Ugly jars....

Too much for Twitter!

It has been a long time since my last post, so here's just a thought!

If I have learned anything from Pastor Steven & LB;  it is to leverage every opportunity to share the message of the Gospel. This week will be filled to live in contentment with what He has provided and not complain about anything. It will be a perfect opportunity to gain perspective.

Don't be a thermometer as it can only register the temperature. Be the thermostat in your environments this week, a thermostat regulates the temperature effecting everything around it.

In Philippians 2:25-30 Paul speaks of Epaphroditus who's life was balanced in both fellowship and furtherance of the Gospel. It is important that we remain balanced in our daily lives. Like Nehemiah was rebuilding the walls with a sword in one hand and a trowel in the other. It takes both to build the Kingdom. As you bring the peace that transcends understanding into your lives it will disclose itself in your personality & relationships. We will do more to impact others, building the walls for our Lord and furthering the Kingdom for His glory. Live what you speak and speak what you live! The Lord has called us to see joy in all our circumstances, that starts with our perspective. Our perspective is reflected in our actions, our actions are what witnesses to others. Be the joy that others see, reflect His glory and beauty.

Be more than others expect, start today,  thanks for the most recent challenge Pastor. Should be an interesting week with the "Ugly Jar's" and may Jackson Park be blessed in our shortcomings!

this man's vacation exercise...

Ok, truth be told I have this habit of going on vacation to catch up on the exercise I have put off all year. I put long hours in the saddle! Strapped up the cycling shoes, filled the water bottle, earbuds in. I have it in my mind I am off on another adventure, slipping through the mean streets here on the island. Poised to pass upcoming motor vehicles, like a tornado, I am focused, driven with a vision. Hop on my steed, push play, crank up the volume... watch out
Ozzy Osbourne "Crazy Train,"
Crazy, but that’s how it goes
Millions of people living as foes
Maybe it’s not to late
To learn how to love
And forget how to hate.....

Yes, focus, now even inspiration, "learn how to love....," I am off. Watch out golf carts, I'm on yo 'ash, the blaze that just rode past you, is me. Cop-per's catch me if you can, lightening I am. Harmonious sounds of gears, chain and testosterone! Man and machine in unison, well oiled...

Gasp, wheeze, hack.... ouch, it burns, aaahh, I think I am gonna throw up.
"due to a man's stupidity, arrogance and pride that tell him he is capable of doing today what he could do yesterday." quoted by chris pollard 4/8/08. Yes, why is it I get on vacation every year - peddle, skate and run as though I'd been doing it all year long. Only to remember I could not do it then either! What a numbskull, think I just blacked out from a lack of oxygen, did that happen last year too?!!!! Perhaps I will stick to riding with the girls!

At least I was not wearing the Lycra wind suit!!!!!!!!!
It's great getting old, people expect the mind to go, I can finally deliver, it is!
Yes, appearing soon at a mall near you, ready to rock those socks!

hope rests in Him....

Dearest Friend's,


Thank you for all the prayers you have lifted in response to our needs for my mother. They are showing great harvest, as yesterday I was overwhelmed and burdened by the barriers of my capabilities. You have shown how spiritually He provides answer to prayer, even more, shown how community in Christ reflects that love. Tears well in my eyes just typing this to you, humbled, changed and loved by you and our Savior. When I walked into my mother's Sunday after church, my breathe was taken by the mountain. Your prayers have put in perspective the truth Pastor shared 3 weeks ago, "stop telling God about your mountains and start telling your mountains about your God." An absolute truth as I witnessed overwhelming pressure yesterday and after seeking His presence; my heart was transformed and filled with JOY.

No less than amazed by His power and glory through you....

blessed by you,
changed by Him,
living in His peace,
Chris

Rebuilding brick by brick....

In the Book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah felt lead to rebuild the walls surrounding the city of Jerusalem. He had a great job the "cup bearer" to the King. He had access to the king and was provided the good life, there was no earthly reason for Nehemiah to rebuild the city walls hundreds of miles away. To move from the the palace of the king to a city in ruins, yet Nehemiah knew what was on His heart and said "Here I am Lord - send me."

I pray that I may have that faith, that the comforts of today will not hinder or distract the potential for the future He has for me. I rejoice for brick by brick the Savior has changed me, the walls are being rebuilt strengthened from the enemy. More than fortified, I feel hope. It is a feeling that for many years escaped me because of  bondage, behaviors and self serving desires. The brick I thought I would not place, I placed it anyway. It becomes easier to place the other bricks.

God called Biblical heroes on ordinary days. Moses was out tending the sheep when he heard God's call and became a Prophet. David was called home while with his flock and anointed king. Peter, Andrew, James and John were mending nets after a night of failure, but that was the day that Jesus called them to become fishers of men! I read the expression that "like large doors, great life changing events swing on very small hinges." So by the very acts of what we do in honor and service to Him has everlasting impact. We never know the significance of that handshake, conversation by the pool, joyful heart in the classroom, persevering spirit in the boardroom, steadfast for what you believe and how that commonplace conversation will manifest for His glory.

Allow Him to use you, let Him press His plan into your very being. Trust and persevere as Nehemiah, know that the Lord has plans for you. He loves, cares and protects you. Seek His wisdom, Nehemiah sought prayerfully God's plan, waited on God's timing. Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God."

I am challenged to place more bricks on that wall this week, have faith to challenge others, be more than you believe you are today. Trust what you are doing in honor to Him will harvest great change in our city....

accountability.....

Choice's have to be made as to what we esteem, what is filling our hearts and what we want our lives to reflect. So simply speaking, "the life we live in the flesh will pass away, but the life we live in the Spirit will endure forever." If it is the flesh that leads you, the winds will bring you to unpredictable places (John 3:3-8).

There just comes a point in time when you have to stand for the theology of your beliefs. If I proclaim Him, I have to do whatever it takes to love Him. I am burdened when I hear somene who struggles with righteousness because they are not willing to do what it takes to walk in it. Fighting the stumbling blocks with simple applications of accountability and sometimes hard choices. There is always a way to fight what holds us captive if we simply believe in the Power of what is greater. Stop allowing the enemy to have topography in our lives.

Nehemiah 4 speaks of the enemy trying to live among us by simply walking through the low places in our wall. The efforts of the enemy is to deter us from the "cross." All too often it means we have to work with a spear in one hand and continue the work building the fortress for our hearts, marriages, children and Him.

The burden is lifted in knowing I too was not willing to do what it takes....until I started applying the simple steps it then becomes easier to make the harder decisions.

highest honor....

I would consider it a monumental opportunity and blessing when someone comes to you with a request for prayer. Have always felt that, however it is not until my heart was right that I understand what is attached and the power that is unleashed. Had a friend once tell me as he was going through treatment for cancer, I replied "I will pray for you, it is the least I can do." When he responded, "it is the most you can do for me!" Dang, smacked square in the forehead with that one. It has always stuck with me, and now I believe!

Yesterday a friend came to me for that very need, prayer. As I kneeled before Him with my hands on his back I felt a burning presence as I prayed over him. To commit something to Him in prayer may just be the very highest honor I will ever be bestowed, certainly the greatest power I will ever know! It is not just saying a prayer, it is building the temple, feeling the weight of the timbers to glorify Him.

Then this morning I receive this nugget of truth from Pastor Steven, "EXPECTING God to show up goes beyond HOPING He will. Hope is an aspiration. EXPECTATION makes preparation....R U ready?" My response "Today I am, yesterday I hoped...today I know!" What's different...the preparation, the investment, the change that is my life.

Brother, thanks for allowing me the honor to lift that burden before Him. The battles already won, the victory known and the Glory His. He's paid the price to ransom you and I......

Invest in people...

Recently I heard the statement from someone "I'm changing churches; I'm just not getting fed there." To which I responded by asking, "what are you bringing & how are you serving?"

Hebrews speaks of investing our lives in the Kingdom of Heaven, the unseen. Trust Him with the seen (Matthew 6). The Kingdom of Heaven is made up mostly of one thing, people. You grow spiritually by investing yourself into people, using the gifts, talents and resources God has invested in you. Remembering the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30). God blessed those who invested in faith and took risks with what He had given them. The one who buried his talent in the sand.... not so good. Spiritual stagnation, he went looking for another church because he was not being fed...by others.

"Revelation without application is only inspiration and will not lead to transformation." Pastor Steven

surrounded by greatness....

Just have to brag just a little on God, how He has surrounded me with incredibly instrumental people. From every area and aspect of life. Leaders, co-workers, friends and most of all my bride. Here's what spawns this whole thought. Yesterday, I received a text from a good brother that says this profound concept. "The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you!" Just look at Elijah in the Kerith ravine, the brook dries up, and enter in the widow!

This includes our children, which I have to give a shout out to Jessica. May not be a big deal to you, it is to me! She is now a "certified sitter" having taken the Red Cross Certification for Baby Sitting. Yeah, that's right top of the class, she gets that from her mom! She felt lead to take this course and stepped out of her comforts and allowed God to bless her and stretch her. I am both happy and sad. Jess, I love being your dad and I am so proud of you. This is just the beginning of God using you. Sad, simply because my little girl is growing up, dang God is great!

What's my take away from all this? Besides having an awesome wife! Just few years ago I surrendered to the fact that I do not know how to be a father, He has met me every step of the way. Sometimes I just forget. I may not get it right all the time, but hey I am listening and following Him with application. I'll just keep kneeling and asking Him to lead me.

broken again...

After writing a post "broken" the answer too was right there in the Book of James. James 4:6b "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

The difference in my life today is that I have been broken in humility, the need of a Savior, Healer and Redeemer. I have surrendered and submitted. I seek that I may be free from all that limits His power in my life. Repentance will allow the roots to grow deep in the living water that is Christ Jesus.

Many times broken out of embarrassment, truly just pride. One allows for change and transformation, the other only leads to stagnation and limitation. When speaking with others, I can only pray they know the power that comes from our weakness...it is there grace enters.

Well there you have it, if I had only understood what I had read many times before. May just be the explanation of reading the word and living the word!

what just happened....?

Seems somewhere in time life transformed from reading to living.
1 Thessalonians 1:4-7

When just then it all seemed to explain itself. Past, present and future. The passage goes on to explain the Paul, Silas and Timothy lived among the Thessalonians so that they may learn. They imitate what they learn, then carry that which they have learned to be modeled by others. Seems that's how life change happens.

As I prepare my heart to counsel with another brother this evening, I have a confidence in those who have shared and lived beside me. Life change starts by investment in others allowing God's love to speak. What's even better my bride is out with his fiance' tonight too. An awesome feeling to know how God answers prayer.

For way too long I was surrounded by believer's that leaned against the cross, it was hard for me to see His glory as the eyes of judgement were cast upon me. Now I am surrounded by those who kneel before the cross with their eye's of imperfection cast upon the cross. Do not just speak the words, live them.

As I rip off the words of Perry Noble, "keep running up the score God!"