Things

Wow.  It is so easy to fill out life up with a lot of THINGS.  Things that we love dearly.  Things that we enjoy.  Things that honestly have zero value.  Things tend to fill up our schedules and take our time. 

I was reading a devotional the other day and it said, "We can do numerous things, but our main thing should be to make disciples."  After reading this I realized how truly important our life is.  We can get so easily distracted by "things" that really have no importance to making disciples.  Some might say, "stop being some 'holier than thou' type of person." But when it gets down to it...that's what we were created to do.  As the Word of God guides us each day, the truth in Matthew 28 tells us to 'go and make disciples'.

God has placed each one of us in very unique places.  He knows what is best for us.  I am learning each day that EVERYTHING in life comes down to knowing Jesus and making Him known to those that don't know Him.  He places me where He wants to use me. It is so hard to get a student to realize this truth.  It's hard to get a student to know that they are in "that class" or sitting in "that seat" for a reason and purpose.  Can you imagine life without all the "things" that Satan places before us?  Can you imagine waking up tomorrow and the ONLY "thing" on your plate to do is to stand before a perfect and holy God and worship Him?  Wait a minute...we can! :)

Each new day we can honor and worship our Lord and Savior no matter where we are, no matter how many tasks or things we have to do, Jesus can be the guide and front runner.  It takes us to surrender our EVERYTHING to Him and let Him guide us with one act of obedience at a time.  Time.  That's a whole other talk.  Time is so precious, but the reality is that we make time for whatever we want to make time for.  If we took the 24 hours in each day that the Lord gives to us and surrender them over to Him...wow...what a difference that would make.  That's what I'm trying to do each day.  Every moment of every day that I have breath, I want to give it to the Lord.  Even as I'm typing I'm praying that what I say on this blog is what someone needs to hear (including myself).  I am praying that you who read this will know that the most important relationship and "THING" of your life is your relationship with Jesus!  Nurture it! Feed it!  And let's see what happens. <><

Following

Over the past 10 years in student ministry I have seen the word "Christian" used to identify so many people that I wonder if people really even know the meaning.  I hear it used as people who go to church are called Christians.  The people who do good things are called Christians.  People who are in a biblical marriage are called Christians. Do people actually know what it truly means to be a Christian?

It's in every human to want to follow someone.  But our culture tells us not to follow anyone but to be ourselves. I have stopped using the word "Christian" so often.  When talking with our students about having a relationship with God I have began using the term being a "follower" of Jesus Christ.  I want our students to understand that when we are a follower of Christ, we are to be different from the world.  God's word tells us in Romans 12:2 not to conform to the pattern of this world.  This is a hard thing for people to do.  We so desperately desire relationships with others that we will just about do whatever it takes to make friends with those people.  Regardless if they are doing things or are apart of things that dishonor our Lord Jesus.  To be a follower of Jesus we mu deny our selfish desires.  OUR way will always get in the way of following Jesus.  Either we deny OUR ways or we deny Christ.  We must make a conscious choice every day to surrender OUR wants and OUR desires over to our guide and our Savior.  We let our Lord Jesus take control of the wheel and let him guide use through each day.
What do you want me to wear this morning Lord?
What food should I eat to make me healthy today?
Father, who should I sit by this morning?
What do you want me to say to him/her?
Should I do this or should I do that?

We ALWAYS need to be in communication with our Father.  I have heard many people say, "Pray without ceasing and you'll never cease to pray."  I love this because it is so true of our life with Christ.  If we are in constant communication with Him, we will not step out of that communication line.

So today...I make a choice to do my best to following my Lord and my Savior.  I am following!

Not Mine but His

It's so difficult each day to remember that this day is not your own.  The offering that we have to give to the Lord is the very LIFE that He gave to us.  With each new day there are many battles that I seem to face to give it ALL to the Lord.  So many times it is so much easier to do it my way and the way that would make me happier (so I think). Yet no matter what life throws at me, I constantly have to stop and say, "I am living for my King, not myself.  What would you have me do Lord? What would you have me say Father?"

Living for a King is no easy task.  Yet the rewards and blessings of serving a King are unexplainable.

I get the honor of teaching students about the Word of God.  I am a Student Pastor at Harbor Church in Oologah, Oklahoma.  It's pronounced (oo-luh-gah).  We hear some pretty funny pronunciations of this town.  But I get the privilege of sharing God's word with groups of students and watching the Lord work in their lives.

Each week as I prepare for the message I am constantly asking my Father what I should teach and how I should teach it.  I NEVER want to have my own agenda.  I only want to teach what He lays on my heart.  I am looking forward to tonight.  He has lay it on my heart to talk with the students about getting rid of idols.  We ALL have idols at times in our lives that sneak in on us and stick around for a while before we realize what they actually have become.  Anything can be an idol if it takes priority or place of our Lord and Savior.  Television, Sports, Family Time, etc.  Things that we spend A LOT of time doing can easily become an idol to us and we don't even realize it.

I challenge you today as I challenge myself.  Do a life inventory and see if there are any idols hanging around.  The Word of God says "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting," Psalm 139:23-24.  Sometimes we get all wrapped up in life and all the while God is trying to get us to slow down and take a look a few things.

As He has blessed us with this new day.  Let us fix our eyes on Him and surrender all we've got to our King!

Today versus Tomorrow

Wow...2009?  I cannot believe that I started this blog so long ago and I am just now returning to it. Ha!  That's crazy.

I am trying to get better at using technology to reach out and share the love of Christ is whatever way that I can.  I am no expert at this nor do I try to be.  I just want to KNOW Jesus and to make JESUS KNOWN.

I was reading my devotionals this morning and the Lord really spoke to my heart.  The title of one of the messages was TOMORROW.  It said that the word "tomorrow" was the most dangerous word.  Reasons being that most people, including myself, use that word to get out of something or to procrastinate.  We say, "O we'll do it later or tomorrow or the next day."  And then we never end up doing anything at all.  It went on to say that, "Today is the manna, the evidence of God's presence with us, a precious gift!"  I had to ask myself, "Do I really treat this day as a precious gift?"  I don't think I have been.  I think that I look at each day as a chore.  I have a list a things that I need, or so I think I need, to get accomplished and finished.  Then I check out after work and go home and spend time with my family.
This morning I think I got it.  I think the light bulb really came alive for me.  I have a purpose for this day.  I have a reason to be alive THIS day.  I am NOT guaranteed tomorrow.  My devotional said, "Yesterday is a cancelled check, tomorrow is a payment on loan.  TODAY is the only cash you have, so spend it wisely." Wow, what truth!!  I want to spend this day as if it were my last.  I know that's hard to do because I certainly wouldn't be at work if I knew it were my last.  But I have to give each moment of my time to the Lord.  Using my gifts and talents and skills to honor the Lord.
My prayer is that the Lord would be glorified in all the I say and do today.  I pray that my attitude be pleasing to Him. According to the Word of God, "May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to You Oh God."  God bless your day!

I Love the Lord

OK. So I'm starting this blog because I truely wanted to share with everyone the passion that I have for my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I love the Lord SOOO much. I am still blown away by how much He loves us.
I'm going to use this blogspot to share my thoughts, my feelings, my life experiences through which Christ has brought me. My prayer is that everything God lays on my heart to share would be a blessing to you!
Have a great day and God bless you!!