Lessons I've Learned

After over 20+ years of ministry I have learned a few things...not alot but a few.

1) You can't be obediant and expect to be understood all at the same time.

2) You can't do what God wants you to do and avoid conflict.

3)You can't expect God's ways to always make sense but you can count on them working.

4) You can't go to the next level withiout sacrifice.

5) You can't follow Jesus with all your heart and remain the same.

6) You cannot truly make a difference if you are  always playing defense.

7) You can't expect to please God when you are too busy trying to be like someone else.

8) You can't make progress while avoiding tough decisions.

9) You can't fail when you are doing what God called you to do!

21 Day Journey Update

 

I remember the words spoken so many years ago "to go where you've never gone you must do what you've never done". Combine that statement with what Jesus said concerning the disciples inhability to cure the boy brought to them when he said "Some things don't come out but by fasting and prayer" and I realize that so much of what is available to me will not come without sacrifice.

This 21 day Daniel Fast is 4 days old and I feel great!!! It has not been easy but has not been difficult either. Let me explain: There are plenty of options to satisfy during a fast like the Daniel fast but it isn't only about avaoiding certain foods. It is about hungering more for Jesus than any food period. It is about seeking Him and knowing Him and seeing Him more clearly. It is about sharpening your edge. It is about letting Him work in and through your life more powerfully then ever before.

So there are sacrifices made but I must tell you that I have only just begun to see the benefits of this fast. I am more aware of God in my life right now than I can ever remember. There are many things God has already began to bring to the surface of my life and that of my family to bring healing and clarity. My wife nad I are being drawn so much closer together through this experience so far and the health benefits are clearly there as well.

I can tell you that I am so excited to see what the next 17 days and beyond produce in my relationship with Him. Tonight I am starting our study on Proverbs and WOW...YEAH, GONNA BE AWESOME!

If you have never done a fast like this and you are a follower of Christ let me encourage you to check our www.daniel-fast.com  Jesus spoke to His followers in Matthew 6 and made the following statements...When you give, when you pray and when you fast.....I think Jesus was expecting His people to GIVE, PRAY and FAST and when we do He was given us the how to's so we could be successful.

Be blessed in 2012...P.T.

Looking Ahead To 2012

It's hard to believe but 2012 is already just a few short weeks ahead and although I am not wanting to speed past Christmas my planning is already well into the new year. I am so excited about the things God is doing right now that I can hardly contain myself.

Here are just a few things coming our way....

1) Fast Forward: Our 21 day church fast begins on January 1st and I am pumped!!!

2)  Our 31 day journey through the book of Proverbs begins January 1st and we will gather each Wed. night to dicuss what we have been reading and learning through the book of wisdom!

3) Jan. 8th we will begin a new series entitled "WEIRD - BECAUSE NORMAL ISN'T WORKING".

4) Feb. 5th is Vision Sunday.......I know it's the day of the Superbowl but what God is getting ready to do through us to touch our city and beyond is far greater than any sporting event. I will be sharing some things God has been showing me and He will reveal to you. I will be sharing our plans for the entire year as it not only effects you and your family but how it will shape our community around us.

*I believe the tone for the entire year will be set during this 21 day Daniel Fast. During this time we will seek God in prayer and study as individuals and as a church! It will be a challenge for many of us but remember "If it means nothing to you how can you expect it to mean anything to God".

I am praying for you and your family and look forward to going on this journey together with you!

P.T.

FORGIVE ___________________________ PT 2

Last blog I talked about our much needed willingness to ask for forgiveness which is not always easy but necessary.

Today I want to talk about extending forgiveness. We know we need to forgive others although again, not always easy but necessary. However, today I want to talk about forgiving yourself!

Romans 8:1 (NLT) ¹ So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.

Condemnation means (1) to express strong disapproval (2) to judge or pronounce unfit for use.

Did you catch that...to pronounce UNFIT FOR USE. That is what we do to ourselves so many times because we think that what we have done has disqualified us from ever doing anything good for God again. When we do this we cheapen the GRACE and MERCY of our GOD and break His heart.

So often we beat ourselves up. I know, I have done this so many times and to perfection. Forgiving others is one thing but how do I forgive myself for making so many mistakes, especially the ones I never thought I would be guilty of? How do I shake those things off especially when others sometimes won't let me forget?

I know what its like to let God down, let others down and let myself down. The truth be told we usually compound our mistakes with our attitude and unwillingness to let the Grace & Mercy we preach about to others restore our own walk with Him. Listen, He loves us unconditionally and while we give every reason why we souldn't be forgiven He gave us THE ONE reason we should be forgiven 2000+ years ago.

Its time to get up, shake off the dust and get back in the game.....you made a mistake, so what! Others keep remindeding you, so what? Your gonna make more but don't let lying downa and dying be one of them...He forgives you so forgive yourself and get back in the game!!!

P.T.

FORGIVE _____________ Pt. 1

Forgiveness is something we often talk about in the church world and preach about it frequently as well because it is one of those things that we always seem to wrestle with no matter how long we have been serving the Lord.

To be honest, what does real forgiveness look like anyway? That probably depends on who you ask  but I do know this that true biblical forgiveness means "AS THOUGH IT NEVER HAPPENED".

However, today I don't want to define it, we know the basics of what it means to forgive others for the most part. Instead I want to focus on the asking part. You see, as long as I am walking the Earth in this body and wearing this flesh I know falling short is what I will do even though I will do my best not to.

To be perfectly honest, nobody is harder on me than me...seriously! So what do I do when I fall short, make a mistake, offend someone etc?

Luckily for those of you reading this I recently encountered such a situation. My attitude during a recent soccer game I was coaching was far below what I have come to expect from myself. I allowed some outside situations to effect me and I ended up barking if you will at the referee in a way that was not professional or acceptable. I went home that night so heavy and full of dissappointment in myself and my behavior. I wanted so bad to make things right that I immediately emailed the referee that night to appologize for my actions....I expressed my shame in my attitude and asked him to forgive me...I never heard from him that week and so I made my way to him that next Saturday and found him refereeing another game. During one of the breaks I approached him and expressed my sincere regret for my actions the previous week. He had told me that he did not receive my email but thanked me for my appology, expressed no offense had been taken and we shook hands.

Later the next day I received an email from that same ref. He located my email and wrote me a very kind response praising me for my willingness to so quickly make a wrong right. Instead of criticising me for my mistake, he praised me for my repentance and we now have become friends.

I wish I could tell you that everyone responds like this referee when we admit our shortcomings but that is not even close to the truth. The fact is many, including ourselves will have a hard time accepting appologies from time to time because we question the sincereity of it or we wrestle with some other human emotion. Either way, we must recieve it. However, my point today is that we all must be willing to ask for it as well....you are not responsible for them receiving your appology but you are responsible for offering it...after that, it is on them. It takes big people to admit it when they fall short in the work place, church, at home with family or wherever and with whoever.

Making mistakes is part of life but when we learn from them and repent for them that is when real growth and maturity take place in our lives and God is glorified in us.

Life is happening fast so when you bump into someone along the way which you will just say "Sorry, please forgive me" and you will find life is much sweeter living that way!

P.T.

Don't Be Lazy, Go For It!

Be True To Yourself (A Father/Daughter Talk)



Today I had one of those father/daughter heart to heart talks, you know the kind that you hope shapes them now to help them become what you know they can be later in life. Keep in mind she is 8 and in 3rd grade so even though situations are very different than in my life principles are very much the same.

In this instance it was a typical 3rd grade dispute that probably will be forgotten tomorrow but its these types of situations that help create a behavior for years to come. It was a situation where my daughter had to choose between making the right decision and being true to who she is or leaving it all for the sake of being liked by someone today with no guarantee they will like her tomorrow! Funny how in grade school kids tell eachother "I am not your friend anymore" and the next day they are running all over the playground together. Come to think of it, thats kind of how adults act sometimes too!

Everyday we are faced with choices that are presented to us. Often times our response has to do with a conviction that lies deep within that we refuse to betray or we give in and be someone we aren't to be accepted or liked by someone who may not even be in our lives tomorrow.

I think of people like Daniel who according to Daniel 1:8 (TEV) ⁸ Daniel made up his mind not to let himself become ritually unclean by eating the food and drinking the wine of the royal court.

I think of Joshua who said Joshua 24:15 (MSG) ¹⁵ "If you decide that it's a bad thing to worship God, then choose a god you'd rather serve—and do it today. Choose one of the gods your ancestors worshiped from the country beyond The River, or one of the gods of the Amorites, on whose land you're now living. As for me and my family, we'll worship God."

My daughter are both very beautiful, smart, make me laugh and make me very proud  yet they are very different. I want them to be all God created them to be and I know as much as it hurts there will be people who will not like them. However, It is my prayer that I can help them learn from my mistakes by never sacrificing who God made them to be just because some people don't like it. The fact of the matter is no matter who we are and what we do there will be people who have a problem with it but let it be their problem.

Paul said in Ephesians 2:10 (TLB) ¹⁰ It is God himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others.

GOD made us.....we are His design and He does not make mistakes. Not only did he make us but prepared a work for us to do to help others and not just serve ourselves. Today you need to know who you are and who God created you to be and be true to that. If others have a problem with that then that is when the old phrase "OH WELL" comes to mind!

BE TRUE.....

P.T. (Not a Fan!)