10.31.2008 - This Might Just Kill Me
I've been thinking about a scripture a lot. (Zechariah 4:6) "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit says the LORD". I've read this scripture no less then a dozen times and heard it thousands. I'm very familiar with what it says. It says no matter how hard I work or what my giftings and talents are, no matter how much I strive for something that might not be enough. It means there are things that are so far beyond me that in the natural I should not and may not ever obtain them. It goes on to say that true success comes through the Spirit of the LORD. So once we get that, we know the end, but we still don't know the means. The end is the God has, is and will continue to come through. He will continue to show up and show off in our life. He will continue to be glorified through us. We got it, but now the means. The means is the unknown. The means is that it might be by the Spirit but that doesn't mean it might not half kill you and take ever last bit of your might, strength and power. It means even though you breakthrough by the Spirit, it might take every ounce of you during the process.
If you're just killing yourself trying to accomplish something it doesn't mean you're not in God's will it means you're in the means. You're in the middle and you're in process. Don't get discouraged and give up. Just know it happens by the Spirit, God will do his part and that you're still on your part.
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10.01.2008 - Abortion: Who Made The Choice About Who Makes The Choice?
Ok, let's just get this party started Abortion is murder! Wow, ok here we go. It's taking a baby within its mother's womb and taking its life away. Abortion has become this big world wide issue and debate, but there really isn't much too debate. Everybody gets confused because we start arguing subcategories and rabbit trail topics rather than the main topic. Let's review some of them. So we got...
"A Woman's Right To Choose"
So let me ask you this question honey. Do you choose today to go out, or become pregnant? Go into an abortion clinic and dispose/murder the baby? Do you plan to do that, like you would plan a vacation or summer trip? Most likely, unless you are mentally deranged you would say no! So I guess you have already made your choice didn't you? Oh what's that? You want to leave your options open in case you get knocked up, or do something sinful and you don't want to deal with the consequences of your actions. What about the woman or man within that womb, do they get to choose?
"It's Not A Baby; Its Just en embryo"
So let me ask you this question. When were you not you? No seriously at what point in your life did you become you? Let's say your name is Chris and your 20 years old. Were you Chris at 15 years old? How about 10 or 5 years old? Were you Chris at 1 years old, how about at 1 day old? Were you Chris when you were in your mothers womb? OF COURSE YOU WERE! The Bible says, (Jer 1:5) "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart;" So if God knew you before you were born it probably indicates that you were you upon conception. Is a movie a movie before it's released to the theaters? YES! This is a stupid distraction from the real issue. People want to sin and do what they want.
"What About If It Puts the Pregnant Mother's Life At Risk"
Were you aware that les than 4% of all abortions have anything to do with a mother's health. It has to do with sin. Abortions are not committed by happily married couples. There committed by hurt broken young girls, with no daddy's, that are looking for anywhere they can find it. So they are living in sin and haven't been led out of that life style yet.
The aftermath of abortions are devastating to the person and people involved. The regret, shame and conviction drive women to all sorts of depression, anxiety, mental illness and even suicide. But there is a solution. Number one there are many other options besides abortion. People are begging and waiting on waiting lists for years to adopt a baby. If you or someone you know has committed an abortion it is absolutely a sin, but Jesus Christ died on the cross for that sin even before you committed it. His amazing love can overshadow every mistake and cleanse you from every entanglement that comes along with this sin. Ask Jesus to forgive you and renew you, he will.
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09.01.2008 - Advice: The Counsel You Take Makes Or Breaks You!
Advice can be a great thing or it can be a horrible thing, it all depends on the advisor. One time I was walking down the street and I had just pulled a couple hundred bucks out of an ATM. I was walking away counting the stack of twenties to make sure it was all there and this bum on the side of the street holding a cardboard sign yelled out to me and said jokingly, "Hey bro; you need a financial advisor? "I respond back and "Ya bro; I'll call your office line to set up an appointment." After that, we both laughed together and I went on my way. If I had stopped and gotten financial advice from a 35 yrld homeless man that would be ridiculous. There is no difference between that and you receiving advice on relationships from people committing adultery and married 3-4 times. The bible teaches us to get advice, but it clearly says get good advice. Prov 15:22 "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed."
So now we need to determine the qualification for someone to give you advice or counsel. I have set up a three point check list that will help you protect yourself from bad advisors they are the following...
1. Some one more spiritual advanced then you are. Your advisor/counselor needs to have a deeper relationship with the Lord or be walking with the long enough to not interject their personal thought, feelings, and opinions but knows how to her from the Lord and decipher His word. This will help you to use wisdom in your decision making. Not just make decisions out of emotion or impulse.
2. Some one who is where you want to be in life. Your advisor needs to have a better view of your situation than you do. That means they need to be able to see farther because they have experienced more than you have. You advisor/counselor needs to have an aerial view of your life and help you see what's out of your line of sight. They need to be able to see the good things as well as possible mistakes and bad things also. If they're where you want to be, that means they did something right to get there.
3. Some one who has fruit in their life. That means there marriage is good, their kids are healthy and are living right, their house is in order. You want someone that has good fruit, so you know the advice they give is advice that will produce good fruit in your life.
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08.01.2008 - Abuse: Its Not Always What You Think.
In The Bible the Hebrew word for "Abuse" is `alal (aw-lal'). It means to overdo, altreat, or to impose pain. There are many different types of Abuse. There is mental abuse, verbal abuse (that can be a form of mental abuse), physical abuse, sexual abuse, self-inflicting abuse and many others. Abuse means just what it is abuse, YOU'VE GONE TOO FAR! Abuse is not only bad, but not ok. Within abuse there are two main roles, the abused & the abuser. Let's talk about them...
"The Abused"
The abused is the individual on the receiving end of the abuse. Quite often people that are being abuse are abused on many different levels. Not only are you being sexually abused but you feel like you can't say anything or stop it or don't want to get someone in trouble. That become mental abuse. You need to understand this, there is no reason on the planet ANYONE should be abused or allow ANY abuse to continue. So, what to you do? Get away from the abuser, who ever it is! If the abuser is a parent, spouse, family member, friend, teacher or pastor get away from them IMMIDETLY. Then tell the authorities. Tell someone about what's going on, tell a friend, teacher, pastor or police. Many times individuals are afraid of getting their abuser in trouble because they care about the abuser, but this is the deal. If they loved you they wouldn't be abusing you or would love you enough to get the help they need. Don't lie to yourself one more day! You must get yourself out of that situation or it won't stop.
"The Abuser"
The abuser is the individual who more than likely was at one time the abused them self. Because their wrong was never made right they get to the point ware they can no longer control their actions. They end up hurting everyone around them, even the ones they love. If you are an abuser you need to get help from a pastor or counselor. You need to get help before you dig so deep that it will take a life's journey to dig out.
You need to always protect yourself from any form of abuse. Don't let church people or pastors, family or friends abuse you. The Word of God Says, (John 10:10 "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." God has come to give us abundant life and joy not a life of abuse.
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