Thought of the Day !!

Commit your actions to the LORD, and your plans will succeed.
                                                                             Proverbs 16:3 (NLT)

Think about the things you do in ministry.  They can be done for yourself, so that others would take notice and pat you on the back.  They can be done out of guilt or because you feel like the only way to stop someone from nagging you about them is to do them.  Good things can be done for bad reasons.  

They can also be done for the right reasons.  Your works/actions/deeds/ministry can be done out of a desire to satisfy God.  They can be done out of a sense that God has done so much for you that you want to do what you can back.  They can be done because you want your Father in Heaven to be proud of you.  They can be done because you know that this is how God created you and you want to fulfill your purpose on earth and receive the rewards in Heaven.

When we commit what we do to the Lord, we will be successful.  Even if we seem to fail, when we are faithful to God's will in our lives we will succeed.  Sometimes it may not seem like we've done much.  But we are not able to see the big picture as God does.  So "Commit your [ministry] to the LORD, and your plans will succeed."

In the love of Christ,
greg

Here is last Sunday's Sermon from Bakers Chapel UMC

▶ Sermon 4-27-14 - YouTube

Thought of the Day !!

Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave.
                                                     Proverbs 12:24 (NLT)

Some people are born to lead.  Others have leadership thrust upon them.  Or so it is said.  

I believe that God gives the gift of leadership to some in His Church, while others are asked to follow.  Some are gifted to be Sunday School teachers, Pastors, Small Group leaders, Chairs of Committees and so on.  So the question could be asked if we can be leaders if not called by God to some sort of position or vocation.

The answer is yes.  There are also spiritual leaders who lead others, sometimes unknowingly, by their witness and a life lived out in humble service to Christ.  This is evangelism in its most basic form...and often times its most effective.

Think about how you can be a better leader today by leading by example.  Maybe you will plant a seed or harvest what has been planted by someone before you.  God bless us all in our endeavors.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Do not say, "I'll pay you back for this wrong!" Wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you.
                                                                               Proverbs 20:22 (NIV)

Revenge is not as sweet as people want to think.  When you get it, you don't feel better.  You can actually begin feeling worse.  This is because God may use your conscience to show you where you were wrong.  

Forgiveness is the real answer, not revenge.  When you forgive someone, God forgives you, and you leave all the built up hate and frustration with the other person.  And if they choose not to forgive, then it's them who will suffer, not you.  So don't allow the desire for the revenge you may or may not ever actually accomplish ruin your days.  Instead free yourself from the anger and hatred that control you.  You will be much happier then.  

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.  But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.
                                                                Matthew 6:14-15 (NLT)

Forgiveness is very important to God.  And who would blame Him for this?  After all, look at what He went through to show us forgiveness.  I don't know about you, but I've never gone to such lengths to forgive someone.  I have had to swallow my pride before.  I have had to step out on a limb and trust again.  But I have yet to die for anyone's forgiveness.  What about you?

These words come immediately after Jesus teaches us how to pray the Lord's Prayer.  I think something we should take notice of is the fact that when he finishes the prayer, there's only one point that he reiterates.  He doesn't mention anything about our daily bread or being led into temptation.  He simply restates the fact that we have to forgive. 

Do you think Jesus is trying to tell us something?  Could it be the fact that in this list of very important things that he's teaching here, that forgiveness is a special attribute that we need to understand? 

Or maybe he just understood the fact that this would be the hardest part of the prayer for most people to digest.  But the fact simply remains.  If we want that great gift from our Father in Heaven, we must be willing to do the same for others here on earth.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
                                       Matthew 13:44-46 (NRSV)

We must all make the decision at some point in our lives what we will treasure most.  Will it be the treasure in the field...the pearl of greatest value?  Or will it be ourselves? 

We can choose to live for more money, power or prestige.  We can choose to live for family, kids or work.  Or we can choose something much better.  We can choose Christ.  But choosing Christ comes with a price.  It means denying oneself, taking up one's cross, and following Him.  It will mean that our decisions will not be based on whether they will make more people like us or bring about more money.  They will be based on what Christ says is best for us and for those around us, including family and friends. 

Choosing Christ means bowing to Him as our Master, our Savior, our King.  In his book Victorious Living E. Stanley Jones wrote that he went to Copenhagen where there was a statue of Christ with his head pointing down.  It was told him that the only way to see the face of Christ was to come to the statue and kneel before it.

This is the way to see the face of our Lord and Savior, to kneel before Him.  So often we bow to the pressures of what's going on around us and forget that we once claimed that our King was Jesus.  Let's get back to kneeling before Him instead of popular demand or selfish ideals.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.
                                                           Jeremiah 1:5 (NIV)

You are precious to God.  He formed you and had great intentions for you.  As a perfect parent he looked down on his child thinking of all the possibilities for you.  He didn't say, "I'm gonna create [name] to be an alcoholic or drug addict" or "I think I'll create [name] to be a lonely bitter person."  He created us with the best intentions.  He set us apart to be something great. 

Some understood this from an early age and came to love Him.  For others, the circumstances of this world clouded their minds and they didn't live up to their potential.  But just like the story of the Prodigal Son in the Bible, it's never to late to turn to God and be accepted for whatever you are set apart for.  You're never too old to be born again.  You're never beyond being able to be used by God.  Not until you die will it be too late to follow Jesus instead of this world. 

In the love of Christ,
greg

Easter Sunrise 2014 - YouTube

Easter Sunrise 2014 - YouTube

Thought of the Day !!

Live wisely among those who are not Christians, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone.
                              Colossians 4:5 (NLT)

We are given more opportunities to share the love of Christ than we realize.  Each day we go out the door, answer the phone or see someone while picking up the mail, we are given an opportunity.  The other person may be a Christian, and she/he may not.  The question is "Are we making the most of our opportunities?"

Many of us go through life looking out for ourselves and thinking about what best fits our lives.  And in doing so we miss opportunities for ministry.  If I'm thinking about myself, I continue driving so I won't be late for my appointment instead of stopping to help a lady on the side of the road with a flat.  If I'm thinking of myself, I judge how well the church service went and what I got out of it instead of how I was able to bring joy to God and be used by Him to help someone else.  If I'm thinking about myself, I dominate the conversation with someone instead of listening.  If I'm thinking of myself, I get angry with the neighbor that just drove through my yard and messed it up instead of forgiving and showing him/her the gift of forgiveness.

Life is all about opportunities.  I know I miss more than my fair share.  But by the grace of God, He keeps bringing them my way.  What about you?  Can you see where you missed an opportunity or two this week to share Christ's love?

Let's be more intentional about seeking God's will in our lives instead of our own will.  And it will be then that we will be enabled to do real ministry.  It will be then that we will find much more joy than when we are looking out for ourselves.  

In the love of Christ,
greg

What's So Good About Friday?

[Jesus] said, "It is finished!" Then he bowed his head and released his spirit.

          John 19:30 (NLT)

Today is Good Friday.  But what's so good about the day we remember the death of our Savior and King?  It's good because Jesus, God in human form, came down from Heaven and gave himself up for us so that we could be free.  In his dying, death was defeated so that we could have eternal life.  We need to remember this because without the dying on Friday Easter would simply be another Sunday.

What's so good about the Friday that Jesus died?  It's good because no one could kill Jesus.  Neither the Jews or their leaders put him on that cross.  It wasn't Pilate or the Roman soldiers who put him there.  Some would say it was us and our sins who put him there.  But even that is not correct.  He chose the nails.  He chose the cross.  He chose to die for our sins.  That's what's so good about Good Friday.

Remember the sacrifice that our God made for us today.  No other religion that I know of can make the same claim of a God who loves His people so much that He would sacrifice himself for them.  Our God is an awesome God who loves us and desires us to be close to Him.  That's what's so good about this Friday.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

How lovely is your dwelling place,
  O LORD of Heaven's Armies.
 I long, yes, I faint with longing
  to enter the courts of the LORD.
With my whole being, body and soul,
  I will shout joyfully to the living God.
                          Psalm 84:1-2 (NLT)

“How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of Heaven's Armies!”  For the Israelites traveling in the wilderness the dwelling place would have been the Ark of the Covenant where the stone tablets with the Law of Moses presided.  Later, the Temple became the dwelling place.  What the Psalmist is speaking of here is the home of God.  And it’s at this place that we come to worship, whether we call it a synogogoue or a church or something else.  It's wherever two or three are gathered for the purposes of praising God and coming closer to Him. 

Read this portion of Psalm 84 again.  Do you hear the passion in it?  Is this how you feel about worship when you enter in on Sunday mornings or whatever day and time you meet with others in God's name?  Are we as eager to encounter God as the Psalmist seems to be here?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

                                               Romans 15:7 (NIV)

People are so different.  How many ways can you think of that we are totally different?  There are different skin colors, genders, lifestyles, aptitudes, ways of thinking, ways of talking, ways of walking, interests, skills, personalities, agendas, likes, dislikes, eating habits, sleeping habits, etc.

But no matter how different we are, we are all loved the same by God.  And that is why God sent Jesus for all of us.  That is why the rain falls on the just and the unjust.  Every single one of us has a chance now because of Jesus.  

When we accept Christ, Christ accepts us.  So as Christ has accepted us, let us accept each other; those who are in his fold now and those who may possibly be in it later.  In doing this, we will bring praise to God.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the (Tax) Day !!

Happy Tax Day!!  I say this as I prepare to sign the sheet for my tax refund from federal that will be used to pay my CPA and state taxes.  Joy of joys.  So why do I say Happy Tax Day?

First, I say Happy Tax Day!! because if you are paying taxes it means you have a job.  There are many today that don't work for a variety of reasons including laziness, disabilities, too young or too old.  But many today have families to support and have been laid off or fired.  They need work and have had a difficult time finding a job or when a job becomes available they are underqualified or overqualified.  Or the job the get just isn't enough to pay the bills.  I'm happy today to have a job where I'm paid, and paid adequately.

Second, I say Happy Tax Day!! because we live in a system where elected officials (whether you voted for them or not) govern us.  According to Paul they are God's servants.  If you have a difficult time believing that our government could ever be servants of God then I'm sure you are right there with the people Paul spoke who weren't too keen on the Romans who governed them either.  Yet Paul still said it.  Was he a liar?  No.  They are God's servants.  And just like all of us they have the ability to choose which way they serve.  And just like all of us they will be rewarded in Heaven or judged accordingly for how they've served.

Finally, I say Happy Tax Day!! because as the Psalmist writes and we sing sometimes on Sunday mornings, "This is the Day that the Lord has made!  Let us rejoice and glad in it!"  Find good in each and every day my friends.  And find ways to share that good with others today.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, "We have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth."
                                        John 1:45 (NLT)

Jesus has issued the call to Philip to become a disciple.  What's the first thing that Philip does after this?  He runs and tells his friend Nathanael the good news.  Can you hear the excitement in Philip's voice as he proclaims that he's found the one they've all been waiting on?  He's excited because he's met Jesus.

Imagine yourself in a prison somewhere halfway across the world after being sentenced to death and waiting for it to come at any moment.  Now imagine how excited you would be when the Navy Seal team shows up and tells you that they are there to save you.  I imagine you'd be pretty excited. 

Yet Jesus has done just that.  He's saved us from eternal death.  How excited are we about that?  Maybe you wake up every morning excited about Jesus and what He's done for you.  Maybe you once were, but have become complacent.  I don't know about you, but daily I seem to see unexcited Christians walking this earth who not only aren't excited about Christ, but also hardly ever even mention His name. 

How will the world know the Good News if the ones who supposedly have it aren't even excited about it?  Get excited about Jesus today.  Show others this excitement.  And it just might spread.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Early Requirements of Church Membership

I was just reading where in the Early Church (around 200 AD) converts to Christianity had certain requirements they would have to meet before being baptized into the Christian religion.  In most denominations today if a person claims to have accepted Jesus then they are baptized and brought into the Church.  In this day, however, background checks were made, assessments were made of the candidate's suitability, and then they were given training on what it meant to be a Christian.  This training would last three years.  Only then could they become members of the Church.

The profession of a person also had a lot to do with whether one could become a Christian or not.  For example if one were a prostitute they would be excluded.  Other examples of professions that would keep you out were anything to do with magic or divination or the theatre.  What I read did not say whether or not if they could become a Christian if they gave up that profession.  I would hope so.  Otherwise the teachings of grace and forgiveness would be null and void already.

There were also certain professions where one would have to make certain vows about their jobs.  Soldiers could join provided they vowed never to take part in an execution.  If ordered to do so, they must deny the order at risk of being executed themselves.  Painters and sculptors could become Christians only if they vowed not to make idols.   

To us today this may seem like a lot.  On the other hand, you might think they had the right idea.  Either way, I believe that joining the Church today can be done very easily without any actual repentance or even true belief or desire for Jesus.  I wonder how different our churches would be if things today were more like things in the third century.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Sing for joy, O heavens! Rejoice, O earth! Burst into song, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted his people and will have compassion on them in their sorrow.
                                        Isaiah 49:13 (NLT)

There is hope in our Lord.  And as long as there is hope, we can sing for joy.

Oh there will be times of sorrow for us all.  There will be times when our tears are of sadness instead of joy.  But even then, our God is with us.  His comfort can be found.  For it is deeper than the great seas for His children. 

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
                                    Philippians 3:13b-14 (NLT)

The Christian life is a continuous struggle.  We’re caught in tension within ourselves.  It’s a struggle between our worldly desires and God’s desires for us.
   
This is why it’s so important to do as Paul did.  He left his past behind.  This is not a one-time thing.  Instead it’s a daily decision we must make.  For Paul, there was hatred and arrogance and self-righteousness in his past.  Did he continue to struggle with his past sins…probably so.  Will we struggle with past sins…surely.  That is the very reason we have to leave the past behind each and every day.

Paul knew that even though this was difficult, it wasn’t impossible.  The devil tries to convince us that past failures, guilt over past sins or pain over past hurts will keep us from being made right with God.  The devil also tries to get us to give up maturing in our faith, telling us it’s too hard.  But the devil is all about lies and deceit.  Don’t listen to him.  For doesn’t this idea contradict the very things we proclaim about a loving and forgiving God?

Each day live for the day God has given you and don't let the past get you down.  Each new day brings about new possibilities.  We choose what we do with these possibilities.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might before the LORD, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals.

                                    2 Samuel 6:5 (NIV)

For King David this was worship.  They were moving the ark of God to Jerusalem and there was a celebration surrounding it.  No, they were not in a building.  There were no synagogues or Temples at the time.  No, there was not a liturgist or a preacher or official choir.  But there was a celebration of the LORD.

How often do we go into church services and forget to celebrate the LORD?  Have we made worship into a set of do's and don'ts?  Is there a certain way you must worship?  Does it offend someone if you show enthusiasm?

The fact is that worship needs to be reverent, while at the same time being a celebration.  How in the world does this happen, you might ask.  Whatever comes from our heart and is given to God is reverent, including prayers, begging for forgiveness, laying out our painful situations and so on.  But we should always be praising God because where two or three are gathered in His name, Jesus said that He would be there.  We should praise God because He is with us through His Holy Spirit and is working with us.  This is a celebration and should not be held back because of one's tradition or worry about what others might say.

The next time you worship God, celebrate Him.  Celebrate the fact that He has forgiven you of your sins.  Celebrate the fact that if you are struggling with sin or pain or worry, He is listening to you and is right by your side.  Celebrate that He loves you and will never leave you.

In the love of Christ,

greg

Thought of the Day !!

"Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the LORD your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the LORD, you will live long in the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."
                                           Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (NLT)

Every day we make choices, some big, some small.  We choose what time to get up each morning, what to eat or whether or not to eat breakfast.  Throughout the day we’ll choose what to say, where to go, and what to be involved in.

We make priorities…sometimes without even realizing it by our choices.  Do we take off work early to be involved in a child’s school play or continue to work? Do we check-up on a parent or clean the gutters?  Do we spend money on groceries or new clothes?  Do we cook a healthy meal or take the family out for fast food?  Do we watch TV or take a walk?  Do we sleep in or go to church?

Choices are so ingrained into our life that often times we don’t even realize we’re making them...until it’s time for a big decision.

The Israelites are given a choice between life and death in today's reading…between being blessed or being cursed.  Life is found in an obedient relationship with God, while choosing anything else leads to death. 

The theme that echoes throughout the Old Testament is the choice of life.  And it continues into the New Testament with Jesus.   What we will choose this day?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

About three o'clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, "It's a ghost!" But Jesus spoke to them at once. "Don't be afraid," he said. "Take courage. I am here!" Then Peter called to him, "Lord, if it's really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water." "Yes, come," Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. "Save me, Lord!" he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. "You have so little faith," Jesus said. "Why did you doubt me?"
                              Matthew 14:25-31 (NLT)

If you only take one thing away from this passage today, let it not be that Peter lost his nerve.  Let it not be the fact that Jesus scolded him for not having enough faith to continue.  Don't take away anything to do with wind or waves or water.  Instead, remember the fact that Peter got out of the boat. 

Eleven men remained in the safety of the boat.  Eleven men chose to stay in their comfort zones instead of taking a chance on moving forward towards Jesus.  Eleven men remained complacent.  But one didn't.  Peter left the comfortable surroundings of the the boat and took a chance on Jesus.  He is the one who risked his life for his Lord.  He is the one who after failing called out to Jesus for help and received it.

Will our lives be lived more like Peter's was this night?   Or will they be lived like the other eleven?  Will we choose comfortable and safe, or reckless abandonment to our Lord and Savior?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Chop Arm Strong (Official Music Video) - Atlanta Braves 2014

It's time for some Baseball!

Thought of the Day !!

Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
                                    Matthew 5:42 (ESV)

A story I found somewhere and once used in a sermon goes like this:

There once was a monk who found a precious jewel.  The monk was a traveler, and during one of his travels, he met a man.  The man had no food and asked the monk for some.  The monk, happy to share with the hungry man, opened his bag to get some provisions.

Upon opening the bag, the man saw the jewel.  On impulse the man asked the monk if he could have it.  Amazingly, the monk gave the precious stone to the man.

The traveler departed quickly, overjoyed with his new possession.  However, a few days later, he came back searching for the monk.  He returned the stone to the monk and made a request: "Please give me something more valuable, more precious than this jewel.  Please give me that which enabled you to give it to me."

A person's earthly instincts would be to keep the jewel, yet a person's spiritual insight tells him or her that the jewel is not as important as another human being.  

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with such scum?" When Jesus heard this, he said, "Healthy people don't need a doctor—sick people do."

                                   Matthew 9:10-12 (NLT)

The Pharisees are offended that Jesus would be giving his time to “those” people.  They see themselves as better than them.  This leads to them asking why a supposedly reputable teacher would hang out with such “scum”. 

Jesus is sharing a meal with the lower class instead of the home of a good upstanding Pharisee.  This is important because in this culture sharing a meal implies acceptance and even approval.  It’s a relationship thing.

But Jesus teaches that he did not come for those who thought highly of themselves.  He came for those who knew that they were in need.  Those who think awful highly of themselves don’t have a need for a Savior because they can always work things out for themselves.  This was the feeling of the Pharisees.  And ironically they were the ones who needed Jesus the most.

The Pharisees are like a lot of Christians today.  They do all the right things and at their heart they love being moral people and love the rituals of the church.  But the one thing that they’ve missed out on is the most important thing.  They don’t really love others as they love themselves.  Jesus taught that we are to love all, not just a select few.  And loving people can sometimes be messy.  Just like the Pharisees, many of us don’t like messy.  We don’t want to be unclean.  We don’t want to get our hands dirty.  We like a cleaned up religion because it’s easier and more comfortable.

Don’t let this be who you become without even realizing it.  Don’t judge people as worse than you.  Instead see all as no better and no worse.  Then love them unconditionally…like Jesus does.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

"Watch out! Don't let me find you living in careless ease and drunkeness, and filled with the worries of this life.  Don't let that day catch you unaware, like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man."
                                         Luke 21:34-36 (NLT)

WATCH OUT!  Don't let me find you dilly-dallying around when I come back! – (a pretty straight forward warning if you ask me)

Jesus tells us not to live our lives carelessly or in a drunken state.  When a person is drunk, he or she doesn't know much about what's going on around them because of impaired judgment.  He or she is always right and thinks mostly about himself/herself.  The person has very little control and often times can do much harm to themselves or others.  And this is pretty careless.

The thing is that we can all live a life of drunkenness without ever touching a drop of alcohol.  We live lives of drunkenness and careless ease when:  

1. We live for today and what today will bring us, without much thought of Jesus.  
  
2. We live lives where our actions (and especially lack of actions) will cause harm to ourselves or others in some way or another.  

3. We live lives that revolve around how much we earn or what position we have in the community or some other selfish ambition.

4. We live out our lives trying to be a bare minimum Christian who comes to church, gives ten percent, but can't really be defined as a Christian in our dealings throughout the rest of the week.  Our judgment is impaired because we think we are something that we aren't.

OR  -  We can live our lives prayerfully and faithfully trying to be who Jesus wants us to be everyday, while showing our great love of God and each other.

Jesus says that the day where we stand before him will come for every one of us.  It may be at the end times.  And it may be at our own death.  But it will assuredly come.  His warning is to simply be ready, not living our lives for ourselves and the things of this world.

In the love of Christ,
greg