Fellow Believers in Christ,
Recently, I have seen God working in my life, but in order to see Him prodding me along the path that He has designated that I follow it has taken over a year and He had to close one door and open another to allow me to see all of the little things that He used to get me to this point.
Our culture is in such a rush to get things done now, however when we are in a rush it is easy to miss the small subtle clues that God has left for us along our path. That is why it is important to take time to get away and get into God's Word and listen for His still and quiet voice. Reflecting on the past during this time is a good way to seek those clues that God placed in your life and mine.
However, God does not leave us here, yet we are left with a decision to be made. We can choose to correct our path and follow God's direction for our life or we can decide to do our own thing. The choice is a personal one for each of us, but as Joshua said as for me and my family we will serve the Lord.
Your Brother in Christ,
Mike
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
The Power of One
Fellow Believers in Christ,
I was reading in John 4 a few days ago and the story of the woman at the well and her interaction with Jesus has stuck with me since then. What I find most compeling about this story is that Jesus did not look past her when others in that day and age did because it was the thing to do. He knew that she had value. By taking time out of His very busy schedule to spend with this one woman many people came to know and accept Christ as their Lord and Savior. I love that old song "It Only Takes a Spark" the lyrics that I remember go like this. It only takes a spark to get the fire going. That's how it is with God's love once you experience you want to pass it on. Today, reach out to a person in your life that you would not normally approach and show them that they have value and meaning. Who knows what impact that person will have on the world or the Kingdom of God because you made them feel special.
Your brother in Christ,
Mike
I was reading in John 4 a few days ago and the story of the woman at the well and her interaction with Jesus has stuck with me since then. What I find most compeling about this story is that Jesus did not look past her when others in that day and age did because it was the thing to do. He knew that she had value. By taking time out of His very busy schedule to spend with this one woman many people came to know and accept Christ as their Lord and Savior. I love that old song "It Only Takes a Spark" the lyrics that I remember go like this. It only takes a spark to get the fire going. That's how it is with God's love once you experience you want to pass it on. Today, reach out to a person in your life that you would not normally approach and show them that they have value and meaning. Who knows what impact that person will have on the world or the Kingdom of God because you made them feel special.
Your brother in Christ,
Mike
Monday, August 31, 2009
Watch Out for Information Overload
Fellow Believers,
I noticed a few months ago that as I got excited about Christ and learning more about him that I was trying to read as much Christian literature that I could get my hands on, but I found myself getting my knowledge of God's word from many other books instead of the Bible. I did not think much about it until I ran across this passage:
Ecclesiastes 12:12-13 (Message)
But regarding anything beyond this, dear friend, go easy. There's no end to the publishing of books, and constant study wears you out so you're no good for anything else. The last and final word is this:
Fear God.
Do what he tells you.
Then I really had to take a look at what I was doing in my own studies and realize that I needed to get back to the basics of simply reading and studying God's word for all it was worth.
I challenge you even in today's information age to read less and focus on what is important and will what have value for you not in this lifetime but the next as well. When you do this you will realize that things get clearer for you just as they did for me.
Keep up the good fight in the Faith as we fight an ever present and very dangerous enemy!
Your brother in Christ,
Mike
I noticed a few months ago that as I got excited about Christ and learning more about him that I was trying to read as much Christian literature that I could get my hands on, but I found myself getting my knowledge of God's word from many other books instead of the Bible. I did not think much about it until I ran across this passage:
Ecclesiastes 12:12-13 (Message)
But regarding anything beyond this, dear friend, go easy. There's no end to the publishing of books, and constant study wears you out so you're no good for anything else. The last and final word is this:
Fear God.
Do what he tells you.
Then I really had to take a look at what I was doing in my own studies and realize that I needed to get back to the basics of simply reading and studying God's word for all it was worth.
I challenge you even in today's information age to read less and focus on what is important and will what have value for you not in this lifetime but the next as well. When you do this you will realize that things get clearer for you just as they did for me.
Keep up the good fight in the Faith as we fight an ever present and very dangerous enemy!
Your brother in Christ,
Mike
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Jesus and Eternity
A few days ago as I was preparing to leave my family on a 12 month deployment was I finally able to understand the difficulty that Jesus faced as he talked to his disciples about his final days on Earth, and that he was going somewhere that they could not go.
John 13:36-37 (New American Standard Bible)
36 Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, where are You going?" Jesus answered, "Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later." 37 Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You."
As I tried to tell my almost 3 year old daughter that her father was going somewhere she could not follow it was very clear that she did not understand what I was saying. Like Simon Peter, she said Daddy I can come with you to Afghanistan, and I loving told her again where I was going that she could not come.
Leaving those you love behind is never easy, but because of Jesus' sacrifice for those who chose to believe in him we can spend eternity with our families.
Do you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior? He is coming again. Are you and your family ready?
Your brother in Christ,
Mike
John 13:36-37 (New American Standard Bible)
36 Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, where are You going?" Jesus answered, "Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later." 37 Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You."
As I tried to tell my almost 3 year old daughter that her father was going somewhere she could not follow it was very clear that she did not understand what I was saying. Like Simon Peter, she said Daddy I can come with you to Afghanistan, and I loving told her again where I was going that she could not come.
Leaving those you love behind is never easy, but because of Jesus' sacrifice for those who chose to believe in him we can spend eternity with our families.
Do you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior? He is coming again. Are you and your family ready?
Your brother in Christ,
Mike
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Yes Man for God
Fellow Believers,
I recently watched Jim Carey's movie Yes Man about a man named Carl that lived his life by saying no to everything. This led him to have a life that lacked meaning and hurt his relationships with those in his life. His whole view on life changed when he went to a seminar where he learned the power to unlocking all life had to offer was by saying yes to everything he was asked. This simple change in Carl's life provided more opportunities that he had passed on before that allowed him to live a fuller life.
This lead me to ponder this question: How many of us have been sitting in church and listening to Gods word preached and still say no to his path for our lives?
Lets explore what Jesus has to say about "yes" when he is talking about the importance of keeping our vows in the Sermon on the Mount:
Matthew 5:37 (New Living Translation)
I recently watched Jim Carey's movie Yes Man about a man named Carl that lived his life by saying no to everything. This led him to have a life that lacked meaning and hurt his relationships with those in his life. His whole view on life changed when he went to a seminar where he learned the power to unlocking all life had to offer was by saying yes to everything he was asked. This simple change in Carl's life provided more opportunities that he had passed on before that allowed him to live a fuller life.
This lead me to ponder this question: How many of us have been sitting in church and listening to Gods word preached and still say no to his path for our lives?
Lets explore what Jesus has to say about "yes" when he is talking about the importance of keeping our vows in the Sermon on the Mount:Matthew 5:37 (New Living Translation)
37 Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.
Jesus wants our yeses to have meaning not only to others but with him as well. I have decided to devote my life completely to God, and have started saying yes to whatever he wants me to do in my life. God's will for my life and my family is far greater than anything that I could ever put together on my own. He knows that my plans always fall short and are lacking in substance.
We serve an amazing an powerful God! Are you ready to become a Yes Man for God and allow him to move in your life?
Your brother in Christ,
Mike
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Understanding the Cost
Fellow Believers,
When I was younger, I heard the following story told about the incredible sacrifice the Jesus made for me. This story is told in modern language and hits just as hard as the Biblical story of Jesus on the Cross.
When I was younger, I heard the following story told about the incredible sacrifice the Jesus made for me. This story is told in modern language and hits just as hard as the Biblical story of Jesus on the Cross.
It was a cool day in early fall when Brian, a longtime employee of the local train company, whose job was to manually turn the bridge to allow trains to pass with safety high above the water brought is son, Chad, to work. Chad was excited to see all that his Dad did at work, to Chad his Dad was his Hero. They went down to see the gears that turned the massive bridge. Then it was time for Brian to start cranking the bridge in place for the train that arrives at the top of the hour. Chad fell and got caught in the gears that needed to turn to close the bridge and provide safe passage for the train that was on its way. Brian knew that the train would be there in 10 minutes and it would take him nearly that amount of time to get the bridge in place. He paused for a moment and knew he had to make a decision: save his son or let his son die allowing all of the passengers on the train to live. Brian knew what he had to do as tears started to form in his eyes he began cranking the bridge closed. Chad yelled and screamed "Dad your hurting me! Please Dad stop! I love you!" Now with tears streaming down his face Brian finished closing the bridge and stood silent as the passengers on the train waived to him. They did not realize the sacrifice that he made so that they might live.
I am thankful that God willing gave his Son to die for my sins. I can only imagine how hard it must have been to hear his Son crying out for him on the cross yet not do anything. It is hard for me as a dad not to want to run to my children when they are crying and pick them up and let them know that everything will be okay.
Let us never forget the sacrifice that Christ made for us. We serve a powerful and mighty God!
Your brother in Christ,
Mike
Saturday, July 11, 2009
The Only One!
Fellow Believers,
This evening I am going to conclude our series on numbers in the Bible. I am going to focus on the number one in this post and its significance to our lives as believers. First, let's take a look at what Paul has to say to his disciple Timothy in the following passage.
Paul lays it out very clearly. There is only one God. Mohammad, Buddha, Joseph A. Smith, and many other gods are not the way to eternal life. My words are direct and to the point as my message today is of utmost importance. There is only one way to eternal life in God's Kingdom and that is through Jesus Christ. He lay down his life and shed his blood to cover our sins without this we would never enter Heaven.
I am thankful for Christ and his amazing grace offered on the Cross. I urge you if do not know Christ as your Lord and Savior today to ask him into your life. This is the most important decision you will ever make.
Your brother in Christ,
Mike
This evening I am going to conclude our series on numbers in the Bible. I am going to focus on the number one in this post and its significance to our lives as believers. First, let's take a look at what Paul has to say to his disciple Timothy in the following passage.
1 Timothy 2:4-5 (Contemporary English Version)
4God wants everyone to be saved and to know the whole truth, which is,
5There is only one God,
and Christ Jesus
is the only one
who can bring us
to God.
Jesus was truly human,
and he gave himself
to rescue all of us.
It does not matter how hard we work in our lives or how good we are we will not make it to Heaven. I know that is not what some people want to hear, because there are so many great and wonderful people out there that are not Followers of Christ. We can not work our way to heaven with our good deeds. Nothing that we do apart from God will get us to heaven where we will spend eternal life with God.
Paul lays it out very clearly. There is only one God. Mohammad, Buddha, Joseph A. Smith, and many other gods are not the way to eternal life. My words are direct and to the point as my message today is of utmost importance. There is only one way to eternal life in God's Kingdom and that is through Jesus Christ. He lay down his life and shed his blood to cover our sins without this we would never enter Heaven.
I am thankful for Christ and his amazing grace offered on the Cross. I urge you if do not know Christ as your Lord and Savior today to ask him into your life. This is the most important decision you will ever make.
Your brother in Christ,
Mike
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