This IS one of the happiest days of my life. God has sent my wife and I one of the most beautiful gifts in the world: another son. I went into this morning with apprehension but I turned it all over to God like I blogged last night. And it turned out that everything has been wonderful. He is so precious, so beautiful, and so sweet. He is one of God's greatest creations. Okay, so I'm a little biased. (Blogger won't post the pic for some reason)
Here is my prayer:
Most awesome and powerful Father, thank you. Thank you for who you are. Thank you for what you have done, what you do, and what you are going to do. You are the great I Am. My prayer right now for Leah and I, and for all parents, is that you will give us the strength and courage to lead and raise your wonderful creations in the image that is your Holy Son. In the image that is a reflection of your awesome love, your unconditional love, and that we will teach them through your Spirit what it is to follow Christ and spread the gospel. You are an amazing and wonderful God, and we thank you with all that we have.
In the holy and awe-inspiring name of Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Jesus Freak not-freaking Out!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
"The only thing we have to fear is........."
.........the unknown right? Sorry Jack (or should I say Jeremiah).Whoever says they don't, or never have, feared the unknown is lying. I tend to take things to the extreme and what pains me is that this pains Christ. I know that He looks down on me and shakes his head asking why. This has been the hardest thing for me to do. Let go of my fears, let go of my stress, and tell myself that God has the helm, I'm just a deckhand (sorry, Deadliest Catch is one of my favorite shows).
This last week has been a test of my will and a test of my ability to hand the unknown over to the only one who can chart my course for me. I have been successful (I think) on some days, but failed miserably on others. I have new job that is truly a Godsend. And, tomorrow is the true test of my will to allow God to have the controls. Tomorrow, our second son will come into this world. So what is going through my mind right now? Well, how can I be a good father to a second son when I feel like I have failed the first? It's easy Jeremiah: give it to God. Get over yourself and your dillusion of control. My dillusion has lead to fear. And my fear has driven me for too long.
If we look back in the Book of Exodus, when Moses and the Israelites saw Pharoah and the Egyptians bearing down on them in the desert, Moses had confidence in God's control of the situation. The Israelites did not. They feared what they did not know and that drove them to doubt and fear.
"(14:11)......What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? (12) Didn't we say to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians?' It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!"
So where are you fearing the unknown and not trusting God? I'm gonna try something new, fearlessness. I'll let you know how it goes.
".....fear itself,"
Jesus Freak Out!
This last week has been a test of my will and a test of my ability to hand the unknown over to the only one who can chart my course for me. I have been successful (I think) on some days, but failed miserably on others. I have new job that is truly a Godsend. And, tomorrow is the true test of my will to allow God to have the controls. Tomorrow, our second son will come into this world. So what is going through my mind right now? Well, how can I be a good father to a second son when I feel like I have failed the first? It's easy Jeremiah: give it to God. Get over yourself and your dillusion of control. My dillusion has lead to fear. And my fear has driven me for too long.
If we look back in the Book of Exodus, when Moses and the Israelites saw Pharoah and the Egyptians bearing down on them in the desert, Moses had confidence in God's control of the situation. The Israelites did not. They feared what they did not know and that drove them to doubt and fear.
"(14:11)......What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? (12) Didn't we say to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians?' It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!"
So where are you fearing the unknown and not trusting God? I'm gonna try something new, fearlessness. I'll let you know how it goes.
".....fear itself,"
Jesus Freak Out!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
"What we've got here is failure to communicate....."
(Title is taken from a sound bite at the beginning of Guns 'n Roses "Civil War")
How many of us have ever taken the easy way out and sent an e-mail instead of picking up the phone or just going and visiting someone? I know I have. It's the fast paced world that we live in where we have so much to do and so little time, we just feel we have done our duty by sending an e-mail, or a quick text message. We feel as though we have met the need of someone in quick, 120 character snipits. Nothing could be further from the truth. Our connected world is making us more and more disconnected.
Let's look back in time about 30 years. Rotary phones were still in and touch tone phones were just coming of age. The first "cellular" or "car" phones were being made and cost an arm and a leg to buy. How did we communicate back then? I can remember picking up the phone and actually talking with someone on the other line or getting the annoying busy signal and trying back later. Or, I just hopped on my bike and road over to their house.
Think about John and the the first century A.D. They obviously didn't have phones and tin cans were still years down the road. Pen and paper were the only means of communication over distances, besides actually visiting. Communication has become a lost art, contrary to what we might think.
I was reading through 2 John the night before last with a friend and 3 John tonight and it hit me. He concluded both letters the same way: "I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink. I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face" (3 John 13-14). Talk face to face? What an idea. Imagine what we can accomplish with new believers and non-believers when we invest time in talking face to face, or at least voice to voice, instead of fingertip to fingertip. I was guilty of the fingertip dance tonight as a matter of fact.
Guilty of communication failure,
Jesus Freak Out!
How many of us have ever taken the easy way out and sent an e-mail instead of picking up the phone or just going and visiting someone? I know I have. It's the fast paced world that we live in where we have so much to do and so little time, we just feel we have done our duty by sending an e-mail, or a quick text message. We feel as though we have met the need of someone in quick, 120 character snipits. Nothing could be further from the truth. Our connected world is making us more and more disconnected.
Let's look back in time about 30 years. Rotary phones were still in and touch tone phones were just coming of age. The first "cellular" or "car" phones were being made and cost an arm and a leg to buy. How did we communicate back then? I can remember picking up the phone and actually talking with someone on the other line or getting the annoying busy signal and trying back later. Or, I just hopped on my bike and road over to their house.
Think about John and the the first century A.D. They obviously didn't have phones and tin cans were still years down the road. Pen and paper were the only means of communication over distances, besides actually visiting. Communication has become a lost art, contrary to what we might think.
I was reading through 2 John the night before last with a friend and 3 John tonight and it hit me. He concluded both letters the same way: "I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink. I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face" (3 John 13-14). Talk face to face? What an idea. Imagine what we can accomplish with new believers and non-believers when we invest time in talking face to face, or at least voice to voice, instead of fingertip to fingertip. I was guilty of the fingertip dance tonight as a matter of fact.
Guilty of communication failure,
Jesus Freak Out!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
What do you want me to do?
God's will. At some point in our lives, we have all asked God the question, what is your wil for me? Well, maybe more than one point in our lives. At least I know I have asked that question way more than once. But what is God's will for each of our lives? What do we ask of Him? We don't have to read any further than 1 John 5:14:
"And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us." (ESV)
The key point here is "according to his will." Again I ask, what is His will? For one thing, obedience (I'm preaching to myself here as well). One of the hardest things to do is put ourselves aside and listen to what it is that God wants us to do, whether that's picking up shop and moving to another state, or simply talking to the nice lady in line in front of us. Another thing is having faith. That can be difficult during the hard times we face in life. Lastly, belief in Christ as our Savior. To me, it's that simple.
Simplifying my faith,
Jesus Freak Out!
"And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us." (ESV)
The key point here is "according to his will." Again I ask, what is His will? For one thing, obedience (I'm preaching to myself here as well). One of the hardest things to do is put ourselves aside and listen to what it is that God wants us to do, whether that's picking up shop and moving to another state, or simply talking to the nice lady in line in front of us. Another thing is having faith. That can be difficult during the hard times we face in life. Lastly, belief in Christ as our Savior. To me, it's that simple.
Simplifying my faith,
Jesus Freak Out!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Patience is a Virtue
So I have asked God for patience for a while now.
Here is my piece of advice for all Christ followers: Never ask God for patience because I am convinced that He will be more than happy to oblige you. It's the quickest prayer you'll ever feel answered and the longest answer He will ever give you.
My new prayer: God, please help me to be impatient.............with myself.
With elevator music playing in my head,
Jesus Freak Out!
Here is my piece of advice for all Christ followers: Never ask God for patience because I am convinced that He will be more than happy to oblige you. It's the quickest prayer you'll ever feel answered and the longest answer He will ever give you.
My new prayer: God, please help me to be impatient.............with myself.
With elevator music playing in my head,
Jesus Freak Out!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Risen!
He is Risen! This day is an awesome day. This is the day of all days in history. This is our day of celebration! We celebrate the greatest miracle.......no, it's not a miracle, it's God........we celebrate the best thing that ever happened to mankind and all of God's creation. This is the day that Jesus Christ came back to life. This is the fulfillment of such an amazing and providencial plan, there is just no way any man can deny the Truth of the resurrection. On this day, we celebrate our salvation!
The gospels talk about Jesus and the many people he appeared to this awesome day. He appeared to the women at His empty tomb (John 20:11-18), He appeared to His disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35), He appeared to the disciples in their hiding place (Mark 16:14), and He appeared in many other places.
We cannot hide from the fact anymore, that Jesus came to this earth, died for our sins, and rose on the day after the Sabbath to fulfill the ultimate promise: taking on the burden of sin so that we might live again with Him! I am so excited, I can barely put into words what our Savior has done for us. I hope and pray for each of you this day as we celebrate this awesome gift. I pray for your devotion, perserverance, humility, and love for what Jesus mandated us to do: "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation (Mark 16:15 ESV)......that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name (Luke 24:47 ESV).......Feed my sheep...follow me (John 21:17,19 ESV).........and baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19 ESV).
It's time to go and do. The harvest is ripe and we must tend to the fields. God bless you on this wonderful and joyous day!
Singing His Praises,
Jesus Freak Out!
The gospels talk about Jesus and the many people he appeared to this awesome day. He appeared to the women at His empty tomb (John 20:11-18), He appeared to His disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35), He appeared to the disciples in their hiding place (Mark 16:14), and He appeared in many other places.
We cannot hide from the fact anymore, that Jesus came to this earth, died for our sins, and rose on the day after the Sabbath to fulfill the ultimate promise: taking on the burden of sin so that we might live again with Him! I am so excited, I can barely put into words what our Savior has done for us. I hope and pray for each of you this day as we celebrate this awesome gift. I pray for your devotion, perserverance, humility, and love for what Jesus mandated us to do: "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation (Mark 16:15 ESV)......that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name (Luke 24:47 ESV).......Feed my sheep...follow me (John 21:17,19 ESV).........and baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19 ESV).
It's time to go and do. The harvest is ripe and we must tend to the fields. God bless you on this wonderful and joyous day!
Singing His Praises,
Jesus Freak Out!
Friday, April 10, 2009
Joy in His Pain
A while back I talked about how we as Christ followers take so much joy in the fact that Christ suffered on the cross for our sins. Remember that this is not a joy in knowing that Christ suffered, but a joy and comfort in knowing that He sacrificed Himself for the sake of all of us lowdown, no good sinners.
Today we remember that day over 2,000 years ago, when God sent His son Jesus Christ as the sacrificial lamb and blood offering for our sins. I suggest reading the small book by Lee Strobel titled "The Case for Easter." Within these pages, Lee outlines the true medical facts of crucifixion's brutality, and medical experts explain in excruciating detail, the agony that is the ultimate form of capital punishment. If you have seen Mel Gibson's "The Passion," it doesn't do justice to what really went on that day. I love that movie in its accurate portrayal of events and its authenticity, but it still cannot convey the tastes, smells, atmosphere, or emotions that someone may feel when witnessing such a gruesome sentence.
When we look into the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, we consistantly see the pattern of injustices and pain that Christ had to endure to follow through on His and the Father's promise to become the final offering for the sin of the world. As we reflect on the events of this day, let's look at the meaning of today and what really happened. Read each of the accounts of His death when you get the chance and reflect on what was really occuring. Then ask this question: why is this day called Good Friday?
Pondering the obvious questions,
Jesus Freak Out!
Today we remember that day over 2,000 years ago, when God sent His son Jesus Christ as the sacrificial lamb and blood offering for our sins. I suggest reading the small book by Lee Strobel titled "The Case for Easter." Within these pages, Lee outlines the true medical facts of crucifixion's brutality, and medical experts explain in excruciating detail, the agony that is the ultimate form of capital punishment. If you have seen Mel Gibson's "The Passion," it doesn't do justice to what really went on that day. I love that movie in its accurate portrayal of events and its authenticity, but it still cannot convey the tastes, smells, atmosphere, or emotions that someone may feel when witnessing such a gruesome sentence.
When we look into the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, we consistantly see the pattern of injustices and pain that Christ had to endure to follow through on His and the Father's promise to become the final offering for the sin of the world. As we reflect on the events of this day, let's look at the meaning of today and what really happened. Read each of the accounts of His death when you get the chance and reflect on what was really occuring. Then ask this question: why is this day called Good Friday?
Pondering the obvious questions,
Jesus Freak Out!
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