Possessing Your Future...

Two years ago, my wife and I visited Israel. There were so many souvenir options, but I was looking for that special one. I decided on this olive wood carving of Joshua and Caleb bringing fruit back in when they were spies and went to spy out the Promise Land. Joshua is one of those leaders in the Bible who we all can draw inspiration from when it comes to stepping into and possessing our future.

Joshua and the children of Israel were on the verge of crossing into the Promise Land. The previous 40 years were filled with wandering in the wilderness, but it was time for Joshua to possess his future. In chapter one in the Book of Joshua, God said, “Joshua, you got a tremendous future ahead. God is going to do great things in your life. But there are going to be challenges, battles, but I [God] will be with you. Be encouraged, be strong, be bold.” These were God’s promises to Joshua that His future would be secure because God promised it. Yet it was up to him to step into it and possess it.

What does 2010 and beyond hold for you? The answer is a mixture of blessings and battles. God says to you, “I have great things I want to do in your life. I have thoughts you haven’t even thought of. How I want to bless your life!” God says the best days of life are ahead of you. There are going to be challenges, and there are going to be battles, but God promises to be on your side when it comes to your future.

In order to take hold of and possess your future, let’s do what Joshua did. Joshua’s strategy came directly from God. God knows each of us will encounter battles when stepping into and possessing our God-promised future. So He wants to empower us and encourage us. Like Joshua, God says to you and I if you do this it will make an impact on your life and bring you “success.” The strategy from God is simple yet profound.

Here it is:

* SET UP A PLAN
* STAY IN HIS WORD
* STEP OUT IN FAITH

You can find out more about this God strategy in the Bible in the book of Joshua. Take a moment to read it.

As your pastor, I pray you and your family have a God-blessed 2010.

God & Me...

What would you like to change in your life? I have discovered everyone of us desires to change. As I was growing up, I heard people say, "Jesus changed my life." How does Jesus change your life? Does He do surgery or brainwash you? Does He zap you with something and all of a sudden you're changed? There's a lot of confusing advice coming out nowadays on how God changes us. Some people say, "Just wait on the Lord," which is a passive approach. Other people say, "If it's to be, it's up to me," which is an activist viewpoint. What am I supposed to do in order to grow? Is it all me, or is it all God, or is it a combination?

The Bible gives us a clear answer regarding this issue of spiritual growth. When it comes to our spiritual growth, the fact is that God has a part and you have a part. Paul uses two phrases to explain this cooperation:

"Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose." Notice "work out" and "work in". Work out is your part. Work in is God's part. We are to work out what God is working in.

This doesn't say "work for" your salvation. It says "work out." He is saying you need to develop what you already have. Work out the implications. If you're born again, start growing. Work it out. What do you do in a physical workout? You do a workout not to get a body but to develop the body you already have. When you work out a puzzle, you already have all the pieces. You've just got to put it together.

Our part is that we work out the implications. Here is God’s part: God is the energizer for change in your life. He says, "I will give you the power to do what you want to do, need to do, and know what is right to do. I will empower you, energize you." God is the energizer to will and to act. He will give you the will power and the ability. He'll give you the desire and the capability to change.

You are a part of His family. Take your salvation seriously; it has eternal implications. Nothing is more important than your own spiritual growth. Take it seriously.

Time is Flying

Can you believe 2009 is almost over? Is it me or are our calendars speeding up? The Bible says life is “like a vapor… a blink,” and with the days flying by, I can see the truth in this passage.

The point is, whatever we are going to do with our lives, we’d better get on it because time is running out. The other point is, if we are not doing something with our lives, it really doesn’t matter how many days we’ve got left anyway.

So how can we finish 2009 well and be ready for 2010? How can the year ahead be different than the year we are leaving? How many of us find ourselves saying, “I would like 2010 to be better than 2009? Last year was a year of challenges, a year of choices, a year of changes, a year of some crises. The fact is ’09 has been a year of disappointments or underachieved expectations. It’s been a year of loss -- maybe it was the loss of a loved one. And maybe for some, it was a year of failure.

The good news… You CAN finish 2009 well and be ready for 2010! How can 2010 be better? Take the rest of 2009 and ask yourself some questions and have a plan of action ready for 2010.

Here are the questions to ask yourself in 2009 to help you establish a personal development plan:

1. What do I want to learn in 2010? (Intellectual Goal) Proverbs 19:8
2. What will improve my health? (Physical Goal) Proverbs 17:22
3. What will deepen my relationship with God? (Spiritual Goal) 2 Peter 3:18
4. What will be my ministry to others? (Social Goal) 1 Peter 4:10

Take these few days remaining in 2009 and answer those questions. I have included Bible passages that communicate the importance of each of those questions to the full development of our life.

Now, as we enter 2010, IF it is going to be different:

1. I need to assume responsibility for my life. [Galatians 6:5]
2. I need to believe I can change. [Philippians 4:13]
3. I need to clarify what is important. [1 Corinthians 10:23]
4. I need to begin immediately. [Ecclesiastes 11:4]

We’ve just got to have a plan if it is going to be better.

CELEBRATE...

All month, churches and communities all over the globe are focused on one event – Christmas. It only makes sense. Two thousand years later, Christmas can still create traffic jams, long lines, crowded stores, and packed out churches. It is the most significant event in the history of mankind.

Think about it, Christmas should be the greatest celebration, the greatest party we have all year. All of us attend tons of parties during this holiday season. Sometimes we have said, “Not another party.” In fact, with the majority of our parties, the most important one we honor is not even talked about. You see, Christmas is a birthday party for Jesus. It’s the reason we celebrate Christmas.

Did you know that God wants us to celebrate Jesus? Despite the busyness and chaos that often characterizes our Christmas season, God wants it be a time of celebration centered around His son.

What news did the angel say to shepherds? I bring you good news of great joy, and it’s for everybody. What is that great news?

1st – God loves you – His love for us is based on His character, not our performance.
2nd – God is with you – Emmanuel means God is with us. You may have been abandoned in the past, but not anymore.
3rd – God is for you – God’s on our side; He wants us to win.

We need to celebrate this Christmas. Jesus’ birth was – and is – good news of great joy for everybody.

Why Me?

Do you ever find yourself asking, “Why me?” When things seem to be going wrong, you ask, “Why me?” When things are going to good for others, you ask, “Why them?”

Try this one: The God of the entire universe descends and is born as a baby to live among the people He created. When you contemplate the fact that God had a whole world of women to choose from, you have to wonder why He would choose a poor, peasant, Jewish girl named Mary. Why Mary? Why did God choose to use this girl? If we can discover why God chose Mary, maybe God can use us in ways we never thought possible.

God was the sovereign initiator in this choosing. The Bible says in Luke that “Mary found favor with God.” When looking at the life profile of Mary beyond the basic information of being a poor, single teenager, we go on to read that she was humble, willing, and excited when it came to God. She realized she needed God in her life. She made a statement, “I am willing to do whatever He wants me to do.” She was passionate about her life bringing praise to God.

Think about the fears that become hurdles to us. Those are the same fears Mary had to confront. The fear of change: God is about to alter life for Mary. The fear of criticism: What will my family, friends and community say? The fear of the supernatural: Why would God want to connect with me? The fear of inadequacy: I am not qualified.

Today we have found favor with God. He loved us so much that He ambushed us with love through His only son Jesus Christ. Will you humble yourself and let God lead your life? Will you be willing to say with passion, “I will serve and do whatever He wants me to do”? Will your life exhibit enthusiasm of praise for your God?

Of all the thousands of people in the world, why you? Your life is more than a space and time filler; it is a life with divine design.

The Big Four

Happy Thanksgiving! This week, our entire nation is celebrating Thanksgiving. The irony of it is with so much cooking, traveling, entertaining, football, and shopping the biggest sales of the year, very little thanks will get done. For the most part, just a single prayer gets said on Thanksgiving day – possibly before the meal, and usually by one person. We miss that the whole point of the holiday season is to give thanks to God for what He’s done in our lives.

So I just want to share with you a way I think we can make this thanksgiving season different and carry it right into Christmas the season and into every day in 2010. It begins with realizing that everything you own and everything you are comes from God. Without God there would be nothing in your life. In the Old Testament,1 Chronicles 29 reads, “Everything has come from You [God] and everything belongs to You [God].”

If we did not have God in our lives, if God had not created us, we would have nothing. So it all starts with God. When we start to think, “What we can be thankful for?” we really have to thank God for everything. If you are a Christ follower, you have reason to thank God for what I call the “BIG FOUR.” If we get these down, our priorities will be healthy.

1. I AM THANKFUL TO GOD FOR THE GRACE HE HAS SHOWN ME.

2. I AM THANKFUL TO GOD FOR THE PLAN HE HAS FOR ME.

3. I AM THANKFUL TO GOD FOR THE ETERNAL LIFE HE HAS GIVEN ME.

4. I AM THANKFUL TO GOD FOR THE CHANGES HE’S MAKING IN ME.

More than just saying thanks, let’s live thanks! How? By singing, by serving, by giving, and by sharing. I hope your thanksgiving week is filled with lifelong memories and that, for you, thanksgiving is lived out every day of the year.

Don't Forget Joy...

Have you ever realized you don’t really enjoy your life, but you just seem to endure it? You think that if life is not perfect, it is hard to be happy. If you could just change your situation… get rid of your problems, then life would be free. If we are looking to be happy in life, we must learn to be joyful in the situations, problems, and in the experiences of life.

You see, happiness often centers around circumstances. In fact, the word “happiness” comes from the word “happenstance” from which we get another word, “circumstance.” We have a happy time at Disney World, Sea World, or a sporting event (especially if your team wins). You leave the place or event and, eventually, you lose your happiness. Yet joy is constant. So how do you have happiness in spite of what is going on in life?

In Galatians 5:22 Paul writes that “joy” is who we are because we are Christ followers and His Spirit lives in us. Knowing that God is the overseer of our lives, we are joyful because of who God is and who we are. We reveal that “joy” through thankfulness, thanksgiving, and through our attitude of gratitude. Paul goes on to write that in spite of all situations, “I rejoice and I will continue to rejoice.” (Philippians 1:18). What was Paul’s secret to being content when situations and circumstances were at times good and at times not so good?

SECRETS TO JOYFUL LIVING…

• A healthy perspective makes a difference.
  ALL things God works for the good of those who love Him.
• Always distinguish the trivial from the significant.
  Focus on what really counts.
• Tap into your fresh power supply when life drains you.
  With God's power nothing can devastate me.
• Never forget the purpose you live for.
  The secret of joy -- Jesus first, Others second, Yourself third.

You're not here by accident or to simply take up space. When you discover your purpose and get right in the center of it, it fits! And then you will feel fulfilled and realize that is why you're here! It’s not about religion; it’s about relationship. Paul did not say, "For me to live it’s about religion or church or Bible study or ministry.” No, he said, “The only thing worth living for is a relationship with the one who made me.”

COMMUNITY...

Call it community… team… family… I want to encourage you to see belonging to a spiritual family as what God has provided for us to make it through life successfully. God surrounds our life with people. Even in the perfect environment of the Garden of Eden God said, “It is not good for man to be alone.” We were made to live in community.

God has given us the privilege of being born again, so we are now members of God’s own family. When we were born physically, we joined the human family, the human race. When we’re born spiritually, we joined God’s family.

What is God’s family? When I read the Bible, I see the Apostle Paul teaching us how to live in the family of God (1 Timothy 3:15). The family is the church of the living God, the support and foundation of pure, absolute truth. The church is not an institution, not a religious denomination, not a society club, not an organization, nor a business. God’s Word says, “The church is a family.” That’s how we are to relate to it. We who know the Lord are all a part of it.

The church is our family; it is our support and foundation. What would happen to a building or a house that doesn’t have a solid foundation? It would collapse. God says to all of us, you will struggle through life without a church family. It will be hard to be all God wants us to be without a church family. It is that important.

Saying, “I want to be a Christian but not part of any church family” is like saying, “I want to play football in the NFL, but I don't want to be a part of any team.” It's like saying, “I want to join the US Army, but I don't want to be in any platoon.”

We belong in God's family. There's a difference between attending a church service and belonging to a church family. God doesn't want church to be something that you go to. He wants church to be a family that you're a part of.

HEARING GOD...

I hope this blog serves as encouragement to you. For those of us who want to become all God designed us to become, we must hear God. There are a number of topics God wants us to hear from Him if we are going to be effective representatives of Him.

In the Old Testament, Habakkuk saw the unrighteous or unhealthy overtaking the righteous and those wanting to obey God. Habakkuk was curious why God would allow this. I find myself not understanding the hand of God at times, but because I know the heart of God, it helps me in my journey. What about those of us who don’t understand the hand as well as the heart of God?

Here are a few encouraging steps from Habakkuk 2 that we can take when it comes to hearing God...

• Verse 1 - We see Habakkuk pulling back to a secluded place where the noise of the world is silenced by the vision of God. Sometimes the world is so loud you can’t hear God. Pull back; take time to retreat.

• Verse 1 can tell us one more thing as we look a little deeper into this verse: WAIT. God speaks. He can be heard when we take our foot off the gas pedal, let the engine of busyness slow down, and WAIT. Habakkuk waited to see what God was saying.

• Verse 1 again shows us that Habakkuk pulled back, slowed down, and then God was able to give Him a mental picture. It is amazing what God will show us when we pull back, slow down, and watch.

• JOURNAL. I am big into journaling. If God shows it, a thought comes, an observation is made, then journal it, write it down. If you have to write it on something temporary, go back later and rewrite it on something permanent. Journaling is a great discipline by the way.

• THANK GOD, worship Him...to that He responds.

I hope these thoughts from Habakkuk 2 create a whole new dimension when it comes to our faith journey in Christ.

Mission Possible...

This may show my baby boomer age, but do you remember the show “Mission Impossible”? The leader of the Mission Impossible task would get a message and then the tape would fizzle and disappear. The next message, toward the end of the tape, would say “Your mission, if you choose to accept…”

God has given you a mission. But He does not force it on you. He has a mission for your life. God has designed a ministry in the church and a mission in the world for every Christ follower -- your ministry to the believer and your mission to the unbeliever. You were designed and created for both.

Our mission: Jesus tells us in Acts 1:8, Jesus said, “You will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth.” A witness is just somebody who shares personal experiences. God doesn't expect us to be His salesmen. He doesn't need any salesmen. We don't have to pressure anybody into heaven. We don't have to argue them into heaven. We don’t need to be a salesman for God, just a witness. God does not need a defense, and You don't have to debate. That's not our mission. Just be a witness. A witness just tells what they've seen, what they've experienced. And that makes us an authority. Nobody is a better witness on your life, nobody is a better witness on what God has done in your life, than you.

The moment you became a believer, God gave you a mission. That mission is to tell other people about your personal encounter with Jesus Christ. You wouldn't be here today if somebody hadn't told you. If somebody hadn't told you about Christ, you wouldn't be a believer. Now, the moment you become a believer, it's your job to tell other people.

We have the greatest news in the world, so let’s go share it.

Optimal Vision

Recently I purchased a pair of reading glasses. Words just are not as clear as they used to be. Not sure, but maybe that’s a sign of age. The salesperson at Sunglass Hut began to tell me, in detail, how to take care of the glasses. Because the glasses are wire frames, she told me how to hold them, and she convinced me of the need for cleaner and a cloth. Finally, I was on my way with these brand new glasses. Why did she go through all of this? Because she explained to me that, for optimal vision, you have to regularly care for and clean your lenses. Glasses have a way of picking up dirt, grime, and tiny particles which can obscure vision.

I hope the following thoughts will encourage you and challenge you to see what God wants you to do as a valuable part of His family: Cleaning your personal lenses is accomplished by answering questions like, “Why on earth am I here?… Why do I do what I do when it comes to my faith?… Where was I before I met Christ?… Where am I now with Christ?… Where am I going in Christ?… These questions need to be asked all the time because they help us clean our life lenses; they challenge us in our faithfulness to God.

You are not just a church goer or religious person. You are not Baptist, Methodist, Assembly of God -- you get the picture. YOU ARE A CHRIST FOLLOWER. God wants you to have optimal vision about why you are here, who you are, and what your life is all about. This blog could go on and on, so let me wrap it up with this: You are here to love God. You are here to grow a dynamic relationship with God. You are here on a mission to go tell others about a great God.

You may have had committed plans for God that did not work out like you planned. Let me encourage you to clean your lenses so you can regain optimal vision and be faithful to His design for you.

Step Out of the Boat

There is a really encouraging and challenging book out there called "If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat." Wow, what a truth!

We’re in this F-word (Faith) series of messages on Saturdays and Sundays. Have you ever wished you could just start your life over or get a fresh start? Maybe just go back and do it again? Do you feel like for the first time in life you are growing spiritually, and it feels good? You are starting each day with a daily devotional and memorizing God’s Word. Maybe you joined a life group, Bible study, or other small group, and you sense that God is strengthening your faith. Have you ever said to yourself, "I wish I would have done these things sooner"? You wasted so many years doing other things and neglecting a growing dynamic relationship with God. But then something clicked. The light went on and now you see that a lot of problems, pain, and worry could have been avoided if you’d done what you are doing now. I am with you in wishing that I could rewind the tape and start my life over.

The problem is you can’t rewind the tape. It’s behind you. But you can step out and start over. God is a God of fresh starts. That’s what I want to encourage you to discover this week. Psalm 145:14 says, “God gives a fresh start to those who are ready to quit.” If you’ve ever felt like quitting, it's a good thing you are reading this blog. I want to challenge you to discover in God’s Word, the Bible, His truths and principles of making a fresh start and having the courage to step out and exercise your faith and trust in God. Make it a priority to hide the truths of God's Word deep in your heart. It will help you regardless of your background and regardless of your past. Regardless of how you’ve really messed up, you CAN make a fresh start and take a new step. Yay God!!!!

Never Give Up...

Here is an encouraging thought: "Whatever God starts, He finishes." Have you asked yourself, "Where did I even get the faith to explore about God or even consider Him as someone who I would want to entrust my life"? The faith in your heart came and was deposited there by God Himself. So whatever God starts in your life, He will finish. He that has started this faith in you will continue to empower you to develop it to completion.

That is why I want to encourage you to NEVER GIVE UP. All through God’s Word, it is apparent that life is described like a marathon, not a sprint race. Unfortunately, we find many people who get discouraged, who get distracted, who get hurt, and who get sidelined and never actually finish this life race how God designed. We give up. A life full of dreams and potential goes unfulfilled.

I want these thoughts to help you as they have helped me. I want you to know you don’t have to give up -- that what God has started in you, He will keep working on it to completion. With just a few adjustments to life, it will keep us moving forward with God by faith.

Here are the adjustments that I believe will keep you in the race going forward:

• Remove anything that gets in your way and keeps you from running this race.
• Keep the reward God has for your faithfulness in your sights.
• Resist discouragement. Remember discouragement is a choice.
• Recharge your spiritual batteries (faith) daily.
• Make it your prayer, your priority, and your passion by telling God, our father, "I want to finish this race, and with your Holy Spirit, I will not give up!"

Change Your Mind...

God put us on earth for a reason… God has a purpose for our lives... He has a plan for our lives… He has a dream… God has great things for us to do, greater than we could ever imagine… He created us so that He could use our lives for incredible things.

So here’s the problem. Mental blocks, emotional barriers, and a recurring question “How could God ever use me"? Please hear me when I tell you that for us to experience God’s great plan and design, our thinking has to change. The mind must imagine the greatness God has for you.

1 Corinthians 2:9 says, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.” God's dream for your life is mind-boggling. It is so fantastic that you can’t even imagine it. You cannot imagine what God could do with your life if it was totally, completely, irrevocably given to Him. You have no idea what God could do with your life.

One of the greatest gifts God has given you is your imagination. The ability to imagine is one of the things that makes human beings unique from all other creative beings. We were made in God's image. So, like our Creator, we are creative. You have the ability to imagine. Napoleon said, “Imagination rules the world.” Einstein said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.”

What I want this blog to do is stretch your imagination, because that’s what God wants to do. He wants you to imagine how God could use you in ways you’ve never, ever thought possible.

God's Way...

I am thinking about all the years involved in athletics and hearing coaches say, “It is my way or the highway.” Now, God is not that abrasive with us, but it might be good for us to hear that sometimes so we can, hopefully, avoid bad decision making. How often do we go our own way rather than God’s way only to have it end just like God’s Word states, “Our way seems right but in the end it leads to destruction.” God has a design and a way to meet the needs of our everyday lives.

There is a scripture found in God’s Word that states, “My God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19) All of us have needs in life that are not being met -- physical, spiritual, social, financial -- a lot of needs. So maybe you're asking, "Why does this verse not work for some of us?"

It’s not God’s fault. God does not lie. God is true to His Word. He watches over His Word to see it lived out in our lives. Could it be that we need to better understand that with every promise God makes there is a premise that we must follow in order to receive? If God met our needs without our following His way and plan, then we would abuse God with our greed with an abundance of needs. We would treat God like a big vending machine -- I need this, I need that.

What’s exciting is to know that God wants to meet all our needs regardless of what part of our lives it involves. Understand that with every promise, there is a premise. God says, "I will do this if you will do that." When I think of what God will do for us, the promise is so much greater than what He will ask us to do. I feel I need to do more, but that is the incredible God we serve; He blesses us with abundance and only asks us to obey His way.

WARNING...

Have you ever noticed the caution signs or danger signs on the roads? It lets us know things out of the norm could take place and have taken place. The signs are there because, at some point, a dangerous situation occurred that required caution or preparedness.

Times of hardness are inevitable. It’s true we have been redeemed and adopted into the family of Christ with all its perks, privileges, and promises, but don’t be caught off guard. Satan is going to challenge you and pose dangerous situations in your walk with Christ. Don’t be surprised when things get tough. Most often the only thing we will have to stand on when times get tough is our faith. It is during those times we will be speaking words of God’s promises that are contrary to the circumstance we are encountering. Paul nailed it when he challenged the follower of Christ to “walk by faith and not by sight.” Walk by what you are persuaded of, confidently assured of, rather than by what you see, hear, and experience. I am persuaded that God is love, God is great, God is powerful, God is all knowing, etc., and I am His child. This is what I call living by faith rather than trying by faith.

Living by faith is a lifestyle, not something you try. You live by faith when it is hard and when it easy. You live it all the time. You live it because you know living by faith pleases God (Hebrews 11:6). Below is a prayer that I logged in my journal in March 2000… I hope it encourages you and propels you to live by God’s promises.

Thank you, God, for your Word. Daily I read your Word and desire to walk in it. Your word sets the atmosphere, it breaks up and penetrates my hard head, skepticism, and makes my unbelieving mind doubt its unbelief. Your Word sets my heart, directs my walk, and renews my mind. Father, I love your Word. May the words of my mouth, and thoughts of my heart reflect Your Word.

Right Equipment

Have you ever done something, hobbywise or with sports, and wish you had better equipment? It is vital to have the right equipment; it can mean the difference between success and failure. Imagine trying to play golf with a baseball bat or trying to fight a forest fire with a squirt gun. When it comes to life, the right equipment is essential. Here is good news: God has certain equipment, and He’s provided it to us so we can be successful in our faith journey.

The Bible says in Hebrews, “God will equip you with all you need to do His will.” One piece of equipment God has given us to navigate through life and strengthen our faith is the Bible -- God’s Word. Not only do we have His Word, but there are other pieces of equipment He has communicated to us that are needed to walk faith out.

Another piece of equipment I hope you see as a necessity -- a spiritual family. God has placed people around you. God knew we needed supportive relationships if we were going to make it through life and grow in our relationship with Him. We can see from the beginning of time -- in a perfect environment -- God makes this statement: “It is not good for man to be alone.” We were made to live in relationships.

The church is the spiritual community that God designed to be a supportive foundation, a place where you can develop into the person God wants you to be. Our walk with Christ is not only a matter of believing but also a matter of belonging. Let me ask you a question: Are you attending a church service, or are you belonging to a church family?

Last thought… Does God want church to be a place you go to, or does He want church to be a family you are a part of? That is why church, spiritual community, body of believers, Christ followers -- whatever we want to call it -- becomes a valuable piece of equipment to the development and growth of our faith.

Lonely and Looking...

Did you know that loneliness has reached epidemic proportions in our country? Our fast-moving lives have wreaked havoc on our relationships. We don’t feel nearly as connected to each other as people did just a single generation ago.

Yet we were created for relationships. In fact, the first thing God said was, “It’s not good for man to be alone.” God said that humans were not made for isolation. We were made for connection. Why? We were created in the image of God. The Bible says God is love, and to love, you’ve got to have somebody to love.

One of the crucial purposes of the BODY OF CHRIST is to help solve this sense of disconnection. In the New Testament, there are word pictures given that show the necessity of being connected. These metaphors tell us a lot about why God wants us to connect with one another. They give us a picture of what the church should be – and how it should solve the plague of disconnection in our society.

The Bible says that being spiritually connected means:

We’re built like a building. “In Christ you are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.” (Ephesians 2:22 NRSV). We are meant to fit together like bricks in a new building. It’s essential that the parts of a building fit together. You aren’t safe otherwise because there’s no support. Likewise, those who aren’t connected to a church family in any meaningful way have no support. Life is tough. We all need the support of people who care about us. A church may not be required, but it is needed; it's needed to provide us with community.

Let’s advance in relationships. Let’s begin now. This is a major purpose God designed us for. Let’s make every effort to connect with people. Find a small group; begin a small group. At Celebrate we call them Life Groups, where people are simply DOING LIFE TOGETHER.

Whatever it Takes...

So let me begin by saying that as much as we may not want to admit it, we all have these great and exciting plans for our children. We may not readily admit it, but we feel we know what path occupationally and relationally we want them to go down in life. Our motives, unfortunately, center more around outward looks, financial security or maybe something we did not achieve rather than inner peace and significance.

God has a vision for our lives -- a purpose, a mission for our life. The difference is that His plan brings us significance and meaning internally. The greatest adventure in life is in knowing that God wants to use you for a significant cause. If for some reason you have not experienced God using your life, I feel sad for you, because the Bible is filled with God’s desire to use you. God says we must be willing and available. Paul penned it beautifully in Romans 6:13: “Give yourselves completely to God so you can be tools in the hands of God to be used for His good purposes.” It comes down to one statement: We must be willing to say “WHATEVER IT TAKES,” and then follow through with it. "Lord, whatever it takes, I am all yours!"

Closing words of encouragement… You don’t have to be a perfect person, just have a pure heart… You don’t have to wish you had more, just use what you have…. You don’t have to do everything for God, just focus and allocate time to one thing… This is the greatest time in all of history to be living, and to know God wants to use you makes it even greater.

WHATEVER IT TAKES GOD, HERE I AM! SEND ME…

A Plan from the Start

I have three beautiful children. When Carol and I were talking about marriage, we also said that one day we wanted to have children. From the start, that was part of the plan. Today, we don’t regret it. Our children are far from perfect. They don’t always do what we say, and we have disagreements. When they do their own things against what we want, they experience the consequences of their decisions. Make no mistake, our love for them is limitless, unconditional, non-performance based, and it has been communicated to them that there is no end to this love.

The entire Bible from beginning to end is about God building a family. It has always been His plan to adopt you into His own family. This place close to God would be accomplished through Jesus Christ. God is so much love; He treasures relationships. This relational love is universal regardless of who you are, where you currently live on this globe, or your lifestyle. From the beginning, God has wanted you in His family. This spiritual relationship is birthed by faith in what Jesus Christ did for you 2000 years ago. Now you are no longer just a creation of God but a child of God and part of God’s global family.

Let this amazing truth sink in: We are part of God’s family because of Jesus Christ, and God is proud of you. Theses words are unmistakable -- Jesus said, “Anyone who does the will of God the father is my family…” Being included in God’s family is the highest honor we will ever receive. Keep that thought in mind, and anytime you feel unloved, insecure, or unimportant, just remember to whose family you belong.

Relationships...

On June 6 of this year, my wife and I celebrated 22 years of marriage. I have discovered a parallel between my relationship with my wife and my relationship with Christ and, in fact, with any relationship. Relationships must be maintained. No relationship ever stays the same. We’re either growing closer or we’re drifting apart. It never just stands still. We don’t simply have a relationship with Christ and that’s it. Either our hearts are growing warmer and closer, or they're growing colder and distant.

Think about how many Christ followers you may know who are no longer walking close with the Lord. They’ve fallen away. At one point their heats were warm, energetic, and passionately on fire for God but something happened and they seem to be lost again. We all know the struggles in our own hearts. We face temptations. We face ups and downs, days when we get these crazy thoughts, but if we want a relationship with Christ, we must do our part to maintain it.

This whole blog is about good news. The good news is that God offers a grace to us that restores. When we blow it, when we walk away, when we stumble, when we fumble, God restores. Lamentations 5:21 says, “Restore me, O Lord, and bring me back to you again. Give me back the joys I once had.”

Keep in mind the Bible is filled with leaders who denied, who doubted, who failed, who disobeyed, and when you find yourself in that same boat just remember, GOD RESTORES.

Take a few moments over the next week and go to our website at www.celebratechurch.org and click on the weekly workout. It is all about how God can restore a damaged relationship.

YOU...

This week my wife and I, along with my brother-in-law and his wife, attended an alumni gathering of the college we all attended, Central Bible College. It was so good to reconnect with others and hear the stories of their families and ministries. Many are pastors, Bible teachers, missionaries, and hold other ministry positions just doing great things for His cause, which leads me to blog these thoughts:

God’s Word says that even before you were born, God planned what He wanted you to do with your life. It also says that God made us what we are, and God made us to do good works – good works which He planned, in advance, for us to live our lives doing. Even if I had not attended a religious school, God still had a ministry for me to do. My talents, my abilities, my background, and this will sound absurd, but even my hurts are all part of who I am. And when I use who I am to help and serve others, I am ministering. Did you know the same applies to you?

There is no greater thrill in life than to be used by God. There is no feeling, no achievement, and no award that can compare to knowing that God is using you and knowing you're doing what God wants you to do with your life. The biggest barrier to that – Confidence.

GOD WANTS TO USE YOU! God wants to involve you. I hope this gives you confidence and moves you from the stadium seats where you're sitting back and watching to YOU engaging into this exciting game.

Hope Me...

Yes, "Hope" me rather than help me. More than just help, our spirit needs hope to survive and to thrive. Solomon put the need for hope in this statement found in Proverbs 13:12, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick…” Another translation puts it even more to the core of the issue: “When hope is crushed the heart is crushed.”

Does not surprise me...if God created us with this craving for hope, it would make sense that He would serve as our ultimate hope. Did you know there are more than 180 references in the Old and New Testaments referencing to hope? Hope is woven all throughout scripture. One passage challenges us to an anchoring hope rather than a wishful hope: Hebrews 6:19 states, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul firm and secure.” Our hope is only as good as what it is attached to -- as what it is anchored to. Hope in and of itself has no power. We can wish for something; we can hope for something, and we might feel a little better about it. We might fool ourselves into thinking everything’s ok. But the only way hope has any real power is when it’s anchored in the God who has real power -- and not only real power but a real desire out of His love for you to help you. Those who follow Jesus Christ hope in the confident expectation that God is willing and able to fulfill the promises He’s made to us. Hope or help? Give me Hope, God.

You can visit the website www.celebratechurch.org to discover the hope that can be found in God’s Word in the Weekly Workout. Enjoy God’s Word, embrace it and allow it to enrich your life.

One...

The August calendar is looking packed. Our entire family did an escape for one last time before school starts and all are heading in different directions. Dominick heads for his third time to the Dominican Republic on a global compassion assignment. Mia will be heading to Atlanta with a team of young people and leaders to work on a national compassion assignment. I started thinking about that, and so here is my blog of questions and thoughts. I hope you are encouraged and challenged.

What makes people travel to unknown parts of the globe and serve people they don’t know or may never see again? Why the selfless attitude? Why leave the comforts and security of America to go to unknown environments where it could potentially be dangerous?

Deep inside all of us, there is a passionate desire to make our lives count. We may not realize it, but inside there is a longing to be a hero, a desire to make a contribution with our lives, to leave the world a better place, to say, “YES! I left a mark and the world is a little better because I was here.” Did you know that is deep inside each of us because God wired us that way? God wired you to give yourself away.

So many of us exhaust our lives in frustration, trying to find out what we’re trying to do with this life, and the reason we have not discovered it is because we have not come to realize God wired each of us to give our lives away, and that is where and when fulfillment comes. Rather than thinking fulfillment comes from personal gratification, realize it doesn’t. If that was the case, the wealthiest people would be the happiest people, and we know that is not true.

To all those headed to the Dominican, to Atlanta, to different parts of the world, who serve in a capacity that enriches people lives -- from Pop Warner, little league, sports, etc. to cub scouts, boy scouts, brownies, girl scouts, etc… from the local church usher, kids worker, etc. to the local community relay for life, etc. -- whoever, wherever, whenever...you only live ONE life. Live how God wired you and experience purpose and fulfillment.

One Life...

Living a life that impacts and influences... I have always wanted to live a life of influence, a life beyond just existing. The more I talk with people, I find that so many of us have that common desire to live a life that impacts. Even more than our desire to live this kind of life, God wants us, and designed us, to live a life with meaning and will show us how.

How?

At the end of His life, Jesus Christ was able to pray a prayer in John 17 the night before He died on the cross. He stated, "Having finished the work that you gave Me to do, I brought you honor and glory on the earth." Even when He was on the cross with His last dying breath, Christ was able to say, "It's done. It's complete." Wouldn't you like to be able to conclude life that way -- with a real sense of, "I finished it; it's complete"? Here are some things to keep in the forefront about Jesus Christ: Jesus Christ set His goals and went after them. Jesus Christ lived significantly in His relationships with other people. Jesus Christ understood and maximized His time. Knowing those things about Christ…

If we want to improve our impact and influence:

1. Start serving.
2. Stay humble.
3. Stop worrying.

We only live one life, let’s make it count!

Unchanging...

These two things cannot change: God cannot lie when he makes a promise, and he cannot lie when he makes an oath. These things encourage us who came to God for safety. They give us strength to hold on to the hope we have been given.
Hebrews 6:18 (New Century Version)

When God made his promise to Abraham, he backed it to the hilt, putting his own reputation on the line. He said, "I promise that I'll bless you with everything I have—bless and bless and bless!" Abraham stuck it out and got everything that had been promised to him. When people make promises, they guarantee them by appeal to some authority above them so that if there is any question that they'll make good on the promise, the authority will back them up. When God wanted to guarantee his promises, he gave his word, a rock-solid guarantee—God can't break his word. And because his word cannot change, the promise is likewise unchangeable.
Hebrews 6:18 (Message)

God is the embodiment of all truth; therefore, He cannot lie. Because God is truth, we can be secure in His promises. We don’t need to wonder if He will change His plans. Our hope is secure and immovable, anchored in God, just as a ship anchor holds firmly to the seabed. To those of us who come to God in belief, God gives us His promise. Let us move to taking our belief to action by coming to God with openness, honesty, and sincerity.

I hope today you will receive encouragement, assurance, and confidence in Jesus Christ.

Freedom...

Thank you to all who have served in our military. You made this selfless commitment for our freedom, and for that, I am truly grateful every day.

Today we live in a country that is free of tyranny because of the men and women who dedicated their lives to this cause. Today we are spiritually free because, simply put, God paid the price for our sin. We give Him our sin and in return He gives us forgiveness, power, and heaven. What an opportunity. We don’t earn our way to heaven; we don’t barter our way to heaven – we don’t. We don’t pay our way to heaven. It’s just a free gift we're given.

Enjoy this gift from God by not falling into the religious trap of performance and trying to be perfect. Allow the joy of what God has done for us to take your life to new levels of joy. Today, move forward, enjoy God, live courageous, fulfill God’s design as you relax in His love and grow in His grace.

The Greatest

Since the beginning of June, we’ve been looking at the different attributes of God in our weekend services. We’ve learned that God is love, and last week, we were shown that God is Father. Our understanding of God will affect every area of our lives. If we have misconceptions about God – what He’s really like – we’re going to worry about things we shouldn’t be worrying about. We’re going to feel guilty over things God has no intention of us feeling guilty about. We’re going to carry unnecessary burdens and fears and doubts and depressions all through life that God never intended for us to have. Our understanding of God determines our joy in life. When we get a false conception about God from the movies, from religion, from relatives, from peers, or anybody – if we get a misconception of what God is really like, we will have unnecessary problems and misery in life that we weren’t intended to have.

One of the things Jesus Christ came to earth to do is to show us what God is really like. Jesus exploded all the stereotypes about God. He showed us that God is not some impersonal force, just an energy field in the universe. God is not some angry tyrant who sits up in heaven waiting to make things miserable for people. God is not some apathetic creator who winds up the world and sets it down and then sits back and carelessly watches what happens with no involvement.

God is great...His greatness is seen in His compassion, love and care. It is seen in His dependableness and consistency. His greatness is seen in His availability. He is accessible. He is competent. WOW! God is GREAT!

Hot Pursuit

It has been a refreshing week here in Pittsburgh. At some point, you have to pull over and refuel the vehicle. I have been listening to gifted teachers communicate the simple truths from God’s Word that can get overlooked, taken for granted, or overshadowed by circumstances...nonetheless, I needed to be reminded. Here is a tid bit of what I have been reminded of:

• It is time to be aggressive and energetic when it comes to letting go of the past and pressing forward to the abundant life God has designed for you.
• It is time to courageously go after the victory that is promised.
• It is time to have a warrior mentality and to proactively pursue the joy, health, peace, and prosperity that God has promised for the Christ follower in His Word.

In the Old Testament, aggressive statements like “cross over,” “rise up,” or “take hold of” all imply action. It is time to stop dwelling on past mistakes, flops, and failures and determine to never look back. God told Joshua, “get up...cross over.”

Set your focus on the Word of God and His promises, and discover the abundant life of joy, peace, faith, and prosperity in every single area of your life.

Fresh Start

I am here at our student summer camp, Beach Week '09, and what an incredible opening night we had watching so many young people get a head start on life discovering God’s plan and design. Just a few days ago, I was reading in Ecclesiastes where Solomon communicates the benefit to those who discover a relationship with God in the ages of their youth. But what about those of us who heard about God later or are hearing about Him for the first time as an adult?

Have you ever wished you could just start life over? Do you sense regret that you didn’t discover God’s design sooner? You find yourself saying and thinking, “I wasted so many years doing other things and neglecting a relationship with God. I can now see how I would have avoided a lot of problems, pain, and worry if I’d discovered God truths sooner. I kind of wish that I could rewind the tape and start my life over.”

The problem is, you can’t rewind the tape. It’s behind you. But you can start over. And God is a God of fresh starts. That’s what I want to share with you today. Psalms 145:14 says, “God gives a fresh start to those who are ready to quit.”

Regardless of your background, your past, or your mess ups, there are truths in God’s Word that will empower you. You CAN make a fresh start.

Fresh Start thoughts…

• Begin today… seize the opportunity
• Face your fears… move against your fears
• Clarify what you want… God, this is what I want
• Receive God’s grace… accepting what Christ did for you
• Step out… Make the decision to start; don’t procrastinate
  

On our website, www.celebratechurch.org, there is a weekly workout that you can check out to find out more from God’s Word regarding a Fresh Start.

God's Waiting Room

Have you ever felt in a hurry when it seemed like God wasn’t? One of the most difficult things I have experienced in life is the feeling that I am sitting in God’s waiting room. God's waiting room is where there’s something beyond and outside of my control and I can’t speed it up – an answer to a prayer, a miracle, a change in a situation – I want it to change, but it is totally out of my control, and I have to wait on God.

It seems odd to make a statement like “God’s waiting room,” and yet the Bible states in Ecclesiastes 3:11, “God does everything just right and on time but people can never completely understand what He’s doing.” Boy, is that the truth! We don’t always know what God is doing, and we don’t know when He’s going to do it. Sometimes it feels like so much of life is spent waiting on God's timetable.

Today, I want to encourage you to keep believing while you’re waiting on God. The Bible gives us a role model in Abraham. If any man had to wait, it was Abraham. God gave him many promises – some happened right away, some took a hundred years. Having to wait one-hundred years...that’s a long time to wait! What do you do while you’re waiting on God?

• Don’t focus on what you can’t do, FOCUS ON WHAT GOD CAN DO
• When you come to a dead end, RELY ON GOD'S PROMISES
• Don’t live in denial, BUT FACE THE FACTS WITH FAITH IN GOD
• Certain circumstances will be unexpected, BUT EXPECT, WITH JOY, GOD TO ACT ON YOUR BEHALF

Please visit our website this coming week at www.celebratechurch.org. In our Weekly Workout, we will discover more about BELIEVING WHILE WAITING ON GOD.

The world hopes for the best, but Jesus Christ offers the best hope.

Why We Exist...

It seems odd to write this to you, but I was reflecting on why, five years ago, Celebrate Church was born. As we journey, we often find ourselves forgetting what is core to our existence. Here are the core values of Celebrate Church that keep us focused on what's important:

1. That God’s Word (The Bible) is the primary catalyst for life change.
2. That every person -- believer and non-believer -- matters to God.
3. That a presentation of Jesus Christ should be creative and connecting while remaining Biblically sound.
4. That accountability among members provides consistent and continual spiritual growth.
5. That people working together as a team result in effective, efficient, and expanding ministry.
6. That every person has talent/ability to be discovered, developed, and deployed.
7. That in every thing we do, God deserves excellence and our best.
8. That effectively influencing people to Christ happens through people inviting and investing in people.
9. That consistent life growth happens best in small groups.
10. That children of each age group be raised to exhibit godly character and authentic faith to impact their generation with the love of Christ.

Together, let’s take these core values from written text and activate them with our daily lives.

More than Music

Worship...a term that can be defined as where we worship, what style of music we prefer, or the time church services start. Yet, all these are external definitions that really are irrelevant when it comes to what Jesus defines as worship. The dictionary defines worship as adoring or honoring. Jesus defines worship as one who loves the Lord their God with all their heart and with all their soul and with all their mind and with all their strength. Notice the word “and” connecting all the components that are required to worship [honor or adore] God. God wants all of you not just part of you. God-pleasing worship begins internally and is revealed externally. It involves your heart and your lifestyle.

Today, I see people equating worship as being moved by music and being moved by God’s Holy Spirit, but these are not the same. Real worship is when your heart and your spirit respond to God not to musical tones. In fact, sometimes emotional songs can become an obstacle to worship, because it can take the spotlight off of God and focus on your feelings. The best way to worship is what most authentically represents your love for God.

Worship is…

• anchored in the truth of Scripture rather than one's opinion about God
• an attitude of the heart rather than saying or singing the right words
• provoking thought rather than vain repetitions
• practical exalting of God in everyday life rather than self-centered feelings

What is more pleasing to God right now – my public worship or my private worship?

Tailor Made

If you are a golfer, you would recognize the name Taylor Made as a brand of golf clubs and equipment. If you are into fashion, it is clothing designed and fitted specifically for the buyer. I want you to see a tailor made covenant of Grace you and I have that was designed and fitted for you from Almighty God. If somehow you will grasp the significance of that, you will never be the same.

A covenant of grace is a relationship of favor that gives you access to someone else’s power and authority over your life. Imagine this: God enters into a covenant with you, and He gives you everything He has in exchange for everything you have. Sounds odd because we know what we have seems insignificant compared to what God will give us.

I hope these next few lines empower you with confidence. He takes your sin so He can give you His righteousness. He takes your sickness and gives you His health. He takes your financial calamity and gives you His resources. Whatever He asks you to do for Him, He provides you with everything needed to carry it to completion.

If you are a Christ follower, you have entered into a covenant relationship that He initiated. Your identity is in Him. You have 24/7 relational access to Christ.

Take your place in His family.

Thinking Differently...

Do you remember the day it all became clear to you -- when you knew the extent of what God went through seeking to reconcile you and when you realized that through this incredible act of love and forgiveness you are no longer separated from God?

One of the things I have observed is, the longer you’re a believer, the less you think like an unbeliever. That makes sense after all; you come to Christ, and your interests and values change.

For over 30 years of my life, I have been following Christ. I think like a Christ follower, and adding more to that, I think like a pastor, which is even further removed from the mindset of those who would claim to be unbelievers. That means I must intentionally change my thinking when seeking to relate to those who don’t claim to know Christ.

I have often heard one statement from Christ followers, “People are closed off to the message of Christ.” It's not so much that people are closed off to the message of Christ as it may be that we're on a different channel of communication than those who don’t know Christ.

Here are a few bridge-building steps:

• Allow your heart to be attracted to people. (All people matter)
• View life through their eyes. (Accept them)
• During coffee talk, really hear their life's journey. (Wins and losses)
• Share your prayers, your pursuits, your passion, your purpose, and your patience. (Be intentional)

Let’s expand our circle of relationships and take this message of Christ to an unbelieving world. You have a great story of forgiveness to share.

Real Worship...

Let’s talk about worship. I have noticed many people see worship as just a synonym for music. Some would say our weekend services look like this: "We have worship first and then teaching." Others see worship for their benefit. I enjoy being in the atrium meeting people after service, and each week I hear people make comments on worship such as, "I enjoyed worship today. It really connected." I have also observed worship can be identified by ceremonies, candles, and communion, or healing and miracles.

All of these ideas about worship, however, fall so short. Worship is far more than singing, praising, and praying. We worship God by enjoying Him. Here is a statement by C.S. Lewis that defines worship: "In commanding us to glorify Him, God is inviting us to enjoy Him." God wants us to be true worshippers.

Our goal should be to connect the God-given desire to worship with the One who seeks true worshippers. To accomplish this goal, we are challenged to expand our understanding of worship. Let’s rethink worship. Rather than simply seeing it as a segment of the church service, let's begin to see worship as anything that brings pleasure to God. The results will be a church filled with true worshippers.

I want to challenge you to see how every activity you do can be an act of worship when it's done for the pleasure of God. Some of you may be asking the question, "How can everything I do bring honor and glory to God?" The answer is by doing everything as if you are doing it for Jesus and by engaging in continual conversation with Him while you are doing it.

By doing so, you will begin to see what real worship is all about...falling in love with Jesus.

LOVE OPENS

When I conduct premarital counseling sessions, I ask every couple to read 1 Corinthians 13 from the Message version of the Bible. I love to see their facial expressions. It’s like they’re seeing something for the first time, and I sense from them that it’s what every couple – every person – longs for. Privately, their mannerisms state, “If we can have this in our marriage or life, we will experience success, but without this picture of love, it will echo emptiness.

Take these statements from God’s Word on love and begin to build…

• Love always finds a way
• Let love be your greatest aim
• Love people more than they deserve
• Love does not force its will or way
• Love keeps no record of wrongs
• Never miss a chance to say a kind, encouraging word
• Be lovable
• Make it a point to love someone who is unlovable
• Love builds bridges
• Love never gives up

One fundamental thought: We all want to be loved. What can you do today in your home, in your neighborhood, in your church, in your job, in your business, and in your marriage to show acts of love? Love is best revealed in action.

I heard this statement, “You can give without loving, but you can’t love without giving.” That is so right on. I know how to love because Christ first loved me.

WARRIOR

Gentlemen, this blog will go out to everyone, but it will specifically connect with those who can be a part of our MEN’S ENCOUNTER, a retreat taking place May 15-17. Our theme is centered around “THE WARRIOR.”

Why the WARRIOR? Because God has created you with the heart and passion of a warrior. I am most certain there are some ladies who, just like last year, want to be a part of the retreat, but gentlemen, this weekend is dedicated to men. My prayer is that God would build you up and show you who He wants you to become so that when God searches He has no problem identifying men who are passionate about living a godly life.

Here is what God said in a passage in the Old Testament found in Ezekiel 22:30, “I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the people, but how many did I find? Absolutely ZERO”. God is looking for men of courage, men of integrity, men who would fight for their families, their faith, their friends, and their future. EVERY WARRIOR HAS A CAUSE TO FIGHT FOR.

Men register today! The benefits of a getaway like this are priceless. You are destined for a life-changing encounter.

Go to http://www.celebratechurch.org/mensretreat or call the church office at 407-566-0155. These are just a couple of ways that you can register.

WOW!!!

I want to share with you a quick thought that I hope creates a big relief when it comes to your walk and your developing relationship with Christ. Let’s talk about GRACE. You may have the head knowledge - “It’s God’s gift to me. I know I don’t work my way into heaven. It’s just a gift.” You may have this knowledge of God’s grace in your life but, to be truthful, most people don’t live like they have this knowledge.

In fact, you may continually think that God disapproves of you. Even though you know you’re not saved by your efforts, you find yourself constantly trying to please God. You find yourself going throughout your day wondering, “Is God mad at me today?” Or, you wonder, “Is God ticked off at me because of what I did yesterday?” Some people have this view that God is this parent they’re unable to please. “It's not good enough. Can’t you do any better?” It's like the parent who always has the tense look on their face thinking “Come on! Step up! Get your act together. When are you going to start doing it right?” Ok, get the picture? Who really wants to get to know a guy who is always critical and who you can never please? THIS IS NOT GRACE.

There are many, many definitions or word descriptions of the word “grace.” Grace has many different sizes and shapes. No one definition could adequately describe it. Below, I will attempt to give you a few:

Grace is God’s love in action.
Grace is when God gives us what we need, not what we deserve.
Grace is something we cannot pay or repay for, but God gives it to us anyway.
Grace is the face that God wears when He looks at our failures, our faults, and our mistakes.

Romans 3:24 says, “All need to be made right with God.” How? “By His grace which is a free gift...through Jesus Christ.” This is best gift you will be offered. You will never be offered a better gift.

Accept it, open it, enjoy it.

I'm Lost...

I am on Spring break with my children for the next few days. We are staying at a hotel and right in the lobby is this incredible display and artistic design of an Easter egg made of solid chocolate with a few crafted designs centered around Easter this weekend. Last thing I want to be is a social killjoy, but there is one problem...there is no mention of Christ in this artistic piece. And yet, that’s what this weekend is all about. This could be a long blog, but I don’t want it to be.

Have you ever been driving and find that you are lost but didn’t realize it? You finally figure out that you’re lost, but you’re too proud to admit it. Then, after you reach a frustrated point, you decide to stop and ask for directions. And to top it off, your wife says, “See? I told you.” Now, it’s mostly males who operate like this, because I have discovered that most females when lost will immediately stop and ask for directions.

As I looked at this beautiful and time-consuming design of artistry, it hit me that people are lost and some have no clue. Is there a way we can enlighten them? They are lost. In this time right now with so much anxiety and stress over the issues happening in our world, we as Christ followers have a perfect opportunity to point them to what Christ did for each of us 2000 years ago.

Unfortunately, a carefully sculptured chocolate egg will satisfy your sweet tooth with all that sugar, but it will leave your heart and soul empty. We can’t make people stop and ask for directions, but we can definitely encourage them. Each of us who have experienced the promise of being reconciled to God has a beautiful story to tell. Through praying for them and inviting them, we have the percentages in our favor that they will stop and ask. Don’t let this opportunity pass without giving it an honest effort.

We have a few days left. Let’s invite a friend this Easter to experience a life-changing encounter with Christ.

A Changed Life...

Easter is a little over a week away, and it would totally ignite your life if the people you know discovered for themselves the God that has changed, and continues to change, your life! Make it a point to ask them to join you Easter Sunday. There is a 95% chance that they will accept your invitation.

Mercy and love, regardless of who you are, are something we all yearn for every day. Personally, I want a fresh start and someone to love me unconditionally. Listen, God’s love and His mercy are not temporary; they are eternal. You could yearn for it every day for the rest of your life and you would not find the end of it. It is like your favorite meal or snack -- no matter how much you have of it, there is never an end. Isn’t that awesome?!

Think of God’s mercy and love like this: You could spend your entire life searching for it, experiencing it, relying on it, asking God for it, and you would never reach the end of it. Every one of us makes bad decisions. We make bad decisions and have consequences that follow those bad decisions, and we need God’s mercy in our daily lives.

Here is a great prayer found in Lamentations 3:22-23: “The unfailing love of the Lord never ends. By His mercies, we have been kept from complete destruction. Great is His faithfulness. His mercies begin afresh every day.” If I could have one goal for your life, it would be this prayer for you. Great is His faithfulness. His mercies are fresh and new each day!

Let’s invite a friend this Easter to experience a life-changing encounter with Christ.

B.C. - A.D.

I was thinking that just a little over two months ago, we were answering the question, "Why is Christmas such a big deal"? It is because Jesus was no ordinary baby. It was God who came to earth, and that news was bigger than when man landed on the moon! It was like a movie. God invaded earth and split history into B.C. and A.D. Every time you are involved in a transaction or a legal document, your reference point is Jesus Christ -- like today, March 27, 2009.

In a couple of weeks, we will ask another question: "Why did Jesus come and give His life for humanity and defy the grips and sting of death"? Think about this: If God would have come to earth as a baby, given His life for a cause and that was all, then He would have just been like any other person giving his life for what he thought was a worthy cause. Here is the difference -- it is one of the facts that separate Christ and seals the deal for our faith... Resurrection.

Ok, here it is, simple and straightforward: Because God loved the world so much, He gave His one and only Son. Your past CAN be forgiven…. Your present life CAN be managed… Your future IS guaranteed.

Think about someone who needs to hear this good news and invite them to join you this Easter.

Take a Look...

Over the past years, I have read about and heard the talk about how the way you see yourself determines to a large degree the way you act and react in life -- that your self worth and your self esteem tend to be a governing factor in life.

If you see yourself as a loser then you’ll end up, to a large degree, acting like a loser. If you see yourself as a victim, you tend to let people victimize you. Bottom line is you set yourself up. On the other hand, if you see yourself as being successful, then you tend to follow the new path of success rather than the snares of the old way of living.

Did you know that thousands of years ago Solomon said, “As a man thinks in his heart so is he.” You see, the Bible was right on and is clear that your beliefs do determine your behaviors.

Check out what the Bible says about you, the Christ follower. You have been chosen by God… You belong to God… You are living stones… You are a holy people… You have received mercy… You no longer walk in darkness… OK, now look at this in everyday language. If I have trusted Christ, then I am accepted… I am valuable… I am capable… I am competent… I am forgivable.

Take a look at your life through the eyes of Christ and allow your life to influence and impact the world you live in -- the power of one life living out how God sees you.

Making My Life Count...

When I think about famous people, particularly in the Bible, who made an impact with their life – ordinary people who accomplished extraordinary tasks – I wonder just how many of those people really knew that God wants so badly to work in their life.

Before we can make our lives count, there are several questions that we will all need to answer eventually. The question of identity - Who am I?... The question of responsibility – What am I going to do with my life?... The question of priority – What is really the most important thing in my life?... The question of difficulty – How much am I willing to commit to what I'm going to give my life for?

These are the questions that everyone has to answer, and answering these questions will give us a foundation on how to make this one life we have successful and impacting.

POWER OF ONE LIFE... Discover what God made me to be... Accept responsibility for my own life... Establish a value system for my life... Stay focused and NEVER take my eyes off the goal.

The State of the Heart

Right now the condition of our economy is at the forefront of America. Our economy needs recovery. But that’s not all. We also need recovery in our homes, in our marriages, in our businesses. Most importantly we need healing and wholeness in our hearts.

During tough times like these, it’s easy to ask, “WHY?” Why is this happening to me? Why are things so hard? Why am I going through this? Why is there so much suffering and hardship all around me? The key is not to look at our surroundings, but to look at the heart and place our trust and hope in God alone. I ask you, what is the state of your heart today? We all know the state of the economy, but what is the state of your heart? This is one question that only you can answer.

Is your hope in Jesus Christ or in the stock market? Is your hope in your God or in your job? Is your hope in Him alone or is it in people around you? The Bible says that we shouldn't lean on our own understanding, but rather acknowledge God and trust Him in everything, and He will direct our paths and take care of us.

This hope that we have is not based upon some vague wish. It’s rooted in the Word of God. It’s rooted in the belief that even when life is tough, God is good and he has a plan and purpose for our lives and for our country.

A promise made 3,000 yrs ago to King Solomon is appropriate for today in 2009. It’s a promise that he has made to all of us – even 21st century America. God says, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV)

Notice words of action that bring wholeness to the heart of people and to this country… humble = humility of confessions I can’t God can… pray = refusal to give up and invite God in to your daily life… seek = make God your primary focus rather than a casual glance… repent = literally to change, flip your thinking, mindset, regarding your values and God.

Let the change begin first inside of YOU… with the state of your heart.

- Pastor Joe

Living in the Zone!

You may have a heard this statement if you are a sports fan or an athlete, “He or she is in the zone!” On a golf course it is the golfer who is making consecutive birdies. The basketball player who just can’t miss. The baseball player who has a consecutive hitting streak, etc… Another term we sometimes say or hear, “I am hitting on all cylinders!” or “Life is on a roll!” What does it really mean to be IN THE ZONE… HITTING ON ALL CYLINDERS… ON A ROLL?

It is simply living at a level that is distinguished from the norm. It is a contrast to the ordinary. Our incredible and awesome God – and this is going to shock some of you – our great God wants all of us to live in the zone. He desperately desires each of us to operate in the sweet spot of life. God wants all of us hitting on all cylinders. Every one of these buzz statements simply means God wants us to live in the place where we experience His success every day!

With that being said, this blog could get long and wordy if I were to go into detail regarding this truth. I want to invite you to our website (www.celebratechurch.org/media) to download or listen to our current series of messages entitled “THE BLESSED LIFE!” And I want to invite you to join me at Celebrate this Sunday as I conclude this series with a message I am very excited about that I am calling, “LIVING IN THE ZONE.” So, if you truly want to live in the zone, then join me on Sunday at Celebrate!

See you there!

- Pastor Joe

Don't Ever Give Up!

I want to share a story with you from God’s Word. My prayer is that your faith will strengthen and your courage will rise to face times when everything tells you to quit and become a doubter.

Jesus told a story showing that it was necessary for people to pray consistently and never quit. He said, "There was once a judge in some city who never gave God a thought and cared nothing for people. A widow in that city kept after him: 'My rights are being violated. Protect me!'

"He never gave her the time of day. But after this went on and on he said to himself, 'I care nothing what God thinks, even less what people think. But because this widow won't quit badgering me, I'd better do something and see that she gets justice – otherwise I'm going to end up beaten black and blue by her pounding.'"

Then Jesus said, "Do you hear what that judge, corrupt as he is, is saying? So what makes you think God won't step in and work justice for his chosen people, who continue to cry out for help? Won't he stick up for them? I assure you, he will. He will not drag his feet. But how much of that kind of persistent faith will the Son of Man find on the earth when he returns?" (Luke 18:1-8 MSG)

I am not sure what caused her distress, but this widow needed justice and she went looking for it – with no weapon but persistence. Going to the judge’s home, she knocked on the unsympathetic man’s door repeatedly until he finally gave her what she was seeking. Is God telling us he’ll only answer our prayers if we wear him down? No! He’s reminding us that if a heartless judge can be reached, we can certainly count on our Father – who loves us – to help us.

People ask, "Why aren’t my prayers answered sooner? Why keep trying?" Sometimes, we are not persistent or we use the excuse I don’t want to bother God. Only to find out later that God desired to meet our needs, answer our request. Any time there is a delay, you can be sure that two things are going on – your faith is being tested by God and contested by Satan. Satan wants to discourage you, but God is testing your faith because he knows that faith is a muscle. Waiting develops the muscle.

God's timing is perfect. It always is and it always will be! If you find yourself discouraged about a situation or what appears to be an unanswered prayer, don’t give up – look up!

- Pastor Joe

Saturday Night...

As I send this out, I think about so many stories I have heard about and have conversed with so many of you regarding how much God has done in you, your family, and your friends.

So many of you are experiencing an incredible life being connected to Christ, and when I think about why we are here and what we are supposed to be about as a spiritual family at Celebrate Church, I think...that’s it! It’s about people connecting to Christ, people connecting with each other and growing into a devoted follower of Christ.

It is tough to connect to Christ if you first find yourself disconnected. I have discovered that during these economically challenging times, many have had to go to work on Sundays to make ends meet financially. That is one of the reasons why we are going to begin our Saturday Night Experience at the HUB. I don’t think it’s right for people not to have an opportunity to connect with their spiritual family because they have to work. Also, another reason is that there are people who will connect with church on a Saturday that won’t connect on a Sunday. It is so nice to have our own place to offer this exciting opportunity!

We are launching our Saturday Night Experience on March 21, 2009, and I want to invite you to be a part of our launch team. Saturday is going to be the same exciting life-changing message, excellent music, and the same love and attention we believe everyone deserves. I hope you will team up with us as we provide a church service for those who, due to economic challenges, are unable to be with us on Sundays and as we strive to see people who are far away from God come close to Him. This is an exciting opportunity for everyone, and we hope you will partner with us as we launch the Saturday Night Experience!

Please contact me at the church office (407) 566-0155 or email me at joe@celebratechurch.org and say, “Hey, I want to be on the Saturday Night Experience launch team!”

Is Connecting THAT Important?... Part 3

This week I’ve wanted you to see how important, necessary, and vital it is to connect in a small group.

I have used two metaphor word pictures up to this point to help you see God’s design plan and how He desires that you connect. Today is the third word picture the Bible uses to answer the question, “Is Connecting That Important?” The first word picture metaphor we discovered in God’s Word stated, we are like a BUILDING (Ephesians 2:22). The next word picture the Bible uses to point us to connect is saying, we are like a HUMAN BODY (Romans 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27). We are like a building... We are like a body...

The Bible defines that being spiritually connected means we are like a FAMILY.

"I want you to know how people who are members of God’s family must live. God’s family is the church..." (1 Timothy 3:15 ).

This is my favorite metaphor for the church. It doesn’t take any explanation. Most people think that Christianity is a belief system. There are beliefs in Christianity, but it’s so much more. Christianity is a belong system. The Bible says we were born again into God’s family when we became a follower of Jesus. It also says that we’ve been adopted into God’s family. Both are great metaphors for what it should mean to be a part of the church. Because those of us who follow Christ are part of God’s family, we should accept one another and love one another.

Now let me be very clear here. We don’t approve of everyone’s behavior. That’s not love. If someone is doing something hurtful, approval is the opposite of love. But we must accept and love one another. Your family hasn’t always approved of everything you’ve done, but – I hope – they’ve loved you anyway. That’s a picture of the church that we want you to see at Celebrate.

We belong to each other. Christianity is a life and so it is to be shared. The point I hope top convey is that every Christian not only needs the Bible and not only needs prayer, but every Christian needs other Christians. There's no such thing as Lone Ranger Christianity. We need each other.

As a church, we at Celebrate encourage relationships and create many on ramps to build them. Our goal is not that you just come to church – meaning you walk in, you sit down, you watch the back of somebody's head for an hour, you get up and you walk out and that's it. How do you have a relationship looking at the back of somebody's head? It'd be kinda hard. We don’t want you to feel that you are just a number in the crowd.

In the past five years at Celebrate Church, we've had hundreds of first-time visitors. People come to a church for many different reasons. But people stay in the church for one specific reason. Relationships.

My hope is that you will find genuine and authentic relationships at Celebrate.

Is Connecting THAT Important?...Part 2

Have you ever tried to put a puzzle together with hundreds of pieces only to get to the end to discover you are missing one piece? The viewing eye is always drawn to the one missing piece. It communicates every piece is important, and every piece has a perfect fit and is designed to be connected.

One of the vital functions of Celebrate Church is to help each person see the value of their connection. That’s why I am writing this blog in parts -- so we can see the word pictures the Bible uses to communicate the need for connecting. These metaphors tell us a lot about why God wants us to connect with one another. They give us a picture of what the church should be.

I told you in Monday's blog that the Bible says that being spiritually connected means we are built like a BUILDING.

The word picture for today is we are joined in a BODY. “Just as there are many parts to our bodies, so it is with Christ’s Body. We are all parts of it, and it takes every one of us to make it complete, for we each have different work to do. So we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others” (Romans 12: 4-5 TLB).

What Jesus Christ did when he was here in his physical body, he wants to do today through the church. We are the body of Christ on Earth. We are his hands. We are his feet. All of us have to play our part. Being part of the body of Christ means we are a part of something bigger than ourselves, and if we don’t play our specific part, the mission of the church is impacted. You can also read another metaphor about connection using the human anatomy to emphasize our need to connect in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27.

We’re all in this together! I want to help you connect to God and to one another in 2009. There are multiple ways you can connect at Celebrate. Check it out.

When you put God's plan for your life into action, life works.

Is Connecting that Important?

I don’t know if you are like me, but with this current generation, if I could give them a nickname it would be “texting maniacs.” I am like, “Wouldn’t it just be easier to call?” The world has never been more connected. There are millions of miles of fiber optics and satellites shooting into space. Kids all around the world are texting each other on cell phones – even in the midst of jungles – competing in video games with another person on the other side of the world, and yet I talk to people all the time who feel more and more disconnected. They feel like they’re “out of it.”

Did you know that loneliness has reached epidemic proportions in our country? Our fast-moving lives have wreaked havoc on our relationships. We don’t feel nearly as connected to each other as people did just a single generation ago.

Yet we were created for relationships. In fact, the first thing God said was, “It’s not good for man to be alone.” God said that humans were not made for isolation. We were made for connection. Why? We were created in the image of God. The Bible says God is love, and to love, you’ve got to have somebody to love.

One of the crucial purposes of Celebrate is to help solve this sense of disconnection.

Each day this week I will share with you one of four word pictures of the New Testament church. These metaphors tell us a lot about why God wants us to connect with one another. They give us a picture of what the church should be – and how it should solve the plague of disconnection in our society.

The Bible says that being spiritually connected means:

We’re built like a building. “In Christ you are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.” (Ephesians 2:22 NRSV). We are meant to fit together like bricks in a new building. It’s essential that the parts of a building fit together. You aren’t safe otherwise because there’s no support. Likewise, those who aren’t connected to a church family in any meaningful way have no support. Life is tough. We all need the support of people who care about us. As a church we want to provide you with community.

We want you to advance in relationships over this next year. Let’s begin now. This is a major focus at Celebrate. We’re going to make every effort to connect people.

Let’s make a connection this year. Begin by connecting with a Life Group...

For more information on how to get connected to a Life Group, please go to http://www.celebratechurch.org/lifegroups.

Are you Koinonia-ing?

This weekend is an exciting weekend! You are probably saying, “Don’t you mean this past weekend?” No… I’m talking about this upcoming weekend! Of course I, like you, enjoyed the Super Bowl this past weekend, but you know what I really enjoyed was the buzz of conversation and laughing as people were doing life together. One thing I have discovered is that people are lonely. People are tired of superficial relationships. People are looking for someone that genuinely cares that they exist. Problem is where do you find those kinds of relationships? That is why this weekend is one of those times that excites me as pastor of Celebrate… for one very specific reason… This Sunday, February 8th IS THE LAUNCH OF 2009 LIFE GROUPS AT CELEBRATE!

I have one question for you as you read this blog… Are you Koinonia-ing? Now before you think I’ve lost it and started making up words (although I have been known to do that on occasion), just keep reading.

If you desire genuine, authentic relationships and friendships, then you absolutely must be involved in one of our incredible Life Groups… You must be Koinonia-ing! If you desire to know more and grow more mature in your faith, then Life Groups is where that will happen. Koinonia is the Greek word for fellowship in the Bible. It means being as committed to each other as we are to Jesus Christ. That is what real fellowship is all about – being committed to other as we are to Jesus Christ.

Once you become a Believer the Bible emphasizes God wants you to be a Belonger. He wants you to be a part of His family, a part of the church. Doing life together, sharing life together is so important to us around Celebrate we focus each spring and fall season of the year encouraging you to follow God’s design for your life by not going through life alone but by being connected to God’s family… through Life Groups.

Authentic relationships are those relationships that provide deep, satisfying, meaningful fellowship with others. How do you develop and deepen friendships with other believers? At Celebrate we feel we best fulfill this part of God’s design for our life through our small groups we call LIFE GROUPS.

I am sending these thoughts to a majority of you that currently are not connected to a small group. Our goal is that you experience the benefits of during life together. We like the large gatherings but it is in those small group settings that we can encourage, share, shoulder, pray, unload, journey through life together. Below is how we build healthy and solid community.

frequency… authenticity… mutuality… courtesy… sympathy… humility… honesty… mercy… confidentiality… unity

Click the link below to register for a Life Group now or register on Sunday at Celebrate Church! If you have any questions about Life Groups at Celebrate, email Bob Carson at bob@celebratechurch.org.

http://www.celebratechurch.org/formLifeGroups

Happiness or Joy?

With all of the change that is taking place in our country, I was thinking about the many conversations I have had with people prior to the challenges we now face in our economy. The conversations centered around hurts people have experienced, hang ups people could not seem to move past, and habits that were out of control. Top that off with the economy and “the life” people were longing for seems further away. It always comes down to this… everyone wants to be happy.

Most people have one main ambition in life, “I just want to be happy.” Living near Disney World, we all know that being happy is serious business. We have this idea that we must be happy all the time. I must act happy, talk happy, look happy and if I am not I must fake it, especially at church. Always having to appear happy creates it own stress. The fact is not every day is a homerun. Not everything works out according to the way we planned it. That’s not the end of the world… it’s simply called life.

It is easy to be happy when everything is going your way. But what about the rest of the time? Are you only happy when everything is going your way? If so, you are going to be unhappy for much of your life.

Let’s answer this question without this blog getting to wordy. How can we stay positive and optimistic when it seems everything is falling apart? This is where JOY enters the picture. The Apostle Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS. I say it again: REJOICE!”

Happiness depends on what is happening. Circumstances. Luck. “I am happy today because things just happened to turn out right.”

Joy is different. It goes deeper. Joy is an attitude, a choice. Joy is an inside job where happiness is an outside job. Joy does not rely on circumstances. It is not dependent on luck. Joy is what makes life – well – enjoyable. It is your choice to rejoice.

As Christ followers we can be the most positive and joyful people in the world. Why? We have… hope in the leadership of Christ…God has purpose for our lives… God is always with us….

Make a choice to rejoice!

NO FEAR LIVING

We are hours into a change in our political leadership, and yet, with the excitement of anticipation of our new leadership leading us hopefully to a prosperous tomorrow, there is the reality of struggle. Will all the changes that have taken place in our government expel our fears?

Just a month ago, we celebrated the excitement of the birth of Jesus Christ. What were the first words the angels told the Shepherds? “Don’t be afraid!” What were the first words Jesus said after He rose from the dead? “Don’t be afraid!” What were the first words the disciples heard when Jesus caught up to them on the raging Sea of Galilee? “Don’t be afraid!” Two thousand years later, in an uncertain economy, He still says, “Don’t be afraid!” America is experiencing a wave of fear. Fear is flowing not just from our TV news reports but from our real life experiences.

If our hearts were being played on a big screen TV, what fears would be playing? What would be on the screen? Some are afraid they’re going to lose their job; some fear losing their dream home; and even some are fearing the repercussions these things will have on their families and on their marriage. Fear is called many different names like worry, tension, anxiety, uptight, pressure and stress. Here is something else about fear -- it’s contagious. We can get it from other people. It’s limiting and it’s draining.

One of the most important things I know is that God doesn’t want us to be afraid. Ephesians 3:12 says, “In Christ we can come before God with freedom and without fear…We can do this through faith in Jesus Christ.”

Anchoring truths for NO FEAR LIVING... they are simple and brief:

1) Accept God’s love for you... Let God’s love for you serve as the antidote to your fear.

2) Believe that Christ died and rose from the dead for you... It is one thing to believe about a person; it is another to believe in that person. It’s not just that Jesus died and rose from the dead, but that he died and rose from the dead for you.

3) Commit your fears and your life to Christ... It means let Him be the manager and boss of your life. Let God be the God of your life.

4) Let His love fill your life. There is no fear in His love.

WIN IN HIM

I am writing this to you today with a heart that is praying for you to win. I listen to the news, I sit in on conversations, and I hear the stories -- the loss of jobs, the decreases in wages, the foreclosures on homes, the marital tensions, and the list continues. In the midst of this uncertain climate in our country, I want to point you in the direction to see what God has instituted for us to anchor into when all around us it seems that everyone is hurting in one way or another.

First, we are Christ followers who make up a spiritual community where when one hurts, we all hurt and where when one rejoices, we all rejoice. God wanted us in His family long before we were born. I believe one of the reasons this is true is for times just like now that we are journeying through where we can pray one for another, give one to another, and encourage one another.

What I want you to know is that you are sure to win in Him! Here is a passage in the Bible that I want you to draw encouragement from:

Ephesians 2:11-13 Don't forget at one time... you were living apart from Christ... you did not know the covenant promises God had made... You lived your life without God and without hope... But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to Him through the blood of Christ.

It is in Jesus Christ that our sin is forgiven... It is in Him that we are heir to the promises of God... It is in Him that we are His children and made right in His eyes. You will discover all throughout the Bible that you and I are referenced to being in Christ with words like "with Him"... "in Him"... "through Him." Meditate on those words until the truth of these scriptures reaches deep down into your heart. They will serve as ammunition to be used against your doubts, your fears, and your anxieties.

Let's prepare ourselves and equip ourselves as we journey through these uncertain times in our economic culture.

I want to pray with you, and our staff and the entire Celebrate family wants to pray with you regarding anything at all that you feel comfortable communicating -- a loss of a job, a decrease in pay, a foreclosure or a possible foreclosure on a home, marital tensions -- anything at all. Let's pray together through these tough times...

WIN IN HIM (JESUS CHRIST)