Joe's Blog

Foundation and Future...

2010-09-25T12:01:00.000-04:00

Carol and I have been married for 23 years. When we were talking about marriage, we agreed that one day we wanted to have children. Today, we have three beautiful, amazing children! From the beginning, that was the plan. We have experienced good times, rough times, and challenging times. But you know what? We have no regrets. Life isn’t problem free, nor is it perfect. Things don’t always go as you planned. Our children don’t always do what we say. We have disagreements, and there are times we do our own thing. But make no mistake; our love for each other and our children is limitless and unconditional. It is no secret ... there is no end to this love.

The entire Bible from beginning to end is a story about God’s plan of building a family. It has always been His plan to adopt you into His family. This plan is the ultimate priority to God, and all this would be accomplished through Jesus Christ. God is full of so much love! He treasures relationships. This relational love is universal regardless of who you are, where you currently live on this planet, or your lifestyle. From the beginning, God has always wanted you in His family. The only way to accept this spiritual and relational closeness with God is through believing and accepting by faith in what Jesus Christ did for you 2000 years ago. No longer are you just a creation of God, but now you are a child of God and part of God’s global family.

I hope and pray this amazing truth marinates and is absorbed in your soul. You are part of God’s family because of Jesus Christ. God is proud of you. His love is unconditional, immoveable and limitless. Being included God’s family is the highest honor you will ever receive.

THE CAUSEWAY

2010-09-17T05:55:00.000-04:00

THE CAUSEWAY…

In southern Louisiana, there is this enormous wide body of water called Lake Pontchartrain that separates the north shore of New Orleans from the south shore, approximately 24 miles wide. To get to from the north shore to south shore, they engineered and constructed the longest bridge in the world over water called the Causeway. Ok, why am I sharing this with you? Open your heart because you are going to like what you hear!

The width of God's love extends across the entire globe and includes all people, everyone he has created. In Psalm 145:17 it reads: "The Lord is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made.” “God loves the whole world . . . “ John 3:16

God has never made a person that he didn't love. He made you … he loves you, and God doesn't make junk! He loves you unconditionally. He loves you very, very, very, very, very much!

Everybody matters to God! We even see in the life of Jesus, that he loves the unlovely and those who may feel unlovable. Do you want to know the secret of your esteem? Here it is … if you want confidence, then understand how much you matter to God. If God loves you, who cares what anybody else thinks?

Because God loves you, there's no need to prove your worth. We don’t need to rely on clothes, cars, and connections to identify our worth. The Creator God loves us unconditionally. Rest and be refreshed by His love.

“And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” Ephesians 3:18-19 NLT

BRING IT ON...

2010-09-11T12:18:00.003-04:00

The Bible says, “Nothing is impossible with God.” Luke 1:37 God can handle any situation you give to Him. Nothing is beyond His ability. But first things first . . . you’ve got to bring it to Him.

So let me ask you: What decision are you facing this week? What mountain do you need moved? Physical sickness? Financial? Marriage? Can’t break a bad habit? “Nothing is impossible with God . . . “

When you read God’s Word, it’s as if God is saying . . . “Bring anything to me and see if I can’t solve it.” God is laying down the gauntlet, “Bring it on and watch me handle it for you.” Here are just a few Scriptures that promise you God is capable.

“I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?" Jeremiah 32:27

"God is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes!" Ephesians 3:20

“My God shall supply all of your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

We see God saying, "I'll take care of yesterday's failures, today's frustrations, and tomorrow's fears because I am a capable Father."

KEEPS GETTING BETTER...

2010-08-27T05:30:00.000-04:00

Do you like to get good news? Everybody does. Do you like to share good news? Most people do. At our house, we love sharing good stories or things we have accomplished. In our staff meetings, we have a great time when we share good stories that are happening in the church or in people’s lives. The writer Mark in the Bible says that, “We’re to tell the good news to everyone.” Now many of us think, “The people I work with and my friends . . . they’re not interested in the good news.”

That is the wrong perception! They may not be interested in religion, but they are interested in the good news. The problem is not that our friends and co-workers aren’t interested. Could it be the problem is we’ve forgotten how good the good news really is? Once you’ve been a Christian for a while, we forget how miserable it was to live without hope. We forget what it was like to have guilt, fear, regrets, bitterness, and boredom in your life—a life before Christ.

What happens to most of us is that the longer we’re a Christian, the more we tend to take for granted just how good the good news really is! Likewise, most people who do not know Jesus don’t understand how good the good news really is. If you go out into the community, many people feel they have to earn their way to God. That is not good news . . . how good is good enough for God? It’s no wonder why they don’t get excited about it!

But here’s the good news: you are able to enter into a relationship with God through an attitude of trust—trust in Jesus Christ—and not through a religion of rules, regulations, and rituals.

God says you get to know him just by trusting him. If you trust his Son with your life, you receive forgiveness for your past, a purpose for living in your present, and a secure hope in the future. Is that good news? Do you think anybody you know would be interested in that? The good news keeps sounding better and better because the bad news of the world keeps getting worse and worse.

I SURRENDER

2010-08-21T10:22:00.002-04:00

When I was a young kid I loved playing army. It was great when you would approach your friends unexpectedly and say to them, “Surrender!” Their hands would immediately go up in the air!

God does not sneak up on us, but He does approach us with the His constant voice to surrender to Him in all situations. The Apostle Paul challenges us in Romans, to “Give yourselves completely to God... surrender your whole being to Him to be used for righteous purposes." Romans 6:13 This is a pure picture of true worship.

“Surrender” is an unpopular, yet a humbling word. Many times we don’t welcome it. It is doing what God wants rather than what we want, being the person that God wants us to be rather than who we want to be in situations.

Surrender evokes unpleasant images of admitting defeat in battle, forfeiting a game, or yielding to a stronger opponent. The word is almost always used in a negative context. For example, captured criminals surrender to the authorities.

In our world we're taught, “I have rights,” “I have the right,” “Never give up,” and “Never give in,” so we don't view surrendering as a healthy option. If winning and getting my way is everything, surrendering is unthinkable.

Yet, the Bible teaches us that instead of “fighting for our rights,” that we are to yield, submit, obey, and surrender. This is the higher and healthy road. And by surrendering to God, we enter into the heart of worship. This is true worship . . . bringing pleasure to God as we give ourselves completely to Him.

Surrendering is best demonstrated through obedience, by cooperating with your Creator. Instead of what I want or how I feel, we stop, and say, "Yes Lord" to whatever He asks of you.

Surrendered people obey God's word, even when it doesn't make sense. God is a Lover and a Liberator, and surrendering brings freedom, not bondage.

My Thought Life...

2010-08-13T23:48:00.002-04:00

“Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.” Proverbs 4:23

The Bible says our thoughts influence our lives. For instance . . .

Your Insight Influences Your Situation. It's not what happens to me that matters as much as how I choose to see it. The way I react will determine whether the circumstance makes me better or bitter. I can view everything as an obstacle or an opportunity for growth -- a stumbling block or a stepping stone.

Your Beliefs Influence Your Behavior. We always act according to our beliefs, even when those ideas are false. For instance, as a child, if you believed a shadow in your bedroom at night was a monster, your body reacted in fear (adrenaline and jitters) even though it wasn't true. That's why it's so important to make sure you are operating on true information! Your convictions about yourself, about life, and about God influence your conduct.

Your Self-Talk Influences Your Self-Esteem. We constantly talk to ourselves. Do you run yourself down with your self-talk? Stop doing that! Proverbs 23:7 says, "As he thinks in his heart, so is he."

Your Bloodline...

2010-07-30T06:00:00.000-04:00

A little over a year ago, our family vacationed in New York City. One of our planned visits was to Ellis Island. I never realized how much time, effort, and resources went into the historical tracing of bloodlines coming to America. It is the coolest thing growing up Italian and from the city of New Orleans.

Friends, God looks at you and me with deeper meaning and purpose than what your last name is or what city you were born in. Our externals are irrelevant. It doesn’t matter the color of your skin or what your ethnic background is. It doesn’t matter how many weaknesses or flaws you have. You were made in the image of God. You come from a long line of champions in life.

Ponder this… Your heavenly Father spoke the universe into existence… Your family member Jesus Christ defeated the ultimate enemy of mankind, Satan… Think about the bloodline you come from and the feats they were a part of… Moses parted the Red Sea… David, a young boy, defeated the champion of warriors, Goliath… Daniel spent an entire night in a hostile cage of lions because he refused to compromise his allegiance… Nehemiah built a wall that provided security around Jerusalem when all the odds were against him… Queen Esther put her life on the line to save God’s people from genocide… You see, courage, strength, protection, determination, heroism, and sacrifice are in your bloodline.

The above are not random names from the Bible; they are part of an unbroken lineage of faith that comes down today to your life and mine. What God did in their lives, he wants to do in ours. You come from a bloodline of champions. You are not ordinary. On the inside of you are seeds of greatness. On the inside of you is champion after champion.

YOU ARE THE SEED OF ALMIGHTY GOD.

Celebrate Staff

2010-07-27T18:00:00.001-04:00

I just wanted you to know that we had some staff-related communication issues. We want you to know that we are well. All is OK with the entire Celebrate Church staff.

Thank You.

Stepping Out of the Boat...

2010-07-23T06:18:00.000-04:00

Have you ever been to a circus? I’ve only been to a few in my life. It is absolutely amazing the acrobatic stunts these circus performers attempt and succeed at and the faith and trust they exhibit. Like the trapeze artist who swings out holding on to the trapeze bar and then lets go in order to grab hold of another trapeze bar that swings and then back to the other side again. At one point during this exchange, they’re not holding on to any bar. The body and life are suspended in mid air for a split second. Have you ever felt like that in life? You feel like you are 180 feet above the ground with no net below and you are holding on to nothing.

God gives you a dream and the next step He wants you take. God is challenging you to do something about the dream He has deposited in you. Yet nothing is going to happen to that dream until you step out and put it into action. Just like that trapeze artist, you have to say, “I am going to go for it!” For every ten dreamers in the world, there is only one decision maker. A lot of people have dreams, and yet, they never get to step two – making the decision to trust God.

Faith is a verb. It is active not passive. It is something you do. Taking that step of faith requires two things: (1) You decide to lay it all on the line by saying, “God, you told me to do this, and I’m going to be faithful and do it.” (2) You cannot move forward in faith while holding onto the past. If you want to walk on water, you’ve got to get out of the boat.

Like that trapeze artist, if you don’t let go and grab the vision God wants you to have, you’ll swing back. And what I’ve discovered is that when you swing back, you don’t swing back to the same platform, but to one lower. You see, God brings you to a point of decision, and your faith will build as you swing toward the dream God has given you.

Safe Zone...

2010-07-16T09:13:00.001-04:00

As a pastor, I see more situations than I like that nobody should ever have to go through alone. Nobody should ever have to wait in the hospital alone while a loved one is in life-or-death surgery. Nobody should ever have to wait alone for the lab report on a problematic health condition. Nobody should ever have to wait for news alone regardless of the situation. Nobody should ever have to spend the first night alone when his or her spouse just walked out.

Life's tough times and tragedies are inevitable -- each of us will face them. But we don't need to go through them alone. We need God's SAFE ZONE to provide protection and support through these difficult times.

What is God's SAFE ZONE? It is a group of believers, Christ followers -- a handful of people who are really committed to you. We call this kind of group a community. Here's God's plan for community: "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it" (1 Corinthians 12:26). Community is God's answer to despair. Community is God’s answer to life’s difficulties and tragedies. Romans 12:15 expresses it in these words: "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn."

When you're going through a crisis, you just want somebody to be there to sit with you, hold your hand, put an arm around your shoulder, or cry with you. As Paul tells us, "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up" (1 Thessalonians 5:11). Encouraging someone else doesn't always mean giving a pep talk or words of wisdom. Sometimes the best kind of encouragement is just sitting in silence -- waiting and weeping with a friend.

Do you have a SAFE ZONE -- a group of fellow Christ followers you know you can count on in life's toughest times? If not, begin building those friendships. The hard times in life are inevitable. A safe zone is an everyday picture of DOING LIFE TOGETHER.

Time to Unlearn...

2010-07-09T08:47:00.000-04:00

Instant oatmeal, easy mac and cheese, instant coffee, and getting in shape in 6 weeks are just a few of the instant things out there. God chooses a different path than the instant path. So naturally, we have a lot to learn and, at the same time, unlearn.

Although God could instantly transform us, He has chosen to develop us slowly. Jesus was intentional in developing His disciples. Just as God allowed the children of Israel to take over the promise land “little by little,” so they would not be overwhelmed, He chooses to work in incremental steps in our lives.

Why does it take so long to grow up? Number one, we are slow learners. God shows us, teaches us, and yet, how often do we find ourselves reverting back to old patterns of behavior? Number two, we have a lot to unlearn. It took years to break the situation and we want an instant fix. Since most of our problems – and all of our bad habits – didn’t develop overnight, it’s unrealistic to expect them to go away immediately.

There is no pill, prayer, or principle that will instantly undo the damage of many years. It requires the hard work of removal and replacement. Growth is often painful. There is no growth without change, there is no change without loss, and there is no loss without pain. We fear these losses, even if our old ways were self defeating and self destructive because, like a worn out pair of shoes, they were at least comfortable.

Every change involves loss of some kind, and yet you must let go of the old to experience the new. You must unlearn the past to learn a new future.

The night is about over, dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing! God is putting the finishing touches on the salvation work he began when we first believed. Romans 13:12 (Message)

Free is Not Free

2010-07-02T09:59:00.002-04:00

It is the 4th of July weekend, and all across our incredible nation celebrations are taking place. Even in our own community, there will be a huge party celebrating freedom! Yet the freedom we celebrate was not free - it cost. It cost lives, someone’s love, undivided devotion, and selfless acts of service.

Did you know that we are commanded to serve? Jesus was unmistakable and not apologetic in His words to those desiring to follow Him. "Your attitude must be like my own, for I, the Messiah, did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give my life." (Matthew 20:28 LB). For a follower of Christ, service is not something to be tacked onto our schedules if we can spare the time. It is the heart of the Christian life. Jesus came "to serve" and "to give"— and these two verbs should define our life on earth.

Jesus taught that spiritual maturity and growth is never an end in itself. Maturity is an opportunity for service to minister! We grow up in order to give. It is not enough to keep learning more and more. We must act on what we know and practice what we claim to believe. Study without service leads to spiritual stagnation.

Before we feel the urge to go to another Bible study or spiritual meeting, I encourage you to find a place to give out what you have. We already know far more than we are putting into practice. What we need are serving opportunities in which we can exercise our spiritual muscles. Serving is the opposite of our natural inclination. Most of the time we're more interested in "serve us" than service. We say, "I'm looking for a church that meets my needs” not, "I'm looking for a place to serve and be a blessing."

The mature follower of Jesus moves from asking, "Who's going to meet my needs?" and starts asking, "Whose needs can I meet?”

Anything is Possible

2010-06-25T07:42:00.001-04:00

Ever take a wrong turn or find yourself traveling down a street with a sign that reads, “DEAD END: No Outlet”? Well, with God, there are always outlets. God has a way of building our faith by planting a dream within us. Yet, that dream will require a decision of faith, and then God will stretch our faith as we face delays, difficulties, and dead ends. It is then – after the delays, difficulties, and dead ends – that God comes in and delivers. God does a miracle. God provides a solution. For instance: In Moses' case, God parted the Red Sea…In Abraham's case, he and Sarah miraculously conceived a child…In Joseph's case, all of a sudden his dream came true, and he found himself no longer imprisoned in a dungeon; instead, he was the second in command in Egypt.

Jesus was even resurrected! God can even turn a crucifixion into a resurrection, and that means he has the power to transform your dead ends into deliverance. He builds your faith through delays, difficulties, and dead ends, so that when he delivers you—God gets all the credit!

When faced with a dead end, the best response is to expect God to act. What are you expecting God to do in your life? Jesus says, "According to your faith will it be done to you." (Matthew 9:29)

When you wait for deliverance, then God gets the credit. And you can look back to see how God led you through a path of faith, expanding and increasing your trust of him with every step. Your faith is stronger, and now you can say with confidence: "I am expecting the Lord to rescue me again, so that once again, I will see his goodness to me . . ." (Psalm 27:13)

One more scripture from God’s Word to encourage you to know that anything – that all things – are possible with God. "What do you mean, 'If I can'?" Jesus asked. "Anything is possible if a person believes." Mark 9:23 NLT

Butterfly Kisses...

2010-06-18T10:06:00.000-04:00

I am here at Beach Week 2010. What a generation of young people passionate for purposes bigger than a paycheck and materialism -- passionate for meaning. Our world is full of sons and daughters who desperately need a father who is a spiritual leader. Is it possible your kids are among them? You can become a spiritual leader to your children by making a commitment learn and live the characteristics of Jesus in front of them. Even if you are not a father or a mother, you will be able to lead others into the heart of God by following the example of Jesus. Here is what Jesus did for His followers:

First, Jesus helped the disciples to know God. Dads, this is your number one responsibility as a father. You need to help your children get to know God because eternity hangs in the balance. It is your responsibility to help make sure your kids are introduced to God. They belong to God. He loans them to us for a period of time in which he wants you to parent them. Parenting, like all forms of leadership, is really about stewardship. You learn to say, “God, I am the steward of these children, whom You put into my care, and I will do what You need me to do to help them achieve their purpose.”

Notice Jesus led by example. This is one of the most sobering truths about being a parent. For right or wrong, for good or bad, whether you like it or not, your children’s idea of God is going to be largely determined by the kind of father you are. You may not like that. I may not like that, but it’s the truth. If you are an impatient and demanding father, they’re going to think God is impatient and demanding. If you are distant and detached and never have time for your kids, they’re going to think God is distant and detached from them. If you are inconsistent and unreliable, if you break your promises, they’re going to think their heavenly Father is inconsistent and unreliable and breaks His promises.

What is God really like? God is caring…God is close and aware of the details… God is consistent.

If my kids are going to grow up knowing God is caring, close, and consistent, then I must be caring, close, and consistent. I must care about my kids enough to show them what God is like and show them how they can become like Christ.

A Lifetime Journey...

2010-06-11T06:00:00.001-04:00

Our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him. 2 Corinthians 3:18 (Msg)

Growing Christlike is a process of conforming to Christ. Growing in Christ should be our aim. This is a lifetime journey. Our growth journey involves believing through faith, belonging in community, and becoming like Christ through our spiritual habits.

Every day God desires for you to become a little more like him. Today’s cultural mindset centers around speed, but God is more interested in strength and stability than swiftness. We want the quick fix, the shortcut, the “on-the-spot” solution. We want a sermon, a seminar, or an experience that will instantly resolve all problems, remove all temptation, and release us from all growing pains.

But real maturity is never the result of a single experience, no matter how powerful or moving. Growth is gradual. The Bible says, "Our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him." 2 Corinthians 3:18 (Msg)

No Finger Pointing...

2010-06-03T22:09:00.000-04:00

My son and I were watching this past Wednesday evening as a pitcher with the Detroit Tigers was one out away from pitching a perfect game. The runner was called safe at first base; however, the instant replay clearly indicated that the runner was out. After the game, the umpire admitted that he had made the wrong call. What should go down in the major league baseball history books as a perfect game, will instead go down as one of the worst calls in the history of baseball. The pitcher will get no historical recognition; he'll only get credit for the win on his record (though there's nothing wrong with a win).

We live in a society that loves to make excuses, and one of our favorite phrases is, “It is not my fault.” The pitcher was interviewed after the game, and he did not make one excuse, nor did he accuse the umpire. He took a bad situation and made the most of it. The truth is, if we find ourselves bitter and resentful, it is because we have allowed negative situations to remain with us. It does not take a lot to develop a chip on your shoulder. Anyone can make excuses for his or her bad attitude, poor choices, or hot temper. You may even have valid reasons. Perhaps you’ve gone through things that nobody deserves to experience in life.

We have to learn to let go of the past, let go of the excuses, and even let go of the valid reasons. I want to challenge you to quit comparing your life to someone else’s, and quit dwelling on what could have been, what should have been, or what might have been. You can’t do anything about what’s happened to you in the past, but you can choose how you will face what is in front of you.

Today, make a commitment to no longer focus on the pain or failures of the past. Make an intentional choice to focus on the bright and beautiful future you have with God.

God Smiles...

2010-05-28T10:46:00.001-04:00

I sat with my family last night and watched as hundreds of seniors graduated high school, completing a chapter in life’s journey in our culture. With my son being one of those seniors receiving recognition for 12 years of commitment to education, I thought of how often my wife and I prayed for him and, along with others, made deposits into him for God to smile upon Him, give Him favor, and bring him success.

The Bible gives us clear examples of many lives that gave pleasure to God. One in particular was a man named Noah. In Noah's day, the entire world had become morally bankrupt. Everyone lived for their own pleasure, not God's. God couldn't find anyone on Earth interested in pleasing him, so he was grieved and regretted making man. But there was one man who made God smile. The Bible says, "Noah was a pleasure to the Lord." Genesis 6:8. God said, "This guy brings me pleasure. He makes me smile. I'll start over with his family." Because Noah brought pleasure to God, you and I are alive today.

What can we discover from Noah’s life that brings pleasure to God?

- Love God more than anything else in the world. (Gen 6:9)
- Trust God. Have faith God knows what is best for you. (Heb. 11:7)
- Obey God wholeheartedly. (Gen. 6:22)
- Praise God for who He is and what He has done. (Gen. 8:20)
- Use the abilities God gave and deposited in you. (Gen. 9:1&3)

The above character traits of Noah’s life could be expounded making this blog long. Instead, I put references from the account of Noah’s life, and ask that you take the time to see how Noah’s life made God smile. The Apostle Paul made this his life goal, “More than anything else, I want to please him, whether here or there." (2 Corinthians 5:9)

When I live in light of eternity, my focus changes from "How much pleasure am I getting out of life?" to "How much pleasure is God getting out of my life?"

Will you make pleasing God the goal of your life? There is nothing that God won't do for the person totally absorbed with this goal.

When God Seems Distant...

2010-05-21T11:06:00.000-04:00

It is easy to feel connected to God when things are going great in life—when He has provided food, friends, family, health, and happy situations. But have you discovered that circumstances are not always pleasant? What do you do when God seems a million miles away?

The deepest level of worship is praising God in spite of pain, thanking God during a trial, trusting Him when tempted, surrendering to Him while suffering, and loving Him when He seems distant. Friendships are often tested by separation and silence. In your friendship with God, you won’t always feel close to Him. As one author wrote, “Any relationship involves times of closeness and times of distance, and in a relationship with God, no matter how intimate, the pendulum will swing from one side to the other.” That’s when worship gets difficult.

Our relationship with God develops a deep maturity during times when it appears God is silent or when He feels a million miles away. Many in the community of faith have described these times as “the dark night of the soul.” Henri Nouwen called them “the ministry of absence.” A. W. Tozer called them “the ministry of the night.” Others refer to “the winter of the heart.” In the Bible, David had a close friendship with God. In fact, God took pleasure in calling him “a man after My own heart.” Yet, David frequently complained of God’s apparent absence:

• “Lord, why are You standing aloof and far away? Why do You hide when I need You the most?” (Psalm 10:1)

• “Why have You forsaken me? Why do You remain so distant? Why do You ignore my cries for help?” (Psalm 22:1)

• “Why have You abandoned me?” (Psalm 43:2)

In reality, God hadn’t really left David, and He doesn’t leave you. He has promised repeatedly, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:8)

Let God Be God...

2010-05-13T22:50:00.001-04:00

We all have a pattern we follow. We all have a source we lean on. I want to encourage you to let God be your source and supply. You need to tell God that you’re going to look to Him alone to provide for your needs and that you won’t look anywhere else. We get ourselves in a mess when we confuse the channel with the source. God may use your paycheck from work as the channel to supply your needs, but your employer is just the channel for God’s provision—and God can shift to another channel anytime He wants. When you start to look to something or someone else to meet your needs – when you begin to confuse the channel with the source, a warning sign appears: Worry!

So when you look to your job as the source instead of the channel, you may start worrying, “What if I lose my job?” You know what? That channel may close, but the source of your every need is still active and providing for you. When God turns off one channel, He can turn on another one.

Once you know what you’re lacking, you need to give God the right to choose whatever channel He decides is best to fulfill the need. It may be a channel different from one you would choose; in fact, God may deliberately choose a different channel in order to teach you to keep looking to Him for all your needs.

Through following Christ for nearly thirty years, I have learned that it’s exciting to just let God be God. It’s exciting to watch God meet a need in a way that you never thought possible or could have never thought up on your own.

“Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.” 2 Corinthians 9:10

God alone is the source of your supply.

Growing Closer

2010-05-07T09:57:00.000-04:00

Any successful relationship, whether it is at work or church, or with a neighbor, a parent, or a spouse, is built upon the biblical truth that God designed each of us with purpose -- the purpose to connect to Him, grow in Him, live in community, serve Him, and tell the world of Him.

We need to realize we were created and placed together for relationships and lifelong companionship. We sometimes find that some of our relationships are difficult, complicated, and exhausting, but once you understand God’s plan regarding your relationships (friend, boss, neighbor, spouse, etc.), it takes on new meaning. All of us were formed for God’s family. God made an incredible promise about the gathering of even just two believers: “For where two or three come together in My name, I am there with them.” (Matthew 18:20)

When we discover that God brings us together, whether in friendship or companionship, God is already in that friendship or marriage working to transform and direct the two of you into fulfilling His purpose. Your friendship, working relationship, neighborhood community, church, or marriage is a lab for learning how to love like Jesus loves. Within relationships, God has created an opportunity for us to develop a true genuine and authentic sharing of life with another human being.

If relationships are to move from a superficial level to a deeper level, it will require genuine, heart-to-heart, gut-level sharing where you get honest about who you are and what’s going on in your life. This happens when you can share your hurts, reveal your feelings, confess your failures, disclose your doubts, admit your fears, acknowledge your weaknesses, and ask each other for help.

Don’t forget one of those important relationships we will celebrate this weekend… our MOTHERS.

A Surrendered Life...

2010-04-30T11:38:00.002-04:00

Surrender yourself to the Lord, and wait patiently for him. Psalm 37:7

What does a surrendered life look like? A surrendered life means:

Following God's lead without knowing where he's sending you;
Waiting for God's timing without knowing when it will come;
Expecting a miracle without knowing how God will provide;
Trusting God's purpose without understanding the circumstances.

You know you're surrendered to God when you rely on God to work things out instead of trying to manipulate the situation to your favor or forcing your agenda to the top. Surrender is letting go and letting God work. You don't have to always be in charge. Instead of trying harder, you just trust more.

You also know you're surrendered when you don't react to criticism and rush to defend yourself.
Surrendered hearts show up best in relationships. You are not self-serving, you don't edge others out, and you don't demand your rights.

The supreme example of a surrendered life is Jesus. The night before his crucifixion, Jesus surrendered himself to God's plan. He prayed, "Father, everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine." Mark 14:36.

Jesus surrendered himself to God's will. He prayed, "God, if it is in your best interest to remove this suffering, please do so. But if it fulfills your purpose, that's what I want, too." Genuine surrender says, "Father, regardless of the problem or circumstance, if it is needed to fulfill your purpose and glory in my life, please don't take it away!"

This level of maturity doesn't come easy. In Jesus' case, he agonized so much over God's plan that he sweated drops of blood. Surrender is hard work. In our case, it requires intense warfare against our self-centered nature.

You Are Free...

2010-04-23T10:35:00.001-04:00

Jesus stated, “He who the Son sets free is free!” John 8:36

The world defines freedom as a life without any restraint—“Do anything I want to do; say anything I want to say, without anybody telling me ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’” The cultural mindset in America when it comes to freedom can best be seen in a song written some time ago that stated, “I did it my way…” Yet, the Bible says the only way to true freedom is through Jesus: When Jesus, God’s only Son, sets you free, then you will be really free.

Real freedom is freedom from fear; it’s where you’re truly free from guilt, from worry, from bitterness, and from death. You’re free to quit pretending because you’re free to be yourself. How do you get to that place in life? By letting God love you! The apostle John reminds us, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear.” 1 John 4:18

When you realize how much God loves you, you’ll begin to live in true freedom. In fact, you worship God when you recognize that “God is love” and that you are the primary focus of His love.

LIFE MAP...

2010-04-16T06:30:00.000-04:00

NOW FAITH is the confirmation of the things we hope for, being the proof of things we do not see and the firm conviction of their reality not revealed to our human senses [touch, taste, feel, hear and see]. Hebrews 11:1

Dictionaries usually define conviction as a fixed or strong belief. Conviction is really much more than that. Your convictions include your values, commitments, and motivations. I like the definition of conviction I read the other day: "A belief is something you will argue about. A conviction is something you will die for!"

Our convictions determine our conduct. They motivate us to act in certain ways. Do you remember when you first began to follow Christ? You found yourself following what other Christians were doing and role modeling. You may pray, read the Bible, and attend services because you see the examples of others. This is totally ok. It is what we call “learned behavior.” Our children learn the same way by watching us. However, as we grow, we are challenged to develop our own reasons for doing what we do. Those reasons become our convictions. Those convictions, values, and commitments become our LIFE MAP.

God convictions are essential for spiritual growth and maturity. Those convictions we discover from His Word -- from Scripture -- reveal to us what are major convictions and what are minor convictions. What is ironic today is that people often have strong convictions about weak issues (football, fashions, politics, etc.), while having weak convictions about major issues (what is right and what is wrong).

Think about your walk with Jesus and make a list of the convictions you now hold. Ask yourself, “Am I majoring on the minors, and have I allowed the minors to be major?”

Let God’s convictions become your LIFE MAP.

Your Genesis

2010-04-08T16:30:00.001-04:00

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10). God spoke the world into existence, and God spoke you into your mother’s womb. Even now, he can speak into the chaos and confusion of your life to bring it shape and form.

This is what a Genesis event is. It is where God speaks into the void and the darkness of your life creating for you a new beginning -- a fresh start. God can create something from nothing; he can take a heart that is broken, impure, or failed and create a heart that is whole, pure, and purposeful. God wants to see you pure, so he takes an active role in creating your new heart and bringing order to the chaos of your life. God gives us one responsibility in tough times… submit to his sovereignty, humble ourselves before Him, and ask for his help and trust that He has heard us and is in control. Let God speak a Genesis moment into your heart and into the circumstances of your life. Let me encourage you to acknowledge that “everything that you have--right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start--comes from God by way of Jesus Christ.”

Make this your prayer: “God renew in me a firm and focused spirit, no longer chaotic or moved by events, circumstances, or feelings. God shape my life by You and by your Spirit flowing through me.”

Give God your chaos. Let God speak into your life creating a new beginning, a new hope, and a new energy. Let God, make a fresh start in you, and shape a Genesis week from the chaos of life.

Fresh Start...

2010-04-01T17:55:00.000-04:00

“Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life, and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven…” 1 Peter 1:3-4 (MSG).

Evidently, a lot of people would like to have a fresh start in life. If you type the phrase “fresh start” into Google on the Internet, it brings up about 485,000 links! A lot of people would like a fresh start. They think, “I’ve blown it; I’ve messed up; I’ve really made a mess of things in my life. I’d like a fresh start.” Jesus is in the business of giving people a fresh start. The apostle Peter says, “Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life, and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven” (1 Peter 1:3-4).

Several things happen once you give your life to Christ:

1. You open up your life to God and get to know Him.
2. You’re given a brand-new life, which gives you everything to live for.
3. You get a future in heaven.

Here is an encouraging way to see the benefits of Jesus resurrecting from the grave: You get your past forgiven; you get a purpose for living; and you get a home in heaven. What a deal! Your past, present, and future are taken care of as you put your trust in Jesus. A fresh start!

“Everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from God by way of Jesus Christ” 1 Corinthians 1:30-31 (MSG)

Invite someone with you this Easter weekend to hear this incredible news.

Oh, His Goodness...

2010-03-26T06:00:00.000-04:00

God is watching over you.

When King David writes, “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life…” (Psalm 23:6). He’s not saying, “Surely only good things will happen to me!” The fact is that bad things happen to good people. What David is teaching us is that God can take bad, evil, and difficult situations and bring something good out of them.

It’s one of God’s great promises to us: We can know that all things are working for our good “if we love God and are fitting into his plans.” (Romans 8:28). If you’re a believer, the Bible says all things are working together for good—not that all things are good.

There’s no difficulty, dilemma, defeat, or disaster in life that God can’t ultimately turn toward good. When you understand God’s grace and mercy, there’s no need to fear the future. God isn’t trying to get even with you. Jesus shouldered the penalty for everything you’ve ever done wrong or ever will do wrong. He paid for it on the cross.

So when a bad thing happens, you don’t have to think, “God’s getting even with me.” Mercy, like goodness, follows us in life. Picture a parent following a little child around picking up after them; God is constantly picking up our messes. Christians go toward the future, not with a question mark, but with an exclamation point.

God’s goodness provides and protects; God’s mercy pardons and forgives. God’s goodness will supply; God’s mercy will soothe. God’s goodness will help; God’s mercy will heal.

Goodness is the fact that God gives us good things in life that we don’t deserve. Mercy means God holds back the condemnation we deserve.

IT ALL ADDS UP...

2010-03-19T05:20:00.001-04:00

“Reverence for God adds hours to each day.” Proverbs 10:27 (LB)

Do you ever get to the end of your day and think, “Did I accomplish anything? Where does all the time go?”

If you don’t master your schedule, it will master you!

Here are some priceless suggestions from the Bible for countering stress and making your day productive.

LINE UP your priorities. Obviously, you don’t have time to do everything, and so you must make choices. You must decide what’s really important and what isn’t. Take some time to consider the direction of your life. The Bible says, “An intelligent person aims at wise action, but a fool starts off in many directions.” Proverbs 17:24; “It is stupid to waste time on useless projects.” Proverbs 12:11; “We should make plans—counting on God to direct us.” Proverbs 16:9

LIGHTEN UP your attitude. Do you really have to do everything on your to-do list? No one is holding a gun to your head; a lot of your stress is self-imposed. The Bible says, “Worry weighs us down…” Proverbs 12:25; “A relaxed attitude lengthens a man’s life.” Proverbs 14:30; “Being cheerful keeps you healthy. It is slow death to be gloomy all the time.” Proverbs 17:22.

LOOK UP to God. Stress is always a warning sign that you’ve taken your focus off of God and are looking at your problems from your limited viewpoint.

Wow! Proverbs is God’s wisdom for you and I to apply so that life can work.

I believe the single greatest cause of stress is this: We take ourselves too seriously, and we don’t take God seriously enough! IT ALL ADDS UP.

A Lab of Love

2010-03-12T05:30:00.000-05:00

Remember in high school when you took Chemistry? There was the classroom where you took notes and researched your textbook. Then there was the lab where all your book knowledge was to be put into practice.

All of you together are Christ's body, and each of you is a part of it. 1 Corinthians 12:2. You are not the Body of Christ on your own. You need others to express that. Together, not separated, we are His family. A church family moves you out of self-centered isolation. The local church is the classroom AND the lab for learning how to get along in God's family and practicing unselfish, sympathetic love.

In a spiritual community called the church, you learn to care about others and share the experiences of others: The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12:26, "If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts suffer with it. Or if one part of our body is honored, all the other parts share its honor." Only in regular contact with ordinary, imperfect believers can we learn real fellowship and experience the New Testament truth of being connected and dependent on each other. Biblical fellowship is being as committed to each other as we are to Jesus Christ. God expects us to give our lives for each other. Many Christ followers who know John 3:16 are unaware of 1 John 3:16: "Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers."

This is the kind of sacrificial love God expects you to show other believers—a willingness to love them in the same way Jesus loves you.

The Elite

2010-03-05T18:00:00.000-05:00

Polls… I’ve discovered people know how to answer them correctly, and yet, what I find is that the survey answers are far from being lived out. So let’s imagine… What if a poll was taken about church congregational life? What would it reveal when it comes to the Christ follower actively pursuing relational involvement for the purpose of introducing people to faith in Christ? Often times we are hoping for a program, curriculum, or systematic training when it comes to encouraging us, the Christ followers, to share our faith.

The two greatest commandments Jesus stated -- to love God with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength and love our neighbors -- can best be fulfilled when there is an investment in a relationship. It is a strong belief that God looks on how we treat others, care for others, and serve others, as the genuine measure of what is in our hearts toward Him.

For a large part of my walk with Christ, I have heard the word “evangelism” used over and over again in the advancement of God’s incredible Good news. I have watched how this word has segregated Christ followers with some saying, “I don’t have this gift,” and others appearing to be the elite in the Christ community. The unfortunate result of just having the “elite” share their faith is that we rob the rest of the body of Christ from experiencing Christ fullness in life. We can all find common ground when it comes to relating to people, and all of us can see the world from another’s viewpoint. Evangelism is not for the elite; Kingdom relationships are everyone’s responsibility. Experiencing the fullness of Christ is when we position our hearts to care for the spiritual condition of others.

Beauty Not A Beast

2010-02-26T09:56:00.000-05:00

For three days at a conference, I absorbed some of the most incredible teachings on Grace I have ever heard. The love I already had for a beautiful world without Christ increased even more. In Matthew 10:5 Jesus said go to lost, confused people… touch the untouchables. You have been treated generously, so live generously.

Rather than seeing the world as the beast, Jesus saw the beauty of the world. Rather than seeing the sin of people, He saw the beauty of people, which prompted Him to want humanity as His bride. Jesus saw the beauty of humanity crippled by sin, broken and lonely, spiritually destitute and emotionally desperate, facing an eternal divorce sentence from God. Yet, to the contrary God is all about reconciliation, restoration, and healing.

Let’s be honest, there are many times when all we see is the beast side of people. Last thing we want to do is admit that people are beautiful and share with them how much God loves and values them.

I came away from this conference having received so much more than I could possibly ever give. I came away with a new burden for those who are hurting -- those it would be easier to turn away from than to turn toward -- holding God’s love and mercy in my hands. I have a new freedom, which means I also have a new responsibility to be God with skin on in my home, in my ministry, and in my daily life. I pray God uses us all to look for and reach out to those who seem to be unlovable -- those broken people who wait, longing for hope, love and healing.

I Love the Church

2010-02-19T10:19:00.000-05:00

Do you know what time it is? It is consumerism time. Life since the mid 80’s has centered around consumerism. Yet in the past 15 years, that mindset has been even more evident. We are a generation of consumers. If we were to describe our culture, it would be self-centered, independent, and analytical. That mindset has made its way, in massive proportions, into the church. It is revealed in the refusal by followers of Christ to settle down and make a life investment into their spiritual community.

Is this what God wants for us? Is this what God design His Church to look like? Let’s fall in love with our Church. Let’s not forget that Church is not a denomination or a name; it is a family of Christ followers that serves as a support and growth tool on our faith journey. Our church is the place God grows us, encourages us, and uses us the best. Loving Jesus involves a passionate love commitment to His Church -- locally, nationally and globally.

It is time for us to get off the loner Christian journey and fall in love with the CHURCH and start journeying together in our faith with fellow members who love Christ.

Caring or Conversion

2010-02-12T09:40:00.001-05:00

Do you want to jump start your faith? Do you desire a deeper spiritual relationship with Christ? I want to challenge you to care about other people’s spiritual condition. When you see the word CARE, you may conclude it means “being nice to people.” Nice is good, nice is all right, but I want to challenge you to care about people’s connection with God. Care that they understand God’s love and forgiveness and that they experience His influence and how He can redirect their course of life.

A lot can be said about our spiritual maturity based on how we care for people’s spiritual condition. When I say that, immediately we think, “I’ve got to be on a mission of spiritual conversion,” and yet, I want to challenge you to CARE for a person rather than trying to convert them. Use this acrostic of the word CARE to help people connect spiritually with God.

C – Common Ground. Find common ground in your conversations.

A – Accept people just the way they are.

R – Risk by stepping out to share your spiritual story about you and God.

E – Expect God to do His part as you do yours.

Friends! If He is indeed the Savior of the world, and you know that personally, and you believe that, then why would you not want other people to experience that He is indeed the Savior of the world? Why wouldn’t you be willing to risk? Why wouldn’t you be willing to face your fears, to really care for people, and to have spiritual conversations? Not with the agenda to convert, but with the agenda to care, and with the agenda to love and with the agenda to point them to Jesus because He is indeed the Savior of the world. That’s the challenge.

American Dream

2010-02-05T05:30:00.000-05:00

We live in an amazing country -- a country that the entire world desires to visit or reside. Each day we meet people chasing after the American dream. If we were asked, would we find ourselves like others chasing the American dream? I used to think the American dream was a house, a nice car, and 2.5 children. Yet recently, for many people, that dream seems to consist of even more -- chasing after greatness, stardom, popularity, and even power. It is the reason for all the reality shows filling our TV airways. How many times have we seen the dejected? The tears of dejection flowing, because all of the hope they wrapped up in that one moment of opportunity, is suddenly lost. Their hopes and dreams of greatness dashed away, and they are left wondering, “Where will I find greatness now”?

What we are seeing today is not new. People have always been chasing the dream of greatness. It has always been with us, and it will always be in us to chase the dream of greatness. Yet, our greatness is not what we achieve or the awards we receive. Greatness and significance is found in the contribution we make through our life in serving. Jesus said, “He who desires to be the greatest among you will be a servant to you.” According to Jesus, the power chair, the popular chair, and the prestigious chair are all found in the serving chair.

God designed all of us to make a difference with the life He has given each of us. While our culture is pushing us to chase the dream of getting the most out of life, God created us to add to life. If we are going to give our lives for something, give it for a cause that will give real significance. God wants to use you to make a difference in the world. He wants to work through you. Exhaust yourself in your donation of service and ministry to others, and discover how your life will take on real meaning.

G.R.O.W.

2010-01-29T05:30:00.000-05:00

Ok, here we go. I want to challenge you to grow. The statement I am about to make I believe, without a doubt, that you will agree with: “The number one cause of the problems we encounter is immaturity.” We find ourselves getting into all kinds of problems by saying immature things, making immature decisions, acting in immature ways. I know this may sound simple, but we just need to grow up. Let’s take the letters G.R.O.W. and follow a simple path that will provoke us to grow.

God - It is God’s will for every person that they grow. Hebrews 6:1 says, “Let us go on to maturity.” Simply put, God says, “Grow up.” That is why it is imperative that you belong to a local Bible-believing and practicing church, because the purpose of a spiritual community is to help each of us who belong to it to grow spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and relationally. One of God’s purposes for His Church is to help perpetuate individual growth.

Read - As a Christ follower, one asset to growing is learning the priceless value of reading God’s Word for yourself. Basically learning how to feed yourself. In Hebrews, again, the writer challenges us by stating, “You have been Christ followers for a long time now, and you ought to be teaching others. Instead you still need someone to teach you…” Here is a simple action plan for reading: Pick a daily or weekly plan; get a journal so you can write your observations from your reading; read in a group so you can dialogue if you have any questions; meditate on how you can apply to your life a truth or a principal that you have discovered; and ask God through the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit to help you live it out.

Obey - Jesus said, “You say I am the authority over life but you don’t even do what I say.” “Those who love me obey me.” Jesus went on to state that obedience is not following a bunch of church or denominational rules. In fact, it is the total opposite. Our obedience is a reflection of how much we value our relationship and our love for Him. Obedience, when it is relationally driven, is a mark of maturity and growth.

Walk - Make a choice to walk by your God-deposited faith and not your feelings. I can only walk it out by the power of the Holy Spirit and in the company of other Christ followers pushing me on. My walk reflects what God desires for me as His child – to grow… My walk is a direct result from a daily habit of what I am reading…. My walk is a love statement to Him that I not only hear Him, I choose to obey Him…

A little lengthy with this blog, but well worth your time…

Your Choice...

2010-01-22T05:30:00.000-05:00

The moment a child is born, they automatically become part of the global family of humanity, and yet that child also needs a specific family to receive nurturing and care to grow up healthy and strong.

Now take that same physical truth and apply it to us spiritually. When a person is born again, they automatically become a part of God’s family worldwide, and yet they also need a local spiritual family to belong to. Here is the difference between attending church and committing yourself as a core member of a church family: Attenders spectate from the sideline; members get involved. Attenders consume; family members contribute. Attenders want the benefits of a church family without sharing the responsibility. It is similar to couples who want to live together without committing to marriage.

Why is committing to a local church family beneficial to your spiritual growth and spiritual maturity? Because it reveals your love and commitment to your spiritual brothers and sisters in reality, not just in theory. God wants us to serve each other, encourage each other, build each other up, spur each other on to spiritual growth, pick each other up when we fall or fail, and to share life with real people not ideal people.

If you are looking for the perfect, ideal church family, you will spend your entire life looking and never settling. Simply put, you will not find one. Yet what you will find in a church family is imperfect people like yourself that God challenges each of us to love. And as we learn to love each other and serve one another, we find ourselves spiritually growing in the image of Christ.

Response-Able Money Management...

2010-01-15T08:02:00.002-05:00

Many people have a hard time seeing how money management can help accelerate their spiritual growth. I believe with all my heart that people who experience the reconciling love and personal relationship with Jesus Christ want to take that experience and develop a deeper and more mature relationship.

You may not realize this, but money management has a profound effect on your spiritual growth as a Christ follower. The Bible tells us that money is a tool and money is a test. It is a tool used for good. We are told in God’s Word to use our money to show our love for people. Don’t use people for money, but let your money influence and show your compassion for people. The Bible tells us that we are not taking our money with us. We are going to have it for a little while, so use it now to fulfill God’s purpose’s for your life.

Money is also a test. It is a test of our character. It tests our faith. It tests our priorities. It tests our values. It tests our responsibility. It tests all kinds of things in our life – spiritual maturity, faithfulness, and other things like that. The Bible says that God is watching how we use what He gives us.

God wants us to be blessed in every area of our life; this includes our finances. And yet, for us to be blessed, we have to be blessable. Being blessable results from how we are RESPONSE-ABLE with the resources that God gives us.

Being response-able begins with trusting God as your main source more than trusting other resources. Response-able is giving God the first and best part of our income and not our leftovers. It’s keeping good records, seeing the value of a savings plan, setting a budget, and being content with what you have rather than exhausting yourself for more.

In Matthew 6:31-33, Jesus gives us wise counsel: Don’t worry…Your heavenly Father already knows what you need, and He will give it to you IF you give Him first place in your life AND live as He wants you to.”

Start 2010 off with a healthy God-designed plan for your finances and watch God’s blessing upon your life.

Living the Life...

2010-01-08T10:29:00.002-05:00

Is there someone we can look to that lived life? Someone who not just existed in life but who lived a life that had meaning, worth, and significance? Yes...Jesus Christ. Is there anyone who can give us solid, firsthand knowledge and advice on the life that Christ lived? Yes...Peter. Peter walked with Christ and saw firsthand how Jesus lived His life. So what can he pass on to us about Christ?

How do we live the kind of life that God wants and designed for us to live? I have always wanted to do something significant and important with my life. I have discovered I am not the only one. When I talk with others, I discover that everyone wants to live a meaningful and significant life. Take time this week and read the book of 1 Peter in the Bible, and you will discover how to live the life of significance that God wants you to live.

The reason this is so cool is that this is the Apostle Peter passing down to you and me what He learned and watched from Jesus Christ. At the end of His life, Jesus was able to say to God the Father, “I have finished the work You gave me to do on earth and I brought you glory and honor on earth.” When He was on the cross, Jesus made a final statement to God: “It is finished…it is done… it is complete.” Wouldn’t you like to be able to say at the end of your life with a real sense of fulfillment, “It is done... it is complete… it is finished”?

What did Peter see from Christ that we can do to start living in such a way that our lives improve their impact and influence?

Peter saw how Jesus set His goals and went after them.
Peter saw how Jesus lived significantly in His relationships with other people.
Peter saw how Jesus maximized and managed His time.

When you think about what Christ did for people, you know His life was in major demand. People needed him, but if He would have used the “people need me” card, then he would have lost focus of His mission… His relationships with all of them would have been casual with no closeness… His time would have been consumed with the urgent or high profile platforms. Jesus never stopped serving… Jesus never got away from being humble… Jesus never worried about life.

If we are going to live a life of significant meaning, then we need to set our focus on serving… on being humble… not worrying. Set goals… Do real, authentic life with others… Control your time with the important and not the urgent.

Possessing Your Future...

2009-12-31T14:59:00.001-05:00

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...

2009-12-26T10:54:00.000-05:00

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

2009-12-18T06:00:00.000-05:00

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...

2009-12-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

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?

2009-12-04T09:28:00.001-05:00

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

2009-11-27T10:34:00.002-05:00

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...

2009-11-20T06:00:00.000-05:00

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...

2009-11-13T06:00:00.000-05:00

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...

2009-11-06T06:48:00.002-05:00

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...

2009-10-30T06:00:00.001-04:00

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

2009-10-23T06:00:00.000-04:00

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

2009-10-15T20:53:00.001-04:00

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...

2009-10-10T00:55:00.000-04:00

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...

2009-10-02T09:31:00.000-04:00

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...

2009-09-25T08:00:00.001-04:00

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...

2009-09-18T06:00:00.002-04:00

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

2009-09-11T09:10:00.001-04:00

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...

2009-09-04T08:19:00.001-04:00

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...

2009-08-28T08:34:00.000-04:00

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

2009-08-21T07:40:00.000-04:00

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...

2009-08-14T08:27:00.001-04:00

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...

2009-08-07T09:04:00.001-04:00

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...

2009-07-30T17:03:00.001-04:00

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...

2009-07-23T20:06:00.000-04:00

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...

2009-07-17T07:40:00.000-04:00

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...

2009-07-10T08:59:00.005-04:00

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...

2009-07-03T09:09:00.000-04:00

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

2009-06-25T23:28:00.002-04:00

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

2009-06-18T16:03:00.002-04:00

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

2009-06-12T07:51:00.001-04:00

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

2009-06-05T11:16:00.001-04:00

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...

2009-05-29T09:01:00.002-04:00

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

2009-05-21T22:07:00.001-04:00

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

2009-05-15T09:59:00.000-04:00

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...

2009-05-08T12:34:00.003-04:00

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...

2009-05-01T10:29:00.001-04:00

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

2009-04-24T13:41:00.001-04:00

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

2009-04-22T15:36:00.001-04:00

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!!!

2009-04-17T10:43:00.001-04:00

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...

2009-04-08T13:51:00.000-04:00

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...

2009-04-03T12:46:00.001-04:00

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.

2009-03-27T00:29:00.001-04:00

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...

2009-03-20T12:02:00.000-04:00

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...

2009-03-11T13:32:00.001-04:00

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

2009-03-06T09:10:00.002-05:00

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!

2009-02-27T09:51:00.001-05:00

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!

2009-02-20T14:04:00.000-05:00

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...

2009-02-16T16:37:00.000-05:00

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

2009-02-12T16:40:00.001-05:00

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

2009-02-11T18:36:00.002-05:00

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?

2009-02-09T16:32:00.001-05:00

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?

2009-02-03T14:30:00.001-05:00

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?

2009-01-30T17:16:00.001-05:00

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

2009-01-22T11:55:00.001-05:00

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

2009-01-14T16:05:00.003-05:00

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)

God's Promises for 2009

2009-01-09T15:22:00.000-05:00

As we enter into this new year, most of us are looking forward to making changes, making improvements, and hoping for a better year, and even a better life. As I follow my reading plan in the Bible, it has me reading in Genesis. There are so many great insights about fresh starts, new beginnings and making changes in God’s Word! I want to share with you a few of my observations from the life of Abraham…

Is anything too difficult or hard for God? It’s a question you will find being asked in Genesis 18:14. And the answer is a resounding “NO!”. This question brings to life much about God. If you make it a regular insert into your daily life of challenges and circumstances you will discover the same answer that Abraham and Sarah experienced. When you are facing a conflict, a challenge, a habit, hurt, or a hang-up, ask yourself, “Is this issue in my life too difficult for God?” Is this habit I am trying to break too hard for the God of the Universe to handle?

Asking this question reminds you that God is and can be personally involved in your daily life. If you listen you will feel His Holy Spirit nudge you to ask for His power in your everyday journey through life.

There is so much we can learn from the life of Abraham and Sarah when it comes to trusting God. As you enter into 2009, one of the changes that we can all benefit from is believing God’s plan when put the right steps into practice. It begins with faith and trust, but is fleshed out by our actions.

God promises us, “nothing is too difficult for Him”... It is our faith that allows us to see the promises of God and experience them in our everyday life. So often we can see God saying, “Do not be afraid, just have faith!”

These last couple of thoughts I want to leave with you… Don’t turn away from the one Person who can take care of and help you. Do what Christ said quite often, “Just have faith.” Your hope and faith can be found in the resurrected Christ, the one with the power over everything. Make your first resolution of 2009 to put your faith in Christ and purpose in your heart to trust Him with every situation this year. You will be amazed at what God can do. Remember… I can’t, but God can!

In the Beginning...

2009-01-02T16:55:00.000-05:00

"In the beginning God created..." I have begun 2009 by reading in Genesis 1. Makes sense to start in the beginning at the beginning of a new, fresh year. “In the beginning God created…” Those were the first words. There is a reason "God created..."

As your pastor, one way I can help you make advances in your daily life journey is to help you understand that the purpose of your life is far greater than personal fulfillment, peace of mind, or even happiness. It’s far greater than our families, our careers, or even our wildest dreams and ambitions. If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. Each of us was born by His purpose and for His purpose and with value.

The search for the purpose of life has puzzled people for thousands of years. That’s because we typically begin at the wrong starting point -- ourselves. We ask self-centered questions like: What do I want to be? What should I do with my life? What are my goals, my ambitions, my dreams for my future? But focusing on ourselves will never reveal our life’s purpose. The Bible says, “It is God who directs the lives of His creatures; everyone’s life is in His power.” Job 12:10

Contrary to what many popular books, movies, and seminars tell us, we won’t discover life’s meaning by looking within ourselves. We didn’t create ourselves, so there is no way we can tell ourselves what we were created for! If I handed you an invention you had never seen before, you wouldn’t know its purpose, and the invention itself wouldn’t be able to tell you either. Only the creator -- or the owner’s manual -- could reveal its purpose.

God, on the other hand, tells us that we are not accidents and that our lives have significance -- because God had His reasons for creating us. The Bible says, “For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible… everything got started in Him and finds its purpose and value in Him.” Colossians 1:16

To understand your life’s purpose, you must begin with your Creator. You exist only because God wills that you exist. You were made by God and for God -- and until you understand that, life will never make sense. It is only in God that we discover our origin, our identity, our meaning, our purpose, our significance, and our destiny. Every other path leads to a dead end.

How, then, do you discover the purpose you were created for?

You have only two options. Your first option is speculation. “This is the best guess I can come up with.”

Fortunately, there is an alternative to speculation about the meaning and purpose of life. It’s revelation. We can turn to what God has revealed about life in His Word. The easiest way to discover the purpose of an invention is to ask the creator of it. The same is true for discovering your life’s purpose: Ask God. God has not left us in the dark to wonder and guess.

The Bible says, “It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, He had His eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose He is working out in everything and everyone.” Ephesians 1:11

I hope through this Scripture you discover some valuable insights:

* You discover your identity and purpose through a relationship with Jesus Christ.

* God was thinking of you long before you ever thought about Him. He planned your life before you existed, without your input! You can choose a lot of things but not your purpose.

* The purpose of your life fits into a much larger purpose that God has designed for eternity.

Start 2009 by making significant advances in life by looking up -- to Jesus Christ and His Word. It is only in Christ that we discover God’s value and purposes for our life…

May your 2009 be filled with the exciting journey of discovering and fulfilling God’s purposes for your life!

Pastor Joe

The Day After Christmas

2008-12-26T16:51:00.001-05:00

Wow, what it must be like to work in retail… especially a department store… especially the day after Christmas! From handling the last minute shopper on Christmas Eve to welcoming the discouraged shopper after Christmas waiting in long lines to return that “perfect” gift that wasn’t quite so perfect.

Have you ever felt like you wanted to return YOU? I mean, have you ever wished you could trade yourself in for a better version of you? I think we’ve all felt that at one time or another. Most of the time it centers around beliefs we have about ourselves. We don’t feel that we quite measure up, or we don’t feel quite up to the tasks or challenges that are in our lives, or perhaps we just want an upgrade. Whatever it is, it’s important to know when God created you, he didn’t save the receipt “just in case” you didn’t work out! No, on the contrary! He created the perfect YOU the first time around. And as my mom used to say as we were growing up, “GOD DON’T MAKE NO JUNK!”

At Celebrate, we spent the past month trying to shape, or reshape, our focus on Letting Christmas Be Christmas. Reminding us that Christmas is about Christ… yet it is also about us. Not only changing our view of Christ but also of ourselves. Sometimes my kids will use our computer to take funny pictures of themselves. There is a way you can take a photo using special software that distorts the image. Make your head long and warped, short and fat, one eye higher than the other, it reminds me of going to carnivals and walking past one of those fun house mirrors that would make your body look all sorts of shapes. In life, most often when we look at ourselves what we see is a distorted image of ourselves. Because we have all grown up with imperfect people around us and with ourselves being imperfect, often the image of our life is distorted. And it is definitely not the perfect image that God sees… the person that He created… beautifully and wonderfully made!

What does God say about you? The Bible encourages us to know the truth. Why? Because the truth brings us freedom. It is the truth that sets us free from our hurts and hang-ups. So don’t be so quick to return YOU and give up on God.

There is a passage of Scriptural truths in the Bible that I encourage you to read located in 1 Peter 2:4-10. The Apostle Peter was writing to people who were discouraged, who were taking some heavy hits on their esteem. They were being ridiculed, imprisoned, and executed! They were having a tough time in life under the rule of the Roman Empire.

Look in verses 9 & 10, “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy!”

Wow! I hope you will see and receive what God says about if you are a believer in Jesus Christ. READ, REMEMBER AND KEEP RECITING these truths of God’s Word…

“You are a chosen people…”
“You are a people belonging to God…”
“You are living stones…”
“You are a royal priest and a holy people…”
“You are now recipients of mercy…”
“All these titles of God’s people now belong to you….”

As I end this blog on this day after Christmas, my heart is that you would be reminded that if you are trusting in Christ, then you are a member of God’s family, you are acceptable… you are valuable… you are capable… you are competent… you are forgiven!

This holiday season, let’s make sure the only items we return are those not-so-perfect Christmas Gifts, and thank God for the perfect person he created us to be!

Joe

EXTRA! EXTRA!

2008-12-22T18:20:00.002-05:00

Today I received Good News. My daughter had a spot on her eye, and an optometrist recommended that we take her to an ophthalmologist because it went beyond their expertise. It is moments like those when you can be consumed with fear and just filled with anxiousness to get to the specialist, and all you long for is good news. To keep it short, that is exactly what we received...good news. We left the doctor's office smiling, and in peace that it was not what our minds were trying to tell us it might be. What was it like in the field that night when the Angels busted open the heavens to bring news to a few shepherd that the answer to their lives and to the entire world was being born?

There was a time in our history when young boys and men would stand at the intersections of city street corners and shout, "Extra! Extra! Read all about it!" It was used to draw people's attention to the latest news -- some of it good news and some of it troubling news. It was thousands of years ago when the divine made a whole earthly proclamation. This announcement was GOOD NEWS! The news was centered around God's desire to be part of man's daily life, connecting the Creator God to His most prize creation...humanity. Up to this point, before the divine announcement of Christ being born and of God bursting on the scene, the heavens were silent. Why the announcement? What would provoke God to become human and be born in such a messed up environment? God's design and reason was focused on communicating, "I love you -- it is you I love." He was saying back then, and it's still true today, that His love isn't based on what you do. His love is based on who He is. His intrusion into humanity was to serve as "Good News to all people" by proclaiming "Your Savior is Born" and "He will bring peace and restoration to all people." I hope you will not leave this gift wrapped up but that you will instead unwrap the greatest Gift God has given you.

To all Christ followers, this is the time when people are open to go to Church more than any other time on the calendar year outside of Easter. Amazingly, both times are centered around Jesus Christ. Let me encourage you to find a Christmas Eve service. Invite friends to join you who have discovered the reason for the birth of Jesus and share that moment with them. If you live in the Orlando area, stop by the Omni this Wednesday, December 24th, and spend some time with family and friends to hear why this is more than just a baby in a manger; it is God's message of love to you and to the world. We have an opportunity so let's make the most of this time. Go to our website at www.celebratechurch.org.

May this be your most memorabel Christmas ever as you discovery God's amazing love for you and you experience His gift to you...Jesus Christ.

Let's Celebrate

2008-12-18T19:14:00.001-05:00

I want to thank you for taking the time to read these Christmas thoughts. I have discovered several facts along life’s journey: People long for community and God’s designed all of us to live in a loving community, a community centered around values of trust, hope, love, and vision. God wants us to do more than just get by. He wants us to celebrate His life and follow Christ together. We will be celebrating together this coming Sunday and then we'll come back together again on Christmas Eve at the Omni to consider the impact of His birth.

We are doing a service that is not just for us. This series, "Let It Be Christmas," and our Christmas Eve service allows us as a community of Christ followers to reach out and offer to the community a Christmas experience where the story of the birth of Christ unfolds in a marvelous way. It will be another dynamic presentation, and it is why we have made thousands of advertisement cards, letters, emails, and full newspaper ads, and it is why we are making room for more and more and more. We want you to know there is a place this Christmas season to bring family, friends and neighbors to come and hear the story about the birth of Jesus Christ. I am taking time in this week's blog and e-letter to communicate the importance of inviting family and friends. It is one of those times of the year where people are really open to hearing about Christ and venturing off to church.

This is also a time where Carol and I will be making our Christmas offering above and beyond our normal giving. Every year for the past 4 years during Christmas at Celebrate, we offer a gift above and beyond to the work of Jesus Christ to honor Him on the day we celebrate His birth and His arrival to the world. And so I invite you this weekend and this Christmas Eve to make a wonderful gift to the Christ child.

As a spiritual community of Christ followers, we are not here to do church or play games, we are here to celebrate that God came into this world in His son Jesus Christ, and that changed everything.

A Strong Team Spirit

2008-12-12T08:59:00.001-05:00

I first began to understand the importance of TEAM as an athlete and as a coach. I just finished reading an incredible magazine which highlighted a study of the 100 largest and fastest growing churches in the United States. A common denominator revealed in each of these strong churches was a strong team spirit.

The body of Christ functions as a team ministry. Romans 12:4-5 says, “Just as there are many parts to our bodies, likewise there are many parts to Christ’s Body.” God designed it so that we all need each other to have a effective church. Everyone plays an important role. The very fact that the church is a body and not a business means that teamwork is a vital component to accomplishing God’s ministry to humanity.

It takes everyone with different abilities, financial status, married, single, young, old, personalities, and backgrounds. A major step toward a strong team spirit is for each of us to admit we need a team fulfill what God has called us as a church to do.

The success of Celebrate is not about personalities, or programs. The success of Celebrate is really about the many people who work together and give together toward a common goal! No doubt vision must be given and shared but it takes teamwork to make God’s dream work.

All throughout Scripture, we see that when there are more hands working and giving, more is accomplished. Mutual encouragement is vital to Celebrate because we’re not just working to accomplish well-meaning projects: we are in a spiritual battle -- carrying the most important message the lost world will ever hear! The devil wants to halt us and slow us down, and one of his favorite tools is discouragement. That’s why we need a team working together.

During this Christmas season, a strong team spirit is more important than ever. Let’s come together as a church family and lift each other up, play our important roles, and make a difference in people’s lives… after all, that’s what Christmas is all about!

Joe

Your Christmas Gift

2008-12-08T19:02:00.002-05:00

What is the message of Christmas? If I can summarize it in a few short words, the message of Christmas is YOU MATTER TO GOD. You really do. You matter to God so much that He sent Jesus Christ to earth to let you know how much you matter to Him. That is the whole message of Christmas.

Over the next several weeks, there will be one word that will dominate your vocabulary. The most-used word during this season of the year is the word “gift”. You will be frantically searching for the right gifts and trying to get them at the right price, but where did all this gift giving begin? The tradition of gift giving began because God gave you a special gift at the very first Christmas. God has a gift for you, and His gift to you is Jesus Christ.

Inside the gift of Christ you will find many other gifts. This passage of Scripture from the Bible shows us that we will have the gifts that we all desire through the one gift of Jesus Christ: The angel said, "Don't be afraid! I bring you the most joyful news ever announced, and it is for everyone! Today your Savior was born... He is Christ, the Lord ... Give glory to God in heaven, and on earth let there be peace among the people who please God." Luke 2:10-11, 14

The gift of JOY - I bring you the most joyful news ever announced

The gift of HOPE - Today your Savior was born

The gift of PEACE - Let there be peace among the people

Joy is based on promises made by God… Hope is anchored in unshakeable truths that do not change … Peace with God and peace with yourself results in harmony with others.

Let’s invite people to hear about this gift by inviting them to be at church with you. Pray that they will unwrap this special gift - Christ.

What an Opportunity

2008-12-04T14:58:00.001-05:00

We all want our lives to count. Regardless of our age, we don’t want to just simply exist. We have an opportunity to invest our lives into things that are really important. Knowing that lives are changing and will continue to change as people of all ages discover Christ is exciting. God does not want us wasting our lives with “when and then” thinking by believing that “when” this happens “then” we will really start having fun and living life. Allow me to encourage and challenge you to do something for God that really matters.

Doing something for God’s kingdom and His cause is a guarantee of no regrets. When you get to the end of life and look back, the only thing that will matter is whether you accomplished God’s purposes for your life. Jesus told the twelve that followed Him, “I must be about my Father’s business.” If we all had that focus and concentration in our lives, there is no telling what God would accomplish in the world.

I find that people are paralyzed by the fear that they may go through life not accomplishing anything that has significance and value. All of us want our lives to count.

Many call Celebrate home and many more visit Celebrate’s website. We are always hearing from you and it is encouraging. I challenged our Celebrate family two weeks ago to pray and commit to a year-end gift. Our goal is to reach $290,000. This gift would go toward the remaining balance for the land we have contracted with Disney to purchase. (By the way, this land will house the first phase building of Celebrate Church, and we are currently going through the due diligence process to see that first phase completed by December 2010.)

The year-end gift would also help to furnish our newest campus location where ongoing life-changing ministry takes place including the weekly gatherings and meetings of our young adult community and the Celebrate Recovery ministry. If you were at Celebrate or if you happened to listen to our Podcast two weeks ago, you heard from those who have experienced the kind of life change that only Jesus Christ can give. Of course there are so many more stories I would love for you to hear, and if you hang around Celebrate long enough, you will personally witness hundreds of lives discovering Christ.

What a way to make our lives count by investing in His Kingdom and His Cause. Thank you for hearing my heart for people. People matter to God and they matter to us.