Consuming Faith Ministries

NEW BLOG

2011-10-20T20:55:00.002-05:00

Because of Blogger's crazy "new" template system and the difficulty of customizing it now. I have opted to start a new blog with wordpress instead. Check it out!

www.timrivers.wordpress.com

Young Men In Ministry - Part I

2011-10-20T11:27:00.003-05:00

Consuming Faith Ministries

2011-07-26T16:08:00.000-05:00

H2H

2011-07-25T17:35:00.003-05:00

A new house fellowship coming to cornerstone in September. Super Exciting!

CARMEN HOOD New Album "I Am A Miracle"

2011-06-30T13:05:00.005-05:00

I wanted to promote this CD entitled "I Am A Miracle" by artist Carmen Hood, wife of my good friend Evangelist Jason Hood. This CD is Awesome. The unique style and arrangements make this CD a Album everyone needs to have in their Library. On top of supporting the Hoods ministry you will be blessed by the sounds of a true testimony. Sis. Carmen Hoods testimony is unbelievable. Check out her website at www.carmenhood.com and check out her bio page for her testimony and view the music page for samples and info on how you can purchase this CD.

Click on iTunes to purchase your copy of the album now. And spread the word.

50 Days of Pentecost

2011-06-23T16:25:00.003-05:00

A recap of 50 Days of Pentecost, from Easter Sunday until Pentecost Sunday.

The Mantle

2011-04-21T09:29:00.002-05:00

Ministry is a calling that only God can extend and it is a very honorable calling indeed. As I look through scripture I find example after example of many young men being called into leadership roles. Every man that God called had special talents and abilities innate within them. They were gifted and somehow separated from the norm, not in the sense of being superior, but in the sense of being called out of.

However great the abilities and talents given to a man in the infant stages of ministry, whether in age or in experience, these abilities and talents had to be established correctly in order to be of use in the kingdom of God. In order for these gifts to function properly, there must be a time of realization and development. The individual himself often times did not even know what they had laden within them. God chose through mentorship and elders to affirm and confirm these special talents within these young men.

It is through the mentorship of great elders/prophets that God affirmed His calling upon these young men. But not only was it important to realize or affirm the calling, but the most vital and important stage of mentorship was in the confirmation/development of the calling. To name a few examples:

Every Elisha needs an Elijah
· Every Samuel needs an Eli
· Every Saul needs a Samuel
· Every David needs a Jonathan
· Every Peter needs a Jesus
· Every Paul needs Ananias
· Every Timothy and Titus needs a Paul

It is of utmost importance that young men have a mentor who will affirm the call of God upon their lives. In my opinion, following the examples of all the men previously mentioned, the first stage of development is the affirmation or the declaration of the call. In every situation involving God calling out a young man, God also provided an elder or mentor to affirm that calling. Not only did God affirm His word through these mentors, but God also confirmed His word through the development of ongoing mentorship.

I believe that mentorship follows two stages. The first is affirmation and realization and the second is an ongoing stage of confirmation and development.

From my point of view and expressing my opinion as a young man in fulltime ministry. I have found that the first stage of mentorship is important and is seen often. However, I feel that there is a lack of the second stage of confirmation and development. I have often heard men affirm or realize that there is a call in a young mans life. They often say things such as “Your anointed,” “You’re a great preacher,” “You have a call on your life” and so on, and yet there are very few of these men who will take the time to stay in contact and continue to confirm their support.

God has blessed me with mentors and men who have been quick to not only affirm their support but have also confirmed it through their ongoing support. However, the greatest complaint and concern I have heard from men of my generation is “I know God has called me to do a work, but I have no one who is willing to share their wisdom and experience with me.” I believe that this lack of confirmation and development has come out of lack of trust toward young men of this generation.

I say this based on what I have heard elder men say to me. They will make statements in all sincerity such as, “We need more young men but we can’t trust very many of them.” This opinion generally is expressed in response to seeing many young men turn another way and it is a genuine expression of concern. But if Samuel had judged every young man by the actions of Saul, there would have never been a David developed.

The example that demonstrates the relationship between a mentor and an apprentice can be seen through the process a child must go through in order to learn how to walk. The affirmation or realization that a child is able to walk is assumed by seeing its legs move. Although the child does not understand the full potential of his own legs, his parents, grandparents and other adults realize that those legs will take that child to where he needs to go in life. But in order for that child to learn how to walk, he must have guidance and development, which can only happen through the support of his superiors. In order for this child to develop a walk that is straight and strengthened, he must be trusted even though he may fall. Eventually through the process of falling and crawling, the child with the ongoing support, leadership and confirmation of his mentors, will learn how to walk on his own.

I believe often times young men have the affirmation of a calling upon their lives. But the real heart of mentorship comes through ongoing support and development. Elisha had the call of God affirmed to him through his relationship with his mentor Elijah. But if Elijah had not passed the mantle to Elisha at the proper time, Elisha may never have made it back across the Jordan and could possibly have ended up down stream.

Elijah showed Elisha how to cross the Jordan River by striking the ground with the mantle. But I am convince that had Elijah been taken up into the heavens without leaving the mantle behind, Elisha would have found another way to get across. But it was the will of God for the mantle to be passed and used properly. Every young man will have rivers to cross like Elisha, that is why it is very important for mentors to be in contact with these young men. There are many young men who have created their own methods of crossing the river and while some have gotten across, others have drowned in the deep or have been swept away by the current. We need more mantle passing Elijah’s in our generation.

I wonder how often we have seen young men lose their foothold and end up down stream from where they need to be, because the Elijah in their life only took them so far with affirmation and then disappeared into the clouds without leaving the mantle of confirmation? I do believe in my generation, one of the most important things for developing leaders is the ongoing confirmation that can only come through trust and support. I pray that God will give us a harvest of strong young men in this generation with great potential for leadership and ministry. And may God also grant unto us the men of God who will develop those young men through mentorship and guidance. My faith is strong and unwavering in this prayer, because I know that God will do it.

Slander or Concern? Final Part IV

2011-04-19T16:01:00.000-05:00

Slander can easily be confused with the term “Concern”. Often times if we aren’t aware and alert, we can find ourselves in conversations that were masked with the label of concern. There is a great deal of difference between slander and concern and yet the lines that separate them can easily be smudged and hard to distinguish if not careful. The most difficult situation to find yourself in is when someone you have always trusted and had confidence in, draws you into a conversation that does not carry any concern or love, but instead is filled with ridicule and verbal slaughter of another brother or sister.

Scripture is very adamant that we should not be in the company of slanderers. Often we overlook slander if it doesn’t involve us. Because we aren’t the target, that makes it ok, right? Because we aren’t the ones getting verbally executed, we don’t have to worry, correct? I use words that describe various acts of homicide not to be cruel and gruesome, but rather to illustrate what slander actually is. Slander is the verbal act of killing another. Many people would never pick up a gun, knife or hatchet and kill someone, but they will pick up a verbal machete and hack their brother or sister to pieces.

Proverbs 10:18 ESV “The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool.”

The scripture refers to a slanderer as a fool. Slander is never just a simple act of talking about someone behind his or her back or running them down. There is usually an underlying problem or situation that is laden within the individual doing the slandering. The problem with slander is that it is never just about the person being slandered. It’s a cover up act that is used to hide personal issues and problems. The example of Cain shows us that the murder wasn’t about Abel or about God; it was about his own measly sacrifice that was rejected by God. And this personal problem turned into a hatred for anything good someone else was producing. It was an act of jealousy and self-righteousness.

Slander is simply an act of self-righteousness and personal interest. But in order to overt the attention from ones own problem, people who will slander another brother or sister will preface their slander with “I’m just worried about them” or “I’m really concerned about them”. But instead of praying for them and examining themselves they will quickly pick up the phone, send an email or get on a social networking site and defame and slander a man or woman. The purpose of slander is to crush your opponent while lifting oneself up.

If I have been working on a garden and have been using the wrong ingredients and methods to grow a nice garden and have only been able to grow two roses in my flowerbed, while you have a garden blooming with flowers right next to mine. It would be much easier for me to preserve my pride and ego by not admitting that I have been using the wrong method and instead sneak into your garden at night and destroy your work by pulling all your flowers up and chopping all your roses down. Come morning, my two roses will look like the botanical gardens next to your desecrated and vandalized garden.

This is exactly what Cain did and exactly what a slanderer will do. Jesus said you WILL know them by their fruits. If a man is not producing fruits and yet has a lot of opinions on other men’s gardens, beware. Just as God cursed Cain, His labor and his relationships, God will do the same to a slanderer. A slanderer will always have personal problems and frustrations, his work will never truly produce good fruits and he will always be at odds with other men. These are the signs that will follow a man who does not follow the method of dealing with another brother as laid out before us by Jesus in Matthew 18:15-17.

So, what is the difference between Slander and Concern? The most notable difference is that Slander is an act against another that does not include that persons warranted chance to defend themselves. Instead, slander is committed by defaming a brother or sister to another person without the brother or sister being present. Slander in its root form is an act of self-righteousness. Slander is the act of destroying another in order to appear superior and ignore personal issues.

Concern is the act of defending someone against slander. Concern is not rooted in selfish desire; on the contrary, concern will cause one to risk their own selves to protect the life and reputation of another. Concern will always follow the correct protocol of scripture when dealing with situation concerning brothers or sisters.

In summary, we as the children of God must be very careful not to get caught in the web of slander. We must allow the spirit to quicken us and help us discern the difference between Slander and Concern. Many will come and speak to you under the pretense of Concern, but in reality they are simply looking for an open ear to filter their slander through. These individuals are called “wolves in sheep’s clothing”, now days they will come in the form of a phone call, blog post, email, letter or website, but the principle still remains. “You shall know them by their fruits”.

The scripture is very plain to tell us that we must first examine the mote in our own eye before pointing out the speck in our brothers. We must first clean the inside of the cup and we must make sure to watch our judgment, for we will be judged by the same measuring stick that we use. We must know them that labor among us and we must pray for those we labor with. We should not be quick to slander a brother or sister, but rather we must be quick to be honestly concerned for our brothers and sisters.

I pray that this four part series on “Slander or Concern?!” has blessed you. May we all labor together and fulfill the commission of Christ and reach the world, Together!

Slander or Concern? Part III

2011-04-18T12:34:00.001-05:00

Although there are many laws in place now to prosecute murderers. We still deal with many un-prosecuted and dismissed cases of murder. No, I’m not speaking of physically killing someone and getting away with it. I’m no talking about a physical act of violence against another, resulting in death. I’m not referring to a physical Cain and Abel type of murder.

The example of Cain leaves the average human being in disgust and outrage. We feel the need to be angry and upset at the act of violence committed by Cain against his brother Abel. The raw act of murder as committed by Cain is appalling and distasteful. I still shiver when I read of how ruthless and hateful Cain was against his brother. But with all the anger and distasteful feelings toward Cain, I must stop and ask myself the question, how many murderers do I know?

Not the kind of murders that kill with guns or knives. Not the kind of ruthless killers who will use any tool or weapon necessary to eliminate their rival. I am talking about a verbal, psychological and spiritual murder. Not murder as resulting from an actual stab in the heart or a bullet in the chest, but a killer who will aim to annihilate another by using words as their weapons. I’m referring to a SLANDERER.

What is Slander anyways? How does Slander relate to Murder and how is Slander confused with Concern?

Ephesians 4:31 ESV “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice”

The phrase evil speaking can also be interpreted as Blaspheme or Slander. Paul lays out a process that a person goes through before getting to slander. Paul explains to us that slander and evil speaking begins with bitterness. The process that leads to slander begins with:

1) Bitterness (a hatred produced through time) once bitterness takes root in a person’s life they WILL begin to deal with feeling of:

2) Wrath (indignation), which will lead to:

3) Anger (agitation, internally and visibly) and

4) Clamor (bursts of outcry) and will ultimately lead to:

5) Blaspheming or Slander (Defamation of character and malicious evil statements about another or to verbally destroy another).

Isn’t it amazing that the process Paul lays out before us that leads to Slander is the same process Cain went through before murdering his brother Abel!? Let’s look at the process that Cain went through.

Gen 4:6-8 ESV “The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it. Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.”

First, Cain realized that God was not accepting his sacrifice. This lead him to

1) Bitterness through the process of time (Gen 4:3) and because he did not deal with his bitterness, he became

2) Angry (overcome with wrath) and

3) His Face was Fallen (He was visibly disturbed and agitated). At this point God speaks to him to help him correct the problem and stop him from going too far. But because Cain did not deal with the infant stages of bitterness and anger he allowed his mouth to begin to verbalize what he was dealing with inside.

4) He Spoke with his brother (He had an argument he had a burst of outcry). Cain had a disagreement with his brother in the field that lead to the final manifestation of bitterness.

5)Cain Killed (murdered, slew, destroyed) his very own flesh and blood.

When Cain killed Abel, God cursed

To be continued...

Slander or Concern? Part II

2011-04-14T12:20:00.000-05:00

Why MURDER? Couldn’t Cain have dealt with the problem much more easily by simply correcting his own problem with God? Could he have not spared his own reputation and the life of his brother by adhering to the suggestion of the LORD?

The answer is, of course he could have. It would have been much more simple and effective if Cain realized his own mistake. Cain was more worried about what his brother was doing, how his sacrifice looked, and what his relationship with God was like and he failed to focus on the REAL problem, HIMSELF! Instead of dealing with the real problem, he looked around to find somebody to blame, just like his father did when God ask Adam why he ate of the fruit. Adam pointed at Eve and Eve pointed at the serpent. But the reality is that Eve allowed herself to be deceived by her OWN lust and Adam ate out of his OWN lust as well. They would never have been rejected and cast out of the garden if they would have dealt with the problem, THEM! They never dealt with the “I” and instead pointed at the “YOU”.

Cain murdered his brother because he blinded himself through bitterness, hatred and a refusal to deal with personal problems. Cain had enough problems on his own, but in his mind it would be easier to kill his brother and do away with the basis of comparison. If you eliminate the only other “competition”, you’ll always be first place even if it’s not the best. Once Abel is out of the picture, whom else would God receive a sacrifice from? Cain felt that once Abel was gone he could continue bringing his fruits, he wouldn’t have to change anything, he wouldn’t have to deal with the REAL problem and he could just go on as if nothing ever happened. Cain did not want to change his own routine and because Abel had a greater revelation of what God was looking for it threatened everything that Cain always thought would do. And because Cain did not want to change and deal with his own unacceptable offering, he became a BROTHER MURDERER.

There is a process that one must go through in order to be willing to take the life of another. Murder is the act of killing someone and justifying it psychologically. The perpetrator justifies his actions by explaining that the cause for murder was greater than the life that was taken. Murder at its root is grounded in selfish desire and self-justification

Cain is the first example of murder and yet many people have been murdered since then. He is the root example of what can lead to killing your only brother. It wasn’t a brother problem and it wasn’t a God problem, it was a Cain problem. Cain did not allow himself to be humbled, accept his own failures and deal with them. Instead, he looked around for another person to blame and the one he found was his brother. Cain allowed such hatred into his heart, that he had no more regard for family.

I’ve always been amazed to think that Cain was so ruthless that he would murder his very own brother. But this is the result that will come when one is not willing to deal with they’re own issues. It was much easier for Cain to blame someone else than to change his own habits and ways. The scripture declares that Cain became wroth, which means to be full of wrath and hatred. Cain was past the point of reason and making sense. He came to the place of disregarding natural affection and characteristics. He dulled his senses and his ability to listen to God was impaired.

God was sure to curse Cain for his actions. God established from the beginning, that sinning against your brother and killing him will only lead to more heartache and pain for yourself. Now instead of God accepting Cain’s sacrifice He cast him out into the earth to seek out his own path. God also cursed the ground that it should not yield forth its strength to him and he marked him for everyone to see and he cut him off from fellowship.

Murder will always leave you cursed, frustrated and alone.

To be continued…

Slander or Concern?

2011-04-13T11:58:00.000-05:00

We find the first example of hatred and jealously toward another in the case of Cain versus Abel. Obviously Cain was jealous and angry toward his only brother because God accepted Abel’s sacrifice and rejected Cain’s. This hatred Cain carried toward Abel caused him to commit murder against his only brother and then reply to God with “Am I my brother’s keeper?” when asked what happened to Abel. After Cain slew his very own brother, he had the nerve to reply to God and act as if Abel brought it onto himself. That word “keeper” means Protector, Guardian and Watchman. Cain was telling God that it wasn’t his responsibility to look after the wellbeing of his own brother and that Abel deserved to be slaughtered.

God was so grieved and angered by Cain’s spirit, attitude and act of violence, that He cursed him and made him a fugitive (always on the run) and a vagabond (never stable and always wavering). God also cursed his labors and told him that when he tills the ground that the earth would not respond with its full strength and potential. This is the reward given to a man who was not willing to work on his own issues and work out his own salvation with fear and trembling, but instead rose up and slew his brother over a disagreement in the field. Cain was able to kill his brother so quickly because he was already harboring feelings of bitterness, jealousy, envy, strife and hatred toward his brother.

In this story of Cain and Abel we see the process of events that leads to murder. Murder at its root definition is the act of killing someone deliberately whether it was a result of aforethought, deliberation, premeditation or a sudden action. Murder is NOT self-defense. Cain murdered his brother, but only as a result of some deep issues that he was never willing to deal with himself.

It all started with the sacrifice. God accepted Abel’s sacrifice and rejected Cain’s. Cain had a hard time understanding why God would not accept his. God then explained to Cain that instead of comparing what Abel was bringing against his own sacrifice, he should concentrate of making his own sacrifice the best that he could bring. I do not believe it was the ACTUAL physical sacrifice that God was talking about, as much as He was trying to point out to Cain that he could do better than just fruits. Cain spent too much time assessing what Abel was bringing to the table that he forgot that it’s not about Cain vs. Abel, this was supposed to be a sacrifice, an act of man interacting with GOD.

Obviously, because of this inequality that Cain thought was going on between him and his brother, he allowed jealousy and envy to fester in his spirit. It festered so long until it became bitterness. Then after the root of bitterness planted itself deep in Cain’s spirit, it produced venom of hate and rage that continued to grow within his heart toward his only brother. Now because Cain did not deal with the initial problem, which was HIS OWN SACRIFICE, he allowed a murderous spirit to get into his heart. Until now every time he saw Abel sacrifice, he became wroth (angry) and he despised his own brothers sacrifice. Now in Cain’s mind God wasn’t even in the picture. It wasn’t about God or a sacrifice or an altar. It wasn’t about a lamb versus fruits. It wasn’t about favor versus rejection. It turned into a refusal to accept the fact that he had personal issues to deal with that God did not require of his brother and he was being rejected for it.

Now Cain not only despised his brother, but he also began to despise God. Bitterness had gotten so deep into his spirit that he couldn’t even see his own problem. Cain’s issue was never with his brother Abel to begin with, it was with God, but because Cain wasn’t able to comprehend how God could accept Abel’s sacrifice and reject his own, he allowed himself to believe that Abel was actually the problem. In his pride, Cain could not deal with the fact that God would accept a sacrifice that was different than his own. Cain was defending his own ego and his own rights by blaming Abel. God was out of the equation. This bitterness blinded Cain to the truth of his own failure and gave him the illusion that the reason he was not being honored is because his brother was stealing the glory. And there was only one solution for this to end, MURDER!

To Be Continued...

I have a dream

2011-02-12T21:15:00.003-06:00

What are you Dreaming about? Are you simply dreaming about your own wellbeing or are you willing to dream for others? Check out www.consumingfaithministries.com

Who are my Friends?

2011-01-22T22:49:00.001-06:00

If you've ever wondered who your "Friends" are, you might want to read my latest blog post. You might be surprised by the ones who make the cut....

Click on the link below

Consuming Faith Ministries

2011-01-15T22:35:00.002-06:00

The new site is up now. This will be where my new blog will be. Check it out and leave a comment.

www.consumingfaithministries.com

The New Site

2011-01-14T18:53:00.001-06:00

Get ready for the new Website/Blog launching tonight. Stay tuned for the web address coming later on Tonight!!!!

NEW WEBSITE/BLOG

2011-01-04T13:58:00.003-06:00

That's right! I'm right now in the process of launching a new website that will also feature blog posts and a all new VLOG page. Stayed tuned for the Launch date!

Turning Hope into Faith 2

2010-10-28T13:33:00.002-05:00

Wow.... I'm updating my blog less than a few months since the last one. That's because I really love talking about Faith and when I get comments it actually really motivates me to write more.

From my last post we find out the importance of the Word of God in reference to our Faith building. We can see by the scriptures that Faith is directly connected to the WORD of God. The word of God can come in many different ways. We can Read the word or we can Hear the word. What is the WORD? Is the word simply the red and black letters typed upon the pages of your Bible? Is the Word something that you speak by inspiration? What defines the Word of God?

Let's check the scriptures:

John 1:1 In the Beginning was the WORD, and the WORD was with God, and the WORD was GOD.

v.14 And the WORD was made flesh and dwelt among us...

We understand those scriptures as being the interpretation of what the WORD actually is. The Word is not a thing but rather the Word is someone. Jesus is the very incarnation of the word. He embodies the very creative Word. In fact in one instance Jesus said:

John 6:51 I am the living Bread which came down from Heaven,...

Bread has always been a type of the Word of God. Thus Jesus is letting us know that he himself is the very manifestation of the WORD or the Logos. Jesus is the very bread, word, substance of existence.

How does this tie into Faith? Easy! Jesus is the Word. We receive Faith through the Word. If we want more Faith we have to have more Jesus. Jesus is the source from which we gather Faith. Faith is the nectar that we can extrapolate from a true relationship with JESUS. This is also the reason that Paul wrote in my absolute favorite scripture:

Corinthians 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

To be continued...

p.s. It's getting good.

Turning Hope into Faith

2010-10-27T00:08:00.003-05:00

Well... it has definitely been a long time since Ive graced this blog with my presence. I suppose to say that Ive been busy would be true but much to great of a common excuse. So instead, I will say that I have been preoccupied with other "things."

Ive been thinking a lot on the subject of Faith lately and the importance of having active Faith in our lives as Christians. It is very important to understand that our entire walk with God and confidence in the work on Calvary is rooted in this thing we call Faith. But what is Faith? Is Faith simply the mental state of thinking in abstract terms? Is it the ability to travel into the unknown through concentration? Or is Faith much simpler than that?

We all realize the importance of Faith through the scriptures.

Heb 11:6 But without Faith it is impossible to please him...

Faith is what empowers us to believe in things that we are not able to see, smell, touch, hear or taste. However, the only way to receive the Faith to believe in the impossible is through the hearing of Gods word.

Rom 10:17 So then, Faith cometh by hearing and hearing, by the word of God.

It is the word of God that gives us the confidence that "all things are possible." There are a lot of things we Hope for. We hope to have a healthy life. We hope to have a safe drive to work. We hope to graduate. These are the carnal desires of man. They aren't wrong but they are things that we truly desire but because of uncertainty we hope for these things. The problem is that we bring that same mentality into the church.

Because we do not feel as though we have the power to accomplish certain tasks we make statements such as. I hope they get healed. I hope they get saved. I hope they make it. I hope.... etc.

Heb 12:1 Now Faith is the substance of things Hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Faith is what turns our hope into the finished product. Hope is the blueprint, but Faith is the lumber. Hope is the porch, but Faith is the door that lets us in. We need to claim the promises of God through Faith. How do you get Faith? By hearing the WORD of God. God said:

Mark 16:18 ...Lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power.
John 5:20 ...greater than these works shall he do.

If you want God to start doing some amazing things in your life. You must move from 'I hope' to 'I believe'. The word of God IS our Faith and substance.

To be continued...

Miracle Recipe

2010-04-16T14:47:00.002-05:00

Everyone wants to see miracles. I would venture to say that all of us have experienced the working of Gods power in our lives. We have seen him fill people with the Holy Ghost and deliver others from a horrible lifestyle in just one moment. Those are miracles! However, God wants us to continue to see healing's take place. Healing from Cancer, hepatitis, diabetes, heart problems, chronic headaches, allergies and many more ailments. God wants to demonstrate his power through physical healings. God does move in our services more than we notice. With the word of knowledge and the demonstration of power.

Most of us believe that God can do it. We know he can. We believe that when this preacher prays for that person they can receive a miracle. But where we have a problem is believing that God wants to do it for us. I know God can do it for you, but I'm not sure he will do it for me. So, what is the recipe for a miracle?

The answer is this: A) A problem. B) Faith
That's it! Simple huh?

What is my life all about?

2010-03-30T19:29:00.002-05:00

Greeting! It has most certainly been a good while since I last updated my blog. Is blogging even cool anymore? While you think on how you should answer, let me just give you what I have been thinking on in the last little while.

Someone once asked me the question, "Why is finding the will of God for my life so hard?" At the time I had no immediate answer. I simply said, you must know God to know his will. After that quick dialogue I began to ask myself the question as well. How often have I seen young men and women and even the older generation get frustrated about knowing the will of God. We often pray with an honest heart, 'Lord I want to know your will, God what is your will, Show me your will' and more times than not people walk away from an hour long "prayer" meeting without an answer and all the while the entire hour was spent trying to find out, "what is my life all about?"

Many young people spend their prayer time just wanting to know what God wants them to do or where he wants them to go. And although seeking after the mind of God inherently is most certainly not a bad thing at all. But I submit to you that many people want to know the will of God without knowing God. Many want to know his plan but they do not seek the planner. How many times do we treat prayer like a fast-food drive through, where we give our order and expect to have it in a bag with napkins by the time we pull around to the pickup window? The answer is, more often than we would like to admit.

Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Mat 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

In this scripture we find the answer. In order for us to know the will and the plan of God, we must first know God. If you build a relationship with God, you will always be in his will. You wont have to spend all of your time, effort and prayers asking God to show you all the time. When you know God and you have a relationship with him he will keep you in his will and plan and He will reveal his plans to you. For the steps of a good man are ordered of the Lord. When you walk with Jesus you always walk in his will. You don't have to sweat or fret or worry. It's all in who you know.

People who don't have a relationship with God and always pray for the will and plan of God will never be able to fulfill his will, even if God were to reveal it to them. Because you can not know the plan and will of God unless you know him. And the reason this is true is because God's ways are not our ways and neither are his thoughts our thoughts. He is not like man and often his plans make absolutely No Sense at all when you look through the eyes of human flesh. But when you KNOW God, you will understand His plan for your life. In fact, when you really have a good relationship with God your already in His plan for your life. So, next time you kneel to pray, don't spend all your time worried and frustrated. Just know that if you seek after God, all the rest will fall right into place. And that my friend is 'What your life is all about?'

The Truth!

2010-01-13T16:26:00.005-06:00

What is the truth? Who defines what truth is? Why are we so intent on knowing the truth?
.
These are all very important questions and yet most all who read this will answer differently from each other. Not because one is right and the other is wrong, but it is because we define truth by our own understanding. If one defines temptation as being the internal reaction and not the external offer, then when someone offers them a smoke they can say “I am not tempted.” However, if you define temptation as being the external offer, regardless of the internal reaction, then you would say that they were tempted. Who is right in this situation? The answer is both have their own reasoning and explanation and thus both will claim to know the truth.
.
But is truth merely the difference of thought and ideology or is there more to the story? The question must be answered in this day and time. What is TRUTH?? How can we go about claiming to have truth and yet not be able to define truth?
.
The reason why we are so intent on knowing and having the truth is because there is tremendous power in knowing the truth. With the truth you can change the world and answer the unknown. We seek to know the truth because it changes our outlook on many things and brings into perspective very important situations. The example of a homicide case involving only one suspect and one victim is a perfect scenario. The truth from the suspect is absolutely vital to the overall outcome of the trail. And though the defense team and the prosecution team might think they have great power they know without a doubt that the Suspect has the ultimate power because he knows ‘The Truth.’
.
And this is the key in living for God. We often get caught in the middle of fussing and fighting about who has the greater power or who has the greater influence. When in reality to gain power we must have the full truth. Because once you have the truth, the truth will speak for itself and the power and influence will automatically follow the truth.
.
So then….What is “The Truth”?
.
The answer is simple and yet profound. While many would claim that the truth is this or that, the astounding reality is that the truth is neither this or that nor is it something, but the truth is actually Someone!
.
Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
.
Wow!! Jesus does is again! He takes our definition of what the truth is and slams the hammer down and proclaims unashamed and as matter of fact that while we are sitting around discussing what the truth is and why and how, we miss it all together. The fact of the matter is that Jesus Christ is “THE TRUTH” and although there are many truths and rights. The only truth that is able to make the difference in any situation is the one and only “truth.” This is also the reason why Jesus personifies the truth and says:
.
Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Joh 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
.
This is the reason I can be comforted in all things because I know I have “the truth” dwelling in me and according to the word of God. I shall not fail as long as I am filled with the spirit of God. And since I have “The Truth” I have the power to be an over comer and walk in complete victory. When you realize the power of having the Truth, there is no reason why you can not have complete confidence in all things.
.
Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.
.
I have a whole lot more that I would love to impart. But the fact is this, when we talk about “the truth” we are talking about Jesus. Thus our greatest power comes from preaching Jesus, teaching about Jesus, living for Jesus, talking about Jesus and most of all having Jesus! I love The Truth!!

I Believe, But help my Unbelief

2009-09-09T14:27:00.002-05:00

Great truths are found within the pages of the book we call the Bible. The fact that the Bible contains within it the very order and details of creation is itself a great phenomenon. The stories of men and women who braved the harsh stones thrown at them by life cannot be overlooked. The many examples of bravery and overcoming unexpected trials are very encouraging. The countless mentioning of how evil was outdone by the good and how wickedness has to run from the light of truth is all too exciting. The word of God is in no wise able to be described by any frail words of our language.
.
We all know this and most, if not all, have heard or read something from the Bible. We have heard the great story of how God created the worlds within the first six days of creation and how David defeated all odds and became King. We gather together in round table discussions and talk about theology, in light of what Jesus might have written on the ground when the Pharisee’s brought to him the woman caught in the act of adultery. We spend hours arguing Eschatology and who the Anti-Christ is. We agree on some point and disagree on others. We debate about what Paul meant when he said this or what was James really trying to say with that. Oh the wonders that one book can produce.
.
No book has ever influenced life as we know it now like the Bible. Not one book has been able to totally and completely make its way into every area of society and radically affect the politics of so many cultures. Not one book has the power to change lives and stir up emotions. Only the Bible has the power to bring to naught and yet also build. Thank God for his word.
.
But the question that still arises is; do we really believe what is in that book? Are we just readers and hearers of the word or do we actually trust that the Bible is a matter of rock solid, unmovable, unshakable, uninterrupted, un-bias, without favor, without doubt, complete, perfect, whole, and final ACTUAL true word of almighty God, the created and sustainer of heaven and earth?
.
May I submit to you my brothers and sisters, that there is in fact a great lack of faith in the word of God. I know that I have been guilty of saying I believe with my mouth and yet with my heart I have doubted. I am 100% sure that everyone that reads this blog has at some point doubted the word of God. If not, please let me know! For example, Jesus said;
.
Joh 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Joh 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Joh 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
.
Jesus is telling his disciples that the works that he has done shall be done in greater manner. I would like to ask you, have you ever seen a blinded eye opened? Have you seen a deaf ear unstopped? Have you watched as lame legs received strength? Have you seen a dead man rise? Have you seen water turned into wine? Seen a man walk on water? Seen boils and scabs of infection disappear?
.
Has the power of God diminished? Are the miracles of healing and the wonders expired? Have the displays of the miraculous gone away with the passing of the apostles? The answer is NAY!! The church is larger than it has ever been. There are more born again Holy Ghost filled people than has ever been. There are more churches built to the glory of God than has ever been. There are more displays of the five-fold ministry than ever in the history of mankind. There are still people being healed and delivered all around the world. Our brothers and sisters from around the world come to our churches in North America and boost our faith with their testimonies of miracles being poured out. And thank God for that.
.
But may I tell you, my fellow laborers in Christ that the reason that we have not seen a greater display of miracles is because we have put our trust in the doctor BEFORE we appeal to the Doctor of Doctors. We have not seen the great display of the miraculous because our generation is simply struggling to BELIEVE and have FAITH in the promises of God. James said ‘we have not because we ask not.’
.
Mar 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
Mar 16:18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
.
Jesus Christ is right now seated upon his throne bringing all things under dominion through the advance of his kingdom through you and me. We are the instruments by which Christ is taking authority over every spirit and opposition that rises up against his rule and reign. I just want to Yell at the top of my lungs that it’s time for our generation to believe again. Thank God for the doctors and the advance of medicine but God is still able to do exceedingly, abundantly and above all we are able to ask or think. The physicians and lawyers have limits but our God has no LIMIT to his power.
.
Act 2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
Act 2:18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
Act 2:19 And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke:
.
Brothers and Sisters, it’s time to believe again. We have the ability. We have the power. We’re filled with the right ingredient. We just need to flip the switch up to the “on” position. Grant it God!!

A True Love for God

2009-08-18T18:31:00.005-05:00

Psychologists and those that study the activity of the human brain have always come up with reasons for certain feelings. They are confident that certain feelings are a result of certain situations and ‘This’ is just the product of ‘That.’ But even they cannot explain how two people with the same circumstances react completely differently and their “feelings” toward the situation are very much the opposite of each other. This is because God created us to be different from each other and yet we all know that feelings, whether hidden or exposed, are an everyday reality for us. Your reactions are produced by feelings, your ideas and conclusions to certain events are all a result of how you feel. You can laugh at something one day and cry the next day without anything circumstantially changing. How many times have we gotten up from our sleep and been induced with a certain feeling that we are unable to explain?

The most passionate feeling of all is the feeling of love. Not the romantic feeling of love in the sense of a Romeo and Juliet ‘L-O-V-E’ story, rather the kind of love that flows from the depth of a person’s soul. The kind of love that makes a woman pick a car up to save her trapped child. The kind of love that would cause a father to jump in front of a bear to save his son. The kind of love that seemingly has no rhyme or reason. It’s a love that is unexplainable and so deep it cannot be expressed in words. This love was so perfectly demonstrated on the Cross by our Lord Jesus Christ. The Scripture declares;
.
Joh 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
.
Jesus Christ was the ultimate example of what true unbiased and non-partisan love really is. It is Christ who gave us the perfect result of what deep love can produce. There was a scribe of the Pharisees that came to Jesus one day and asked him this question; “Which is the first commandment of all?” This man no doubt knew the order in which the law was laid out. He was a man who was steeped in the study of the law and the ways of the letter. He wasn’t asking Jesus which law was first in order, he wanted to know which one of the laws was the greatest in importance. Which one of the laws held the most weight? What law is the greatest one to acknowledge and keep?
.
Jesus’ response to him was;
.
Mar 12:29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

Mar 12:29And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
.
This was nothing new to the scribe. He knew the law. He already understood the importance of the SHEMA. It was the most significant law in Jewish religious practices. But Jesus didn’t just stop with the exclamation of the most obvious. He continued;
.
Mar 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
.
WHAT?! This scribe must have been dumb-founded. The Pharisee had no problem accepting the fact that God is one and the SHEMA was already a part of his everyday life. But the second part of Jesus’ statement must have taken him by udder surprise. Jesus quoted the SHEMA and in the same sentence proclaimed to the scribe that, to love your neighbor as yourself is equally important. Jesus was telling the scribe that out of all the laws that are in your manual and out of all the religious practices that are laid out in your handbook, the greatest laws are the most overlooked and ignored. Jesus explained to the scribe that in order to understand the SHEMA, you must also understand that the love you have toward your neighbor is directly connected to your love for God. In fact, according to John you CANNOT have true love toward God and NOT love your neighbor. It is IMPOSSIBLE to proclaim that God is one and love him while hating your brothers and sisters. John said;
.
1Jn 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
1Jn 4:21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
.
WOW!!! That’s some strong language John. But being a liar can’t be so bad. Don’t we all lie sometimes? It’s not that I actually “hate” him/her I just don’t “love” them. But I still love God with all my heart, mind and strength. John heard the words of Jesus at the last day saying;
.
Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
.
I really wonder how many people will appear before the judgment seat of Christ and proclaim that they always believed there was one God and that they truly loved him. I must confess that I tremble at the thought that so many people who are harboring hatred toward a brother or sister will come before God on the day of judgment and emphatically exclaim that they loved God with a pure heart. And much to their surprise and dismay Jesus will look at them and say;
.
Mat 7:23 …I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
.
GOD, don’t let me live this life professing to love You and not love my brother or sister. My prayer today is that we would love one another in the fear of God and not allow Satan to convince us that a little bit of dislike or hatred is OK. Many people embrace the idea that you should love everyone that does good to you and hate those that disagree and even despise you. But Jesus said;
.
Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
.
We don’t need to get caught in the trap of hating our neighbor because of attitude, past experiences, personality, social status, ethnic background, race, color, pedigree, intellect or any other reason. Jesus looked at the woman caught in the act of adultery and forgave her and through love did not “condemn” her but told her to go and sin no more. If you are struggling with hatred or even resentment toward your brother or sister, please be careful to hear the words of Jesus Christ;
.
Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
.
Friends, the word of God is very real and true. It is through the word of God that we will be judged. The scripture is given by the inspiration of God. Please don’t take my words for it, open up your heart and let the Lord speak to you. I have been raised by Godly parents who have taught me since I was a child to Love everyone regardless of who they are. But I pray that this blog post will help someone who might be struggling in your relationship with God and/or other. Read the words of The Apostle John;
.
1Jn 3:13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
1Jn 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
1Jn 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
1Jn 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
1Jn 3:17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
1Jn 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
.
I would love to hear what you have to say. Please leave a comment. God Bless!

Hello Everyone!!

2009-06-26T22:24:00.002-05:00

I know it has been a while since I have posted. I suppose that is because I have been very busy lately and not made the time to write something. I would like to say that I am still alive and doing well. I hope everyone else in blog-world is doing great as well. Cross your fingers and hold your breath...... I will endeavor to post something of worth soon.

God Bless everyone!!

YOUTH RALLY!!!

2009-04-30T16:48:00.003-05:00

Blogger Alert!!

2009-04-13T21:10:00.003-05:00

My "little" sister has finally joined the rest of us in blogworld and started her very own blog. She has been a lurker for a while, like most of us were before we stepped out into the great unknown and actually got our own spot on the worldwide web. So check her blog out

milupaking.blogspot.com/

I would like to known by the show of a comment. How long were you a lurker before you started a blog? And who has ever used fake names to leave comments? Let me know. This should be fun.

OZARK ARKANSAS!!

2009-03-27T13:48:00.007-05:00

I had a great weekend last week. I was privileged to go visit some of my great friends and also have the distinct honor of being asked to preach Sunday. The Townley's are some of the greatest people to walk the face of the earth. Everyone that knows me, probably knows the great drummer and recording artist Cory Townley. We have probably been to every major conference together. But the trip wouldn't have been complete without Dalayna and Carl Jones in the mix. Thank God for great friends.

We ended up having such a great time with 2 people getting the Holy Ghost and 1 backslider praying through on Sunday, that Bro. Townley asked me to stay Monday night as well. The Lord moved and we had another great move of God, so we're going to do it all over again this coming weekend. There is a great revival and power of God there in Ozark and I'm excited to see what all God is going to do. Please be in prayer and believe with us that great things will happen and a revival like never before will break into that town. AMEN!

Mat 18:19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

Besides church activities. I was so happy to do one of my favorite activities. RIDING HORSES! (and mules) I was pretty much born and raised in the city. But I do have some country "Genes." I have attached some pictures of our excursion. I hope you all enjoy.

Getting ready to head out.

Me on a paint TW

Heading out to the great unknown. There were no trails folks. We were relying on Bro. Andy's knowledge of the hills and forest.

An awesome shot of Horse Shoe Bend.

Just an example of how steep the hills were that we were riding up and down.

Bro. Andy and I on the edge of the steep bluff.

Bro. Andy and Cory Townley. LOL. Love the whole 12 year old boy look.

Another shot of the steep ride.

Bro. Andy's little dog Bennji with his catch. A Squirrel.

Crossing the river. In 40 somthing degree weather by the way.

Deep crossing here. If you look close you can see the waterline hafway up Bro. Andy's boot.

Bennji crossing the river with his bad self.

Gains vs. Losses

2009-02-17T00:35:00.002-06:00

Gain vs. Loss

I would venture to say that all of us have a fundamental understanding of the concept of gains and losses. Even though we may not completely understand the psychology behind what drives gains or losses we have all experienced it to some extent or another. The fact remains certain that if you are reading this post you are right now in the midst of an exchange between a gain and a loss. While some might opt for sleep, others decline the gain of rest and reach forth to gain an inside look at what Tim Rivers has to say about gains and losses. Every one makes decisions about what we would be willing to give up in order to gain another. However, in every case where there is a gain its predecessor is a loss. You might not agree with that concept, but stop and think about it. For example, if you are gaining knowledge at an accredited College or University you are losing other opportunities that might give way for income during the time your spending reading text books.

The terms gains and losses are very familiar in the field of accounting. They are the very foundation of accounting and economics. The terms gains and losses are also referred to debits and credit. To come up with a balanced account debits must equal credits. Our entire country is build around the idea of gains and losses. We fight wars based on what we are going to gain and what we are willing to lose. We sign contracts that give us a greater gain compared to our loss. Many marriages are sadly built on this comparison concept. Many men and women enter relationships only because of what they are able to gain from it and it isn’t long before they find out that both of them are losing more than they anticipated gaining and thus the divorce rate is sky high. The reality is that gains and losses exist in every aspect of our lives.

Although many say that the concept and use of the gains vs. losses theory is a fairly new idea. In reality this concept goes back to the very beginning of time. God created Adam and Eve in the garden with the tools needed to accomplish extra-ordinary things. The only restriction given to them is that they should not eat of the tree of knowledge and evil. Their gain was that they would be the earthly representatives of God in the earth and their loss was that they did not have permission to eat of the forbidden fruit. However, Adam and Eve chose to eat of the fruit because they were under the influence that to gain equality with God was as simple as eating the fruit and yet the opposite happened. They gained knowledge of their nakedness and lost the perfect fellowship they had with their creator.

This idea of gains and losses is especially prevalent in the New Testament with the powerful, life altering beginning of Christ’s ministry in the earth. The greatest example of exchange is declared in Philippians 2:5-8;

Php 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

What an amazing example of a gain vs. a loss. Jesus’ ministry was constantly calling for the loss of one thing in order to gain another. When Jesus began to call his disciples he didn’t give them a list of benefits and a retirement package, he simply called to Peter, Andrew, James and John to lose their nets and gain an opportunity to be fishers of men. He called Matthew to lose the seat of tax collector to gain the ministry of basket collecting. All throughout the scriptures we find Christ calling for men and women to lose their former way of living and current position to gain fellowship with God.

However, there is a vast difference in the gains vs. losses that we have grown so accustomed to. According to most individuals as long as gains and losses are equal life isn’t so bad. But in reality most people are more aware of the loss than the potential gain. This is why Marketers will spend millions of dollars per year to try and build a great enough need within the consumer that they will concentrate more attention on what they might gain as opposed to what they will lose.

The Kingdom of God is unlike the ways of men. The Bible completely destroys our weak concept of what gains are and what a loss is. The Government of Christ doesn’t run like the so-called democratic political entities of this world. The Bible boldly declares that in order to gain eternal life you must lose your own life. This unapologetic, bold declaration to follow, even called for one young man to sell all that he had and follow after Christ. The catch however, is that the gain is greater than the loss. When God asks for your life, he gives you life that is incomparable in return. That’s why Jesus told the woman at the well that the water which he gives will never run dry.

As you read this post, I hope you are able to think about what you had to lose in the last few weeks and months concerning the kingdom of God. I know that you might not understand God’s process of math, but I promise you this one thing, in God’s books debits never equal credits.

Php 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
Php 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
Php 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

True Friend

2009-01-09T22:25:00.005-06:00

(Making up for lost time...)

What does the word friend really mean? I hope I’m not being to presumptuous when I say that all of us have been guilty of calling many people our friends who in reality are no more close to us than the man or woman we nod at as we pass by them on a busy street. The word friend has become a word to describe anyone who we have met and pronounced a pleasant person. Our enemies are those we have met and don’t particularly agree with in fellowship.

A friend is someone that holds some sort of meaning to you. A person of interest in your life, if anything were to effect them, you would be effected in some form or fashion as a result of your connection to them.

Jesus noticed many of these types of people in his ministry. The Bible speaks of great crowds and many multitudes that would travel from afar to see Jesus in action. Many people sacrificed their time and energy to see the Lord heal the sick and raise the dead. Often time’s people would call him Master and Lord and refer to him as a great man or prophet. But these were the people who were only a part of a great crusade. They were infatuated with Jesus’ ability to speak and the miracles he performed. They loved the great excitement that could be felt through the crowd as he raised a man who had never walked from his bed and told him to walk. They clapped in great ovation unto Jesus when he said “Neither do I condemn thee…” to a woman caught in the act of adultery. They slapped each other on the back and whooped in support when Jesus drove out the money changers from the temple with a woven whip.

But they were not in love with Christ for who he was. They were only his “friends” as long as he had a show for them to attend. They were in love with the things and not with the one who made the things happen. This group was called “The multitude…”

However, among the multitude emerged another group of people. These people went beyond the normal following Jesus from town to town and from mount to mount. This group involved themselves directly in Jesus’ ministry. They helped people with infirmities come to Jesus. They went and set up the revival grounds and spread the news that Jesus was on his way. They not only applauded Christ when he divided the fish and bread, but they were the one’s that carried the baskets to the multitude and they even picked up the remains. They were the one’s who sat at the feet of Jesus wherever he was and took to heart his teaching and even implemented his teaching into their everyday lives. They weren’t just the average follower. This group was called “The Disciples…”

Among this group called the disciples was another group. If you have read much of the NT you have most likely noticed the names Peter, James and John. These three, although a part of the twelve disciples and also a part of the multitude, were in a very significant way much different than the average follower of Christ. Peter, James and John appear in the synoptics five times: at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1), in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:37), at the raising of Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:37), and for the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law (Mark 1:29-31) and for Jesus’ “Apocalypse” (Mark 13:3). This is of great importance because there was something about the relationship between these men and Jesus that brings great revelation and insight into how our relationship with God should be.

Peter, James and John are, in a sense, NT counterparts of the OT Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were the spiritual ancestry of the OT Israel, from which were born the “Twelve” tribes of Israel. Likewise Peter, James and John represented the “Twelve” disciples and became the spiritual ancestry of the NT Church.

The ironic thing about the whole idea of friendship is that we often relate friendship with a person who is of benefit to us. Such as someone we can borrow money from when we’re broke or a person who would wake up in the middle of the night to come help us change a tire on the side of the Highway. But in reality the measure of a true friend is what one is willing to do for another. Jesus called his disciples his friends but he also called Judas “friend” when he came to betray the Lord. Remember it was Jesus who said;

John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

So the real question that we should ask is not what kind of friend is that person to me, rather we should stop and look in the mirror and ask ourselves, what kind of a friend am I to them?

It’s easy to be a part of the crowd and just follow. It’s not that hard to become a disciple and get more involved than the average person. But the difference is made when you step away from the crowd and separate yourself from the disciples and enter into a true friendship. When you go beyond just knowing Christ, but you actually spend time with him alone, that’s when you become a true friend of God. Peter was the one who received the keys to the kingdom. James was among the trio when Jesus spoke to them about the end. John received the great revelation of who Jesus Christ was. A friend is someone who doesn’t worry about what they receive in return, but their goal is to give what they have.

I thank God for all of you who have come into my life. I pray I will be a true friend to you and that God would bless you in this New Year and that your relationship with Him would become the strongest it has ever been. And for those I have never met, I look forward to the day I get the chance. God Bless!

Fun Times at a Youth Night

2009-01-06T23:06:00.005-06:00

Piggyback Race

Piggyback continued

The Apex of True Youth Ministry

Let's just say Travis had some issues...

I tried to lend a helping hand..

Some issues just get worse with the passage of Time...

...

This is what I love about Youth Ministry. You must always be prepared to expect the unexpected and await the unimaginable.

My Great Friends and I

2008-12-16T12:05:00.003-06:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

2008-11-27T12:31:00.003-06:00

I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving and a great time eating, laughing and being thankful.

I am personally thankful, most of all, for the Mercy and Grace of God in my life.

I am thankful for my Family.

I am thankful for all of my friends and all you great people in blog land.

May God bless you all on this great day!!

Time Changes Everything

2008-11-24T16:55:00.005-06:00

Little Milupa, Timmy and Stephen

Years later.. Stephen, Tim and Milupa.

Time is one of those subject we don't necessarily like to discuss the older we become. And yet time is inescapable. There is no way anyone can escape the harsh reality that time continues regardless of circumstances and events. Time is no respecter of person, place or thing. All of our decisions are revealed through the process of time. Our characters and true identity is revealed through the ongoing elapse of time. Time is the means by which we measure experience and durability. It is also the means by which we measure failure and expiration. Time is in every aspect of our lives. While you are reading this blog post, time is moving forward and not returning. Even as I sit and type this post, time will only determine the amount of people who will read it.

By time we determine when we should rise and when we should retire. It is through time that friendships can grow ever closer or further apart. Time seems to run faster everyday. Can we really come up with a definition for time? Is it enough to describe time as being the system or method of measuring space between sequential events, and being indefinite and continuous, and the means by which we judge things to be the past, the present or the future? Time is hard to nail to one certain definition. And yet I think the best way to describe time is, Mystery.

I would like to know from everyone who reads this post. What do you think Time is?

I know...its been a while!

2008-11-18T15:10:00.005-06:00

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

(This one is long. I had to make up for the break.)

I am quiet certain that everyone who has any interaction with the general public has been annoyed at some point by those of us who ask questions. Often times we are uncomfortable with questions when they become too personal or when the questioner passes the, ‘questions allowed’, mark we have subconsciously created in our minds. It is very easy for us to dismiss those who ask questions as being nosey or way too curious. In my own experience there have been many times I walked away from a conversation and labeled a person as being entirely too inquisitorial. However, I had to stop and ask myself a few questions. Was that person asking questions just for the mere fact of being nosey? What were they intending to gain from asking me so many questions? Why am I annoyed that they are asking me questions?

I must first of all stop in my rambling to inform you, I do believe there are those who ask questions just to feed their starving curiosity. Many people are hungry for information and they thrive off the idea of knowing everyone’s personal details. People of this nature will go through great hassles and jump through many hoops to gain information and get a fix for their addiction. These are the types of people who will spend multiplied hours and long nights browsing blogs and constantly checking people’s profiles on various social networking sites to make sure to keep up with the latest events. I don’t believe that all who browse blogs or webpage’s are nosey or overly curious, just some.

I have come to write this post because I find great pleasure in meeting and getting to know people beyond just a hand shake and a back slap. There is a communion and a connection that can be gained through knowing more about the other person. Questions can often times be uncomfortable to answer and also to ask. Sometimes we get the feeling that the question we would like to ask someone is going to be received in a hostile way. And rather than thinking the question through and finding a way to communicate what we have in mind, we dismiss the question and often feel somewhat frustrated in the end when we walk off. The problem in most cases is not the question itself; it is the manner in which the question is asked. It also has a lot to do with the timing, the setting and the mood in which the question is being asked. Another issue that arises is how the recipient will perceive our inquiry.

I understand that I could write an entire book on the what, when, why and how of questions. And yet my goal is to point out one thing that has always amazed and intrigued me. Every conversation that we engage in is made up of questions and answers. Sometimes the questions and/or answers are not verbal. We can ask a question in the way we speak by changing the pitch, tone and/or volume of our voice. We can also answer in the same manner. Many times people will ask a question or answer verbally one way and yet you can tell by their expression that their words are in contrast with their thoughts. As you begin to know a person better, you will feel more of a liberty to ask them questions and bring to them certain propositions you would not ordinarily bring to just anyone.

This is how we draw closer to God. If you desire to know God in a deeper and more powerful way than ever, you must begin to try and understand his ways. And the only way to know more about God is to ask him to reveal himself. This action requires questions. Have you ever kneeled down and just began to pray “God what’s your will for my life? Can you teach me to pray? Will you give me a desire to worship and a passion for your kingdom?” I wonder what we would feel like if God looked at us in disgust and exclaimed to his angels that he was getting annoyed at all the questions those nosey people are asking. I’m sure we wouldn’t want to draw closer or know him more.

The good thing is that God loves for us to ask him questions. Because he loves to answer and when he answers, we get to know him more and more. It is through the process of questions and answers that we build a strong and powerful and unmovable relationship with God. And once that type of relationship is built, then it will be near impossible for others to convince you that God is this or that. It is through the questions and answers that you find out who God “REALLY” is. God will also ask you questions and listen to your answers. And when the adversary brings false charges against you, God will dismiss them and smile because he knows who you “really” are.

So next time you get annoyed at someone for asking you questions be sure to stop and think. Are they being nosey or do they care and if they do care, how much do I care. I believe that it is through questions and answers that we all will find close friends and lifelong comrades. My word to you in conclusion is, ASK A QUESTION!

Switzerland

2008-10-01T17:46:00.007-05:00

The Great Fall (Part 3)

2008-09-26T17:49:00.006-05:00

There is a war that rages within the heart of every individual between the flesh and the spirit. Paul makes it very clear in Romans 7 that there is a constant battle between wanting to do right and yet still being drawn to the things that are sinful. Paul was struggling with a desire to do the right things and yet he would continue to fall into the very things he was trying to stay away from.
.
Paul was trying to get us to understand that he really and truly wanted to do right. And yet he still found himself falling back into the same sin and into the same temptation and back into the very things that he hated. Paul lifted up his voice and said;
.
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
.
Paul however, did not leave us in that place of self despair. But he went on to say;
.
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Rom 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
.
Paul realized that if it was up to him he would still be fighting against the things he tried to leave behind. But he let us in a little secret that Adam and Eve didn’t have. Even Satan in his uplifted pride and arrogance went to visit Jesus in the wilderness. And knowing that Jesus had been fasting for 40 days he came to him at his weakest point. And the old serpent began to tempt Jesus the same way he tempted Eve. And yet Jesus response to each one of those temptations was “It is written.” The devil tried the lust of the flesh and he tried the lust of the eyes and he tried the pride of life and he found out that it didn’t work.
.
Adam and Eve were tempted and they failed. And Because of the offence of one, sin entered the world to condemn all men. Yet when God looked down upon his creation it was his desire to bring mankind out of the bondage of sin and back into fellowship with himself. He came down in the form of a man and walked this earth and bore in his own body the sins of humanity. And he did this because he wanted us to be able to live in total victory and not be bound by the sins that haunt our lives. It is the good will and pleasure of our Lord to give his children freedom from the failures and mistakes of the past and to not live in that fallen state.
.
1Jn 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
.
We have victory and receive strength through fellowship with Christ. As long as we try to accomplish victory in the flesh and by ourselves we will continuously echo the words of Paul in Rom 7. But when we step aside and allow the spirit of Christ to govern our minds and direct our hearts we will not have to spend another day in what has been so often referred to as the The Great Fall.
.
2Co 12:8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
2Co 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2Co 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

The Great Fall (Part 2)

2008-09-23T16:11:00.002-05:00

Sin works in such a way that if you continue to look at the things that God forbids it won’t be long until you will find yourself desiring or lusting after those things. And then it won’t be long until you reach out your hand and you will take it. The battle against sin begins in the mind. I believe that when Eve started looking at the tree she began to ponder in her mind why God did not want them to eat of that tree. And in her mind she no doubt tossed the question around and most likely she started looking at the tree from a distance and it wasn’t long until she found herself right in front of the tree and that’s when the serpent began to speak to her.
.
The next step after Eve took was that she “did eat” the fruit. The process of sin is a downhill plunge. I have a feeling that when Eve began to look at the tree that she never intended to take the fruit and when she took it she never intended on eating it. And yet once she allowed the desire toward that forbidden fruit to work in her spirit the end result was death. After Adam and Eve ate of the fruit the Bible said that their “eyes” were opened and they knew that they were naked and they were cursed. Sin looks appealing to the flesh and it might seem to be harmless and yet once sin is embraced it will expose you and it will leave you running and hiding from God. And the things you loved will become the things you run from and the happiness you knew will be replaced by an effort to cover up your shamefulness. James said it like this;
.
Jas 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Jas 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
.
James is using the example of birth here in this passage. And he is telling us that lust is conceived or another way of saying it is that when lust is seized or clasped. It brings forth sin. And sin when it is finished brings death. The idea is of a woman when she is with child there is a process of growth within the womb and then the child is born. Sin works much like that in that the lust or desire of sin begins within the heart of an individual and if it is allowed to grow you may not be able to tell at first but as it continues to grow you will see notable differences with that person. Attitudes will begin to change, moods will start to change and appearances will change. And in the process of time you will see what caused it all along.
.
to be continued...

The Great Fall (Part 1)

2008-09-19T12:16:00.010-05:00

Gen 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
Gen 3:2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
Gen 3:3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
Gen 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
Gen 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
Gen 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Now there are three things that took place before Eve even took the fruit from the tree. The Bible tells us that first she saw that the tree was good for food and second that it was pleasant to the eyes and thirdly a tree to be desired to make one wise. Eve was then tempted in three particular areas and that is what caused her to reach out and take hold of the forbidden fruit. This became the very first act of disobedience ever recorded and it was one that brought down the curse upon man. The whole world was brought under the curse of sin when the tempter was able to beguile Eve and she ate of the tree. When Eve ate of the tree her life was cut short. God intended for man to live on the earth forever and to be his glory and image in the earth and yet through disobedience God cursed man with death. There are many who would say that the devil always throws new tricks at the church, but John took pen in hand one day and began to write unto the church and said;

1Jn 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1Jn 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.

Do you notice that these are the very things that Eve faced in the garden before she ate of the tree? The lust of the flesh being the notion Eve had that the tree was good for food. The lust of the eyes, being that she saw that it was pleasant or another word for pleasant is desire or lust, to the eyes. And the pride of life being that the tree was desired to make one wise. The very things that Eve was faced with in the garden John realized were the same things still facing the church thousands of years removed from the creation of the world. And he warns the church that these things are not of the Father and if the love of the world is in your heart you will be subject to the sins thereof.

The battle for the heart of man has been raging since God gave man to have dominion in the earth. And yet Gods desire is still for man to have dominion in the earth. The desire to fulfill the things of this world and to appease the flesh is still constantly warring against the body of Christ. The devil took note of what he had done when he tempted Eve and he has made it his mission to use these same tactics on other believers. The game has never changed only the players have.

It is also important to note the progression that a desire for sin will produce that took place when Eve was tempted. The first thing we note is that she “saw.” There is something about the eyes that can affect the brain in a way the other 4 senses can not. There are visual images in your brain that you can recall all because they entered through the mediation of your eyes. There is something special about the eyes that the prophet Jeremiah said;

Lam 3:51 Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.

There is a direct connection between your eyes and what you look at and the things you desire. Your eyes control your appetite in the sense that what you set your focus on will become what you want. Job even said; “I’ve made a covenant with mine eyes that I should not look upon a maid.” That was Eve’s first mistake. She “saw” or she was looking at the very thing that God commanded them not to eat. And I want you to notice what happened next. The Bible tells us that she “took.”

to be continued...

THE FALL IN THE GARDEN!!

2008-09-15T22:37:00.006-05:00

ADAM AND EVE

'The Great Fall'

'The tale of how one man and one woman changed the course of history forever'

Coming up is a reflection into the past and I want to take a look at what took place in the garden of Eden. I believe that the story of Adam and Eve relate to us in so many ways that it is sometimes mind boggling.

If you would like to read about it please leave me a comment and let me know. I would like to get some feedback and know what you think.

A Box of Secrets

2008-09-15T22:19:00.008-05:00

We all have a box of secrets. We place all of the most intimate and esoteric parts of our lives into this box. We hold the keys to this box and no one will ever receive it. The box contains the most hidden parts of our personal makeup. The very essence of our being lies within this box. We guard it and cherish it. We labor not to allow anyone near it and most definitely not to ever glance into it. The contents of this box are made up of both evil and good. We are quick to place within it our failures and yet we also place within it our accomplishment. We shelter it from the ugly peers of those who would try to access the box with undeniable, scornful jealousy. And we protect it, with some measure of uncertainty, from the curious and yet seemingly truly compassionate friend.

There are many items within the box. Although we have placed many of the items in it, we still do not fully know what it contains, even though we search it through and through. Some have allowed others the chance to peer into the box, and soon they found that they became subject to them emotionally, fearing that the items contained within would be shared with those who were forbidden to ever see them. This box is the source of who we are and what we become.

This box has a name. It is called the ‘Heart.’ There are differing characteristics that give evidence to the fact that everyone has a heart. The most obvious is that you are reading this post.

The amazing reality is that our outward actions come from an inward influence. That inward influence is comprised of the contents laden within the heart. Our external affairs are only the reflection of various mirrors that line the walls of the heart. We experience varying emotions based on how we relate to circumstances within ourselves. Our thoughts are a result of our heart, our passions grow out of our heart, our understanding, our hopes, our dreams and everything else that is a part of our life is directly connected to the heart.

Gen 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

In this passage we find the harsh reality of what our hearts produce when left up to simple, finite humanity to control. God was not pleased with men and what had become of mankind. This verse gives us a chronological view of what the contents of the heart produce.

First - The heart creates thoughts. Our thoughts can be defined as mental activity, meditation, reflection, recollection and considerations. But the fact is that our thoughts must come from somewhere and are the product of some source. This source is the heart. Now how do we know what is in our hearts? We don’t really know the fullness of what is in our heart.

Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Second – Thoughts provoke imaginations. Imaginations can also be referred to as images. We relate through the medium of images. The example of a learning child gives evidence to that. When we get ready to teach little Johnny and Suzie to learn their ABC’s we show them pictures and images pertaining to each letter. A stands for Apple, B stands for Boy and so on. This then produces a dependency in our mind for images. When you hear the word elephant hopefully you do not think of a tree. After we have images in our mind we desire for there to be a realization of those images. First we see a picture of the elephant and now we want to visit the zoo to “really” see an elephant. This brings us to the third point.

Thirdly – Imaginations create reality. The evil that we produce in our lives have their root within our hearts. And yet the good and precious things that we produce also stem from that same heart. Our hearts are the producers of who and what we are. That is why the Lord takes the heart and fills it with his spirit because he knows that from it flow out all the “…issues of life.” (Pro 4:23).

Often times we hide in our hearts the hurt the confusion and the worries of life. And we think that they will remain safe and sound and that no one will ever see them. And yet God is the one who controls the hearts of men and he knows all that we deal with. We may have a key to this box, but God holds the ‘Master’ key.

There is an answer to the question of whether or not we are able to produce good even though our hearts are filled with evil at times. The answer is YES you are able to produce good fruit and you are able to live in victory continuously. And this is how:

Psa 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

The Reality

2008-09-11T19:22:00.004-05:00

The day breaks with the sun rising with great brilliance across the horizon of the eastern sky. He awakes to find himself yet again frustrated at the lack of sleep. And yet as he wipes his sleepy eyes and stretches his aching body he knows that it is the beginning of a new day.

The four hours of sleep seemed to have been moments in heaven. And now all that has changed and he is back on earth to fulfill his earthly duty. Strolling into the office he faces his overly emotionally stirred boss. And the deep longing to be back in bed and dreaming of another world plaque’s his mind all day long. He finds himself day dreaming and disconnected from his usual duties and has to constantly refocus and redirect his wandering thoughts.

He is like everyone else in the office who realizes the importance and even the necessity of their jobs. And yet there is a desire within each one of them to participate in something greater. They long to be a part of a world that would change their current mundane and boring lifestyles into one that has purpose and meaning.

This is the desire of every human on the face of the earth. It is innate within the heart of mankind to reach higher and to look further. The carnal day to day operations of our lives seem to get us agitated and give us a feeling of claustrophobia. The tendency of our minds is to wander, often leaving us unprofitable and to be quite frank, robbing our employers of their time. But this is the natural process of all who occupy this great universe. In all the accomplishments that we are able to look back at and all the celebrations we host for great achievements, we walk away still feeling like there is something missing.

This is no accident. It is not an unsatisfied, unthankful, greedy and ego-centric attitude that produces this feeling. But it is the spirit within us that desires to be made free from the bondage of this corruptible and mortal flesh. Our very existence is to reveal the image and glory of God and yet we all must admit that more than not we fall short. And still we want to participate in a world that is beyond our own human and finite comprehension. The Apostle Paul gave us his own description of this very fact:

Rom 8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Rom 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

Paul was letting us know that we are a part of a world now that is filled with vanity. The word vanity here is used to imply futility, being useless and unsatisfactory repetition. It would seem more logical in this case to stop with all the trying and all the hard effort to accomplish great things. And yet it is through this feeling of constant reaching for more and longing for something bigger that has brought us to where we are. Would there have been an Israel, if Jacob was satisfied being known as a supplanter and a deceiver? Would there have been a man after Gods own heart, if David was content watching sheep? Would Peter have preached on the day of Pentecost if he settled for being a fisherman? Would Paul have written two-thirds of the New Testament if he grew quiescent with his conversion?

The fact of the matter is that all these characters and many more unlisted became great and reached the heights of accomplishment they did because there was an inward drive and passion that made them reach beyond what the eye can see. And you, the reader, are not what you are today and haven’t become the person you are now by settleing for just living your normal life. You can never be used in the kingdom of God if your sights are set on the here and now. But it is that dream and that desire to become more for God and to not be satisfied just being “you” that has brought you thus far. It is the longing to participate in a greater cause and a response to a higher calling that has made you what you are.

This, my dear friend, is truly “The Reality.”

The Dream

2008-09-03T00:01:00.002-05:00

The loud shrill seemed to have been directed right into his ears, piercing and almost rupturing his ear drums. He threw himself into a half attention position as he tossed the warm comforter off to the side.

‘Come on! Just fifteen more minutes would be great!’ He exclaimed harshly.

He pushed the snooze button of that dreaded, unrestrained and inconsiderate piece of equipment. Then, as though he were in some sort of trance, he slowly lay back again and tried with some frustration to regain his previous position before he was so rudely interrupted. The room grew still again and the sound of a low hum coming from the only vent in the room set the stage for another attempt at going from this normal mundane life into a world filled with peace and everlasting adventure. The room finally grew completely quiet and with a sudden thrust he twisted his body violently and buried his face deep into the cotton filled pillow.

It seemed as though only seconds had past and he was flying through the air and being cheered on by waving parents and excited children. The big yellow ‘S’ on his shirt gave out a bright radiance that seemed to light up the midnight sky and give hope to the hopeless, comfort to the bereaved, richness to the poor, happiness to the saddened, outstretched hands to the desolate, liberty to the bound, peace in the storm, height to the beat down, strength for the weak, fathers for the fatherless, a home for the homeless, sunshine for the withered, healing to the sick, silence to the troubled, fun for the bored, cash for the credit crunched, mortgages for the sub-prime, sugar for the coffee, burger for the bread, ranch for the salad, honey for the ham and everyone seemed to love him. But all this bliss came to an abrupt end when the same familiar noise began to makes its way deep into his ears. The sound of the large tribal gong being beaten to death ferociously once again made its entrance into his head and was able to disrupt him in mid flight.

‘Arrrrgh! Why does that thing always go off at the best part?’ He said through clenched teeth.

With a deep yawn and a full stretch he hopped out of bed with a pep in his step and while wiping his eyes, his stern sleep depraved face gave way to a smirk. The slight smirk was replaced with a full grin as he walked to the sink and turned the water on. His mind traced back through the events that just took place and soon he laughed quietly at the amazing and realistic occurrences that were placed within that ‘Dream.’ He brushed his teeth, freshened up and took care to eat some breakfast before he headed out of the house to begin his work day. All throughout the day he faced challenges and seemingly insurmountable odds and yet he pressed on. He comforted himself in knowing that within just a few more hours, he would be able once again, to leave everything in this world behind and take part in a world where the impossible and unexplainable are the very fractions that are combined to create an integer more commonly known as the ‘Dream.’

In Memory Of Cowboy

2008-08-26T23:43:00.007-05:00

It wasn't too long ago that I sold my horse. His name was "Cowboy" and he was a Sorrel Quarter Horse. He was a great horse and created many memories for me. Ask me sometime and I'll tell you about them.

Getting ready for a ride.

Fully prepared and ready to go with ears perked.

Sarcasm

2008-08-22T13:36:00.000-05:00

I was brought to a sudden desire to see and understand the true meaning of sarcasm through a recent conversation I had with a very intellectual and scholarly individual. The question that came to my mind was, Is Sarcasm wrong or is it just a sense of expression that is only for those who are not faint at heart and are wrapped with a thick epidermis? As I have pondered this question in my mind I began to realize that many of us find sarcasm as a means of being mentally sharp. But is Sarcasm really a sign of mental sharpness and quick wittedness or just another form of degradation? What purpose does sarcasm really serve? Do we edify one another with a spirit of meekness by displaying just how fast we are able to spit words out to counter the words spoken by another individual?

Sarcasm is very enjoyable to the person who is being sarcastic. And yet to the person who is the receiver it can be unpleasant. I confess that I have had my share of sarcastic moments in which my flesh was very well pleased at how I was able to make some nitwit look silly. But have you ever stopped and thought about what you said after you said it? As the words that leave your lips bounce off the expression of your victims face and back into your ears and straight to your brain, your heart falls into your stomach. You find yourself getting uncomfortable as you realize that your words were sharp and cunningly hurtful. And yet because of the pride within your heart you try feverishly to laugh it away and comfort the now ashamed person by telling them that it was just a joke. But you know yourself that they were greatly embarrassed. And now they display a wounded and helpless persona while those that stand around laugh with pleasure and delight as they sing your praise.

In all of this action the question is the same, did you help someone or did you in fact do the opposite and tear them down? I contend that sarcasm is often an attempt to lift ones self up by pushing others down. It’s like the bully at the playground who isn’t able to climb the monkey bars so he doesn’t allow others to get on them. Many times we don’t intend on hurting others and yet in our own attempts to not be seen as intellectually challenged we make others feel small by being sarcastic.

James understood the power of our words.

James 3:5-6; “ Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity; so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. “

And yet how often do we forget what an effect our choice of words can have on others around us? To those who have made it a habit of being sarcastic it becomes a natural part of their being. And yet sarcasm can be a sign of a lack of discipline one has over their tongue. Sarcasm is not just a fun way of expressing ones view point, but it can become cynicism very quickly and unnoticed. As one writer put it “It is a line that is smudged and blurry so that one can not know the exact moment when they have stepped from one side into the other.”

What is interesting to me is where we get the word “Sarcasm.” The word Sarcasm comes from the Latin word; Sarcasmus, and the Greek word; Sarkasmós and is a derivative of the verb Sarkázein. The word Sarkázein in its original sense meant “to tear flesh like dogs.” Sarkazein is in turn derived from sarx, “flesh.” A form of this Greek word is found as sarco, in the English word sarcophagus, which literally means “flesh-eating” in Greek.

This then gives evidence that Sarcasm in its true context and original formation is an action of destruction. If we stop and think about sarcasm isn’t that exactly what we do? Sarcasm is something that we use to make a mockery of our target and this is why we make mention that only those with tough skin are able to handle Sarcasm. But what is the purpose of Sarcasm then if it’s true purpose is to make one feel broken and beaten?

Another interesting fact is that the word Sarcasm is synonymous with the word “Derision” which means; to make a mockery or ridicule. The word “derision” is used 15 times throughout the scriptures and expresses the judgment of the Lord. This gives a new meaning to Sarcasm. The power we have in our mouth must be recognized and the use of our words must be weighed within our mind before we speak. This will allow us as the children of God to be able to be more effective.

Is Sarcasm a sin then? Is it our place to rend our brothers and sisters with words and to declare judgment upon them as if we are God? What is the fine line between Sarcasm and Irony? All I can say is that after really looking and beholding these facts I have a new outlook on the use of Sarcasm. I pray that God will give me the ability to be effective both in word and in deed. However, I understand that we all are flesh and no one is perfect, but the goal is to not be hurtful to others. You be the judge and governor of your own words and always stop and ask yourself. Why am I saying this and what purpose does it serve?

Disclaimer: This is just my thought on the subject. I don’t have this all figured out myself. “He’s still working on me.” Enjoy and please comment.

PEAK

2008-08-21T21:52:00.001-05:00

First of all I must say that PEAK was AWESOME. The services were just filled with power and the whole atmosphere was just great. I enjoyed very much the opportunity of being with some really good friends again and being able to catch up on old times. But I also was thrilled to have met a whole lot of new folks. I had a great time hanging out with all of my new friends and just being able to rare back and have a good time was worth the trip. I will never forget the memories that were made on Friday night/Saturday morning. Village Inn holds many memories in its hand and I shall never forget the pleasure of drinking a Villaccino. God Bless Village Inn!!

This is Bro. Andrew Dillon enjoying some pancakes.

Full House!

Bro. Marks surrounded while preaching.

This is Stephen, Andy, Myself and Carl.

Carl, Stephen, Myself, Andy and Cory all leaning on Carls suave Escalade.

Sri Lanka

2008-08-21T02:39:00.000-05:00

This is my Moms country.

Explanation

2008-08-19T22:41:00.000-05:00

Many of you might be somewhat taken aback by the outlandish title of my blogspot. It is very intriguing even to myself. I was intending on sounding very intelligent and yea even convince those of great wisdom and understanding that I might be considered worthy to be placed in the same category of a philosopher. However, for those of you that have met me that fact has already been established and there is no need for further discussion. I suppose this is the part in the text when the use of the abbreviation "rofl" would be appropriate.

Now to explain my choice of words. It is my intention in life to become the best at whatever I handle. The truth is that I will not always accomplish this goal and yet it is one that I strive for. The reason I chose to use the words "Nutritive Cogitation for the Cranium" was to evoke curiosity within the minds of the readers. I will not endeavour to explain what the words mean at this point. I will speak the words that Jesus did in the early part of Matthew 9:13 "But go ye and learn what that meaneth,..."

Isn't it amazing that even Jesus did not always give direct answers for the things that he spoke and/or did. The scripture reveals to us that God is desirous to see man take the things he has given him and continue in faith. In my opinion the greatest act of faith and trusting in the simple words of God was displayed in the story of Abraham. Abraham was called by God in Gen 12:1 to leave all that he had known and everything he had worked so hard on acquiring and go to a place "...that I will show thee." The very request would have shot me through with mixed emotions of wanting to obey the Lord and yet questioning the authenticity of such a request.

It is the nature of man to question the Lord. Since the very beginning of time when Adam and Eve ate of the tree it was an act of not believing God. That is why Satan used the trick on Eve of getting her not to just eat of the tree based on what he himself told her. But he caused her to question herself and what God said by asking her the question in Gen 3:1 "Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" This caused Eve to be confused and she ended up replying to the serpent in Gen 3:3 "God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die." God never said that they were not able to touch it. But it was the flesh and the desire of man to take what God said and hold it up to his own fragile and finite concepts and judge what the creator of all things has to say by his own immature understanding. This is how we fail and fall short of what God has for us.

But Abraham was not of the same mind set and way of thinking. That is why the Bible declares in one of my favorite passages in the word of God in Gen 12:4 "So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him;..." That first part of the scripture is enough to make me want to run all around the city with a leap in my step and a shout in my lungs. Because that is what I am striving for. We as the children of God will not be blessed as long as we try to figure out what God is going to do and trying to come up with reasons why he does certain things. The question is not whether God will accomplish his work or will he drop the ball. God will always have his way with or without us. And yet he gives us promises and speaks words of instruction to us to try our heart and see how we respond to his call.

If we are able to set aside our own longing for reason and just obey what God has placed before us, the will of God will be wrought. The Bible declares in Num 23:19 "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?"

So.... why did I not explain to you what the meaning of my blog description is? The answer is "I don't know, maybe cause I don't feel like it..."

Consuming Faith Ministries

*NEW BLOG*

Young Men In Ministry - Part I

Consuming Faith Ministries

H2H

CARMEN HOOD New Album "I Am A Miracle"

50 Days of Pentecost

The Mantle

Slander or Concern? Final Part IV

Slander or Concern? Part III

Slander or Concern? Part II

Slander or Concern?

I have a dream

Who are my Friends?

Consuming Faith Ministries

The New Site

*NEW* WEBSITE/BLOG

Turning Hope into Faith 2

Turning Hope into Faith

Miracle Recipe

What is my life all about?

The Truth!

I Believe, But help my Unbelief

A True Love for God

Hello Everyone!!

YOUTH RALLY!!!

Blogger Alert!!

OZARK ARKANSAS!!

Gains vs. Losses

True Friend

Fun Times at a Youth Night

My Great Friends and I

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Time Changes Everything

I know...its been a while!

Switzerland

The Great Fall (Part 3)

The Great Fall (Part 2)

The Great Fall (Part 1)

THE FALL IN THE GARDEN!!

A Box of Secrets

The Reality

The Dream

In Memory Of Cowboy

Sarcasm

PEAK

Sri Lanka

Explanation

NEW BLOG

NEW WEBSITE/BLOG