Do you see suffering as a gift?

Do you see suffering as a gift? You answer to this like mine was probably “heck no”. We as Americans are in heavy pursuit of pleasure and our own comfort. As believers though, we are called to be citizens of a different world with different priorities and realities. One of the different priorities is God’s glory over our comfort. Somehow in our sinful nature we have even figured out how to pervert the gospel to make it about us. “Jesus is here to make us happy, healthy, and rich. We use the bible as list of promises that we can get if we just follow the right methods. When bad things happen we throw our hands up to God and scream why as if we are owed something because we are His children.” As a parent you meet your kids needs and then some and what do they do? They throw a fit because they want more. They don’t need more, they want more. What do we call this when our children do this? SPOILED Philippians 1:29-30 29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, 30 since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have. We are often spoiled as western Christians thinking God owes us more and more. Here Paul speaks of two blessings, we, as children of God have been granted. One we would all agree is a blessing. We all agree that it is a blessing to be allowed to believe in Jesus. Because of our sins we deserved eternal damnation in Hell and yet God sent His Son to suffer and dies for us so we could believe and be forgiven. The second thing we were granted leaves us scratching our heads. We have been granted the ability to suffer for Christ. What? Hold up, that doesn’t make sense. I though Christianity was the path to blessings. It is but God’s ways are not our ways and suffering for Christ is a blessing. Why, because we are not here to seek pleasure and glory. We are here to honor God and bring Him glory. Suffering through persecution brings glory to God and draws us closer to Him. If you refuse to see this as a blessing and you are unwilling to accept it you need to examine your faith and ask yourself if you are following the gospel of Jesus Christ or the gospel of self.

Copper Head Snake

I had a very bizarre moment and was amazed by God’s protection. I took my daughter to the yard and she played on the swing set and climbed all over the slide. I read for school. My oldest son came out and played with her. Then, my youngest son and Mickey came in back yard to. They all played for a while and then my son says “there is something weird on the ground.” He and his sister proceed to bend over and look at it. Mickey goes to check and picks them both up and yells it’s a snake. I get them out of the yard and go back and kill it with a shovel. It was a copper head and it was decent size coiled up and ready to strike. It was bizarre because it was right beside them the whole time and they even leaned over staring at it. I knew that God had protected them but then sitting at dinner God reminded me of an experience I had last week. I had two nights in a row of nightmares about snakes and I kept waking up and praying for my family. I felt like something bad was going to happen and kept praying until God released me from it. At dinner God reminded me of those nights and it shook me up look at my beautiful children and knowing God protected them. Thank you Jesus.  

Do not underestimate the power of prayer

What is the GOSPEL?

Break this Heart of Stone

Break this Heart of Stone



Ezekiel 11:16-18



16 “Therefore say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Although I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while I have been a sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone.’

17 “Therefore say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will gather you from the nations and bring you back from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you back the land of Israel again.’

18 “They will return to it and remove all its vile images and detestable idols. 19 I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. 20 Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God. 21 But as for those whose hearts are devoted to their vile images and detestable idols, I will bring down on their own heads what they have done, declares the Sovereign LORD.”



There are a lot of great messages to believers today that are warm and fuzzy. Oh yes, there are many blessings available for believers today. Yet, what about so many who as children of God who have chosen to live in sin and refuse to let go of it. It is not fun to be a prophet of doom and gloom and I rarely write like this but reading back over Old Testament passages like that of Ezekial, when God’s people hold on to sin and make themselves idols, blessings stopped and chastisement followed.



What does this have to do with the children of God today? I fear that much of the Christian population today has removed Jesus from the throne and placed themselves upon it. Consumerism and money have taken the place of God. People seek to fill the void inside of them by buying more, doing more, accomplishing more, feeling more, experiencing more and having Jesus as an additive to the mix of things they add to their life.



Jesus cannot be something we add to our life as we worship many things, mainly ourselves. Yes most of us do not bow down to statues, or even pray to our money but our actions show that we love money and ourselves more than Christ. It is sad to see the horrible things that happened to Israel when they worshiped other God’s but it is beautiful to see the restoration available to His children as they return to God and put off their destestable acts and idols.



American Christianity is in a sad state and I hope that it will not take great calamity before the children of God put Jesus back on the throne. I pray that we will repent of all sin. I pray that we will make Christ number one in every part of our lives. I pray that our hearts of stone will be broken as we see ourselves compared to a Mighty and Holy God. God I pray that the church in America will awaken to its idols, pride, lust and lay them all at your altar. I pray that we will quit pointing fingers at the lost and focus on getting rid of the plank in our own eyes. I pray that we will experience a revival that will rock not only our nation but the world. I pray that You will fall upon this nation in a mighty way.



REVIVAL STARTS WITH YOU please cast down your idols and return to a loving Father.



2 Chronicles 7:14

New International Version (NIV)

14 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 I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Don't miss what God is doing now.

Read- Genesis 15 Genesis 15:13 13Then the LORD said to Abram, "Know for certain(O) that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and(P) they will be afflicted for(Q) four hundred years. I was thinking about the fact that it was part of the plan for God’s people in a particular generation to be in slavery for four hundred years. At the same time I think we all are prone to feel like we wished we live in a different time period and that we could have been a part of something God did in the past. Also, we focus on looking to the future and either way we often miss out on what God is doing now. Although slavery must have been horrible, God’s people still had a purpose. They were to glorify Him and teach and train future generations to be prepared for the journey of faith and to accomplish what was ahead. God is working in a mighty way right now and we have the opportunity to join Him in what He is doing.


Meditate-Are you making the most of what God is doing in this generation? Are you glorifying God in every way? Are you helping to prepare the next generation for what God has in store?

Act-Make the most of every moment and be used by God right now.

Talk-Talk to a friend about how the Israelites could have been used in the midst of slavery and how you can be used right now.

Must read quote of Abraham Lincoln

Words of Abraham Lincoln April 1863

"Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have beome too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, to proud to pray to the God who made us. We have grown in numbers, wealth, and power as no other nation has grown, but we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand that preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us.... We have vainly imagined that all these blessings were produced by some superior virtue and wisdom of our own. It behooves us then to humble ourselves, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness."

I wonder what he would say today.

Tears of Joy

I start a new job in Baytown Texas on June 1 2010. Many of you know my journey and the struggle I have had ever since the end of Living Waters. I went through a process that led me back to researching what I believe about church and questioning my motives about why I do church and why I am a pastor. I have applied at thousands of churches over the last few years and God has slammed the door shut on all of them. Churches act like I have leprosy or something. I have learned to be content in my circumstances and that has been good for me. The best thing I learned is that my walk with God is not determined by my title in a church even though I love church. I was also drawn to missions more than I have been in the past and given a desire to take the church to the lost and hurting in places where the church is not reaching people. I have been given a job starting churches in Multi Housing Communities and it is beyond a perfect fit for me. God is good and it was well worth the wait. It is interesting how amazing it is to see Gods plan when it is finally revealed and see how all the peaces fit together. Thank you Jesus for my new job.

Today was the first time in many many years that I had tears of joy come to my eyes when I thought about my job.

Thank you to all of you who have been praying for God to give me a ministry job. Please be praying for our family and friends as we move. As excited as we are it is very bitter sweet to leave friends and family behind. 

Multitasking Mayham

I was talking on the phone with my wife and playing on the intranet at the same time. I had just got on the computer when she called so I tried to do both. I did not give all of my attention to my wife. It hit me that I was not giving all of myself to my wife but being selfish. I was taking care of my self and giving her my left overs. No one wants to be treated this way and yet we often do this to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He does not want us to live our lives doing what we want and giving Him our leftovers. Spending money how we want and giving Him our left overs. Worshiping every thing under the sun and giving Him our leftovers one hour a week. He wants our first fruits. He wants us to put Him first before every thing and He will take Care of the rest.

Genesis 4:1-6

Cain and Abel



1 Adam [a] lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. [b] She said, "With the help of the LORD I have brought forth [c] a man." 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.


Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. 4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.


6 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."




8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field." [d] And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

They both gave gifts to God but one gave with all of His heart. I did talk to my wife on the phone but I didn't really give her the time she desired.

It is not just about your offering. We are to worship God in every part of our life. We should give Him the best in every thing.

Share the Power

Romans 12
16I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Do we really believe that the gospel still has power. Do we expect it to change lives when we share it with others? The apsotles preached it in the streets and to every one that they could, knowing that it had the power to make them a new creation. What is the gospel?

The gospel is the good new that Jesus Chirst really was the Son of God who chose to leave Heaven and come to earth to take our place on the cross. Why would he need to do this.

Romans 3:23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,


This means that none of us are good or can please God by being good enough

Romans 6: 23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in[a] Christ Jesus our Lord.


Our sin deserves death and eternal punishment in the tormenting fires of Hell. Jesus loved us so much that He chose to take our place and die for us. Born of a Virgin He lived a sinless life and chose to be killed in the worst way possible because thats what it took to pay for your sin and mine. He then rose from the dead. It really di happen. The God who created the entire universe gave His only Son to die for you. The price has been paid the gift is ours to recieve.

The price was paid for you to be forgiven but you have to repent and except it.

Romans 10:9That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Here is where the power comes in. You can be saved and recive a new life, a new heart, become a new creation to be used in Gods Kingdom to do His work. That is beutiful and exciting news that still changes lifes every single day. Have you experienced this power? Don't delay Cry oty to God and ask Him to save you from your sin and give you a new life. Once you have get involved in a bible believing church and get baptized and share this mighty power with others.

ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS

I took my kids to the park today and they were so excited to play. Logan had been waiting since before church to go to the park. Seven hours of waiting: after church, lunch and nap time I finally got him to the park. Some brats had totally messed up the jungle jim area. They took buckets of rocks and completely covered the entire play area so it was unsafe. The kids couldn't go up the stairs becuse it was hard to walk on all the rocks. I was so angry that these kids had violated the play area and ruined my kids ability to play. I have no idea who did this but I imediately began throwing rocks every where trying to get them off of every thing so my kids could play. As I was frustrated and relaized there was no way I could fix this I was reminded how anngry Jesus was when the people had violated the temple by turning it into a market rather than a hous of prayer.

Jesus at the Temple
Mathew 21
12Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13"It is written," he said to them, " 'My house will be called a house of prayer,'[e] but you are making it a 'den of robbers.'[f]"
14The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. 15But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant.

16"Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him.
"Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read,
" 'From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise'[g]?"

17And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.

I have often found it weird to see Jesus so angry because he seems so different from His character. It was not wrong though it was a righteouse anger. Trufully it was His house to reorganize. Just as I was so angry that the playground that was made to bring joy to my kids was vilated Jesus was angered that His childrent were being robbed. Jesus wants the church to be a place of worship and a house of prayer. It breaks His heart when it is being used for evil and drawing His children away from what He wants for them. I hope that when we have church that Jesus is pleased and that we are doing what He intended with His church.

Faith like a child

We were having house church Sunday and we were talking about worry and how Jesus says not to do it.

Mathew 6 25 -34
Do Not Worry


25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[b]?


28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.



Obviously it seems impossible not to worry and as you look at all the points from the sermon on the mount it seems like many of the things Jesus says to do are impossible. They are not impossible and we can do all things through Christ but they seem impossible because they are so opposite of the things our culture has taught us to do. A great example is worry. In America we are the most blessed nation in the world and yet we are constantly worried about every thing. We worry about money, food, clothes, jobs, the future and on an on and on.

The Holy Spirit pointed out two points to me that we discussed at home church.

One is that we should have faith like a child. I would be offended if Logan was sad or worried that I wouldn't provide for food or clothing for him. Logan doesn't worry about that stuff. He just plays and enjoys his toys because he know I will provide. He may not get every toy he wats but he knows that daddy will take care of his needs. I think it offends God when we don't know if He will take care of us and we are worried about what we will eat or drink in the future.

Second point
Jesus didn't just tell us not to worry He lived it. Jesus and His diciples din't know they were doing for food and money and how they would make it. They didn't have a buisness plan or a 401 K They simply woke up daily and Jesus let God lead them knowing God would provide.

If you are a child of God God expects you to trust Him. Has He not been faithful t you in the past. I am not saying has He made you a millionare because He doesn't promise that. I am asking has he ever let you starve or have to walk around naked for lack of clothes. God will provide. Worrying is a lack of faith and through Chirst we can trust God like Jesus did.

God help us in our lack of faith to grow to the point that we can obery every thing you ask us without question.

Counterfit god

Romans 1:25

They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

ASH WEDNESDAY

I am not catholic but I was working in a church plant in Midtown Atlanta where we did Ash Wednesday. It was my first experience with Ash Wednesday other then seeing people with ash on their foreheads and wondering what was going on. It was an amazing service and time of reflection.

On Ash Wednesday they put the ash on your forehead in the shape of the cross and say.

Remember (O man) that you are dust, and to dust you shall return", "Repent, and believe the Gospel," or "Turn away from sin, and be faithful to the Gospel."

Then they are encouraged to fast from something as they prepare for Easter. I encourage you to think about this statement. We are all sinners and in need of the Savior Jesus Christ. We cannot be good enough or do enough good works to make up for our sin against God.

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God

It only takes one lie, or one lustful thought to make us guilty in the eyes of God.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

It is a fact that our sin causes us to deserve death and eternal punishment and separation from God in Hell FOREVER. That is a sad and scary thought

But the good news of this verse is that because of Jesus death on the cross and Resurrection from the death we can accept Jesus by repenting of our sins, asking Jesus to become our master and save us. That is the good news we call the gospel.

If you choose to fast from something as we prepare to Celebrate Easter it will help you to remember what Christ has done for you and remind you to pray every time you miss what ever you are fasting from.

Appearances are Deceiving

Looks like the statue made a great shot huh?

Appearances can be deceiving, sometimes we even fool ourselves.

Revelation 3 1-3
I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. 3Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent.

We have all had time in our life where our walk with God is struggling. We may have justified sins and we don't know it. there could be a million reasons why we are dying spiritually and falling away from God. The sad fact is that often when we are in that state and we don't even see it. It is pretty evident in this passage, as Jesus is talking to the church in Sardis that Jesus is not happy with them. They don't know that Jesus isn't happy with them, they think they are doing great.

My freshman year of college I was making all d's and went to see my advisor. He said "How are you doing this semester?" I smiled big and said "Great." He looked at my grades looked puzzled and then chewed me out. I was happy with d's and figured I was passing. I realized I wasn't doing as great as I thought I was. I realized I needed to raise the bar of my expectations. We all need people in our lives like that who will tell us the truth and hold us accountable. We also need to quit lying to ourselves and look at the truth. We need to quit justifying ourselves and blaming every one else.

I encourage you to evaluate Your life and see if Jesus is really happy with you or not. Remember when you evaluate yourself that you are to measure yourself by Jesus life and the standards of the bible not by what other people are doing.

Dear God, please remove the blinders from our eyes and help us to view our selves through Your eyes. May we be convicted of where we are failing You and say we are sorry and turn the other way.

FIRST LOVE

Do you remeber the feeling of when you first fell in love? I remeber when Vanessa and I first started dating. I was on cloud nine. It was an adrenaline rush of excitement and feelings that I had never felt. We wanted to be together all the time and were on the phone when we were apart. Although I love my wife more now then I did then it is not the same. I can't say that I have all those warm fuzzy feeling all the time so what does that mean? I had a preacher say that if were closer to God when you first got saved then you are now then you need to rededicate your life to God. That always bothered me because much like dating my wife when I first got saved it was an adrenaline rush and surge of new emotions at first. I don't have those feelings in the same way all the time any more so whats up with that? Does that mean I am no longer as close to God as I once was?

Revelations 2
4Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. 5Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

As I think about this verse for my marriage and for my relationship with God, have I forsaken my first love. Not at all because true relationship is not about how they make you feel or about whether you get warm fuzzy feelings. Love is about commitment and it is a choice one makes every day. We choose to sacrifice our life daily to love God. We choose daily die to ourself and follow God. My relationship with my wife is the best it has ever been and yet it can be really hard sometimes and sometimes I still get warm fuzzies. My relationship with God has been tested lately and yet I feel closer to God than ever before. Again it is different but it is closer.

My question to you is have you fallen from your first love with God. I am not asking have you quit having the warm fuzzies or is it easy. I am asking if there is sin in your life that has hurt your relationship. Have you quit dieing to self daily and made yourself god again. If so repent (Turn form your sin and go the other way), put God on the throne again and fall in love again.

Secondly Have you ever fell in love with God to begin with. God is not a church, a builing, a religion, or good works. God is the creator of the universe and through Him alone can we be saved from our sin. he longs to have a real, life changing,
passionate relationship with every person but our sin tainted that and so He sent Jesus to die and take away our sin. The price has been paid for your sin but you do have to accept it and choose to follow Him and make Him master of your life. Simply cry out to Jesus and ask forgivenees and ask Him to take over your life.

TURKEY DAY

Well it is my favorite holiday tomorrow. Although I love Christmas it turns out once you’re not a kid any more it is very stressful and a lot of work and can be expensive. On thanksgiving you relax cook and eat and take a nap and relax some more. That is my kind of holiday. And also the Cowboys are always on. I am not sure how they got the monopoly for playing on Thanksgiving but that is always cool.
Things I am thankful for this year.
As many of you know it has been an interesting few years for the Sheppard bunch but we are truly, truly blessed. I have the greatest wife and mom for my kids ever. I have kids who are healthy and the highlight of my day every day. I have a place to stay and food to eat. It is so funny how we worry or get down about thing and forget all that we have. We have all that we need and then some and I am truly happy. And of course the greatest thing of all I am thankful for my salvation.
Colossians 2:6-7 (New International Version)
6So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

I don’t know about you but I often forget how amazing it is that God chose to die for me so I could have a relationship with Him. I don’t know why He chose to love me, forgive me of my sins and change my heart. I don’t know why He sent His only son to die in our place. I don’t know why He didn’t destroy this planet and start over. For some reason he loved us so much that He sent His only Son so that we could believe in Him and not perish and have everlasting life. Any one reading this who has not asked Jesus to forgive them of their sins and take over your life that gift is the greatest gift of all. I am most thankful for that as I am reminded how amazing that gift really is. Let us not lose the joy and thankfulness we had when we were first saved. That love is the same today as it was when we were saved. If it is not then we have moved because God is still there with open arms.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL

No TV for a Week

1 Thessalonians 2:13
13And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.

You know when it comes to christianity we can feel like a lot of things are from God. We can claim God tells us a lot of things. We can experience things that we believe are from God. Unfortunately we are human and we can be wrong but there is one thing that is for certain and cannot be wrong and that is the Word of God. Paul said that it is not the words of men but the very words of God.

Everything we feel and experience and think must align with the word of God. I have seen Christians say that God told them to leave their spouse for another person in the church. Direct conflict with the word of God yet they allow their feelings to define what God is saying even though its wrong. Oh that we would evealuate every decision by the word of God with no justification. It would radically shape our lives.

Paul then says "which is at work in you who believe." Here is something that is so beutiful. The word of God is at work in us. It is more then words that we use to look up verses to win an argument. It is the word of God that speaks to our hearts and transforms and shapes our soul. Yet many rarely read it. If we read the bible half as much as we watched TV it would radically change our lives.

I was in a period a while back where I wasn't reading my bible and a friend told me, "I challenge you to read your bible for five minutes every day this week and if it doesn't make you life better than fine, but if it does you have to keep reading it." I did and I have been reading it almost every day since then. It has blessed my life more than I can explain. Sometimes I can't wait to read it and some times I have to force my self but it is always worth it.

I challenge you to turn off you tv for a week and replace it with reading the bible. It will rock your world. Be prepared , satan does not want you reading your bible. That is my challenge. One week of fasting from TV and when you desire to watch tv read the bible instead. It will be better than any show ever made.

God I pray that people would take this challenge this week and that Your word will change their lives. Reveal the things that they need to repent of and that don't align with your word. Bring transformation in our lives through Your Holy Word.

Join Me in Suffering

2 Tim 1:8-9

8So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.

In a society of health and wealth gospel where becoming a Christian means having a perfect life we some times need to be reminded that accepting Christ was about much more than feeling good.

Although accepting Christ changes our life in many good ways such as peace and joy, it also makes our life harder. We are called to a life of purpose, sacrifice, and working hard for the Lord. We are called to serve God with all of our hearts and take huge steps of faith. Although it is cool that God calls us to be on a mission with Him. The mision is often hard and involves being persecuted. Paul was in prison being persecuted for the gospel of Christ. He ask Timothy to join him in suffering for Christ.

We often forget that this earth is a temporary dwelling place. It is an extended camping trip that is often uncomfortable. Many have abandoned the faith to set up a home here and become comfortable rather than serve Christ with all of their hearts.

Although we have freedom in America to share our faith it is not a popular message as we preach Jesus Christ as the only way to Heaven. So stand firm in your faith serve Christ with all of your heart. You may suffer and be uncomfortable but do not be discouraged you treasure is in Heaven.

So Easily Distracted

I have spent a lot of time with the Lord today as I get ready to preach Sunday and dedicate my little man to the Lord. I have been so convicted today at my lack of faith in the Lord. Events in the last few years have dramatically hurt my faith and I have become so focussed on doing it on my own. I am so sick of thinking about my seld and how to make maoney in the future. The more I think about myself the more depreseed and stressed I become and the more I focus on praying for others and helping people the more I am filled with joy and the more things just works out and God provides. God reminded me today of so many things I already know but fail to live

SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND ALL THEESE THINGS WILL BE ADDED UNTO you

Wow how easy it is to forget this and give God our leftovers in every area of our life. Forgive me Lord.

FAITH


God will provide for my needs and will not leave me without. I my not get all of my wants but most of my wants are wordly garbage that will be eaten by moths and desinigrate. Why do I trust a green peice of paper and have trouble trusting the King who created the world out of nothing. I apologize Lord help me in my unbelief.

LOVE OF MONEY

You cannot serve both God and money. One or the other. As much as I would love to say I don't love money it sure takes up a lot of my thoght and I sure can think of a lot of thinks I want. Forgive me Lord.

I am sorry I am so easily distracted. Help me to daily take up my cross and follow You with al of my heart and soul and mind.

Question and Answer

A young lady had and issue with Christianity. In Chritianity it seems unfair that you can just kill some one and ask forgiveness and be saved. Why does it work like that?

Good question. The answer is the same problem she has with Christianity is the beuty of Christianity. In God's eyes ALL sin is disgusting so whether we told one little lie or killed someone we are dispicable and disgusting and unacceptable. God's love is bigger than our actions whether they seem big or small to us. They key to repentance is it has to be true heartfelt repentance. Its not sweet I will do wahtever I want and kill people because I know God will forgive me. It is realizing how filthy we are and then begging God to forgive us. Grace is not earned it is a gift and it is available to all that ask. That is the power of the cross. That power, love, extreeme forgiveness and extreeme grace is available to all that ask. That is beutiful.

Romans 3:23
For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life



We have all fallen short and all deserve death but God is wanting and willing to forgive us all.