Are you ok doing things differently than you thought?
Can you minister to people that aren’t like you?
Can you preach a message or sing a song thats not in your normal genre?
Are you willing to change?
Ive had to try things new. Ive had to sing songs I never thought I would. Im doing ministry like I didn’t expect.
I like it.
Im growing.
Im learning.
Is it easy? Nope,
But I’m being made into who God wants me to be more and more everyday.
Tonight is Halloween. ooohhhh aaaahhhh
Guess what? You probably don’t know your neighbors but tonight they are going to come to your house. That’s right they are coming to you!
Please… Don’t turn off the lights, Dont’ hide, and don’t disappear to a Hallelujah party or a fall festival (yea I said it).
Turn your lights on, sit on your front porch or open the door every time someone knocks.
Give out candy….Good candy…Don’t be cheap or stingy.
Heck, If you have kids, go Trick or Treating. Meet your neighbors… Talk them (oh yea, I said that too)
It’s not going to be evil, you’re not going to go to hell and your kids aren’t going to worship Satan after the nights over.
You will meet new people, your kids will see you being friendly and you might have the chance to invite someone to church. Better yet you will have the chance to talk to people and show that you are normal.
Do yourself and the “church” a favor and get out there where the people are.
Here is a great little video for you to watch too!
J
We talk and talk and talk but never listen….
Im talking about with God.
I do it…. I bet you do it too.
When is that last time we shut our mouth and just listened to what God had to say?
Communication is key in any relationship with anyone.
Especially God.
Shut your mouth and listen.
J
If you claim to be a follower of Jesus, or if you don’t… Be Real. Your not better than anyone no matter your social status or your check book. Be a Man/Woman of your word. Be honest. Treat people the way you want to be treated.
Have no other debt but to love….
J
You know when you read a book that changes you? One that really messes you up? I just read that one, Its called Jesus is____? by Judah Smith. He doesn’t give some new theological statement or discovery he just lays some things out plain and simple. One of those things is that Jesus is a friend of sinners. Now I know that may come as a complete shock to you and think im whack but its true- very true. So true that the “religious” ones in the bible had a fit that he would be seen with people like tax collectors (Mark 2:16) or a woman who had been sleeping around (John 4). I really think that if Jesus was walking the earth today churches and “church” people would be freaking out because who he was hanging with.
How many of us have friends outside of our Jesus bubble? Anyone know a drug dealer? Anyone have friend that’s a stripper? How about a homosexual friend? When’s that last time we had a conversation with some one that wasn’t in your group? We talk about being the church and loving on people but it seems we’re better at loving on the people who are more like us. Yes it’s true and I know I’m guilty.
Is that what its all about? I’m not talking about standing outside a gentleman’s club with a sign telling them their all going to hell, Heck to the NO!! If we as the church can’t imagine having “those” people in our service then we should just stop now and not plan on having any more services altogether.
Lets be different. Like for real…
We don’t need to talk about, heck we don’t even need to pray about it. Look outside of your comfort zone rather than surrounding yourself with the people that make you feel good.
We’re living in a hurting and dying world.
Talk is cheap.
Lets put actions behind our words.
Loving on them and being a friend to them doesn’t mean you agree or support their lifestyle. ( I know someone will take it that way)
People can tell if your being real to them and if they see Christ’s love coming through you. So don’t try to pick someone as a project… find someone to love on.
Be a friend, a friend to sinners.
Someone took the time to be a friend to you!
Now its your turn.
GO FOR IT!!
J
Yep… Last week I had the honor of watching some one from our church get baptized. This gentleman is new to church and recenlty new to Jesus. Kevin stepped out of death into Life in the last couple of months. He’s fresh, hes excited and he is pumped….And he is on the Worship team!!
Our Pastor went to change his clothes and Kevin didn’t. I figured he had some shorts on under his jeans until he took off his jeans.. and shirt and stood in the church with a bunch of friends and family in his briefs. I laughed out loud. I also loved it. He didn’t care, he didn’t know, no one told him other wise. Why didnt they you might ask? Because there weren’t other “church” people there besides the Pastor and myself. Did we care? Nope..
Its time to get nearly naked. Its time to not be so worried about what people are going to think. Its time to Be real, Its time to be raw. Are we meeting people where there at or do they have to fit in our box first?
Heres His story,
When I was younger my Grandad took me all over to different army bases. He was an Army Captain in WW2 so he had lots of stories and back then he had clearance to do some crazy things. I got to drive tanks, shoot some crazy guns and go and hang out in some “off limit” areas. As a kid I though that it was the greatest thing that could ever happen. My Grandad and I were close and I spent a lot of time with him.
Last night I watched a movie about a war veteran that was telling his young grandson all about it. He was talking about different things that happened, friends he lost, battles he won. It totally made me think of HIm. Made me think about how much I miss. Grandad passed away a little over 2 years ago.
He is a man that changed my life. He taught me how to be a man, how to treat my wife and kids. Most importantly he set a Godly example for me. One that never swayed. He is someone that I hope to be like.
Grandad didn’t always have lots to say, but when he spoke…People listened. He had wisdom that I hope one day I can have.
Last week my family and I were in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee for a night.
Pigeon Forge is a place most people have visited for one reason or another. To me, it’s kind of like Myrtle Beach without the beach. It has stores, shops,outlet malls and everything in between.
That morning I decided to go for a run through the town. When I was running I noticed how easily distracted I was by all the things around:lights, flashing signs, cars, and people everywhere. If you have a short attention span it could drive you crazy. Running through the town I seemed to get lost in everything around me that was wanting my attention.
Pigeon Forge is in the Smoky Mountains and the mountains are truly beautiful, especially this time of year. If you looked beyond the city you could see the mountains. The problem with seeing the beauty is all the junk that was distracting me.
I like to talk to God when I run and I felt him speaking to me that morning.
I knew God was telling me that it’s time to look beyond what is around me. Its time to stop being distracted by the pointless things that are wanting my attention but aren’t of Him and look beyond to what was greater.
I knew He was saying “It’s time to see the beauty”.
Don’t allow little things that can wait to take you away from the beauty.
(No I’m not talking about your children or spouse)
Be strong and look past the distractions.
Look beyond and see the beauty.
Even if you don’t think you can see it… Its there!
J
There are messages that you hear that change everything. The ones that make you think and act. The ones that you listen to more than once. The ones that you tell your friends about! This message was one of those for me. Its called The Waiting Room by Holly Furtick from Elevation Church. It was actually recommended to me by a friend that apparently knows me well!
If you’re in a season, out of a season, maybe chest high deep in a season or maybe the season has hit the fan I would recommend taking the time to check it out!! It will be well worth your time.
Just click on this link! The Waiting Room
Yesterday was a life lesson. One that makes you realize many things and can be put into many situations. It came with great pain and is still a pain but I have also began to see how this applies to my life.
I went to the gym and it was time to work on legs…. I had already done a set of squats and was going to add 25lbs to each side. I did the first one and then walked over to pull off the other weight when BAM… The 25lb weight went from chest high to landing on my big toe….
First thought…Ive lost the tip of my toe.
Second thought…Im going to puke or pass out.( blood and guts doesnt bother me it was just the pain.)
How can it be that something like a toe can affect your entire body? I mean its small and you rarely notice it and what does it really help?
Many times we don’t notice something until it hurts. For instance my toe, I haven’t stopped noticing it and the same thing happens in our life. There may be something in our life that we need to deal with but we just cover it up until something “hurts” it or it is brought up again somehow. When that happens we know its there and we usually know it in a big way. When we know its there weve got an opportunity to do 2 things.
We can either,
Deal with it- We can do whatever it takes to work through a situation. Could be asking for forgiveness, opening up to someone about something, handling finances better, or even changing jobs.
or we can
Cover it up- Pretend it never happened, cover it up and move on. “Fake it till we make it”, Act like its not really a big deal.
With my toe, I am dealing with it. Ive got to take care of it and clean it so it will heal. If I fake it till I make it my toe can get infected and who knows what it would do.
MY POINT!
Deal with your issues, take care of them. Don’t allow things to rot off or in your life. Don’t let relationships develop gangreen and begin to stink. Don’t cover things up and pretend it didn’t happen. Take care of issues that arise in your life. If you and your spouse always seem to go around the same mtn back to the same issues then work through them. When it comes up take care of it!
WARNING!!! If your easily grossed out dont look at the picture of my toe… Just saying.
J
The Nicholas Tribe 