Thursday, July 31, 2008

Tongues of Fire

July 31, 2008- Let me ask you a question. Please really consider before answering though. How do you determine if something is on fire?

  1. By the smoke? ummm no.
  2. By the heat? nah
  3. I know, by the light right? wrong again.

These are all good answers, but the way to tell if something is on fire is, it burns. Fire has to move, it has to find fuel, it has to consume. When I read Acts 2 I find that the early church could tell you something that was on fire, they were! And today my prayer is, God ignite a fire in your church. Make us to burn with the same passion for the lost that you had. Start a revolution in our spirit and let it start with me!

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Lord of Hosts

July 29, 2008-Yesterday was pretty tough, I must admit. But, it's amazing the difference prayer makes in our lives. Today I woke up at 4:30 with a completely different perspective. When we face situations that are difficult we can react one of two general ways. 1/ We can be so devastated by the problem that we spend all of our energy focused on discouragement, difficulty, and doubt. Or 2/ We can use that same energy primarily seeking a solution. When I started to embrace the latter I was overcome by encouragement. I felt like the servant of Elisha in 2Kings 6:17 when his eyes were opened and he saw the host of the Lord encamped round about. "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ"(Phil.1:6ESV)

Monday, July 28, 2008

Sun stand still

July 28, 2008- You know, it's just a simple fact. When I was living a life far from God I made a mess of things(you have no idea). But for some reason I thought that now that I'm in relation with the creator of the universe that those things would somehow, just vanish! Not so. I need the waters to part, I need the mountain to move, I need the sun to stand still in my life. The specifics aren't what I'm trying to dwell on but I know that there are more people that feel that same way right now. Can I ask a favor if you read this, write me a comment. And if you need the sun to stand still in your life, a simple audacious prayer might be just what we need. Lord, make the sun stand still.

Saturday, July 26, 2008

A new song

July 26, 2008- The entire universe is measured in the palm of his hand. Can you even fathom such a thing. Our God is great and greatly to be praised. You might say, "that's not my god", but I say to you, yes He is. You must have missed it. He created everything and is the Lord of everything. It doesn't matter if you are a sinner or a saint, He is your God. He's God. So today,let us sing to him a new song. A song that praises him for who he is in creation, on this planet, in this country, in this state, in this city, in my neighborhood, in my house, in my marriage, in my children, in me. My song might not be the same song as yours but I will sing praises to my God today.

Friday, July 25, 2008

Awestruck!

July 25, 2008- I get really consumed at times with the things going on in my life. The every day pressures of work and ministry(or work in ministry), just seem too overwhelming to handle.
But this morning the Lord really set things into perspective. I read Isaiah 42:1-9 and it set my heart ablaze. God is the one who created everything. He created our creativity. He is really clear that our job is to live in righteousness,that's it. He has complete control of the things we are going through and as his child he will prosper those things, according to His riches in glory. What I realized is that when things go well and are successful it isn't me, it's Him that gets the glory. And today I truly stand in Awe of His wonderful works.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Celebrate

July 23, 2008- I'm really excited about starting the new Celebrate Recovery ministry here at Victory World. We have a very unique church with great vision. Pastor Mark always says that the main goal is to reach souls, and this ministry will just that. This month we will be putting together a leadership team and moving towards our goal of a September start-up. I am praying that God will send the perfect people and that our primary goal be to please Him. So please pray for us and if you happen to be in Auburn,Al. in the future, please come by and check us out.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Learned optimism

July 22, 2008- Some people are just simply pessimistic. They always see the glass as half-empty. With this view, even the small things seem to squeeze the hope out of a situation. I am just as guilty as the next, when it comes to this frame of mind. But that's not the way we should live. Martin Seligman wrote a book called Learned Optimism. In the book he shows that the way we live our life depends on how we view circumstances. You see, while the pessimist sees failure as overwhelming, constricting, and controlling, the situations in life become just that to him. The optimist experiences the same failures in life, but he never sees failure as personal, permanent, or pervasive. Things in life are going to happen but the way we view them will determine the effect it has on us.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Core Training

July 21, 2008- It's hard to believe that core training didn't come from a spa in Beverly Hills. It was used earlier by POW"s (prisoners of war) who were not allowed to workout, for fear they would become hard to manage. The prisoners then began doing exercises to strengthen their core. This way, they had the outer appearence of weakness, while maintaining strength and mobility. They understood that the core is what holds everything together. We have lost that in a world of tanning beds and Botox. We have the outer appearence of strength, but who knows how weak we are on the inside. God knows! He knows and he is calling us to put Him first in our life. Read Matt. 6:33. If our lives are going to produce like they should we have to make God our core and all things will be added to that.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

A time to Wake Up!

July 20, 2008- I sometimes feel as if I'm sleep walking. It feels like the external things are normal but on the inside I'm totally missing God's perfect plan for my life. Totally out of my sphere of effectiveness and that I'm operating in some alternate life. At times like this I really want to scream. You see, God brought me out of a 15 year drug addiction and called me into the ministry. I truly am a blessed man. But even though I know God is with me, I still have a hard time wondering if I'm walking according to his plan for me. I see so much brokenness in the world that it hurts.
The bible says in Ps.30:5 "weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning", and do you know when the morning comes? That's right, when we wake up!