Ponderings The Day Before Christmas Eve

As a child I enjoyed Christmas as much as any child does, I liked getting presents like most people do.  But I remember as I got older I still liked the presents I just didn't really care about the whole Christmas festivities.  My family always made Christmas eve a drawn out night, we would eat, then read the bible, then sit around and sing Christmas songs for seemed like eternity.  After all the program finally finished we would pass out presents.   As I got later in my teenage years I really disliked all the traditions of my family, I put up with it cause I had too, but it seemed to drag out forever.  My concern at 17 & 18 years old was that I wanted to open presents and then go to the parties were my friends were, where everyone else was drinking and having a good time.
     At that point in my life I didn't realize what a treasure I had for a family, I didn't realize that my parents had extreme love for me because they cared more about sharing Christ with me than they cared about me going to have a supposedly good time with my friends. 
     Well August 25th 1997 I gave my life to Jesus Christ, it was an exciting thing for me.  In August 1997 my whole world turned upside down for the good, I wasn't a good example of a Christian or on behalf of Jesus for a while.  Consistently as time went own, the Holy Spirit kept showing me things that I needed to let go of, if I was going to truly live for Jesus and be a reflection of Him.  Many things changed very quickly and some gradually, and honestly the Holy Spirit is still changing me to be more like Jesus.  But of all the details of my life that changed, one thing that happened was radical and instant, I all of a sudden began desiring the Christian atmostphere that I had ran from.  I no longer found entertainment and appeasement in the worldly life of drinking and just being dumb as I had before.  And from that moment till today, there is this amazement I have of how Jesus has loved me through so many dumb choices of my life. 
    I stand amazed that at my worst and at my best, Jesus loved me, and had given His life for me to show that love.  So with all that in mind, Christmas 1997 marked a new love for Christmas that I had never had.  Christmas 1997 I was anxious alright, I was anxious to hear the story of my Savior's birth, and sing the songs of His wonderful gift of Salvation to all who will call on Him.  The presents were going to be appreciated that night, but for all I cared the presents could wait because the joy was in the ultimate Giver of Life and not just the gifts.  Each year I stand more amazed at the story of the Savior's birth and His willingness to come to the earth to rescue people.
    Whether Christmas stirs memories of sadness or joy I leave you with a reminder of what Jesus has done to reach out to you.
1 Peter 1:18-20
18 For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. 19 It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. 20 God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but he has now revealed him to you in these last days.

Editors note:  Due to the fact that I have to rush off, this blog hasn't been edited yet, so please overlook the misspellings and grammatical errors that appear for now.

Take Heart

John 16:33  These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

I have been thinking alot about the Joy of The Lord the last day and 1/2 or so.  In His presence is fullness of joy.  The joy of the Lord is my strength.  These are scriptures that have been ringing through my head.

This morning I came across the above scripture (John 16:33), and it seemed to scream out the reason for the joy.  The joy or peace in this world is in Jesus.  Life will give many dissappointments, many struggles, many temptations for worldly possesions and pleasures.  However a fulfilled & joyful life is a life that has peace in Jesus regardless of physical things that occur.
       Take heart, be of good cheer, no matter the thoughts, no matter the obstacles, no matter the sickness or pain.  No matter what comes Jesus has absolutely overcome the world.  The world or worldly system or temptation is not the master, Jesus is the master. 
      Have peace in sorrow, peace in trails because the situation doesn't control you, but Jesus in you controls the situation.  No wonder Paul said in

Colossians 3:2

Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth.

The joy is found in the things of heaven; misery, dissappointment, discontentment, jealousy, is found in the things and situations of this earth.

                 Be of good cheer, Jesus has overcome the world.

October 31st message

Just wanted to clear somethings that Calley says may not be so clear.




So here we go:



1. Saturday's fun begins at 5 till 8

2. The bible character dress up is for adults as well as children, and I think it would be wonderful to be as involved as possible as an encouragement to the children and showing a real involvement with them. Come even if you don't dress up, but it sure would be cool if you would.

3. Guys --- if you are willing I would love to see you at 1:30 to help with setting up for the activities for the night.

4. Girls --- contact Calley at 601-334-0724 or Cristi at 336-9539 for help in that department.

5. Everybody is wanted by 5:00pm on Saturday. :)

Also I would like to explain somethings about this fun Saturday night.
As a church, as pastor, and as just plain on Danny Reed, halloween is not a celebrated event. On the subject of Halloween, it is an evil root that it began with, and because of evil it still exist today. I can explain the traditions and origins of Halloween in pretty good detail, but I will save time and say you can google it or ask me and I will be glad to explain. To say that the evil origins and the evils of halloween till this day are not obvious is really just ignoring the obvious.

With that said, some may wonder why are we having anything on halloween then. Well this is an event that Calley and I have wrestled with for several years, and have strongly opposed. For years I have excused myself from halloween alternatives by saying "Christians shouldn't have an alternative to evil." Each year I have also thought to myself well plenty of other churches have activities going on for an alternative. And while they are both true and valid, the fact I can't ignore any longer is that some of the children that go to our church will not go anywhere else.

This year we decided to venture out and begin this annual event because number one I don't believe in alternatives, so why not take what the devil intended for evil and kick him in the face with a Godly atmosphere and a wholesome enviroment for people to be in. Jesus isn't an alternative, He is the defeator of the devil. This is a night of victory not just alternatives. The more time goes on, the more I realize that the less Christians do, the more people the devil ruins, and I don't want to miss an opportunity to rescue someone.

In light of all the above I have finally decided on a name for Saturday's event. It is Hallelujah Night, cause it is a night that Jesus will be lifted up, regardless of the reasons that October 31st began a couple 100 years ago, Jesus is the victor, He has defeated the devil and he won't stop. HALLELUJAH OUR GOD REIGNS.

Have an awesome day,

Danny and Calley



p.s. I take no responsibility for bad grammar, runons, fragments, rambling or the likes. lol.

The reaction matters

Matthew 5:39 But I say, do not resist an evil person!  If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.

Now this is what I am talking about.  A verse like this gets me all excited cause it completely slams the human's natural sinful reaction. 
   As a child and teenager, a youth pastor and now pastor, I have heard through the years all to often of the kids that say "my daddy/momma told me if someone hits me and I don't hit em back then I will be in trouble when I get home."  The other statements I hear are from parents, "well I don't want my kid getting pushed around, I want him/her to stand up for themself."  I realize the statements sound right, and people think they are right but the truth is they are wrong.

   I can say from my 31 years of life, there are 2 very real truths:
1. Look for trouble and you will find trouble. In other words if you are always running your mouth and feel the need to have the last word, then sooner or later somebody is going to punch you in the face.
2. If you don't start trouble, then 99% there will be no trouble.  In other words, if you would learn to not be cocky and shut your mouth every now and then, then you will find yourself with more and better friends.

Now with that in mind, lets examine something.  According to the scripture. the person who is doing the hitting is evil in the eyes of God.  And no matter from the nice guy who had a bad day to the serial killer who may kill my very own child, my job and God's expectation of me is to forgive the person and love them regardless.  Now yes the government is set up to protect us, and it is the government's job to put the people who do crimes in jail, but my job is to love them and forgive them.  This is hard to do, I know of only one man so far other than Jesus who has forgiven someone no matter what.  A man named Richard Coss had grandchildren in Oklahoma City when Timothy McVeigh blew up the building known as the Oklahoma City bombing.  Richard after some time went and talked to McVeigh face to face and told him that he was forgiven, and proceded to share the message of Jesus Christ to him.  What a freedom it is to not have bitterness.
    The other fact in the scripture is that if the person who throws the first punch is evil, then the person who responds with a punch is in the same category.  So for parents who encourage their child to not get pushed around and to hit back, you my friend are training your child to be evil.  I believe any parent has a sincere desire to not want to train their child to be evil.  For the person who encourages their friend to fight back and get mad, you are also in the evil category.
     I believe majority of adults do not want to be evil, but it is our human natures.  Simply because of our birth as sinners we are actually born evil.  At any moment in this life though, we can ask for God's forgiveness and be free of this guilt and evilness.  Ultimately our sins are the nails that were hammered in Jesus's hands and feet.  My and your sins are the ultimate slap of death to Jesus, and yet to all who are willing to receive the forgiveness, He will turn the other cheek and love you while doing so. 

                                                                   Timothy McVeigh

I would have let this kid hang out around my house, I would probably have went fishing and hunting with this guy.  He looked harmless, but looks don't matter when a person does not know the love and forgivness of Jesus.  Live life like Jesus is walking beside you, share Him with others, you never know how many people's lives will be affected because you do.

I bet alot of people thought he was harmless, the right friends could have been the right example to him and possibly saved alot of people from a very sad day.  The truth is any of your friends have the potential to be the next rapest, murderer, molestor, will you tell them about the love of Jesus?  Will you live it out, so they can see the love of Jesus?  Will you turn the other cheek, and teach your children and friends to do the same thing?   From what I see everybody just wants to be really loved.  People want a love so great that gives them purpose and give them significance.  The only problem is apart from accepting the love of Jesus there is no other perfect love that last and fulfills in this entire world.

The Laugh Is A Lie

LAUGHTER IS A CONCEALER

Proverbs 14:13

Laughter can conceal a heavy heart; when the laughter ends the grief remains.

Conceal--to keep from being seen, found, observed, or discovered; hide

Grief--Deep mental anguish, source of deep mental anguish, annoyance or frustration, trouble or difficulty

   As I read this verse a couple of days ago, my heart began to break.  It breaks for the fact of what I have seen throughout my life and what I have seen in teenage boys and girls throughout my years as a youth minister.  I now see this in adults.  It seems that the ones who laugh the most are the ones who so often hurt the most on the inside.  The ones who laugh at anything and seem so happy go lucky are also so often the ones who cry themselves to sleep at night. 

   This is a hard thing to deal with because so often the same people will make sure and not let anyone get too close.  There is the other group of  people who seem to always have a chip on their shoulder all the time, these are the ones that get picked on, and hated for the way they act.

    What I have discovered is that when people laugh, lots of times they laugh to hide the hurt.  I have also learned that when people are mean, they are mean because they have been hurt so badly that for all they know every nice talking person is a con and nobody can be trusted.

     The world we live in shows us according to TV shows that beautiful equals happy, yet their beauty is fake.  We see famous people that have amazing weddings, the only problem is they never stay married more than an average 2 to 3 years max.  A once famous rapper Snoop Dogg didn't even allow his children to listen to his music yet he didn't mind ruining the minds of others teaching that women, money and booze equals happiness.

     Jesus desires to bring healing, He has paid the price for healing.  The problem with humans today is that we have been trained that everybody is really a fake and a dissapointment, so Jesus can only be more of the same.  After all, it is difficult for some to believe in a loving God they can't see when they have been hurt by so many they can see.

     The message hasn't changed, Jesus still displayed his love by His death on the cross.  Jesus Christ was involved in creation and He chose to come to earth not to bail people out of hell. In Revelation 13:8 it states "the Lamb (Jesus) that was slain from the creation of the world."
     Jesus Christ plan was to come to earth to suffer, be rejected and die a perfect sinless life in order to cover the sins of people.  The sins He would cover on that cross were the sins of the people that He was about to create.  Jesus knows we are flawed people, He knows the hurting hearts, and He truly loves you.
     Laughter can hide the pain, but the pain will remain.  Your friends don't care enough to be able to see past the smile or past the stange anger you seem to have towards people for no reason.  Jesus does care.  Jesus can and will heal.  Only you know what inside of you, others don't.  Don't pretend for them any longer, if the laughter is not getting you free of the issues of your heart, then quit trying a failed plan.  Turn to the one who knows and cares more than any other.

John 8:11b And Jesus said, "neither do I condemn you, now go and sin no more."

     I wonder what she is really like on the inside, wonder what the guys are really like on the inside.  I wonder what they are really thinking right now.

I know the emptiness on the inside of these guys cause I used to be one of them.  I smiled but felt so unaccepted.  I got tired of being a fake, I learned that faking never ends the issues, and never heals.  Jesus healed my heart 8/25/97.  When did or will He heal yours?

Life is short

2 Timothy 3:1-4
1.But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,  3.without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4.treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God--

     Wow, I think this pretty much describes society.  Now I am not the person to say that it is the end of the world, but the end will come one day, and people will be living when it does happen.  It amazes me to talk with people, I find that almost every person lives like they will never die, yet people die everyday.  It is obvious that the devil doesn't mind most of the human race believing that the world will end, just not now and also that every person will die but just not for a long time like at 97 years old or something.
    This is all interesting to me cause I remember thinking like this, and still catch myself thinking this way sometimes.  I remember as a kid I planned on living it up until about 40 years old and then I would settle down, get married and probably go to church.  It never occured to me that I could die at 8 or 10 or 20 or at just anytime.  As I got to be a teenager I realized that one day Jesus would come back to earth and at that time everyone would go to heaven or hell depending on whether they had chose Jesus as their Savior or not.  But while I knew Jesus would come back I never considered that it could happen while I was alive.  So for a large part of my life I lived it up, after all I was going to settle down at 40 years old. 
      As I sit here today and reflect, I am glad that I woke up to the fact that when a person truly believes on Jesus to be their Savior then He literally changes their very nature.  He changes our wants and our likes and dislikes.  I now see that Jesus could return at literally any moment, maybe today, maybe before I finish this post. 
      The facts are obvious for those who look for signs, we are a generation of people that is more pleasure seeking than words can describe, talking about being disobedient well there is medicine for that now days.  There are those who are without self control, oh yea thats right we call this road rage and yes there is a road rage pill available.  The bottom line is we have become a people who seek after pleasures rather than God and we seek a pill to fix our problems rather than Jesus who can heal the issue. 
      The saddest reality of seeking pleasure though is that I don't know of a single person who has ever found a true pleasure that last, and doesn't fade and doesn't grow old apart from the joy that is found in Jesus. 
 
Could it be that the very thing that we as a people avoid is the very thing that we really want?  I can say from my own experience that it was Jesus that I stayed away from for a large part of my life and I later discovered that Jesus was all I truly ever wanted.  Worldy pleasures come and go, and usually leave people with hangovers, STD's and depression, but Jesus brings a joy into a person's life that never stops.  Even when the world is over, life will be good.
 
Isaiah 53:5  But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

Think Of As Human

2 Corinthians 5:16-17  So we have stopped evaluating others by what the world thinks about them. Once I mistakenly thought of Christ that way, as though he were merely a human being. How differently I think about him now!  17.What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!

Wow, I think all of mankind has been guilty of this.  It seems that it is often a struggle to try to explain to a person the amazing love of God.  There are really no words on this earth that can describe Jesus in a way that a person who isn't a Christian would understand.  Jesus seems to be hard to describe because all discriptive adjectives are based on something that is physical and known to the physical senses.  Jesus is way beyond the physical though, His work is done on us from the inside and then comes out.  How is someone to describe that they have this amazing joy even in the middle of physical hard times?  A non-christian can't understand having joy immediatly after you just became paralized for life, I know a person this happened too.   A non-christian can't understand knowing that no matter what happens, God really does love and He does forgive, that God does not turn anyone away that calls out to Him.  But once a person calls out to Jesus and cry out to be forgiven of their sins, then that person becomes a 100% new person, because they are instantly given a clean heart.  This clean heart that God gives has different emotions, and a different view point.  As a sincere Christian, the person realizes that God is not suprised by the storm in their life, He knows the end results, and is ready to walk you through to victory.
      All the confusion begins as Paul said in the scripture above though, he used to think Jesus to be like other humans.  Humans are born sinners and are terribly wicked by nature, though Jesus will change that nature to all who call to Him.  Most people view Jesus for instance like a person who likes you when your good, and is mad at you when your bad. From a non-christian mind set, a person may even view Jesus as saying 3 strikes and your out.  However Jesus is not like the rest of mankind, He wasn't born a sinner, in fact He never sinned.  Since He was not born with our wicked heart, He does not have a wicked heart.  Jesus has a heart full of compassion and healing.  His desire is for all of man-kind to have a very very close relationship with Him.  In spite of our rebellion and rotten attitudes, Jesus is still forgiving and reaching out to us.  Don't ever be fooled my friend that Jesus has given up on you or doesn't want you.  Just the same, don't believe that because Jesus loves you so much He would not allow you to be miserable and die and go to hell.  We make the choice of obtaining a new nature that we weren't born with naturally, and we make the choice of where we spend eternity based on whether or not we called out to Jesus to be our perfect father during our life.  Once you are truly a Christian, you will no longer view Jesus from your human point of view.

Isaiah 65:2 2."I have spread out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, Who walk in the way which is not good, following their own thoughts,

Prejudices That Must Die

Galatians 3:27 And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have been made like him.
This is a subject that is to some degree constantly on my mind. As I have grown up as a non-christian and now a large portion of my life as a christian there are many "Christians" who have confused me with their talk. Prejudice is a trait that I find in all races of people, but sadly also in alot of Christians.
I think it is time that the body of Christ acknowledges and confronts those we call brother and sister about allowing this characteristic of satan to have place in their new life in Christ.
Once a man had a near death experience, during that time he reflected on his life and had many regrets for the racial jokes he made on a regular basis. This same man, told myself as well as several others to keep him accountable, and he wanted to live the rest of his life with no more racial jokes or thoughts, he realized when facing death what a sin that the jokes were. Within 2 weeks time, this same man was feeling as if he hadn't almost died, and was back to his old self, with the old jokes. I pulled him aside and spoke privately with him, as he had asked me to just a couple of weeks prior. I thought all was well, but quickly found out that now the joke was on me, cause he went back to the crowd and told how I had pulled him aside and confronted him. I immediately became the punchline for the crowds jokes. People made fun of me then instead of other races. I didn't mind being picked on but it did bother me that the whole crowd claimed to be christian, they were all church regulars, some leaders.
I don't say this to say all Christians are hypocrites, I tell the story to confront the body and say this is a shame. If one part suffers or is weak, then the whole body suffers, you suffer and I suffer. We are called to strengthen one another, and to keep each other accountable, but do understand that when our wrongs are pointed out our flesh will not like it, but the spirit man craves it. Who do we desire to please more, the flesh or the spirit.
Before parting, some people may think the man in my story needs to not talk like he does, after all one human is no more favored than another in God's eyes. Jesus loves and desires everyone.
The real question is what about you and I, is there any racism in you? Maybe you wouldn't tell a racist or degrading joke, maybe you don't enjoy that humor, good for you. Would you have a problem with your child, grandchild, sibling marrying a person of another race? If so, then you my friend like it or not are racist. A sad fact I see in the church among parents is they don't mind their child dating or even marrying a lost person, or just a person who attends church but has no passion for Jesus at all. However the same parent would be upset if their child was dating or engaged to a person of another race who is radically in love with Jesus.
The old people say it would cause hardship on the children of the couple, or that society would give them a hard time. Hey people, the world accepted the interracial couples and children a long time ago.
Paul said we are all united in baptism. Paul said there is neither Greek or Jew once a person is in Christ. Have you accepted this truth from God's word? Until love sees no dividing lines among God's people, the body of Christ is greatly restrained and hindered.
1 John 4:20 If someone says, "I love God," but hates a Christian brother or sister; that person is a liar; for if we don't love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we have not seen?
Some people think my view point on God's Word is to harsh or strong, I just simply see the Word of God as black and white with no room left for gray.

Scattered fun thoughts of the day

After a long day yesterday and a good nights sleep, it was a perfect time to get and spend in the Word this morning. But just as my eyes opened up to the world today, once I noticed that I had slept a little later than I like, I quickly noticed that my youngest son had discovered the new day as well. This is usually no problem as he quickly goes back to sleep, but today was different. Just as one son was anxious to play, so was another son right behind him. I love my children, but I love the fact that they have been sleeping so well in the mornings also. There is nothing like waking up and being very alert, and just sitting in the presence of Jesus Christ. Ahh I get refreshed and joyful just thinking about it.
This morning, I didn't get my bible time, I instead got to play with my children, which is good. After Calley came to the world this morning, we had a wonderful time visiting. In years past I have felt like maybe I wasn't quite as Chirstian if I had a busy morning and wasn't able to read my bible. Now when I say busy, I mean unavoidable things, like children, not just plain laziness.
As Calley and I visited a verse quickly came to my mind.
Lamentations 3:23
21. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:
22. Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
23. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

As Calley and I talked and enjoyed our time together, our minds dwelt and wondered to the fact of the more a person grows in knowledge and love of Jesus, the more we realize that there is always more to learn, and even very fun to learn. God is a big God, He is a loving God, and He is an very fun God. It is a blast when He reveals Himself to man in a way that man previously did not know Him. Discovering the God on a more intimate level on a daily basis, is so refreshing and so fun. His mercies truly are new every morning. His love is new everyday. No wonder God wants man to love his wife, like Christ loves the church. There are many ways this can be explained, but a huge overlooked way is for the love to be new every morning, to be fun and refreshing everyday.

Sorry this blog come out as some scattered thoughts, but it has been another fun day.

Calley will probably let me know when she sees this picture. This is how I see if she reads my blog.

What A Difference A Prayer Makes

Recently God has branded two scriptures on my spirit man.

1. John 15:7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted

2. Romans 8:31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?

I have turned these Scriptures in my head like never before, and I can honestly say believed them like never before. Well a few weeks ago, I began searching for a dear friend that I haven't seen in probably 6 years and had no clue where he was. I searched the internet and couldn't find him, so I just casually asked God to help me find him. And look out within a few days I come face to face with him. A friend who had lived in the Dallas area, and has been living in Winnsboro for a couple of years now, and in Sicily Island God works it out. There are so many details to how God brought us together that would take hours to type, but the bottom line is God gave me exactly what I asked. And not only that, God gave far above what was asked and now it is obvious that God put the desire in my heart to look for my friend for a reason. God knows what we all need, right when we need it.
Sorry I can't go into great detail, but I will say this, the devil got kicked in the face by God bringing the friendship back together, and lives have been saved as a result.

I leave with this verse about the Holy Spirits purpose

John 16:14 He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me.

The Holy Spirit, unknowing to me, was telling me that Jesus wanted me to find my old friend. And much Glory has been brought to Jesus Christ as a result.

Whatever we ask, truly will be granted!!! And when we are abiding in Christ, Christ is leading us in what we ask. Just think about it like this, if God puts the request that we ask in our Spirit man, why would He not answer His own request?

Isaiah 41:10 Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

It is has been a long time since I have updated this blog, but I think its time for one today.

Why is it that, the same struggles the Isrealites had when leaving Egypt are the same struggles most believers still have here 1000's of years later. Throughout the old testament, God was continually building up his people, by reminding them that He would hold them up, and that He was in control. God was continually telling His people "Don't be discouraged, don't be afraid, I am with you." Now here we are in 2009 and the believers of today are still getting scared or discouraged when we don't get what we think we immediately need. Maybe we need to remember that God knows what we need and when we need, after all He is God.
If God didn't mess up when He created the world, and Jesus didn't fail in carrying out his mission on earth, and the Holy Spirit has always given power to overcome, then why do believers freak out, stress out, worry and get bad attitudes when a situation is not what they want.
Remember the Isrealites, they didn't like being in Egypt and God delivered them, and they whined about the way they were delivered. Once the Isrealites got the reports of the giants in the land that God had given them, they whined and lost the land. Joshua and Caleb, didn't worry and didn't whine, and they possessed God's promise of the land.
Maybe we need to be reminded that there is no need to be discouraged, or afraid. The people of the bible who missed out on the promises God had given them, were the people who's attitude was based upon their situation. On good days, they were all good, on bad days they were all easily set off and upset. The ones who's personality and attitudes followed their faith and not their situation received great promises from God.

John 15:7 But if you remain in Me and My words remain in you, you may ask for ANYTHING you want, and it WILL be granted

Lambs Among Wolves

Luke 10:2-3
2 These were his instructions to them: "The harvest is so great, but the workers are so few. Pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest, and ask him to send out more workers for his fields. 3 Go now, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves.

This really nailed me this morning. What a crazy statement, what a non encouraging statement in the physical sense. Think about this, a lamb and a wolf, the lamb doesn't stand a chance. The lamb always gets eating by the wolf, the wolf always wins. I think a lot of christians think they are beaten and that the wolf is treating them like this.


or maybe sometime a christian has felt like this against the world.




It is the defeated attitude, like "oh I am just a poor sheep, help me Lord in this world of wolves."


But you know the beautiful thing about sending us out as lambs among wolves. The beautiful part is the impossibility, God works only on the level of the impossible. He heals the sick, He raises the dead, He rebukes the demon and He gives this power to lambs which is able to change or convert a wolf to a lamb. Do we realize that before we come to Christ we are all wolves, we are as the bible calls it "enemies of the cross." But by the saving power of Jesus Christ a wolf can instantly change from a selfish, arrogant, mean, filthy wolf, to a pure, spotless, beautiful lamb. A lamb is not a defeated wimp, maybe a more accurate picture of a lamb which has His/Her spiritual armor on would look more like this.

OK so maybe that's a little extreme, but I like the picture.


Maybe instead of feeling like we can't take it anymore at our job, or in our house, or in a place you have to be all the time. Maybe it is time we view ourselves as God looks at us. We are more than conquers, through Christ Jesus. In this lamb among wolves world, we are the strongest, we are the most powerful, we are called to reach the lost, we have the person living inside us who can change a wolf to a lamb.

And if the power God has given a lamb is not believable to you, well think about who the One is that protects the lambs. The Lion of Judah, God Almighty, is the One who strongly protects us.


And He treats His lambs like this
(I take no credit for my grammar skills, so please ignore them)

Forgiveness

Luke 17:1-5
1 One day Jesus said to his disciples, "There will always be temptations to sin, but how terrible it will be for the person who does the tempting. 2 It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around the neck than to face the punishment in store for harming one of these little ones. 3 I am warning you! If another believer sins, rebuke him; then if he repents, forgive him. 4 Even if he wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, forgive him." 5 One day the apostles said to the Lord, "We need more faith; tell us how to get it."
This is really a neat passage to me, if you think about it forgiveness is probably the area most looked over in people's lives. So often we are so quick to get mad when we feel like we have been done wrong, but Jesus basically says "who cares what anybody does to you, forgive them." Have you ever taken the time to think if God really wants us to forgive in every circumstance?
Well the amazing part of this passage is that Jesus is talking about forgiveness and the disciple's first statement is asking for faith. The disciples reply to Jesus seems to give the impression that they heard him and then said "yea, yea, that's nice but tell us about this faith stuff, we want to do some cool things." Today as I was reading this passage, I was hit with a whole different perspective. The disciples in their reply simply realized something far to many people never do, they realized that forgiveness at the level Jesus required cannot be achieved without faith. So often we are guilty of trying to make ourselves forgive, and yet it seems that the harder we try to forgive, the harder it is. Man does not have the righteousness level needed to forgive when we have been treated wrong. True forgiveness, complete real forgiveness, is only attainable by trusting Jesus to work through us, so that we can forgive people as he requires of us. What a great feeling to truly forgive someone to the extent, that even when they wrong you again, you don't remember about the past times that you have been done wrong.
What a wonderful, beautiful, and free life we can have if only we decide to believe Jesus in every single circumstance.

Oh This Is Good

Ephesians 3:10 God's purpose in all this was to use the church to display His wisdom in its rich variety to all unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 6:12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

I have never understood the whole evil spirits in heavenly places stuff, but I accept it. The thing that gets me excited here is that if you put these verses together, you instantly get a complete package.
Many people are famaliar to some degree with Ephesians 6:12 but I would imagine Ephesians 3:10 is not very well known. Thoughout the Bible God is constantly telling us to get our eyes off the physical circumstances and physical obstacles and to look at things from a spiritual view point. For example, a person involved in adultery has a spirit problem and the physical actions are only because of the spiritual problem. To know God is to love Him, and to love Him is to obey Him. So therefore any disobedience to God, or any insecurity or selfishness problem or pride is not just a person's character, but the person's character is a reflection of their spiritual condition.
Well maybe it will be easier to fight off these evil powers and authorities if we recognize our high calling as the body of Christ. Ephesians 3:10 says that the purpose of the Church (followers of Jesus Christ worldwide) is to show off God, His wisdom, His power. What an awesome privilege to be the object that God points to, in order to show the devil why the evil powers and authorities are the losers. God has designed and appointed believers to be powerful people of faith, who walk and live in a manner that shames the devil.
To me that is a reminder of the high calling and responsiblity God has given, and also a reminder of the power He has given to those who believe, to cast out devils, heal the sick, raise the dead, and most importantly convict those who don't know Him and bring them to repentance. Let's walk in that power today. Let's honor Him as a people He can point to and tell the evil power and authorities "look at what I just did."

Gotta Figure This Out

Well I will start blogging soon. I think I got things about ready to go.