I have been thinking a lot lately about the kind of people God calls us to be. Are we like Jesus’ disciple, Peter? Or are we more like Judas? To clarify, when I ask, “Are you more like Judas?” I’m not asking, “Are you the type of person who would betray Jesus?” And I’m not asking, “Are you the type who would disown Jesus in public?”  I’m asking, how do you respond when you have messed up, when you have made a mistake? Do we respond like Peter or Judas? The way we respond can make or break us.

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There’s one constant among all human beings: we’re all sinners. We’ve all disappointed God. We’ve all made mistakes, we’ve all made selfish decisions and hurt others by our actions. In this regard, we are all like Peter, and we are all like Judas. But there’s another constant to consider. Paul, in his second letter to Timothy tells us, “If we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself” -2 Timothy 2:13-14. This means that God always keeps His promises, His faithfulness is part of what makes Him God. Remember that He gave us His only Son Jesus to bear the weight of our sin and to pay the ultimate price, death, for you and me. Take a second and think about this. YOU WERE WORTH IT TO HIM.

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So, back to my original question: when faced with your own unfaithful tendency in the light of God’s unwavering faithfulness, are you like Peter or more like Judas?  Peter must have felt very ashamed because he disowned Jesus, especially after boldly declaring he would die before he would desert Jesus (John 13:37). But when the resurrected Christ appeared on the beach where Peter and the others were fishing, Peter couldn’t make himself wait until the slow boat returned to shore to be in the presence of His Lord. Soon after Peter reaffirmed his love for Jesus.  Judas also felt remorse for his actions. But instead of going back to the ever-faithful God, Judas took his own life. He chose to ignore the faithfulness of God. He took the easy way out. He backed out under pressure and ultimately took his life because of his guilt.

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Too many people spend their time dwelling on their own faults. But instead of bemoaning our faithlessness, we should be praising God’s faithfulness. If you’ve been wandering away from God lately, be like Peter and return to Him. Don’t let the devil convince you that God could never love you again. There isn’t a person alive who hasn’t disappointed God in some way. Today the choice is yours: either dwell in your misery or rejoice in God’s faithfulness.

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First John 1:9 tells us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” If you have been unfaithful, confess it to God. Confession means to admit to God that you’ve sinned against Him. There is no other way to experience the forgiveness, love and joy of God your Father. Be blessed my brothers and sisters. God is so good. He loves each one of us like we are the only person on earth to love.

This is a letter that holds a lot of meaning for me. Please join me in donating to this great cause. You can save many at-risk youth. Thank you for your consideration.

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To Whom it may Concern:

            We are an organization with a big vision.  We have recently opened and licensed a new division of Crossover Ministries Inc. Families Together Foster Family Agency.   Our  Mission is to Heal hurting Children and their biological families.  Our action plan is to find and train and equip, quality foster (healing) homes in the Central Valley Region.

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            The mission of these families first is to provide a safe quality home with trained loving parents who will do all in their power to protect and help stabilize the children.

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            Crossover Ministries is a 501C3 Non Profit organization that has been established since 2002.

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            Located at 4270 N. Blackstone Ave. Suite 311 Fresno CA 93726.  Tax ID # is 77-0551788

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We are in need of start up funds and home furniture of any kind and are able to offer a tax deductable receipt for your gift of any size.  Right now we need single beds and frames, dressers, tables and chairs, sofa sets to help set up a foster home of a youth pastor who wants to get started in this ministry.  When I spoke to Jermaine today I had to tell him of a 13 year old boy that we had to turn away, because we did not have any available room in our homes at this time.  Jermaine’s home will open up at least 4 new places to place young boys. 

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This new ministry has a vision to work with Probation youth and young women caught in sex trafficking.  Just saw the latest report stating 27 million young men and women are caught in this situation world wide. Our first mission is to help the children of our own community.

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Thank you so much, for your consideration in helping with this important ministry.

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Ronald Plumb

Administrator/Director

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Please contact Jermaine Jackson at 559-765-9212 or email him jermainej321@gmail.com for further questions. Thank you!

It’s easy to pretend you’ve got your life together while hiding behind a facade. Instead of working on the real you, you invest your time in perfecting your facade; all at the expense of your soul. You avoid the people who see through your facade, and you also avoid letting anyone in who will want to see too much of the real you. You treat your facade as if it were the real you, and you bury your soul deep down inside where hopefully no one can see and nothing can get through to hurt you.

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The only problem is, your soul is in complete and total agony, and it won’t go away. Better to live in denial than to confront the pain you’d rather run from or outright ignore…. right? How about this: start by admitting you don’t have all the answers (a big step for most). Ask Jesus to come in and heal your wounded and broken heart. Ask God to teach you how to be the person He created you to be, rather than the person you’ve made yourself into. Most of all, be honest… He knows more than you can imagine. Be blessed.

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“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” -John 8:12

It’s so hard when people define us by our past or hold us to our worst day. It’s tough when we have grown and matured yet those closest to us can’t see it. Often they forgive us but they don’t allow us the opportunity to rebuild trust. I think many feel the need to protect themselves from the pain we caused them by reminding us of our passed failures, this gives them a reason to hold us at a distance. 

Of course, if we don’t grow up or repent of our pattern of sin, then we can’t expect people to trust us. When we say we are sorry but than continue to repeat the same destructive behavior we are not trustworthy. Forgiveness was purchased for us on the Cross but trust is earned through repentance. 

If we want to have a deep relationship with someone, than once they have truly repented and have demonstrated maturity in the area that they were weak in, we must open our hearts and allow them to rebuild trust. 

Thank Jesus for new beginnings! I thank God for the people in my life who believed in me before I deserved it. Be blessed my friends.

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“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” -Ephesians 1:7-10

Jesus told his opponents that even if men were silenced from praising Him, even something as quiet as a rock would cry out because of His glory and work (LUKE 19:39-40).  Are you crying out and praising His name in ALL that you do, whether successes and or trials? Or do you let the people of this world tell you that you can’t do it? Or even worse, do you stand silent because it’s you’re own choice? I’ve been thinking about this a lot because we often “cry out” to people around us about many things: hurts, pain, gossip, slander, wants, desires, etc., but not so much about our Savior. It’s time for a change. It’s time for the precious name of Jesus Christ to be declared everywhere we go. It’s time to have a deeper hunger and thirst for more of our Savior. Think about it, most things we hunger or thirst for in this world don’t end up satisfying us because either we can’t attain them, or the things we do attain don’t have the ability to satisfy. In Matthew 5:6, Jesus makes a bold claim about righteousness for two reasons:

1: God’s righteousness is perfect and will no disappoint

2: Our attaining this righteousness isn’t based on our imperfect abilities, but on the perfect work of Jesus.

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Since it it a perfect gift from the One who is perfect, it will surely satisfy if we let it. Let Him have the reigns to your life. He will take you places you have never even dreamed about going. There will be pain and persecution along the way, I promise you, but it through the precious blood of Jesus Christ where we can find strength and healing. GOD IS OFFERING HIS HEART IN EXCHANGE FOR YOURS. 

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Oh and one last thing to think about, JESUS DIED FOR YOU. AND YOU WERE WORTH IT TO HIM. Make your relationship with Him worth something to you too. He’s crying out to you. I hope you’re not “too busy” to be silent and listen.

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I love you all my brothers and sisters in Christ. Be blessed. 

It’s been far too long since I have posted on this but I think God has picked this very moment for me to share. God directed me away from writing to have time to grow. The last 6 months have been hectic. I have had football, football, and some more football. The exciting thing is that we have a game this Saturday! It’s time to beat the Gophers! Since March, I have grown so much, both physically and spiritually. In the Spring, I read the Bible front to back which was something I had always wanted to do. God has really played a big role in all that has happened the last 6 months. His hand has been so apparent in those I have encountered and it’s such a blessing to be apart of every day.

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 ”Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” -1 Thessalonians 5:11

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This is a verse that has really stuck with me for the last couple months. I have felt a huge conviction to reach out to the hurting, the broken hearted, and the afflicted. God has used my words to help bring a peace of mind and body to all those who read my statuses on Facebook and Twitter. The most important thing I could tell you is that you have to be encouraged by one another. This is something that has turned my life upside down. As a lot of you know, I post daily on Facebook. Whether it’s a statement, Bible verse, or quote, I have tried to change the way social media websites are used. The most humbling experiences have been when people have contacted me to say that what I posted is just what they needed during a day they had been struggling. I have had fellow classmates, those in which I did not even know, approach me to say thank you and how much they loved reading my updates every day. This is not the toot-my-own-horn post because I am the first to tell you that this is not for me. This is for the glory of God and the glory of God alone. I am simply the one who is blessed to write down His words. It is very important to constantly encourage one another though. Surround yourself with good company. People who edify you through the way they speak and act. Be encouraged. Salvation is near.

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I am excited to be back on here. God called me away from my website for a while but now I feel His direction bringing me back here. I pray that these posts can be an encouragement to you. I love you all and I will praying for you. Remember to always live obediently and immediately. Live in His love. God bless.

Most people, whether a believer or not, know of the man named Moses. There’s a story about this shepherd, Moses, found in Exodus 3, in which God appears to him speaking through a burning bush.

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“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” -Exodus 3:5

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God appeared to Moses telling him that the ground he was standing on is holy. Now Moses had been walking this land for over 40 years. It isn’t as if the ground all of sudden became holy.. the ground didn’t just change, IT’S THAT MOSES BECAME AWARE OF IT. Which raises the question for us. Are we standing on holy ground all the time? Passing burning bushes on the left and on the right? And because we are moving to fast and get distracted, we miss them? At this time, God had heard the cries of his people who were in slavery in Egypt, and he calls Moses to rescue them. 

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“Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.” -Exodus 3:13-15

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Now the name LORD, if you’re reading it in an English translation of the Bible, the name is capital L, capital O, capital R, capital D (LORD). The name appears in the Bible over 6,000 thousand times, but it wasn’t originally written in the English language, but in Hebrew. In Hebrew, the name is essentially 4 letters. In English, we would say YHVH (YAHWEH), but in Hebrew, it is pronounced “Yod He Vau He.” Now some pronounce the name Yahweh, although in many traditions, the name isn’t even pronounced because it’s considered so sacred, so mysterious, so holy. In fact, ancient Rabbis believed that these letters functioned kind of like vowels in the Hebrew language. They believed that they were essentially like breathing sounds and ultimately, the name YAHWEH, is simply unpronounceable because the letters together are essentially the sound of breathing.

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We have to realize that life is very fragile, but at the same time, we have been breathed into life by the Creator of the universe and this Divine breath is in every single human being. Like it’s written in Psalm 8, “You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor.” Now the glory and honor is this passage isn’t referring to God, it’s referring to the people God has made. We’re sacred, divine beings that possess untold power and strength. Our lives are but a breath. And yet you and I were made by the Creator of everything.

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This week, recognize that there is a holiness in the people around you. Jesus says in Matthew that whatever you did for them, you did for me. He never leaves us. He’s here right now. A person doesn’t have to agree with this for it to already be true! GOD HAS ALREADY GIVEN US LIFE, AND THE BREATH WE JUST TOOK, AND THE BREATH WE TOOK BEFORE THAT, AND THE BREATH WE’RE GOING TO TAKE, AND THE BREATH AFTER THAT. 

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My prayer for you is that you come to see that God is here right now and He’s with us all the time. May you come to understand that the ground you walk on is HOLY GROUND. May you become aware that it’s through, “Yod He Vau He” that we live, we move, and we breathe. Be blessed.

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” -1 Thessalonians 5:11

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Anything that doesn’t build up, edify, and encourage your life isn’t God. We must constantly be reminded of this. It’s so difficult in our lives to not be discouraged by the world. We have to find hope in our Lord and be bold in tough times. We are sinners. He knows the Truth about you, EVERYTHING about you. I grew up thinking that all the Gospel did was expose my sin which made me concentrate more on the bad than the good. What I have grown to realize is that the Gospel reveals my value and shows me that I am worth it and my life means something to God. The Gospel doesn’t expose my sin but it removes my sin. Our sin is washed away so we don’t have to wake up saying, “I’m a Christian!” Rather, “I’m a son. I’m a daughter. I’m in. I’m not out. I’m accepted, not rejected.” We must stay in tune with the Truth so we’re not judging ourselves. I love God because He first loved me. (1 John 4:19) This verse gives me strength to wake up as His son and not just a “Christian.” Jesus is so much more than religion. Religion is impersonal. Constantly tell yourself, “I’m in love, I have a relationship with Him, God is my Father. He loves me and picks me up in troubling times.” God responds, “I gave my Son so you could be my sons and daughters.” THIS IS THE GOSPEL! It takes the identity of sin off of us and clothes us with His lordship. If you’re unclear and unstable about your identity in Him, how can you possibly give anyone something sure & stable? 

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I’ve been growing a lot in dealing with sin in my life. My prayer has been for God to expose all that is not of Him in my heart. When we commit our lives to God, we see and think differently about sin because of the Light. I was never critical about some of the sin in my life because of the people I was around. They were doing it, so why couldn’t I? I rationalized sin in my life. Sin, no matter how big or small it is, cannot be rationalized! Now I’m critical and I see why. Because God’s doing work in my life. There is Light. If you’re dealing with the same sin over and over again, don’t lose hope. Give God your entire heart. Take a step out in faith and watch what He does in your life. He will expose things in your heart that are guarded. When He exposes this sin, you break fellowship with it. It’s now not apart of your identity! 

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You will fall more and more in love God as He exposes things in your life that need to be let go of. You will grow deeper in experience with Him. He will cause your heart to see what you haven’t seen before. Take a second and think about things in your life that bring you down or discourage you. God has already forgiven you. Christ came and put on your shame so you could put on Christ. So you could come under His lordship. Reading, praying, and drawing deeper in communion with Him. His pleasure is to give you His kingdom. He’s perfected you through Himself. Receive the greatest gift of all. He’s calling you..

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” –Acts 2:42-47

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Back in the time of Jesus, people gathered in synagogues and temples throughout the New Testament. It was a gathering of sinners who were saved by grace. They all believed together and worshipped with one another. I feel like in today’s church, there isn’t enough “community.” We are a community of the lost & found, not communities of people that say we can all see everything clearly. I feel like the term “fellowship” is misused today as well. Fellowship is recognizing a deep commonality that people believe in together. We as a church, think more about what we don’t have in common rather than the Christ we do have in common. We have Christ in common and that’s what are focus should be on. We have a “thing” in common that transcends all other good “things.” He is the reason for us having something in common. We find community in the Gospel and we find our rightful place around His central place.

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In verse 46 Paul writes, “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.” We rely on the breaking of bread from Jesus who was broken on the cross. Prayer was such a vital part of their every day lives. They continued together in prayer and it was apart of every day church life. They gathered both in large and small gatherings. Every time we gather, we must be reminded that we gather for a larger purpose/vision than ourselves. The vision is larger than us but we are all still valued in this vision. Gathering is important because we come in communion together through prayer. It enriches our growth as individuals and as communities. We also need to recognize that gathering together is sometimes difficult. We must have an expectation that things are going to be difficult. We also must understand that we are going to deal with difficult people. Gathering together is a privilege and cannot be taken for granted.

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1.     We must gather together INTENTIONALLY. We gather intentionally to let the Spirit guide/direct us, with expectation to draw closer to God. We also need to be intentional about listening. You can such a blessing to someone just by simply listening. God has lent His ear to us. We need to also be intentional about speaking and building each other up.

2.     We must gather FAITHFULLY. We all need to be growing together. Growth takes time. We all desire instant gratification and community perfection but understand that a great family isn’t built over night.

3.     We must gather EXPECTANTLY. God is saving people every day and He adds people to His kingdom every second. Have the courage to preach the Good News and be a Light in our world that is filled with darkness.

4.     We must gather JOYFULLY. People must matter to you. If you are not feeling the burden of people who are hurting, suffering, and lost around you, than you’re probably not apart of the community.

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IF WE AREN’T RECEIVING CORRECTION FROM OTHERS, IT WON’T BE LONG TILL WE AREN’T RECEIVING CORRECTION FROM GOD. It’s indicative of what’s going on in your heart.  Hebrews 10:24-25 reads: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

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When we gather together, we must be praying together. The power of prayer is unbelievable. We have no right that God will hear our prayers but 1 Timothy 2:5 says, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.” WE HAVE A MEDIATIOR! That’s why we pray in His name. Jesus says pray like crazy! When we don’t pray, we lack confidence/boldness in the world. My challenge to you is to pray together humbly, intentionally, and specifically. Our dependence on God deepens when we pray and intimacy is found through prayer. God rejoices when you pray. He delights in you as you go deeper in experience with Him.

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To close, I want to tell you that when we pray together, we enter something so much bigger than ourselves. Hebrews 7:25 says, “Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” Jesus is forever praying for us even when we are not praying to Him. Jesus never stops. I don’t know about you but that’s amazing. Our God is an awesome God. Give God your time, He does better things with it than you do. God bless.

When I was first asked by my teammate Matt if I wanted to go to Africa with him and his family, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I didn’t know what my family would say because at the time, they had never met the Barkley family. I also wasn’t sure what to expect from my parents because I would be gone during Christmas and this is the one time during the year that I get to spend some quality family time. Going on this trip really solidified the love and support my family has shown me my whole life. I am so grateful to have such a supportive family that is 110% behind all the decisions I make in my life. On this trip, all my expectations of Africa were exceeded! I thought that the African people would treat 8, white Americans way differently than they did. Everyone waved and cheered when we drove by, which was very welcoming. The poverty in Africa was just like I had expected. It was just like the info-commercials I saw growing up as a little kid in how to sponsor a child. It was such a blessing to actually witness the poverty and to realize how grateful we truly are. People around the world need our help and it’s up to us to be the difference.

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I learned so much about myself and my walk with God on this trip. I dealt with a lot of skepticism about why God has people suffer. What I learned on this trip is the fact that God uses suffering to draw people closer to Him. The people we were surrounded with had nothing, yet they thanked God for EVERYTHING He had blessed them with. Most prayers we heard by the Nigerians began with, “Lord, we thank You for ALL You have given us.” This is the kind of faith I lacked. In times of despair and trouble, it’s in Him we find strength and Him who we must turn our eyes to. I have so much to be thankful for. Electricity at any time of the day, clean water to drink and bathe, food in my pantry, and a change of clothes when things get dirty. All of these are simple things that we just take for granted. The children in Nigeria had 1 maybe 2 meals a day, no electricity, a pair of sandals, and maybe two pairs of clothes to wear. In America, people complain about a $300 pair of jeans that don’t fit or a shower not having scalding hot water.  God revealed so much to me and really changed my heart. Another thing that God taught me on this trip is that men were created to do manly things. Working for hours in the hot sun digging trenches was one of the best experiences I had on our trip. I was doing a man’s job and it was because God allowed to do so. Men in today’s society, sit around their couches and comfort their flesh while there are manly things to be done in the world. Whether that’s sports, hunting, fishing, etc. God intends men to be men. This idea was revealed to me through the boys I worked with at the Gyero orphanage. They loved to work. While building the soccer goals, the boys would fight over who got to work with us. It’s the way they were raised and the boys were in their element. If I were to ask 11-12 year old boys in America to do the same thing, they wouldn’t know what I was talking about. If it’s not an X-BOX controller, they can’t do it nor would want to do it. The world needs more manly men and I found that through the boys at Gyero. If someone were to attack their village, it’s the boys that would be responsible in protecting the others.

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On this trip, God also revealed to me that we need to stop taking the supernatural out of Salvation. In every way our lives should be directed towards Heaven. The orphans sang songs about saying goodbye and the lyrics said, “Uncle Kyle goodbye, it’s not the final bye, someday will be together, some day, some time.” What I felt is that these children await Heaven. Every day is another day closer to Heaven. One of the girls, Kauna, told me before I left that she would see me in Heaven. SHE ACTUALLY MEANT IT! These children live such devout lives and it was so humbling to be apart of it. The orphans’ main mission on earth is to radiate Christ’s love to everyone they encounter. And trust me, THEY DO IT!

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As I prepared to head back to America and leave the children of the Gyero Orphanage on Christmas Eve, sadness filled my heart. Here we were, a team of 8, pouring into children for 5 straight days and now it was time to go. We fell in love with them and they fell in love with us. It was hard not to feel guilty. I felt like we almost gave them a false sense of hope. We comforted them, fed them, and loved them, just to leave them with nothing. What God revealed to me was something I’ve waited to be answered my whole time. For so long, I desired to see the fruit of my labor. To see results, to hear how people felt about what I did, to desire to see change. What God revealed was exactly opposite. All I am called to do is to plant seeds for Him to let grow if it’s in His will. The reason why we were at Gyero wasn’t to make the children feel loved for 5 days, even though it happened, but it was to give them more of His love and more of His comfort. When I tell you that these children have nothing but Jesus, I mean it! They are 100% reliant on Him and that’s why I never heard one of them complain or make excuses. They could easily make excuses and ask God: Why me? Why us? Instead, they glorify God and give thanks in ALL things. They glorify and praise His name not for the things of this world but for the intimate relationship they share with Him.

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My prayer for myself and for you is that our reliance on Him changes. We need to give thanks in all things and understand that everything is a gift from God. Each breath we take is a gift, each laugh is a gift. I hope that every breath and laugh you and I make proclaims all glory to our Father. After all, it’s through Him that we have eternal life. I plan on seeing Kauna in Heaven someday. God bless. 

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Here are some videos showing a little of what we did in Africa:

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http://vimeo.com/18709166

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWAhLP7ICEo

Dear Heavenly Father,

I humbly come before you today and ask that you guide and protect us in our studies. Keep us free from stress and the overwhelming workload we have in preparation for our finals. Give us the knowledge and understanding of each and every subject we prepare for. May this understanding be crystal clear and our retention be filled with the knowledge You have blessed us with. Send the grace of Your Holy Spirit onto us that we may learn only what we need for our final examinations. You have filled us with so much strength and love, so I ask that you fill us with Your knowledge Father God. Enable us to complete our finals in Your name and to most importantly finish this year strong. Give us the confidence in understanding the material we are looking over and that there is no need to cram, lose sleep, or stress. Grant us with patience, humility, knowledge, peace, diligence, love, understanding, and a calm heart this week. Let us never lose confidence in our studies due to the overwhelming overload You have placed before us. Lord, protect us. Take us to a place where we aren’t distracted and can focus solely on the task at hand. You are so faithful Lord, wrap your loving arms around us and give us the gracious feeling of Your peace. Calm our hearts Lord. We have learned so much this semester and I just ask that you show us the ways in taking what we have learned to now apply it to our exams. Grant that our professors were faithful in the information they provided on the study guides so that there are no surprises come exam time for. We love you so much Lord. Grant us this knowledge. Continue to form our lives in Your truth, our hearts in Your love, and our minds in Your knowledge. Thank you for everything Lord. You have blessed us with so many beautiful gifts and I simply ask that you protect us this week. We glorify You and praise You. Continue to be our rock and salvation. We love You and submit to Your will. Protect us. Guide us. But most importantly, love us.

                                                            In Your Son’s Most Gracious Name. AMEN.

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“Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” –Philippians 4:9

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“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” -Romans 5:1

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“Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, 
and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.” -Proverbs 3:13-17        

“And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.” -Romans 13:11-14

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God has really been revealing a lot to me when studying His Word and in Paul’s letter to the Romans, Paul talks about waking up from slumber and living in the Light. So what does it mean to be “asleep” in our walk with God? In verse 13, Paul says, ”..wake up from your slumber, because our Salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.” Being “asleep” is a lazy, non-aggressive, lethargic, passive Christian life. I’m the first to tell you, this was the way I lived. I knew the right things to say, went to church, did good things in the community, etc. etc. but I never got the point. My prayer life wasn’t intimate and personal, I never asked God to truly take control of my life, and to make it simple, all the things I stated above, that was me. I never got it till I decided to fully surrender my life in His will. It was a self-endulging life and I never want to be found “asleep” in the Lord again. It was horrible, self-satisfying, and wrong.

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What indications show that you are “asleep” in Christ?

-Not responding in gratitude to God

-Conforming to the world

-Thinking to highly of yourself

-Think you’re not apart of the Body of Christ

-Not using the gifts He gives you

-Not showing genuine love

-Being prayerless

-Not loving your enemies

-Harming others with your sin

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As you can see, the list could go on and on. There is no drug more poisonous than sin. When we fall into sin, we begin to rationalize our “sleep.” We feel like we need to rationalize everything we do and say. And if we don’t get our way, we’ll try to find a second opinion from someone who will tell us we’re doing just fine. It’s that constant need for justification from a secondary source that leads us down the wrong path. IT’S CALLED SELF-DECEPTION! 

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When we are “asleep” we are forgetting about God and His people. We are called to be a Light to everyone around us in a world that is covered by darkness. Think about this, you don’t light a candle and cover it! It may sound too simplistic but it’s so true. There are so many people around us who are alienated and can’t “see” because of the darkness that consumes their lives. We need to be that Light. WAKE UP!

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When thinking about the whole concept of “waking up” that Paul is talking about, in the midst of all that God is doing, what if you were found asleep? How would you feel? It scares me to think about this idea. I never want to be found asleep and I hope you don’t either. I feel like we become forgetful of all that God has done with us and for us. We should always be concerned with our lives as Christians. Always examining our hearts and asking God to eliminate anything that is not of His kingdom. IT’S A WAKE UP CALL! We have to understand that the time is now and we must act in light of this time. 

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We have to really grasp the idea that when conviction hits us, we must respond quickly. Paul writes that we need to put on the armor of Light to fight the old age, the age of darkness. As Christians, we all say we are of the day but do we live by the night? Take a snapshot of your life right now. Would you be found asleep? Are you living in the Light or is your life consumed in darkness? If you answered yes to being asleep, Paul tells you how to deal with it in verse 14. Paul says, “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.” WE MUST PUT ON JESUS! LET JESUS BE WHAT YOU WEAR ALL THE TIME!! JESUS CHRIST CAME AND PUT ON ALL OF OUR SHAME SO WE COULD GRACIOUSLY PUT ON HIS ARMOR. We are called to live under His lordship. That’s why reading the Word, praying, and absorbing all that you learn is so important. When focusing on verse 14, I picture the moment I was saved by grace from the all the destruction and shamefulness in my life. It’s an everyday battle we have to fight. That’s what we sign up for when we fully surrender our hearts to Jesus. If we don’t “put on” Christ, our sinful nature will yearn for the desires of our flesh. We need to be ruthless in dealing with sin in our life. Galatians 2:20 reads, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” It’s time to devote your life to faithful obedience to our Father.

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“But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” -1 Thess 5:4-11

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WAKE UP! It’s time to live in the Light. God bless.

I have been reading Pastor Francis Chan’s books Crazy Love and Forgotten God and the Lord has really opened my heart to a lot of beautiful things. You often hear people refer to the Spirit as a “power” or “thing” that we can control or use. I feel this is one of the biggest misunderstandings of the Spirit and His role in our lives. The Holy Spirit is a person who has a personal relationship with not only believers but also with the Father and the Son as well. Matthew 28:19 reads: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

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The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work together to make our lives complete. Think about the story of the Spirit descending and dwelling in the hearts of the disciples. Acts chapter 2 begins:

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“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” -Acts 2:1-4

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Think about this scene for a second. These apostles had spent over 3 years following Jesus, they dedicated their lives to Him, and now they see Jesus ascend into Heaven, gone from their midst. Think about what the apostles were thinking. Here the apostles were, all gathered in someone’s house in Jerusalem, waiting. They knew something was coming because Jesus told them so. All Jesus said was wait. He told them you don’t know exactly what or who you are waiting for… just wait. Suddenly, a sound filled the whole house (Verse 2) and then tongues of fire appeared and come to rest on each person present (Verse 3). And than verse 4 reads, “And all of them were filled with Holy Spirit.” 

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After reading this chapter, I was thinking about the disciples. How would I have reacted to this scene? These were the same apostles who were dedicated to following Jesus, no matter what, but who fled as soon as Jesus was arrested. And here they were all gathered together, confused about how they should move on with their lives now that Jesus had left them. Yet, when the Holy Spirit descended and dwelled within them, a radical change occurred. From this moment, none of these disciples were ever the same. The book of Acts is a testament to this radical change made from the Spirit’s interaction with us. We know the story of Paul, formerly known as Saul, go from killing Christians to becoming one of the most spiritual, powerful Christians to walk the earth. How? The Spirit of God. A common theme of this radical change made by the Spirit is the fact that these men were no longer timid or confused. They were bold, inspired and began to declare and live the Gospel of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit. Take a second and think about what a huge moment this was in the lives of the disciples and Paul. Think about the last time you really encountered the Spirit in your life.

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The Spirit desires the same radical movement and change in our lives. Do you believe that God gives His Spirit to those who ask? DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE IT? This truth and the depth of what this truly means is unfathomable. No one who actually believes this could then fail to ask for the Spirit.

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My prayer for you is that you invite the Spirit to take complete control of your life. If you have done so already, my prayer is that the Spirit continues to guide and direct your life towards Salvation. May we all live truly submitted to the Spirit’s leading on a daily basis. Christ said it is better for us that the Spirit came, and we need to live like we know that is true. May the Spirit lead you always. In His Son’s Holy Name, Amen.

“As for God, his way is perfect: 
   The LORD’s word is flawless; 

   he shields all who take refuge in him.” -Psalm 18:30

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I receive a daily devotional email and yesterday’s email really struck me. The email talked about how our lives should be a direct reflection of the way Jesus lived on earth. Even thinking about this lifestyle is crazy. Take a second and think about the way you live. Are you loving your enemies? Do you pray for those who persecute you? The Word of God is our answer to these questions. For every hardship we face in life, Scripture has answers for us.

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When reading the psalms, David says: 

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“Your word is a lamp for my feet, 
   a light on my path.” -Psalm 119:105

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“For the word of the LORD is right and true; 
   he is faithful in all he does. 
The LORD loves righteousness and justice; 
   the earth is full of his unfailing love.” -Psalm 33:4-5
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Here are some interesting facts about the Bible:

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The shortest chapter in the Bible is Psalm 117, only 2 verses.

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The longest chapter in the Bible is Psalm 119, is has 176 verses.

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Psalm 118 is in the very center of the Bible.

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There are 594 chapters before Psalms 118 and 594 chapters after Psalm 118.

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Add up the 594 and 594 chapters and you 1188.

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Now what is the center verse in the Bible? Psalm 118:8

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 ”It is better to take refuge in the LORD 
   than to trust in humans.” -Psalm 118:8

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So ask yourself, does this verse say something significant about God’s perfect will for our lives? YES, it really does! So the next time someone says they would like to find God’s perfect will for their lives, or that they want to be in the center of His will, just send them to the center of His Holy Word, for the answer will be found there. It’s pretty amazing how all this works out isn’t it? Our God is an awesome God. Live in His perfect will.

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“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” -Hebrews 4:12


  

Do you desire the glory of men, to fit in and be “acceptable” of this present age? Are you shaped by trying to gain the glory and praise from anyone besides the Father? For these people to honor you and build you up? We can be shaped so easily by the trends of this world, but how much are we shaped by Scripture? We can be enslaved to so many things of this world. We have to understand that the “things” that most consume our thoughts can become our “God.” Even one’s own ministry can become idle because we get so consumed with ourselves rather than Christ himself. We can choose a life of sin like Adam or we can choose a life like Jesus. We have victory over sin. It’s a process by being changed by God. God’s grace is bigger than our sin. 

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“For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.” -Romans 6:5-7

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Our life with God is meant to be carried forward. When we struggle with sin, we can never be stuck in that sin because of Him. We are to look toward God and move forward. WE CAN’T GET CARRIED AWAY WITH OUR SIN. JUST MOVE ON. We are to be instruments of His love and forgiveness. The definition of an instrument is a tool that produces an outcome. In the same way, it’s possible to become an instrument of sin that pushes someone away from God. In these times, you really have to examine your heart. Your hands, words, and prayers can all be instruments for God. Ask yourself, how can I be an instrument for God? How can I be an instrument of righteousness? 

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“You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.” -Romans 6:18

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God has given you a great opportunity to save souls in His name. You don’t know what seeds you will plant with your mouth or your actions that God will grant to grow in His name. Be a world changer. For His glory and His alone. God bless.