I was reminded about something last night at Youth Group that I wanted to share. We have some student who are really hurting for dozens of different reasons. Specifically last night I got to catch up with some one I haven't talked to in a few years and hear about all that is going on in their life. Abby got to speak to a student, whom she has been having an ongoing conversation with, about some of the struggles she is having.
When we finally got to decompress from the night and my mind was just wondering, a phrase from the scriptures popped into my head. God says I will never leave you nor forsake you. Sometimes I don't think we understand the full gravity of that statement. When we are hurting God is right beside us hurting and going through the pain and struggle with us. The Bible says God is close to the broken hearted. When we go through struggles, even when they are caused by our own sinful actions, God is there. When we feel pain from lose, God is there. When we are in the pits because of our actions, God is there.
He will never leave you nor forsake you. That means even when you don't feel like God is there, He is because He said He would be. Never leave, never forsake.
There is this really cool story in the 1st book of the Chronicles of Narnia. The character Digory is telling Aslan the great Lion about his sick mother and asking if there is anything Aslan can do to help her. As he is talking he becomes emotional and begins to cry, overwhelmed with the reality that his mother is dying. He looks down at the ground and see his tears forming a small puddle but directly across from him he sees an even bigger puddle of tears. He looks up and sees Aslan weeping with him because of his pain and suffering.
God says, I will never leave you nor forsake you. In your time of trouble, pain, suffering, sin; you can always count on that.
May our LORD be with you
Josh
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
The Past
Lately I have been thinking about the past. What I've come from, where I've come from, what God has brought me through. Now I don't have a great testimony like some. I didn't come from drugs or the sex industry or witchcraft but my story is my story and God has shown me stuff and brought me through certain situations to teach me things and to help point others to Jesus.
I was reading through some of my old journal entries, if you ever want to see what kind of progress you are making or see how far you have come, keep a journal, it is always an interesting read. But I'm looking through past entries and thinking about some of the things I have experienced in the past year and I am just amazed at how good God has been.
Specifically I want to mention the church plant that I tried to start. Now I am not saying that I or God has taken church planting totally off the table for my life, I'm still working through a lot of stuff but for right now it doesn't seem like it's going to happen. But when I think back to all that happened I have this temptation to think it was a failure and I am a failure.
That is not the truth, I had to go through those experiences to be brought to this point in my life believing the things I do and thinking the ways that I do. It was not a failure, it was something God took me through to teach and stretch and grow me.
If you are reading this today I want you to know that there is no place too low that God can't reach. Where ever you are in life, what ever you are going through, if you want, God can turn you around. He can take any circumstance and turn it into something new, something to give Him credit. If you give your life over to God, He can take you on a journey that years from now you will look back and say to yourself "look where I was and where God has brought me," and I can guarantee you will say it with a smile. You will see the pit you were in and the height of the mountain God has you on now.
Every time i look behind me and see where I have been I am always...always...ALWAYS amazed at where God has brought me and how good He has been. I have faith that He will do the same for you, if you allow Him.
May our LORD be with you
Josh
I was reading through some of my old journal entries, if you ever want to see what kind of progress you are making or see how far you have come, keep a journal, it is always an interesting read. But I'm looking through past entries and thinking about some of the things I have experienced in the past year and I am just amazed at how good God has been.
Specifically I want to mention the church plant that I tried to start. Now I am not saying that I or God has taken church planting totally off the table for my life, I'm still working through a lot of stuff but for right now it doesn't seem like it's going to happen. But when I think back to all that happened I have this temptation to think it was a failure and I am a failure.
That is not the truth, I had to go through those experiences to be brought to this point in my life believing the things I do and thinking the ways that I do. It was not a failure, it was something God took me through to teach and stretch and grow me.
If you are reading this today I want you to know that there is no place too low that God can't reach. Where ever you are in life, what ever you are going through, if you want, God can turn you around. He can take any circumstance and turn it into something new, something to give Him credit. If you give your life over to God, He can take you on a journey that years from now you will look back and say to yourself "look where I was and where God has brought me," and I can guarantee you will say it with a smile. You will see the pit you were in and the height of the mountain God has you on now.
Every time i look behind me and see where I have been I am always...always...ALWAYS amazed at where God has brought me and how good He has been. I have faith that He will do the same for you, if you allow Him.
May our LORD be with you
Josh
Monday, October 17, 2011
Eye of the Beholder
We had a really busy weekend this past weekend. We had the AMP advance Friday into Saturday, my nephew's 1st birthday party Saturday afternoon, band practice Saturday evening, then we got together with family for dinner late Saturday evening. Then church on Sunday morning, a luncheon to raise funds for the Joplin Missions trip in November, THEN we played at the Missionary Rally Sunday evening. Just listing all that stuff out makes me tired all over again.
Now this isn't the norm for us, this was kind of a perfect storm, everything just seemed to fall on the same weekend but at this point in my life I really don't like when things like this happen. I never thought I would say this because I have always been an "On the Go" kind of guy. I like being at home and not having a billion things to do that occupy every single moment of my day. With my wife and son, I want to be at home and spend time with them. It's funny how God has changed me in this way.
But what I wanted to write about today was something that happened while we were playing at the Rally. We are up on stage playing our set of "coffee house" music and Zion was running around the gym giving Angie Naugle a workout trying to keep up with him. As we are playing and I'm watching him run around I remember thinking to myself that I should really concentrate more on the song we were playing so I didn't get lost and mess up. I couldn't take my eyes off of him. I don't even remember what he was doing but I couldn't stop watching him. He was so adorable, I think he was running away from Angie or just doing something cute, he is really good at that.
That made me think, if I, an imperfect human being, can love and adore my child how much more does God love and adore us? How much more does He watch over us and shower us with love all the time?
Most of us who are parents can relate to this idea of how much we love our children. If you have kids and don't love them with every fiber of your being and would not give up anything for their safety, then stop reading this right now cause I am not talking to you. There is something seriously wrong with you for denying the parental instinct that God himself gave us. The instinct that is fashion after his own love and parental nature.
I am talking to those who have and love their children with everything they've got!!
I believe we were created this way by God after the image of how He is a great parent to us. Jesus said it like this, if the sparrow and the grass of the earth are taken care of, why don't we believe that God loves us enough to take care of us? God the Father is not just a Father, He is the greatest parent ever!
You might say, God doesn't love me He didn't give me this or He took this from me. Doesn't a good parent know when it's best to give to their children, discipline their children, withhold wants (not needs) from their children? Good parents put the needs of their children before their own.
You might say, God made a mistake, I was really suppose to be born this way or that way. Let me ask you this, does it ever really work when we tried putting our reasoning above that of our parents? If we were to get want we wanted, all the time as children, based on our reasoning, we would all be fat and lazy. It never worked (or made sense for that matter) when we tried to put our reasoning of situation above that of our parents, so why do we think it would work with God?
No matter what you believe, I am telling you now, the bible I read says that God is a loving, caring, steadfast, faithful Father who will never ever ever ever ever ever ever...ever let you down. Just like I couldn't take me eyes off my son, He will never take His eyes off of you. Watching out for you, loving you and caring for you if you would only let Him.
may our LORD be with you
Josh
Now this isn't the norm for us, this was kind of a perfect storm, everything just seemed to fall on the same weekend but at this point in my life I really don't like when things like this happen. I never thought I would say this because I have always been an "On the Go" kind of guy. I like being at home and not having a billion things to do that occupy every single moment of my day. With my wife and son, I want to be at home and spend time with them. It's funny how God has changed me in this way.
But what I wanted to write about today was something that happened while we were playing at the Rally. We are up on stage playing our set of "coffee house" music and Zion was running around the gym giving Angie Naugle a workout trying to keep up with him. As we are playing and I'm watching him run around I remember thinking to myself that I should really concentrate more on the song we were playing so I didn't get lost and mess up. I couldn't take my eyes off of him. I don't even remember what he was doing but I couldn't stop watching him. He was so adorable, I think he was running away from Angie or just doing something cute, he is really good at that.
That made me think, if I, an imperfect human being, can love and adore my child how much more does God love and adore us? How much more does He watch over us and shower us with love all the time?
Most of us who are parents can relate to this idea of how much we love our children. If you have kids and don't love them with every fiber of your being and would not give up anything for their safety, then stop reading this right now cause I am not talking to you. There is something seriously wrong with you for denying the parental instinct that God himself gave us. The instinct that is fashion after his own love and parental nature.
I am talking to those who have and love their children with everything they've got!!
I believe we were created this way by God after the image of how He is a great parent to us. Jesus said it like this, if the sparrow and the grass of the earth are taken care of, why don't we believe that God loves us enough to take care of us? God the Father is not just a Father, He is the greatest parent ever!
You might say, God doesn't love me He didn't give me this or He took this from me. Doesn't a good parent know when it's best to give to their children, discipline their children, withhold wants (not needs) from their children? Good parents put the needs of their children before their own.
You might say, God made a mistake, I was really suppose to be born this way or that way. Let me ask you this, does it ever really work when we tried putting our reasoning above that of our parents? If we were to get want we wanted, all the time as children, based on our reasoning, we would all be fat and lazy. It never worked (or made sense for that matter) when we tried to put our reasoning of situation above that of our parents, so why do we think it would work with God?
No matter what you believe, I am telling you now, the bible I read says that God is a loving, caring, steadfast, faithful Father who will never ever ever ever ever ever ever...ever let you down. Just like I couldn't take me eyes off my son, He will never take His eyes off of you. Watching out for you, loving you and caring for you if you would only let Him.
may our LORD be with you
Josh
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
What is a disciple
I love the way that God works!! I have recently done a study on what it means to be a disciple. I was preaching a few weeks ago and that was part of my sermon. Then I had a small group the following Tuesday in which we talked about discipleship. Different things and views were mentions but basically the same things were said.
So...what does it mean to be a disciple.
Along with my reading through Deuteronomy, I want to do a study on what Jesus has to say on this subject. I have a suspision that our thoughts on this subject may be off.
The definition of a disciple is one who accepts and helps to spread the message of another.
Did you catch that second part, it is the difference between a convert of Jesus and a disciple of Jesus. A disciple spreads the message of Jesus, making more disciples. True disciples make more disciples.
So I had to ask myself this question and I pose this question to you. If a true disciple makes other disciples, am I a disciple or just a convert. Jesus gave us statement after statement telling us that we are to tell others about God and make more disciples.
What are you doing to make more disciples
Something to think about
May our LORD be with you
So...what does it mean to be a disciple.
Along with my reading through Deuteronomy, I want to do a study on what Jesus has to say on this subject. I have a suspision that our thoughts on this subject may be off.
The definition of a disciple is one who accepts and helps to spread the message of another.
Did you catch that second part, it is the difference between a convert of Jesus and a disciple of Jesus. A disciple spreads the message of Jesus, making more disciples. True disciples make more disciples.
So I had to ask myself this question and I pose this question to you. If a true disciple makes other disciples, am I a disciple or just a convert. Jesus gave us statement after statement telling us that we are to tell others about God and make more disciples.
What are you doing to make more disciples
Something to think about
May our LORD be with you
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Remember the LORD
Right now I am reading through the book of Deuteronomy. I've started this 100 days of reading through the bible regiment. Only the regiment picks out certain portions of scripture so in essence you get the main storyline of the bible the whole way through, not the book in it's entirety. But Deuteronomy was not one chosen, so when I got to the end of Exodus and about to skip ahead to Joshua I thought to myself I really want to read through Deuteronomy because I never have, so here I am.
This morning I came across this verse that I have heard before but it was awesome to read it again and meditate on it. Deut. 8 talks about remembering the LORD Your God. Specifically Moses is recounting to the people of Israel all that God has done for them and reminding them of how good God has been through their rebellion. He tells them that God is giving them a land that has everything they will ever need to live, be wealthy and fruitful. He goes on to warn them in verse 17, that they not think too highly of themselves. That all the things God is providing for them, that they not say I did this or my power has brought me that. My hard work has gained me all that I have. Essentially Moses is telling the people, be careful not to forget that all that you have is a gift from God.
So think about everything that you have. The car, the house, food on the table, money to spend on this hobby or that activity, the water that comes out of your tap. Do you believe that all these things are a gift from God or do you think that you have earned these things by your own power and the strength of your hands?
Did you know?.?.?...
America represents 6% of the world's population but we consume 40% of it's resources.
92% of the people in the world do not have a car.
1 billion people do not have clean drinking water.
800 million people will not eat anything today, 300 million of them are children.
1 million people live on less than $1 a day.
WE ARE SOOOOO RICH!!!!!!
The majority of people in the world suffer every single day from simple things like not having anything to eat or anything to drink, yet we complain when our iPhones don't load the Pizza Hut menu fast enough.
DO NOT make the mistake of thinking that your world is THE world. Furthermore DO NOT make the bigger mistake of forgetting that all you have is a gift from God. The question is will you use these gifts to serve yourself or Him?
Jesus has called, is calling and always will call us to live in a way that serves others. How can you use your car, house, food, money to serve Him and in turn serve others?
May our LORD be with you
Josh
This morning I came across this verse that I have heard before but it was awesome to read it again and meditate on it. Deut. 8 talks about remembering the LORD Your God. Specifically Moses is recounting to the people of Israel all that God has done for them and reminding them of how good God has been through their rebellion. He tells them that God is giving them a land that has everything they will ever need to live, be wealthy and fruitful. He goes on to warn them in verse 17, that they not think too highly of themselves. That all the things God is providing for them, that they not say I did this or my power has brought me that. My hard work has gained me all that I have. Essentially Moses is telling the people, be careful not to forget that all that you have is a gift from God.
So think about everything that you have. The car, the house, food on the table, money to spend on this hobby or that activity, the water that comes out of your tap. Do you believe that all these things are a gift from God or do you think that you have earned these things by your own power and the strength of your hands?
Did you know?.?.?...
America represents 6% of the world's population but we consume 40% of it's resources.
92% of the people in the world do not have a car.
1 billion people do not have clean drinking water.
800 million people will not eat anything today, 300 million of them are children.
1 million people live on less than $1 a day.
WE ARE SOOOOO RICH!!!!!!
The majority of people in the world suffer every single day from simple things like not having anything to eat or anything to drink, yet we complain when our iPhones don't load the Pizza Hut menu fast enough.
DO NOT make the mistake of thinking that your world is THE world. Furthermore DO NOT make the bigger mistake of forgetting that all you have is a gift from God. The question is will you use these gifts to serve yourself or Him?
Jesus has called, is calling and always will call us to live in a way that serves others. How can you use your car, house, food, money to serve Him and in turn serve others?
May our LORD be with you
Josh
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