A thought from reading Max Lucado

I just started reading a book by Max Lucado entitled It's Not About Me. His second chapter ends with a story about him as a child at his uncle's funeral. He claims that his 9 years of life had not prepared him for this moment...for death. So this 9 year old child is afraid. He looks around and sees his normally jovial family crying or speechless. It is when he sees his father, who's sitting next to him that he finds comfort. Let me share with you how Lucado remembers it.

He (Max's dad) turns his face toward me and smiles softly. "It's okay, son," he assures, laying a large hand on my leg. Somehow I know it is. Why it is, I don't know. My family still wails. Uncle Buck is still dead. But if Dad, in the midst of it all, says it's okay, then that's enough.

He goes on to say that he could look around at the people in the room and find fear, or he could look to his father and find faith. How many of us need to quit looking at a world that is corrupted by sin and selfishness; a world where fear can be seen, and take a glance in the direction of our Father; a place where faith can be found?

One of my best friends in the world is a self-proclaiming pessimist. (You know who you are!) But I wonder how many of us would become less pessimistic about this life of ours if we spent more time looking in our Father's eyes searching for faith than looking through the fearful eyes of the world. Is that not where our only optimism can come from?

Question of the day ??

Where's your favorite vacation spot?

Thought of the Day !!

After Jesus and his disciples left the synagogue, they went over to Simon and Andrew's home, and James and John were with them. Simon's mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever. They told Jesus about her right away. He went to her bedside, and as he took her by the hand and helped her to sit up, the fever suddenly left, and she got up and prepared a meal for them.
Mark 1:29-31

We are like Peter's (Simon's) mother-in-law. We too have been healed. She was healed of a high fever. We have been healed, by the blood of Jesus, from our sins. Anyone who has ever accepted Jesus into their hearts...anyone who has ever repented and believed the gospel...anyone who has ever asked for forgiveness...has been healed.

Now take a look at the mother-in-law again. What did she do after she was healed? "She prepared a meal for them". In other words, she served Jesus.

As true believers, healed by Jesus, we are to serve as well. We don't serve by fixing a meal for Christ. We serve Jesus by serving others. We are reminded of this fact by Jesus' words, "whenever you do for the least of these, you've done for me."

Remember, we are not saved by the things we do in service to Christ. We do these things because we're saved and want to follow Christ.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Question of the day ??

Do you believe that the Bible should be taught in public schools?

Thought of the Day !!

They begged us again and again for the gracious privilege of sharing in the gift for the Christians in Jerusalem.
2 Corinthians 8:4

Paul has been going around asking for donations for the church in Jerusalem, for they've come upon hard times. As he writes to the Corinthians, he tells them about his experience with the churches in Macedonia. They are poor churches as well. But when Paul came to them, they "overflowed in rich generosity." When these churches gave, they gave because they wanted to. They were not prodded or guilted into giving. Paul writes that they gave of their own free will.

This is like going to India, which I think we would all agree is an economically depressed area, and asking for money to be taken to Africa, another economically depressed area. So why did these Macedonians give so freely? They gave because they saw their giving as a privilege that God was allowing them to partake in. They saw it as something that they could do in return for the great gift that Jesus had given them in freeing them from their sins and giving them eternal life.

Yesterday, while I was preaching, I asked my treasurer how many people had come to her and begged her for the privilege of giving more money to the church. She smiled and said none. The congregation got a giggle out of it. And then I told them that no one had ever come to me begging for the privilege of serving Jesus either.

Why is it that these churches "begged...again and again for the gracious privilege of sharing in the gift..." of serving? And more importantly, why don't we?

This passage is about how the churches in Macedonia gave their money freely. But never think that God wants your money only. God wants all of who we are. That means that we are called to give of our money, our time, our talents and our efforts.

What would this world be like if we all were to beg to have the gracious privilege of serving Christ...and then go out and do it?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Question of the day ??

Do you associate being an American with being a Christian?

OR IN OTHER WORDS

Is America truly a Christian nation today?

Thought of the Day !!

One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch them and bless them, but the disciples told them not to bother him. But when Jesus saw what was happening, he was very displeased with his disciples. He said to them, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I assure you, anyone who doesn't have their kind of faith will never get into the Kingdom of God." Then he took the children into his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.
Mark 10:13-16

Throw a baby up in the air and it never occurs to her that you will drop her. Tell a child a story about a man being swallowed by a big fish and notice the look of awe on his face. Promise a little one that you will never leave her and you'll have one who believes what you tell her.

Little children have a kind of faith that some adults think of as childish or immature, while others are envious of it. They haven't lived long enough to be let down by society. They haven't been turned down for jobs or laid off. They haven't seen scandals by public officials or people in the limelight. They haven't yet had promises be broken to them.

Yet we adults have experienced being let down. And so we become skeptical. We raise our guards and tell the world that it won't beat us. We mature...learn...grow strong. And in doing so, we become weak. For in doing so, we can loose what we had as an innocent child. We can loose faith.

When we begin loosing faith, whether it's faith in politics, religion, society or even family, it's only a matter of time before we don't know what true faith in anything is. If we learn to become skeptical about everything, sooner or later our faith in Christ and his work on earth will follow.

This world is not perfect. The devil and something called sin has made sure of that. But remember that the only thing that can defeat this unfair world that we live in is a faith in something that's much better. Have faith in the Kingdom of God. Have faith in Christ Jesus and the joy that he will bring each and every one of us.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28

Notice that Paul doesn't say that in some things...or in good things...or in righteous acts...or when we're good...or when things are going well...or when we go to church...God works for the good of those who love him. Instead this Scripture tells us that in "ALL" things God works for the good of those who love him. God is always working for our good even when we seem to be messing things up. I've witnessed people come back to the Church because they experienced God's Holy Spirit in such a loving way through others in a time of trial. I've witnessed people who went through divorce (something truly bad) only to be helped by the God that they loved to find a new and even better life.

My point is that God doesn't create the disasters in our lives. Either we do...or they just happen. But God is there always. For those who love Him, God will weave His love and goodness into their lives in some form or fashion. Often times we're blinded by the disaster though and do not see the good that can come out of it. Hopefully though, later on we can look back and see where God was at work.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Question of the day ??

Who's more holy - dogs or cats?

Thought of the Day !!

The LORD is my light and my salvation -- whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life -- of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1

The LORD can and will be our light and salvation just as much today as He was in the days of King David. He wants to protect us and care for us. His ultimate act of caring is our salvation. With Him on our side, whom shall we fear?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Question of the day ??

What is the most important (or most helpful) spiritual discipline in your personal life?

Thought of the Day !!

Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way.
Romans 14:13 (NIV)

It's easy to criticize or judge others, but it's not the Christian thing to do. If we were to try to work together, instead of placing stumbling blocks in each other's way, we could get so much more done for Christ.

Today, search for places where you might need to put your feelings for someone aside and work with him or her. Sometimes when we do this, we find out that we're not nearly as different as we thought.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Question of the day ??

What was the best sermon you ever heard (or preached)?

Thought of the Day !!

What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, 'Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith; I have deeds.' Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
James 2:14-18

Think of it this way. Of all the people in the world that you have known, who would you say had or has the most faith? How do you know? Is it because they claim it, or because they live it?

Lets look at it from another person's perspective. Who had the most faith ever? Jesus! What if Jesus walked around all his life and claimed to have faith in God the Father, but never showed it with his deeds?

My last question in this. Are you claiming to have faith, or are you living your faith?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Question of the day ?? (Saturday Edition - coming out of a post by Grace)

Grace over at Quotidan Grace started a post about Joel Osteen and how the website seems to be all about him. This led to me thinking about the book "The Purpose Driven Life". In the beginning it states "It's not about you."

Long story short, I got to thinking about the popularity of Warren's books "Purpose Driven Life" and "Purpose Driven Church". Personally, I like the concept, but am not on board with the whole of the PDL book theologically. But it sold millions. Henceforth the sequel.

So my question, living in a day of profit-making and sequals to anything that will sell, is this?

What's the next sequal gonna be?

How about Purpose driven Universe - We can go where no one else has gone before theologically.

How about Purpose driven pets - We can teach our cats and dogs how to get to heaven.

How about Purpose driven....

Question of the day ??

What were the top 3 blog sites of 2005?

Thought of the Day !!

Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand! And be sure to pay attention to what you hear. The more you do this, the more you will understand-and even more, besides. To those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But to those who are not listening, even what they have will be taken away from them.
Mark 4:23-25

Are you like me? Do you ever find yourself going to Scripture to prove something you already believe? I've done that before, and on too many occasions. Reading Scripture is one of the ways we listen to Jesus speak to us. We must be open to whatever God will say through God's Holy Word, not listening for when we hear what we want to hear.

As you open your bibles and begin to read, ask God to speak to you. Ask God to take away any prejudices that may blind you. And be open to how God speaks to you.

"To those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given." Jesus is saying that if we are open to what he wants to share with us we will grow in wisdom.

"But to those who are not listening, even what they have will be taken away from them." I would hate to speculate the number of people today who call themselves Christians and yet do not know more than they did when they first had some sort of conversion experience. If we are not willing to grow with Christ, then even what we've received will be taken away from us.

Be open to the Word and Will of God today to lead, guide and direct your ways. And stay in communication with Christ through the Holy Spirit by your prayers and your Bible Study. Then nothing will ever be taken away.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Bin Laden offers "truce"

Does anyone believe we're getting closer to getting Bin Laden?

Help with a question

For those of you who use blogspot, I have a question. After posting, I am asked if I want to republish the entire blog. On a new post, should I click on this? Or is the first time sufficient?

Question of the day ??

What happened within our country in 2005 that we can be most proud of? Least proud?

Thought of the Day !!

Be joyful always, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

In the love of Christ,
greg

Question of the day ??

What are the gifts (or talents) that God has given you for ministry?

Thought of the Day !!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us.
Hebrews 12:1

Did you know you weren't alone in your Christian journey? First, and most importantly, there is Jesus who walks with us. But there are also all those who went before us. If you listen closely, you might hear them cheering you on through life's struggles.... Well, maybe you won't actually hear them, but they're there all the same. We are intertwined with the memories of the cloud of witnesses, who were the people of faith that came before us. These are the grandparents, the Sunday School teachers, the nice old lady down the road, and all the others who loved God and touched us is some way. They are there in Heaven cheering you on, especially when things get tough. They're saying, "Don't give up! We made it. And so will you. Just keep the faith."

In the love of Christ,
greg

The 2005 Bloggy Awards

The votes are in and we have our winners.

1) Best blog site of 2005

Locusts & Honey

2) Most scholarly blog site (There was a tie)

Phaith of St. Phransus

&

Stone's Fence

3) Most controversial blog site

Wesley Blog

4) Most spiritual blogger

Lorna

5) Most amusing blogger

John the Methodist

6) Most consistant blogger

"ME"

7) Nicest dressed blogger

Jonathon Norman

8) Blogger most likely to succeed

Theresa Coleman

9) Blogger most likely to track down John the Methodist and body slam him

Beth Quick

10) Blogger most likely to vanish and be found years later presiding as tribal king on a small island in the Pacific

Dean Snyder

Question of the day ??

What is the saddest thing that happened to Christianity in 2005? What was the best thing?

Thought of the Day !!

As they approached, Jesus said, "Here comes an honest man--a true son of Israel." "How do you know about me?" Nathanael asked. And Jesus replied, "I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you." Nathanael replied, "Teacher, you are the Son of God--the King of Israel!" Jesus asked him, "Do you believe all this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this." Then he said, "The truth is, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down upon the Son of Man."
John 1:47-51

As disciples, we are called to be witnesses of Jesus' miraculous power and love just as the original twelve were. Jesus tells the disciples that they will "all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down upon the Son of Man". We may not be witnesses to that today, but it doesn't mean that we cannot witness Christ in many ways.

The first disciples were then called upon to be witnesses for Christ. They were sent out two by two. Later they were told to go and make disciples. And nothing has changed in our calling as Jesus' disciples. We've been called to first be witnesses of Jesus, and then be witnesses for Jesus.

Last week when we were down in Biloxi, I can only hope I was a witness for Jesus, bringing God's love to those in need of it. But at the same time I was a witness to Christ through what I experienced down there. I witnessed the great faith of a lady who claimed that the house that we made livable was an answered prayer. And, as she said, "God always answers prayers."

I was a witness to the love of Christ in the vast amount of workers that we saw. There were tons of volunteers in Biloxi alone. These were people like ourselves that gave of their time to go and help someone that they had never met, to be the hands and feet of Jesus. They came, and continue to come, from all over the United States. And yet it still looks like a war zone in many areas.

God did not send Hurricane Katrina to punish people like some have tried to say. God was not seen in the storm. God is being seen in the aftermath. Christ can be seen in the people who serve others. He can be seen in the unwavering faith of true believers. May we all see Christ in some way today, being a witness to what he is doing, and then being a witness for him to others.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Leggett Memorial UMC in Biloxi may have been destroyed by the wind and water, but they couldn't take the cross. Could there be a message in there anywhere? 

Frustration from Biloxi, MS 

Trip to the Mississippi Coast

How do I begin? I guess I will begin with my team; Michelle, Kat, Tommy, Clay, Howard and Danny. My thanks goes out to these who gave up almost a week of their lives to go and serve somebody they'd never met.

We left Glen Allan UMC at 7:22am on Monday morning traveling in a three vehicle convoy. Just over 4 hours later we arrived in Biloxi at St. Paul's UMC. After unpacking and eating some lunch that we packed beforehand, we left with Loyce Seawright (the coordinator of work teams). He took us to a family down the road that we had been set up to work with and put up sheetrock since the previous Saturday. When we got there, though, there were other people already working. It seems that anytime someone gets offered some help, they take it (and understandably so).

When we left I had asked the team to allow our key word for the week be "flexible". I knew that things could change quickly. And this group was definitely that. They used the word so widely that every time we went to eat they would tell me how flexible they were because no one wanted to make a decision. But at any rate, this was the first occasion that called for flexibility.

Loyce left that place and went down the road to the next family on his list. No one was home so we wound up at the third family's house. This was the house of Doris and Otis. And this is the house that God meant for us to be at. I truly believe this because of the fact that our team was skilled in the areas that this family needed. We came expected to hang sheetrock. We wound up putting in 3 new windows, trimming them up, doing some plumbing, pulling off asbestos siding, hanging wood siding on two sides of the house, replacing receptacles and light fixtures, and painting the inside and priming the outside. This is the work we did from Monday afternoon until Thursday afternoon. And we had the people who could do it and do it right (myself being the apprentice/gopher). And when we were through, even though the house wasn't finished completely, the family could move in according to Doris.

The first family that we were "supposed" to go to was named Smith. But I truly believe that we were never meant to be at that family's home. We were meant to work with Doris and Otis, a couple people who will long be remembered by everyone on our team. They were so appreciative of everything we did. You could tell that Doris was kind of in charge. And she watched over us too. Now don't get me wrong, she wasn't pushy or always standing around one of us making sure we were working. But you could tell she'd been burned before. She shared with us about the three prior paid electricians that had been there.

She wasn't just making sure things got done though. She had a paint brush in her hand when we were leaving at night. And when we came back the next day, all the scraps of wood and everything laying around in the house was cleaned up so much so that it looked like a totally new workplace each day.

As I said, Doris and Otis were so appreciative and so sweet. They shared so many stories with us about how they grew up and where they went when the storm came and what they did for a living before retiring. If they had been the kind to sit around and watch or boss us around, the morale of the group could have dwindled. But the whole atmosphere was one of love and support for the family and for the team. What a wonderful way to serve and be served. Surely there's a lesson in there somewhere.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Destruction on the Mississippi Coast

I cannot completely describe the destruction that we saw. Someone put it to me like this (and I agree). The pictures that we see on the news or the Internet or from someone who's been there do represent the destruction well. The problem is that you only see a small sampling. It's only when you've been there that you can see the massiveness of it. It's all around you. The house we were at was several blocks away from the beach. And as we looked at the house next door, which was not as far along as ours, we saw a FEMA trailer and a totally gutted out house. There was nothing but 2"x4" studs on the inside of the house.

Now if you go to the beach and travel highway 90 along the beach from Biloxi to Pass Christian (as far as we could go before it closed) here's what you will see. We saw the Grand Casino hotel still standing pretty. It must have truly been built well. I stood several hundred yards west of it and took a picture. I then turned to look in the opposite direction and saw the casino itself a couple hundred yards away washed up on the other side of 90 on the bank. The sign read "Grand Casino - Rest in Pieces".

In Biloxi there stands many shells of buildings on 90. They are almost all devastated and will have to be demolished, except for a few like the coliseum and Jefferson Davis' home. His home is bad off, but I guess you could say that they don't make homes like that anymore. The one thing that bothered me about it was that there was a sign there asking for donations to rebuild it. Now I have no problem with rebuilding historical landmarks. But lets get people back in their homes first.

Traveling east from Biloxi will get you nowhere on 90. The bridge is still gone. So we head west towards Gulfport. We notice that the number of shells of buildings begin disappearing. They are turning into empty slabs. The further west we go, this changes from being slabs on the coastline to being empty slabs going back about a block. When we arrive in Pass Christian we notice that communities are gone. And if we could have made it to Waveland, I'm told that the destruction is even worse. I don't know if I could have taken any more.

Things I remember seeing:

* A barge had been swept across Hwy 90 and was sitting where a hotel used to be.

* Trash was still everywhere. The trees were filled with plastic. Where did all the plastic come from?

* In Pass Christian we stopped at a place where several portable toilets were lined. There was no other place to stop for a restroom unless you headed inland.

* The signs that people created showed frustration and their attitudes about the situation. They ranged from "Happy New Year, Geico Sucks" to "Santa, please add Farm bureau to your naughty list" to "We will return" to "Why did I stay" to "We are home and will shoot looters".


What we need to remember is that what I saw was 4 mos. after Hurricane Katrina. This is not as bad as it was in the early weeks of course. But if after 4 mos. we still have this much devastation, then it will be quite a while before life gets back to normal down there.

Loyce Seawright of St. Paul's UMC in Biloxi said that there had been over 350 people housed at St. Pauls since September to help. And as you go down any street, you can see any number of church vans or teams working on houses. But clearly, there is so much more need for help. I only ask that anyone who reads this pray for those who are serving and those who are being served. And please don't forget about those hurting folks on the Gulf Coast. They're good people like Doris and Otis. They're good people just like you and me. Except they have lost all or almost all they had. Pray for them. Pray for yourself to see if God is calling you to help out in some way. I promise you that if you come down and serve, that you will not go home unaffected.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the day !! - Anouncement

Good morning, afternoon or evening. I've just realized that it was Friday. Boy how my days can sometimes run together. Anyway, I'm writing to let you know that there will be no "Thought of the day !!" emails or blog postings next week. I am part of a team that will be going to Biloxi to work. So I would ask that you add Michelle and I and the rest of our team to your prayer lists next week. I also ask that you pray for those we meet on the coast. May God use us to bless them, use them to bless us, and use this tragedy to teach us all more about Christian duty and love.


Also, don't forget to scroll down to the bloggy awards and vote.


In the love of Christ,
greg

Question of the day ??

What was the best movie of 2005? The worst?

Thought of the Day !!

[God] has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Micah 6:8 (NIV)

This is our true offering to God...more than any amount of money that can be put in Sunday's offering plate. When our lives are filled with seeking God and then lived out in humility, acting justly and showing mercy to others no matter their color, status or disposition, we become who we were meant to be.

In the love of Christ,
greg

National Champs

I had forgotten that there are at least one or two Texas folk who view my site (for some reason or another - they must really be bored in TX). So as a tribute to Grace and others...Congrats Texas on the best football game I've seen in a long time...maybe ever.

Texas Longhorns
National Champions

P.S. if your from TX and actually don't like the longhorns...sorry. Ha ha!!

Question of the day ??

What was the worst disaster of 2005? (Katrina, Tsunami, Pakistan Earthquake, etc.)

Thought of the Day !!

So don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time.
Galatians 6:9 (NLT)

Sometimes we just need to be reminded not to get discouraged. It can be so easy at times when nothing seems to go right. I've surely had those days/weeks. But the truth is that God is with us whether or not we can feel his presence. When things aren't going right, it may be then that we're hanging on only because he's holding us up. And even though we may seem to be getting nothing accomplished or no rewards for our service, remember that Jesus said that we are storing up treasures in Heaven. And there's nothing here on this earth that can compare to those treasures to come.

May we all be kept strong. And may we all stay the course of Jesus. And may we all keep our eyes on the rewards of the future when there's nothing but dismay in the present. And may all these come through the work of God's mighty Holy Spirit.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Blogosphere awards for 2005

2005 has passed, and in the tradition of the Oscar's and the Grammy's, I introduce to you the "Bloggy's". You get your chance now to vote on your favorite blogger/blog sites for 2005.

In your comment simply number 1-10 and your answer. Please choose only one for each category. If more than one entry is placed, the entry will be thrown out.


1) Best blog site of 2005

2) Most scholarly blog site

3) Most controversial blog site

4) Most spiritual blogger

5) Most amusing blogger

6) Most consistant blogger

7) Nicest dressed blogger

8) Blogger most likely to succeed

9) Blogger most likely to track down John the Methodist and body slam him

10) Blogger most likely to vanish and be found years later presiding as tribal king on a small island in the Pacific


* Please link to this so that we will get as many votes as possible. I will announce the winners and send out the awards in 2 or 3 weeks.

Question of the day ??

What kind of person do you think the apostle Paul really was?

Thought of the Day !!

Let me hear of your unfailing love to me in the morning, for I am trusting you [God]. Show me where to walk, for I have come to you in prayer.
Psalms 143:8 (NLT)

Could there be any better way to begin each morning than for us to listen for God to speak to us? The more we pray and open our eyes, ears and hearts to what God has to say to us, the more we will receive. For God's love is truly unfailing. Our God does desire to share with us his blessings.

So begin each day with the Lord, and spend the rest of the day alert to where he might be speaking to or sharing with you. As we do this, we will come to realize just how much God does for us. And we learn how to place our trust in him for every detail of our lives.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Question of the day ??

Would you rather do manual labor or sit at a desk all day for a living?

Thought of the Day !! (Free Will - A gift and a curse)

So since God's grace has set us free from the law, does this mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! Don't you realize that whatever you choose to obey becomes your master? You can choose sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God and receive his approval.
Romans 6:15-16 (NLT)

I love to watch the Television show "Monk". It's about a detective (played by Tony Shaloub) with deductive reasoning greater than even Sherlock Holmes. What makes him so great is the fact that he notices every little detail. And he claims that "it's a gift and a curse."

Each of us was born with free will, which in a way is the same as Monk's gift and curse. It truly is a gift from God. It shows God's love for us in that God doesn't control our every action. We are not simply puppets on a string being controlled by another being. Because of this free will, we can make decisions on our own and experience wonderful things. Also because of this free will, we can make mistakes that can harm us...maybe even indefinitely. This is the curse.

Given the choice, Christians believe that everyone should choose Christ. But others that don't know Christ don't always see it that way. And so they are cursed with the free will that brings about the wrong choices and ultimately eternal death.

But what about those who choose life? What about those who choose to accept God's grace? Since we are now free from sin, does that mean we can do anything we want? No, of course not. You see, we are free from the consequences of our past sins. At the same time, we have freely given ourselves over to Christ as Lord, which means that He governs our lives. So we are not free to commit any act of sin because we chose to freely give up that right so that we may live a righteous life that will never end.

May we all freely turn our day over to Jesus. For we will be ruled by one master or the other. We will be ruled by Christ Jesus or we will be ruled by sin. The choice is a gift and a curse. Which will it be for you?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Please visit this website

There is a blog called Hurricane Katrina - Mississippi Response that I visit regularly. It was set up by a United Methodist pastor and a Presbyterian attorney. I believe that it's the attorney that posts under the name of hurricanehelper.

On Dec. 30 this person posted this as a purging of 2005:

"I am tired of the trash, the smell, the difficulties of doing simple things, the fear of insurance adjustors, the constant dealing with loss, and that empty lost feeling that things will never get back to normal.

I am purging some pictures. I may just stop writing on the 1st. I may not. I may ask Tony to please take over. I may just go AWOL."

I would ask that you check out the site and give hurricanehelper a little support by making an encouraging comment. It seems as though he/she needs some encouragement at this time.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Happy 2006!

May it be better than 2005.
May we all learn from & grow from the pains of '05.
May we all continue to enjoy the blessings of '05.
May we all experience God in many wonderful ways in '06.

Question of the day ??

What is your New Year's resolution?

Thought of the Day !!

Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to its lustful desires. Do not let any part of your body become a tool of wickedness, to be used for sinning. Instead, give yourselves completely to God since you have been given new life. And use your whole body as a tool to do what is right for the glory of God.
Romans 6:12-13 (NLT)

We can go to church. We can read our bibles. We can be "good" people. And yet sin can still control many aspects of our lives if we are not careful. As you begin a new year think about the areas in your life where sin might possibly dominate. It could be where there's unforgiveness, or where anger has controlled your actions, or where selfish desires take over, or where love does not rule.

Maybe there is a different kind of sin that you're battling with. Whatever the sinful areas of our lives are, may we learn how to escape these lives controlled by evil or selfish desires and live them completely for God.

Happy New Year!

In the love of Christ,
greg