September 21, 2008
May 6, 2008
Follow The Only Leader
Recently I was listening to a TV preacher and he said the following.
"MOSES HAD THE LAW TO FOLLOW. WE HAVE THE BIBLE TO FOLLOW AND WE NEED TO KNOW IT."
I put the quote in all caps to show the intensity and passion that he said it with. The whole time he was swinging the biggest Bible around in the air I have ever seen. While I really appreciate his passion for God I could not disagree with his message more. Moses did not have the Law to follow he had God Himself to follow. Moses would not even have the Law if it were not for his relationship with God. Furthermore the Bible that this pastor said we need to know proclaims that the Law was never meant to be followed, it was an instrument of God to show us our weakness or better yet our lack of ability to be right with a perfect and holy God. The Law was meant to point, draw, or drive us to Him. No one can truly know the Bible unless they first know its Author. It can not be understood without His leading of our hearts. So in short Moses had God to follow and as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ so do we.
Thank You Jesus :::
March 4, 2008
Alyssa Says
About 15 minutes after being put down to bed last night Alyssa comes into our room and says,"Daddy you forgot to pray TO US."
How sweet that the lovable little creature would openly admit her desire to be worshipped.
She also says,"Robots can't potty because they don't have butts."
After being disciplined for bad behavior that she knew she was not suppose to be doing she said,"You are a mean Daddy. You don't like children. You are mean to children."
Guess I picked the right toys to take away. Of course this should be an expected response when one who desires to be worshiped does not get her way.
July 27, 2007
The Charge to the Bride and Groom
When reading this try to think of much more than a marriage relationship. Think of our relationship to our heavenly Father. Think of what we have been called to in the church as a family of God's Children. This was inspired from a collection of thoughts and learning experiences over my 15 years of walking with the Holy Spirit and just over 1o years now of being married to my bride Christy whom I love dearly. The process of becoming one is one of the hardest yet most rewarding experiences we have in relationships. Hope you all enjoy it. I love you all!!!
The charge of the Bride and Groom: From the wedding of Michael and Hillery Cross June 30, 2007
Michael and Hillery: The charge of the Bride and Groom in marriage is two individual lives becoming one. From now on thinking of yourself means thinking of and for each other. Together you will share one common life. Sharing one common life starts with one act, a very special life long commitment that says to each other I choose you. You could have chosen to give your hearts to anyone but you chose each other. You could have chosen to give your lives to anyone but you chose each other. Never forget this or let it be this stolen from you. Hold the choosing of one another in the deepest part of your hearts and never let it go. This commitment is followed by a continued learning, deepening, and growing with each other in this new life you now share together. Each moment of everyday will be an opportunity to work out the oneness you have joined into. Some of these opportunities will come in the areas we most commonly think of when beginning a marriage. Thoughts of the love, happiness, and the joy you will share together for the rest of your lives. Thoughts of the things you love about the other person. Thoughts of the family and future that lie ahead. The feelings of love and being in love. But fulfilling the commitment of becoming one is much greater and can not stand on these things alone because these thoughts and feelings will come and go. To fulfill your commitment of becoming one it takes growing together in a more intimate vulnerability with each other. Being able to share, listen, and hear beyond the words and emotions that are being shown on the outside and diving into each others hearts. The most intimate of gifts one can give to another is your own heart. Because the heart is the place where our most personal and intimate details are stored. The heart is the place where our greatest fears, deepest secrets, wildest dreams, hopes for the future, inexpressible joy, and past failures, are exposed for what they really are. The giving and receiving of ones heart en-tales the deepest of trust in one another which comes from learning over time that the other is a safe place to expose the depths of our heart with. Because the heart is the one place that only each individual and God the Father truly knows. No one can force you to reveal your heart. You have to willfully open your heart to another. There will be times that it will be hard to open your heart to each other but you must always fight to live from your heart with one another. There will be times that you will make your heart available to each other only to find it gets trampled upon. Facing that hurt together that you may know that it is still safe to make your heart available again instead of closing your heart off to the other is part of becoming one. Always remember that while you became one on this marriage day that the process of becoming one in our daily lives is a continuous choice on our part to make our hearts open to one another. I charge you both to live openly and freely from the heart and to allow each other the freedom to do the same. The charge of giving your hearts fully to one another is not an option but is essential to having a healthy relationship. Always remember that your life is no longer your own but that you belong to another by choice. And finally and most importantly as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ the greatest charge of all to the Bride and Groom in marriage is to manifest the life of Christ to one another in all things. Because allowing Christ to live through you is the only true source of life to your marriage.
The charge of the Bride and Groom: From the wedding of Michael and Hillery Cross June 30, 2007
Michael and Hillery: The charge of the Bride and Groom in marriage is two individual lives becoming one. From now on thinking of yourself means thinking of and for each other. Together you will share one common life. Sharing one common life starts with one act, a very special life long commitment that says to each other I choose you. You could have chosen to give your hearts to anyone but you chose each other. You could have chosen to give your lives to anyone but you chose each other. Never forget this or let it be this stolen from you. Hold the choosing of one another in the deepest part of your hearts and never let it go. This commitment is followed by a continued learning, deepening, and growing with each other in this new life you now share together. Each moment of everyday will be an opportunity to work out the oneness you have joined into. Some of these opportunities will come in the areas we most commonly think of when beginning a marriage. Thoughts of the love, happiness, and the joy you will share together for the rest of your lives. Thoughts of the things you love about the other person. Thoughts of the family and future that lie ahead. The feelings of love and being in love. But fulfilling the commitment of becoming one is much greater and can not stand on these things alone because these thoughts and feelings will come and go. To fulfill your commitment of becoming one it takes growing together in a more intimate vulnerability with each other. Being able to share, listen, and hear beyond the words and emotions that are being shown on the outside and diving into each others hearts. The most intimate of gifts one can give to another is your own heart. Because the heart is the place where our most personal and intimate details are stored. The heart is the place where our greatest fears, deepest secrets, wildest dreams, hopes for the future, inexpressible joy, and past failures, are exposed for what they really are. The giving and receiving of ones heart en-tales the deepest of trust in one another which comes from learning over time that the other is a safe place to expose the depths of our heart with. Because the heart is the one place that only each individual and God the Father truly knows. No one can force you to reveal your heart. You have to willfully open your heart to another. There will be times that it will be hard to open your heart to each other but you must always fight to live from your heart with one another. There will be times that you will make your heart available to each other only to find it gets trampled upon. Facing that hurt together that you may know that it is still safe to make your heart available again instead of closing your heart off to the other is part of becoming one. Always remember that while you became one on this marriage day that the process of becoming one in our daily lives is a continuous choice on our part to make our hearts open to one another. I charge you both to live openly and freely from the heart and to allow each other the freedom to do the same. The charge of giving your hearts fully to one another is not an option but is essential to having a healthy relationship. Always remember that your life is no longer your own but that you belong to another by choice. And finally and most importantly as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ the greatest charge of all to the Bride and Groom in marriage is to manifest the life of Christ to one another in all things. Because allowing Christ to live through you is the only true source of life to your marriage.
Wedding Encouragement 1 John 4:7-11
From the wedding of Michael Cross and Hillary Gross. June 30, 2007
7. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
8. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
9. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
10. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be an atoning Sacrifice for our sins.
11. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
In preparing this message I could not help but remember back when my wife and I got married just over 10 years ago. Our love was a foolish and reckless love. It was a blind love, we really did not know what we were getting into. It was much more like the love of Romeo and Juliet instead of like the love of Christ. Yet to say the least it was a very fun kind of love. But if our love for one another was going to make it for a lifetime and do more than just survive it was going to have to mature.
I picked this passage scripture for this message because it is a call to Gods children to love one another. Though this passage is not about marriage itself the call to love one another involves every aspect of our Christian lives. More importantly it is not the call to love one another but with what measure we are called to love one another with. The love that we are called to in this passage is impossible if we do not do it from the right source. Because the love that is talked about here is agape love. In other words He is asking us to love one another with a supernatural love. Love that only exist because He is Love. He is asking us to love one another with His love just as He has loved us. Let me remind us that His love is void of selfishness, it can not be earned but is freely given even when it is not deserved, He has a perfect love, His love is not conditional, His love recognizes and relates to our differences, it is flawless in every way and He withholds none of His love from us, His love is self sacrificing, it is everlasting, In fact His love is everything that human love is not.
The only conclusion we can draw from this is that if we are going to love as He has loved then we need Him. It is impossible to give or receive true love without Him. The reason He can call us to such a great standard of love such as Himself is because He dwells in us. Our heavenly Father withheld none of His riches from us in that He gave us Himself. He removed the obstacles that kept us from Him and replaced them with Himself. I ask you what kind of love is this? that we now are partakers of His divine nature and love. That we are no longer void of true love but are united to it. And now that we have such a great love within us we are called to be filled with it in such a way that we love one another with it. Being filled with this love takes place in our realizing that we can not reach such a high standard by trusting in what we have know to be love before having true love. Our old ways of loving others must fade away as we depend upon the Father to teach us our new way of life in Him. We must allow the Father to love in and through us.
7. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
8. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
9. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
10. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be an atoning Sacrifice for our sins.
11. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
In preparing this message I could not help but remember back when my wife and I got married just over 10 years ago. Our love was a foolish and reckless love. It was a blind love, we really did not know what we were getting into. It was much more like the love of Romeo and Juliet instead of like the love of Christ. Yet to say the least it was a very fun kind of love. But if our love for one another was going to make it for a lifetime and do more than just survive it was going to have to mature.
I picked this passage scripture for this message because it is a call to Gods children to love one another. Though this passage is not about marriage itself the call to love one another involves every aspect of our Christian lives. More importantly it is not the call to love one another but with what measure we are called to love one another with. The love that we are called to in this passage is impossible if we do not do it from the right source. Because the love that is talked about here is agape love. In other words He is asking us to love one another with a supernatural love. Love that only exist because He is Love. He is asking us to love one another with His love just as He has loved us. Let me remind us that His love is void of selfishness, it can not be earned but is freely given even when it is not deserved, He has a perfect love, His love is not conditional, His love recognizes and relates to our differences, it is flawless in every way and He withholds none of His love from us, His love is self sacrificing, it is everlasting, In fact His love is everything that human love is not.
The only conclusion we can draw from this is that if we are going to love as He has loved then we need Him. It is impossible to give or receive true love without Him. The reason He can call us to such a great standard of love such as Himself is because He dwells in us. Our heavenly Father withheld none of His riches from us in that He gave us Himself. He removed the obstacles that kept us from Him and replaced them with Himself. I ask you what kind of love is this? that we now are partakers of His divine nature and love. That we are no longer void of true love but are united to it. And now that we have such a great love within us we are called to be filled with it in such a way that we love one another with it. Being filled with this love takes place in our realizing that we can not reach such a high standard by trusting in what we have know to be love before having true love. Our old ways of loving others must fade away as we depend upon the Father to teach us our new way of life in Him. We must allow the Father to love in and through us.
April 25, 2007
Bad News/Good News 1
Paul had not been to Rome before he wrote his letter to them (1:13). He was eager to share the gospel (1:15) with the Romans and presented the good news of Christ to all. The book is filled with the bad news of humanity left to itself without God. More importantly it is filled with the good news of how He loved us His creation so much that He stormed out of heaven in His Son Jesus Christ to redeem those who would receive Him as Savior and Life. I thought that it would be neat to look at some of the bad news/good news that I have learned in the first 8 chapters of the book. This by no means is an exhaustive list but what comes to mind as I recall what Father has taught me.
Romans 1
Bad news: for the gentiles
1. The wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. (18)
2. Man having access to the truth because God has made it know in them, to them, and in creation clearly and they are without excuse. (19-20) In other words no one has an excuse.
3. By not acknowledging, honoring, or giving thanks to God their foolish hearts were darkened. Man professing to be wise (on their own without God), became fools. (21-22)
4. As a result of the foolishness man they worshipped everything except for God the only one who was worthy of praise. (23,24)
5. God gave man over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity (24), to degrading passions (26), to a depraved mind (28), to do those thing which are not proper.
Man who was designed by God to need Him and Him only rejects Him even after being shown that they are in need of Him. God created man out of His love, showed them their need for Him out of His love, and turns them over to their sin out of His love. Everyone was born in sin and death (death meaning without Gods life) because all are born in Adam (5:12-21). Being born in sin and death Man needed to realize his or her need for a perfectly holy God. Having been show their need for God by God rejecting it out of their own pride God gives them over to their sin that they may turn to Him in their desperation seeing their inability in and of themselves to ever be right with God. The good news is that loved us enough to let us fall flat on our faces that we may surrender ourselves to our greatest need Himself.
Romans 1
Bad news: for the gentiles
1. The wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. (18)
2. Man having access to the truth because God has made it know in them, to them, and in creation clearly and they are without excuse. (19-20) In other words no one has an excuse.
3. By not acknowledging, honoring, or giving thanks to God their foolish hearts were darkened. Man professing to be wise (on their own without God), became fools. (21-22)
4. As a result of the foolishness man they worshipped everything except for God the only one who was worthy of praise. (23,24)
5. God gave man over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity (24), to degrading passions (26), to a depraved mind (28), to do those thing which are not proper.
Man who was designed by God to need Him and Him only rejects Him even after being shown that they are in need of Him. God created man out of His love, showed them their need for Him out of His love, and turns them over to their sin out of His love. Everyone was born in sin and death (death meaning without Gods life) because all are born in Adam (5:12-21). Being born in sin and death Man needed to realize his or her need for a perfectly holy God. Having been show their need for God by God rejecting it out of their own pride God gives them over to their sin that they may turn to Him in their desperation seeing their inability in and of themselves to ever be right with God. The good news is that loved us enough to let us fall flat on our faces that we may surrender ourselves to our greatest need Himself.
April 23, 2007
Close To Home 2
More pictures from the Louisana trip.
I saw this box at a hole in the wall BBQ place on our way to LA. The good news is that they don't have God in a box, but that did not stop them from making Jesus into a box.
Sweet ride! I would not be telling the truth if I said that the thought to steal it did not cross my mind. It was even more tempting because I know that it is not hard to hot-wire. Unfortunately for my flesh I am a new creature in Christ and I know it.
Great food and fellowship. Joel is the man. I think he must of ate 8,000 craw fish before they ran out.
Tim Chalas
Curtis and Todd
Sean Mann
Tim Chalas, youth pastor of Grace Life Fellowship in Baton Rouge, showing his "wild at heart" side on the guys trip. I call him Hero because that is what he has been in my life. A living hero of faith in Christ. In the 5 or 6 years I have know him I have never seen him be able to take a nap.
Some of the guys thought that it would be great to put a cigar in this buffalo's mouth that was hanging in the main lodge. I said, "The thing commands it." Hope the owners find it as funny as we did.
I saw this box at a hole in the wall BBQ place on our way to LA. The good news is that they don't have God in a box, but that did not stop them from making Jesus into a box.
Sweet ride! I would not be telling the truth if I said that the thought to steal it did not cross my mind. It was even more tempting because I know that it is not hard to hot-wire. Unfortunately for my flesh I am a new creature in Christ and I know it.
Great food and fellowship. Joel is the man. I think he must of ate 8,000 craw fish before they ran out.
Tim Chalas
Curtis and Todd
Sean Mann
Tim Chalas, youth pastor of Grace Life Fellowship in Baton Rouge, showing his "wild at heart" side on the guys trip. I call him Hero because that is what he has been in my life. A living hero of faith in Christ. In the 5 or 6 years I have know him I have never seen him be able to take a nap.
Some of the guys thought that it would be great to put a cigar in this buffalo's mouth that was hanging in the main lodge. I said, "The thing commands it." Hope the owners find it as funny as we did.April 19, 2007
Close To Home
Took a road trip to Vinton, LA with a couple of friends for a men's weekend (April the 13th through the 15th.) There were about 60 guys this year. In the evenings we broke up into small groups for a intimate time of fellowship. I got to lead one of the groups it was awesome getting to know some new people. We shared our testimonies, talked about deepening our relationship with Father and each other, and someone asked the question, "Do we (Christians) have a sin nature?" Of course if you know me then you know that I led the discussion by kicking back a couple of questions to the group. "How do you define sin nature?" and more importantly, "How does God define sin nature?"
When Jesus said He was going to prepare a place for us in heaven I am sure He meant He was going to plant this tree in my yard. Yes, I am going to have a yard in heaven. I miss South Louisana, these big trees, and the moss. TEXAS SUCKS! Just kidding, its ok as far as states go!
I really dislike fishing. You never know if you are going to catch anything. I don't know how people can just sit around and catch nothing all day. My idea of a good time is almost having my hand bit off by a gator, having a moccasin chase me, or being chased by something large. Only because I am not bright enough to carry a gun when I go places like this. Otherwise my idea of a good time would be shooting whatever tried to chase me. Anyway back to the picture! So I see these guys throwing out lines and immediately catching these little fish. So I decided to give it a try and I caught one. My kind of fishing... bate the hook, throw the line, fish bites, pull it in, and it's over. Been there done that!
Here is a boar that some of the guys caught. It weighted about 270 to 300 lbs. It is alive in this picture, hog tied, and pissed off. It tried to get anyone who got near it. We talked about letting it loose in the camp. Could have been a good time!
We heard that there was a small gator in this area. So Curtis and I decided that we should investigate. We took a spin in the pirogue for a look around. Can you take a spin in a pirogue? This is my blog and I can take a spin in anything I want!
My chauffeur, Curtis! There was only one paddle so Curtis did most of the work.
Air boats!
Todd on the air boat!
Me on the air boat! The driver is on the right side of the picture.
When Jesus said He was going to prepare a place for us in heaven I am sure He meant He was going to plant this tree in my yard. Yes, I am going to have a yard in heaven. I miss South Louisana, these big trees, and the moss. TEXAS SUCKS! Just kidding, its ok as far as states go!
I really dislike fishing. You never know if you are going to catch anything. I don't know how people can just sit around and catch nothing all day. My idea of a good time is almost having my hand bit off by a gator, having a moccasin chase me, or being chased by something large. Only because I am not bright enough to carry a gun when I go places like this. Otherwise my idea of a good time would be shooting whatever tried to chase me. Anyway back to the picture! So I see these guys throwing out lines and immediately catching these little fish. So I decided to give it a try and I caught one. My kind of fishing... bate the hook, throw the line, fish bites, pull it in, and it's over. Been there done that!
Here is a boar that some of the guys caught. It weighted about 270 to 300 lbs. It is alive in this picture, hog tied, and pissed off. It tried to get anyone who got near it. We talked about letting it loose in the camp. Could have been a good time!
We heard that there was a small gator in this area. So Curtis and I decided that we should investigate. We took a spin in the pirogue for a look around. Can you take a spin in a pirogue? This is my blog and I can take a spin in anything I want!
My chauffeur, Curtis! There was only one paddle so Curtis did most of the work.
Air boats!
Todd on the air boat!
Me on the air boat! The driver is on the right side of the picture.
April 11, 2007
Cowboy Week At School
Cowboy week at Nathan Adams Elementary school.
While dropping Ethan off at school one day I found this wanted poster. Seems Ethan has trouble keeping still in class and now has a warrant out for his arrest with a $2000.00 reward. I could use the $2000.00 in reward money but he is worth so much more.
We had a family project to create a cowboy with different materials we had around the house. Ethan is coloring in the back ground. He did such a great job. I am so proud of him!
This cowboy looks just like Ethan! Maybe I can turn him in for the reward and still get to keep the real one.
While dropping Ethan off at school one day I found this wanted poster. Seems Ethan has trouble keeping still in class and now has a warrant out for his arrest with a $2000.00 reward. I could use the $2000.00 in reward money but he is worth so much more.
We had a family project to create a cowboy with different materials we had around the house. Ethan is coloring in the back ground. He did such a great job. I am so proud of him!
This cowboy looks just like Ethan! Maybe I can turn him in for the reward and still get to keep the real one.
April 10, 2007
Easter Celebration On Saturday
This past Saturday our church had a Easter Celebration. A time of enjoying one another. We had a family picnic at the church, the kids enjoyed face painting, an Easter egg hunt, playing in inflatable slides and jumpers, a petting zoo. THANK YOU IBC! We appreciate you!
I'm not really sure if the kids are running to get eggs or out of fear because daddy's butt is facing them!
Tigers after the great hunt!
Tigers at rest!
Tigers at play!
Tigers at play inside the inflatable train!
The kids chased this poor duck non-stop.
I am surprised that it did not die from exhaustion.
I'm not really sure if the kids are running to get eggs or out of fear because daddy's butt is facing them!
Tigers after the great hunt!
Tigers at rest!
Tigers at play!
Tigers at play inside the inflatable train!
March 21, 2007
You Are Loved!
A few years ago I had about an hour long drive to make alone. (Well, those who are in Christ are never really alone.) As I was driving I said, "Father I am going to remain completely quiet during this drive and I am open to hear whatever you would like to tell me." Instantly the thought "I love you" flooded my mind. For that hour long drive that is the only thing I believe He said to me. I asked Father to talk to me about whatever He wanted and the only thing He said to me was "I love you." It still blows my mind. He could have told me I was speeding, (I more than likely was doing so) brought up a verse for me to dwell on, been silent, He could have done or said anything, But He chose to say, "I love you". I believed then and I believe it now.
You are His chosen beloved child! I hope that you know He loves you! Can you receive His love?
You are loved!
You are His chosen beloved child! I hope that you know He loves you! Can you receive His love?
You are loved!
March 20, 2007
It's Great To Be Ministered Too!
Our ministry received a support check recently with the comment "money with a mission" in the memo box. It was very uplifting to receive.
March 19, 2007
A Different Perception
I was buckling Alyssa (3) into her car seat when she looked at my new shirt and said, "Dad, look at your shirt, it's a mess." She is used to me wearing black or white t-shirts without a design on them. It does look like someone just got paint all over it. It was very cute to say the least.
She knows her daddy. He normally wears plain black and he is messy.
Another Alyssa story: Christy made the kids a grilled cheese sandwich then asked Alyssa, "Would you like me to cut yours into triangles or squares?" Alyssa said, "circles" to which Christy responded, "I can not make circles would you like triangles or squares." Alyssa responded, "octagons".
The Clean Up
Wait a minute, hold that thought. I know what your thinking. Wes is dealing again. But this is not a can full of Marijuana but insulation from the ceiling falling in. If your ceiling is going to fall down then it is helpful and convenient when it fills your trash can up.
However it is not so helpful or convenient when it fills the toilet. The only thing in this project that was worst than cleaning out the insulation that fell into the toilet was having to wear a face mask while having a sinus infection. YUK!
I am not going to repair the ceiling until we can get someone out to repair the leak in the ceiling. So we are sharing the kids bathroom to shower. I was wondering how this would effect Ethan's life after the toilet incident.
Ethan said "good thing we can still use both toilets." I guess having to share the tub in their bathroom does not have the same effect on his life as having to share a toilet.
March 14, 2007
Change of plans for the day
(This is my bathroom ceiling.)
(This is were it belongs.)Well we had some rain last night and now we have discovered that we have a leak in the roof. It was the ceiling laying on the floor that gave it away. Christy and I had just gotten out of the shower and while we were in the other rooms we heard a crash.
March 7, 2007
To Know Him and That's It
In church this past weekend we sang one of my favorite songs. In that song is a verse that goes like this:
"All of life comes down to just one thing
that's to know you O' Jesus
and make you known"
that's to know you O' Jesus
and make you known"
He desires for you to walk with Him. Tell Him your deepest hurts, greatest joys, tell Him those silly little thoughts you don't want anyone else to hear, tell Him your struggles, pains, when you're upset because you got cut off in the car, your fears, intimate details, secrets, if you are mad at Him, etc... He wants all of you. Talk to him as if He is right there with you because He is. He wants to mourn your hurts with you and leap with excitement in your joy. He wants to be apart of your daily life. Every moment of it.
Thanks you Jesus for wanting to be apart of our lives. We were unable to get to You so you came to us and made a way for us when we had none. You withheld nothing from us in that you gave us yourself. May we in turn give You all of ourselves. I love You! Thank You Father!
February 23, 2007
My Everything for God
Ethan has the opportunity to earn a free pass to six flags by reading some books. One of the books that we have read from is Jesus Wants All of Me by Phil A. Smouse. It is a devotional for kids based off of Oswald Chambers My Utmost For His Highest.
The first devotion is call my everything for God. I have written it below.
I am God's. My heart is His heart. My mind is His mind. My eyes will look for Him. My ears will listen for His voice. My hands will do His will. I am God's!
He starts out with our belonging to God. I am God's. I am His very own. I am His child. He is my daddy.
Then he writes of our being unified with God in heart. My heart is His heart. He has changed my heart. He owns my heart. He has made my heart like His own. I have a new heart. I now desire the things that God desires.
Next he writes of our minds being unified with God in mind. My mind is His mind. I have a new mind. It is the very mind of God. I can know God's will for me. God's thoughts are now my own.
Then he writes my eyes will look for Him. Now that I am God's. Being His and having a new heart and mind I can desire to look for Him, recognize Him, follow Him, I can set my eyes upon Him, know what He looks like, and know what His actions look like.
My ears will listen for His voice because now I can hear Him. I know His voice when I hear it. He is calling for me. His voice leads me, comforts me, praises me, and tells me I am His. His voice is pleasant to my ears. I desire to hear from Him. To hear His voice. To know that He is always with me.
My hands will do His will because I am His, I have His heart, His mind, can look for Him in all things, and I can hear His voice to follow Him. Now I can not only just know His will but also do His will with my hands. By His strength I can do His will. I am now useful to God. He uses me to do His will. He uses me to carry out His desires. He uses that which was used for bad now for His own Goodness. I can do His will.
Finally he finishes with I am Gods! Praise God! I was His enemy but now I am His. My heart was made of stone but now has been made new. My mind was black with hate for the things of God but now it has been made new. My eyes were could not look to Him before but now they look for God. My ears could not hear His voice before but now they hear the voice of God. My hands could not be used by God before but now He guides them and uses them for His will.
If we as adults would only become like little children and see the simplicity of the gospel. We tend to make everything so complicated. God has done all of the work in Christ on the cross and when I surrender my will to His by faith then and only then will I be able to give My Everything for God.
The first devotion is call my everything for God. I have written it below.
I am God's. My heart is His heart. My mind is His mind. My eyes will look for Him. My ears will listen for His voice. My hands will do His will. I am God's!
He starts out with our belonging to God. I am God's. I am His very own. I am His child. He is my daddy.
Then he writes of our being unified with God in heart. My heart is His heart. He has changed my heart. He owns my heart. He has made my heart like His own. I have a new heart. I now desire the things that God desires.
Next he writes of our minds being unified with God in mind. My mind is His mind. I have a new mind. It is the very mind of God. I can know God's will for me. God's thoughts are now my own.
Then he writes my eyes will look for Him. Now that I am God's. Being His and having a new heart and mind I can desire to look for Him, recognize Him, follow Him, I can set my eyes upon Him, know what He looks like, and know what His actions look like.
My ears will listen for His voice because now I can hear Him. I know His voice when I hear it. He is calling for me. His voice leads me, comforts me, praises me, and tells me I am His. His voice is pleasant to my ears. I desire to hear from Him. To hear His voice. To know that He is always with me.
My hands will do His will because I am His, I have His heart, His mind, can look for Him in all things, and I can hear His voice to follow Him. Now I can not only just know His will but also do His will with my hands. By His strength I can do His will. I am now useful to God. He uses me to do His will. He uses me to carry out His desires. He uses that which was used for bad now for His own Goodness. I can do His will.
Finally he finishes with I am Gods! Praise God! I was His enemy but now I am His. My heart was made of stone but now has been made new. My mind was black with hate for the things of God but now it has been made new. My eyes were could not look to Him before but now they look for God. My ears could not hear His voice before but now they hear the voice of God. My hands could not be used by God before but now He guides them and uses them for His will.
If we as adults would only become like little children and see the simplicity of the gospel. We tend to make everything so complicated. God has done all of the work in Christ on the cross and when I surrender my will to His by faith then and only then will I be able to give My Everything for God.
February 22, 2007
Proper Source
Proper Source: doing from God for God
We must come to know that we can do nothing for God and that He does not need us. If we do not believe this then we will never be able to do anything for Him. That is we will not be able to do anything that matters to or even is recognized by God. Not that what we do does not matter to God or can not be recognized by Him but the source of what we do for God makes it matter to and able to be recognized by Him.
Once we believe that we can do nothing for Him and that He does not need us only then are we in a place where we may actually be used by God. When we are able to be used by Him only then will we be able to do anything for Him. It is in our own bankruptcy that we find our strength in Him. In our inability we find that He has made us able in Christ because in Him we have His strength and our true self is only found in Christ. All self effort in the flesh really is not self effort at all because our true selves are in Christ not in the flesh. All self effort in the flesh is actually our living out of a source that is not from Christ.
God does not want us to do anything for Him unless we do it from Him. If you have not first learned to do from God then you have missed or skipped the only thing that will make it possible for you to truly do anything for Him. In other words we can do nothing for God unless we first learn to do it from God.
Think of it this way. In order to use a hose for the service of washing your car then you will first need to hook it up to a water source. If you try to hook it up to a different source (electrical, gas,)then it can not be used for the washing your car. But when hooked up to what it was designed to be hooked up to a faucet then you can use it to wash the car. Now you are not a hose but a living breathing child of God who was designed to only operate properly from Him.
Read the words of Paul speaking of his own ministry to the Romans.
Romans 15:18 For I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me,
The only thing that Paul chooses to speak of are that which Christ has done through him. Meaning that the only work that Paul did for God that was worth speaking of he did from God.
We must come to know that we can do nothing for God and that He does not need us. If we do not believe this then we will never be able to do anything for Him. That is we will not be able to do anything that matters to or even is recognized by God. Not that what we do does not matter to God or can not be recognized by Him but the source of what we do for God makes it matter to and able to be recognized by Him.
Once we believe that we can do nothing for Him and that He does not need us only then are we in a place where we may actually be used by God. When we are able to be used by Him only then will we be able to do anything for Him. It is in our own bankruptcy that we find our strength in Him. In our inability we find that He has made us able in Christ because in Him we have His strength and our true self is only found in Christ. All self effort in the flesh really is not self effort at all because our true selves are in Christ not in the flesh. All self effort in the flesh is actually our living out of a source that is not from Christ.
God does not want us to do anything for Him unless we do it from Him. If you have not first learned to do from God then you have missed or skipped the only thing that will make it possible for you to truly do anything for Him. In other words we can do nothing for God unless we first learn to do it from God.
Think of it this way. In order to use a hose for the service of washing your car then you will first need to hook it up to a water source. If you try to hook it up to a different source (electrical, gas,)then it can not be used for the washing your car. But when hooked up to what it was designed to be hooked up to a faucet then you can use it to wash the car. Now you are not a hose but a living breathing child of God who was designed to only operate properly from Him.
Read the words of Paul speaking of his own ministry to the Romans.
Romans 15:18 For I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me,
The only thing that Paul chooses to speak of are that which Christ has done through him. Meaning that the only work that Paul did for God that was worth speaking of he did from God.
February 16, 2007
Modern Day Pharisees
The great theologian Christy Plaisance shared a verse with me last night that I wanted to share with you. She pointed out to me that Jesus is ministering to those who trusted not in Him for righteousness but in their own good flesh, which compared to God's goodness is not good at all.
Luke 18:9 "And He (Jesus) also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt."
I have really ugly flesh. Even the world looks poorly on people with my flesh . But let's be real, if we are all born into this world in Adam which means that we are not in Christ then is not all flesh bad even if it appears to be good? If the world who is not in Christ looks down on those with bad fleshly behavior are they not just looking down on them from a moral high ground that is tainted.
Here's an example: Once I was sharing my testimony with a friend and after doing so a women who was next to us that heard me telling my conversion experience said, "yea but you needed something." That something was Christ and we all need Him in order to be alive to God. She was about fifty and lived a really good life. Her statement to me implied that she believed that she was so good that she did not need Christ. While she had lived a very good moral life compared to God it was as filthy as someone who was a murderer, thief, drug addict, etc...
Those who are trusting in their own goodness in the flesh are in great danger of dieing without ever receiving Christ because their pride blinds them and it is arrogance before the Lord. Any who say to Jesus, "we don't need you" have been deceived and have become fools before a Holy God. They are modern day pharisees.
Have you confessed of your goodness?
Luke 18:9 "And He (Jesus) also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt."
I have really ugly flesh. Even the world looks poorly on people with my flesh . But let's be real, if we are all born into this world in Adam which means that we are not in Christ then is not all flesh bad even if it appears to be good? If the world who is not in Christ looks down on those with bad fleshly behavior are they not just looking down on them from a moral high ground that is tainted.
Here's an example: Once I was sharing my testimony with a friend and after doing so a women who was next to us that heard me telling my conversion experience said, "yea but you needed something." That something was Christ and we all need Him in order to be alive to God. She was about fifty and lived a really good life. Her statement to me implied that she believed that she was so good that she did not need Christ. While she had lived a very good moral life compared to God it was as filthy as someone who was a murderer, thief, drug addict, etc...
Those who are trusting in their own goodness in the flesh are in great danger of dieing without ever receiving Christ because their pride blinds them and it is arrogance before the Lord. Any who say to Jesus, "we don't need you" have been deceived and have become fools before a Holy God. They are modern day pharisees.
Have you confessed of your goodness?
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