Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Who am I to deserve this?

     Wow, my heart is being convicted right now. I am afraid I have forgotten what a wretched man I was. I have forgotten who I was before Jesus came into my life. As I am studying for school today by heart is being twisted and I am recalling what an unworthy person I am without Jesus. Before Jesus saved me I was so far from God I would here his voice an laugh because it sounded silly. It went against everything I wanted in my life at that time. My heart hurts because I have, by the grace of God and his immense love for me been given the responsibility of ministering in the name of Jesus and I have forgotten somehow that I don't deserve it. I feel now much like the Apostle Paul felt when he wrote "I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He has considered me faithful, appointing me to the ministry." (1 Timothy 1:12)
     If any of you know me, I mean before God called me into ministry you know what I mean. The reality is I do not deserve to be living a life sold out for Jesus and receiving all the blessings that The Lord has blessed me with, a healthy loving family, great friends, multiple church bodies that support what God has called us to, but most important is His Love.
     Why is it that when we start serving Jesus we often forget that we do not deserve it! Could it be that we never thought it was something to deserve in the first place? Have we just assumed that we do deserve it? Have we grown so proud of our salvation that we assume we are good enough? Have we forgotten who we were and why Jesus died on the cross in the first place? Do any of us deserve Gods trust to spread the message of his Son? Do we really think we are that much better than anyone else God chooses to use?
     We are here, on this island because God saw us as faithful servants and for that I am forever thankful. The fact that I have forgotten that I don't deserve this is enough to show that I don't. In the words of a man named Charlie, "The more unworthy I feel, I more grateful I become."  I don't deserve this. I should be back home in Hamilton, Michigan living in my 1968 mobile home with drafty windows shoveling snow and waiting for 50 degree days. I should be working at a normal job, with a normal pay check. I should be back home going to church on Sunday and Mens Group every Tuesday night. I should be looking forward to the weekends, I should be doing the same thing every day for the next 50 years; but I'm not! Im here on an island where the average temp. is 83 degrees all year, I don't have a normal job, I dont have a normal income, every day is different, Instead of shoveling snow I lather sun block, on top of going to church on Sunday, we will be leading a Christian Basics class, hand out food to the homeless and drug addicts, travel across the island spending time with other brothers and sisters talking about Jesus and praying for each others ministries, spreading the message of Jesus to those I come in contact with, and what ever else God puts in our path. Thus by no means has come to be due to anything special we have done, We did nothing to deserve this. We are able and blessed to be serving here, like this because of God's unfailing love for us and his view of us as worthy and faithful! God is good and deserves all glory. When our time is done here we will praise him, when he sends us to a less pleasant place to serve Him we will praise Him, for God is worthy of our praise all of the time!

God is moving and some new things are coming into the light. As we approach the date of the class God has allowed us to teach the excitement grows. This weekend God has seen me as worthy enough to become an ordained minister of The Gospel of Jesus Christ. Why me? I have no clue. But I am excited for this new adventure and am thankfully accepting God's call on my life. Maybe its because Im just willing to say yes. But I know one thing, God must see something I don't.

We are all excited to have company coming this weekend. It will be nice to have others in the house for a week! Jennifers mother is coming at the end of April and we are all excited about her visit as well. We had some friends over for dinner from church Sunday, it is nice to have friends and people to talk with. God is making some great connections.

Thats all for now. I just wanted to make this quick blog. Now back to school work!


Thursday, March 19, 2015

Don't be to hard on yourself.

Here I am sitting in Burger King doing school work, (only place in PR near me with free wifi). I am studying hard and trying to stay on task and God lays this subject on my heart and I just have to share it with you.

I am currently studying Theology and it is amazing how God gives you an experience that you don't know how to handle, you pray for clarity and boom, the next thing you know God is teaching you through a Theology class the exact thing you just experienced! God is super cool that way!

Some times in life you will run into people that wish to test you. Your knowledge, your faith, your person and your God. As a Christ follower our desire and passion is to lead them to Jesus and lead them to salvation. But sometimes it seems like when you need scripture the most, the right words the most they are just not there. Personally I struggle with wondering why. How can I love Jesus so much, be so confident in the cross and willing to defend Jesus to the death and not have a word to say? Do I not study hard enough? Should I memorize scripture more? Do I not love Jesus as much as I thought? What is it? Then today God lays some heavy stuff on me. By heavy I mean really really good!.

As I am studying today the topic of study is conversion and regeneration. One word I heard before, conversion, the other I have not in this context, regeneration. As I read through Dr. Towns writings it is like my eyes had a layer of film taken off and I, by the power of The Holy Spirit, could see just a little more clearly.

You see we as Christ followers often try to convert a person to Christianity. i.e follow Jesus. But what happens when that person we are trying to convert already knows scripture? What happens when that person already knows about Jesus and God and most of what goes along with them? What happens when the one God has positioned us to talk to already has the knowledge but still rejects Jesus? In some since, conversion here has worked. This person, knows scripture and may or may not believe it. He has been converted in his knowledge of but not converted to turning to. His thinking has been altered and his mind has been converted from not knowing about God to knowing about God. So is conversion enough? Is that really our goal to convert people from not knowing about God to knowing about God? We have to understand what Biblical conversion is talking about. Biblical conversion happens when ones thinking changes and actions change where one is turning to Jesus for repentance of sin. Conversion of knowledge is not enough.

You see, this is where many of us stop. We figure, "Hey I did my part, I shared with them what the Bible teaches, this person has heard about Jesus and now they accepted/rejected Jesus." But is conversion all there is? According to towns and multiple different scriptures it does not seem to be.
You see, according to Towns, "Conversion is the human side of that experience (salvation) and regeneration is the divine side." We often forget about the role of God in leading one to Christ, which in turn can lead to frustration, confusion and doubt in our own relationship with Jesus.
One cannot truly be saved without both aspects of salvation. Conversion (mans role), regeneration (Gods role) One must personally believe and have faith and the Holy Spirit must enter in for life change to truly happen. Otherwise any one at anytime could teach something new to this person who knew about God and turn them away by teaching it enough times. We are human and this happens. We are not strong enough on our own to follow Jesus. WE NEED HOLY SPIRIT! Why do you think God sent him? That is why it is not our job to lead people to Christ. It is our job to preach the gospel, share Jesus, be Jesus to these people and walk people down the path to salvation. It is Holy Spirits job to truly save them.
   
Now there is much more I could go into about Gods role and mans role in salvation but I am not going into that here. The reason I feel God wanted me to share this is for this reason.

When you pour your heart into someone and they still choose not to have faith in Jesus it is not that you did not do your part. If you preached Truth than you did your part.(obviously there is more we are called to do but Im not writing a book) Sometimes man just rejects the Truth even when he knows it and it is right in front of him. You see the thing with truth and evidence is that in order to see it you have to be willing to accept it once it is revealed to you. Silly example: (If you drive a car you know what a red light or stop sign means. However, we all have seen that one person or maybe it has been you, who stops at a red light, looks both ways and continues to drive. Or the person who slows down for a stop sign, looks both ways and runs the stop sign purposely. They know the truth, "Red means stop." And yet they reject the truth by not stopping.) Just because one knows the truth does not mean they will follow the truth.
 Holy Spirit will not force one to follow, but when one truly follows, Holy Spirit becomes part of you and then you truly are saved.

So lets do our part and let God do his part but remember that the one who needs to be saved plays a role too. That is responding positively to the message of Jesus Christ. Like I said, knowledge is not enough and God will not force himself on anyone.

Move forward today with a bold confidence through Jesus Christ that you are doing what you are called to do, if in fact you are sharing Truth. Leave the results up to God. May God bless you on your journey. I pray for you all and think of you often.

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

I disagree with that....Well of course you do!

Sorry for any miss spelling. I'm doing this in the moment as I felt led on my phone 😊
Started reading a blog post today about a young mans testimony. Because it was fairly relevant to my life I thought it may be a good read. But as I went through it I really felt The Lord say that a testimony as the Bible talks about in Revelation 12:11 is one of Christ! Not one of what happend to us that we did not like or agree with! We can often try to blend the two, but we do not, ...overcome him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of what happens to us that we didn't like! No in fact that sounds more like the work of the devil than of God! 
"They overcame him  (the devil) by the blood of the Lamb (Jesus) and the word of their testimony (of Christ in their life).."
We must stop talking bad about other ministries, churches, brothers and sisters simply because we do not like or agree with what they do. 
If however they are doing something wrong Jesus tells us how to approach that in Matthew 18:15-20. It does not say since they did not change go and tell the world about it! That does good for no one. It gives that person or organization or ministey or church that is being named a bad name and turns us into a gossip. Which also is talked about in Proverbs 11,16,18 and 26. 
It is one thing to teach out of a circumstamce it is another to try to turn one away from something you simply disagree with or don't like.
We are told in the Bible to preach the Good News and live life like Jesus. 
Jesus, in John 17 prays to God for unity in the church. He actually prays "That all of them may be one." Meaning believers.
When we look at this we also must remember that we are all part of a body. 1 Corinthians 12:12 makes it clear that we all operate differently from each other but all work together. If some who had lost his arms and drives with his feet tells me that I must drive with my feet because he does it that way of course I would disagree with him! Shoot I can't even get my feet that high! And if I was to tell him that he must drive with his hands, well he could not do it. So who is right? 
Coul it be that if you are part of something that you don't agree with that you may have been designed for something different? Could it be that God gave them gifts that you don't have and you gifts that they don't have? Or God just dosent want you there?
The Love of Jesus is not shown by church bashing! No the Love of Jesus is shown by us being the church! 
So in conclusion. Next time you disagree with a church, ministry or person ask yourself, "Is their mission the gospel of Jesus?" "Could I not be designed to work with these people?" Prayer would be a great place to start also! Ask God to show you how to handle the disagreement. Ask God to show you your giftings and how you can impact The Kingdom. Ask God to soften your heart for those who do things differently. Are there those that are doing it wrong? Yes of course. Is it my job to judge them? No, not if I'm not part of them and if I am we are again told how to approach it like Jesus would. Nowhere does Jesus say try to stop people from being part of or steer them away from what you don't like. No! He says preach the gospel, use your gifts and give all glory to God The Father through our Lord Jesus Christ! 
We are here to spread The Good News of Jesus not tear down a ministry because they do things different. In fact if they did it the way you do it then who would reach those who don't agree with you? 

Monday, March 9, 2015

It's Alive....It's Alive.....!!!

"And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me anything in my name and I will do it." John 14:13-14 NIV


     This verse, at least to me, was something I went to when things were not going the way I wanted them to. Both personally and in ministry. It was a verse that gave me hope. I mean come on, this verse is awesome! I mean Jesus is saying that he will do anything that we ask if we just ask to glorify The Father! What a verse to cling onto for hope! Now I am not saying that I always prayed this or read this verse with true conviction. For me this verse was more of a motivator to keep going, keep pushing through the tough times, something to look for in the future. Not something that was here right now. No, Jesus could not actually mean what he said? Could he? 
"For the Word of God is living and active..." Hebrews 4:12a NIV
     Well this sounds like he actually does. I mean living and active, what does that mean? If something is living and active that means now. Something cannot be active in the future can it? Or living in the future? If it is living and active that must mean it is for today. Furthermore, if it is for today than when Jesus says ask for anything in my name, he must actually mean it, for today. He is not saying ask me and someday I will give it to you. No he is saying, "Ask me now! What do you want? What do you need? Ask me and I will give it to you!" Now yes there is a heart condition to consider here but I am not going into that now. That's not what God has laid on my heart today.
I have seen something in the past few weeks that has caused me to literally see Gods word come alive! Literally!
     We have asked Jesus for things and we have been given exactly what we asked for! No really, exactly what we asked for! From housing, to a car, to money, to bills being paid, to car parts, to ministry opportunities, to a platform to share my testimony, to friends and an amazing church body. Jesus has given us everything we have asked for! We are seeing Gods Word come alive right before our eyes! For me this is no longer a verse of hope but a verse of truth! A truth I can live by. When we sell out to Jesus and our life's intention is to serve him and glorify God, we can ask Jesus for anything and we WILL receive it. Those are not my words, those are the words of Jesus!
     For me, can I be honest here? For me Gods Word used to be something I lived by with faith and hope. I mean I knew it was true, and I believed in it and I even tried to live out the life Jesus calls us to live, however it did not look at it as living truth. But something has happened in the past few weeks were it has changed from being true to TRUTH! It is hard to explain but when you see God's Word come alive right in front of you it is amazing! It would me like reading about the resurrection of Jesus, having faith that it actually happened, following Jesus and then actually personally witnessing Jesus rising from the dead! Now that would be powerful! That is what John 14:13-14 has been for me in the past few weeks! Faith has become reality!  I now have a glimpse of why the first disciples were so on fire for the gospel! They saw scripture first hand! We can see it first hand too! When we as Christians live a life of intentionality for Jesus the Word becomes alive in our lives! Jesus becomes alive in our life and we can witness his resurrection and we are resurrected with him! When we die to self we are made alive in Christ. It is something that is out of this world.
     I think for me fear played a big role in my lack of asking. I was afraid that is I have "more than immediate needs" I would have to much. I would feel guilty for having more than we needed at the moment. But that is not what Jesus says in John 14. He says ask for anything. He does not say ask for the worst stuff or the minimal things in life, or the used stuff. No,he says ask for anything! I have no reason to doubt that if it will glorify The Father and I ask for it, it will be given to us! None whatsoever. Jesus is ok with us having nice things to glorify God. We do not have to settle for the minimum. Now this is not a prosperity gospel by any means. Jesus will give us what we ask for when it is to glorify The Father. He knows our hearts. But we know our hearts too. So when we act in accordance to the Word and ask out of our heart to glorify God, Jesus WILL give it to us! Now this is not only material things, although that is part of it, it also is spiritual things. Spiritual gifts, opportunities, doors to be opened or closed, relationships, wisdom, knowledge, discernment and alike. God has just revealed to me some of the material needs that Jesus wants to give us and that is why I wrote about those today. God is good and Jesus wants us to have what we need, materially, emotionally, relationally and spiritually. Moreover, when we ask him, he is not only willing but happy to give us those needs!
    

Sunday, March 8, 2015

Leading by example and a simple thank you

Sorry for the late post. I was supposed to post last night but never got around to it before I fell asleep.


So as I said in my Facebook post, I have been running an experiment at work for the past two weeks.
I do janitorial work at a Christian Academy in Manati, Puerto Rico. So as you can imagine if chairs are on the ground it is hard to sweep the whole floor. Most of the time, in most of the rooms chairs are all up on the desks. However, in the 11th/12th grade room the chairs were never up, and the floors were always dirty. Furthermore, that led me to sweep around the desks not under them. When I came into work about two weeks ago one of the students had put their chair up. This led me to put a thank you note on his desk, just out of a genuine thanks. The next day he had it up again and the note I had left him was stuck to his board by his desk. This happened for another day, with this being the only student who put their chair up. This is what led me to the thought, "I wonder how long it will take for the whole class to get their chairs up by just saying thank you?" On the third day I felt led to put another thank you note and a candy bar on his desk, thanking him for the continued effort and that it is the little things sometimes that we see Jesus in people. The next day I came in and there was a note on his chair from him to me, thanking me for the note and the candy bar, saying that he really appreciated it. I thought cool, what a small impact I had on this kid. However, that's not all. The next day I came in the student next to him had his chair up too! So of course I left this student a thank you note as well. The next day about 5 chairs were put up; this continued for a couple days. I left a note for the teacher telling here that I really appreciate those students who put up their chairs and that it really helps me a lot. The next day I come in 3/4 of the class had their chairs up!!!! I was shocked!
So, I left a note for the principle sharing the story above. The next day, every student had their chair up! It took less than two weeks to go from zero chairs up to every chair up by just simply saying thank you!


Now this just does not only have to do with thank yous. The student who first put his chair up was being a leader and he may have not even know it. He did what was right when no one else was. My guess is he might have even felt a little uncomfortable doing it. However, his effort was noticed not only by me but by the other students. Soon, those doing what was not right followed and did what was right because this one student chose to do what was right when no one else was. Life is a lot like this and we as Christians need to remember this little story.


Yes living a life for Jesus is hard, uncomfortable and maybe even a little painful; however it is what we are called to do and it is what is right. We have two choices.
 1. Say we love Jesus and are Christians but follow the world and do what everyone else is doing for the sake of feeling like everyone else, feeling good about ourselves or getting what we want.
2. Say we love Jesus and are Christians but follow Jesus and his teachings and the teachings of those who follow him as well for the sake of the gospel and doing what is right.


Life is not easy, the choices are not made for us. Through a simple thank you and by This young man choosing to do what was right the actions of the entire class changed!


Now if this can change the actions of an 11th/12th grade class, how much more could living a life like this change the world?


Huh, being kind and leading by example. What a concept. Sounds a lot like how Jesus lived.


Who knows maybe one day the Lord will lay it on the heart of the teacher to have me share this story with her class. But until then I share it with you. Not because it is a feel good story to make you feel good. That's not what I am here for. I shared this with you for you to act! For you to be kind and lead by example, just like Jesus. My example is Jesus Christ and that is who I follow.
When we as Christians step out and be Jesus to others lives change. Yes we need to share the gospel message and lead people to salvation but if we do not be kind and lead by example how will anyone ever actually believe in the message we have to share?
Didn't Jesus say something to the effect of love others as your self? And I'm pretty sure there may be something about if I do all this great stuff but do not have love I am nothing. Maybe some where in 1 Corinthians 13? Simply sharing the gospel message is not enough;we have to be the gospel message too!

Monday, March 2, 2015

Update: Powerful Week





Ok let’s just be honest; blog post will never be regular and I have no idea when they will be posted. So, you will just have to keep checking back of watch our Facebook page.


     Wow, this past week or this past week has been very eventful. We were contacted by the coach of the Dorado Spartans, and American football team in a league her on the island. They saw Blake’s arm and how good he can throw a few weeks back and want him to start ASAP! Tonight we went to practice and Blake was given a helmet by a team mate and a pair of cleats by one of the coaches! What a blessing Praise Jesus! Dallas went back to Younglife this week too; they had been of for the last two weeks. She was very excited to go.


       Small groups start up this month at church this means we will be in Dorado at least four days a week. Sunday for class and church, Monday for football and younglife, Wednesday for small group and football and Friday for football. Dorado is about 45 min from home so we drive a lot. Thank God our truck is running well again.


 


     We received word from Pastor George today from IHOP West Georgia; he has purchased his tickets and will be coming down here March 28- April 3rd. I am excited because he will be here for our prayer service at church that Sunday! We are hoping to have my ordination service that Sunday as well. Jennifer and I are still praying about the location of the service. We are so excited for this ministry partnership with these guys. We are praying our friend Tom can come down as well.


 


     The main thing I wanted to blog about today was what happened at church this past Sunday.


 Over the past four weeks Pastor Efren has been teaching a series called I Love My CCPR Church. You can watch these online or on their FB page if you wish. The whole Idea was not about loving our physical church but The Church of Jesus Christ. Some of the best teaching I have heard. This past week was the last week and it was about giving. If any of you are pastors reading this or have ever sat in a service where this message is preached it is not a fun message to preach. For some reason when the pastor talks about letting go of our money lips pucker, people squirm and sometimes people even tune right out. However, this is a message that the church needs to hear. I personally have never taught this message so I would not know firsthand what it is like to have to teach it but I can imagine. Well, Pastor Efren did an amazing job. I mean his teaching was of the chart awesome. Why wouldn’t it be? He taught what the Bible teaches. But that was not what really gave me a jolt. Pastor Efren did something that I have never seen any other pastor do. I was bold, courageous and probably even a little scary. But it was what God called him to do. Through the whole service there was a box sitting up front. At the end of his teaching on Acts 2:42-47 he did what should not be amazing but it was. He actually asked us to do what The Bible said. Ya really he did. He asked us all if we would be willing to give everything we had, right at that moment, away so that those in need would not be in need any longer. Then he took his wallet and put every dollar he had in the box and asked us to do the same! Yes he literally asked us to empty our purses or wallets into the box and at the end of the service that money was going to go to those in the church (CCPR) that were in need. It was amazing to see as people walked up and literally dumped out their purses and wallets. There was change, ones, fives, tens, twenties and fifties that were visible. It was amazing to see the body in action. Then Pastor said anyone who is in need, this box is available to you. Whatever you need take it. He had mentioned that there were a few people that he knew of their needs. No one came up to take the money during the service. Then the shocking, yet not so shocking at the same time part happened. After the service had ended and people were leaving Pastor came up to Jennifer and me and said that part of this service was for you guys. I want you to take whatever you need out of that box. If you need it all then take it all. I want you to know your needs are met! Wow, talk about overwhelmed. Now the next part I share with you not because we are anything but because God is so amazing and his promises never fail. God is so loving and so kind and so full of grace that I am able to share this next part with you. After Jennifer and I had talked about how much money we needed, we really could find no immediate need. So we felt that we should leave all the money in the box and let those with immediate needs take the money. God has met our needs, daily. We received $200 out of the blue just a week ago, a former supporter sent us $600 just this week, I have been able to find used tires in my size which are a hard size to find used on the island, we had a solid wood 8 person table given to us and two bunk beds given to us just last week, we just had literally today our property tax paid for us $800! We felt that we have been blessed so we should be the blessing. When you trust God to provide and are obedient to his call he provides. Again I do not say this to brag on us but to brag on God! He is so amazing! Words cannot describe my God. They just can't. All I can say is that I felt something happen Sunday. Something new it was like something broke and the flood waters just spilled out.
Tomorrow morning I am meeting with Pastor Efren to share my personal testimony with him. All of it. I really feel God wanting me to get my testimony, more like the testimony of Jesus, out. I have been praying for God to open these doors. I really feel The Lord wanting this to be shared with our church here. Not many people back home even know my full testimony. I have share bits and pieces but never the whole thing. Please pray for me tomorrow.


   We have made some new friends in Cabo Rojo and have been asked to help co-teach or teach a kids service at their church. Julio is the pastor I met last week with the mission team from Penn. Not sure how soon we can make it over there. March is a busy month for us and in April we start teaching our Christian Basics class at CCPR. Praying for God to show us the right timing. 
  Jennifer ran The World’s Best 10K yesterday in San Juan. She did great! We all went along with Jenn aunt and cousins. We even road a train for a little. You know you a new place is becoming home when in a crowd of 30,000 people you run into people you know! It felt really nice to run into some friends from the church we first went to when we got to the island. It made it feel more like home.


 Prayer Requests before I go.


 


-Continued blessings


 


-Doors to be opened for me to share my testimony


 


-Prayer for our new class we are going to teach


 


-Prayer for Pastor George to get here safe


 


-Prayer for Jesus to be preached boldly


 


-Prayers for our family as we continue to adjust to island life and being away from home.


 


-Territories to be widened