a testimony to how good mandrakes are or not but this whole thing just made me laugh out loud. The Bible is just funny sometimes.

still international

I have received a hit to thoughts and things from another country. Last year sometime I received a hit from Spain. This year we add another country to the list. Drum roll.......South Korea!

Who would have thunk it?
Fascinating.

Monday morning reflections

• God is good. All the time. Even when nothing makes sense.
• The nursery is ready for baby Micah. Four weeks from today is the due date.
• I am loving the "Love Dare" Sunday school class running right now. Although I'm a little behind on the homework. oops.
• The last couple of Sunday nights I have not slept well. This is getting frustrating.
• The Back to School Bash is coming up fast and I'm excited to see how God pulls it off this year.
• I'm realizing more and more all the time how easy it is for leaders to set a certain atmosphere in a worship service.
• I really want to do my part in setting an atmosphere of praise and celebration for our worship services.
• I love my family.

Today's quote

I read this quote today and I laughed, then cried, then smiled, then got quiet, then thought, "I wish Groucho Marx could be a guest on "The Daily Show with John Stewart".

"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it, misdiagnosing it, and then misapplying the wrong remedies."(Groucho Marx)...

Prayer qoute

This is what Juliana of Norwich had to say about prayer.

"Its ground: God, by whose goodness it springeth in us.
Its use: to turn our will to His will.
Its end: to be made one with Him and like to Him in all things."

Now that's one way to start the day.

Monday morning reflections

• Preaching through the life of Joseph in just two weeks is an overwhelming task.
• I pray that many will go to the book of Genesis and read about Joseph for themselves.
• The last two weeks of worship services have been fun!
• Micah is coming soon and the crib is up and ready.
• Wow!!!! Micah is coming soon!
• It has been very cool to go through the "Love Dare" book with several other couples in Sunday School.
• I actually worked out in the gym this morning before coming into the office. That was an accomplishment all by itself. Thank you Lord!
• Walt Disney once said, "It's kind of fun to do the impossible."
• I like it this way, "It's kind of fun to watch God do the impossible."
• I watched "Madea goes to jail" this weekend. I got a little animated in the pulpit Sunday morning. Madea does that to me.
• Wow! Micah will be here soon! *gulp*

Today's quote

"The careful balance between
silence and words,
withdrawal and involvement,
distance and closeness,
solitude and community,
forms the basis of the Christian life
and should therefore be the subject
of our most personal attention."

-Henri Nouwen

Today's Prayer

"And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."

Philippians 1:9-11 (ESV)

Monday morning reflections

• Yesterday was the first part of a 2 part series called "The happiest place on earth." The first place was the "place of obedience".
• Joseph (in Genesis) was almost always surrounded by horrible circumstances but God saw fit to make sure he prospered despite his surroundings.
• Next week we'll finish up the life of Joseph and see what "happy place" he ends up at.
• Allison and I were overwhelmed by all of the baby gifts at the shower yesterday. Everyone was so gracious and we appreciate you all.
• Allison told Natalie that she could pick out the outfit that "Micah" will come home in from the hospital. Now I have to figure out how I can get Natalie to pick out the guitar outfit. hmmmmm
• Several people took the weekly challenge from Wednesday night to heart and really stepped up with their efforts to greet people and to try a different style of dress yesterday. It was a very cool thing for a pastor to watch happen.
• Giving eye drops to a 3 year old can be hazardous to your health.
• I can not wait to see baby Micah! He'll be here soon!

Joseph

I've been looking over the life of Joseph in the Bible lately and I'm noticing some keys to his success throughout his ups and downs. Every time Joseph gets kicked down he then ends up in a place of leadership and responsibility. The natural question to ask is, "what is Joseph doing that leads him to such success?" The key is to answer that with a super-natural answer.

Genesis 39:2
2 "The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master."

The Lord was with Joseph. This is stated several times as you read about Joseph. The most important key to Joseph success has nothing to do with what Joseph did but rather what God did. Joseph was always careful to give God the credit (Gen. 40:8) but even then if God did not take the initiative to "BE" with Joseph then his life would lack serious purpose and meaning no matter the measure of "success" he may experience.

Of course now my temptation is to ask God to "be with" me in order for me to have success but that misses the point entirely. The fact that God was "with" Joseph is simply an indication of the relationship that the two of them shared together.

So instead of seeking ways to be successful maybe we should all simply seek God and enjoy the results of seeking HIM first. (Matthew 6:33; Jeremiah 29:13)

leading worship

Los has the best 7 keys to being an effective worship leader that I have ever seen. Every worship leader, pastor, teacher, etc. can benefit from these. Check them out here.

Monday morning reflections

Here are some random thoughts from yesterday's service and the weekend as a whole.

• Dunkin' Donuts coffee is a decent pick-me-up to get ready for a worship service.
• "Your Everlasting Love" is a fun song to play and worship with.
• 5 young people were baptized yesterday. The KINGDOM is GROWING!!!
• I can not believe my daughter is 3 years old!!!
• I can not believe we are about to start over with a new baby in August!!!
• I can not believe Bob Copeland is still speaking at summer camps (he spoke when I was a camper...mmm...how old is he? :-)
• My in-laws are full of surprises.
• A swing set can take about 9 hours to put together when you have at least one person who knows what they are doing. (not me)
• Troy Henderson rocks the planet and is great at putting together a swing set.
• I am much better at baking and decorating cakes than building things. (yep...that's right...I'm a real man)
• Smoked chicken makes great chicken salad.
• Senior camp started yesterday at Suwannee. Pray for a great week for everyone there.
• I love my wife. She is amazing.

Top 10 Ways you know it's HOT!

The following list was inspired by the last several days here in Florida. Several have said that they haven't seen a summer this hot in a looooooong time. So here you go...

Top 10 ways you know it's hot!

1. You take the trash out and before you get to the curb you have sweated through your shirt.
2. Your wife and daughter go to the pool and report that the water is warm enough to take a bath.
3. Your A/C says..."I Quit!"
4. The little window unit you borrowed because of #3 can be heard muttering..."I think I can, I think can, I hope can..."
5. The dogs start to go outside then say..."Nope, I think I can hold it."
6. You find yourself getting closer to the TV any time there is a beer commercial because it just "looks" like cooler weather.
7. You go to the zoo and the animals who are from Africa will not come out to be seen. (The zebra exhibit was closed.)
8. You fill up your daughter's sippy cup with just ice before leaving for the zoo and it is mostly water before you even get in the gate.
9. The most popular line at the zoo is the line for shaved ice. (Tutti-frutti ROCKS!!!)

and finally...

#1. You don't even have enough energy to chase the ice cream truck.

happiest place

It recently struck me how some people call Disney World the "happiest place on earth". While I know this is just a phrase that people may or may not mean at the time it did get me thinking. What IS the "happiest place on earth"? How would you describe the "happiest place on earth"? Please feel free to leave you comments here or e-mail me. I'm looking forward to what you have to say.

links

1. Perry answers one struggle a lot of pastors have with this post.
2. Here's a dangerous post by Craig on giving.
3. I've never read this blog before but the title is one that grabbed my attention.
4. Just something here to keep your mind sharp.

This is REAL children's ministry

Surrounded by the Sacred

I don't usually recommend books that I haven't read yet but this one is definitely on my "to read" list.

Surrounded by the Sacred by Clayton King

I know Clayton well enough to know that his passion for Christ is real and deep. God has given Clayton adventures all over the world and here in the U.S. as he has learned to listen and follow what God is telling him.

I can not wait to get to this book myself. Check it out and if you read it before me be sure to tell me your favorite part.

What do I owe?

"Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor." Romans 13:7

Everytime I think of owing something my first thought is money. I owe, I owe, so off to work I go...

But this verse grabbed me this morning. To whom do I owe respect or honor or something else not mentioned here? Is it veterans or current military personnel? Is it those older than myself? Is it those with more experience?

To each of us we may owe honor and respect to someone different. I know I owe honor and respect to my wife and family. Someone else may owe to a good friend or a boss or a classmate.

Never the less we all are called to love.
Romans 13:8-10 clearly tells us that to love our neighbor fulfills the law and does our neighbor no harm. Therefore, if we make it a point to love then debts of honor and respect should be paid by the very love that is shown.

Wow my head is starting to hurt a little...must go pray now.

Read the Bible. Listen to God. Follow God's instructions. That's the theme of this weekend.

be careful about labeling something "blasphemy"

Check out this pastor...he means serious business.

Nicole Nordeman

This past Sunday I used the song "I AM" by Nicole Nordeman to help illustrate God's faithfulness throughout life. Here are the lyrics...hope they encourage you today also.

Pencil marks on a wall, I wasn´t always this tall
You scattered some monsters from beneath my bed
You watched my team win
You watched my team lose
Watched when my bicycle went down again
And when I was weak, unable to speak
Still I could call You by name
And I said, Elbow Healer, Superhero
Come if You canYou said, I Am

Only sixteen, life´s so mean
What kind of curfew is at 10pm?
You saw my mistakes
And watched my heart break
Heard when I swore I would never love again
And when I was weak, unable to speak
Still I could call You by name
And I said Heartache Healer, Secret Keeper
Be my best friend
And you said, I Am

You saw me wear white by pale candlelight
I said forever to what lies ahead
Two kids & a dream, with kids that can scream
Too much it might seem when it´s 2am
And when I´m weak, unable to speak
Still I´ll call You by name
Shepherd, Savior, Pasture Maker
Hold onto my hand
You say, I Am

The winds of change & circumstance blow in & all around us
So we find a foothold that is familiar
And bless the moments that we feel You nearer

When life had begun,
I was woven & spun
You let the angels dance around the throne
And who can say when, but they will dance again
When I´m free & finally headed home
I´ll be weak, unable to speak
Still I´ll call You by name
Creator, Maker, Life Sustainer
Comforter, Healer, my Redeemer
Lord & King, Beginning & the End
I Am
Yes, I Am

foundation

"Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock." (Matthew 7:24-25)

The words of Jesus come at us not as simple instruction or command but rather as pure love from a holy savior to His beloved. Wow!...that sounded like a preacher.

But it's true. Jesus doesn't tell us things just to hear Himself speak. He offers His word as an act of love for each of us and as we obey His word to us we can experience the joy of His love.

"to obey is better than sacrifice," (I Samuel 15:22)

It's really pretty simple. Obey = solid life Not obey= shaky life

Storms come either way. Things can get rough. You can even get shaken a bit. However, when all is said and done only one kind of house is still standing. The one built on Jesus' word. It's a great home to live in.

Command or Blessing?

Some are familiar with Acts 1:8.

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (ESV)

I've heard many preachers and teachers use this passage to motivate people to go out and witness to their neighbors, family, and friends. They promise the power of the Holy Spirit if you'll just go out and witness to someone. They use this verse as if it's a command to us. That's not quite what the passage says.

BE-ing God's witness is a blessing that comes from the empowerment provided by the Holy Spirit. In other words...
1) Holy Spirit comes on you.
2) You receive power from the H.S.
3) You enjoy the blessing of BE-ing a witness.

You get the chance to be a witness because God empowers you through His Holy Spirit.

God does not empower you because you witnessed. God's actions are motivated by the core of who He is...LOVE.

By BE-ing a witness that includes all of life. It's not just one activity on some spiritual to do list. It's life with Christ.
Nothing is a greater blessing than being used by Almighty God for His glory and His purpose and His Kingdom.
Enjoy BE-ing a witness today as God empowers you.

ok...

I think I have most things recovered. If you notice something missing that you would like to see again feel free to comment and I'll see what I can do. Hopefully this will be a very "user-friendly" blog for people.

Don't forget to check the bottom of the page for random thoughts.

temporary set back

I have made a huge error and have basically wipedout most of the features on my blog here. I will be in the process of restoring these later today but it is time for our ACTS prayer group to meet. Please check back for updated features and since I have to start from scratch again I'll try some new stuff as well.
God's speed...

David's Prayer

"Blessed are you, O LORD, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever.

Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours.

Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all.

Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all.

In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.

And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name."
(I Chronicles 29:10-13)

couple of links

Scot has an interesting question about Obama's trip to Latin America. See his post here.

Los made me even more excited for my son to be born in August. Check it out here.

Miss USA

So this morning on the news I heard a report about the Miss USA pageant that caught my attention. *insert wisecrack here* Apparently, Miss California was given a question about gay marriage. She answered that she believed marriage should be between one man and one woman. She went on to finish second in the pageant. Here's the interesting part. The judge that asked the question said she should have given a more "middle of the road" answer. His argument was that as "Miss USA" she would represent "all" Americans and therefore should have given an answer that would not have alienated anyone. Her personal opinion was what, he thought, cost her the title.

Now I'm not trying to make some big statement on gay marriage this morning but here is my question.

How in the world are you ever going to answer a question without offending someone, somewhere, somehow????
She was asked for her opinion. She gave it. Now she is criticized for giving the opinion she was asked for. How twisted is that?

Seriously! I could just walk across a room and someone might be offended by something I wear. People make choices everyday and sometimes we choose to be offended whether the offense was intentional or not. I say stand up for sanity and choose to NOT be easily offended today.

It'll make your life a lot less stressful.

Mobile blogging...WOW

This is the world we live in. I can now send a blog entry from my phone. With all if this technology do you think I will keep this updated more regularly?mmmm

wjacc.com is LIVE!!!

West Jax ACC finally has a new website up and running. Everyone check it out. We are constantly adding updates so check back often. You can see it at wjacc.com.

Subscriptions

I know I haven't updated much lately. Once again I am hoping to do a better job at keeping this blog updated. One option everyone has is becoming a subscribing to the blog. That way you will receive a notice anytime the blog is updated. Just trying to make your life a little easier.

UNC champs again!!!!

Just in case anyone missed it...UNC won the national championship last night!!!

Go HEELS!!!

drama, drama, drama

Some people look for drama.
Some people look away from drama.
Some people create drama.
Some people flee from drama.
Then there is this lady...check out the video found here.

adventures in the potty

So today was "daddy/daughter day" at the Hall house. We had a pretty great day. Natalie seemed to be having a good time. I was becoming "father of the year" in my own mind. All was right with the world until the following episode happened.

"Daddy, hurry, hurry, I need to potty before I pee pee in my pants."

Alarms went off in my head as Natalie grabbed my hand and we ran to the bathroom.

Sensing the urgency of the situation I rapidly pulled Natalie's pants down and lifted her up and placed her on the potty. That was where I made my fatal mistake.

"Daddy, no...you don't do that!!!"

*Extremely confused look on daddy's face*

"I do that!"

Ok...my independent child is now squirming her way off of the seat and pulling her pants back up only to turn right around and push them back around her ankles. Now she is ready, without the assistance of Daddy, to wiggle herself back up onto the toilet seat.

"Do you need my help?"
"No."
"Ok...let me know if you need help I'll be in the bedroom."
"No, daddy, NO!"
"Ok, what do you want me to do?"
"Sit."
"Do you need help?"

Now, I know this was a silly question seeing as I had already asked it but I figured...hey, why not. She changes her mind often and I might luck out and get a different response.

"No."
No such luck.
"Then why am I here?"
"Because I want you here."

Ok...so there I sat with my half naked daughter who was sitting on the toilet trying to figure out if peeing was the ONLY matter of business she had to tend to at the moment.

Daddy/daughter days are rarely if ever boring.

Going global

It's official. My blog has now gone international. I received a report today that I received at least one hit on my blog from the country of Spain. Thank you to that one person one stumbled on my blog long enough to be counted in the number of hits for the day. WOW...and to think...it all started with a simple dream...mmmmmmm

leadership video clip

Craig Groeschel made a great video clip about leadership. Try. Fail. Learn. Adjust. Try again. Great lesson for any leader especially pastors. Check it out here.

My wife...the superhero

Some say that she has one of the hardest jobs in the world. The level of compassion and professionalism that is required of her on a daily basis is more than most can bare. The amount of selfishness, greed, and hurt that she faces on any given day can send a grown man home in tears. Yet she stands strong. She feels the hurt but it does not stop her from helping the next family.

Then when her normal amount of energy is spent she comes home and still has enough left to love her husband and hug her daughter. All of this while feeling the new baby growing inside of her. She goes to bed exhausted. However, the next morning she gets up, gets ready, puts on her hospice name badge like a super hero does a cape and heads out to do it all over again. She is hero in so many ways.

Yesterday I was told that she is such a good pastor's wife and has such a heart for ministry. I don't know how she does it all.

She is a wife, a mother, a hospice social worker, a ministry partner, an encourager, a creative partner, a theologian, an author, a friend, a resource, a cheerleader, and so much more.

She is my wife...the superhero.

quote of the day

I came across this quote at a blog titled "Sweet Tea and Theology"...sounds like a Godly blog to me...

"The question is not, 'Am I good enough to be a Christian?' rather; the question is, 'Am I good enough not to be a Christian?"

26 mile training run

They tell us that after last Saturday we are ready for the marathon. We are just "maintaining" for the next several weeks until the actual race. Here are a couple of pics from the end of 26 miles...notice at this distance I look focused and strong. I'm a runner and I thrive on this stuff...then...the close up...

WHERE IS THE FINISH!!! I'm cold. I'm hungry. My feet hurt. I want to take a nap. I just want to...oooooo look a medal! Pretty!

first of the year

I know we are weeeeell into 2009 and I am off to a slooooow start on the blogging front. I have recently entered the world of facebook and that has taken a chunk of my "online" time lately. Come look for me at yet another site. I will try to do better but here are some updates for now...

We are pregnant again...YEAH!!!
The baby is due Aug. 24th. We are in a mad search for baby names AGAIN. (We are taking suggestions)

Tomorrow I have the longest (and coldest) training run yet for the marathon...26 miles!!!
The wind chill is supposed to be in the teens at 5am when we start. I know some of you are wishing you were that warm right now but this is FLORIDA!!! It's not supposed to be this cold. Oh well...

The marathon is Feb. 15th and right now it is consuming a lot of my thought process. I'm actually a little nervous about it.

I am 35 now and am loving life...I only have 12 months to be this age so it should be fun.

More updates later...

Wednesday night

Just a reminder...
We will be having a prayer and praise service here at WJACC Wednesday night at 7pm. Come help us anticipate a new year of seeing what God is going to do. See you there.

Shapes of Christmas-advent devotion (5)

The Tree (Christmas Eve)

Scripture
Luke 2:25-32; John 10:10

25And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
26And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
27And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law,
28then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, 29"Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, According to Your word; 30For my eyes have seen Your salvation, 31Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES, And the glory of Your people Israel."

10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Devotion
There is no more familiar shape during the Christmas season than the Christmas Tree. The decorated symbol of Christmas quickly transforms a normal living room into a joyful atmosphere of celebration. The most outstanding characteristic of the Christmas tree is the use of an evergreen tree. These trees are full of life. The fir tree can stand tall even under the most outrageous conditions...and in the end still be flowing with the life is was given. Jesus said that He came so that we may have life and have it to the full. This life of faith can stand the most outrageous conditions of life and in the end we are allowed to stand tall because Jesus has brought us through it. This Christmas season we celebrate the birth of our Lord, our Savior, and our Life-Giver. Don't wait another year or even another day before trusting Him for your life. Let Jesus be the king, your friend, and your way to the Father. He came for you so that you might live.

Prayer-
Lord Jesus,
Thank you for putting on flesh and walking the earth so that we may have a close personal relationship with Almighty God. You are the source of all life and we confess our need for you. Please forgive us when we act as if we are fine without You. Take us and use us to reach others with Your light of grace and love. We love you Jesus...but only because You showed us what real love is. We pray all of this in Your name.
Amen

Shapes of Christmas-advent devotion (4)

The Crown
Scripture: Isaiah 9:6-7

When you see the shape of a crown what other images come to mind? It probably is not one of a manger or of shepherds or even of a tiny little baby boy. However, this is exactly how the King of kings and the Lord of lords introduced Himself to a lost world. The fallen world needed someone with ultimate authority. The kind of authority that leads people in the ways they should go. Jesus held that kind of authority and still does today. Christmas is a time when we celebrate and have fun together. However, it is also a time when we can find direction again. We can find meaning in the midst of chaos. We can see the light through the darkness. Jesus is everything we need and this season we celebrate not only our Savior but our Lord as well. Let Jesus be your King this Christmas.

Dear Lord,

Teach us today how to submit to You. Your ways are perfect. We need your perfect guidance to obey You and walk in Your commands. Thank you for your perfect birth and
your life today that allows us to find direction and purpose. We love you. Amen.

Shapes of Christmas-advent devotion (3)

The Circle - John 1:1-4;14

It is difficult to make it through a Christmas season without coming face to face with circles. They decorate homes, stores & even churches in the form of evergreen wreaths. Circles have no beginning and no end. Every time we see a Christmas wreath we are reminded of the never ending cycle of God’s love. God’s word, the expression of His never ending love, became flesh and dwelt among us. God’s unstoppable love walked the face of earth so that we may know what real life is.
Let us take advantage of this season to celebrate God’s love which did not even see flesh as a barrier to loving the world.

Prayer –

Lord, We are so grateful for your love. Thank you for loving us in spite of our selfish desires. Help us today to believe your love can accomplish anything and help us to be instr5uments of your love this Christmas. We love you, Lord. Amen

Shapes of Christmas-advent devotion (2)

Star – Matthew 2:8-11

Christmas trees are topped with them. The sky is full of them. But that night there was one. This one was brighter than the others. This one would not be overlooked. It had a purpose and that was to lead. That night it guided some very intelligent individuals to their salvation wrapped in a package of flesh.
Today people are led by all types of light. Selfishness, lust, pride, addictions and others can seem overwhelmingly bright. However, the little star of Bethlehem led the wise men over hundreds of challenging miles and is still guiding paths today.
This Advent season, what light are you following? Also, what kind of light are you being for others?

Prayer –

Father,
Thank you for the star light that first led us to you. Help us to also be lights guiding others to your love and salvation this season. We love you. Amen

Shapes of Christmas-advent devotion

Shepherd Staff – Luke 2:8-20

One of the first signs of Christmas we begin to see are candy canes. For years this sweet peppermint treat has been freshening breath all over the world. Kids collect them. Families decorate their trees with them. We are all familiar with candy canes. But, how often do we think about a candy cane being shaped like a shepherd’s staff?
God revealed the good news of the birth of Jesus to a group of shepherds. Even in their common existence they had a sense of responsibility and obedience that would not let them stay silent.
As we light the first candle of advent let us remember the shape of the shepherd’s staff and the fresh, exciting news that was brought that night long ago, let us be obedient in sharing the hope that is Jesus Christ this season.

Prayer –
Lord,
Thank you for the birth of Jesus Christ. This week, help us to share this good news as we walk through each day. May someone this year have their hearts opened by your love and help us to celebrate with your angels when that happens. We love you, Amen

advent and such

OK...I know I haven't updated the blog in a while and now with the Christmas season over and the new year beginning business should be picking up here at "thoughts and things". I want to give you a taste of what I've been up to lately. I am about to post all of the advent devotions I wrote for church. I know advent is over but they are all still relevant...I hope :-)

Happy Reading!

www-wonderful wacky web

I am out of control!...a few years ago I simply did e-mail and browsed the internet. Now I officially have 3 web sites of my own.
1-this site which if you are reading this you already know about
2-myspace-several youth and young adults I work with/beside keep up with myspace
3-now I have facebook which seems to have everyone else in my life following
If only we could use our combined powers for good...mmmmmmmmm

I made a decision

Today I voted for someone to be the next president of the United States of America. I have spent the last several months listening, watching, discussing, researching, reading, and doing everything I can so that I could make an informed decision. I looked at both candidates and discovered I had strong leanings towards both of them in certain areas. I also found several things that turned me off.

I looked at issues.

I looked at communication styles.

I looked at their personal lives.

I looked at their voting records.

I looked at their choices for running mates.

I did my best to cover all of the bases. To my surprise I found that I actually liked both candidates. This election is the first time where I felt like I really had a choice to make. In previous years the choice was easy. I mean you can not convince me that John Kerry was the best the DNC had to offer 4 years ago. Puhhhhleasssssse.

So I left my office today still unsure of who I would vote for. On my way out the door one of our daycare teachers challenged me to "think of your daughters future". That stuck with me all the way to the precinct. So that's what I did.

There is a good chance that whoever is elected will be president for the next 8 years. That will mean Natalie will be 10 years old when a new president is chosen. Our next president will be a major part of Natalie's first political memories. Soooo...

Do I want Natalie to experience a world where the norm for her is an African-American president? Do I want her to see the "dream" of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. be a reality? Do I want her to see a world with fewer racial barriers?

or

Do I want Natalie to see that women are capable of achieving even the high office of Vice-President? Do I want Natalie to see the world as an open door of possibilities just waiting for her to let her own dreams soar? Do I want her to see that the "glass ceiling" is not so much a factor anymore but rather a shattered former reality?

So that's what I did. I thought about my daughter's future and I voted. All the research I did came down to what kind of world do I wish for my daughter. I made a choice. I hope you took advantage of your freedom and made a choice too.

Whoever wins...I want my daughter to see her parents praying for and supporting the leaders that are in place.

Fireproof

I hate reading a book just because it's the "popular Christian book". I avoid wearing the "popular Christian clothes/bracelets/etc. I do not go out of my way to watch "Christian" movies. So I did not jump right away at the chance to see the movie "Fireproof". I had nothing against the movie or the people that made it. It just didn't grab me as a "must see" movie. Through a series of events and conversations Allison and I decided to break down and go see it last night. I was pleasantly surprised. I walked away from it NOT feeling like I had wasted my time (as I often do with so many cheesy "Christian" movies). Kirk Cameron did a great job in his role as a firefighter and husband who is trying to figure out how to save his troubled marriage. There were some very intense scenes, some funny moments, and some scenes that made you reflect on your own relationships. I'm not trying to make this movie sound like the best in the world but it was definitely not the worst. I do recommend it. Your marriage does not have to be rocky for you to get something out of this movie. Go see it and if nothing else it will encourage you to pray for your spouse and other marriages even more.

new tax plan

Scot McKnight has come up with his own tax plan. At first I was expecting something quirky and off the wall but the more I think about it the more it kind of makes sense. You can read his plan here.

wordle

Here's the wordle that came up for my blog today...try it out for yourself.

schedule breakers

It's almost cliche' now to say that things have been crazy. We all have schedules to keep and unexpected things that break into those schedules. Here's a few of our "schedule breakers" we experienced this week.
Sunday-Allison and Natalie are sick.
Monday-my folks roll into town.
Tuesday-I'm sick.
Wednesday-fairly normal...all things considered.
Thursday-my dad is sick...Natalie and I travel down to Deland with Uncle Robert and Aunt Jo to see our Uncle Raymond and meet with his Care Coordinator.
Friday-catch up from all the schedule breakers throughout the week and hopefully air out the house from all of the sickness.

As I was typing this there was a knock on my door. "We need to see if a man can open this." Right off the bat my manliness is requested and challenged. The door to the church bus will not open. After much effort and deliberation (and to make this long story sooooo much shorter) the challenge resulted in my rear-end climbing through a window in order to open the door from the inside.

After that little adventure I was informed that one of the phone lines was lit up without anyone on the phone.

After solving that mystery I was also informed that there were doughnuts in the kitchen for everyone. Of course I had to investigate this as well. After all I am planning on running 14 miles tomorrow in my marathon training.

Now it is 10:00 and I'm just now finishing this entry.
Schedule breakers...mmmmm...they make life interesting.