The Sweetest Frame

In my devotions today, I came across this from John 8. 21 Once more Jesus said to them, "I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come." This verse really hit hard with me. Here you see a group of people who will come to the realization of their need for a savior, but it will be too late for them. They will die in their sins. How many people are around me looking for a Savior? I pray that I will be a light that they might find him before it is too late.

We had a great time with CTS at the Peace FWB Church in Granite City today. If I get some time later in the week I'll try to post some pictures. One of the kids' dramas really hit home with me. It was about Mary and Martha. The way it was written, Martha was busy doing all of the social justice things. She was helping with the environment and working at an animal shelter - reading the Bible to dogs. :) What struck me was Martha was portrayed as the "undiscerning" one because she was choosing to help her community over going to Bible Study and faithfully attending Sunday Morning Church. After all, Mary was wise enough to be at Bible Study and Sunday Services. What does the scripture say? Luke 10 38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to b...

How often I find myself judging something or someone by mere appearances. You'd think I would know better by now. In John chapter seven, Jesus is dealing with this issue. His own family has misjudged him, the Pharisees have misjudged him, and the people all around him are misjudging him. After debating with them about Moses and Circumcision he gives this quote... 24 "Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment." So what is a "right" judgment? Here are a few ideas... Matthew 9:13 "But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Matthew 23:23 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. Micah 6:8 He has showed you, ...

The passion movement is offering free music in light of the VT tragedy to hopefully be an encouragement. Passion artists - Chris Tomlin, David Crowder, Matt Redman, and Charlie Hall each have a song you can download for free or download all of them. Just go to www.hopeforthehokies.com

I get in trouble with my church family because I'm always saying, "This is one of my favorite passages in the Bible". I'm one of those people with a lot of favorites. Here's the verse of the Day from Bible Gateway... 1 Peter 1:18-19 “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” Question: How much is the worth of a soul? Answer: How much is the blood of Jesus worth? God loves us so much. We need to value others as He does. I need this reminder daily. That's why this is one of my favorite verses. By the way if you want to get the RSS of verse of the day, it's on the front page of www.biblegateway.com

I've had a few special friends in my life who have taught me what faith is by their example, much more than by their words. When folks are in difficult times and they still cling to God's words, that to me is faith. Very simply, faith is taking God at his word. John 4 gives us a similar example... 46Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. 47When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death. 48"Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders," Jesus told him, "you will never believe." 49The royal official said, "Sir, come down before my child dies." 50Jesus replied, "You may go. Your son will live." The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 51While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living....

We started the God@Work campaign yesterday. ( www.isGodatwork.com ) I was so excited to preach. I hope the words came out right. I spoke from Romans 12:1-2 and I think the Lord really spoke to me if to no one else. It's amazing how I have separated the secular and the sacred in my own life. I have been reminded in the past week that God wants all of my life and that my joy and my duty to him is complete obedience. Sometimes obedience is reading the Bible and sometimes it is mowing the lawn. But the truth is God can be and should be honored in both. Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Sometimes I think we elevate the sacred too much. Wh...

I'm starting the book of John in my devotions tonight. I'm hoping it will aid me in my quest to be salt and light. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. I love this verse. It is absolute proof that Christ is God. There is absolutely nothing that he cannot handle. He made it. He knows how it works. He can fix it. He is God.

I followed a link off of the TallSkinnyKiwi and have found a very interesting discussion about the emerging church. Let me first warn you, the first session is meant to push you beyond your limits. I was very uncomfortable with much of what was said, but it did start the wheels turning. If you decided to listen to the following clips, please do so with your critical thinking filter turned on. ;) The second session was excellent. I needed to hear this. The church needs to hear this. Here is the link to Michael Frost sharing his "messages" on Unless a Seed Falls... http://www.christianityworks.com/pages/teachers.asp?pid=150 How do you view your world? Do you have a sacred zone and a secular zone? I will be preaching on this in the next few weeks. Does God show up at Church on Sunday, but he's nowhere to be found at work on Monday? Is God present on Sunday afternoon watching the ballgame as much as he is during the 10:30 worship hour? If you have decided to separa...

We had a great discussion at the Penn house earlier in the week. We always have great discussions. I'm not sure if we ever reach any conclusions though. I showed the paradies on the Mac Vs. Pc about Christ followers and the discussion started. It seemed that most of us could relate to the "Christian" in some way or another and in that way we would be offended. For instance, I thought the video made it look like Christians studied and read, and Christ Follower's didn't read at all. I would hope that Christ Followers will study and read too. And of course we sided with the Christ follower often as well. I really like U2! But what really hit home was a conversation that I had recently with a friend whose "Christian" neighbor was being everything but Christian. This religious neighbor was great about church attendance, etc... but when it came to loving their neighbor, it wasn't being demonstrated. Selfishness was being demonstrated. I could see...

I'm excited about this weekend. I'm excited about the Debtor's Prison Drama that some ladies in our church will be putting on. I'm excited about my friend Steve and the great expectation he has for this coming Sunday. I'm excited about my nutty friend Jason and the unbelievable things God is about to do in their church. I'm excited for both of my brothers who are also pastors who desire nothing else than to see God's power move among the people they are shepherding. Then I read this scripture this morning... 2 Thessalonians 1 11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. 12 We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. I was truly overwhelmed. I have been praying for those mentioned above and others, b...