You Haven't Had My Green Beans

I have a friend that is a pretty awesome cook, chef, whatever he wants to be called...just call me for dinner. You know what I'm saying? He made a statement one time that I have found to be true about food and the way it is prepared and enjoyed. He really gets bugged out when someone tells him that they don't like a certain food whether it be broccoli, green beans or whatever. On one occasion a friend tried to snub his green beans. Now these weren't regular ole green beans. There was some love and care (onions, garlic and of course, bacon; and other secret ingredients) put into this special concoction. Our friend realized that he loved green beans. The lesson was this: many of us somewhere along the way had someone prepare a certain food in such a way that we decided we didn't like that food, like the green beans. Perhaps, he had them served straight from the can with no special ingredients. Unfortunately, he labeled that food under the "I won't eat" column. For years our friend had skipped out on the delicacy we know as green beans, because someone had ruined them for him. ---I couldn't help to think of how many people have turned their backs on church today, because somewhere along the way they got a bad taste in their mouth. We've met so many people that would say they are believers, but never darken the door of a church. They say they had a bad experience at a church or something like that. Heck yeah, you did! There are people in the church, and if you stay in one long enough they will urinate in your cheerios (now I have your attention). That is such a bunch of bologna! We don't quit on restaurants, stores or whatever unless they mess us over a bunch. Listen, I am sorry for the terrible experience you had with a church (it could have been our church). But it's time to build a bridge and get over it. Maybe you grew up in some legalistic church or a church that only had room for a select few. Maybe you went to a church and there wasn't much going on. Maybe you went to a church that was dead. Maybe you went to a church that...(stunk) didn't represent Christ well. Let me encourage you to give church a try again. And if you feel like giving it another try, come try Living Truth Church...we like salt, onions, bacon and all the special ingredients. Come spice the place up with your presence. To be absent from the body (Church) is to be absent from the HEAD (Christ)...come on back.

Bringing Heaven to Earth

Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name or in modern English: "Holy is your name." Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven or "We pray that your Kingdom comes and that your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven." In leading this prayer Jesus leads us to pray to Father God in Heaven. Jesus declares that the very name of the Father is holy. It is a name like no other. No one else has His name. He is mighty and set apart. In fact, the Hebrew people would not even say His name out loud. They would not even spell it completely out, so there are variations of the spelling of the name of the Holy One. His name is to be high and lifted up. We should fall down in worship at the mention of His name. In Revelation 4 we are allowed a peek into Heaven, and we see that there is one throne centrally located and that God is seated there. Any time there is a glimpse into Heaven there is a common theme. People are awestruck in the presence of God. They acknowledge their sin and unworthiness. However, the heavenly creatures that are there are in full praise and worship mode! Hallelujah!---So, when we pray that God's will be done on Earth like it is in Heaven...we're praying for some serious praise and worship. We are confessing that there is One that sits on the throne and that One is God NOT us! Why wait? Start bringing Heaven to Earth in the way that you daily worship the KING of Kings and the LORD of Lords. Stop and be in His presence regularly. Holy Holy Holy is the LORD God Almighty!!!

Next Man Up

Yes, there is so much we can learn from sports. For instance, NFL does stand for National Football League, but some players say it stands for Not For Long since it is so hard to stay in the League beyond four years due to competition and injury. Football is to many the ultimate team sport. A really good team will live up to the saying that there is no "I" in "T-E-A-M." So, it is very important that each player is in shape and ready when his number is called. In the course of a game guys get hurt. It's a fact of the game. So, even the guy that rarely plays has to be ready in the event the first or second-string guys in his position are injured. The team is counting on him coming in and playing like he is the starter. For the team to win, the "next man up" has to be ready to go. The skill level can't expose him as a weak-link. The other team is licking their chops ready to take advantage of the "next man up." So, this guy has to prepare as if he is the starter every game, just in case. The team depends on the next man up. The coaches have to coach him up, so that he is ready.---I am so glad as many pastors are, for those guys that have decided to be the spiritual leaders in their families and in their church. Our guys are under attack constantly, because we live in this fallen world. Within the seasons of life, men fall. It's in those times that we need the next man up to step his game up. It's in those times that we need to be there for each other. We need to be there for that guy that fell. We're on the same team. "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."-Prov.27:17 Stand firm O' man of God, and be ready when it's your turn.

First-things First

God will speak to you if you'll listen, and He will bail you out if you will slow down and listen. He gave me a gut-check a couple of times today before and during a meeting. Fortunately, I paused and did my Quiet Time this morning before the meeting instead of post-poning that meeting (Quiet Time) until later. There would have been nothing wrong with me meeting with God later in the day or more than once, but I'm glad that I did put first-things-first. After previewing the plan for the pending meeting, I could see a large portion of the meeting would be scheduling and prioritizing things. In my QT God spoke to me from Mt. 6:33 offering me a little reminder: "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you." Thank you Lord. The temptation in church-life is to make much about the plan instead of the One we serve. So while we will get together and plan, we will keep in the fore-front first-things first: "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness." The rest of the stuff will fall in place.

Unchained!

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. --2 Tim.2:8-9 In its simplest form Paul described the Gospel as this: "Jesus Christ raised from the dead, descended from David." He explained the Gospel was why he was in chains, but God's Word is not in chains! Hallelujah!---They can lock man up, shut man up, turn a deaf ear to the preaching of the Gospel; but they can't stop the Gospel Truth, for it is unchained! I think back to Paul's statement in Romans "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation..." Amen. Christian stand firm to God's Word in these days. We may come under fire and even be chained up, but God's Word is forever unchained!

Just A Reminder As We Go Forward in 2013

What you see as a "set back", God may view as a "set up." Read Isaiah 55:9. Go forward in 2013 in "God-fidence". I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. All things work together for the good of those who love God and who are called according to His name. Know these things and walk in "God-fidence" this year by knowing God through His Word! Read the Bible through this year.