The Heart of Washing Feet

Imagine your one of the twelve disciples. Your in a room reclining at a table you chat among yourselves, you laugh and reminisce. You make fun of peter how he screamed like a girl when went from walking on water to swimming like a rock. John Jests about what he was thinking when he saw Jesus sleeping the midst of the storm. Jesus laughs and jokes along with you. In your conversation some one happily asks "out of all of us here who do you think is the greatest." Out of the corner of your eye you catch something out of place. It is Jesus he is standing up with a somber look on his face. You have small tightening in your stomach, your a little nervous with anticipation. Whats he going to do, why is standing in the middle of the meal, what has got him looking that way. He looks at you. Something in his look grabs you, his look is intentional He speaks a message of passion and love with out saying a word. Your nervousness fades, your curiosity heightens, you watch him with intention, something is going to happen and you're not going to miss it. The room has gone silent everybody is watching as Jesus moves toward the wall. Silently and without hesitation he removes his outer garment. He takes a towel of the wall and wraps it around his waist. As he moves to the table and pours water into a basin you become filled with emotion. You see your lord, the man who has taught you so much,you have seen him raise the dead, calm the seas, heal the sick and walk on water. He has counseled you in your deepest troubles and shown no fear in the face of danger he is your hero, your mentor. You have nothing but admiration and respect for him and there he stands half naked with a bowl of water kneeling preparing to serve you. He grasps your left foot. its to much, you should be humiliated before him not him before you, your voice trembling with emotion speaks out "I should wash your feet not you mine."

The lord was insistent. The lord continued to wash the disciples feet that night everyone of them. A powerful and humble act. We could go on for days about the act. However it is not the act that I am struck by today, it is the heart behind it. It says in john 10:10 "...I came that they may have life, and have it to the full". This verse states it pretty clearly that God did not come to create a bunch of rules so that we could live our lives restricted and unhappy, his intention is not to lord over us and keep us tightly pressed under his thumb. He came so that we could live the best lives we could possibly live. As Jesus sat down with his disciples for the last meal they would eat before his death, he heard the disciples ask each other "Who is the greatest among us" Jesus knew this would never do. He had to make sure they understood that it was better to serve than to be served. He had to show them it didn't matter who was the greatest but rather who served the most. Those who serve the most are those who touch the most lives, if you really want to be something great you must serve. The lesson was so important the Lord disgraced himself so that they and us would know it. That's the heart of God. His heart, his passion, his burning desire is that you live a life to the full, there is no disgrace to much for him to suffer to ensure that this is exactly what happens. Think twice before you judge God or why he asks you to do something. Its not about living life according to the rules, are just being nice people, its not just because he is charge, but rather that we might live life and live it to the full. Live the adventure.

prayer

luke 5: 15-16 15Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

This is a great verse, it shows where us as leaders need to be focusing. We've talked about this before how Jesus was regularly found in a solitary place. Praying. This verse stresses it all the more. Jesus was begining to be become popular, news of his miracles and preaching was spreading. His church was growing. What did Jesus do? He didn't increase the number of meetings he had with his staff, nor did he devote more time to teaching or to ministering to the people he devoted more time to pray. There is one other message we can learn from this, Jesus had three years to minister. Thats it. 3 years to lay the foundations of the new testament church and to teach the world everything they needed to know. Talk about a sense of urgency, talk about having a lot to do in little time. And what does he spend most of his time doing, praying. Many of us have a sense of urgency, we have huge visions that God has given us to accomplish. We get so caught in all we need to do and how little time there is to do it we often don't pray. Jesus prayed all the time and look how effective his ministry was. Here's to more prayer and to being like Jesus. Live the Adventure.

Revolutionary War

Today my mind drifts to revolution, to that unruly group of Englishman who decided America would be free. What were they thinking? Has any body stopped to wrap there mind around there situation. Its like the state of Ohio declaring war on the United States, saying we will be free. What exactly where they thinking. They were out manned and out gunned. Where were they going to get their supplies from. What were those first officers thinking, those legislators that signed the first documents. Surely they must have thought there chances of winning where slim. Going against the British Army at that time the most formidable army on earth. They must have considered the difficulty and the hardships of the battles to come. This war was going to be fought in their cities, among their homes and in their front yards. Their houses would be burned, their children put in danger. What where they thinking. They must of thought of their families, their children and their future. Where they doing the right thing, they must have woke up in the night with the thought. What happens if they loose this men who signed the dotted line and every soldier in that army would be executed for treason, not to mention their houses burned and children left desolate. What about the average soldier, the simple farmer who picked up his musket and left his family and his farm to fight a war in which he might not win and from which he may never return. These risks were so great.

It would have been easier to hope for better times, to push for their case in the British Legislator. Maybe they could send another appeal to the king. Maybe. However they felt as though they had exhausted every possible option and that the only option left was revolution. They drew a line in the sand and said we are not going to allow any more and they fought for it. Many of them lost their lives, many of them lost their homes and their fortunes. What did they Gain? They gained the greatest country on earth. Our freedoms, our wealth, our success is here because they paid the price, because they took the risks to build something better.

I say this for one simple reason. What are we willing to risk. What chances do we take. Not for the U.S. or for any other country that we may preside in but for the Kingdom. The Kingdom of God. How far are we willing to go. Where are we drawing the line in sand. Are we willing to risk our lives, or every comfort in them, to put are families at risk to build something better. Are we willing to fight that kind of war for the Kingdom of God. Those who choose to fight are a part of something better. As for those men in the revolutionary war their names and faces are not all remembered but their sacrifice is evident everything we do and in everything we touch. None of what we do, this life we all live would not be possible with out those who were willing to fight. So it will be in the Kingdom of God, all the peace, the comforts, the freedoms and the joys will all be possible because of those who were willing to fight. Matthew 11:12 "12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force." Live the adventure.

God pleads with us

John chapter 8 read verses 13 thru 30. You will read Jesus pleading his case to Pharisees and all the people. Its an amazing chapter to read. We read Jesus pleading his case not once, not twice, but 3 times. 3 times he says the same thing differently. Why? He was desperately pleading his case. He wanted so badly for everyone to believe, he wanted to give as many chances as possible, he knew he was the way, the truth and the life, and that no man would know the father nor know rest unless thru him. His patience is evidence of his love. Imagine God in the flesh, standing in the courts of his own temple, in his house where his throne is kept. Willing standing trial in front of his own subjects, he listens to their condescending tone and sarcastic remarks for just one chance to convince, if only to some, that he was the son of God, their way out, their ticket to life more abundant. I say all this because Jews were a religious and spiritual people they were looking for God and to please God. Their strict rules of religion, however misguided did stem from a sincere effort to please God. Their constant meeting in the temple's and synagogues was in search of him. They were looking, looking for their saviour. Like so many of us they were unhappy with life and looking for more. Yet many did not find it. I want to quote one of Jesus lines from this passage ""I am going away," he said. "You will look for me, and you will die in your sin." Jesus says I won't be here forever I am leaving and many of you look for me and you will die in your sin, in other words you will die searching. How many of us are like the people in those courts we have been looking for so long Jesus, the answer, is staring us in the face, desperately pleading and yet we don't believe. For some its to easy, "you mean all you have to do is believe". For others it is to hard "You can only live a certain way". For others its just unbelievable, "there is a God who loves us and sent his son to die for us, yeah right." Whatever the reason, don't die searching. Don't die looking for answers in places where you won't find them. Jesus is here, he is staring you in the face, desperately pleading. Give him a try. Stop searching and begin to LIVE THE ADVENTURE.

The Edge Of Destiny

Today is the end of our churches 21 day Daniel fast. Fruits and veggies. My wife is currently cooking the first breakfast that will not consist of one variation of green veggie and potatos. My house is filling the smells of pancake's and eggs. This morning I feel the greatest since of peace I have known in a very long time. My sense is of being home, I feel like I have come home, to my place, I have arrived. There is an undertone of quite expectation, its not loud making me jump for joy. Its soft, quite and peaceful, yet resolute. I am not sure what is going to happen but something is. Its the feeling of standing on the edge of destiny. I am on the edge of something awesome, something my heart longs for, something God has been preparing me for. No, I am not sure whats going to happen but something is. I am hesitant to put faces,facts and figures to these sure feelings of impending glory because often they nothing like I ever expected because they are greater than I ever could have imagined. To Church at The Well be prepared for a season of things awesome, I do not guarantee it will be easy but it will be awesome. It may not be anything like you expected but that's only because it will be greater than anything we could have imagined. From glory unto glory. To the fruits of adventure. To our destiny. Glory to god. Live the adventure.

Knowing God.

How well do you know God? How well do you really know him? How about an easier question how well do you know your best friend. Everybody has a friend that they know when their sad, when their down and out. You also know when their up, when their happy. We know them when their kidding around. They say the meanest thing to you and you laugh. Why, because you know them. You know your friend, you know what he is made of and capable of. You know who he is. Their is never a question in your mind about his purpose is to what he says because you know him. Mark chapter seven. The Syrophoenician women. A women that knew God. Jesus is hanging out in Tyre and a Syrian women born in Phoenicia, who has a demon possessed daughter, finds out. Desperately needing help this women goes to Jesus seeking his assistance. When she asks Jesus response is " First let all the children eat what they want, it is not right to take the children's bread and give it to the dogs." Let me brake that down for you. Jesus is basically saying I have come for the Jews why should I help you, a Syrian. Now don't freak out, it is obvious by Jesus life and by his teaching that he did not only come for the Jews, in fact Jesus had already healed the child of a roman centurion. so why say this. He was testing how well the woman knew him. Did she know him well enough to know he wasn't serious. Did she know him well enough to know this couldn't be him. Absolutely. The woman's response was "Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the children's table." Was she calling herself a dog? No. She was simply stating that she knew Jesus and she knew their was plenty of grace and love to go around. She was telling God who he was. She was reminding him of his heart. She knew him.

Why is it so important to know God. Because knowing him causes a belief in him. If the woman didn't know him, she wouldn't have gone to him, moreover she wouldn't have stayed and pressed in after his response. If she hadn't believed her daughter would have never been healed. Want to live the adventure? Want to really live it? Then you must know God. Because true adventure is not possible with out the miraculous, both in our hearts and physically. if you don't know God then you will not believe in him enough, you won't be able to trust him enough to make it through the adversity that you must go through in order to live the adventure. God never said it would be easy just awesome. To make it through the not easy parts you must trust and believe, but before you can do that you must KNOW. Know God. Live the adventure.

"Like watching plants grow"

He also said, "This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come." -mark 4:26-29

Why did God feel the need to say this. Its an important question. Jesus ministered for 3 years. That's it. When we look at the words of Jesus, we must look at them as the words of a dying man who has but a short time to live and wants to make sure that if you know anything about life you know this. The above was one of those "this's". What is the kingdom of God Like. Like a seed germinating in the ground. Seeds are amazing things the can spend weeks months and years dormant and then spring to life. Even when life has begun out of them it can be another length of time before you see a plant. Once you finally see a plant it will be even longer till the plant is grown and mature. The kingdom of heaven is like that, it takes time. Take heart in the 4th sentence in the verse above. "Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, thought he does not know how." The kingdom of God is always doing something, whether you sleep or get up, day and night. God is working on growth of his kingdom. You don't always understand it, you don't always see it. Be rest assured, God is working. So if you're waiting on something, just give it time. Live the adventure.

Days Like Those.

I am tired today. Its been one "of those" days. Those long days. A day were nothing seems to go right and all you seem to get is bad news. It reminds me of times I experienced in the military, especially when I was deployed. As the sun would set all you would want was a a hot meal, a good shower, and a soft bed. In reality all you had coming was a MRE (Meal Ready to Eat), a baby wipe bath and a hard cot. Its the worst way to end a day, with no relief. Its even worse as you look to your days to come there seems to be no relief in sight. It can be depressing. Let me tell you something though, those moments made me a better man. I wouldn't be the man I am today if it weren't for days like those. On that same note I wouldn't where I am today, with the wife I have if it weren't days like those. I have never enjoyed days like those in the moment, however in hindsight I am grateful for every one of them. No I don't like days like those but I do like where they take me. If you're having a day like "one of those" or a year full of them, embrace them,don't curse them. You may not like them here in the moment, that's okay, but I guarantee you will like where they take you. To days like "those". Live the adventure

Life "simplified"

Its our new buzz word from Church at the Well. what does it mean, it means separating what is relevant and what is not and then living our lives accordingly. Today I was in Matthew 9. You'll read the story of how Jesus heals a paralytic. He had returned to Nazareth as soon as he steps out of the boat he see's a man paralyzed laying on a mat. He has compassion on him, seeing his faith he walks up to him and says "take heart, your sins are forgiven". Thats it. No "get up and walk", No "be healed", just "your sins are forgiven." This is what is so amazing about this story. There is no protest from the paralytic. No burst of outrage. No "Thats it!" No "your not going to heal me". The only outrage is from the pharisees and there only mad because Jesus is forgiving sins not because the man isn't healed. Now Jesus did heal the man but only to show the pharisees that he had the authority to forgive sins. It almost seems that if the pharisees had never said anything the man wouldn't be healed. Is God cruel? No I believe that Jesus was more concerned with the state of the mans soul more so than his physical body. Judging by the lack or protest from the man so was the man. In old Israel when people where blind, deaf, mute, or paralyzed they were often outcasts, people actually believed it was because of there sin that they were crippled. I believed the man bought into that. I believed that the man was more concerned with assumption that he was a sinner beyond redemption then the fact that he was paralyzed. When Jesus got out of the boat and saw the man, he saw the mans heart, he saw that man was concerned more with his standing with God than his present circumstance and he spoke to that. What does this have to do with life "simplified". Life "simplified" is all about being concerned with whats important. The paralytic nailed it, to him it was his standing with God. What about you, whats more important to you? Is it your standing with God or your present circumstance. Live the adventure.

One small step.

Small steps. Its amazing how many small steps lead us to were we are today. whether our current situation is good are bad it was mostly small steps that got us there. I think about the time I joined the army. You know how the recruiter got my name and number. My car had broken down, the recruiter was the only one who had stopped and help me push my car into a parking lot. At the end he asked what my plans where after high school we conversed he asked for my number I gave it. It was a small incident but it ultimately lead up to a four year tour of duty in military. Who would have thought it would have started that way. it wasn't the army's marketing or ad campaigns it was a small favor, took the recruiter maybe all of 5 minutes to help me. Think of Peter, a very successful minister. I one could argue the most successful out of the original 12, he had a very large church in Jerusalem and was "the rock" on which Jesus built his church. How did it all start. One small step. In Luke chapter 5 you'll read Jesus was preaching by the sea of Galilee a large crowd had gathered, Jesus needed a little space. So Jesus asked one of the local fisherman to put his boat out just a little bit from shore. Who did he ask but peter. A small step. A small favor. years later after the adventure with Jesus, he is preaching to thousands at a Pentecost, then he is pastoring the largest church in Jerusalem. WOW! Peter is no different then you and I. He didn't have visions of grandeur when he put Jesus out a little from shore. He was just washing his nets and heard this guy preached and liked what he had to say so when the man asked "can I have a favor" he obliged. This is my encouragement for you all today. Is never be afraid to do a small favor. Many of you see a need that can be ended every day yet don't do it because it seems like a small deal and won't do much good, some of you want to be a part of something large yet you can only add a small contribution so you don't sign on. Small steps and small favors are what make the world go round. They are what ultimately lead to big things. Live the adventure.

The Solitary Place.

You know today I was reading Max Lucado's devotional in the back of his book "3:16". He was speaking of Jesus in Capernaum. Luke ch.4. How Capernaum asked him to stay, He said no. He said he must go preach the gospel to other towns as well. What an amazing statement. No. He turned down the town that loved him to reach out to those towns who rejected him, hated him and ultimately would try to kill him. Talk about the love of God. Talk about dedication to a purpose despite the difficulty. Its a great message, but Max missed one point that caught my eye. Right before Jesus turned down the job the town found Jesus in his "solitary place". His place of prayer. We often throughout Jesus's story find him in his place of prayer. How does a man turn down a life of relative comfort and ease in Capernaum. He still would have been preaching, He could have justified it, people still need him there, maybe from there he could send people out, there could have been a myriad of excuses. Jesus didn't buy one of them. He didn't listen, he didn't stay. So back to question how does a man leave a life of relative ease and comfort, a life of doing good things, to pursue a life of difficulty and hardship yet achieve an amazing thing. The most amazing thing in human history. You'll find your answer in your "solitary place". The "solitary place" gives strength, clarity,passion, drive and ultimately a good handle on purpose and destiny. I encourage us to often be found in our "solitary place". If you're never found in your "solitary place" you'll never be found in a "great place". Live the adventure.

Take Nothing for the Journey

In Mark 6:7 Jesus sends out the twelve. He tells them take nothing for journey. No food. No money. No extra tunic. Go preach the gospel, cast out demons, heal the sick , but take nothing for the journey. I don't think we understand the gravity of what the twelve were going through. Jesus tells them take nothing for the journey, then a few sentences later Jesus says "When houses or towns reject you". Let repeat that last part "when towns reject you". When a town rejects you where do sleep? You have brought no food for the journey. What do you eat? By the way what time of day where the disciples sent out? Why is that important? Think about it. Which team was sent to a town they couldn't reach by night fall, who got the two day journey with no promise of shelter or food. Scary thought right. What would you be thinking if you where on that team of two. I pondered today why would Jesus do that. Why send them out while he is still around. He is still there, he is still teaching, the disciples still had a lot to learn. Why send them out. Perhaps God was teaching them something. This is how ministry works. You are given a mission and you go. You often go like the disciples, no provision, and no promises. Its very likely the disciples spent some nights outside in a very manly cuddle trying to stay warm. Its also highly possible the didn't always have food. They had ruff times. don't read this passage and think Jesus sent them out and it was all Sunshine and rainbows, it wasn't. Adventures never are. Here is the next point I wanted to Highlight. They all made it home, when they did I bet they had some awesome stories to tell. This is the point; the road to destiny will not always be easy, it will not always be fun, it will be awesome, it is possible, you can make it. Its just not always easy. This is my encouragement to you. Go! do as the disciples did and go, no provisions, no promises, just a mission, a hearts cry given to you by God. The road will not always be sunshine and rainbows but you will make it home, and when you do there will be an awesome story to tell. Live the adventure.

Life sacrificed

I have been thinking a lot lately about "life sacrificed". Its a term I have coined. I am starting to see that life is better sacrificed. Let me explain. The bible says children are a blessing. I have recently been pondering children being a blessing. I am about to take my niece and nephew into my home. As I spend more time with them in preparation for this move I find myself pondering how children are a blessing. They eat like cows their constantly crazing, their brother and sister so they fight and play both are noisy, they are always at your home so there is no privacy, they need so much stuff; cloths, toys, school supplies. It seems like all they do is deplete resource hardly a blessing right. Wrong. I find that my life is enriched despite all that is lost, I enjoy it when they are in my home, I find there constant noise of play is becoming more like music to my ears, I find that I look forward to their smiles and appreciation. I am enjoying sit down conversations. I am even am starting to grow an appreciation for discipline, I hate being a disciplinarian no matter how bad they are however I find myself saying if it turns them into to descent men and women its worth it. They really are a blessing I just haven't been able to to put my finger on how to describe it. Prayer is another example. My life is so busy that in order to do it I find myself staying up late and getting up early. It costs me sleep, but I find the more I do it the better my life is. Its extending to so many area's of my life. I am an avid procrastinator, if I don't feel like doing it now I like to wait tell later. However I find everything waits tell later and nothing gets done. By sacrificing a few fleshly desires I find that my life is more in order, my business does better, more gets done. Its worth the sacrifice. So I say all this to say; life is better sacrificed. I think so many of us (including myself) are always trying to find ways to make life easier, to do less work, spend less money, to have less hardship. In other words were always looking to sacrifice less. Less sacrifice is not the answer. Finding ways to sacrifice less should not be our pursuit. We should all be looking for the things that are worth the sacrifice. Whats worth a little pain and a little suffering. In the end those will always be the things worth having. If I live my life and sacrifice much, in the end I will truly have much to be grateful for. Live the adventure.

A birds eye view.

Attitude determines Altitude. If you have every worked in a sales office or been to any motivational seminars you have to had heard that somewhere. It simply means that if you have "high" or positive thoughts then you will end up with a positive results. If you have "low" or negative thoughts you will have negative resul

ts. Why bring it up? As you can see in my last blog I have been thinking alot about prayer. I have noticed when I pray more life is better than when I pray little. Seasons of prayer however are not seasons with out difficulity, the fact of the matter is seasons of prayer can often stem from difficulty. so why is it that when I pray life seems better, why is it that more seems to get done and I tend to be happier despite the circumstances I got through. Perhaps altitudedoes determine attitude. When I pray more my thought process is often fixed more on Jesus. You can't get much higher than that. God has a unique view of your circumstances, he sees your journey from beginning to end all at the same time. Think of him as being in an airplane high above the earth and you are on the road. You come across a ruff patch, its unpaved, full of holes massive boulders restrict your movement, from your point of view this goes on forever. You think there is no way I can get through this. In reality the ruff patch is less than a mile, you'll be able to get through it no problem. At that point your attitude is very low. Why? You can't see that far from your point of view. You see an impossible hardship without end. Jesus however is in high spirits. why? From his point of view he sees a small hiccup in the road and then a smooth ride. Prayer is like keeping in contact with the man in the plane, your getting constant feed back on the true nature of your situation. The true nature of your situation is often, if not always, better than what it seems from your perspective. In short its much easier to navigate the road of life and all of its obstacles when you have the perspective of the man in the plane, stay in touch with him regularly. Live the adventure.

Seasons of prayer

This month I am in season of prayer. My church is on 21 day Daniel Fast. That's were you eat only fruits and vegetables and you drink water and juice. This fast is giving my an amazing opportunity to pray. Prayer tends to be seasonal in my life, there are times when it is season and times when its not. Its amazing how well I remember the seasons of prayer, and how much I don't remember the seasons with out it. Seasons of little prayer are often seasons I remember little about. That's because there is little to remember. There is little activity, little new friendships, little life giving conversations, little revelation from God, little productivity,little success, and little adventure. Seasons of little prayer have always tended to be seasons of little everything,except mediocrity, boredom, and depression those are in abundance when prayer is not is season. (There like weeds) Yet seasons of prayer I remember much. Perhaps there is much to be remembered. Seasons of prayer are abundant. There is an abundance of new friendships, an abundance of life giving conversations, an abundance of the revelation of the word of God, an abundance of productivity, and an abundance of success in short an abundance of adventure. Why is that? I have a theory. Christ said that "he came to give life and give it to the full"(john 10:10). Its very difficult for me to give you any thing if your not near me. so maybe just maybe its the same with God. Maybe its hard for him to give you anything if your not around him, especially "life to the full". Prayer is a way of hanging out with God, in it he gives you life to the full. Want adventure, want more......Pray more. Live the Adventure.

Saved

My studies this morning took me to my birth as a Christian. I found myself recounting my first steps into Christianity, the day I repented and first believed. To keep the story short and sweet I was a drunk. I was 18 and what had started as a little recreational fun on the weekends was quickly beginning to consume me. What was worse was I was miserable, my mom dragging me to church every Sunday, me sitting there listening to a preacher preach knowing that what he said was right, yet I refused to believe. Week in and week out I would say "I can quite on my own, I can do it on my own." The longer I waited the more of my life it took. Like many of us who call God father, I had to hit rock bottom. I had sunk about as low as I could go, I was looking at my life realizing I was miserable. I had hated what I had become and I wanted out. Weeks of trying to get out on my own simply weren't working, I would say that's it I am done no more. Some times it would be less than an hour before I found myself back to those nasty habits. What was I gonna do? Finally came that fateful news year eve party, I was so drunk I could barely see, literally my vision was so blurred I could barley make out shapes. My family was in the next room asleep they didn't know what I had done that night. I sat bowing to the porcelain throne. It was there God spoke to me. I heard a voice loud and clear. It said "this is what you have become" in a instant a drunken stupor became a sober moment of clarity. I saw my life flash before my eye's I saw relationships destroyed and opportunities missed, I saw things that I worked hard for crumbling. It was all because of that stupid bottle. I was disgusted. My friend who had accompanied me that night came into the room checking on me. I gave him a flask that I carried with me, it always had a little something in it. I told him I was done, to keep it, I didn't need it anymore. He looked at me in disbelief as he should have I wasn't the first drunk to give up my drinking ways in front of the toilet only to pick them up the next day. I was determined, but what would separate this time from all the others. I knew there was no way I could do it alone, I had tried so many times and failed. I was so scared the next day. It was Sunday, I went to church knowing what I was going to do. I didn't care what the preacher preached about I was just waiting for the alter call, I wanted to plead to God to help me. As soon as the music played I was literally running to the front, I almost didn't make it I broke down wailing out my sins begging for help. That was the day I got I saved. The day I started my Journey to freedom. Why this story. Because I want to reach out to those who are miserable, maybe your a drunk, maybe your not,maybe your addicited,maybe youre not addicted to anything but you are just miserable, you are currently not enjoying life, maybe you just want more. When I first got saved I wasn't terrified of hell, I didn't consider myself and evil man, I am not even sure that when I first got saved I loved God. I just knew that he was offering me a ticket out, a way to freedom, he was offering more. That's it. I will tell you this, the life I live now is way more awesome, way more exciting and way more free. It says that in the second half of John 10:10 "Christ came to give life and to give it to the full". I encourage all of you if you aren't living life to the full then accept Christ he is your ticket to adventure. He is your ticket to more. Live the life of freedom. Live the adventure.

"This is what I signed up for"

What did Jesus get excited about? I mean have you ever stopped to think about it. I read a blog yesterday by my good friend and pastor, Joseph Thompson. The jist of the blog was that a a lot of people that he had talked to where tired of living in the mundane they were ready to "blow up", "get huge" in other words get out of the ordinary and began to live the extraordinary. He reminded us all that as we pray to be like Christ we must remember that 90% of his life was lived in the mundane and ordinary. He lived thirty three years, only 3 was he a popular minister. I had to take a minute and ponder what did Jesus get excited about in those 30 years as he waited to "blow up". Lets think about it; he was going to leave his good paying job, the security and love of his family, the respect of his peers, the comfort of his home. What was he leaving it for. To wonder Israel as a vagabond, to go from one house to the next and not have a home, to rely on the random giving of people to provide for him, to preach and do miracles yet be ostracized and ridiculed by those he came to redeem, to be betrayed by one his closest friends, to die the most painful death man has ever conceived. What did Jesus look forward to. His steps into full time ministry were basically his steps into a suicide mission, when Jesus decided to preach full time he decided to give up every comfort and sign his own death warrant. So what did Jesus get excited about. I remember the day my unit was called into the maintenance bay for an announcement. The announcement was that the 3rd armored Calvary regiment had officially been given the call to arms, this was it we were going to war. I remember a quite, and dull excitement in my soul. It wasn't the kind that makes you jump for joy or will even bring a smile to your face, its a peaceful satisfaction. A "warm fuzzy" I call it. What was this "warm fuzzy" in the pit of my stomach, as I pondered the thought appeared slowly yet resolutely on my brain. "This is what you signed up for" it made perfect sense. What was I excited about? Was going into combat? I knew what combat entailed. It meant sleepless nights and weeks without a shower (Gross but true). It meant cold MREs (meals ready to eat) 3 times a day, it meant no place to call home or to go and rest, it was basically the end of every creature comfort and possibly grave danger and death. Yet a peaceful satisfaction arises in my soul. I was excited about the mission not the circumstances that would surround it. I was excited about serving my country and defending freedom, it was an honorable assignment but let me tell you a soldier in combat experiences no glory, humiliation and discomfort are his medals in the field. The shiny medals and parades come when you get home and not before. So in short I was excited about the purposes I would serve and not the experiences I would go through. I believe Jesus felt the same way as he made his first steps out of Nazareth and headed toward Galilee, "this is what I signed up for" that peaceful satisfaction in his soul.It was finally happening he had begun the process of redeeming creation, despite the circumstances he would endure, he was still excited about the purpose he would achieve. So this thought process has created a gut check within myself, when I get excited about "Blowing Up" what do I get excited. I love ministry but I must admit the thought of getting paid for what I do brings a smile to my face, I have fantasied about the day I hand in my two weeks notice at my secular job, I like the idea of having a budget to work with and not having to raise funds for events, I even relish at times the possibility of an assistant who would help with the small details that I am so terrible with. While those things aren't bad there not what I signed up for. I came for the hurting, the dying, and the next generation, I became a youth pastor to inspire an incredible generation to due the incredible things which God has called them. Those things listed above will make me life easier but did Jesus's life get easier, no, more difficult. This is the thing, if I don't orient myself now on my purpose and calling it will be to easy to get caught up in those things when I am actually there experiencing them. Not to mention when one area gets easier I am sure another , that I haven't thought of, will get more difficult. Further more a correct orientation brings clarity to my present circumstance, as long as I can study, pray for the youth, and minister to them even if its only a handful or only one, then I am doing what I signed up for. The rest is circumstantial who cares whether I work or don't, whether I have a budget or not, or whether I rack my brains on the small stuff or some one else does that for me, the point is I am doing what I signed up for. To the rest of you out there do what you "signed up for" that thing which God has called never mind circumstance. Live the adventure.

Just a carpenter

Today I read the first part of mark, chapter six. Jesus goes home and begins to preach, the people begin to "pick up what he was putting down", they where jiving, "feelin each other". In other words what he was saying was resonating in their spirit, it struck a cord. In a quick minute they went from "jiving" to "wait a minute isn't this Jesus the carpenter". They immediately shut down and disregarded what he said. The text goes on to say that Jesus could do very little in that town he healed a few sick and moved on. This amazes me that Jesus the greatest preacher to ever live was disregarded. Why? Because they were so blinded by "the carpenter" they missed the son of God standing right in front of them. Does this ring a bell with anybody. Anybody feel called to greatness to become and do more. Getting knocked down by people who only see the "carpenter". Let me encourage you to do as Jesus did continue on, be obedient. Jesus ended up impacting the world, changing lives for generations to come. So could could you, don't get discouraged by those who only see the carpenter, in other words the mundane and ordinary about you, believe in Jesus who not only sees, but created the extraordinary in you. Live the adventure.

Homeward Bound

Above you'll see a view of Pikes Peak from Colorado springs. While I am falling in Love with Orlando by far Colorado Springs has been the prettiest city I have ever lived in. The constant mountain view can not be beat. Day and night the different lights bounce of the surface of the mountain it almost seems as if God is continually painting a different masterpiece. I do mean masterpiece, I can not say that one sunset or sunrise was better than another. Nor can I say the clear blue days looked better than the cloudy ones. Each day and circumstance would well up a new set of emotions a new appreciation for God's creation, for his majesty. If you ever seen it, it really is that breathtaking. I was a soldier posted at Ft. Carson just outside of Colorado Springs. I remember looking at Pikes Peak on our morning runs and when would lower the flag at night. I remember driving at night and when it had snow pikes peak would almost seem to glow. I remember boarding a plane at 5 am to head to Iraq looking at the blinking light that sits on the top and thinking "its going to be a long time before I see this view". I remember countless days when I would look over the barren desert that ended in clear blue sky and try to imagine my mountain in the distance. The view represented so much more than just beauty it was where my friends where, my church was, it was where I had some of the best times of my life. So whenever I was down or homesick I would overlook the desert and try to put my mountain in the distance. It was Awesome it always brought a smile to my face. It was how I kept my thoughts homeward bound. I remember when I got off the plane it was sunset. I remember stopping dead in my tracks and soldier behind me ran into me protesting "what are you doing". I was stunned it was pikes peak glowing in the evening sun the prettiest orange you had ever seen. Tears welled up in my eyes and I told the soldier behind me. I have waited along time for that view." What a great memory. Why Do I share it. I want everyone's focus to remain homeward bound. What is homeward bound. Its place in your head, sometimes its a place you have not yet been to and want to reach other times it is a place to you desperately want to get back to. I encourage all of you to keep your thoughts "homeward bound". You will be like me there will be your moments in the desert, where you'll have to look out over a barren desert and imagine your view but know this; its out there. There is a time for you to return home. I want to take this opportunity for everyone who wants to leave me prayer request for whatever your homeward bound is. If its a destination in your future or place where you want to return let me know. Just post the comment. If you don't want me to post it say so I will read it and then delete it. But I want to encourage all you god has a plan to get you home, to a promised land , a place of glory. Don't keep you thoughts on the desert place, keep them homeward bound. I am with you. Live the adventure.