Justice & Mercy

I recently was transferred from one area of our store to another. I found myself supervising 10 people who were not use to having a manager who actually expected them to do something. Most of the people accepted me and the new direction but three resisted my every move.

Over time two of the three moved on to other departments but one stayed. Over the past month he and I have butted heads often. I have gone home frustrated and he has left angry. Something has to change and today I found out what it is.

In our sermon today at the Vineyard Church of Overland Park, KS, Associate Pastor David Andersen spoke from Micah 6: 8 He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth Jehovah require of thee, but to do justly, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with thy God? As he spoke the Holy Spirit convicted me of my failure to live up to the things God requires of us. To deal justly with others, to grant them kindness and to walk humbly with God.

What is it that needs to change? Me! I have tried to deal justly with my associates but I have failed to grant them kindness or as David put it Mercy. I have been wanting hand out Justice but should have been wanting to grant them Mercy. You see these associates have gotten away with doing nothing because management has not given them any expectations or direction. They have been doing only what comes natural to humans. As an ordained pastor and a follower of Jesus I should have approached them in a different way than I did.

Starting tomorrow I will apply today's sermon to my fellow workers. I will seek out the two associates who left and apologize for how I approached them. I will take the one who remains and share with him how wrong I was and that I will change my approach in dealing with him. I believe if I do I can write a new post in a month or so that will be very different than this one.

I encourage you to go to http://www.vineyardop.org/Vineyard-OP-Audio and listen to the sermon and see what God says to you.

The Race, The Fall, The Victory

I want to share a couple of videos with you that I believe point out two things we as followers of Jesus Christ need to always remember.

1. We should never give up. We are in a race for life and no matter what we should never give up. We will no doubt fail and fall at times but we must never, never give up.

Watch More Christian Videos on GodVine.com

2. When our enemy falls we should not rejoice in his falling but turn and give him a hand up.

Watch More Christian Videos on GodVine.com

What's your story? Have you fallen? Have you been hurt by others? Have you seen your enemy fall? Let the next video move your heart and get up and continue running the race or turn and give a hand to someone you know is against you. Then watch what God does in your life.

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Faith Heritage

Faith Legacy

By Larry Clark

On April 9, 1865 the American Civil War came to a close and the job of reconciliation began. For Missouri and Kansas the war began in 1855 long before the official beginning of the War Between the States. The history of Missouri and Kansas was shaped by events surrounding John Brown’s raids into Missouri and those of the Border Ruffians into Kansas. In some respects the war has never really ended but is relived every winter when the Missouri Tigers and the Kansas Jay hawks meet on the basketball courts.

On August 25, 1863 Union Brigadier General Thomas Ewing issued General Order No. 11, requiring all people living in Jackson, Cass, Bates, and northern Vernon counties to vacate the area unless their loyalty to the Union could be proven. Those who were forced out had their houses and barns burned and this area became known as the Burnt District.

At the close of the war, western Missouri, which had been repeatedly ravaged by both armies, retained but few of its former inhabitants and scarcely any churches. At the request of Dr. Henry Kendall the Presbyterian Church commissioned Reverend Seth Gold Clark to assist in reorganizing Presbyterian work on the Missouri/Kansas border. What a daunting task the Presbyterian leadership was asking of Mr. Clark, who served as a Union Chaplain, who was captured by the Confederates in the siege of Atlanta and spent time in the Andersonville prison. He was schooled at the Western Reserve College, which was a hot bed for the anti-slavery movement. Could he gain the trust of a people who had suffered so much at the hands of fellow Americans who were anti-slave and who experienced the results of the order by a Union General Ewing? I believe we can by looking at his record reach the conclusion that Mr. Clark let God be the one who guided him and not his life experiences.

Of his beginnings in Missouri he once wrote: " The Board, by my request, made full provision for my salary the first year. I told them that if I went to such a burned-over country I did not want to intimate to any man, woman or child that a missionary needed anything to eat, drink or wear. I did not say money for a year, except when I paid my bills. The people were just as modest as I was—they never said money to me.

I obtained a hardy mustang pony, and went in all directions, preaching the gospel wherever I found an opening." Does that seem a haphazard method, not to be reasonably expected to produce good results?

In less than three years he organized churches at Holden in Johnson county: Greenwood in Jackson county; Harrisonville and Austin in Cass county; Butler, Lone Oak and Papinsville in Bates county; Hudson (now Appleton City) in 8t. Clair county, and Lamar in Barton county. Each of these churches he supplied until they were able to obtain regular services otherwise. Some years later two of these towns, unable to obtain expected railroads, died a natural death, as did their churches. Two other churches were outstripped by later organizations by other Presbyterian denominations. There remain today five good churches organized before 1870 by that one missionary " settled on horseback."

From 1871-76 Mr. Clark was financial agent for Highland University. The last two summers of that time were spent with a missionary tent outfit, furnished by Sunday schools in the East. He traveled through northern Kansas and southern Nebraska, preaching daily to congregations averaging 100 on weeknights and from 150 to 300 on Sundays. This was strictly pioneer work in regions beyond ministers and churches.

He was everywhere gladly welcomed. This tent work he was accustomed to regard as the most successful work of his life. During 1877-78 he supplied the churches of Iola and Carlyle, Kans.; 1879-80, Baxter Springs, Galena and Empire, Kans.; 1881-5, Rich Hill, Rockville and Hume, Mo., all three of which he organized.

He then spent ten years in southwestern Kansas, where he found nine counties adjoining, in neither of which was an organized church. During those years he organized eight churches, seven of which, in spite of drought and consequent depopulation of large districts, are still on our " Minutes."

The year 1895 was spent with the Church of Raymore, Mo., which under his labors was much revived, and built a beautiful house of worship.

At last, when nearly eighty, with mind and voice unimpaired, he was forced by physical infirmities to give up his active ministry. It was an affecting scene, when by vote of Presbytery he was " honorably retired," and recommended to the Board of Relief. All knew of his active life, and realized that it was not boastfulness, which led him to rise and say that, able as he then supposed to preach better than ever before, he would gladly sacrifice his right arm rather than go onto the Board, if only he were physically able to continue in the ministry. No service did he ever shirk as too hard, no field as too unattractive. Always and everywhere he loved to proclaim salvation to the uttermost through Jesus Christ. Like every other true missionary, he recognized no bounds of race or clime, but worked and prayed for the universal spread of the gospel. No wonder Miss Mary Clark, the daughter of such a home missionary, should be found today a foreign missionary in distant Persia.

What a record! It will never be fully written on earth. His mission work in at least five states, the organization of 31 churches, most of which during the time of his ministry erected houses of worship, his army chaplaincy, his evangelistic work in prisons, battle fields, mining camps, frontier settlements, and in well-established communities east and west, his vigorous advocacy of education at home and abroad—these are a few reasons why he will be long held in grateful remembrance. A few months ago he modestly wrote of himself that his had been “a very busy, checkered life; possibly some good may result.”

This is the story of my great, great grandfather who was a son of a small farmer. It is very interesting to me because today I am an ordained pastor who is getting ready to become a small farmer. This is a true legacy of faith.

I hope the above story has inspired just one person to take the time to trace their family tree and find out what nugget of interesting history they might uncover.

Restoration Farm

Greetings.

For the past five years I have been asking God to show me a ministry that my wife, Kat, and I can do together. At first I thought it might be an inner city ministry, then I thought it might be as traveling hosts and fill in ministers but neither of those panned out.

What God finally showed me through my wife exactly as I asked Him to was that we would purchase and develop a small farm. You can read about it at The Restoration Farm. In a nut shell it will be a small farm of 10-20 acres and we will grow crops that have been grown chemical free. We will also raise chickens and goats and give them only feeds that have been grown organically. We will produce cheese and soap from the milk that we get from our goats. We will sell eggs laid by our chickens, ducks and guineas. A key part of the farm will be one or two cabins, the Restoration Cabins, that we will invite missionaries and ministers to come and stay in when they need to be restored from the battles that they are fighting.

Our plan is to make enough income from the farm and other income producing endeavors to fund the two small cabins or RV Trailers that will be used for the Restoration Cabins.

What I want to share in this post is something I have struggled with for years. It has to do with funding for the ministry I believe God is calling me to. What I struggled with was the idea of asking people to fund my dream or to contribute on a monthly basis to that dream or calling. For the longest time I struggled with this funding concept but on the trip that Kat and I took this month to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary I came to grips with the struggle.

I thought the struggle had to do with pride or having to depend upon someone else but on the trip it came to me that it really had to do with expecting other people to fund my dream instead of me earning what it would take to make it come true.

When I was growing up my dad provided me the example by working hard for what he had and spending only what he could afford. He was not a flashy man and he did not need to be the one everyone looked at as an expert.

While traveling to a small farm outside Tulsa, OK I began to realize no one but me can fund my dream. You see my dream is to live on a small farm with Kat and to do what God has made us for. We were made to serve others and the Restoration Farm will provide us with the opportunity to do exactly that. Most of all I came to realize that if someone else was funding my dream I would also be tied to what they wanted for my dream and I would not be free to pursue it from the heart.

I invite you to come read about the Restoration Farm and if you do I hope God will reveal the dream He has for your life.

25th Anniversary

On October 14th my wife, Kat, and I will celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. It is truly an achievement for us for the following reasons:

1. We are both products of multiple marriages that failed.
2. We both battled emotional difficulties resulting from events we experienced during our childhood.
3. Because of the above two things the expectation was that our marriage would fail.

During the past 25 years we have experienced many road blocks and difficulties that could have destroyed our marriage. These experiences would have destroyed most marriages but because of the following we survived:

1. We are committed to each other.
2. We rely on the Holy Spirit to provide the strength we need.
3. We refused to give up on each other.

Here is why I am writing this post:

1. There are people who are struggling with the affects of having experienced a divorce and are in need of encouragement.
2. People need to know that there is hope after divorce.
3. I am proud of what God has done in our lives and want to share it with others.

I could write a lot more and go deeper but you can read my past posts and get information on my life.

I want to encourage you not to give up and have hope that God can provide a mate for you. Be willing to commit to the other person and to allow God to guide your marriage. Always remember that even though you do those two things you will still face difficulties because you are in relationship with another human being who is subject to the influences of this world.

Why Organized Religion?

Not too long ago I read an article about how God did not intend for us to have churches bigger than a house church and or leading pastors. The writer made some good points about the draw backs of big churches and lead pastors. What I want to do with this post is state why we need churches that are larger than house churches as well as having house churches.

As far as lead pastors are concerned I want to share only one scripture to show that we need them and agree that the same goals can be met in a house church but it still requires a lead person.

1 Corinthians 12: ^27-31 You are Christ's body—that's who you are! You must never forget this. Only as you accept your part of that body does your "part" mean anything. You're familiar with some of the parts that God has formed in his church, which is his "body": apostles, prophets, teachers, miracle workers, healers, helpers, organizers, those who pray in tongues.

But it's obvious by now, isn't it, that Christ's church is a complete Body and not a gigantic, unidimensional Part? It's not all Apostle, not all Prophet, not all Miracle Worker, not all Healer, not all Prayer in Tongues, not all Interpreter of Tongues. And yet some of you keep competing for so-called "important" parts.

But now I want to lay out a far better way for you.

Lead pastors are just one small part of the church and they are needed just as the rest of the church is needed in order to do the work God has called the body to do. Their role is to train the church for service and give direction for the church.

To explain why we need to be a part of a church either as a house church or a bigger organization I will share what I witnessed the other night at a memorial for a young child who had died.

Because of the relationships, which is the key to both a house church and a bigger church, that the father and mother had with other people there was an out-pouring of love and compassion to the parents. True this can and does happen in house churches but usually on a much smaller scale.

God set for us an example through Israel and the Temple of what good leadership is. The human leadership was flawed but what came from the Mercy Seat located in the Holy of Holies was perfect. Today with the help of the Holy Spirit we can have human leaders who are guided by Him and not their own strength.

I do not believe that God is disappointed that we have mega churches or that a house church may have only five or six members. What disappoints him is the attitude we have toward one or the other. God created humans to need leaders and He shows us through the Bible what a godly leader looks like.

The young couple could have faced losing their baby son alone and because they have God's Holy Spirit would have found healing but because of the relationships they had with others in the body the healing is on a faster track. Because of these relationships they were also able to be a witness to the body and others in how they handled the tragic events.

Finally, Although we can be Christians completely secluded from others God does not intend for us to be lone ranger Followers of Christ. Part of our human nature is that we are drawn to leaders and groups. House churches and larger churches allow us the relationships we need to grow. Neither is better or worse than the other and God accepts them both as tools in sharing the gospel.

Guides not Security Guards

1 Corinthians 4

^1-4 Don't imagine us leaders to be something we aren't. We are servants of Christ, not his masters. We are guides into God's most sublime secrets, not security guards posted to protect them. The requirements for a good guide are reliability and accurate knowledge. It matters very little to me what you think of me, even less where I rank in popular opinion. I don't even rank myself. Comparisons in these matters are pointless. I'm not aware of anything that would disqualify me from being a good guide for you, but that doesn't mean much. The Master makes that judgment.

What is God telling us through this writing of Paul's?

First, of all church leaders are not more than what you are. They have faults and even sins just like you. They can make mistakes and mess up people's lives. Not one bit different than the average Joe.

Second, church leaders are servants of Jesus and if they present anything different than Jesus being the leader of the church they are wrong.

Third, church leaders have the responsibility to share the Gospel with others and to share reliable and accurate knowledge with us. They are not our security guards.

Fourth, church leaders should not be overly concerned about what people think about them. They need to be more concerned about what God thinks, no maybe better yet what God knows about them.

Fifth, After all it really doesn't matter how you or I judge them but it does matter how God judges them.

The Temple Today

Where is the temple today? Does it need to be rebuilt before Jesus can return?

Let's look at some history about the temple first. Jerusalem has seen two temples built on the Temple Mount. The first was built by King Solomon close to 3,000 years ago. It was destroyed by the armies of Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C. The second temple was built under Zerubbabel during the years 520-516 B.C. This was destroyed in 70 A.D. by rogue elements within the legions of the Roman General Titus during the sacking of Jerusalem.

I believe the first question we need to answer is the second one above. Is it necessary to rebuild the temple in order for Jesus to return as King of kings? Our answer can be found in Revelation 19: 6-10 Then I heard the sound of massed choirs, the sound of a mighty cataract, the sound of strong thunder:

Hallelujah! The Master reigns, our God, the Sovereign-Strong! Let us celebrate, let us rejoice, let us give him the glory! The Marriage of the Lamb has come; his Wife has made herself ready.
She was given a bridal gown of bright and shining linen. The linen is the righteousness of the saints.

The Angel said to me, "Write this: 'Blessed are those invited to the Wedding Supper of the Lamb.'" He added, "These are the true words of God!"

I fell at his feet to worship him, but he wouldn't let me. "Don't do that," he said. "I'm a servant just like you, and like your brothers and sisters who hold to the witness of Jesus. The witness of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

Notice that no where in this scripture is the rebuilding of the temple mentioned. What it does mention is that the bride has made herself ready. In 2 Corinthians 11: 2 we find that the bride of Christ will be the church.

The second question concerns the temple. If rebuilding the physical temple is not required in order for Christ to return then what import is the temple? Let's look at 1 Corinthians 3: 9-17 Or, to put it another way, you are God's house. Using the gift God gave me as a good architect, I designed blueprints; Apollos is putting up the walls. Let each carpenter who comes on the job take care to build on the foundation! Remember, there is only one foundation, the one already laid: Jesus Christ. Take particular care in picking out your building materials. Eventually there is going to be an inspection. If you use cheap or inferior materials, you'll be found out. The inspection will be thorough and rigorous. You won't get by with a thing. If your work passes inspection, fine; if it doesn't, your part of the building will be torn out and started over. But you won't be torn out; you'll survive—but just barely.

You realize, don't you, that you are the temple of God, and God himself is present in you? No one will get by with vandalizing God's temple, you can be sure of that. God's temple is sacred—and you, remember, are the temple.

So from these scriptures we see there is no need for a physical temple in order for Christ to return and that the bride of Christ will be the church. Christ is now dwelling through the Holy Spirit in the temple which is the church. In order for Christ to return it is the church that has to be made ready not some physical building.

Since the temple is you then you are what is sacred not some piece of ground or some city or some country. Listen again to what Paul tells us: You realize, don't you, that you are the temple of God, and God himself is present in you? No one will get by with vandalizing God's temple, you can be sure of that. God's temple is sacred—and you, remember, are the temple.

If you are a follower of Jesus You are the Temple that needs to be ready for His return. If you are a follower of Jesus You are His bride and you must prepare yourself for the wedding.

I'm not sure about you but I doubt I can make myself Holy and without blemish. The good news is the Holy Spirit can do what you and I cannot do.

Jesus Christ is not only returning as King of kings and Lord of lords but will marry the portion of his creation, which is called the church, that accepts Him as King and Lord.

This post was inspired by a sermon given by Mark Warner, Lead Pastor, Vineyard Church in Overland Park, KS.

It's An Attitude

No matter what you do for a living this little video applies.



Have a terrific day.

Possibly Some Good May Result

In an earlier post of mine I described a book that I wanted to write about my great, great grandfather, Seth Gold Clark. In this post I want to share with you the beginnings of that book to get your reaction.

Preface By Larry Clark

An Ordinary Day

September 3, 2010 began just like any other day. I got up at the same time. Got dressed and ready for the day, as usual. Brewed my coffee strong like I like it and poured it into the same cup I always use – the one I bought for my dad while I was in Vietnam serving in the Navy. As I was into my second cup, it dawned on me that this was the same date and about the same time that I received a devastating phone call 38 years earlier.

I remember it as clearly as if it was yesterday.

An uncle called. He said my dad was in serious condition, they were rushing him to the hospital and that I should make plans to come home. Tears streamed down my face as I stumbled into my bedroom where my wife, Kat, and young son, (WHO?), were talking in bed. I explained what the call was about. Just as I finished, the phone rang, again. My uncle informed me that my dad was dead. I sat stunned. Now, I knew that I had to make the long drive home and face the fact that my life-long hero was gone.

Overwhelmed with grief, I was unable to stop the flow of tears. As I cried for the loss of my dad, the pain from a disaster I experienced the previous year also flooded my soul. Grief and shame weighed down on me – grief over the loss of a friend and shame because I felt responsible for it. You see, I failed to give grace to a pastor and good friend during a heated disagreement. It literally destroyed our relationship.

I was sure God called me to be a pastor. After the disagreement, however, I questioned whether I really heard from God and doubted that the passions in my heart were from the Lord. Heartbroken from the weight of it all, depression settled in on me. The brief yearning to flee to those things I previously used to medicate my pain called from a distant place from years gone by.

Finishing my coffee, the depression lifted when as thoughts diverted to a random idea regarding my family history. I put my cup down, opened one of the drawers of my desk and pulled out a stack of papers a cousin sent me several years earlier. One document that detailed my family tree caught my attention. I followed back through the Clark family and saw that it originated with my great, great-grandfather, Seth Gold Clark.

My interest piqued. Since it was six hours before I had to be at work, I decided to do some research and see what I could find out about this man. I turned to my computer and did an Internet search on his name. After perusing many of the sites that came up in the results, I clicked on one that referred to a book called, “The Church at home and abroad, Volume 24 By Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.” What I discovered would change everything.

Have you ever had one of those moments that you knew beyond a shadow-of-a-doubt that God divinely directed you to do something? That’s what this was for me. I had been asking God for a divine appointment with someone who would impact my life in a positive way and that it would glorify Him. For me, this was one of those moments and the appointment I’d been asking for. I knew God wanted me to read what was written in that Presbyterian book about the Reverend Seth Gold Clark. The words would renew the dream God placed in my heart and give me hope that all of my experiences in life to that point happened to prepare me “for such a time as this” at this very moment in my life.

The Legacy, the Man

Until I read the passage about my great, great-grandfather, I had no idea of the legacy handed down to me through the generations. Seth Clark's tenacity and ingenuity in ministry and his passion to grow the church and further God's kingdom inspired me. It made me realize that my passion to pastor, though thwarted for the most part by life's circumstances, was from God, handed down to me through generations by the unsung hero, Seth Clark. My role may not be as a pastor to a physical church, but possibly a pastor of sorts through telling Seth Clark's story and sharing how it relates to each of us as members of the Body of Christ. Whether we realize it, as Christians, we are participants and role-models in living out what has been coined as "the greatest story ever told"-- the life of Jesus Christ.

What follows here is it about the life of my great, great-grandfather and the seeds of greatness he planted. This story is one that God revealed at this moment in time to lift you, the reader, up and to move you forward to accomplish your God-given goals and dreams. This story is about a legacy left by a man who, according to his own words, “lived a very busy, checkered life; possibly some good may result.” One hundred and twelve years later that “good” could be the fulfillment of hundreds or even thousands of dreams, which would not have been achieved without God revealing this story to all of us dreamers.

You Are a Leader

Merriam-Webster offers two main definitions for pastor. The one I believe that relates to most of us is as follows:

* a spiritual overseer; a layperson having spiritual charge over a person or group

You may not pastor a church, lead a home group or hold a tangible leadership role in the church or in secular society. You do, however, provide a living testimony of the Kingdom of God. As Christians, we are God's testimony of Jesus Christ and His Saving Grace. How is this "testimony" revealed in and through us? One of our mandates and goals as Christians is to "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation" (Mark 16:15).

We are to "lead" people to Christ through our words and through example. You are a leader. You became one when you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal savior. So how do YOU lead people to Christ, you may ask? Seth Clark did it through example in living out his everyday life and through his ministry by furthering the Kingdom through church plants -- many that continue to flourish today.

Your Legacy

You, too, can leave a legacy. If you have not done so already, give your life to Jesus. Commit time to pray, attend and get involved in a local church, and read your Bible to enable you to assimilate the Word of God into your life. Your behavior will change over time, and people will stand up and take notice. If you are not comfortable in sharing the Gospel with others, start with preaching to your dog or cat. Confidence is something that comes with experience. As you share the Gospel, even if it's only to the neighborhood squirrels and birds, you will gain confidence that will eventually translate into sharing the Good News with people.

One way I was able to gain confidence in sharing the Gospel was to explain how I used to be, how I am now and what I believe God wants me to be. I ask questions to get people to open up about their lives. Most often it is not a pretty picture, but I always encourage them that I believe God is more concerned in shaping our future, rather than having us relive our past. I tell them that He does not like sin but that He knows His creation does not change instantly. I share with them that He will provide people in our lives to walk with us and help us on our journey of faith.

Go Into All the World …

I believe Seth Clark was that type of man. He went into "all the world" in which God directed him to go. His world encompassed the boundaries of Western Missouri, from Holden in the north to Lamar in the south. Later, his mission was Eastern Kansas ranging from Highland in the north to Baxter Springs in the south and as far west as Liberal. He was restricted by time and geography due to his limited mode of transportation – at first a good strong horse and then a team of horses pulling a wagon. Today, our boundaries are limitless due to the advent of technology and the Internet.

You could be the next Seth Clark of your household, neighborhood or nation, or even the world. Will you accept the challenge to allow God to use you as a living testimony of God's goodness and grace?

If so, read on …

What I want to do with this book and with this post is to get people who read it to think about what God might be up to in their life and the lives of those around them. I believe that God has called people who are followers of Jesus out of the world for a specific mission. This mission could be to change the course of one's family history or it could be to fulfill a calling. No matter what mission you have it all fits into what is called the "Body of Christ." Let's look at what Paul says about this in Romans 12.

Romans 12:3-8:

I'm speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it's important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.

In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we're talking about is Christ's body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn't amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ's body, let's just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren't.

If you preach, just preach God's Message, nothing else; if you help, just help, don't take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don't get bossy; if you're put in charge, don't manipulate; if you're called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don't let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face.

I believe whatever our mission is involves the gift or gifts the Holy Spirit us when He took up residence in us.

1 Corinthians 12: 1-11

Spiritual Gifts

What I want to talk about now is the various ways God's Spirit gets worked into our lives. This is complex and often mis-understood, but I want you to be informed and knowledgeable. Remember how you were when you didn't know God, led from one phony god to another, never knowing what you were doing, just doing it because everybody else did it? It's different in this life. God wants us to use our intelligence, to seek to understand as well as we can. For instance, by using your heads, you know perfectly well that the Spirit of God would never prompt anyone to say "Jesus be damned!" Nor would anyone be inclined to say "Jesus is Master!" without the insight of the Holy Spirit.

God's various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God's Spirit. God's various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God's Spirit. God's various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all. Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! The variety is wonderful:

wise counsel

clear understanding

simple trust

healing the sick

miraculous acts

proclamation

distinguishing between spirits

tongues

interpretation of tongues.

All these gifts have a common origin, but are handed out one by one by the one Spirit of God. He decides who gets what, and when.

How does this part of the book speak to you? Think about it. What gift has the Holy Spirit given you and what mission does that involve. You might not be being called to be a "Billy Graham", a missionary to some foreign land, a street preacher, or a great Sunday school teacher but God is calling you to be the very best YOU that you can be. That involves using the gift in the way that best stretches your comfort zone.

I invite your comments and please keep in mind what you share could be what makes this post meaningful to others who read it.

Two Letters to Two Fathers

This morning as I was cleaning my papa cave I found two letters that were written by sons to their father. One written in 1969 and the other in 1986. One was a letter of praise and the other one of condemnation. The difference between the letters was dramatic in wording and purpose. One was to a father who deserved being honored and the other was to a father who had failed to love at all cost.

Both letters brought tears to my eyes.

Let me ask you a question what type of father did you have? What type of father are you?

If you had a rotten father like the one the son had who wrote the letter condemning his father I understand your pain. I encourage you to go before God and ask Him to give you the ability to forgive your father and to restore your relationship with him.

If you had the father like the one who the son who wrote the letter honoring his father I understand your joy. I encourage you to go before God and ask Him to bless your father and to continue to strengthen your relationship with him.

May God bless you no matter which father you have or had.

The Restoration Farm

This was posted at The Restoration Farm on May 29, 2011

My wife, Kat, and I went to look at an 8 acre piece of property today and I forgot to take my camera but I did take one photo with my phone.

The photo to the left is taken looking back to the entrance.

The photo below is of the property.

The next photo is how we think the property layout looks like.

This piece of property is about the right size for what we want to do and it is within the right mileage from Kansas City.

As we build our farm and the center we will encounter disappointments and even set-backs but if we keep our faith that God gave us the dream and that He is behind us we will in the end accomplish it with His help.

We believe that above all else what we do must bring glory to our God and our Savior Jesus. If what we do does not bring glory to God no matter what is accomplished it will be worthless.

I encourage you to purchase the book "The Dream Giver" written by Bruce Wilkinson. In this book Bruce describes people and giants that will enter into your life as you move forward to achieve your God given dream. He also points out how some people will try to rob you of your dream and that takes many forms. He points out that you must move forward towards your dream and not wait for it to happen. He points out the giants of no money and discouraging people who will try to hold you back. He shows you how to keep moving forward in faith and how to work out those situations.

Sometimes part of your dream has to be change so that you can achieve your dream.

I believe the winning formula for success is: God gives the dream + we believe and move forward to accomplish it + we surrender the dream back to God = God bringing the dream into reality. God gave me the dream but in the end it is really the dream that He wants to accomplish through me. My job is to keep moving forward in the accomplishment of the dream.

You might be asking what exactly is a dream? It is different for each individual. One thing for sure is it burns in your heart when you either think of it. For one being the best mom is the dream and for another being the best dad is it. For one having a small bakery is the dream and for another it is running a major corporation. For another it is feeding the homeless and for another is being a pastor of a church. No matter what your dream is if it is God given, you dedicate your time and effort to achieving the dream, which He gave you and if you give it back to Him then it will bring Him glory as long as you remember who the dream is actually for in the first place. In my best English, "It ain't for you", "It's not about you", "It's all about bringing glory to our God, our King, our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Our dream has gone from being a 20 acres sight down to possibly 8 acres but it is still a BIG dream because it is still God's dream for us. I encourage you to follow what God has placed in your heart and don't let people or giants or stand in your way. It is up to you not someone else to do what God has placed in your heart. Your dream was designed for only one person, YOU. Unless you do it, it won't get done.

I believe you can do it. More importantly God believes you can do it or else He would not have given you the dream in the first place.

Judgment Day

Well today is May 21st, 2011 and a church has predicted that today is Judgment Day. I had a guy at work yesterday come up to me and as he shook my hand he told me that it was good knowing me. I was stunned because I did not have a clue he was leaving our company so I asked him where he was going. He replied well since Saturday is the Rapture I know I won't see you again.

We then had a discussion about the difference between having faith that Jesus is the savior and the King and having faith that some event will save us. I shared with him that my faith is in Jesus and if there is a rapture I am covered and if there isn't a rapture I am covered.

In the end he told me that although he is not a believer his understanding is salvation comes only through Jesus. As I turned to walk away I told him he has a correct understanding of salvation.

If salvation depends upon us doing or believing certain events will happen then Jesus is not the only way to be saved. It would be Jesus and the correct formula of actions and believing in Him.

The Bible says enter by the narrow gate. Believing that Jesus plus other actions save us is a wide gate but believing that our salvation is found only in Christ is a very narrow gate.

Matthew 7: 13-14 (the Message) "Don't look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don't fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires total attention."

Concerning the Rapture and end times I believe God will cause events to occur as He wants and that it is ok to debate these things. In the end God only knows when the end times will occur. My job is to do His will up to that time.

The guy at work is actually closer to being a true follower of Jesus than he thinks he is. The question for me is what am I going to do with this conversation come next Monday morning?

Working on the Dream

Not too long ago my wife, Kat, and I began to work on a dream that we and another couple have. You can read about the dream at The Restoration Farm blog. Kat and I have decided to take part of our retirement and sell our house and invest in this dream.

Lately I have been struggling with part of making the dream work. Old insecurities are surfacing that bother me. I am trying to discover the root of what I am feeling and so far I am not sure why I am struggling. Let me just state that these insecurities involve finances.

The last couple of weeks Kat and I have looked at several pieces of property that looked good to us but we did not get that feeling of this is it!

We have faith that God is going to lead us to the right property but we must put our faith into action by going out to look. I heard once from a friend that Faith was best spelled RISK. I have added to that by stating that Risk is best spelled WORK. I believe I reveal my Faith by the Risk I take in performing Work. My works do not save me but instead they flow out of me because I am saved.

I have heard people say that they have faith that God will deliver them but their actions did not necessarily show it. It is very true that we are saved by grace and as a result of our faith in Jesus Christ. It is also true that our faith is revealed in our works or good deeds. So faith without action is a useless faith.

James 2: 14-17 Dear friends, do you think you'll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, "Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!" and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn't it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?

I believe that the idea behind The Restoration Farm is something God has stirred in us. I have faith that He will guide us through the process. He will IF and there is always an IF. He will if we will use the resources that He has given us to make it happen.

The Restoration Farm is both a money making and non-profit adventure. We will grow crops organically and in hoop houses and make a profit. We will also fund what I call The Restoration Center, which is a couple of small cottages and a center for Christian servants who need to be restored can come to free of charge. These servants could be pastors, missionaries, lay leaders. They could be hurt or have fallen in service. It will be a place where can spend some time recovering and begin the process of restoration, which God loves to do.

If you have a dream that God has placed in your heart take a moment and visit and then have faith by risking to work it out. Faith is not found in playing it safe by not taking action.

Please visit The Restoration Farm and follow our journey. Hopefully each week I will have something new to share.

From Meaningless to Greatness

He woke as he does every morning with his cat meowing for food. He slowly slipped out of bed and slipped on his house shoes and walked to the kitchen. Just another day that would end without meaning. Have you ever awaken with those thoughts? Have you looked back at the end of the day and thought what purpose was there in what you did that day?

I found the following story in the workbook, "One 2 Won" by Joe White and I hope it will help you see that even a day without meaning can be the stepping stone to a great achievement.

The winter of 1498 was memorable for its bitter cold. The city of Florence, Italy, was blanketed in snow, and Michelangelo Buonarroti's heart was as heavy as the gray clouds that dipped low and blocked out the sun.

The Grand Duke of Florence, Lorenzo de' Medici, had been the young artist's benefactor. It was this great supporter of the arts who had given Michelangelo the numerous slabs of marble he needed to refine his incredible talents. But before Michelangelo was able to create his masterpieces, the old duke died, and his son, Piero, had no use for a sculptor on the payroll. So the great artist's talents were put on the shelf, and Michelangelo sat and waited. That is, until a few days before a great party at the new duke's palace.

In what looked like an incredible answer to his prayers, Michelangelo was summoned before Piero. He'd never been to the palace, even when the grand duke had been alive, and he hurried down the streets, past the guards, and in to see Duke Piero.

While he was afraid to believe it, the rumor circulated by the servant who came to fetch Michelangelo was that he was being commissioned to carve a great statue! At last!

When Michelangelo arrived at the palace, he was ushered into a large room where not only Duke Piero de' Medici but also a crowd of the duke's friends awaited his arrival. He was indeed told that his services as a sculptor were needed by his new patron. All he had to do was to go down to the garden, and he'd find all the white marble he needed to make a masterpiece for the duke's party.

Can you guess by now what the duke was actually asking Michelangelo to do? All the white marble in the garden was... snow. Perhaps the greatest sculptor of all time had been brought tot he palace to create a snow sculpture for a royal dinner party!

Just imagine for a moment what was going through Michelangelo's mind as he walked from the room and down to the garden. If it had been me, I'd have been furious. What an embarrassment! What a colossal waste of time - to put all that effort into something that would melt as soon as the sun broke through the clouds!

Michelangelo could have stormed out or at least left the duke's presence with an angry, unwilling heart. Instead, he simply went to work. Hour after hour he gathered snow and packed it tightly into a great mound. Then, at last, he began to carve.

Working from top down a head appeared, and then the shoulders, limbs, torso, and legs. A figure was emerging from the white snow that would be viewed as a joke by the Duke Piero and his guests, and then melt away in no time.

Yet still, Michelangelo worked. That's because he had decided in his heart that even if all he could do was make Florence a more beautiful place for a few hours - he would put all his heart into carving that block of snow. And then it came time for Piero's party.

The guests arrived. The snow carving finally was unveiled... and instead of laughter came breathless silence. The duke and his guests were staring in awe and amazement at the figure in the snow that seemed able to breathe and walk and even sling a rock at a giant.

The Duke was silenced by the tireless efforts of the young artist who had created a masterpiece of the Biblical David made of snow.

Then, amazingly, that statue turned into marble. Not that hour, of course, for it wasn't magic. But in the days that followed, Michelangelo's David was replicated in marble - given to him by none other than Duke Piero himself. This priceless work has drawn millions of people to Florence since it was unveiled - all because Michelangelo was willing to carve something of beauty out of snow...

It is true you and I might be a great artist or we will never stand in front of a duke to be commissioned to do a great work of art. It is true that our work, our ministry might not appear to be accomplishing anything. This story about how Michelangelo took a similar situation and turned it into something that would last beyond his life can illustrate how what you and I are doing can be something that will last beyond our life time.

If you are a follower of Jesus you have been given a commission to share what He has done in your life. You never know what will happen as you sit with someone and share with them your faith in Christ. That person could be moved by the Holy Spirit to respond and then later become someone like Billy Graham and be used by God to reach millions.

One day, like the statue Michelangelo made of snow, our work will melt away and what is revealed will depend upon what we did with what God gave us when we received the Holy Spirit as we accepted Jesus as our savior. If we put our whole heart into using the gifts and talents that God has given us in serving Him then what seems to be unimportant and meaningless now will turn into a great work of art in His hands.

So what are you going to do with the snow God has placed in your life?

Looking Out the Window

Kick, our cat, is an in door cat and he got out the other day and spent three days in unfamiliar surroundings. He was in all practical purposes lost. Alone and scared to the point of not responding to his master's call.

On the third day I found him hiding in our neighbor's shed. Still too scared to even respond to my out stretched hand but then my fingers touched his head. Instantly his body relaxed and I heard him purrr. Slowly I coxed him out into the open so that I could take him up in my arms. Holding him tight I moved to the house. Now he is safe inside.

This morning as I was having my coffee I noticed Kick was looking out the window that looks at the neighbors shed. It seemed he was longing to be back outside and experiencing the adventure again. I began to think about the times God's Holy Spirit has rescued me from my failings and sin and how I sometimes sit looking at the past remembering the excitement sin brings. I am in constant need of the comforter's arms around my life protecting me from what I am weak to.

God answered my prayers about our cat Kick and if He will answer such a ridiculously little prayer like that imagine what He will do when we pray for the big things in life. Big things like getting to work and home safely, protection for our children, blessings in our labor, healing of broken hearts and bodies and the deliverance and forgiveness of sins.

God will not force Himself on you but when you ask Him to get involved He will rush to action. Be aware though that often how He acts is not what we expect but it is what we need. It is hard sometimes but we still need to believe that He is faithful even when His actions do not add up to what we think we need.

Go ahead and ask Him for something BIG or something SMALL. Wait and see what He does.

Scared and Alone No More

Today as I walked around my place of employment I got the assurance that my cat, Kick, was okay and then as I drove home I got the sense that I would rescue him this evening. Both proved out to be true.

I and my grandkids have been praying the last couple of days about this little cat. Praying for God to protect him and to deliver him from being lost.

What really struck me today is this question: "Do I spend as much energy and time praying for people who are hurting or who do not know Jesus as Lord and Savior?"

I have to admit I am guilty of being more concerned over my cat than I have been for others.

Not only did the Holy Spirit give me comfort and encouragement but He convicted me of my failure to be concerned about others.

Scared and Alone

Have you ever felt scared and alone? Have you ever been so scared that you ran from the very one who could save you?

Yesterday our house cat, Kickin, got out of the house. He was out all day without us knowing about it. When we got home we began to look for him outside. We found him under the neighbors porch but he was too scared to come out. When he did come out it was because the neighbor came home and stepped on the porch and off he went. We still have not found him.

All night I keep thinking how alone Kickin must feel and how each noise adds to his feelings of begin afraid.

I have to admit there have been times because of my sins I have been afraid of the one who can save me. My fear like Kickin's is unfounded fear.

I have no doubts that God experiences many of the same feelings I am right now. I am concerned about Kickin's safety, about his feeling afraid and his feeling of being alone. As I sit here writing this I am grieving just as God must do over my little fury friend. The really good thing is God can provide through the Holy Spirit the comfort and safety that I cannot provide for Kickin. Like Kickin is right now I am totally helpless to solve his feelings or even my own. The good news for me is unlike Kickin who has a limited master I am loved by the one who holds everything together.

Although Kickin is just an animal I know that God cares about him and that gives me comfort.

Are you feeling afraid because of the sins in your life? You might have had an abortion, stolen from someone, or even killed someone. Your fears are valid but our Creator desires that you call upon Him for His justice found His Mercy and Grace. Of course His forgiveness does not release us from the consequences of our actions but it does relieve us of the debt we owe to Him for our sin.

If you are someone fearing God's judgment on your sins stop right now and ask Him for His forgiveness and discover the peace that will come when He spreads His arms around you relieving your fears.

Simple Actions Do Make A Difference

I have a rule I try to go by when either meeting with women other than my wife. I try to include another male, leave my office door open and in the case of having to drive some place I either drive separately or make sure we have another man present with us.

I do this not because my wife doesn't trust me or because I have temptations but I do it because it avoids a possible situation where temptation does occur and then my wife will have reason to not trust me.

Today I went to look at some real estate and our agent is an attractive female. I met her at the real estate office and since the property we were going to look at was about 30 miles away she asked if I would like to ride with her. I politely declined and let her know that I have a rule that I do not ride alone with any female other than my wife.

Once we reached our destination she made the comment how much she appreciated what I said when she asked if I wanted to ride with her.

Just a simple action made a big impression. By the way she has read REAL Men RoCK and I could have very easily have made a bad impression because I did not live up to what I talk about here.

Now of course I am not perfect and I often fail at even the smallest things I write about here but this time I passed the test.

Simple Actions Do Make A Difference.

Maybe Land for the Dream

The other day my wife, Kat, and I looked at 27 acres that we hope to turn into a farm. It would be a farm with Hoop houses, goats, chickens, ducks and guineas. Here is a slide show of the property. I hope you enjoy it.

27 Acres

Has Your Check to God Bounced?

Have you ever written a check thinking that you had the funds in the bank to cover it only to find out a few days later that it bounced?

I have some bad news for you: "Every day you write one to God only to have it bouncing on you." Wait you might be saying I have never had a check bounce that I write to the church or I have not failed on my obligations to the church because I do all of these good deeds or even as some think "I keep the Sabbath, the Holy Days and observe all of the rules, or I go to church every Sunday and pay my tithes, etc.".

Let me explain what I am talking about. We often have the idea that the checks we write to the church or the good deeds we perform make us right with God. That is a wrong way of thinking because it is a gospel of Jesus plus. It is also wrong because no matter how hard we try we will always end up sinning. Oh we might not commit murder, rob a bank, have an affair but almost every day we are going to get angry with someone, lie, think more highly of ourselves than others, or not grant grace or mercy to others. At that point our check bounces and we again owe God.

Paul tells us in Romans 3: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

and he tells us in Romans 4: 4 when we try to work for our salvation we miss the mark

Romans 4: 4 Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due.

Now you might be thinking so what is the good news in all of this. What can I do to be made right in God's eyes?

Paul answers that in Romans 3: 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;

and in Romans 5: 9-11 Now that we are set right with God by means of this sacrificial death, the consummate blood sacrifice, there is no longer a question of being at odds with God in any way. If, when we were at our worst, we were put on friendly terms with God by the sacrificial death of his Son, now that we're at our best, just think of how our lives will expand and deepen by means of his resurrection life! Now that we have actually received this amazing friendship with God, we are no longer content to simply say it in plodding prose. We sing and shout our praises to God through Jesus, the Messiah!

The Good News about your bounced check is the Banker has set up an over draft system that covers you. God knew you and I could not possibly go through a day, a week, a month, a year or a life without sinning and there by bouncing our check to Him and falling back into debt. To cover our failing to have sufficient fund deposited in His bank He provided a way to have our bounced check covered through the sacrifice of His son.

The bad news you will never be perfect in this life and the Good News is God knows that and made a way to shield you from your sin. All you have to do is recognize He is God, His son Jesus died for you and rely on His Holy Spirit to help you in your daily walk.

Sounds simple doesn't it? The answer is Yes and No.

This post resulted from a sermon heard at Vineyard Church in Overland Park, KS.

The American Dream Stolen

It is true! The American Dream has been stolen and replaced by one of success, fortune and fame. It is not only true about the American society as a whole but it is also true in the Church.

It seems everyone is dreaming of a bigger home, a faster car, more powerful ipod, iphone, or laptop. It seems that success is measured by the clothes one wears, the car one drives or the home or area one lives in.

Let's look at what the founding fathers of the United States saw as measurements of success.

From the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

The United States Constitution was written to protect the people from their government taking away those rights.

The American Dream is really about being free and having the security that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness protected.

The American Dream is not found in a bigger home, a faster car or even wealth. Our founding father's knew that a home can burn to the ground, wealth can disappear over night and those can be replaced but freedom true freedom is much more valuable than any material thing.

Today we find mega-churches and other church organizations preaching a wealth and health message instead about the freedom found in Jesus Christ. I believe God is not against good health or even wealth but He detests a life that is focused and measured in those.

I am reading a book by David Platt that encourages us to "Take back your faith from the American Dream". The book is called, "Radical" and is all about Jesus teaching about what it means to follow Him. I encourage you to get this book and read it with an open mind. Let God show you where in your own life you have abandoned Jesus idea of what being His follower is all about. Then if you are Radical enough make the changes to become His disciple.

WARNING!!!! To be a follower of Jesus will mean buying completely into His teachings and selling out to His way of life.

David Platt is the pastor of The Church at Brook Hills, which is a 4,000 member congregation so I think he knows what it means to get caught up in the thrill of seeing numbers as success.

3 No Nos in America

I am writing this post in response to something I heard in a sermon.

If you live in America today and consider yourself a Christian there are many things that people who are not Christian think you should not get involved in. Some believe that Christians are intolerant and self-righteous when they take a stand on things. They say Christians are hypocrites when they sin and in many cases they are. I believe these things are come from a misunderstanding of what a Christian is. In the next paragraph is my definition of a Christian or at least how I understand my relationship to God.

A Christian is a follower of the one who is known in history as Jesus of Nazareth and the one they believe is the Christ the savior of the world. They believe He was the son of God and that through His death they are forgiven and through His resurrection they have hope of being raised from the dead some time in the future.

The story of Jesus is not a new one because there have been many such stories about life, death and resurrection but none of the other stories involve the Creator coming to stand in man's place for the sins they have committed. There is no God like that in all of the other stories.

A follower of Jesus is one who knows they are not perfect and that they will still commit sin in some way even after accepting Jesus as their savior. They see the sins of others through that lens and so a true follower of Jesus does not make judgment of others even though they may voice opposition to their sin. A true Follower of Jesus is tolerant of other people even though they may not be tolerant of their behavior. They know that they are not that much different than them. A true follower of Jesus knows that they stand equally before the Creator God and Judge of the world but that because they have accepted the sacrifice of Jesus when it comes to sentencing He shows to the Judge His wounds to show that the debt has been paid in full. A true follower of Jesus knows that they are no more righteous than anyone else and they know that any righteousness granted to them is given by the Creator.

What are the Three No Nos in America? They are three areas of life that other people say Christians have no right to voice an opinion on. The three areas are:

1) Criticism of the religion of Evolution. Make no mistake about it Evolution is a religion. It is the belief that man is subject to no one and that nature is the God of the universe. If one who believes they are really educated who just apply the ability to think freely that God gave them they would have to admit it takes more faith to believe life just spontaneously came into being. I believe that anyone who believes in Evolution is being purposely ignorant of nature because they do not want to acknowledge the possibility of a Creator because they would have to then submit to that God.

2) Criticism of the Homosexual life style and the belief that people involved in those life styles were not born that way and can choose to change.

3) Criticism of Abortion. Believing that abortion is the taking of a human life is offensive to some because they assume that it is a condemnation of the person who has had an abortion. It never ceases to amaze me that the very people who are against the death penalty in America are the biggest supporters of abortion. Check out the abortion facts and Rick's Pro-Life Blog.

I am going to state my beliefs about the 3 No Nos.

1) Evolution has been shoved down the throats of young school children as fact. It is a LIE!

2) The Homosexual life style is wrong and people involved in it are living a LIE!

3) Getting an Abortion is the ending a human life and it is all based on a LIE!

Those who really know me would probably say that I am pretty tolerant of others and accepting of them. Even though I believe the world has been lied to about the 3 No Nos I believe that God desires to heal the wounds caused by the belief in them. I am in no way better than people who believe evolution is fact, that homosexual life styles are natural and that having an abortion is nothing more than removing tissue matter from a woman's body. The only thing I have going for me that they currently do not and that is Jesus will step between me and the Judge when my judgment day comes.

Usually I encourage people to leave a comment about how they were encouraged by a post but this time I invite any criticism one might have concerning this post. Just be aware that as a follower of Jesus I am set in my ways because you see God asks us to conform His standards not the worlds. Giving in to the 3 No Nos is the world's standard and I will not conform to it.

Putting Faith Into Action

Last night I had the opportunity to watch two people put their faith into action.

I was with my daughter as a man worked on the brakes on her car. When he had finished putting the new brakes on she asked him how much she owed him. She had been told that the labor for putting on new brakes was about $100 or maybe a little more. She stood there shocked when he told her $40.

She handed him more than he asked and we left.

Now you might be asking what does this have to do with putting ones faith in action and that is a good question.

Here is my take on what happened.

The guy works as a mechanic in a dealership and gets paid for each car he works on. He has a family and one of his children is a special needs child. The day he worked on my daughter's car was a slow day and he spent all day at the dealership and did not work on any cars so he received no pay for that day. Getting $100 for the brake job would have gone a good way toward replacing the income he did not receive that day.

The church this man attends teaches that we are to help the widows, single moms and orphans. He was putting into practice what he was being taught. The roots of his actions are found in James 1: 27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

My daughter is a single mom who is working and going to school. Every dollar is needed as she takes care of four children with little other financial assistance. When she heard him say what he was charging she could have given him exactly what he asked for but instead she gave him more although not as much as she thought she would have to pay. She was practicing what the church she attends in paying a man a fair wage for the services he performed. Her actions are based in Proverbs 3:27-28 (The Message) 27-29 Never walk away from someone who deserves help;
your hand is God's hand for that person. Don't tell your neighbor "Maybe some other time" or "Try me tomorrow" when the money's right there in your pocket. Don't figure ways of taking advantage of your neighbor when he's sitting there trusting and unsuspecting.

Both the man who worked on my daughter's car and my daughter put their faith into action. Their actions were not acts to be saved but acts resulting from their salvation.

As I walked to my car the Holy Spirit moved me to tears because I was able to watch two followers of Jesus acting in such a way that made the Father smile.

Blessings Instead of Cursing

Wow, heard a great sermon today by Ed McGlasson about the Father's blessing.

One of the things he brought up was how many churches, like the Vineyard, have focused on breaking the curses of fathers which are rooted in what we find in Exodus 20: 4-6 4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

What we sometimes do when quoting scripture is to stop before we share the entire scripture. For example in the above verses God says He will curse those who make for themselves idols but we fail to read down to verse 6 where He says He will love for a thousand generation those who love Him and keep His commands.

I am sure someone reading this will say but wait I am not guilty of having idols or making an image I bow down to but see if any of these fit:

Do you put more energy into any of these than you do knowing God? Pornography, greed, money, jealousy, material possessions, love of self over others, drinking, drugs, smoking, gambling, and the list goes on and on. These can be all idols that you have placed before God and result in cursing instead of blessing.

The hope we have is that when we accept Jesus God will exchange the cursing He has placed on us for having those idols in our lives and replace it with blessings found in Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (New American Standard Bible) 17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

Today's sermon was about the receiving and granting the Father's blessing and this was just a small part of the sermon. Over the next few days I will try to share other points Ed made. I hope that if any of you experienced having a lousy father that you will come back to read the other posts.

I believe God wants to give you a blessing that you can pass on to your children, to others and even to your father if he is still living. He wants you to have this blessing because you are a new creation in Christ and you are one of His adopted children.

He wants only the best for His children.

Planting Seeds and Unscrambling Eggs

I want to share a friend's Blog and Book with you. This guy has a neat story to tell that many of you will identify with and I hope that it brings you hope and encouragement.

His Blog is called, "Planting Seeds"

His Book is called, "Unscrambling Eggs: My Journey With God"

Rick and I have been friends for about 7 years. We worked together to form a men's ministry at the Vineyard Church that we attended. We went through Vineyard Leadership Institute together.

We both know that God has called us to do a work that involves sharing our life story with people and hopefully by doing so sharing what God has done in our lives.

Please pay Rick's Blog a visit and then consider purchasing one of his books. I believe for 10 USD you can't go wrong. Who knows God just might unleash in you the gift you have been hiding or have stuffed away due to life circumstances. Now is the time to become alive and do what you were made to do.

Which Chair Do You In?

I want to begin by recommending a book for you to read, "30 Days to Experiencing Spiritual Breakthroughs" by Bruce Wilkinson.

In this book he brings up in the book three types of chairs to describe our relationship with God.

The First Chair stands for Commitment. The person sitting in this chair has chosen to wholly love and serve God.

The Second Chair stands for Compromise. The person sitting in this chair has chosen to try to get for themselves the best that both God and the world have to offer.

The Third Chair stands for Conflict. The person sitting in this chair has chosen not to respond to God in any meaningful way, remaining at odds with eternal spiritual realities.

Let's look at the Third Chair first. God is trying to get our attention each and every minute of the day. I believe He uses the shows we watch, the music we listen to and the people we hang with to talk to us. Of course the number one way He talks to us is through the pages of the Bible. Having said that if a person is not reading the Bible then God has to use other methods to get their attention.

The person sitting in the Third Chair might seem to be doing okay but they are constantly facing conflict. God is trying to get their attention through the movies they watch, the music they listen to and the people they hang with. Usually the movies are not edifying or encouraging, the music they listen to are usually not a positive message and the people they hang with often are heavy drinkers, drug addicts or involved in illegal activities. As a result their life is full of conflict.

Now the person in the Second Chair attends Church now and then come Monday they fall back into their old ways. They look good one day and then the rest of the week they have to try to cover up how often they have their hand in the world's cookie jar. I call this person a CINO, Christian In Name Only.

I am going to focus the rest of this post on the person sitting in the First Chair which actually is made up of three different types of chairs.

There is the Easy Chair, the Straight Back Chair and the Stool.

The Easy Chair: The person sitting in this chair is a Christian but they are comfortable where they are. They do not see any reason to continue to grow and they believe they have overcome the world.

The Straight Back Chair: The person sitting in this chair is moving from being a Christian to becoming a Follower of Jesus. They often see that they need to make some changes and seek help in changing the things they struggle with.

The Stool: The person sitting on this chair has decided to commit their entire life to living a godly life. They are not always perfect but they every now and then they achieve perfection as described by Jesus in Sermon on the Mound found in Matthew. The Stool actually can be one of three different types.

The first stool represents the majority of Followers of Jesus. They are committed to Him and sit in an uncomfortable chair and are constantly examining their lives and making changes to overcome.

The Follower of Jesus that sits on this stool is similar to the one that sits on the first stool but this Follower is busy helping others.

The Follower of Jesus that sits on this chair is like the first two Followers but this person is ready to spring off of the stool at a moments notice to do the calling of Jesus. They completely trust in the Lord and do not rely on any other support except for God.

This post applies to every person who reads it. They are either non-responsive to God, responsive to God but straddling the fence, or they are committed to God and respond to each and every message from Him.

The question for us is "Which Chair do we sit in most often?" If we are honest we have to admit our goal is to sit on the one legged stool but more often than not we are sitting in one of the other chairs. The good news is God will patiently work with you to help you sit in a chair that is more committed to Him.