May 31, 2010, Acts 18

Key Verse:

One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent."

(Acts 18:9)
Central Truth:

God's plan is for all people to have eternal life, but all Christians must keep on speaking and not be silent.
KEEP ON SPEAKING, DO NOT BE SILENT

Reading how God spoke to Paul in a vision really made us stop and think. It doesn't get much clearer than this, "keep on speaking, do not be silent." We, as followers of God like Paul, are to continue speaking and not be silent. This was not easy for Paul just as it remains one of the biggest hurdles for Christians today. The fear of rejection or in Paul's case the opposition and abuse seem to make us all afraid to speak to people in our lives about Jesus. We all work, coach, teach or just hang out with people that don't have a relationship with God. Some of these people are even family members, and yet we still have a hard time telling them about our God. Every day that we get up is a opportunity to speak with someone about our Lord and Savior. It is our job to keep speaking and not be silent.

In this chapter Paul was devoted to preaching and testifying to the Jews in Corinth. He preached every day that Jesus was the Christ, but the Jews began to oppose and became abusive towards Paul, which made him feel he had done his job teaching, and it was their responsibility to believe. He felt he was clear of his responsibility. That sure sounds familiar to Wes and me. I mean, come on, I ask few friends at work to come to church. I was at a ball game the other day and talked about going to a Bible study. I mean, I feel like I'm speaking to these people, and I'm not being silent. Well how about if they don't respond or show up at church or to a Bible study. Am I going to keep trying or am I going to quit and become silent?

After God came to Paul in that vision and told him to continue speaking he stayed in Corinth for over a year and a half teaching the Word of God and seeing many Corinth become believers and be baptized. Think of the blessings we are missing out on when we are silent and don't speak to everyone we meet. We should challenge each other as Christians to speak to every person that comes along our path about Jesus our Lord and Savior.

May 28, 2010, Acts 17

Key Verse:

"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of Heaven and Earth and does not live in temples built by hands."

(Acts 17:24)

Central Truth:

The Church is not a building. The Church is an assembly of people coming together for the same reason… to worship God.

What is more important to God – church buildings or kingdom building?

Growing up I was enamored with beautiful churches. I loved looking at the large columns, statues, stained glass windows, and altars. I enjoyed looking through books at the library that showed cathedrals across Europe. I even did a 6th grade paper on the Notre Dame Cathedral. In those days, the more beautiful a church was, the more present I thought God was. The beautiful churches were more holy in my immature eyes.

The Greek word for church is ecclesia. Ecclesia is defined as a regularly convened assembly or a body of Christians who come together in a civil community. Isn’t that odd? No columns, statues, stained glass windows or altars? Surely somewhere in this Bible of mine there is a road map to setting up a proper church. You have to have Sunday school, Wednesday night supper, countless committees, and of course you have to have a building.

Upon further review, I realize that there is no mention in the Bible of any of these things. Christians met in small groups in homes. These people, known as followers of the Way, worshipped, prayed, shared, laughed and ate together. These early Christians assembled together with a common purpose. Matthew 18:20 says, "For where 2 or 3 are gathered in my name, there I am with them." The verse does not say where 200 or 300 are gathered, but 2 or 3.

Paul was trying to convey to the Athenians at that time that God was not confined to a building. Paul was turning the world system upside down as he shared the Good News. Paul was not a church builder but a kingdom builder. The people of the day who responded to the call became members of the ecclesia or community of believers.

Piedmont Church is an assembly of Christians who meet in people’s houses (community groups). While we may not have a building that has columns, statues, stained glass windows and altars, we have a gathering of people who share a common purpose – to worship God.

May 27th, 2010, Acts 16

Key Verses:

²²The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten.²³After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. ²⁴Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
²⁵About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. ²⁶Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose.
(Acts 16:22-26)
Central Truth:
When life gives you lemons, you just make lemonade.
SING PRAISES, AND MOVE ON.....
Wow! Paul and Silas had just been beaten and flogged for basically doing what God had called them to do. They were being faithful to the cause of Christ, and it landed them in prison. Now that just sucks!
Have you ever been angry at God? Have you ever felt like you've sacrificed many things for the "cause of Christ," and all it did was cause heartache and confusion? I have. There have been many times when I've felt like I've given so much only to end up ridiculed, persecuted, or even criticized by others. At that moment, it's so easy to become self-consumed.
But look at what Paul and Silas did. Rather than being angry and self-absorbed with their own heartache, they sing praises to God. You see, our sacrifices and heartache don't even come close to what Christ went through. The torture and torment that he felt doesn't even compare to what we endure at times. Therefore, it's really selfish and inconsiderate for us to lash out at God for our "hard times." Because the reality is that we have never endured anything like what Christ endured for us.
So next time your life takes a dive after you feel that you're giving God everything you have......sing praises and move on.

May 26, 2010, Acts 15

Key Verses:

"And some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved."

(Acts 15:1)

Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the Law of Moses."

(Acts 15:5)
Central Truth: 
Despite all of our differences, the only distinction that God makes is the distinction of faith: do you believe in Jesus?
CHRISTIAN TRADITION 
Basically the Pharisees was telling the Gentiles, “unless you join our club and participate in our ceremonies and abide by our rules you cannot be saved. This is our Christian tradition.”

Have you ever experienced this type of “welcome” when trying to join a group or organization or perhaps even looking for a new church home? Connie and I have. We visited a couple of churches where we felt that the way we dressed, how we acted, who we knew, etc…was far more important than our desire to find a place to worship and better know God. Thank God we found Piedmont!

A perceived problem today in many churches is the debate over “Traditional vs. Contemporary” church services. The trend towards “contemporary” services continues to see more and more churches adopting its style of music and, in many cases, its form of dress and presentation. Still, many churches are quite satisfied staying with their “traditional” service, and others are just adopting two services in an attempt to satisfy everyone.

Perhaps the option of worship style is really not a problem as much as it may be an opportunity for growth by reaching out to a larger number of people seeking Christ. I believe that the Church will never please everyone; however, if the church demonstrates sincerity and faith, it can help others to find theirs. I also believe that God makes no distinction in the manner in which we worship: I can only imagine that the only distinction that God makes is between those who has faith in Him and those who do not. Our style of worship is our personal preference, and we should understand that coming to Jesus, accepting Him fully, and participating as a partner of the church is far more important than the form of worship - as long as it doesn’t compromise the word of God.

With all of that said, Connie and I love the “contemporary” service. We particularly love it for what we feel is energetic and spiritually uplifting music. Connie will tell you that I have always enjoyed loud music. The difference now is that my music preference has changed from Southern Rock i.e., Allman Brothers, Lynard Skynard, Stevie Ray Vaughn etc., for Contemporary Christian music i.e., Casting Crowns, Toby Mac, and MercyMe.

As I stated above; “I can only imagine the only distinction that God makes is between those who have faith in Him and those who do not.” This reminds me of the chorus of one of my favorite songs by MercyMe: "I Can Only Imagine."
Surrounded by Your Glory, what will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you, Jesus? Or in awe of You, be still?
Will I stand in Your presence, or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing 'Hallelujah!'? Will I be able to speak at all? 
I can only imagine! I can only imagine !

What will you do when you are standing in awe before Jesus?

So play and sing it loud, Gregg, Amanda, Katie and Praise Team! You know that Connie and I will be clapping, singing and Praising God. 

May 25, 2010, Acts 14

Key Verse:

“Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”

(Acts 14:17)

Central Truth:

God woos us with His creation to draw us to Him.

A God Who Pursues

I am a rainbow chaser. Anytime there is rain and sunshine you will find me standing in it looking for the rainbow. I have run out of restaurants looking for them. I love their beauty, the vastness and colors, the simple idea that it just pops out from nowhere. Yes, I know that God made a promise to never destroy the earth with a flood and sealed it with a rainbow. But there is something more for me. Every time I see one, my heart is flooded with joy and a knowledge that God places beautiful things in my life to woo me. Yes, I said woo me.

A couple of years ago I was struggling with depression and was feeling really far away from God. I begged him to show me something to let me feel His love and care for me. I asked him over and over for a rainbow. Even though it had rained and others had seen rainbows, I still had not. I felt full of despair. Not long after, I went on a trip to the beach. Every morning I got up early and went for a run. (ok, confession time, this is the only time I have ever gotten up early and gone for a run, I am not a runner). Anyway, after my run I would sit on the beach and talk with God. The third day, I got up and started running. Looking over my left shoulder out into the ocean, I saw it. In the cloudless sky, a beautiful rainbow appeared! But that wasn’t all! The rainbow was over a school of jumping dolphins. God had once again “out done” Himself. My heart flipped! God knew what I needed and how to give it to me, even when I didn’t know myself. 

See, God is actively pursuing you while filling your heart with joy. All those beautiful things in nature are put there for you to appreciate and turn your heart toward a God who loves you and is captivated by you. He didn’t have to make things beautiful. He didn’t have to make strawberries taste so good or flowers smell so sweet. He did these things because He loves you. He wants you to know Him. He wants to fill your heart with joy.

May 24, 2010, Acts 13

Key Verse:

I have made you a light to the Gentiles to bring salvation to the farthest corners of the earth.

(Acts 13:47)

Central Truth:

Be willing to spread the word.

ARE YOU PUTTING IT ON THE LINE ?

Isn't' it interesting how, in the Bible, we read stories time and time again about men who sacrifice it all to tell others about Jesus, whether they are getting killed, beheaded or run out of town? Do you ever think, why don't we see this today?


Well, actually, we kinda do see it. Take our leader Jerry or any senior pastor for that matter. I believe they make great sacrifices in today's world to further the kingdom of God. No, generally they don't fear for their lives (it is a different world we live in today, see the First Amendment), but they do give up lots of family time due to the church activities and have less flexibility with their schedules. Those in the ministry also often give up the opportunity to make "corporate money" and have to rely on church givers for their income. This might not be like having your head cut off, but it is a risk all the same.


How about you? How about me? What are we doing? In Acts, Chapter 13, it is all about how Paul and Barnabas are preaching on the island of Cyprus at the Jewish Synagogue. The entire city turned out to hear them preach God's word. Jewish leaders became jealous, slandered Paul, and argued against his teachings. Paul said in verse 46, "It was necessary that this Good News from God be given first to you Jews. But since you have rejected it and judged yourself unworthy of eternal life- well, we will offer it to the Gentiles." Needless to say, the Gentiles were glad and thanked the Lord for his message. The Good News spread throughout the region, and Jewish leaders were so mad that they ran Paul and Barnabas out of town.


So I ask again, what are we doing to further the Kingdom or spread God's word? Jerry made a great point in late March during his sermon. Christ's death and resurrection is an historic event. No one knows about these events unless we are taught or told. If you are a Christ-follower, someone told you about His life and His message; that's the only way you would have known about Him. Aren't you glad that parent, friend, or neighbor took the time to share His story with you? Why then are you reluctant so often to tell someone else?


I know one day, when I see my heavenly Father, I want to be able to say that I told lots of people about him, his love and his mercy - not just through my acts, but also through my words. Paul and Barnabas spent their lives preaching and spreading God's word. Will you do your part?

May 21, 2010, Acts 12

Key Verses:


"King Herod Agrippa began to persecute some believers in the church. He had the apostle James killed with the sword. When Herod saw how much that pleased the Jewish people, he also arrested Peter."


(Acts 12:1-3)

"The night before Peter was place on trial, he was asleep, fastened to two chains between two soldiers. Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, "Quick! Get up!" And the chains fell off his wrist…So Peter left the cell, following the angel…"The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had planned for me!"


(Acts 12:6-11)


Central Truth:


For Christians, death is gain not loss.



HAVING A GODLY PERSPECTIVE


In the first part of Acts 12, we witness the brutal death of James—the first apostle to die. When Herod saw that it pleased the people, he had Peter imprisoned with the intent to kill him after Passover. The Bible goes on to tell us that the Church was earnestly praying to God for Peter, and the night before Peter was to go to trial, God sent an angel to rescue him.

This story may cause you to ask, why did God allow James to die, and then just a few days later, miraculously save Peter?

In the Pediatric Cancer world, this is a common question, and I have asked it myself. Why does God heal one and not another?

My Jay was diagnosed at the tender age of two with brain cancer. For almost three years, the body of Christ prayed earnestly for God to heal him. Jay was on every prayer chain across the country. Churches organized 24 hour prayer vigils and healing services. Thousands of people were on their knees praying as they followed our story online. If prayer and faith alone could heal, Jay was well covered. Then on March 31st 2006, the unimaginable happened. God allowed Jay to die.

In the days and months following Jay’s death, I found myself questioning God. Why didn't He rescue Jay and miraculously heal him? Why did He not answer the most important prayer of my life? During those three years in the childhood cancer world, I had witnessed God’s healing and rejoiced with other parents over their child’s cure. So, why not my child?

When I turned to God’s word for answers, I realized that my view of death and my Heavenly Father’s view of death were very different. Psalm 116:15 says, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones." Philippians 1:21-23 says, "To live is Christ and to die is gain…I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far." It is hard for many of us to look at death in this way - to see death as a gain and not a loss or to view death as precious. No one could even consider viewing death this way unless they live for Christ. Without Christ, death is the enemy of man. Those of the world should fear death. However, as Christ followers, we do not have to view death in this manner. We can view death as God views it and not as the world. For Christians, death is gain not loss.

Let’s go back to the story of James and Peter. If we align our view of death with that of God’s, the question could be re-phrased, "Why did God send James on to heaven and not Peter?"
And in my own personal story, my questions now have turned into confident statements of hope. After three years of praying for earthly healing, God rescued Jay and granted him Heavenly healing. My Jay did not lose his battle to cancer but WON and won victoriously.

For all of us who live in Christ, one day we will depart from this world through death to gain the ultimate gift, eternal life. And with a Godly perspective, it is better by far.

May 20, 2010, Acts11

Key Verse:

“So the believers in Antioch decided to send relief to the brothers and sisters in Judea, everyone giving as much as they could.”

(Acts 11:29)

Central Truth:

Our mission here on earth is to help our fellow man in any way that we know how and are able to do with a willing heart.

A GIVING HEART

All throughout our journey thus far, Jesus has reminded us to love one another. In fact, in Matthew 22:39, Jesus tells us that the second most important commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. He goes on in John 13:35 to tell us that our love for one another will prove to the world that we are His disciples. Think about it . . . . What better way to glorify God than by letting people see His works in action through us?!

What if you were followed around for a couple of weeks by a hidden camera? Would Christ be revealed in your daily lives or would you be surprised by the outcome? You see, it is what we do when nobody is watching that shows our true character. Anybody can play the part of “good guy” if they know that they are being watched. What would your hidden camera clip reveal about you and your encounters with others? Are you truly sharing the love and grace of Jesus Christ every opportunity that you get or are you turning it on to impress others when you know that you are being watched?

Well, let me break some news to you . . . . You are being watched all of the time by God and others - whether it be family, friends, co-workers, ball field parents, check out people, or complete strangers. Big brother is watching. Let’s show him what makes a follower of Christ different from the rest.

I challenge you to not only grow individually and personally in Christ on your journey with Piedmont but also to share His love with your neighbor. One of my favorite books of the bible, James, in chapter 2:14-17 states, “what’s the use of saying that you have faith if you don’t prove it by your actions? That kind of faith can’t save anyone . . . . so you see, it isn’t enough just to have faith. Faith that doesn’t show itself by good deeds is no faith at all . . . it is dead and useless.”

Let’s unite as individuals, families, and as a church to make a difference in our community and around the world. We must show people the love of Jesus Christ. They cannot get it by osmosis. For starters, please pray for our community and our church. Ask God to direct you to those who are in need in our community and to show you how to help them. Ask God to help our local mission projects with our GL2 groups and our church-wide projects to be overflowing with willing volunteers. Pray for Pastor Jerry and the delivery of his message to our church family and our growing visitors. And ask God to give us the courage to take the needed steps to start taking Jesus out into Macon on a routine basis. Then, as YOU get more comfortable, volunteer at a homeless shelter or an after school program, pack food at your local food bank, invite a neighbor over for dinner, check in on a shut-in, drop a co-worker or distant friend a card, invest your time in someone that you know does not go to church, etc. The list could go on and on, but I think you get the picture. The possibilities are endless! Let’s make a difference in the lives of those around us just like the believers in Antioch did.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father. Thank you for my faith and my salvation. Please soften my heart to the needs of those around me and make me more aware of how I can help them meet their needs.

May 19, 2010, Acts 10

Key Verse:

"Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."

(Acts 10:15)

Central Truth:

A life in God is available to us every day.


Something So Important, Yet So Simple


Unfortunately, judgment and prejudice often influence how we view others. As we see in Acts 10, years of Jewish training had taught Peter that some people were acceptable, some tolerable, and others were to be avoided altogether. This even translated into his views about what was appropriate for animal sacrifice and consumption.


Prejudice and intolerance can hurt and destroy. Consider the opposite. Lives can be changed if we choose to show tolerance and care to those who might seem "inadequate." That was the lesson God taught Peter that day in Joppa, when he showed Peter a net of animals and ordered him to kill and eat them. When Peter objected, saying he had never consumed anything impure or unclean, God told him not to call anything impure that God had made clean. This vision was a lesson to show Peter that the good news of Jesus' sacrificial love is for all people, whether Jew or Gentile. This was a revelation to Peter, who had been taught to distance himself from all non-Jews.


Isn't it wonderful to know that the blessings of God are available to anyone who accepts them? We don't have to dress, speak, or live a certain way. We don't have to be descendants of a certain lineage. We don't have to go to a special location to receive his blessings. God is within our grasp every day. He enters into our hearts, cleanses our souls, and is the impetus of our lives. Only a loving father would make something like that so simple for us.

May 18, 2010, Acts 9

Key Verse:

“Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

(Acts 9:15-16)

Key Concepts:

God does not blink!

Saul & Peter

First, lets talk about Saul a/k/a Paul. He is one of my favorite characters of the Bible. His travels, trials and steadfastness for the Lord are so inspirational.

To understand just how amazing Saul’s transformation really is, you must think about who Saul really was. If you compared him to a modern day villain he would be Adolph Hitler. Saul hated the Christians and was on a mission to destroy them. He was doing a very good job of it. He could do anything he wanted; it was just a matter of time. Then God dropped him with one shot.

Saul was likely very aware of the teachings of the Christians but was certainly on the dark side. When the Lord appeared before him Saul knew who it was.

Enter Ananias. Can you imagine? God asked him to go to Saul, who would certainly kill him without hesitation. Ananias is faithful and does what God commands, and he is shown one of the greatest things about God . . . . We don’t have to worry about other people and what they may deserve or get. In verse 16, God tells Ananias that Saul "will be shown how much he must suffer for the Lord." In a very human way, that would appease me.

Now about Peter: feeling a little water on his sandals.

In verse 36, we find Peter in Joppa. A wonderful servant of the Lord has died, and everyone is in mourning. It amazes me that the people ask Peter to come at once! Even though this woman is dead, they have faith that Peter can help them.

I can just imagine what Peter is feeling . . . . Have you ever been doing something, running, giving a presentation, cleaning house or some other task, and you just get in the groove and know you can do it with 100% confidence? I am talking about no doubts at all.

At the point Peter hears of the dead woman, I think he remembers walking on the water with Jesus. That would be a feeling that would put me in the spiritual zone. When this immense faith comes over, him he KNOWS he can raise this woman from the dead! He has no doubts. I think he was at 100% faith. What an incredible feeling that would be!

So Peter enters the room, fully expecting to leave with the woman alive, and asks her to get up. He could have turned and walked away at this point because he knew she would live.

Can you move a mountain? Actually you can, Jesus said you can. I have had times of great faith, but I know I have never come close to 100%.

It all starts with listening to God. Take that first step, feel the blessing and keep on walking. What a feeling it would be to have your God meter at 100% and your world meter at 0%.

May 17, 2010, Acts 8

Key Verse:

As they traveled down the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?"

(Acts 8:7)

Central Truth:

Don't wait to obey God.

Just DO IT

As the disciples traveled about and proclaimed the good news of Jesus Christ, they were met with many different reactions. When Philip met up with the Ethiopian eunuch, the man was hungry to understand the scripture. As soon as he heard the scriptures explained, he immediately wanted to be baptized. He didn't wait to see if his friends were going to do it. He didn't go home and "pray about it." He didn't say he was going to do it... one day. He just DID IT! I mean, they are just walking down the road and this guy spots a mud puddle and is ready to jump in and be baptized - NOW!

How great would it be if we could all be so excited about the gospel and so obedient to what Christ calls us to do! The Ethiopian heard God's word, looked for an opportunity, and responded with obedience. It really is that simple - and that difficult.

I can't add much to the simplicity of the process of hearing, seeking, and responding. I can only pray that I, too, will be so diligent and so obedient to obey NOW, next time I feel God' prompting as I respond to the opportunities He gives me.

May 14, 2010, Acts 7

Key Verse:

Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? Or where will my resting place be?

(Acts 7:49)


Central Truth:

Many claim to know Him, but how many actually hang their hat and build their house on being a Christ follower?


DO YOU KNOW HIM ?

Happy Birthday to Me, Happy Birthday to Me, Happy Biiiiiiiiirrrrrthday to Me, Happy Birthday to me!

Well, yes, today really is my birthday! I clearly remember that day 37 years ago when I popped into this world. Everything was so beautiful, the room was a lovely puke green and orange (from the 70's), my mother was wearing a pink robe in honor of her first daughter after birthing 2 sons, the doctors and nurses were so kind and sweet, and the flowers were in full bloom as spring was going strong . . . . NOT!! Ok, I think you get the point. Of course, I do not remember anything about that day! I was a one day old infant. And, in times that I have gone back and asked my mom about that day, there is not much she can tell me either. But, we celebrate it every year. Whether we remember anything about it or not, we do remember the day we were born.

What about the day you were "born again?" Do you remember and celebrate that day?


Many theologians will say that one should know the exact date and year that they accepted Christ. I can't do that. I remember when I was told to accept Christ, and I did so, but really no life change occurred. It was not until later in my high school years and into college that I really began to ponder my salvation. It was then and beyond that I really began to nurture my personal relationship with Christ. I don't remember all the details of the day I was born again, but I do celebrate the fact that I believe in an awesome and amazing savior. I think that warrants some cake and candles!!


So what about you? Are you celebrating your "born again day?" As it says in verse 49, "Where will your resting place be?" In Acts 16:30-31, a prisoner asks, "sirs, what must I do to be saved?" and they replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved - you and your household." So what do you hang your hat on? What kind of house are we building for Christ? In the literal sense, what does your household look like? Is it one that truly puts Christ before any and everything? Are we teaching our kids about Jesus and modeling what a personal relationship with him looks like? Are we being honorable in our marriages? Are our friendships ones that build each other up rather than tear down or foster jealousy? Do you radiate Christ in your workplace? All of these are questions to ponder.

I think that, if we put as much time effort and money into our "born again" parties as we do our kids birthday parties, we could really start something. So why not?! If you are not 100% certain of some of these questions, especially if you are not sure where your final resting place will be, I encourage you to pray and ask God for clarity. Or, meet with your pastor to discuss how to become a Christ follower. I never take my salvation for granted. In fact, every time the plan of salvation is presented and the opportunity comes to pray the salvation prayer, rather than checking out, I re-pray it in my heart as confirmation as to how grateful I am for the cross. So, as another birthday has come and almost gone, it is my born again day that I hang my hat on!! Now let's go eat some cake!!


If you do not know Christ as your personal savior or are not 100% sure of where your final resting place will be, I invite you to pray this prayer today and then let a pastor or another Christ follower know so you can start a journey of amazing freedom and joy!


Prayer: God, I am not perfect. I am a sinner. If I was perfect I would not need you as my savior. God, today I declare that I believe that Your son Jesus died on the cross for me. I believe that I will spend eternity with you, because that is what you promise in John 3:16. Come to me now, I want to know you more. I love you and am so grateful that you are in my life. In Jesus' name, Amen

May 13, 2010, Acts 6

Key Verse:

“²So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, ‘It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. ³Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them ⁴and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.’“

(Acts 6:2-4)

Central Truth:

God has given you a unique set of skills, talents and abilities to use to make Him famous.

IT’S YOUR SERVE

I absolutely love running sound.

I honestly don’t know that much about it, and I still have a lot to learn to become really good at it. But I am a technology geek, I am fascinated by the science of how things work, and I love music. You put those three things together and running sound is like being in my sweet spot. I love the fact that if I turn the correct knob I can change the sound of the bass you hear from an “I-think-I-can-hear-it” beat to an “I-feel-it-in-my-chest” kind of thumping. It’s like I’m in charge of the largest remote control known to man!

Now, I’ve heard it said that in any organization, the ability to grow and change hits a ceiling when the person in charge is unable or unwilling to let go of the reins and give responsibility to others. When all of the decisions have to be run through the top guy,the process is ineffective, and it hurts the organization. The same is true in the Church. The pastor cannot effectively run the entire church. It is impossible. Oh, he can try, and the Church may grow for a little while. But over time, the Church will hit a ceiling and things will stagnate or drop.

The disciples knew this principle and knew that their sweet spot was at the intersection of prayer and preaching. They knew that they couldn’t do that and run the food pantry and answer the phones and everything else that had to be done. That is why they had to delegate some of the responsibility for other areas of the ministry to “the seven.” The church was growing, and they didn’t have the time or the expertise needed to give to that portion of the ministry to make it as effective as it needed to be. But they were smart, stuck with what they knew was their calling, and the ministry flourished (vs 7).

I have a blast running sound, but it’s my skill set and my sweet spot. Yours is probably different (See Romans 12:4-8 and all of 1 Corinthians 12). You may come to the table with a love for kids and games. I can hear All-Stars calling your name. Or you may love to sing (but not in front of large crowds), and you just adore babies. I’m sure that there is a baby in Pee Wee’s that would love to hear your soothing voice. Or you may just enjoy making a fool out of yourself for others to see. I hear teenagers love that stuff. No matter what your skill set though, the important thing is that you get involved and serve somewhere. Jesus didn’t give us our particular talents, abilities, likes and dislikes so that we could just sit in the crowd on Sunday morning and watch. He gave us those things so that we could serve those who don’t know Him and make His name famous!

May 12, 2010, Acts 5

Key Verses: 
Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?⁴Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God." ⁵When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died.
(Acts 5:3-6) 
Central Truth:
Give it away, give it away, give it away now.
WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO GIVE ?
I found these verses odd but humorous. I mean, it seems a little comical for someone to be standing one minute and then BAM!....slap dead the next. Call me weird, but that's just funny. However, as I read the commentary associated with this particular scripture, I found it even more intriguing. Here is why:
If you read Acts Chapter 4, you will see how the "New Church" was being developed and how the believers were selling their possessions and putting it all into one large pot....only to be distributed among other believers and the needy: 
All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had..... There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need." (Acts 5:32-35).

What an awesome concept! BELIEVERS helping other BELIEVERS! WHOOOOOOAAAA! Shouldn't it be this way today? Shouldn't we be doing more of that? I mean....they were selling their homes, their land, their sources of income and livelihood all for the cause of Christ. But, many of us are like Ananias and his wife Sapphira. We are addicted to our STUFF and tend to hold back. Like Ananias we are all self-absorbed and egocentric! Like Ananias and Sapphira, we too struggle with this spiritual battle. And look were they ended up. DEAD!
Now, I'm not gonna say that God will strike you down if you don't give something up (though he could). But I am saying that God will deal with your sin like he dealt with Ananias and Sapphira. What are you holding back from God? What do you need to sell so that you can empower the church or perhaps another believer? What if we all did that?
Here's a novel idea.... What if we start off small and the entire church gave up cable/dish TV for one year and give that money instead to a particular ministry? Imagine what we could do together when we set ourselves aside and put Christ and others first! Ministry baby..........good ministry!

May 11, 2010, Acts 4

8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers and elders of the people,9if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, as to how this man has been made well, 10let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead--by this name this man stands here before you in good health. 11He is the STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED by you, THE BUILDERS, but WHICH BECAME THE VERY CORNER stone. 12"And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved."

(Acts 4:8-12)
Central Truth:

Conviction + Confidence = Boldness
LIVE BOLDLY

The Book of Acts depicts what the Church of Jesus Christ (His followers) is and how it should "ACT."

The following thoughts come to mind when I read this awesome book:
1. Christ "Followers" became "Doers."
2. Christians embraced and utilized the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
3. Christians demonstrated fearlessness in their Faith.
4. Their belief in Christ motivated their focus on the lost.
5. Their love for the lost superseded any fear of harsh persecution they received from the religious community.
6. The Church was a very close knit community of believers who sacrificed greatly for the goal of spreading the Gospel.
7. Christians were fearless in their public profession of Jesus as the only Savior.
8. They demonstrated boldness. They prayed for boldness. Their confidence in their convictions fueled their boldness.

Basically, Jesus is personified in the lives of these early Christians through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. God knew that the only way His followers could carry out and fulfill His will is that every person hear about His saving grace through His only Son, Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

It is God's plan for us that we be filled with the Holy Spirit, the third "person" of the Trinity. We need to recognize that "He" empowers us to execute God's specific plan for our lives on a moment by moment basis with conviction, confidence and boldness!

No one exemplified conviction, confidence, and boldness more than Jesus! He understood His Father's plan for His life. His commitment to fulfilling His purpose was so incredibly bold. He never wavered in His focus on reaching out in total unconditional love toward every person He came in contact with.

The only way we can execute Jesus's example of how to live here on earth is through the continual filling of the Holy Spirit.

May 10, 2010, Acts 3

Key Verse:

“You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.”

(Acts 3:15)(NIV)
Central Truth:

It’s all in the history book called the Bible. For some reason when we read this chapter, it read like an actual account from a history book. These people lived history when Jesus walked this earth. There were eyewitnesses. As the verse above states, “We are witnesses of this.”
It Is a History Book……The BIBLE

As parents, we get questions about our faith from our teenage son every so often. He is sometimes honestly doubtful about Jesus. He has questioned us about the stories of Adam and Eve and creation. Of course, most of these questions are brought to his mind from having science classes during high school. They plant a seed of doubt from all that he has been taught, heard, felt, and believed in his young heart.

As parents, we find ourselves doubting how OUR child could doubt that Jesus walked the face of this earth and that God created our beautiful world. He has been in Sunday school since before he could walk. We pray each morning on the way to school. We try as parents to live Christ-like. He’s involved in Christian youth programs. He’s been baptized. Still, we are so grateful he does share his doubts with us, which gives us a huge opportunity to battle with Satan to keep his heart and soul with Jesus. We’ve also learned that sometimes these questions arise to just get a “rise” out of us! Oh, how you learn so much from the first-born that benefits their siblings.

Anyway, strange as it may seem to some, this chapter just spoke to us in this manner. We should use the Bible as our tool to allow and direct all the questions he has. It is normal to doubt Jesus at some point in our lives. We’ve all done it. But by using the Bible as a learning tool, we have proof: written accounts that Jesus did die for all our sins and then rose from the dead. We pray that each of you remember that the Bible is a “teaching” tool as well as a devotional tool.

May 7, 2010, Acts 2

Key Verse:

All the believers devoted themselves to the apostle’s teaching, and to fellowship and to the sharing of meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.

(Acts 2:42)

Central Truth:

The early believers developed community.


A COMMUNITY OF BELIEVERS

As the early church developed, the believers worked at creating community. They ate together, prayed together, worshiped together, and performed the Lord’s Supper in each other’s homes. They met corporately in a large group to worship in the temple regularly. They helped the poor and needy.

With all this effort they put into their community, God blessed them by increasing their numbers. This community is also a blessing to the individuals in it. This is where we can get encouragement and support. Life is generally more enjoyable when it is shared with people who are moving in the same direction.

I think about the bad days I’ve had in my life, and, when things got tough, there was someone in my life that I went to. They comforted and encouraged me. Once, I remember having to take a major exam. An expensive exam. One that was mentally and emotionally taxing. It was out of state; so I took my wife with me, and we made a very short trip to Louisiana to take this exam that could potentially affect my entire career. She didn’t have a lot of Yoda-like words that put me in a near-trance state making me one with the exam, but she was able to demonstrate her support by being there sharing stories and keeping me from being anxious about the exam. If I had gone by myself, I would have laid down to go to sleep and stared at the ceiling of the hotel room for hours fretting over the exam. Sharing my anxiety with Val was critical to my performance on that exam.

We also meet regularly with a couple we met in church. We share a meal once a week and have consistently done this for years. We have developed a strong friendship with them, and we can count on each other for that support and encouragement if the bad days come.

Support and encouragement comes from the community you are a part of. To be part of a vibrant community, I have to work at it. I have to surround myself with folks to "do" life with. We should all "do" life with each other. Whether in a corporate setting or two families coming together to enjoy a meal, we need to develop community. Pray today that God will help us to develop a community.

May 6, 2010, Acts 1

Key Verse:

He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

(Acts 1:7-8)

Central Truth:

We aren’t supposed to figure out just what God’s doing in our lives. We are supposed to trust Him, because we CAN.

WHEN ? WHERE ? HOW ? WHY ?

“How much longer until summer, Mommy?” “When are we going to their house?” “How many more days until my birthday?” “When we finish this, can we….?”

Ummm. Hold on, let me process all of your questions ....

Do you ever hear these pleading questions from your children? It seems like every day I answer some form of these. Jake, our oldest who is six, is very much a “need to know” kind of kid. As long as he knows for sure how long or when or how or why, he’s okay with waiting. But I’ve found there are many, many… way more than he likes, times that I just don’t have a definitive answer. Some things we just have to wait and see. This frustrates him greatly, and well, his frustration often frustrates me!

As I read this passage from Acts 1, I see myself in Jake…how God must view my “need to know” so often. I want to know when, how, why, where, and then I can “settle”. But God is clear that it is “not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority” (vs.7). The disciples were wondering if Jesus was going to restore the kingdom to Israel and quickly learned that’s not for them to know.

How many other things do we want to know about God’s plan? So many. But we don’t. And it’s not because God wants to be some control-freak and not let me in on His plan. It’s because He loves me and knows what’s best for me. Aren’t there times when we just tell our children what they NEED to know for that time? Because all of the information might be overwhelming, inappropriate, fear-inducing, or the time is just not right yet.

There have been times in my life I’ve thought,“I’m really glad I didn’t know that was coming.” Fear and dread would’ve overtaken me. He promises that the Holy Spirit will give us power and that He is charting out our course for our very best.

So I can rest in Him, knowing that He hears and knows all of my questions and that He also knows what is best for me. I love the quote I’ve heard many times, “When you can’t see His hand, trust His heart.” Ah, the peace we’d find if we did that.

May 5, 2010, John 21

Key Verse:

Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me."

(John 21:22)

Central Truth:

Whose blessings are we trying to count?

WHAT'S IT TO YOU ?
I remember being in middle school and Tommy Hilfiger shirts were a big thing. My parents worked hard to make ends meet, sometimes working two or three jobs to keep food on the table and the lights on. We were by no means rich, and they couldn't afford to go spend $40 or $50 on a shirt. As a teenager, I didn't understand that. All I wanted was to be like the cool kids that wore the fancy new shirts with the cool logo on the front. As hard as my parents tried to get through my thick head that the shirts were probably made in the same factory as the less expensive, no brand name ones, I wanted one of those shirts. It was a status symbol, something to show how cool you were. I had a buddy that had several of these "cool" shirts, and his parents didn't seem much better off than mine; so I would always ask my parents why they could afford them and we couldn't. It didn't matter to me at the time that when my dad was gone some weekends he was working to support me. All that mattered was the quest for the shirt and how I felt that I was owed one. How could they ever cause me to not be like the other kids and not buy me a "cool" shirt? What kind of parents were they?
What I should have been asking was, "What kind of selfish kid am I?" I had parents that loved me and worked hard to support me. I had parents that showed up to my baseball games and drove me to countless practices and school activities. I had parents that were there to correct me when I was wrong and celebrate with me when things went great. But I let my sight and focus turn from what I did have to what I didn't have, and it caused tension in the relationship that I had with my parents during those years.

In John 21:20, Peter is walking with Jesus and listening and learning from Him. At this point, Jesus had already been crucified and was risen from the tomb. I can't imagine Peter's excitement just to be with Him. Jesus chose Peter and wanted him to know that He loved Him no matter what happened the night He was crucified. He want Peter to know that he was forgiven and wanted him to minister and lead others. I can imagine that when Jesus next spoke of what kind of death Peter would experience it sort of rattled him a bit. At that point, I imagine that Peter wanted to make sure that he wasn't the only one who was going to die like this. So, Peter turns around, sees another disciple, and asks Jesus, "Lord, What about him?"

Jesus' response was simple, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me." Let me translate. "Mind ya business, Peter. You don't need to worry about that. That is for me to know and you to find out. Just follow me." (...definitely my version and not found anywhere).

How many times do we have great things happening in our lives and then all of the sudden see something out of the corner of our eye that lets us lose focus? We are blessed with a roof over our head that we can afford, but we see a friend's house and can't get it out of our mind. Even though it would be a stretch for our budget, God wants us to reach for greater things, right? We have a reliable car that is paid for, but see a new sporty one, one that might cause us to reduce our tithing just a bit, but it will be worth it because we will use it to do good things for the church. After all, Jesus would want us to have it, right? We have a great marriage but have a friend that would never commit and seems to be having so much fun single, without the hassles that we have, and we constantly wonder what our lives would be like if we were still single. Then that doubt sets in, and we begin to ask God why we couldn't have this or that, be this or that, or do this or that. We take our eyes off of God and start looking around, and we forget about the great things that God has provided us with and done for us. We start counting the blessings of others and forget about our own blessings.

I challenge you to make a short list of the things in your life that you are most thankful for and keep them with you. When you start to question God's motives for others peoples lives, pull it out and look over it. Use it as a focal point to help you remember what God has done for you. Write on there and remember what God said to Peter, "What is that to you? You must follow me."

May 4, 2010 John 20

KEY VERSE:

“as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen”

(John 20:7)

CENTRAL TRUTH:

Jesus is not finished.

NOT FINISHED

John saw the face cloth, he saw the napkin, and he believed.

The face cloth, the napkin, is an important detail. In a Bible inspired by God every word and detail is important. The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us the napkin was neatly folded and lying by itself.

As I already said, this napkin, when it is understood, is a message of hope and joy from Jesus.

So, what is so important about the napkin? What is Jesus telling us?

Jesus wants us to think of a meal, of a master being served his meal. [Don't forget, Jesus and His disciples had celebrated the Passover meal just a couple of days earlier.] You see the plates, the ladle, the cups, a cloth or napkin, the food.

The traditions of that time were very clear and very orderly. Every item was important and everything on the table had its proper place. The servant had to make sure the table was perfectly arranged. And, when the meal was served the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating. In fact, the servant would not dare touch the table until the master was finished.

When the master was finished eating, he would rise from the table, take that folded napkin and wipe his fingers and mouth and clean his beard. He then would throw the napkin on the table – no longer neatly folded. The servant would then know the master was finished and that he could clear the table.

In those days, a used and discarded napkin meant "I'm done. I'm finished eating." However, if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside the plate, the servant knew not to touch the table. The neatly folded napkin meant, "I'm not finished yet. I'm coming back."

John saw the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. "The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen" (Jn 20:7). Do you hear what the Master is saying? Do you hear the message of Jesus to His disciples? Jesus is saying, "I'm not finished yet!" **

(**Borrowed from the work of Reverend Adrian Direleman)

How awesome is that !!! How many more “nuggets” like this are there in the Bible ? So symbolic. So powerful. So simple and just read-over, dismissed as just words.

When I first read this explanation a couple of years ago, I thought it was the coolest thing. I think I got it in an email around Easter. It made me slow down in my reading and really think about the words that were written. I would quiz my theologian officemate about what “this” meant or what “that” meant. Most of the time it was a pretty literal interpretation. But every so often, you get a nugget like this that is awesome … worth sharing.

May 3, 2010, John 19

Key Verse:

“Then Pilate took Jesus and had Him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head. They clothed Him in a purple robe and went up to Him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they struck Him in the face.”

(John 19:1-3)

Central Truth:

Living out our Faith makes it easier to defend.

"Et tu, Brute?"

When I was about five, my Mom took me to see a play about Jesus. Around halfway through the play, a somber mood hung heavily over the church. Then, the Roman actors started nailing Jesus to the cross. Before my Mom realized what I was doing, I had sprung up from our pew in the back. I leaned forward and yelled at the Romans: “STOP IT!! STOP hurting Jesus!!” I was furious. The audience glanced back over their shoulders and laughed. My Mom gave it her best shot to quietly explain “this isn’t real.” Since I refused to calm down, she had to take me outside.

But it was real. It really did happen. When I read these verses, I can see Jesus in my head. I see Him suffer through the agonizing pain. I can see the soldiers brutally attack Him “again and again,” and worst of all: mock Him as they do it. When I read these verses and see the images today, it still makes me mad sometimes.

But how often do I stand up and shout at "Romans” today? Not very often. So why not? Why don’t I stand up more often in everyday life? True, the attacks on Jesus today are more subtle. The slow erosion of our core values is not such a vivid picture as a gang of soldiers repeatedly striking Jesus in the face. I’m not really “shocked into action” when someone uses His name in vain. And when what passes as “normal” in our society becomes gradually more sinful every day, it’s harder to notice. So yeah, I guess I could stop right there and blame my ambivalence on that.

However, I think the real reason I don’t stand up is much more chilling. It’s because deep down, I know that I too, am a Roman soldier. It’s because I know that I’m a hypocrite. Every time I sin, whether it’s anger, disobedience, pride, or whatever else, it’s like I’m the one striking Jesus. It feels like I’m the one mocking Him myself. MAN, I hate that. The reason He had to endure such pain and ridicule is because of my sin and yours. For me, that is powerful motivation to work harder at making the wise choice every day.