Chad Foster

Its been awhile

2010-03-07T19:57:00.000-08:00

Its times in life that you can sit here try to do the right things, struggle through the wrong things but always seem to get know where in life. Things come at you faster then you can handle, the directions of life start changing faster then the seconds on a clock. Which way is up? Which way is down? What is the right way? Through all of our lives we seek God when things turn bad, when times are tough. We feel closer to Him when we hurt, is it the grace He shows us when no one else can? Is it the forgiveness He gave us through His son? All the above and then some. All I know is we need Him then, now, everyday we have a breath in our body, through the tough times and the happiest times, we need Him.

I haven’t written in awhile and through the absence of written I see that I really have missed it. Its amazing to see good or bad how comforting the words that God places on my heart. I’m a huge music fan and as I study and write at times I listen to music. Some lyrics are funny, some motivating, and a lot are heart moving. I have taken some lyrics and mixed them with my thoughts to something I’ve titled: My life. I hope to continue writing on here and let it not be another year until I write something.

My Life

I've been there a thousand times, I've felt the rain hitting my face like a thousand knives.
It hurts and it's hard, I don’t want to leave it, bury it and forget. I’ve already wasted so much time, can’t wait another moment, am I all out of chances for you to believe it’s on my mind, I’ve gotta let go of my pride and apologize, Lord its my cry to you.

I hear: Don't be afraid, You'll make it through, Just call out to me and I'll come running to you!

I beg to you Lord! I thought it would never let go, never thought I could know what it’s like to wake up, holding what I gave up. After all this time still trying to find what it is to forgive even when it isn’t that easy so please believe me. Lord if I caused you pain, I will take the blame, you can put it on me if I broke your heart, if I left a scar let me say I’m sorry, please forgive me.

Gods answer: I'll give you hope, I'll give you faith! If it's dark, I'll light the way for you, I’ll be by your side, until the very end. Until that day you stand tall next to my side, I’m here and always have been. If the tide, sweeps you out to sea, when your strength is gone, and it's hard to believe! You have to hold on, to what gets you through when the current pulls you under, and your heart is racing. Until the storm is over, I’ll be fighting with you, for you, just give me hand. Reach up, give me your hands and see the light. Do you hear that still, small voice saying, it’s okay you’re not alone. You may be scared to death but I won’t let you go. You may think the sky above is falling, but can you hear me calling because the darker the night, the brighter I will shine.

God thank you for the light you have shown me, the darkness you have helped me get through. The mountains you have helped me climb and the sun rises you have shown me. God thank you for providing me the people, the family I need to make it through life. God thank you for My Life.

The Interview

2009-03-30T09:31:00.000-07:00

Taylor Frye's interview with Chad Foster
(This was written by a former student from the Cypress Student Ministry. She is attending Baylor and wanted to do this for one of her classes. Hope you enjoy it.)

We have all heard the famous Great Commission that tells us to, “Go and make disciples of every nation, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded, and I will be with you, even to the end of the age.” Well that is exactly what I would like to do with my life. I recently sat down with my youth pastor back home and this is what he told me to expect, “You need to be prepared for what God is going to do for in life and once you step into ministry don’t be close minded to how God wants to use you. Be open minded in all aspects when it comes to church. Ministry is always changing and if it’s not changing something is wrong. If we stay stagnant as a church then new believers won’t want to come because it’s a boring environment.”

It was so inspiring to see how much my youth pastor, Chad, loved and cared for these kids. Not only is it evident from five minutes of talking to him, but it is evident in his goals for this group of kids. He made me refocus and remember that ministry work is about the people you reach not the sermon you preach. As a college student it is really easy to focus on yourself and lose track of why you want to be in the ministry. No matter what question I asked him every answer revolved around the students. One of the most inspiring things he told me was that his favorite memory is baptizing his first student last year at our high school retreat. I remember his reaction that night as he baptized my friend John as tears streamed down both of their faces in pure joy and the realization that in the end everything we do is to glorify Him.

His goals for students were just as inspiring, and since I was looking into ministry, I realized that these should be goals for anyone’s ministry. His goal for the students when it comes to Bible study is simply that “God is not so big that you can’t talk to him…he’s big but he’s not so big that you have to stand in line and wait or that you’re not important to him.” I think that that it is key to showing people who do not know God that he is always there for you no matter what have done. Chad’s goal for the graduating seniors is important for any group of believers. It was that all of the seniors leave having a foundation for their faith and that they know how to develop and grow in their faith. Second Baptist Church does this through an event called Youth Sunday. This is one Sunday per year that the youth group takes over every aspect in the church. The students do everything from setting up tables to planning the music to being the ushers to preaching in the service. The church does this event is because “It empowers students to know God and make Him known…it requires spiritual growth. It gives them a purpose in the church.” As a participant in Youth Sunday, I can say that this event is one hundred percent effective. Had it not been for this event, I would probably be a Business major right now wondering what God had planned for my life.
Three years ago this youth group started with eight kids including myself and now there are close to two hundred kids that show up on a Wednesday night. I am truly in awe every time I come home for a visit and see thirty to forty kids that I have never seen before. This amazing growth can only be a miracle of God. Chad explained that this growth was partially because within this youth group there is a true sense of community. This is felt through the friendships that are created. I met my best friends from high school through this group. He goes onto say that if the kids come and love being around each other then they are going to want to come back.

Being the new youth group they may not always get the budget that they want or need, but that does not discourage Chad from continuing to do what God has planned for this youth group. He told me, “We don’t have a lot…its purely based on our relationship with God…there is no outside influence…it’s just us and God. Our job is to make God known whether its two kids, fifteen kids, or two thousand kids my job is just to share the gospel.” That speaks volumes. So often ministry work can get consumed in the wow factor, but here they do not have a choice. However, instead of focusing on what they do not have they choose to focus on what matters, the students’ relationships with God.

This whole meeting with Chad was inspiring. His love for God and serving Him reminded me of why I want to go into ministry. I am so excited to spend my summer serving God, and I hope that my outlook on ministry will be half of his when my internship ends.

God on Speed Dial

2009-03-13T10:35:00.000-07:00

“Dude, pull over. I gotta call God real quick.
“Hi. You’ve reached God. Please listen to all the options before making your selection. If you would like to offer a prayer for someone else, press 1. If you’d like to file a complaint about a prayer not being answered, press 2. If you’d like to ask for a favor, please go home and reflect on how you are a selfish human being. If you would like to pray for world peace, we will now transfer you to the queue to hold. You are caller No. 43,746,298. Thank you for your patience.”

If you were going to leave a message for God, what would you say?
Philippians 4:6
do not be anxious about anything,but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

I was reading an article this week that a friend sent me and it talked about this topic. There is an artist in Europe that did this phone booth thing. God can become part of your "Fave Five," thanks to artist Dylan Mortimer, who has set up prayer booths to explore “how private faith functions in the public sphere.” These prayer booths look like tricked-out phone booths, minus the phones and with the addition of a kneeling pad.
In a way this cracks me to think about prayer stations in public. Like people would actually walk along and say" Hmmm you know what? I need to pray" stop doing what they are doing get on their knees in public and pray??? But why dont we? I mean we have no problem stopping what we are doing to txt or make a call to a friend. Why is it so hard for us to stop and pray. People might look at you funny, right? Its ok people probably look at you funny when you are txting or calling. The greatest thing about pray is it helps the person praying but you might have a direct impact on someone who needs to have God on Speed Dial. So a challenge to all who read. Lets put God on Speed Dial at work, school, everywhere you go for 7days and see how it impacts you.

Failing Forward

2009-03-12T13:28:00.000-07:00

Deserted Island

2009-03-07T09:39:00.000-08:00

Romans 8:38
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.

I love the question if your were stranded on a deserted Island what would you bring or if you could have three things what would they be? I have heard so many answers depending on the genre of who you ask. Things from a book, tv, cell phone so you can tell them where you are, lap top, a boat(haha nice), a friend/family, and food/water. Oh and I have gotten a few people saying Gods word, the Bible.

Its funny to me that its usually the last thought and answer when I ask that question, the Bible. Why is that? Why is God's word an after thought? We are always on a spiritual deserted island at different parts of our lives. We feel alone, we feel unloved, we feel like we have to have things to make us happy when all we need is God's love. The passage above tells us no matter WHERE WE ARE, college, work, home, on a deserted island, NOTHING can separate us from God's love for us. We can turn our backs, we can try to ignore it, but God's love will conquer all!You want to know what is TRUE LOVE then know,understand,and except God's love. Trust me when you do that, then the "island" you are on wont feel so alone.You might even need to escape to that "island" often and bring nothing with you then Gods word and Gods love.

As I sit on my "island" I feel at peace with God and the love he continues to show me is unmeasurable. I hope your "island" is full of God's love and you continue to seek it!

The Grizzly Man

2009-03-02T14:57:00.001-08:00

The Grizzly Man, also known as Timothy Treadwell, was an avid bear buff and preservationist. For thirteen summers, beginning in 1990, Treadwell lived in Alaska in what is known as the Grizzly Maze, an area noted for its thick growth and common presence of grizzlies. For thirteen summers, Treadwell ignored the recommendations and violations issued by the National Park Service and attempted to interact and commune with these grizzlies by naming them and familiarizing himself with both the adults and cubs he encountered. Thirteen years. Thirteen summers spent alone, with virtually no company of humans—simply a forged “relationship” with some of the most dangerous animals on earth.

Treadwell was, for the most part, a loner. What he could not find and develop in human relationships, he sought to find in animals. The overwhelming sense in his documentary movie, The Grizzly Man, was that these animals were his life. The sense of isolation he felt from society and culture seemed to serve as a force that literally pushed him into the wilds of Alaska to commune with one of the only species he felt accepted him. Then, in late summer, early fall, of 2003, towards the end of the grizzlies’ feeding season and approaching the start of their hibernation, Timothy Treadwell and his girlfriend were killed by a grizzly bear.

In the documentary, pieces of his self-recorded time in the wild are released, and viewers are granted insight in the lonely life of Timothy Treadwell. In fact, in his last summer in Alaska, he was ready to go home to California, when at the airport he had an upsetting encounter with someone. He was so upset, so frustrated with people, that he willingly left the airport and returned to the Maze. It was a dangerous time to return there, but he wanted to commune with some of the only animals he believed accepted him.

It’s a story that haunts me, but also baffles me. When I first heard of Treadwell, I thought the guy was crazy. Literally. I could not understand what would make a grown man honestly believe he could live successfully among grizzly bears. But when I watched the documentary, and learned more, I became more sympathetic than judgmental. Treadwell was less crazy than I thought, and more lonely than I could have imagined. He was an example, although extreme, of a man who was literally dying for acceptance, for community and for relationships. What people denied him; he incorrectly believed he found in bears.

The moral of the story? People are dying for friendships. People are desperate for companionship. People are starving for camaraderie. Without them, we will not make it—maybe not physically, like Timothy Treadwell, but certainly spiritually. We forget how much we need other people, until we hear a story about the Grizzly Man and we are convicted. Do we have people around us who need to be cared for? At school? At church? On our sports teams? We have no idea of the turmoil that is potentially going on inside the heads of those who appear weird, distant, isolated and different. Maybe, just maybe, they need a friend. And maybe, just maybe, you could be that friend. Friendships have the potential to be a lifeline for other people. You have the potential to be a lifeline for other people.

The chances are good that the next Grizzly Man is not wandering your school hallways. But the chances are also good that there are some very lonely people who are wandering your hallways, wanting and needing to feel like someone, anyone cares for them. Are you willing to extend love? Are you willing to offer acceptance?

Life is too hard. We need each other. We need to be in relationship with people.

Something to Think About:
• Have you ever felt lonely before? How did it feel?
• What are some of the things you did to help rid yourself of the feeling of loneliness?
• What can be hard about reaching out to people who may be different from us to make them feel more accepted?
• Think of the people around you who seem like they are probably lonely.
• What is a way that you can reach out to them this week and be a friend?

Good News is the best news

2009-03-01T08:00:00.000-08:00

Praise be to the Father of compassion and the God at all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

I love it when God just shows me how small I am and how BIG He is. The greatest thing in life besides the love from God is the love from family and friends. As I sit here on Sunday morning sipping my coffee and seeing the sun rise, I am greatful for so much. For the past several months its been hard being here in Houston and my family back home in Missouri, no before you starting thinking I am a little kid and home sick, its cause "I" cant take care of my family from here. This past Dec my mother was diagnoised with breast cancer. Talk about the ultimate gut check. I have been always the strong one (so I thought) when it comes to taking care of people and comforting them. It was something that came easy to me, to listen, help in anyway I can with peoples problems/issues. This one hit me blind sided and then did the ultimate upper cut! I COULDNT DO ANYTHING! Listening to my dad(my family rock) get upset, my brother sound stressed, and my mom just cry, I felt more helpless then I have ever felt. My mother would send me scriptures weekly, something that spoke to her or something that comforted her. I would pray, the church would pray but its one of those things that in the back of your mind is it enough? I mean I believe in God and the power of pray but when its my mother its like you want to make sure He hears you, that your prayer is the top of the list.

Well with several weeks of prayer, encouragement scriptiures, crying, and radiation my mother completed her radiation. As she is physically and emotionally exhausted she never once doubted God and his ability to hear her and others prayer.Its funny to me how my mother still at the age of 30, can still teach me things. I walked into my bathroom and this verse was sitting on my counter. Wow! God is good.

Thank you God for listening even though I didnt always.

Chosen and Adopted

2009-02-26T11:01:00.000-08:00

Born According to Plan

Ephesians 1:4-5
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.

Chosen and Adopted

God designed you as a wonderful and unique person for a job that only you can do. He could do that because he knew his plan for you before he had even created the world. The scripture above makes it very clear that you are not an accident. He had your life all mapped out way before you were born. One vital stop on the highway of your life is the day you become his adopted child by accepting his offer to forgive your sins and save you for all eternity.

The word “predestined” means that God planned everything out and made sure you got saved so you could be his daughter or son. I never quite understood this concept until I learned what God did for my friend Margaret. I meta student at a Christian camp. They had suffered some of the worst tragedies we could imagine. They had been terribly abused as a child. As a teenager they used drugs and alcohol.

At the end of this camp they accepted Jesus as her Savior. They immediately enrolled in the yearlong disciples’ Bible study program. In time, they shared their story. One day, they knew about Jesus and often prayed to him when things went wrong. God worked behind the scenes to move them here and there. He kept them alive until they came to the shelter and heard about Jesus.

Fortunately, God’s plan for most of us doesn’t include what Margaret suffered. Instead, he gave us Christian parents who love us dearly and tell us about Jesus from the time we’re born. They take us to church and share the plan of salvation with us. And one day, it all makes sense and we pray to receive Jesus as Savior. We ask him to forgive us for all the bad, mean, dishonest things we’ve done. He gives us a new heart and makes us pure enough to go to heaven when we die. At the very moment we ask him to save us, we are adopted into God’s family—all according to plan, right on time, and without fail.

Today’s Prayer:

Dear Lord, thank you for planning for my salvation. Thank you that before I was even born, you knew you would adopt me into your family. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to hear about Jesus and the faith to accept him as my savior. Please help me be a good son/daughter to you, one that will make you proud. Amen

Cypress Wed Night Christmas Party

2009-02-23T21:41:00.000-08:00

Cypress Student Ministry Worship night

2009-02-23T21:16:00.000-08:00

Hide and Seek

2009-02-20T15:29:00.000-08:00

Hide and Seek
Jeremiah 29:13
“ And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”

My Search for God

Do you remember when you were little and you would play a game of hide and seek? One thing I remember vividly is the way it felt when I was “IT”. I can sum it up in one word: Lonely. I used to dread having to look for people, but I loved the feeling I got when I found the first person. It meant that I was no longer “IT.” The person whom I had found now had my burden and became “IT” on the next round. Is it coming back to you yet?

The Bible records the ultimate game of Hide and Seek. We are lonely, lost and sick of being “IT.” We are desperate for an encounter with God. Just like in the game, if we search for God diligently we will find Him. Except unlike the game, God is not hiding from us. When we find Him he then takes our sin burden and carries it away, In response we repent and turn away from our sins. God gives us every capability to find Him. One way to start is through His Word. It is a reassuring feeling to know that I will never be “IT” again in my relationship to God.

Isaiah 55:6-7
“Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him; and to our God for he will abundantly pardon.”

Today’s Prayer:

Thank You Lord for making yourself approachable and giving me the chance to find you. I want to search for you all my life, may I never give up. Thank you for delivering me from the awful sin burdens I had when I didn’t know you. I love you Lord, Amen.

What I was made to do

2009-02-16T14:25:00.000-08:00

What I was Made to Do

Ephesians 2:10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
We’re created and saved for service to God.

Years ago, our family owned a Border collie. The first time we took her for a group walk, we noticed that she got very concerned when the members of our group didn’t stay together. I didnt stay with my parents, my brother lagged behind and my parents walked with Lady. Poor Lady didn’t know what to do. She nearly ran her legs off trying to check on everyone. We laughed and laughed at her efforts. They seemed terribly foolish from our point of view.
Missy was absolutely committed to her task, though. She persisted in checking on all of us because of who she was. Border collies are bred to herd and guard sheep. They just naturally try to keep them together because a stray sheep will almost certainly become coyote food. Lady didn’t understand why her barks and jumping in front of us didn’t turn us back into the pack.
There are some similarities between Lady and us, particularly when we consider what we are designed to be and do. Before God saves us, we just naturally sin. We’ve been born with a sin nature that desires to please self more than anything. But, after Jesus saves us, He gives us a new nature that desires to please God more than anything. The most natural thing in the world for a saved sinner to do is to obey God. It’s what He made us for.
God will never accept us in His presence because we keep His commandments or do good things for other people. He requires absolutely perfect holiness of anyone who enters into His presence. We can never make it by what we do. But, God made it possible for us to become righteous as we place our faith in Jesus and His death on the cross as the sacrifice for our sin. Once we believe, we do right things as an expression of our gratitude and to show our new character.

Today’s Prayer:
Dear Father, thank you for making it possible for me to have a personal relationship with You. Thank you for Jesus who died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins. Now that You have saved me and given me a new heart, please help me serve you faithfully and honorably. Help me be what You made me to be. Amen.

Food for thought.....Enjoy

2009-01-27T05:58:00.000-08:00

My relationship with God is a lot like the other relationships in my life . . . complex. It's based on a simple premise (He loves me, and I love Him) but the process of living that out in everyday life is sometimes really beautiful and sometimes an ugly mess. What about you? Do you get it "right" all the time? Yeah, I didn't think so.

And while the subtleties of my relationship with God may look differently than yours, there are three things that are a constant in my life, three areas He is constantly vying for my attention. These three areas indicate just where my heart really lies. I believe these three areas aren't unique to me. In fact, I believe that if you look closely enough you'll find these three show up in your life as well.

The first is a sense of wonder. Every one of us has it. We want to believe in something bigger than ourselves. We want to marvel at something, something that will capture our imagination and sense of awe. It is hardwired into all of us. And if we do not find wonder in our relationship with God, we will search for it elsewhere. We will find something to capture our minds and hearts. Whether it is the latest summer blockbuster, a relationship or a career, we will look anywhere and everywhere for something that will intrigue us.

What about you? How is your sense of wonder? If you have been in the church a while, it may be non-existent. Has your relationship with God become routine, even boring? Do you think you know everything about Him? You know on some level that is impossible, but the way you go through life may indicate that you believe it to be true. You think you know what God will and will not do in every situation, because that is what He has done in the past. There are no surprises. But look at the Bible-God always surprised people. He did things that constantly caught people off guard. He extends grace, raises the dead, punishes injustice. He is bigger than we think He is. So much bigger.

The second thing that is an integral part of everyone's relationship with God is a sense of discovery. We not only want to believe in something bigger than us, but we also want to discover who we are and why we exist. We want to know who is staring at us in the mirror. We'll try to settle for less than we are by consistently attaching ourselves to something or someone to define who we are. But God wants us to discover ourselves in the context of our relationship with Him and His Word, the Bible.

Do you think you've got you figured out? You either know so much about yourself that you are fixated on where you are lacking, or you know so little about yourself that you're waiting for someone or something to solve the mystery. But the process of discovery of who we are is unveiled daily in God's Word. The Holy Spirit pulls back the layers of our lives and shows us new things about ourselves. Also, in the context of our relationship with God and with others, we uncover new truths about who we are, both good and ugly.

The third integral part of a person's relationship with God is sometimes the most difficult . . . it's about having a passion for other people. People are messy and complicated. They can irritate us one minute, and bring great joy to us the next. But people are a key part of our relationship with God. You see, this relationship with Him isn't exclusive.

Tunnels

2008-12-09T07:30:00.000-08:00

Matthew 6:22 The eye is the lamp of the body. . . If your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness.
Darkness vs. Light

Most carnivals and theme parks feature a “Tunnel of Terror.” It is a dark place with frightening monsters, and oversized tarantulas that suddenly drop down or pop up right in front of a person. People pay money for the adrenalin rush of confronting pretend ghosts and monsters. It’s altogether different, though, if we find ourselves alone in the woods at night without a flashlight. And it’s even worse to be walking down an unlit alley in the middle of a big city. The slightest sound gnaws at our nerves, setting us on edge and making our survival instincts kick in.

The darkness of evil is similar to both of these experiences. Because we have a sin nature, evil often attracts us like a carnival ride. We lie to get out of trouble. We might experiment with alcohol or marijuana just to see what it’s like. We might get an adrenalin rush by shoplifting at the mall or sneaking out at night to be with friends. These situations are similar going through a “Tunnel of Terror.” They are scary, but the consequences are not necessarily permanent.

The reality of evil, though, is much closer to walking through unknown, potentially dangerous territory in the dark. Just as we could fall into a ditch and break a leg in the woods, we can suffer severe spiritual injury by walking in spiritual darkness. In fact, spiritual darkness holds the threat of the ultimate evil, eternal separation from God in hell.

Once we realize how perilous it is to walk in darkness, we know we need a rescuer. Just as the arrival of police car with its headlights beaming would drive away our terror in that dark alley, the light of the gospel beams into our hearts, giving us spiritual safety and security. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

Every one of us is born in darkness. We’re all walking in the dark in a blind alley with hosts of demonic powers lurking in the doorways ready to pounce on us. But, we don’t have to stay in the dark. At any moment, we can cry out “Lord, save me!” When we do, He immediately shines His light into our lives and frees us from the darkness and terror of sin, evil, and hell.

Sob Story

2008-12-03T21:44:00.000-08:00

2 Samuel 22:32-37

How do you keep obeying God when you feel like quitting?

Anyone who claims your Christian life will be stress free obviously missed Jesus' words in John 16:33:"here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows" But Packed in the Bible alond with that straight up truth are hordes of promises that God will help you obey him even when you're bawling in your pillow.

Sift through the passage for some awe-striking promises:God is your ROCK. HE arms you with strength. He makes your way perfect. He gives you biceps that can curve a bronze bow. And he meaks your feet dance like a deer on the tips of mountain peaks.
And all through the Bible are more assurances. Some of the choicest: God points you"paths of righteousnessfor his name's sake"(Psalms 23:3)He gives "the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him" Philippians 2:13. And "he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope. Eph 3:20

You have reasons to cry. But you also have reasons to dance.

2Samuel 22:34

Good For Something

2008-11-30T22:21:00.000-08:00

Read Romans 12:1-8

How do you find your special gift in life?

Sometimes mothers are right, everyone is good at something. The Bible says the same thing, God gives everyone gifts. But how do you find yours?
Try these tactics:
Dont expect an applause. Some people put you up front where people ooh and aahh. People seldom clap if you're kind, giving, encouraging or good at serving. Just because no one says, "WOW!" doesnt mean you bombed.

Try it out. You don't figure out what you're good at by sitting around or by trying something just once.

Be yourself. Even Christians can rip on people with different gifts. Sometimes you'll feel odd even when you're doing the right thing.

You begin to find your gifts, though, when you make yourself available to God. For starters, that's the only right response to everything God gives you, andas you follow him you'll find your way.

Romans 12:4

Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T08:02:00.000-08:00

Psalms 107 1....Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.

As we sit here and stuff our face or listen to all the stories are family tells, what are we thankful for this thanksgiving? Is it passing that class? Having a roof over your head? Having all the food you can eat?

But Thanksgiving wasn't start for you to get out of school and stuff your face. It was a day people set aside to give thanks to God for all they have and all they have to look forward to. We love to thank the people in our lives for making us who we are but when is the last time we thanked God. We shouldn't have to wait for a special holiday to do this. It says "Give thanks to the Lord," we should do this everyday. The Lord has given us one life to live and if we start thanking God for it now, living a life thankful for God, our lives will be changed and so will the people around us.

I am thankful for everyone in my life, my family, my church, all the students in the Cypress Student Ministry, but I am thankful that God's love for me has giving me all of these things in my life. His love for me will last forever, that is what I am thankful for this day and EVERYDAY.

Happy Thanksgiving.

BREATHE

2008-11-25T04:19:00.000-08:00

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:17.... Take a moment a just breathe.... How often does God tell us He wants us to pray? You figure that God is joking when He says to pray continually. It sounds like an assignment from your mom or a teacher. SO how can you pray all the time?
By praying different kinds of prayer at different times.
There's praying hard . That's setting aside time just to pray for yourself, friends, family, your whole world! It's a spiritual workout that's easy to shove aside, but it causes you steady growth. The key word here is -TIME! You have to make time to make the hard prayers.

There's the code red prayer for others. Those are the big-time emergency prayers, like when a friend's parents are divorcing or a family member is critically ill. But mouth to mouth moments dont come everyday.

When the Bible says to "pray continually, " it's talking especially about a third kind, prayer all the time, talking to God whenever, wherever you go and whatever you do. It's a habit as normal as the breaths you take everyday.

If prayer isn't part of your moment to moment life, you can slap your back and jump, start your breathing to day.Just say, "God I think...." or "God I feel.." or "God I need..." and tell him what's going on in your HEART, as often as you want and need.

Computer Issues

2008-11-20T09:58:00.000-08:00

Hey all sorry for the delay in this but my computer is having issues so I will return to the blogging part I hope tomorrow. Please look over all the other blogs.

Pop Quiz

2008-11-14T05:50:00.000-08:00

John 6:5-13
What does Jesus want more from you?

Jesus has a situation on his hands.A crowd of five thousand men, plus women and children, swarms toward him and his disciples. Jesus sees it's time to eat. And time for a pop quiz: "Where's lunch from?" Jesus asks."For the whole hillside!" he adds.But he's not wondering where he can find the nearest Taco Cabana or looking for volunteers to spare their pocket change. What he really wants is to know what the disciples think about him.
None of Jesus' disciples answer the quiz question right. Philip mumbles about the price.Andrew finds a kid toting what he regards as a useless little snack of fish and chips. To solve,to survive, and onteir own they don't see any solutions.
All Jesus wants them to do is to ask for his help. "Crack the bread in half, Jesus." he wants them to say."Start passing it around. You're able to do what we can't."What he wants from his disciples, from his followers back then and from us now, is TRUST. It wasn't supposed to be a trick question. It was a trust question.

John 6:5-6

Don't Apologze for You

2008-11-12T04:13:00.000-08:00

Read Psalm 138
How can you learn to be bold about who you are?

"Different" What does that word mean? This probably isn't high on your list of what you want to be when you grow up. You might like someone no one else likes, you might get along with people no one else gets a long with. Or you know people will bad mouth you, your hobbies, so you slam them before they slam you. True, sometimes its socially acceptable to be strange, but only if the "crowd" says so.

That's what your "friends" or the world around you think.But God has some amazing news about who you are.
You are the work of God's hands, and he won't abandon you. He made you unique, and he will he will show his purpose for you. His heart is with you wherever you go, and when you ask for help, he will make you bold.

God delights in nothing more than seeing you live as the masterpiece he made you.(Eph 2:10)He is worth praising for how he designed you, no matter what others think. When you're shy about revealing the real you, he is your source of power to crack out of your shell.

Psalms 138:3
When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted

Play-Doh

2008-11-09T21:36:00.000-08:00

Who used to love to play with play-doh? Well some of us might still enjoy but the greatest thing about play-doh is it can be cut, tied, rolled, pulled apart and made to make anything.
Galatians 1:3-12
When is it worst to give into peer fear?

You don't live in this world by yourself. Its' crowded. You bump people, they shove you, the gang up and squish you. You inevitably get molded into a new shape.
So? you've hear that before. Parents, teaches, youth pastors, and public service announcements on TV have been telling you since you were able to crawl that peers can crush you.

But peer pressure isn't all bad. If it weren't for peer fear, you'd still pick you nose in public. You can't live isolated from your peers, and lot of times its fine to fit in. A true nerd is someone who lives in a wee little world, clueless of when its okay to conform.

Yet you can never be all that your peers want you to be. In one area, your faith, its never right be squashed by the forces that surround you. The facts that Christ died and rose for you, forgives you, and deserves total obedience aren't ideas open for negotiation. You don't swap them to win points with people.

Sometimes you can act, talk, dress, and think in a way that is wonderful to both God and people. Other times, you can't. Its a choice. But its no contest whose opinion matters mare.

Galatians 1:10(verse of the day)

Belly Flop

2008-11-06T20:52:00.000-08:00

Proverbs 25:28
What good is self-control?

Getting a sugar buzz sure isn't the only way to lose control of yourself. A guy who misuses drugs has misplaced his brain. A girl who drinks to much and ends up making a bad choice and loses her body, and maybe her health or her life.

Letting your emotions or hormones run wild can destroy you. When you lose Self-Control, you're like an ancient city with broken walls. You have NO PROTECTION. You have no power over who comes in or who goes out or what they do.

God respects you enough to make you ultimately responsible for yourself. HE gives you parents, teachers, and other adults to help instruct and shape you. But in the end, YOU answer to God for yourself.Having authority over yourself is God's gift that allows you to follow him, not becuase you have to, but because you WANT TO!

But we abuse God's gift whenever we surrender control of yourself to anything or anyone other than God. You might as well bind your hands, gag your mouth, and unplug your brain. If you dont control yourself, some other nasty thing will.

In the Trunk

2008-11-06T04:04:00.000-08:00

Whats your job when you have to get a long with people you're not sure you like.

Relationships are like driving a car. When it comes to friends, you're usually in the driver's seat. Within limits, you can pick your friends. With peopl around you at school or on a team, you get some choice. That's like being a back seat driver. But when its comes to family, you don't get any control. You're all stuffed in the trunk together, like it or not.

Still, you help determine whether the trunk is cozy or crunched. Any family will get cramped at times, but you can at least control whether it's you that's elbowing, shoving , and kicking everyone else. You can choose not to bang on the inside of the trunk or drill in the gas tank and drop a match. YOU CAN'T CONTROL WHO'S IN THE TRUNK, when it comes to family. You can control your friendships, YOU CAN CONTROL YOURSELF!

Romans 12:18
It it is possible, as far as it depends on you , live at peace with everyone.

Dont Go Solo

2008-11-04T08:41:00.000-08:00

Read Luke 1:26-38
Where can you run when you feel overwhelmed?

Obeying Jesus doesnt make your life a cushy motor-home campout.Flies will still bite at your eyes and storms will still blow your way. You're smart when you know enough to run for cover when you know you can't make it alone.

When an angel knocked at Mary's door and said that God had an astounding plan for her life, Mary had a big question: How can I have a son? I've never been with a man. But her baby wouldnt be an ordinary baby. He was God's Son, Savior of the world.

People will still talk, Mary must have thought. I'll be an outcast. Even Joseph decided to break their engagement, until God told him the plan.(Matthew 1:19)

Mary saw in God's plans for her life both wonder and terror. But she knew where to run for safety. She was tough-even though she was possibly barely a teenager, because she hid in the Rock(Isaiah 26:3-4). Mary knew whomto trust.

You won't earn a merit badge for trying to survive life solo. You've only failed if you dont hide in the Rock and end up getting blown away.

Luke 1:38

God Flexing His Muscles

2008-11-02T21:17:00.000-08:00

Today is going to be a simple devo, why you ask? Sometimes we need to not read these to spend time with God, we need to be in prayer and talking with Him. Having a relationship with Christ needs to be a intimate one. So I am going to encourage you to be in prayer during this time. Pray for this Country, pray for your struggles, your fam, forgiveness, etc. But once you talk to Him give Him time to respond to you before you say Amen. Remember the strength of God, remember how strong He is and feel Him holding you up away from things.

Isa 41:10- So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

RESOLUTIONS

2008-10-31T12:34:00.000-07:00

John 15:4-5
Fruit doesn't appear in a grocery store out of nowhere. It comes from fruit-bearing plants. It starts on a vine, tree, or bush. There is your fruit lesson for the day!

See but we have a vine too. Christ taught that he is the one True Vine. We are the branches. If we want to bear good fruit, if we want to mature spiritually, we have to "abide" or "remain in" or "stay connected"to him.

Fruit won't grow on a branch that's not in total contact with the vine. So our human promises, the ones we make without tapping into his power, mean little. WE break them! Trying on our own to be good,without Christ's help, gets us nowwhere. We wear out to easily. What matters is relying on God, through his promises, to forgive us. live in us, teach us, and encourage us, and to be close to us as we stay close him.

Being Good in a Bad World

2008-10-29T23:12:00.001-07:00

In the real world, evil isn't terminated with in the span of a movie or tv show. Wouldnt that be nice! And sometimes you wonder if God cares at all about stopping evil.
What does God promise you when it's tough being good in a bad world?
Read Malachi 3:13-4:3
The people in the book of Malachi noticed the same things you see every day:cheaters getting A's, drug dealers getting rich, snotty girls gets the guys, etc.

The believers, survived by reminding eachother that the success of bad people isnt the whole story. In God's judgement at the end of time, evildoers will be punished, but those who follow God will romp like frisky calves set free from their pen.

So it isn't that God doesnt notice wrongs or that he doesn't feel your pain. Just the opposite. That's why he send Christ-to end evil, to give people a chance to change and turn to him. However, God is patient and holds off his scorching punishment(2 Peter 2:9;3:9)

That doesn't mean you relax and toloerate evil. Change what you can in your life and all around you. Work together with peers and parents and authorities to confront larger evils like drugs and abortion and poverty. But when you feel overcome by evil, be patient. Remind yourself that God sees you.He WON'T forget your faithfulness.

Malachi 4:2
But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.

Total Healing

2008-10-29T05:45:00.000-07:00

Why did Jesus die for us?
Read 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
The best doctor ever is God, He wants to heal us totally, and forgiveness is only the first part of his curefor sin. If sin is awful enough for Jesus to have to die for it, then its awful enough for us to want to get rid of it. God saves us not just from the punishment for sin but from the power of sin to rule and wreck us.
Getting us to stop living for self and start following Christ is the second part. God won't let us have one with out the other. Because Christ had died, our old sinfullives have died-and we have been born anew to live a better life.
You might wonder ho wsome people manage to live lives totally devoted to God. But there's nothing mysterious about how God works to change us. Once forgiven, we become friends with God. He uses that friendship to remake us beyond our natural abilities(Romans 8:1-17). That takes time though, and sometimes it hurts, like surgery. But in the end, we're closer to becoming who God wants us to be.
Remember and read this carefully.....God loves us way to much to leave us twisting in pain, our sin and selfishness untreated.

Demolishing the Wall

2008-10-28T03:30:00.000-07:00

Do you remember a time when you have taken the blame for someone to save them from getting punished? Have you ever spoken up for a friend who was in trouble and say, "nope that was my fault", just to save them? Does that ever happen? I know someone that did that.

Read Isaiah 53:4-12
These verses predict that Jesus will take the punishment others deserve. Whose blame does he take?

Jesus had never sinned. He deserved no punishment. Yet he chose to suffer for OUR sin:pierced for our evil, crushed fro the wrong we did/do.Jesus was perfect, yet he took God's punishment for sin-death-so we wouldn't have to.

He did what that friend did but many BILLION times better.
Jesus died for everyone, but God requires each of us to accept that fact personally. See that friend who you were trying to save needed to tell the truth, just like we need to take responsibility for our sins. READ CAREFULLY: YOU CAN DO THAT BY PRAYING, "God, I've sinned. I've broken your rules and disappointed you. God, I know that Jesus died in my place." That's what being a Christian is all about.
If you accept the fact that Jesus suffered your punishment, you stick tight with God now and forever:"When people sin, they earn what sin pays--death. But God gives us a free gift-life forever in Christ Jesus our Lord"(Romans 6:23)Christ demolishes the wall of sin between us and God. Not a brick stands!Not a pebble is left-not even a speck dust. It's all been washed away by Christ's blood.

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5

The Wall

2008-10-26T23:07:00.000-07:00

For almost 30yrs, eastern Germany was wall off from western Germany-city from city, family from family, friends from friends. East Germans suffered from poverty, and brutal control on politics and religion, barely able to dream of the freedoms enjoyed in the West, outside the wall. Anyone who tried to escape to the West faced razor wire, killer dogs, land mines, and machine guns.
You would never willingly choose to live locked inside a wall, separated from everything you enjoy, in a country that doubles as a prison. Yet you and I and every person who has ever lived are expert wall builders. WE choose to separate ourselves from God and his goodness.
Read Luke 15:11-24
How does the son distance himself from his dad?

Deep inside we're all a lot like that son(Romans 3:23). Some of us battle openly to do things our way. Others of us are scared to step out of line- though if we thought we could sin and live to tell about it, we might act a lot more like this wandering son. Each time we disobey, we sin by what we say, do, think--we dont build a wall but we lay a brick between ourselves and God. He doesnt build the wall, we do each time we choose to sin. Sin separates us from God as we build that wall brick by brick:sin makes it impossible for us to be God's friends.

Separation starts now, but it can last forever. If we refuse God's way of demolishing the wall, we will discover that when its time for us to have eternity the wall has been cemented up.(Romans 6:23). We'll find ourselves cut off from God and everything good he has made. No one wants to think this but imagine, if you are cemented in hell? Its to late, the things we do, the sins will, if we let sins control our lives, complete this wall permanently. No light, to joy, no grace, it will be solitary confinement for life. Sorry for the downer but their is a to break free, the wrecking ball of our lives. Jesus Christ!

Our Father, sent his son, as the wrecking ball, to tear down the wall we've built. Its a job ONLY He can do in our lives. We are good at putting bricks up and then another and another, and we get so down on ourselves because we slip, because we fall short, that we build a wall above us but for those that have made that commitment with their heart(not mind) to accept the love of Jesus Christ, he built a sun roof in that wall above us, that can NEVER(EVER) be sealed up. Its just our job to LOOK UP instead of looking down cause no matter how far we "think" we are from God, he will leave your side! For those who haven't its not to late its never to late to have Jesus be that wrecking ball in your life, let Him break those walls down.

But while he was still a long way off, his father say him and was filled with compassion for him:he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. Luke 15:20

Look Alikes

2008-10-24T03:44:00.000-07:00

What qualities are rubbing off on you, thanksto the Holy Spirit, as you get to know God?
Read Galatians 5:19-26
The passage begins by telling what you would look like without God--full of rebellion, trom sexual immorality to idolatry to drunkenness,jealousy , and selfishness. Not that all non -Christians sport all those grotesque features, but when we dont know God we can't see how we are living. If we hangout with that type of crowd what are we assoicated with? But if you choos to live for God, close to God, you will pick up some qualities that will be worth living for. Its like the old saying, " you are what you eat". Dont go and try to eat the Bible but if we spend time with God, other Christians, church, youth groups, all of a sudden our life qualities start to change.
Thats the cool part of the look alike thing. As you know Jesus better, people will see that you look more and more like him(1corinthians 3:18). No one can fault you for being his look alike("against such things there is no law). People can't criticize you for being loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled. And if they do, that just says how messed up they are.

Read Galatians 5:22-23 that's the verse of the day.

GET UP AND GO ON

2008-10-23T01:18:00.000-07:00

How can we overcome our mistakes and mess-ups?
Read Philippians 3:12-14
Mistakes make you want to quit. Botch a few assignments in a class at school, and its tough to keep trying. You figure you're no good, that working harder won't change your grade anyway, there's no way to start over. Mess up a few classes or a few semesters and you might start to think school isnt for you.

When you blow it as a Christian you can't take back hurt you've caused. you have to live with the consequences of messing up. Sin still offends God. But God makes a way to repair your relationship with him and start over right now. A verse in 1 John tells how: "if we confess our sins, he is faithfull and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" 1:9.
That's part of what Pauk meant by "forgetting what is behind." When you admit your sin to God, he forgives you and picks you up so you can press on toward the goal of knowing Christ completely. Don't ever give up on following Christ just because you fall down. There's no such thing as a Christian who never stumbles. Real Christians are the ones who get up and go on.

But one thing I do:forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13-14

Eleven against ONE

2008-10-21T13:30:00.000-07:00

How can you keep your friendship with God Fresh?
Read Hebrews 10:23-25
Ok so I know for a fact that we all feel like we are to busy for God. We have school, homework, job, practice, video games, hanging out with friends, etc. I could go on and on but then I would run out of room to write the devo. How do I keep the frienship with God fresh?
The writer of Hebrews just explained to his readers their wild new friendship with God through Christ. Now he tells how to keep it going--and the key is to keep getting together with other followers of Jesus.

Loads of influences try to rip down our faith. SO you need to reinforce and rebuild yourself and your Christian friends through encouragement-talkins, praying, just sharing the coolness of being a Christian. Missing church or youth group hurts both you and the Christians you be helping. We all know things happen to make us miss church or youth group but where is this on your priority list?

When church conflicts with another activity, maybe you can reschedule on or the other. When you can't , church shouldnt lose, even when that means disappointing advisors or friends, or missing future opportunities. Make sense? Giving encouragement to others is enough, you must get encouraged as well. If we let the well run dry we are hurting ourselves and the people around us.

You would have to be a fool to walk out on a football field to take on a whole team by yourself. You would look up, see eleven mammoths charging to stomp your body, and run crying off the field. Why do you think you can stay in the game alone as a Christian--where the opponent intends to kill you(1 Peter 5:8)? You need your team or you wont survive.

Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing but let us encourage one another.
Hebrews 10:24-25

The Principal's Office

2008-10-20T14:00:00.000-07:00

How is getting close to God different from heading to the principal's office?
Read Hebrews 10:19-22
If the principal were your good friend you'd have a radical change of attitude about your invitation to the school office. You might need a blimpful of imagination to picutre this one, but try. Your principal-emphasis on the pal is an incredible teacher, counselor, enforcer, and friend rollled into one. Whatever the problem-homework, relationships, the school bully, loneliness, he gets you through.

If the principal (BIG IF) was your best friend, instead of the the person you fear, you would run to the principal office instead of running away. This same radical change happens between you and God when the wall of sin and separation crumbles. You go to God's presence without fear because Jesus won you total friendship with God.

Before becoming a Christian, we rebel, hate rules, make excuses for sin, and fear death and hell - the ultimate dentention. After accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord, we learn friendship, trust, forgiveness, and openness to correction. We look forward to eternity in heaven with God, our best friend.
Dont be afraid to go to God. His door is always open, Jesus flung it open with his blood.

We have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus...Hebrews 10:19

Hunger Pains

2008-10-16T21:58:00.000-07:00

Have you ever just been sitting there and all of a sudden your stomach starts to just making some rumbles and you get those pains, you know its time to eat. But what happens if your in class and the teacher is the like the teacher who talks slow and it feels like it will never end!!

Read John 6:28-35
What do you think drew people to Jesus?

No one forces you to eat. You eat because you're hungry. Your stomach growls and you stuff
something into it.

Hunger is what pulls you to God. Your questions, problems, doubts, triumphs, failures, your dreams about things you want to be or to, the things you love and hate-know it or not, those are the hunger pains poking us to get tight with God by spending time with him and his Word.

When you go out to eat you never say, "give me one of EVERYTHING, please," then try to eat it all. And you don't have to gulp down the Bible all at once. Start with a few of the Bible's choicest morsels, and later you can eat your way through the rest of the menu.

And while you're at it, dont just focus on the load of spiritual vitamins, amino acids, and complex carbohydrates you're getting. Who wants a plateful of that? You might as well ask a preacher to jab you with an intravenous needle and inject you with sermons. In the same way, if you come to your Bible always telling yourseld, I'm doing this because I have to, or "I need to finish the Bible by next month or else," you'll lose your appetite for God.
Food that tastes good lures you closer. Jesus promises that HE'S that kind of food-food that satisfies better than anything else. He is what makes Bible reading something you do because you want to, not because you have to.

Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty." John 6:35

Lost and Alone

2008-10-15T22:27:00.000-07:00

Ever been lost? How did you get unlost?
Some people in this situation panic, freakout. Others refuse to admit they're in a sad spot. But some lost people stay calm and get directions. They back track in the woods. They find signs, they pull into a gas station and ask for directions. They ADMIT they need help figuring out exactly where they are and how to get where they want to go.

Ok Read 2 Timothy 3:14-17
How does the Bible help you find your way when you want to follow God?

If you want to get un-lost in the woods or on a road, youve got to stop to get directions. Because drivers gulp down their pride and ask directions, a lot of family vacations are rescued. If you want to get unlost in life, the Bible is the place to look. It teaches you to know God and helps you mature. It shows you the way to real life.

Getting directions doesnt work if the directions you get arent clear. But the Bible is "Breathed by God"; it provides perfect directions from the perfect God If you look to God's Word, the Bible, for directions, you can trust what it says. It's your unique quidebook written by the ultimate guide, God himself.

All Sripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. 2Timothy 3:16

Venti vanilla americano aka My Starbucks drug

2008-10-14T23:03:00.000-07:00

What parts of life last forever?
Read 1 Corinthians 3:10-15

Think of all of life's thrills and peak moments: an afternoon with your buddies, sleepovers, a new favorite song on your ipod, winning a game, your dog licking your face off when you walk in the door, or my favorite, the taste of your favorite starbucks drink...MMMM.

But is that all there is? IF you admit there is more to life than your favorite starbucks drink to your peers, I and your friends might look at you weird(HAHA). No but they might think you are too serious, too much on the fringe, they might just leave you all alone. No one wants to be around someone that thinks "to serious", or that life is bigger then them.

I mean God created the things we use to make those great drinks from starbucks to enjoy. But he also points out that the ONLY things that are connected to Him will last forever. Anything built on Jesus-enjoying things His way, doing His will, following Him-matters for enternity. Anything done without Him-jumping out of bounds, leaping into sin, doing your own thing-will be gone in a flash.
God wants us to have more than fluffy friendship, He invites you to TOTAL DEVOTION.

If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, his work will be shown for what it is. 1Corinthians 3:12-13

You are NEVER ALONE, GOD never temps us, if its Gods will then we will never leave us or forsake us.

On Your Mark

2008-10-13T20:29:00.000-07:00

How should you dress for the race to follow Jesus?

Bibs, Jersey, Pads, Gloves, Helmet, and some shoes, are great if you want to jump on the field and play football. But if you try running a race with all of these things it would be a little hard. If you hope to run the race well, you would lose all of these things to the essentials and slip on the lightest shoes you can find.

As Christians we have a race marked out already for us, with the finish line being in eternity in heaven with God and his people on the far side of the finish line. Our course- a life lived tight with Jesus- isnt a sprint. Its a marathon run and with this run and like any marathon run you have the 3 D's to remember. Demands, Determiniation, and Devotion!. To run well we toss off anything not necessary for this race.

Sometimes , though, we like to run our race with that football gear on for this tracke meet- just like our social calendars that crowds out time with Christian friends, or a sports schedule too busy for time alone with God. Thos are good things out of control.

Even worse is when bad things grab hold of our lives. Sin takes us out of the race. Doing wronf leaves us wadded in a knot and sprawled on the track until we ask God for forgiveness and let him pick us up.
Your Christian life might feel like you've shown up wearing football shoes to a marathon. Now is the time to toss off everything that tangles up our run for Him.

Let us throw everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Herbrews 12:1 Read 1-3

Look out Below

2008-10-12T23:10:00.000-07:00

Who runs your life when you're out and about on your own?

Even if you are perched at the tip of the highest office tower in downtown Houston, there is still someone above you.
Wether your kingdom consists of half a bedroom, a bunk bed, and a few video games - or sports car, your own bedroom, I-touch and a macbook, and the largest Movie collection in the world- you're not the master of the universe. You dont even rule your own life.
There's no escape: You serve somebody. The Bible says you're a salve either to whats wrong or to what's right (Romans 6:19), either to death or to life (Romans 8:6), either to Satan or to God(Ephesians 2:1-10)
Trying to run your own life is like leaping off your office tower. You WONT FLY!Life without God is a death spiral as sure as gravity. But to "hate" life and give yourself back to God-that means to stick close to him, obeying his commands -sends you soaring.
Growing up isn't getting free to finally rule the roost. It's your chance to choose for yourself to follow Jesus-to fly with the real Master of the universe.

Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be John 12:26

The Lion King and You

2008-10-10T21:44:00.000-07:00

In the mythic story of The Lion King, the lion cub Simba is separated in his youth from his father through a murder engineered by his uncle, Scar, the character symbolizing the evil one in our story. Scar arranges for the cub to be caught in a stampede of wildebeests, knowing that his father, Mufasa, will risk his life to save his son. He does, and Simba is saved, but Mufasa is killed. Scar then turns on Simba and accuses him, at such a vulnerable and desperate moment, of causing his father’s death. Brokenhearted, frightened, racked with guilt, Simba runs away from home.

This is the enemy’s one central purpose—to separate us from the Father. He uses neglect to whisper, You see—no one cares. You’re not worth caring about. He uses a sudden loss of innocence to whisper, This is a dangerous world, and you are alone. You’ve been abandoned. He uses assaults and abuses to scream at a boy, This is all you are good for. And in this way he makes it nearly impossible for us to know what Jesus knew, makes it so very, very hard to come home to the Father’s heart toward us. The details of each story are unique to the boy, but the effect is always a wound in the soul, and with it separation from and suspicion of the Father.

It’s been very effective.

But God is not willing to simply let that be the end of the story. Not in any man’s life. Remember what Jesus taught us about the Father’s heart in the parable of the lost son: “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him” (Luke 15:20 NIV). Filled with compassion, our Father God will come like a loving Father, and take us close to his heart. He will also take us back to heal the wounds, finish things that didn’t get finished. He will come for the boy, no matter how old he might now be, and make him his Beloved Son.

(The Way of The Wild Heart , 56, 57)

What lies have you been believing about yourself that is keeping you from running home to the Father?

What's your giant?

2008-10-10T06:05:00.000-07:00

Read Psalm 33-34; Acts 24

David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth." 1 Samuel 17:32-33

I remember learning the story of David and Goliath in Sunday school. As a child, I tried to picture the scene of this teenager going up against this scary, mean giant. How big was Goliath in comparison to David? Where did David get such courage to even think he could defeat him? In reality, all of the odds were against David. David had not ever fought in a battle. He had no experience, no armor, no weapon, and no one fought alongside him. Who was he kidding? But David had something far more powerful than physical stature, experience or weapons: he had faith in his God.

Do you ever feel like you are in the midst of a battle where the odds are stacked against you? Or maybe you see the giants, hear their taunts and decide to flee and hide out, as opposed to standing up to them, as the Israelites did before David arrived? Today, we are all in a battle and there is one clear enemy. Make no mistake about this fact: “your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) Satan will use whatever tactics he can to get to us, to frighten us, and to keep us from fighting back. He will play tricks on our minds so that we see giants that are not real. He will deceive us into believing that we have no ability to win. One of the best tools Satan has against us is fear. Fear keeps us from facing the giants. Fear keeps us from ever achieving victory because we are afraid and run from the battle. Fear becomes our own trap of despair, depression and disillusionment. So often, the battle takes place in our own minds with giants conjured up in our thoughts, but we must understand that this is not God’s will for us.

Where did David get his courage? He believed in his God, the God of Israel. He believed in all that he had been taught about God, and he had witnessed God’s faithfulness and protection in his own life. And on this day, he was willing to put his faith to the test. David took a huge step of faith, depending completely on the Lord to save him. With one sling of one rock, the giant fell.

For us, today is our day of victory. Today is the day to face the giants in our lives. In faith we step out, stop running, stop hiding and stop believing the lies of the enemy, Satan. In faith, we face the enemy head on and we claim victory in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ. He has fought the battle and won, on our behalf, but we need to step out, stand up and sling the rock. Today is the day.

What's your giant today? How are you going to trust in God's faithfulness and stop believing the lies of the enemy?

To Die or to die

2008-10-08T21:58:00.000-07:00

Mark 8:31-34

When you choose to follow Jesus, might get caught between a rock and the Rock (Isaiah 26:4) If you ignore the demands of your friends, you face humiliation and rejection. Yet if you do the wrong...abusing yourself, others, Jesus.. you know God will be less thrilled, so you think.

Either way you die. So whats the use of picking sides? Jesus bluntly told his disciples that obeying God's plan would mean he would be mocked and killed on the cross. He was still determined to obey God. How many times in the past month have you felt mocked cause of your faith?

And Jesus said that anyone devoted to him must imitate him. Deny oneself and take up the cross daily. Swap your way for his way-totally. Obey him even when it hurts-even when you feel like you've been pierced with nails and all you can do is twist in pain.

Daring to stick with Jesus sometimes feels like you've been hung up to die.Tough stuff, huh? But Jesus promises that his way leads to life. I dont know about you but I love promises but us as humans have a tendacy to break them. Jesus NEVER has or will!

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "if anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Mark 8:34

Have you picked up the cross today?Are you stuggling with the cross? If so go to God in prayer, go to a Godly friend, a pastor, a leader in the church.

If you snooze you LOSE

2008-10-07T21:30:00.000-07:00

Why would anyone want to "please God in every way?"

Before we decide to trust God, we figure that knowing, following, an enjoying God ranks in value right up there with a stash Starbucks or Chick fil a bags thrown in your car. So instead of recognizing God as King of the universe, we rule our own lives. We're God's enemies, rebels, against him.

You probably know the facts on how God figured out a way to bring us back to himself. Though we deserve to die for our sins(Romans 6:23). Christ suffered our punishment for us. He died on the cross in our place so we can be forgiven(Colossians 1:22-23)

Once you're sure of those facts, you have a colossal reason to choose total devotion to Jesus. You've admitted, I've been wrong, God. I thought you werent worth it. I disobeyed you. I accept the gift of forgiveness and daily to follow God because you realize the infinite value of being tight with him. He's rescued you and brought you into his kingdom of love. And he's worth every bit of you life.

And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God. Colossians 1:10

So is your alarm going off? Are you hitting the snooze? Is God trying to show you his grace but your sleeping through it? If it is then WAKE UP!

Daily Devo 2 Walking down hill

2008-10-06T20:50:00.000-07:00

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life. Pslam 138:7

This is a good verse of things that are going on right now in our community, trying to rebuild oave a great storm. But so many times in our lives we walk through a pretty hard storm and we never see the storm as something we must walk through. Once we are in the storm of our lives we often dont see God protecting us, helping us, guiding us through the storm. We think its to tough to get through the storm, When God is there leading, pushing, but still protecting us. We must never forget that in all of our lives we will go through several storms but we must never forget who will be in the center of that trouble storm helping us.

The Hebrew of this verse literally means to "go on in the center of trouble." What descriptive words! and once we have called on God during our time of trouble, pleads His promises of deliverance but not received it and continued to be oppressed by the Enemy until we are in the very thick of the battle or the "center of trouble" others may tell us, "Dont bother the teachers any more" Luke 8:49

When Martha said"Lord,... if you had been here, my brother would not have died"John 11:21, Jesus countered her lack of hope with His greater promise, "You brother will rise again" John 11:23. And when we walk " in the center of the trouble" and are tempted to think, like Martha, that we are the past of the point of ever being delivered, our Lord also answers us with a promise from His Word: "though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life".

Although His Answer seems so long in coming and we continue to walk in trouble, "the center of trouble is the place where He preserves us, not the place where He fails us. "The cimes we continue to walk in the seeminly utter hopelessness are the very times He will "PS 128.He will bring our trouble to completion, causeing the Enemys attack to cease and to fail.

In light of this what reason would there ever be for us to worry?

People of Courage

2008-10-05T21:34:00.000-07:00

"Be men of courage, be strong." (1 Corinthians 16:13)
Never pray for an easier life - pray to be a stronger person!
Never pray for tasks equal to your power - pray for power equal to your tasks.

We must remember that Christ will not lead us to greatness through an easy or self-indulgent life. Heaven is always above us, and we must continually be looking toward it. Some people always avoid things that are costly, or things that require self-denial, self-restraint, and self-sacrifice. Yet it is hard work and difficulties that ultimately lead us to greatness, for greatness is not found by walking the easy to find path laid out for us through the meadow. It is found by being sent to carve out ouw own path with our own hands.

What are you willing to sacrifice to reach the glorious mountain peaks of God's purpose for you?What heartaches will you endure, if they proved only to make you stronger, not just happier?

Stand up, speak out,
and bravelyin God's name
BE STRONG

How we need to live

2008-10-02T08:10:00.000-07:00

Romans 12:2 Don’t be like the people of this world but let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him

God knows your potential. He gave it to you. He understands your weakness. He sees past your inabilities. He has complete confidence in the person you can be. Only God can help you reach your potential. Only He can give you strength beyond your weaknesses. Only he can give you lasting fulfillment. But your attention has to be on Him, not on measuring up to others. And it you’re focusing on the wrong things, He may use extreme measures to get your attention.

We strive as humans to measure up but who is doing the measuring? Majority of the time its ourselves or the world when it should be God. As you read these reads these words think of your life and who are you trying to measure up to, who are you allowing to do the measuring? I want to hear your thoughts so leave me a comment.

Peace Be Still

2008-09-13T21:35:00.000-07:00

Peace be Still written July 07

Oh here it is another late night thought. I love not being able to sleep cause I am thinking about life and how amazing God is. As I am preparing my lesson for tomorrow I find these songs that seem to speak to me at the times when I need it. Song that is on my profile is Peace be Still. We all pray for peace, patience and other things to be given to us by God like some type of medication. "If you pray this prayer you will have peace in your life". I really dont see God working that way. I see him using us and let us have an opportunity to use peace, patience in our day to day lives. We have to remember that when this world gets crazy and things seem out of control we have a place and someone to go to so the Peace in our lives can be still.

Come to me
You who are weak
Let my strength
Be yours, tonight.
Come and rest
Let my love
Be your bed
Let my heart
Be yours tonight

Chorus:Peace be still
Peace be still
Please be still
And know that I am God
And know that I am God
Come empty cup
Let me fill you upI'll descend
On you like a dove, tonight
Lift your headLet your eyes
Fall into mineL
et your fear subside, tonight

Make you think

2008-09-12T11:32:00.000-07:00

Make you think

These are diferent thoughts that Rick Warren the author of A Purpose Driven Life wrote. Read these thoughts and think about your life and your problems. Everytime life gets hard or good what do you do?

People ask me, What is the purpose of life? And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were made to last forever, and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven. One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body-- but not the end of me. I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of years in eternity. This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal. God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity. We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense. Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one. The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort. God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy. We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.

Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life. No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on. And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for.
You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems. If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness,"which is my problem, my issues, my pain." But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.
We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity? Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)? When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say,God, if I don't get anything else done today, I want to know You moreand love You better. God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill ato-do list. He's more interested in what I am than what I do. That's why we're called human beings, not human doings.

Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
Every moment, THANK GOD.