Doing God's work, one step at a time

 When you were baptized, were you put to work right away or did someone take the time to disciple (teach/guide) you? I’ve heard repeatedly from folks that they weren’t really taught much after they were baptized. I’ve heard some say that they attended a class either before or afterwards. Here’s the thing. We’ve had an epidemic in the church for many years. It is an epidemic of a lack of discipleship. Even today with a push for discipleship, many of these things revolve around getting people to work. Don’t get me wrong, service and action are most definitely a part of the walk with Christ. However, Paul himself states in Galatians that he took 3 years to learn. 3 years. Now, Paul here is a special case. He didn’t learn from any man. The Spirit and Christ was his guide. Personally, I’ve had mentors in my life that were guides. Not necessarily teaching me but guiding me. And that’s the approach I personally take when discipling new believers. But the problem is that we have had th...

 It is way too easy to get caught up in life and forget what this week did for the whole of humanity. We can get caught up in the hustle and bustle, just like at Christmas time, and get bogged down in a busy schedule and forget that the events of this week, roughly 2000 years ago, changed the world. Even today, Jesus is one of the most controversial people in history. People still debate whether He existed, if He actually died, was He who he said He was… Jesus himself even stated in Luke 12:51 that, “ 51 Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.” That divide? It is between those that believe that Jesus is the Son of God, Lord and Savior, and those who don’t. To be honest, Jesus was the most well documented person in history. He existed. We have more eyewitness testimonies to His miracles than any other, plus they’re documents closer to the original events than any other as well. So, to quote the question that Jesus asked Peter in 3 of the 4 Gospels ...

As I write this, we are a few short weeks until the Presidential election. I can honestly say, I know many people on both sides of the political aisle that are in despair and see little to no hope for the future after this election. I must say that there are times I totally have that same feeling. I see what is happening in our country and I get discouraged and as a father, I worry for my kids future (and future grandchildren). However, what always brings me back is the fact that despite what transpires in our country, God is still God. He is still sovereign. He is still in control. The verse above here is the last verse of Psalm 27. The Psalm starts off in verse 1 by stating that, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of  my life; whom shall I dread?” Psalm 27 is a psalm of “fearless trust in the Lord” as the heading suggests. Read the Psalm. Despite the trouble, despite the abandonment, despite the persecution, it is the Lo...

Most Americans, no matter whether you politically consider yourself Democrat, Republican, Independent, Libertarian or whatever, would agree that the government is not only corrupt, but broken completely. I don't usually wade into these type of political waters, but something hit me recently, so I decided to get it down while it was on my mind. The fact hit me that it's no wonder the government is broken. The government has outgrown itself and isn't functioning like it should. This isn't a big government vs. small government debate. This is simply an operational issue. Before I started in ministry, I spent some time in the corporate food service and retail industry. What I realized was the fact that the government is just like a huge corporation...Walmart, Sears, JC Penny, KFC, McDonalds and so on. At one point, this nation was once a mom & pop outfit. It was small and easily managed. Casting vision wasn't difficult, communicating direction was fairly easy, and...

Most modern science and scientists, and even some within the Church, would have you believe that faith and science are two completely different, incompatible subjects. Lies. Deceit. Hogwash. Modern science (Darwinianism/evolution) is faith-based just like Christianity. Trouble is that it is a false gospel. True science will, in fact, be compatible with faith and the Bible. If a scientific theory contradicts the Bible, then it isn't true and won't be provable. True science doesn't care about your philosophy of life. Darwinianism/evolution is bad science at best. At it's core, it is a religion. It's why in any modern science textbook they address the issue of science and faith in the first chapter on the first page. This is no accident. There is a systematic effort to remove God and the supernatural from our society. It's been going on way longer than anyone has been alive on earth today. This is a battle of faith. This is a battle of worldviews. This is a b...

I must say that I usually try to stay away from the volatile subject of politics. However, I am absolutely ashamed of the state of politics in our country and it must be addressed from a Biblical and pastoral perspective. For those who know me, I identify with no political party. I refuse. I used to, but nowadays, I don't feel like I can or should. Why? Because both sides of the aisle are wrapped up in utterly despicable behavior. Neither side is innocent. From the president to the senate to the members of congress on downward to the state levels and even bleeding into the community level, all sides and all levels have been engaging in behavior unbecoming of public servants. And this has been going on for decades and steadily getting worse over time.  You want to know why these types of people get elected on both sides of the aisle? Because they say things people want to hear. The opposite side of the aisle is offended at them, their side of the aisle praises them. The div...

My daughter has been freaking out recently because of the social media hype citing Luke 21:25-26 as evidence for the end times due to the timing of the eclipse across America from coast to coast and Hurricane Harvey. This got my mind to working and I've decided to put out a few words concerning this deep and troubling issue for some. I remember back when I was in school and working for Huddle House in '09-'10, there were several of the high school servers there who were panicking about the Mayan Calendar ending on December 21, 2012. They were visibly frightened. Scared to death that the end of the world was coming in the next few years. They knew I was in school studying ministry and they came and asked me about it. I proceeded to tell them that if the world was going to end, I knew that it would be any other day but that one. Naturally they were surprised at my confident answer. When they asked how I knew that, I proceeded with Matthew 24:36 (HCSB), 36 “Now concerning...

In case you hadn't heard, last week there was something that hit the news. It was portrayed negatively in the news media by some, applauded by others. It's called the Nashville Statement. You can look it up here:  https://cbmw.org/nashville-statement/ . It is a bunch of Evangelical Christians who got together to make a document about what Biblical Sexuality looks like in addition to various affirmations and denials of said sexuality. Most of the news media took this and spun it to say that it was a bunch of bigots and hateful people who signed it. I've read the document. I've looked at the names on the list. Some of them I've at least heard of. I don't know anyone personally on the list who signed it. The people that I've heard of that signed it are Christians who stand for Biblical values, regardless of what they are. However, I personally have not signed it. Why not, you ask? Let me answer that question like this: I stand for Biblical principles. Most ...

There's nothing like a disaster to bring about a unified spirit. In my lifetime, I've seen it happen a few times. The most prominent was after 9/11. Americans unified after that disaster like I had never seen before. Not since then have I seen it even close to that degree. That was until this week. Hurricane Harvey popped up out of nowhere, strengthened to become a storm stronger than they had predicted or even thought possible. Reeking havoc with winds and tornadoes then combining it with rain of epic proportions makes for a nightmare of a situation. Especially after the divisiveness we've seen after the past few weeks. But Hurricane Harvey seemed to manage to melt those away. Black and white, Republican and Democrat, Christian and non-Christian, Texan and Californian seemed to simply disappear into the mist becoming one fog, one people, one nation under God. What is it about a disaster that seems to do this? I'd say it's the fact that at this particular point, n...

"A house divided against itself cannot stand." These words were spoken by Abraham Lincoln in the house divided speech in a campaign for US Senator in 1858 in Springfield, Illinois. Do you know where he got it? "25 But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: 'Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.'" Matthew 12:25; Mark 3:25; Luke 11:17 In all 3 Scripture instances, they were spoken by Jesus. Jesus spoke them in the face of Pharisees accusing him of working miracles by the devil's power. Jesus proceeds to explain that it's not possible for Satan to drive out Satan and that the Pharisees were on the brink of some very deep spiritual accusations against Christ that were unforgivable. Abraham Lincoln spoke these words about slavery. The United States was divided between the North that wanted to abolish slavery and the South that wanted it to remain legaliz...

Bullying. It seems rampant in our world. In fact, compared to when I was a kid, I see way more stuff about bullying nowadays. Part of the reason for that could be technology and social media as well. But what has gotten my mind going lately is the fact that Christians are being called "bullies". Naturally, we get called all sorts of things; bigots, hypocrites, judgmental, bible-thumpers, crazy, delusional, and brain-washed. However, bully is a new one coming around that I am seeing more and more often. So, with that said, let's dig in a little and see exactly what bullies are and whether or not this could apply to Christians or not. Bully : noun; a person who uses strength or power to harm or intimidate those who are weaker. Bully : verb; use superior strength or influence to intimidate (someone), typically to force him or her to do what one wants. Courtesy of Google definitions With these definitions given, it seems to me that both sides of the argument can ge...

As I reflect on my walk with the Lord, one of the things that has hit me hard lately is the "fear of the Lord". We all have a tendency to get caught up in the whole "God is love" bit and seem to forget that God is also righteous and just. Without atonement by Jesus as our Savior, God will pass judgement on those who do not have that atonement. No one likes to think of their relatives or loved ones under the judgment of God. However, it is reality. We can't just claim Jesus is Lord and Savior, it must be lived out in our daily lives. Now, keep in mind, nothing we do can or will save us. Only Jesus can do that. However, if we are truly following Jesus, our lives will reflect the fruit of that. To be blunt, none of us even deserve to be saved. We are all deserving of hell and damnation. However, because God loved us so much, He provided a way to atone for the sin that plagues us. So the question then becomes, why in the world would we want to live in it? Obedience...

If you are a leader, whether in the church, business or at home, have you ever thought about the responsibility that comes with it? I mean, if you really sit down to reflect, the weight of responsibility might just overwhelm you. In the culture these days, I wonder how many leaders truly stop and think about the weight of responsibility that's on them? One of the things that has hit me lately is this fact. It's not whether or not I am effective or not, doing a good job or bad job, but rather, it's the responsibility for equipping people as God wants me to. No matter whether you're a leader in the secular world or in the church - or both - if you're a Christian, you have a responsibility and a gift that God has given you to use for His glory. Especially these days, the secular world needs good, honest and true Christian leaders. People who are willing to stand up for values and give an honest days work for an honest days wage. Too many people get caught up in the ...

It seems these days that the news continues to be depressing. I have to say I haven't watched a news broadcast in several years. However, I do follow news stories. Two in particular grabbed my attention. One story was about Israel closing the temple mount to everyone. When they reopened, they only let Jews in and they were able to pray on the Temple Mount for the first time in a very long time. In this news story, almost as a side note, they mentioned how Israel was considering and planning to rebuild said temple. The second story was a "fake news" story from one of those sites that loves to promote fake news. I thought nothing of it. Low and behold, an actual news station did a story on this. The story is of a company in Wisconsin who is looking at the possibility of offering a chip implant for it's employees to replace key cards. Whoa Nellie. That really caught my attention when a reputable news source is doing a story on it. So what do these two have to do with...

I love blogging. I love to write. However, sometimes time just doesn't allow. Perhaps I just don't make time. Maybe it's because I've been tapped to do things and I'm feeling overstretched. Maybe the lesson is to delegate authority properly. However you look at it, many people in life feel themselves going a thousand different directions. They feel tapped for energy and stretched beyond capacity. The problem is, we feel tapped by the Lord to take part in things. Something I've learned this past week is that when we pray for opportunities to speak, share or minister to others, God provides...but not how we think He's going to. Sometimes God provides an opportunity to speak up, but not necessarily add another thing to our plate. It doesn't have to be a burden or even a responsibility. Sometimes it's simply an opportunity to speak up. Trouble is, we have a hard time saying no. It gets better as time goes on, but it's still difficult. Then comes th...

This morning it hit me that I've been gone more the past two months than I've been home. Out of the past 57 days, I've been gone 30 of them (or more). Now granted, not all were ministry related, some were family vacation. But let me tell you this, some things I looked forward to, others I didn't. As a matter of fact, I was really looking forward to vacation, but seriously dreading church camp. However, after it was all said and done, I enjoyed church camp way more. You see, Sherri and I took a cruise to the Caribbean in early May. Oh the vacation was fabulous and it was nice to let our hair down. However, as fun as it was, there were aspects that we simply did not enjoy because we do not surround ourselves with such things. Not because we look down on those who do, but because we simply do not want to surround ourselves with the temptation; it is far too great for us to withstand. We love to cruise, but we will be looking for healthier options for cruising and vacatio...

Food. There's just something about it that comforts the soul. It can take you back to your childhood when mom and grandma made those fabulous meals. However, it can also be a trigger to painful memories depending on taste, texture or flavor. As Christian's, we understand that food is talked about a lot in the Bible, everything from sharing meals to the sin of gluttony. The purpose of food is multifaceted. We need it to fuel our bodies. It can be used as a fellowship tool. It is one of the items behind festivals, holiday's, and feast days. It is a ministry...with it we can help those who are hungry by giving what we have in excess, facilitate fundraisers, or even help others learn how to use food wisely. Recently, I've been confronted with a bout of anxiety. Within this bout are deep seeded issues within myself that I must work through. One of the things I've been convicted of is this very idea of food. Sometimes, I just eat to eat. Boredom, self-comfort, and even ...

For those that know me well, know that I am not a Clinton supporter and have been skeptical about Trump from the beginning. I've always thought that he was playing the field because of his history with the Clintons as well as being a New York Democrat. I thought his purpose was to bring the Republican party closer to that of the Democratic party. And in ways, he has. However, he has done what seemed like the impossible. I honestly expected to wake up this morning to a Hillary Clinton Presidency. I had myself fully prepared for her. Instead, I almost find myself in a state of shock because its surreal that Donald Trump will be the 45th President of the United States of America. I ran through scenarios on electoral maps trying to piece together which states he could possibly win. I figured Ohio, North Carolina and Florida...but it wasn't enough. He needed more and I wasn't too sure he could muster the electoral votes. I thought maybe he could swing Pennsylvania or Michigan a...

Is God dealing with America because we are a Christian nation who's fallen away? This is the question some are asking these days, and there are two sides to the argument. The first answer is yes, we are a Christian nation who has fallen away from God. The second answer is no, we are not technically a Christian nation and therefore God isn't judging us. Today, I'd like to offer a third option. I was reading in the Old Testament book of Jeremiah when I came across chapters 27-29. This is an excerpt from Jeremiah 27:4-17: 4 Command them to go to their masters, saying: This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: This is what you must say to your masters: 5 By My great strength and outstretched arm, I made the earth, and the people, and animals on the face of the earth. I give it to anyone I please. 6 So now I have placed all these lands under the authority of My servant Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. I have even given him the wild animals to serve him. 7 All na...

I usually don't post political stuff. However, what I am about to write is political in nature, but only because I firmly believe there is a deception at work and Christians need to be aware. If I am wrong, I am wrong. However, as time passes, I am more and more convinced that I am unfortunately right. Back in '07-'08, when Barak Obama was running for President, I really liked him. He was a great speaker and sounded like he was about to shake up the system like Americans wanted. However, something changed. I can't tell you exactly what, but I know as I looked and listened even more, I felt like there was something that was just not right about him. I couldn't place my finger on it, but I just knew. I had to stop listening to his speeches because of their seductive nature. Low and behold when he took office and I found out even more about him, I started learning of his background. Filtering the present through his past lens, I began to see that the change he was ta...