Thursday, October 29, 2009

Guest blog: Heartbreak Hill


This was good.

Welcome to Heartbreak Hill. The most famous marathon race in America is the Boston Marathon. The toughest part of the race, where runners are most likely to give up, is called Heartbreak Hill. We are now in the equivalent of “Heartbreak Hill” for those who enter the race of reading through the Bible. The books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers have been a wall for many. In Exodus it is the detailed description of building the tabernacle and its furnishings. In Leviticus it is the careful description of the procedures for sacrifice and atonement for sin. In Numbers it is the lists of genealogies. Many find the reading of this portion of the Bible the most difficult part of reading the Bible through.
Challenging it may be, but it is also important. God thought these passages important enough to include in His Word. As I have been reading through this section of my current journey through the Bible, these insights have come to mind. To read these pages of my Bible is to be taught God really does notice and care about details. He does not want us to get just the big things right. He wants us to get every part of our lives right. I have also been reminded how very, very serious sin is to our holy and righteous Lord. In addition every page of Leviticus is reminding me how grateful I am for Jesus who satisfied all the requirements of the law, become the scapegoat for my sin, and made certain the forgiveness of my sin.
I hope you are learning some lessons as well. If ‘Heartbreak Hill” has slowed you down, don’t quit. Get a good cup of coffee or a big glass of tea this weekend, and take some time to catch up. As a family of church and mission leaders, we do want to read every page of our Bibles. We do want to spend our lives helping others to know, understand, and apply God’s Word. Let’s conquer “Heartbreak Hill” together!
Yours & His,
Chuck Kelley, President

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Green Day


Two words. Together these words mean different things to different people. To some people it is a famous pop-culture band. To some it has something to do with being earth-friendly. But to a parent of young children in school it means a great deal more. A green day means they were a good civilian in school that day. And a whole week of green days often leads to a fun family weekend full of treats. ---What if God gave us green days, yellow days and red days?

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Home Training


Maybe this blog will hold me accountable to follow through on something. As a disclaimer let me say right off, I don't think I've got it all together. However, like you, I hear of people doing stuff that seems, uh...well...stupid. There just isn't any politically correct way to say it. So, I will find myself thinking (sometimes out loud), "they don't have any home training." Again, I'm sure I've done stuff (and out of respect for my momma-it ain't her fault.) that others thought was stupid. But I'm collecting these thoughts and trying to write them down in the form of a book called "Home Training." We'll see what happens. Maybe you have thoughts. (Send them, even though there is no finder's fee.)One of the most recent ones, and not necessarily the funniest, but someone told me that a person called their cel phone seventeen times in 10 minutes. I guess they thought that I thought the person was exaggerating, so they wanted to show me on their phone (I declined. Because I have home training enough not to look at someone's inbox.) Home Training point: if someone doesn't answer your call a.)their phone may be on silent b.)they may be in a meeting c.) we are not slave to the phone, it is a convenience d.) phone is in the car/truck e.) phone is off f.) after your 3rd call they decided they didn't want to talk to you because you were bugging them g.)this could go on and on. Next time, call once and leave a message. ---This is only about you if you do it. It is most certainly not about anyone I've talked to lately.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Praying in Tranquility


Had a great time with the LORD today. At the end of the day HE invited me out to a certain 35.26acres of land to talk. Good times. Wow! That is a lot of land. It was awesome just imagining how HE will use this place for His work. But mostly the time was filled with intercessory prayer for the Lost. I yearn to see God save so many that we've spent a lot of time praying for. ---Be encouraged today to fight the good fight. We do not wrestle with people. People aren't the problem. Our battle is with principalities, authorities and rulers of darkness that hover over this world. Pray to God today. Pray hard. He will see you through!

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Add and Subtract


Okay you procrastinators...it's Thursday. Resolve to do what you said you would do on Sunday. Commit to one change to add time with God.

And commit to one change to subtract time from distractions (self).

Do what you intended for a change.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Krispy Kreme and Assorted Junk


I remember hearing the rumor less than a year ago that KK was going out of business. So, we felt obligated every time we went within 6miles of KK in Pensacola to purchase a dozen mixed and of course a dozen glazed (since you got a dollar off). I wandered how could this place that brought such joy and delight to our taste buds could be going out of business. The world would never be the same. ----and then I read today what had happened. They tried to grow too fast, experienced some mismanagement<-- that is the bad news...rumble, rumble the good news is that they are making a come back. Hallelujah! On another eatery note: How about McD's? We go there probably once a year...just to make sure there fries are still the best. Most people I talk to rarely go there...so surely they are going out of business soon will all the fierce competition and the economy. Brrrrnk, wrong! They are expected to post $6billion in revenue at the end of the next quarter. What does all this mean? Not a thing if you are a vegetarian. Just some random junk. Beats reading about political stuff.

Monday, October 12, 2009

Back to What Got You There


It's funny how things twist around. I've been watching my favorite college football team fall again, and hoping for next year before the halfway point. This school used to dominate, and have a beautiful stadium, top-notch facilities because of their past success. The guys that are now using this hi-tech facility had nothing to do with it getting there. So I thought, it would be a good idea to kick them out of the facility... a lock-out. Make them go back to old school...rough it...nothing fancy. They need to earn the right to use that facility. They need to get back to basics. No indoor tracks...No fancy outfits. They should have to wear old gray sweatshirts with a picture of a football on it.---Then I was thinking about some things that I used to do in my spiritual walk to help me get closer to God. It rose up as God challenged me and our church to change one thing in our spiritual walk to get more intimate with God. Somewhere along the way I switched to doing my quiet time with God on the computer (I went hi-tech), but then I wasn't always around a computer or that computer. So, I missed here and there. To make a long story short, I'm going back to the basics. I got me an old scraggly looking notebook (gray teeshirt), and I'm getting back at it.

Here's a little something something from my reading this morning. (Jn.3:1-21)

Nicodemus says: "...we know that you (Jesus) are a teacher from God."--v.3

Jesus says: "...you people do not accept our testimony."--v.11

Conflict:

"We know you are a teacher from God" --vs--"you won't accept our testimony"

Here's the freedom of choice plan for man: take what you know about Jesus and believe or take what you know about Jesus and don't believe.

*Nicodemus thought he was a member, but Jesus told him that he had to be born again!

Jn.3:21 "But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Get it right in the first place


We had a lunch break today, and had to check out one of the local diners. When in New Orleans you've got to eat a shrimp po-boy. IT'S THE LAW. Anyway, I couldn't help notice a bunch of political figures dealing with the youth killings and gang violence especially highlighted by recent incidents in Chicago(news on tv). I listened as these men in their fine suits with chests poked out claimed they (govt) are going to really crack down and fix this. ----I couldn't help relating that to the work we are doing on this house in New Orleans. It took a lot of time getting everything level and straight for a firm foundation so that everything else we did would be true. ---HELLO, the government can't fix families and kids. If anything, the government should do all they can to promote families staying together. Parent have to train their kids up right. The easy answer to that one is STAY TOGETHER AND WORK THINGS OUT. Live right before them, because more is caught than taught. (That's not just a cute little saying.) Parents of little ones...get it right now...don't expect the government to do everything for you! Trust in the LORD always and lean not on your own understanding.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

5 Minute Testimonies

What a day! It started out at 5am helping make breakfast for the crew, then working from 7-5 in the heat and humidity offered by New Orleans. After a day of hard work both crews were glad to get back to the place we were staying to eat and rest. But there would be no rest, because due to a mistake there was no "feeding crew" this time; so both crews were alternating who would do the cooking. Tonight it was our turn. (That's a whole different story.) Anyhoo, after eating we agreed to just go around and share how we came to Christ. Awesome. I love to hear people's story. Almost everyone's 5 minute testimony turned into a 15 minute testimony. Do the math. We had a three hour church service and no one wanted to leave. It's amazing how many of our stories are very similar. Keep praying for people. Keep telling people about Jesus even if it is just a small word.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Come and See


In John 1 we are told of how Philip had met Jesus, and was convinced that he was the Messiah...the one Moses and the Prophets had foretold. So he goes to tell his friend Nathaniel. Well Nate isn't so easily convinced. He knows Jesus is from Nazareth and evidently Nate didn't think any good thing could come from Nazareth (that would be a presupposition, a potential obstacle for belief). Philip says one thing, "Come and see." That is what we want others to do. Come and see for themselves. Come as you are, and meet Jesus as He is. Jesus is the Differencemaker! Invite others to come and see.---The fastest growing churches in America have one thing in common...they are crazy about inviting people to come and meet Jesus.---Just do it. Get silly about it. Use our invite cards or make your own. Do all you do for God's glory.

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Joined and Knit Together


Synergy is a word used to describe the effect of two different components or people coming together to accomplish something that neither of them could have accomplished alone. Together hydrogen and oxygen provide an element that covers 3/4 of the earth, that makes life possible. Paul writes in his letter to the Ephesians "From him (Jesus) the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." God has gifted the body of Christ, the church, with various spiritual gifts. No one person has all the gifts, thus we need each other to be complete. God pretty much demands that we work together, if we are to be complete in Him. Yes, everyone is supposed to do their "part", but notice in the verse above that the whole body is to be joined together by every supporting ligament. We need to do our part together if we are to achieve God's will for His church. An ankle by itself is useless, but a foot and leg without an ankle are not even close to being efffective as intended. Church---let's get together and do greater things for God's kingdom together. Yes, we can do some things faster alone, however we can do more and biggere together. "And He died for all that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and was raised again."---What does that mean to you? Do you need to humbly submit and say what can I do to help? Where can I fit to do the greatest with this team of warriors? Bloom. You were created for a purpose! Live. (Eph.4:16: 2 Cor. 5:15)

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Inviter


We are in the "inviting" business. We invite people to church. We invite people to meet Jesus. We invite people to get to know Jesus. We invite people to hear about our relationship with Jesus. We invite people to have their own personal relationship with Jesus. Keep on inviting. Never grow weary in introducing people to Jesus. The first thing Andrew did after he met Jesus was go get his brother and bring him to Jesus.---fine example to follow. Invite your friends and family to the "DifferenceMaker" series. Come as you are, meet Jesus as He is.