Times....because we all have them...

I cannot get over this song by Tenth Avenue North.....because I have been low like this person.....I have been down so entirely deep in a pit, that i felt God did not even know where I was or how to get back to me...much less love me again....take a look...




The love and grace of God knows no bounds and no end...whatever your questions, mistakes, sins, screw ups, lies, questions, doubts.....He is there (present tense)!!!
God's response in the song is:
"I hear You say,
"My love is over. It's underneath.
It's inside. It's in between.
The times you doubt Me, when you can't feel.
The times that you question, 'Is this for real? '
The times you're broken.
The times that you mend.
The times that you hate Me, and the times that you bend.
Well, My love is over, it's underneath.
It's inside, it's in between.
These times you're healing, and when your heart breaks.
The times that you feel like you're falling from grace.
The times you're hurting.
The times that you heal.
The times you go hungry, and are tempted to steal.
The times of confusion, in chaos and pain.
I'm there in your sorrow, under the weight of your shame.
I'm there through your heartache.
I'm there in the storm.
My love I will keep you, by My pow'r alone.
I don't care where you fall, where you have been.
I'll never forsake you, My love never ends.
It never ends."

This season, remember what Emmanuel really means: "GOD WITH US"...Present Tense...

Through the Fire and the Flames We Carry On...

Never thought I would name a message after a DragonForce song...but there is a first time for everything...



But how true it actually is...it is through the fire and the flames that we carry on. Last night, my youth had a bonfire since they had no school today. They had a blast and that was the goal...for the last half.

The first half was devoted to their souls and what God had to say. God was desiring for them to understand that He wanted to be the fire that not only burned inside of them passionately to change the world, but also He wanted to be the fire that purified and perfected them. The spark came from Malachi 3:2-3---
But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire...He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons and daughters of [Lees Chapel Youth] and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD.
(P.S.---Zechariah 13:9 is another great verse)

They were given the opportunity to write down on paper something that was holding them back, something that had them stuck in a position that blocked them from giving God all they had in service and faith. Who knows what they may have put down...but they were challenged to throw it into the fire, to forever be burned away, turned to ash....symbolizing how Jesus scatters our sin as far as the east is from the west.

It was pretty awesome to see them take one piece or five pieces of paper. I now trust them with the follow through. These are things they have to let go of!! These are things that they have to release and let God burn out of their lives so they can become "sons and daughters" who bring offerings of righteousness to God. And I want this to be in every area of their lives...church, school, jobs, hang outs, and home! Because THEY CAN DO IT!!

What do you have holding you back that you need to let God burn away, so that you can carry on in service, love and passion for Him?

There's a hole, There's a hole...

A person texted me this: "How come people are never content with what they have? Waiting for something forever, then getting it, then moving right along. Is it the thrill that makes us crave more?"

It has been a long time since i have blogged, so i figured this would be a good time.

It has been said that all of us have a hole in all our hearts. If you have never felt emptiness in your soul at some point, you need to write a book and tell all of us how you do it. Because truth is, even as a pastor, I feel empty sometimes. Many times, especially with teenagers, we fill that hole with new clothes, new technology, new relationships, and sometimes even sex and drugs. I am willing to bet that many times, this is one cause of addictions whether to sex, porn, alcohol, drugs, etc.

So for example: you fill this hole with a relationship, then when the relationship is not enough, you move to more physical things such as sex, then when that is not enough, some people move to porn or cheat...see the downward spiral?

When we try to fill a circle shaped hole with a square peg...there a gaps, and we try to fill those gaps...

Lets cut to the chase...this hole in our hearts can only be filled by God through the death of Jesus Christ. Why fill our hearts with SO MANY temporary things, when you can fill your heart with the ONE eternal thing you actually need?

Two quotes come to mind:
"Search your heart several times a day, and if you find something that is disturbing your peace, remember to take the proper steps to restore the calm."
---Francis de Sales

"Holy fire burn away
My desire for anything
That is not of You and is of me
I want more of You
And less of me

Empty me, empty me,
and fill, won't you fill me
With You, with You"
---Empty Me by Jeremy Camp

I imagine that if we can fill that hole in our hearts with Jesus, and think about those two quotes daily....we may find the revival that some of us are praying for.

Until Next Time....

Step Up Your Game!

Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
---James 4:13-14

Good fishermen will leave out early in the morning, when it is dark, calm and quiet outside. Fishermen don’t sleep in and they don’t waste time hitting the snooze button. They make the most out of all the time that is available in their day. Their wake up call might come so early, in fact, that they could get a glimpse of a morning fog.

Just like that momentary fog on the water, our time here on earth is evaporating. Are you spending your life putting off the things God wants you to do, thinking that there’s plenty of time? Or are you seizing every moment and making good use of every minute?

In the verses above, James is telling us that time has no guarantees. He’s challenging us to focus on what we can do today.

What are some of the things you have been procrastinating? Who has God placed on your heart? Who are you supposed to reach out to? Don’t delay. Life is too short and too uncertain. So take every opportunity you can to find and fulfill your God-given purpose here on earth.

SomeOne I Can Be Real With

If you merely pretend that you enjoy God or love Him, HE KNOWS! You cant fool Him, dont even try.

Instead, tell Him how you feel. Tell Him that He is not the most importantthing in this life to you, and that you are sorry for that. Tell Him that you have been shady, that you have chosen ___________ over Him time after time! Tell Him that you want Him to change you, that you long to genuinely enjoy Him. Tell Him that you want to experience true satisfaction and pleasure and joy in your relationship with Him. Tell Him you want to love Him more than anything on this earth. Tell Him you want to treasure the kingdom of Heaven soooo much that you would willingly sell everything in order to get it. Tell Him what you like about Him, what you appreciate, and what brings you joy!!

Jesus, I need to give myself up. I am not strong enough to love You and walk with You on my own. I cant do it, I need You. I need You deeply and desperately. I believe You are worth it, that You are better than anything else I could have in this life or the next. I want You. And when I dont, I want to want You. Be all in me. Take all of me. Have Your way with me.

---CrazyLove
By Francis Chan

So what about you??

Since I Have My Life Before Me

I’ll live my life to the fullest. I’ll be happy. I’ll brighten up. I will be more joyful than I have ever been. I will be kind to others. I will loosen up. I will tell others about Christ. I will go on adventures and change the world. I will be bold and not change who I really am. I will have no troubles but instead help others with their troubles.

You see, I’ll be one of those people who live to be history makers at a young age. Oh, I’ll have moments, good and bad, but I will wipe away the bad and only remember the good. In fact that’s all I remember, just good moments, nothing in between, just living my life to the fullest. I’ll be one of those people who go somewhere with a mission, an awesome plan, a world-changing plan, and nothing will hold me back. I’ll set an example for others, I will pray for direction.

I have my life before me. I will give others the joy I have and God will give me more joy. I will do everything God tells me to do. I will follow the footsteps of God. I will do my best!!!

~Brooke Bronkowski

During her freshman year of high school, Brooke was in a car accident while driving to the movies. Her life on earth ended when she was just 14 years old, but her impact did not. Nearly 1500 people attended her memorial service. People from her public high school read poems she had written about her love for God. Everyone spoke of her example and her joy.

I shared the [good news of Jesus] and invited those who wanted to know Jesus to come up and give their lives to Him. There must have been at least 200 students on their knees at the front of the church praying for salvation. Ushers gave a Bible to each of them. They were Bibles that Brooke had kept in her garage, hoping to give out to all her unsaved friends. In one day, Brooke led more people to the Lord than most ever will.

In her brief 14 years on earth, Brooke was faithful to Christ. Her short life was not wasted. The words from her essay seem prophetic: “You see, I’ll be one of those people who live to be history makers at a young age.”

---Francis Chan

CrazyLove: Overwhelmed By a Relentless God

Be patient...

Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near.

James 5:7-8

Maybe you can relate to me in this: I want things to go my way. Not some of the time. Not most of the time; but all of the time.

I want to be in charge of my life. I want things to work out according to my plan, my agenda. And because of that, I can sometimes grow impatient with God’s timing. I try to get Him to follow my timeline.

But nothing is more futile than trying to control God.

God has a plan for each of us. And the Bible says that His plan is much better than our own.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11

We may not agree; we may not even understand it. But when we are patient in following God’s plan, as James tells us, we will come to realize that God only wants the best for us and that His timeline is perfect.

Don’t grow impatient with God. Instead, trust in His plan, have patience and discover how truly valuable the crop is that God has in store for you.