Foothold at Mesquite Bible Church

The Lion Chasers Manifesto

2010-01-14T10:02:00.002-06:00

Another great one from Mark Batterson. This comes from his book, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day, a book I really loved and I think every Christian should read.

The Lion Chasers Manifesto

Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death. Set God-sized goals. Pursue God-ordained passions. Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention. Keep asking questions. Keep making mistakes. Keep seeking God. Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution. Stop repeating the past and start creating the future. Stop playing it safe and start taking risks. Accumulate experiences. Consider the lilies. Criticize by creating. Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can. Live like today is the first day and last day of your life. Don't let what's wrong with you keep you from worshiping what's right with God. Burn sinful bridges. Blaze new trails. Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks. Don't try to be who you're not. Be yourself. Laugh at yourself. Quit holding out. Quit holding back. Quit running away.

Chase the lion.

What is an Idol?

2010-01-12T08:00:00.001-06:00

Mark Batterson does a great job of helping us identify the idols in our lives. I really like this line...

"In the beginning, God created us in His image. We've been creating Him in our image ever since."

Here is his list of ways to identify the idols in your life:

So how do you identify an idol? Here are four idol identifiers:

1) What consumes your thoughts? Your daydreams are idol clues. If it's something you think about more than God then it may be an idol.

2) What bad habits do you struggle with? Your addictions are idol clues. An idol is something you cannot control. It controls you.

3) What do you spend too much money on? Your spending habits are idol clues. Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also!

4) What produces your strongest emotions? Your intense emotions are idol clues. If you want to identify an idol, all you have to do is identify your emotional attachments.

Identifying an idol takes a tremendous amount of soul searching. And you have to be brutally honest. But you cannot tear it down until you name it. If you're serious, I highly recommend Tim Keller's book Counterfeit Gods.

If you want to read more of Mark's writing, click HERE
Thanks Mark

God's Promises

2010-01-11T08:00:00.001-06:00

This is part of a post written by Craig Groeschel. It is so good to think about the great promises of our great Father. You can read more of the post HERE

by Craig Groeschel

God promises:

To meet every need you have from his riches. (Phil 4:19)
You won’t be tempted beyond what you can handle. (1 Cor 10:13)
To forgive all your sins. (Eph. 1:7; 1 Jn. 1:9)
To make everything work for your good. (Rom 8:28)
He’d never leave you or forsake you. (Heb 13:5)
To be your ever present help in trouble. (Ps. 46:1)
To give strength to the weary and power to the weak. (Isa 40:29)
To guide you and give you direction. (Ps. 32:8)
To give you a peace that goes beyond your understanding. (Phil 4:7)
To give you power to defeat Satan (James 4:7)
Nothing would separate you from God’s love. (Rom. 8:39)
You are more than conquerors. (Rom. 8:37)
Eternal life through Christ (John 10:27-28)

Feeding on God's Words

2010-01-07T10:42:00.003-06:00

Great thought from Ann Jackson about feeding on the word of God.

Here are a few lines:

We all need to eat.

And to say, “feed yourself,” well, I found myself asking if that is a statement diametrically opposed to Biblical relationships and what Galatians says about carrying each others’ burdens?

Shouldn’t we be feeding each other?

To keep with the metaphor, shouldn’t we be looking around us, finding the weaker sheep and taking them to a spot with more grass? More life? The stronger of us can maybe go a day or two longer or leaner but the point of it is to be aware of each other and what we need?

Read more HERE

Something to think about... What have you eaten lately? How have you feed someone else lately?

God at Work in Iran

2009-11-12T08:36:00.004-06:00

Here is part of a video from Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley about the struggles faced by Christians in Iran. God is at work in this nation so watch and then pray.

Quote

2009-11-04T11:51:00.003-06:00

Here is an interesting quote from Roland Emmerich, director of the film "2012".

"We have to all, in the western world, think about this. You can actually let Christian symbols fall apart, but if you would do this with [an] Arab symbol, you would have ... a fatwa, and that sounds a little bit like what the state of this world is."

BTW: a fatwa is a death sentence pronounced by a religion leader on a person considered to be an enemy of their religion.

Why do you think this is?

A Great Greeter

2009-11-03T12:08:00.003-06:00

A great story about a great lady, from Mark Waltz

Consider Ruth Saratore from Granger Community.
I attended Ruth’s funeral on Monday of this week. She was 88 years old. Always sat on the second row, left side of the center aisle, every Sunday. Ruth wasn’t one of those people who felt she owned that seat. In fact, she was constantly inviting people to sit with her.
Matt spoke at Ruth’s funeral. His story? Five years ago he entered Granger Community for the first time. Alone, tentative, looking for a seat. He made it down front early one Sunday and heard the sweetest sound. It was Ruth. “Are you alone young man? Sit right here with me.” No, Ruth wasn’t hitting on him. She was in her eighties. He was barely 30. At the end of the service, she told him, “I’ll be here next week. I hope you come back. I’ll be saving a seat for you.” That was enough for Matt. Granger was his home. His church.
Several more people revealed the same “sit with me” story. Stories that continued beyond the weekend service. Phone calls. Visits. Ruth extending herself to serve and love others.
She never wore a nametag. She wasn’t a greeter (although she could have been). She didn’t volunteer at guest relations.
But she greeted. Warmly, inclusively, and unconditionally accepting.
Guests don’t really care who warmly receives them. You don’t need a label or a tag. They don’t really care.

Mural of Tears

2009-10-22T12:16:00.002-05:00

The picture above should break your heart. Really, I can't understand how anyone can look at it and not weep. It was made using 30,000 post-it notes - one post-it note for each child who dies daily from starvation. It was created at Sevier Heights Baptist Church in Knoxville.

Take a moment to look at it and pray. Pray for those children who are dying. Pray for those parents who are experiencing the heartbreak. Pray for God to show you a way to help.

Patient Trust

2009-10-16T12:58:00.003-05:00

God's timing is always amazing. I just happen to click on this poem (that I have never heard before) as I was sitting and wishing that an important event would be over and done. I have a difficult time waiting... for just about everything.

Patient Trust

Above all, trust in the slow work of God.
We are quite naturally impatient in everything to reach the end without delay.
We should like to skip the intermediate stages.
We are impatient of being on the way to something unknown, something new.
And yet it is the law of all progress that it is made by passing through some stages of instability—and that it may take a very long time.

And so I think it is with you.
Your ideas mature gradually–let them grow,
Let them shape themselves, without undue haste.
Don’t try to force them on, as though you could be today what time
(that is to say, grace and circumstances acting on your own good will)
will make of you tomorrow.

Only God could say what this new spirit gradually forming within you will be.
Give our Lord the benefit of believing that his hand is leading you,
and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself in suspense and incomplete.

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

Between an Army and a Sea

2009-10-11T07:51:00.003-05:00

Great advice for those times when we don't understand why God is leading us to what appears to be failure.

From Mark Batterson
Pastor and Author

Have you ever felt like God made a mistake?

That is how the Israelites felt with the Egyptian army breathing down their necks and the Red Sea staring them in the face. And here's the thing: God led them there. From a military standpoint, they should not have been there. They have no escape route. They couldn't retreat or advance. It seems like God has made a mistake. And the Israelites let Moses know about it. But God had them right where he wanted them.

Sometimes God leads us to a place where we have nowhere to turn but to Him. It's often the last place we want to be. But it's the best place to be. Here is the great irony: all of us want to experience a miracle. We just don't want to be in a situation that necessitates it. But sometimes you need to be between an Egyptian Army and a Red Sea so God can reveal more of His glory!

And just when you think God has made a mistake, He parts the Red Sea.

My Load vs. Their Burden

2009-10-08T07:00:00.001-05:00

Just read a great post from Mark Driscoll about when we should and shouldn't help a person with their problems. Check this out:

I envision that everyone has a backpack with responsibilities that God has given for him or her to carry. Some people’s backpacks are big, and others are small. Nonetheless, God has called us each to fill up our pack with specific responsibilities. Some people are lazy and try to take things out of their pack and get others to carry them instead. Examples include the able-bodied man who lives with his mom, making her responsible for his housing and food; the lazy employee who cannot keep a job and expects his or her friends and family to always give him or her money; and the irresponsible young woman who assumes the government, her family, or a wealthy boyfriend will pay the price for her foolish life choices. Tragically, for many, the whole definition of someone being loving, godly, and spiritual is that they are willing to carry the loads God has called others to carry. This is not ministry. This is co-dependency, co-idolatry, and sin.

So, what about carrying one another's burdens?

A “burden” is a heavy load that is simply too much for one person to bear without the loving help of Christian friends. Practically, the person with cancer or another debilitating ailment, the mother of young children who is abandoned by her husband, the poor elderly widow who cannot pay her bills, and others like them should not feel guilty for seeking reasonable help nor should they be chastised for doing so. Rather, the church exists in part to help lessen their burden by taking some of the financial, emotional, and practical weight out of their pack and carrying it for them.

You can read more at Concern & Responsibility, Loads & Burdens

Too Much and Too Long

2009-10-07T11:57:00.006-05:00

Something just doesn't seem right about the picture above. First, it seems to be getting more information than it really needs (133% ?) and second, it expects me to wait 1193046 hours for the download to be completed (that's 136 years!!!). Too Much and Too Long!!!

The discipleship process can often feel like this, too much and too long. We desire to be more like Christ but it just seems like there is too much for me to do and it is taking too long to change. But try not to lose heart; God wants to see you become more like Jesus even more than you do. He is on your side and will guide you through the process.

"he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6

BTW: the updates to my computer went all the way to 160% before it failed... Sure am glad that God never fails.

You Are What You Post

2009-09-15T12:17:00.003-05:00

Here is something wise to remember when using sites like Facebook:

From Josh Griffin's site More Than Dodgeball

"Your character and faith is reflected in every post that you make so if you are doubtful about something, here’s a simple rule to follow: DON’T POST IT. Just like behavior on a youth ministry trip is a reflection on the church and student ministry, know that what you post adds or detracts to the reputation of the church and ministry … and ultimately Christ."

Do Beauticians Exist?

2009-08-09T17:21:00.002-05:00

From the book “Doubt And Faith” by John Ortberg

I woman I know named Sheryl went to a salon to have her nails manicured. As the beautician began to work, they began to have a good conversation about many subjects. When they eventually touched on God, the beautician said, “I don’t believe God exits.”

“Why do you say that?” asked Sheryl, who has MS.

“Well, you just have to go out on the street to realize God doesn’t exist. Tell me, if God exist, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can’t imagine loving a God who could allow all these things.”

Sheryl thought for a moment. She didn’t respond because she didn’t want to start an argument. The beautician finished her job, and Sheryl left the shop.

Just after she left the beauty shop, she saw a woman in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair. She looked filthy and unkempt. Sheryl turned, entered the beauty shop again, and said to the beautician, “You know what? Beauticians do not exist.”

“How can you say that?” asked the surprised beautician. “I am here. I just worked on you. I exist.”

“No,” Sheryl exclaimed, “beauticians do not exist, because if they did, there would be no people with dirty, long hair and appearing very unkempt like that woman outside!”

“Ah, but beauticians do exist,” she answered. “The problem is, people do not come to me.”

Exactly.

Dealing With Temptation

2009-07-28T14:31:00.000-05:00

From: Rick Warren

If we were more consistent in confessing our temptations, we wouldn't have to do as much confessing of sins.

2009-07-28T12:08:00.001-05:00

Quote

From: perry noble

God didn't call you to give up...but to reach up so that He can build up His Kingdom through you! Go for it today - I Cor. 15:58

Youth

2009-07-28T11:54:00.001-05:00

From John Piper

Summer Camp 2009

2009-06-23T10:16:00.003-05:00

Many of our teens are attending camp this week, so pray for them and for the counselors who will be with them this week. Allow me to provide you with a short list of items to pray about in detail:

- Pray for Safety (adventures and games always come with injuries.)

- Pray for Spiritual Growth (God is always speaking into the heart of the teenager, but it seems easier to hear him at camp)

- Pray for Good Relationships (new friendships, relationships between campers, relationships of counselors with campers)

- Pray for Spiritual Boldness (camp often challenges a camper to do great things for God, pray that the camper might accept these challenges)

- Pray for New Life (not every camper is a follower of Jesus Christ. Pray that their eyes might be open and that they may give their life to Jesus this week)

Greg is going to try and post some information about events at camp at the following site: Impact Summer. Take a look and see what's been happening.

Without a Dream

2009-04-28T10:34:00.001-05:00

This story by Anne Jackson really touched my heart. If I asked my kids the same question, they would probably give me more dreams then anyone could accomplish in a lifetime. Here is a little of what she wrote:

I asked our translator to ask him what he wanted to be when he grew up. Maybe it’s the idealist in me, but I think that’s my favorite question to ask children. Their potential is beyond anything we can imagine.

What came out of his mouth surprised me.

Nothing.

He didn’t say a word.

Read more and watch the video here.

Speaking with Authority

2009-04-15T09:26:00.003-05:00

David Foster shared these thoughts on his blog today:

Before you stand up to speak have an aim, a goal, for your talk. For me, it’s to change the world. I know that’s bold, but I settle for nothing less. I know that if I speak to the hearts of people, to their pain, and their desire for hope and meaning in life; if I do it long enough and well enough, that ultimately things are going to change.
Maybe your goals are a little less lofty. But they shouldn’t be. Speak for change; to change your company, your family, your child, your husband. Speak to persuade, not just to inform, and you’ll be an interesting speaker.

It reminded me of something Jesus’ listeners said about him,

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teacher of the law.
Matthew 7:28-29

That same authority that Jesus spoke with is the same authority he gave to his disciple - both then and now - to go out and speak the words that can change the world. But there is a catch. It is Jesus’ authority that you are speaking with, so it should be Jesus’ words that you are speaking. In other words, we can change the world when we go out and speak the words of Jesus (the Bible) with the authority that Jesus gave us.

How do we do this? By speaking the truth in love. When a person is living in sin, tell them what God has to say about their sin, but do it with an attitude of love - caring for them and wanting to help them. The sad truth is that many people get turned off to the Gospel and the Church, because people speak with authority to them but don’t really care about them. If you are not willing to give of yourself to help this person with their sin problem, then keep your mouth shut.

Battling With the Truth

2009-04-11T11:11:00.001-05:00

In my posts about being a Warrior, I stated that the weapon of choice for the Christian is the Truth of God's word. Stephen Colbert did a pretty good job this week of showing how to battle the lies of the World with the Truth of God's word.

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Bart Ehrman

colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

NASA Name Contest

Warrior Lessons: Jonathan and David

2009-04-09T13:30:00.003-05:00

Jonathan and David - Warriors United

For this weeks Warriors lesson I would like to consider a pair of Warriors – Jonathan and David.

Besides the relationship that exist between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; the relationship between Jonathan and David, as recorded in 1 Samuel, was probably one of the closest relationships described in the Bible. These two truly loved and cared for one another and were always watching out for one another. The reason I have included these two in my Warriors lessons is because of this simple fact:

Great Warriors work together because they know that strength comes in numbers.

The temptation of many who consider themselves Warriors is to go it alone. Perhaps the greatest reason for this is that they are frighten by the thought of having to depend upon someone else for success. Warriors like to keep their eyes focused on the future so that they can plan and prepare for the next battle heading their way, but this also creates a lot of “what if” situations in their minds.

- What if the he doesn’t do his part?
- What if no one shows up?
- What if she isn’t able to finish the project?
- What if they aren’t interested?
- What if she doesn’t really care about it?

These are all frightening situations because they could cause the Warrior to fail, and Warrior hate failing.
But…
Working alone is not an option for a Great Warrior.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 tells us, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

From the very beginning God said, “It is not good for man to be alone.” It is God’s desire that we work together and help one another. What we all need is a friendship like the one Jonathan and David had.

There are three qualities that I see in the relationship between Jonathan and David that made it close and strong:
1. A devotion to God
2. A willingness to look out for one another.
3. An ability to trust one another.

Strong Friendships Begin with a Devotion to God.
Do not be unequally yoked – don’t join yourself to someone who isn’t devoted to Jesus.
It’s ok to be friends with a non-Christian, but close friendship should be reserved for someone who is following Jesus like you do. Our closest friend is the one we ask to pray for us, we share our struggles with, we seek guidance from; how can we expect a person who is not following Jesus to give us God-honoring advice?

Strong Friendships Develop when they are looking out for one another.
Looking out for the other person means more than just trying to protect them from harm, it also includes helping them have a better relationship with Jesus. This might include setting aside your own wants and desires. This would include serving the other person and encouraging the other person.

Strong Friendships Last when they are willing to Trust one another.
Trust worthy people are true to their word – yes is yes and no is no.
Trust worthy people display repentance when they are wrong. Repentance is more than just saying you’re sorry. Since none of us are perfect we will mess up from time to time, but displaying repentance means seeking forgiveness AND changing things to try and keep it from happening again.

These are not only the qualities we should be looking for in a close friend, but also the ones who should be displaying ourselves. Going it alone is not an option, but developing a close relationship with a person who doesn't love Jesus, isn't watching out for you, and can't be trusted will cause more harm in your life than good. Pray that God brings you a friend like the one David had.

Ministry on the Front Lines

2009-04-08T11:01:00.001-05:00

Read this today in C.J. Mahaney's blog and thought that you should read it too. I really can't even imagine how difficult it would be to do ministry in these conditions. Please pray for the Christians in Juarez, Mexico and Pastor Carlos Contreras.

Across from the border city of El Paso, Texas, sits the city of Juárez, Mexico. If you are current with the news, you probably know that Juárez has become a violent front line in the war on drugs. Between January 2008 and March 2009, almost 2,000 drug-related murders have taken place in the city as a war rages that involves the drug cartels, local police, and Mexico’s military.

Recently Time Magazine said Juárez “may be the western hemisphere’s most dangerous town” and “certainly the hardest hit by Mexico’s drug-war terror.” *

I never imagined that we would have to lead our congregation through something like this. The three largest drug cartels in México are warring for control of our city. There are other sites in México with similar battles, but the unique situation of Juárez has made our streets the site of some of the most violent and gruesome incidents in the nation.

In addition to this, over 100 law enforcement officials have lost their lives, many of them because they had become part of a cartel but many others as they carried out their duties. The suspicion of corruption and the threat of violence has produced massive layoffs and resignations of police officers. This weakening of the law enforcement bodies has contributed in the unleashing of a severe crime wave that has exposed regular citizens to armed robbery, carjacking and kidnapping. If you add to this the subsequent financial crisis that has made our city No. 1 in the nation in loss of jobs, then you get a pretty nasty scenario.

This crisis of violence and crime has produced a very high level of fear, anxiety and hopelessness in our city and has tempted many in the church to fall into those sins. So by God’s grace we have had to use every opportunity to teach and remind people of the truth of God’s sovereignty and care. And we have seen much growth in learning to trust God like never before.

Since we couldn’t trust our government to protect or deliver us from all of this, we have had to learn to REALLY trust God for our well-being, and it has been wonderful! The church has grown, both in numbers and in maturity. As a church we are very aware and grateful for all the good fruit God has produced in our lives as a result of this crisis and we are joyfully anticipating much more of his grace.

My personal challenge has been to learn to carry the burden of concern for the well-being of our folks and our city. My love for the folks in the church has grown much as I have prayed for them and carried them in my heart all these months. But also, I have seen a new love for the city and nation develop in my heart and the heart of many others.

God is awakening a stronger burden to see our nation turn to Christ that has made us bolder in proclaiming the gospel to the authorities, our neighbors and city as a whole. Like never before this crisis has opened many doors to the gospel, and I pray that as a church we will prove faithful in taking advantage of this new opportunity to see the gospel advanced.

Don't Waste Your Life

2009-04-03T08:04:00.001-05:00

Warrior Lessons - Esther

2009-04-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

The book of Esther is a story about a woman who gets caught up in events; that she probably never desired for her life, and ended up playing a part in the salvation of the Jews. Though there are many remarkable events and amazing characters in the book of Esther, it was one single event that proved her to be a Great Warrior.

When Esther was informed about the law that could cause the end of the Jewish people, she was faced with two choices:

Do Nothing, and perhaps live – Or - Do Something, and perhaps die.

Esther choice was to do something. She knew that she needed to take a risk that could very well mean the end of her life. To approach the king without an invitation was against the law and breaking this law would mean immediate death. She knew that the only way she could survive was if the king offered her his scepter, which she could touch and live. For Esther, the risk was worth it because she understood what all great warriors come to understand:

Great Warriors know that the Cause must come before everything, even their own life.

The Bible is filled with the stories of people who faced a decision just like Esther’s and like her, choose to do something even though it might cause their death.

Think about:

Moses – who did something when he left his tent and began the long walk back to Egypt.

David – who did something when he put down the armor and instead prepared to face a giant by picking up five stones.

Daniel – who did something when he got on his knees to pray, knowing that the next time he would probably be praying in front of a hungry lion.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego – who did something when they refused to bow a knee before a piece of stone in order to save themselves from a fiery furnace.

Each of these did something even though it could have cost them their lives. They proved through their actions that the Cause (God’s Kingdom) is so much greater and more important than even their own life.

Warrior Lessons – Gideon

2009-03-26T08:00:00.001-05:00

I think that Gideon is a good representation of a lot of Christians today. Judges 6:13 shows Gideon questioning why God isn’t working in amazing ways like he did in the past. There are a lot of statements coming out of the Christian community that sound like Gideon…

- God, why does it seem like your church is dying?
- God, why are your followers always fighting each other?
- God, why doesn’t the church have the same influence it did 20 years ago?
- God, why don’t you move in a powerful way and really wake up the people to just how wonderful you are?
- God, are you even listening?

When the Lord first started his conservation with Gideon, he was talking to a weak, powerless, and frighten man. When the Lord finished his conservation with Gideon, he was talking to a Warrior. What happen?

I think Gideon changed because he really listened to God and really trusted what God was telling him. Look at some of what God told Gideon in Judges chapter 6...

- Vs. 12 – Mighty warrior.
- Vs. 14 – Go in the strength you have.
- Vs. 16 – I will be with you.
- Vs. 23 – Peace! Do not be afraid.

Now put them together and listen to the words that changed Gideon’s life and can change your life too.

The World like to speak all kinds of lies into your heart everyday, but just imagine what God’s children could do if they heard God’s words at the beginning of each day and really believed them.

Peace! Do not be afraid. I will be with you so go in the strength you have my mighty warrior.

99 Balloons

2009-03-14T13:01:00.003-05:00

Don't watch unless you are ready to cry... but it will bless you life.

It Could Happen Today

2009-03-13T08:00:00.002-05:00

The scene: a man is crying…
- he has lost his job
- he had his cars repossessed
- his wife and kids left him because he couldn’t provide for them anymore
- and now the Sheriff is escorting him away from his house that had been foreclosed on.

And what does the man do on the front lawn of the house the used to be his…

- he falls to his knees, lifts his hands to the sky and sings a song of praise to his God.

This is Job 1: 20-22

There are many who are losing everything these days because of the hard economic times and it is not difficult to find a press photo of a person or a family in great pain because they had been recently evicted from their home. But God has not changed and the faith of Job is the same faith that we can have today, so I really believe that there are still those who are responding like Job did…

“The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”

- The pain is great… but not eternal.
- The property is gone… but not the treasure.
- The mind questions… but the heart remains true.
- The tears flow… but the spirit finds comfort.

This is the faith of Job, and it is the same faith of those who serve the same God as Job. At times we hear rumors of men and women who praised God during difficult times like Job. At times we see shadows of men and women, on their knees and lifting their hands in praise during terrible moments like Job. One day, though, it will all be known and it will all be revealed how God never quit providing the great doses of faith like he provided to Job on his day of pain.

Job - the Beginning

2009-03-12T12:02:00.002-05:00

I have been working my way through some of the Old Testament books for my daily Bible reading and am now starting the book of Job. This is one of those book were you usually read the first couple of chapters and skip to the end, because the middle doesn’t seem to say much, but I am determine to plow my way through the entire book this time.

Right out of the gate I was struck by a question: What if Bill Gates lost everything he owns in just one day? I thought of Bill Gates because of his great wealth and popularity. Job was a lot like the Bill Gates of his day. In verse 3 of chapter 1 it says, “He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.” So the greatest man in the East lost everything in just a day. That would scare me! Imagine, if the richest man could lose everything is just a day, what hope is there for me? I wonder if the people who knew Job were scared. Maybe that’s why Job’s friends showed up on the scene so quickly; they wanted to know how to keep the same thing from happening to them. Perhaps they used the thought that Job must have sinned to cause this as a way to ease their own minds and provide themselves with a sense of security. I know that what I would have done that. I could just hear myself accusing Bill Gates of some of the following “sins”:

- Gates should have known better.
- Gates should have done a better job of watching his money.
- Gates should have pulled his money out of the stock market sooner.
- Gates should not have trusted those people.
- Gates must not be as smart as we all thought he is.

In the case of Job, though, none of that was true. Job has not done anything wrong and he had not made any stupid mistakes. It was God’s choice to let all this happen. Job was simply the example to prove Satan wrong again. It makes me wonder though…

Am I worthy to be used by God as an example to prove Satan wrong about something?

Has God ever used me like He used Job?

It frighten me a little… but I do hope that the answer to both questions is – Yes.

Warrior Lessons - Caleb

2009-03-11T13:56:00.001-05:00

Numbers 14:24
God said, “But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.”

Who Was Caleb?
Caleb first appears in Numbers 13:6;

He was once a slave in Egypt.
He was a representative for the tribe of Judah.
Caleb was a spy – the 007 of his day.

Lesson 1: Warriors put their trust in God instead of the Group.
Caleb was willing to stand on the side of the minority because he knew that God wanted them to have the land and if God wanted it, nothing could stand in their way.
Caleb was willing to break away from the group because he knew that even though a Group can be a powerful thing… God is even more Powerful.

Lesson 2: Warriors follow the Convictions of a God-filled heart.
· Convictions are the thing that guides our decisions and directions in this life.
· Convictions come from what we know, down deep in our heart, to be true.

Caleb knew, down deep in his heart that…
· God wanted them to have the land.
· God was going to be with them when they entered the land.
· God was bigger and more powerful than all of the people in that land, put together.

It was not comfortable for him to speak up and stand on the other side from the rest of the group, but Caleb’s desire to follow his convictions were greater than his desire for comfort.

Lesson 3: Warriors never quit and never retire because they know God will provide the strength they need.

Joshua 14:12, “Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised men that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites wee there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.”
At the age of 85, Caleb was leading the charge, up hill, to attack heavily fortified cities.

Warrior Lesson 4: Warriors know that with God on their side, they always have the “higher ground”.

In any battle, the advantage is always to the person who has the higher ground.

During you life it will often seem that the enemy has the “higher ground”
· More money
· More friends
· More influence
· More connections
· More press

The Warrior’s Code
#1: God before Group.
#2: Convictions before Comfort
#3: God’s Work before My Rest
#4: God’s view before my view.

Being a Warrior might mean…
- Standing alone
- Having a willingness to be uncomfortable
- Taking on what others think is impossible

Imagine what it would be like, what could be accomplished, how the world could be change if we all had a “different spirit” like Caleb.

Warriors Wanted

2009-03-06T14:57:00.000-06:00

I started a new series last night with the Jr. High group called “Warriors Wanted”. It is a look at some of the men and women in the Bible who accomplished the impossible through their faith in God. The idea for this series first hit me while I was reading Mark Batterson’s book, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day. I really enjoyed this book and thought how great it would be if my Jr. High students had their eyes opened to the possibilities that are out there to do great things for God.
The first lesson was mostly about setting up the series, but as we continue I plan to explore the attitudes and characteristic of some of the great “Warriors” that are found in God’s word.

In this first lesson we discussed what every Warrior needs:

1. A Cause: something to fight for.
2. An Enemy: someone to fight against.
3. A Weapon: something to fight with.

· The Cause = The Kingdom of God.
· The Enemy = Satan and his lies.
· The Weapon = The Truth (the word of God)

There often is a problem though:

Some Christians are fighting for the Wrong Cause.
Jesus told us to pray for God’s will and for God’s kingdom to come. Some Christians, though, are fighting for their own kingdom. They want their will to be done and to see their own desires fulfilled. If you are fighting for your own kingdom, then you are really fighting for Satan’s kingdom.

Some Christians are fighting the Wrong Enemy.
It’s not the person we battle, but the lies that person as accepted as truth. This is how we can love our enemies without agreeing with them. The person is not the problem. Instead it is the lies that this person has accepted as the truth.

Some Christians don’t know their Weapon.
The truth shall set them free. So many Christians are useless in the battle because they are unwilling to take the time to learn about their weapon. They might try controlling the people or yelling at them, but all of these will fail because it is only the Truth of God’s word that can free a person from the bondage of the lies they have accepted.

Planet Wisdom Photos

2009-03-01T20:50:00.003-06:00

Here are a few of my favorite photos from P-Wiz 2009

Look for more over at the Wall of Fame and Shame.

What If? - Giving vs. Getting

2009-03-01T16:18:00.004-06:00

Imagine what would happen if we dreamed about Giving as much and we dreamed about Getting.

Blessings from a Bad Economy

2009-02-20T10:08:00.003-06:00

1. It is harder to get a loan, so you won’t borrow more than you can afford to pay back.

2. Less junk mail because the credit card companies are no longer interested in you.

3. When you lose everything, you discover who the people are that really love you and care for you.

4. You will see an increase in opportunities to show God’s love by providing for others.

5. You get to witness the miracle of how God can take a little and accomplish a lot. Like the feeding of the 5000 with two fish and the five loaves of bread.

6. You discover what’s really important in this life.

7. With less “stuff” to take care of you will be able to spend more time with people and God.

8. You discover that Jesus knew what he was talking about when he told you to not store up treasures here on earth but to store them up in heaven.

9. You have more time to work on those treasures in heaven because you are not as distracted by your treasures here on earth.

10. Perhaps for the first time you pray, “give us today our daily bread” and you really mean it.

What would you add to this list?

Fasting and Child Sacrifice

2009-02-16T08:40:00.003-06:00

It's always hard to imagine that people would sacrifice their children to a rock, or a pole, or any other created thing. Mark Driscoll does a great job, though, of reminding us that child sacrifice still takes place today. The forms of the sacrifice might have changed but the results are still the same.

From Mark Driscoll's Blog:
Fasting is the voluntary act of abstaining from something for the purpose of growing in self-discipline, which is the essence of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Perhaps the most common form of fasting is from food. This is because, as Paul says, for some people their stomach is their god. By fasting from food, they are learning to enjoy food as a gift from God without allowing it to become an idolatrous functional god that controls them.

However, there are seemingly innumerable other things that, though they are good, can become bad when they rule over us in a way that only God should. Modern examples include fasting from the internet, email, or cell phone for a period of time if you find yourself compulsively spending too much of your time and energy checking websites, emails, phone calls, and voicemails.
This point was painfully illustrated to me at a recent dinner out with my children. My wife, Grace, was teaching at a women’s event, and so I took the kids to a restaurant. Sitting around us were many other families like us, with one exception. Every single father was either talking on the phone or responding to emails on his BlackBerry throughout the meal, not connecting with his children in any way. Sadly, rather than visiting with their kids and having some fun, these daddies allowed their technological gods to rule over them. Their gods required the sacrificing of their own children, not unlike Molech in the Old Testament.
Read more HERE

Prepared for Poverty - part 4

2009-02-10T12:16:00.003-06:00

The Pride of Poverty

Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Matthew 19:21-22

Is it better to be poor than rich? Answer: No.
Is it better to be rich than poor? Answer: No.

Just as there are those who think that God is happy with them because they are rich, there are also those who think that God is only happy with those who don’t own anything. These people will give up everything they own and live a life of poverty thinking that it will please God. What Jesus told the young man in Matthew 19, makes it sound like that is what every believer should do, “sell your possessions and give to the poor… then come, follow me.” His possessions wasn’t the problem, instead the problem was what he considered to be his treasure. Jesus was able to peer right into this man’s heart and see what he truly treasured in his life. The man spoke of the priority of God’s law in his life, but his real priority was what he owned. The man mentioned his desire to go to heaven, but his real desire was to hold onto all his possessions.

For where your treasure is, there you heart will be also. Matthew 6:21

Jesus was after the young man’s heart but it was already be occupied with all of his possessions. The possessions needed to go in order to make room for the one, true, and lasting treasure – Jesus Christ.

To sum it up: Don’t be proud of your poverty.

You should not be ashamed of your poverty and try to hide it as if you have done something wrong, but also don’t make the mistake of thinking that because you are poor that you are closer to God. Just as there are those who are poor whose hearts are totally devoted to God, there are also those who are rich whose hearts are totally devoted to God

Prepared for Poverty - sidebar

2009-02-09T06:00:00.002-06:00

Why Write About Poverty?

Allow me a moment to discuss why I am writing about being prepared for poverty. There are many who are worried about the present economic situation. I am concerned that many of these people may see the lost that they are experiencing as a judgment from God. Though they may not say it, I know that there are a lot of people who have lost their home, or job, or retirement fund and are now wondering if God doesn’t love them anymore.

As a child of God I have been promised many things in God’s word. God watches out for me, He cares for me, He provides for me, and He has prepared for me an eternal home with Him. There are many things, though, that we often take for granted that God has not promised, for example: a house, a car, a well-paying job, an abundance of food, a closet full of cloths, a government that watches out for its citizens, a long life. Out of God’s good grace, there are many who enjoy these things, but they must not assume that they will always have them. Jesus did not die on the cross to make us rich or poor, he die so that we could become holy. God’s greatest desire for you is not a kitchen full of food or a nice car to drive; his greatest desire is for you to live by faith.

I often think of my own children when I write and lately I have been concerned about what would happen to their faith if we were to lose everything. My greatest desire is that they love and follow Jesus, not that they find a good paying job and make a lot of money. As a parent, it would hurt a lot to see my children go hungry, or be homeless, or suffer any of the other pains associated with poverty. As a parent AND a Christian, though, it would hurt even more to see my children reject Jesus because they became poor and now thought that he didn’t love them anymore. I want my children to know that true wealth is the grace given by God through faith in Jesus and true treasures are found in heaven. As for this time we have before we get to see Jesus, face to face, we make the best of it by living by faith, love others, and glorying God during both times of great wealth and times of great poverty.

Prepared for Poverty - part 3

2009-02-06T06:00:00.006-06:00

God’s True Blessings

We tend to put the things and events of our lives into two groups: the good stuff and the bad stuff.

The type of thinking that I often come across is this; all of the good stuff is a blessing from God and all of the bad stuff is not a blessing. So, if you are healthy then you are blessed by God, but if you are sick then you are not blessed by God. If your children act good most of the time then you are blessed by God, but if they act selfish, or mean, or wickedly then you are not blessed by God. If your job or business is doing well and you are making a lot of money then you are blessed by God, but if you lose your job or your business fails then you are not blessed by God.

Jesus attacked this mind-set head on when he told the parable of the Rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16. The Rich man had everything that we would call “blessings from God” in his life. He had wealth, possessions, and power. He was the type of man who could get anything he wanted and never had to deny himself of any pleasure. On the other hand, Lazarus had nothing. To all that looked upon him, he appeared to be a man who was cursed by God. He was totally dependent upon others to care for him if they felt like it. He had no money, no power, no possessions, and no health. Many probably considered him to be totally worthless. It was a shock then to Jesus’ listeners when he said that the “cursed” Lazarus went to heaven and the “blessed” Rich man went to hell. One of the lessons that we learn from this story is that God has a different definition for blessings and curses than we do.

So, what’s my point?

Don’t assume that because you are rich that God is pleased with your life. Also, don’t assume that because you are poor that God doesn’t love you and isn’t caring for you.

Wealth is only a condition, NOT a blessing.
BUT…
Being given the opportunity to use your wealth to serve God and love others IS a blessing.

If you are wealthy, don’t just thank God for making you wealthy, instead thank God for giving you opportunities to use your wealth for His glory.

Heart Check Time:
When was the last time you thanked God for what He has given you? Money, Job, Children, House, Church, Friends, Health.
All these things could be gone tomorrow, so then they are a gift from God every day.

How has God received glory today from the things that He has given to you?

Foothold has gone Mobile

2009-02-05T11:10:00.006-06:00

You can now view the Foothold web site on you cell phone.

Here is the link: http://foothold.mofuse.mobi/

You can also get OasisNewsDesk on your phone, http://oasisnewsdesk.mofuse.mobi/

Good News / Bad News

2009-02-05T09:38:00.002-06:00

Yesterday we had a problem with the server at my school, so I sent an email to the person in charge, telling him about the problem. (No. I wasn’t mean and I didn’t call him any names.) Today that problem seems to be fixed, so I sent him another email thanking him for his help. I am sure that he hears complaints about the computer system everyday, but how many times do you think he hears good news about the system? (Probably only once or twice a year)
Think about this for a moment – How many conversations do you have each day that start with bad news? Do you ever feel that if you stop talking about bad news that you would have nothing to talk about?

There is nothing wrong with sharing bad news, but what about all of the good news out there? With all of the great news about Jesus and what faith in him can do for a person, shouldn’t the good news outweigh the bad?
I think Paul is a great example for us. Most of his letters were written to address problems in the early church, but take a moment to look at how Paul started his letters:

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. Romans 1:8

I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way – in all your speaking and in all you knowledge – because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you. 1 Corinthians 1:4-6

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father. Galatians 1:3

I think that Paul always started with the good news because he understood that the good news of God will always overshadow the bad news of the day. In other words, That which is bad about your life does not even compare to that which is good about God and what He has done for you today.

WOW - talk about never giving up!!!

2009-02-05T08:32:00.002-06:00

SKorean granny fails driving test 771 times

The 68-year-old, identified only by her last name Cha, has taken the test almost every working day since 2005 in the southwestern city ofJeonju. She failed again Monday for the 771st time.
"It was a record-breaking number here," Choi Yong-Cheol, a police sergeant supervising the test in the city's Deokjingu district, told AFP.
"I wonder if she will try it again for a 772nd time."
The Korea Times said Cha will in fact be back for another attempt.
Read more HERE

Prepared for Poverty - part 2

2009-02-05T06:00:00.001-06:00

Poverty vs. Wealth

Travel the world and you will find a universal belief about poverty and wealth. The understanding is this:
Those who are wealthy have been blessed by God (or the gods), and those who are poor have been cursed by God (or the gods).

Another way of saying this is that the poor have done something wrong (like sinned), and that is why they are poor, and the rich have done something right, and that is why they are rich.
So we work hard at making all the right moves. The right school, the right spouse, the right job, the right friends, the right investments; do everything right and God will bless you with riches. But, if you do something wrong, then look out because God will curse you by making you poor.

These very ideas are expressed by Job’s friends when they kept telling him that the reason he has lost everything is because he sinned and that if he would just repent for his sins, God would make him rich again.
Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right? When your children sinned against him, he gave them over to the penalty of their sin. But if you will look to God and plead with the Almighty, if you are pure and upright, even now he will rouse himself on you behalf and restore you to your rightful place. Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be.”
Job 8:3-7

Jesus’ own disciples expressed this same type of idea when they questioned Jesus about the man born blind, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

When you buy into this kind of thinking you are buying into two main beliefs:

1.-- It is a blessing to be rich.
2.-- It is NOT a blessing to be poor.

Later I will take a look at each of these beliefs but for now, a little check up on the heart:

How important is it for you to be wealthy?
If not wealthy – how important is it for you to be well off?

Do you think that God makes people wealthy because he loves them?

Do you think that God makes people poor because he loves them?

What would you have to lose that would cause you to STOP praising God?

Quote

2009-02-04T09:13:00.004-06:00

This one come from Perry Noble, Pastor of NewSpring Church:

"This one will get me some heat…I could freakin’ care less. One of the things I think is wrong with the church is that we have gotten passionate about so many things EXCEPT for the one thing that Jesus left us on this planet to do…REACH PEOPLE with the LIFE CHANGING MESSAGE of Jesus Christ."

So true, and if there is any "heat", it should be the heat being applied to those who would disagree.

Prepared for Poverty - part 1

2009-02-03T11:55:00.005-06:00

I have written before about how I am trying to prepare my children, my students and myself for persecution. It is not that I am full of doom and gloom but that I understand that the persecution of Christians has often been a part of the Christian life and the spread of the Gospel, so we should be prepared for it. You can read more about that HERE.

Today I want to start tackling another event that every Christian should be prepared for, but many consider to be very dark and disturbing – Poverty.

Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
Matthew 8:19-20

I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.
2 Corinthians 11:27

As the verses above show, Jesus was poor and his servant, Paul, was also poor. Jesus may have been buried in a rich man tomb but when he died upon the cross all he owned in this world was the cloths that he wore. That is poor. Paul may have been able to work and also received some support from the churches he started but he also spent a lot of time in prison where he was totally dependent upon the kindness of others for food, clothing and care. That is poor.

I am not poor, nor have I ever been poor, nor have I even come close to living in poverty. If fact, I come from a rich family (though my dad will never say that he is rich, but he is). So what could I possible know about true poverty? Not as much as I should. It is not my desire to lose everything I have so that I might know poverty. Instead, it is my desire to prepare my children, my students and myself, so that we are READY to lose everything AND still know, love, and worship God.

So let’s kick this off with a quick check of our hearts:

Would you be willing to pray this prayer?
God, if being poor will help me know and love you more – then make me poor.

What to do about Michael Phelps?

2009-02-02T14:20:00.003-06:00

Michael Phelps embarrassed himself again after a triumphant Olympics, this time getting his picture snapped as he inhaled from a marijuana pipe. The photo wound up in a British tabloid Sunday, forcing Phelps to publicly apologize and his handlers to deal with sponsors who are surely none too pleased about the swimmer's choices away from the pool.

read more HERE

What do you think?

Is this just a one time occurrence and should be overlooked like many of Phelps' sponsors are doing and the Olympic committee is doing or do you think it will happen again?

Is Phelps just the next in the long line of public figures who have made a mess of their lives with drugs or alcohol?

Should some of Phelps' sponsors drop him because of these incidents?

Narnia Lives

2009-01-29T13:03:00.002-06:00

20th Century Fox has decided to make the next installment in the Narnia films. Filming is to begin this summer with the movie, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, due to be in theaters around Christmas 2010.

Read more about it HERE

Quote

2009-01-29T11:41:00.003-06:00

From an interview with teenagers Alex and Brent Harris, authors of the book Do Hard Things

"Our society expects very little of teens. They expect us to be immature, irresponsible, and rebellious. They don't expect us to do anything meaningful or to care about things that are meaningful. But that's a lie. Young people are capable. Inside, we want to be challenged. We know there's more to life, there's more to the teen years."

What to read more? Click Here

Dreaming

2009-01-28T06:00:00.000-06:00

"I don't know what dream God is calling you to pursue, but I do know this: A dream becomes reality one opportunity at a time. And if you work like it depends on you and pray like it depends on God, there is no telling what God can do in you and through you."
Mark Batterson

Be the Butterfly

2009-01-27T06:00:00.003-06:00

Back in 1961, a MIT meteorologist named Edward Lorenz was able to show that even the slightest breeze was able to impact the weather in a significant way. His theory, which is known as the Butterfly Effect, showed that even the small amount of wind produced by the flapping of a butterfly’s wings could start a chain reaction capable of producing hurricanes or tornadoes on the other side of the world. A butterfly flaps its wings and a hurricane develops. A butterfly flaps its wings and the world is changed.

Most people think that you have to be as big and powerful as a hurricane in order to change the world, but God didn’t ask us to be hurricanes, he asked us to be butterflies.
Take a moment and consider some of the “world changers” mentioned in God’s Word:

Noah – built a boat
Abraham – moved to a different place
Joseph – interpreted some dreams
Moses – listened to a bush
Joshua – walked around a wall
Jonah – preach a one-sentence sermon

All of these people appear like hurricanes now, in that what they did made a huge impact for God in this world, but they were just butterflies. God just wants you to take what you have and be faithful with it. Give it to God and let him make it grow into a mighty, world changing, hurricane.

Living in Prayer Mode

2009-01-26T06:00:00.001-06:00

From Mark Batterson's book In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day

There are only two ways to live your life; survival mode or prayer mode.

Survival mode is simply reacting to the circumstances around you. It is a pinball existence. And to be perfectly honest, it's predictable, monotonous, and boring.

Prayer mode is the exact opposite. Your spiritual antenna is up and your radar is on. Your reticular activation system is on red alert. Prayer puts you in a proactive posture. In fact, the Aramaic word for prayer, slotha, means "to set a trap." Prayer helps us catch the opportunities God throws our way.

Good News from Narnia

2009-01-23T06:00:00.001-06:00

For a while it looked as though the movie series had been cancelled but it now seems as though the next story might still be made.

Walden Media, the producers of the Narnia films, is moving forward with the next installment, "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader", though it seems that Disney will not be involved in the making of this film. You can read more about it here.

This is great news for all us C. S. Lewis and Narnia fans!

More Art by Michelle

2009-01-22T19:51:00.007-06:00

Here is another wonderful piece of art that was created by Foothold's own, Michelle Gonnet. This picture was used as the front cover of the church's bulletin on January 18, 2009. Way to go Michelle!

Educated for God

2009-01-22T08:03:00.007-06:00

I believe with all my heart that knowing God is the most important thing that any person can learn. In response to this, one of my children asked, "If knowing God is the most important thing, then why do we go to school?"

That is a great question!

I think that most people miss the importance and purpose of school. To most, school exist so that a person can get an education and live a better life. The goal is - the more you learn, the better your life will be. We are told that a good education will lead to... a good job, a good spouse, a good house, a good place to live, a good family, and so much more "good" stuff. But all of this misses the mark. As Solomon tells us in Ecclesiastes, a great education does not lead to a great life.

So I reflected on all this and concluded that the righteous and the wise and what they do are in God's hand, but no man knows whether love or hate awaits him. All share a common destiny
Ecclesiastes 9:1-2

A person can take many classes and hold many degrees, but any education is incomplete without God.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
Psalm 111:10

My education, like everything else in my life, must be centered on God.
So, why should I go to school?
Well...
- When I learn how to read, then I am able to understand God's Word.
- When I learn how to write, then I am able to communicate God's love.
- When I study history, then I am able to see how God has worked.
- When I study science, then I am able to witness God's power.
- When I study mathematics, then... (sorry, but I got nothing for math but I am sure someone smarter than me can tell about seeing God in math. I do remember praying a lot when I was in math class.)

In other words...
Going to school is all about improving my relationship with God.

A Son of Great Value

2009-01-20T06:00:00.003-06:00

There are many things that I want my son to know -

- How to treat a woman.

- How to handle money.

- How to work hard.

- How to find a good job.

- How to change the oil.

- How to fix things around the house.

--- and much more.

Just the other day, though, I was reminded of the most important thing to teach my son (and my daughters).

Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the Lord.

1 Samuel 2:12

Eli was the Chief Priest of the Temple, which was the most important job in the entire country at that time, and I am sure that his sons knew everything thing that they needed to know about being a priest. Most people probably would have considered them to be very fortunate because of who their father was and where they worked, but God considered them to be worthless. They had fail the most important lesson in life - Knowing God.

There are many things that I want my son to know, but the first and most important of all the lessons is about who God is and how much God loves him.

Question

2009-01-16T06:00:00.000-06:00

Got this one from Francis Chan's book Crazy Love:

What are you doing right now that requires faith?

in other words...

What would be different about the way you live if you didn't believe in God?

- Perhaps nothing?

- Perhaps some things?

- Perhaps everything?

Let him Entertain You, BUT Don't Let him Lead You

2009-01-15T07:00:00.000-06:00

Just another example of the "gospel according to Hollywood" appeared in Newsweek last month.
Will Smith was asked about his personal religious beliefs to which he said,

"I'm very used to studying and being around different faiths. So it doesn't bother me to look into different religions. My grandmother raised me to be a do-gooder in the church, that it was about doing what you can to help your community. So whatever religion does that— Jewish, Muslim, Scientology—it's cool because the end result is the same."

It seems that the current opinion in Hollywood is that it is OK to talk about religion as long as you say that they are all good and that they all lead a person to God. The problem, oh course, is that they don't all lead to God. Jesus said,

"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6

Faith in Jesus Christ is the only way to God. If fact, the early Christians were known as the people of "the Way", not "a way" or "one of the ways". All of the others "ways" lead to the same end - eternal separation from God in Hell.
That may seem a little cruel and heartless to some, but the truth of the matter is that these people are lost and doom to suffer for eternity so it is cruel and heartless to NOT point out the lies that they believe.

So let Hollywood entertain you but beware when they try to teach you about God and Salvation.

More than Words

2009-01-14T07:00:00.001-06:00

I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, "The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him." So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.
Ezra 8:22-23

Ezra kept telling the king about how great and powerful his God was so it would have looked foolish (and faithless) for him to ask the king for protection when he was assigned to carry the gold and silver to the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem. He was given an opportunity to prove that he really believed what he had been teaching.

What are we telling the world when we say that we have faith in God but we don't show that we have faith in God?

James said it this way:
But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
James 2:18 and 26

There are many of us who need to stop talking about faith in God and instead get down on our knees, like Ezra, and ask God that he would give the courage and strength and protection to live out our faith in God. That is what the world is waiting to see.

A Thousand Years from Now

2009-01-13T07:00:00.003-06:00

C. S. Lewis wrote,

"If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this."

Jesus said,

"For were your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Paul wrote,

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."

John wrote,

"Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever."

May you live this day thinking about what you will be doing a thousand years from today.

faith AND feat - part 2

2009-01-12T07:00:00.002-06:00

"Dear Friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rest on you."
1 Peter 4:12-14

In my previous post I raised some serious questions about the persecution of Christians. I don't live my life seeking to suffer for my faith, but I must admit that I don't expect to suffer for my faith. There has never been a time in my life when I was afraid that I might suffer or die because of my faith in Jesus Christ, but will that always be the case?

-My desire is to live out my faith and change the world for Jesus Christ.

-As a father, I pray that my children might be strong in their faith and change the world for Jesus Christ.

-As a youth leader, I teach my students to be bold in their faith and to try and change the world for Jesus Christ.

But...
I struggle with knowing what to do about preparing myself, my children, and my students to suffer for Jesus Christ.

God's word and history both shout the same message: "If you are bold in your faith for Jesus, you will suffer!"

"Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers, and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated"
Hebrews 11:35-37

It is frightening to think that my faith might cause me to face such things; and even more frightening to think that my children might face them. But it is the words that come next that keep me going and give me comfort -
"the world was not worthy of them."

What does this phrase tell me - One day the world will regret what it did to these saints, but these saints will never regret what God did through them for the world.

This is what I tell myself and want my children and students to know - If I serve God, I might suffer and die for serving Him, BUT - I will never regret it.

faith AND fear

2009-01-09T07:00:00.002-06:00

Despite their fear of the people around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening sacrifices.
Ezra 3:3

“Despite their fear of the people around them”

Have you ever been afraid to worship God?

What if worshiping God could cause you to suffer or even die, would you still do it?

What is it that keeps you from worshiping God?
- Threat from a gun
- Threat from a club
- Threat that you will lose your job
- Threat that you will lose your family
(For many people around the world, these threats are very real and very possible. Pray for them!)

But for most of the Christians in the United States it is more like…

- I might get wet from the rain

(I know from experience that most pastors hate rainy Sundays because they know attendance will be down.)
- I didn’t get enough sleep.
- I have a lot to do around the house.
- I’m not interested in the topic or the guest speaker.

I want you to think for a moment – What if the current conditions for Christians in the United States changed?

Would your faith in God and commitment to glorify Him change too?

What about your children and grandchildren – is your faith and commitment teaching them that they should be willing to put God first, even before their own life?

Close vs. Closed

2009-01-07T17:58:00.004-06:00

Want to thank Joshua Griffin for his insight on these two words. They sound so much alike but in a youth group, one is a blessing to the group and one is the death of the group. Want to read more from Josh, check out his blog Morethandodgeball.

Close - Students have incredible friendships within the group. While the group is open to outsiders, there is still quite a history within the group. They have some inside jokes, but explain them to new friends and invite them to participate. The bonds are strong, the culture is healthy, and there is a genuine and attractive openness within the friendships that makes outsiders want to get in.

Closed - Students have incredible friendships within the group. The group is so close that no one from the outside is welcome, they even scoff at the very thought of someone joining their clique. They have inside jokes, usually at the expense of outsiders, and make sure there are impossibly high expectations to be good enough to join their group. The bonds are strong but unhealthy, and there is a “holier than thou” feeling developing that keeps outsiders out.

Two Questions

2009-01-06T07:00:00.002-06:00

Questions 1:

What is there in your life that is keeping you from growing closer to God?

Questions 2:

How long are you going to let it stay there?

Resolution 5: Pray

2009-01-05T11:00:00.000-06:00

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he askes, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

James 1:5-6

So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Jesus - Luke 11:9-10

Our Father in heaven, hollowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Jesus - Matthew 6:9-13

Resolution 4: Loving Strangers

2009-01-04T07:00:00.004-06:00

Then the righteous will answer him, Lord when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink: When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you? The King will reply, I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.
Jesus - Matthew 25:37-40

But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him.
Jesus - Luke 10:33-34

Resolution 3: Listen to God - First

2009-01-03T07:00:00.001-06:00

"The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him becasue they do not recognize a stranger's voice."
Jesus in John 10:2-5

Resolution 2: My Body Is Not My Own

2009-01-02T07:00:00.000-06:00

For we are the temple of the living God.
2 Corinthians 6:16

I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
1 Corinthians 9:27

The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. I the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife.
1 Corinthians 7:4

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship.
Romans 12:1

Resolution 1: Point to God

2009-01-01T09:52:00.008-06:00

Francis Chan, in his book Crazy Love said it this way:

"The point of your life is to point to Him"

Paul said it this way"

"So whether you eat of drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."

1 Corinthians 10:31

But Wait – There’s More

2008-12-31T10:32:00.007-06:00

Watch some TV in the middle of the day and you will hear it. Usually is happens during one of those commercials selling a wonder product that is able to produce unbelievable results - a knife that can cut through a brick and still slice a tomato, or a towel capable of absorbing all the water in a swimming pool. After amazing you with the performance of their product they then try to amaze you with the price and then they say it, “But wait – there’s more!” As if a can opener that can open cans, cook dinner, and clean the kitchen for only $19.95 wasn’t enough – there is more – “call in the next 300 days and we will give you two amazing ________ for the price of one!”

“But wait – there’s more!” came to my mind last Sunday as I was reading Romans 5:15
But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!”

Jesus’ payment for our sins – through his death on the cross – was both the grace and the gift that is offered to us, but wait – there’s more!

Jesus’ death not only made it possible for us to live with God and for God in heaven, but it also made it possible for us to live with God and for God right now.

The power of Adams’ sin (and my own) has done a terrible thing but Jesus’ death was so much greater and so much more powerful than all the sins that were committed by Adam, and those who came after Adam.

For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. Romans 5:17

Jesus died on a cross to save you from your sins… But Wait – There’s More:
- You are NOW at peace with God.
- You are NOW a member of God’s family.
- You are NOW living with a purpose.
- You are NOW empowered by the Holy Spirit to overcome the evil one.
- You are NOW able to love others with a pure heart.
- You are NOW gifted with the ability to build up other believers.
- You are NOW alive!

So get out there and live!

One of Our Own

2008-12-28T08:00:00.001-06:00

Before the year is done I wanted to take a moment to recognize one of our own at Foothold.

Michelle Gonnet recently won two art contest and I wanted you to have a chance to see her amazing work.

A Christmas Card that was sent out to all the employees of the Mesquite ISD

Two painting Michelle did to represent her struggles with Asthma

(she's the one in the pink and white dress)

A Difficult Time for Some

2008-12-24T08:00:00.006-06:00

For some the Christmas season can be a very difficult time of the year. They see so many who are happy and expressing love for one another and yet they don't feel the same way. This time of the year can really make some people feel so alone and unloved. Let's remember those people with our prayer and if you know some lonely people - give them a call and let them know that you care and they are not alone.

Here is a video to touch your heart and help you see what I am talking about. Thanks, Igniter Media Group for the video which could be purchased here.

I Hate Waiting

2008-12-23T13:03:00.006-06:00

I hate waiting (and I don't think that I am alone on this). I have been waiting for days for one of Joelle's gifts to arrive by UPS. They said that it would be here last Friday - but it didn't arrive. Now it is Tuesday and Christmas is only a day and a half away and still I am waiting. I have been checking the package tracker a lot and this morning all I knew was that the package was someplace between my house and Georgia (that is not a lot of information!) I really want this package to arrive before Christmas because this is something that I have been wanting to give her for about two years. I know that I could give it to her on the 26th or 27th but we all know that it wouldn't be the same.

This got me to thinking about how God, the Father, must have been feeling as the day grew closer for his Son to be born. All those years he waited for his Son, the Solution and the Savior, to come to earth and set things right. All those years he waiting for his Son to make it possible so that he would speak face to face with the ones he loved. All those years he waiting for his Son to do what was needed to begin the restoration of his creation. And now it was only a few days away. No wonder the heavens exploded with singing and praising of God - the long awaited day had finally arrived.

Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord...
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased?
Luke 2:10-11 & 13-14

Penn get a Bible and Christians get Convicted

2008-12-22T08:51:00.004-06:00

What does it say about the Church today when a confessing Atheist gets the importance of witnessing better than most of the Christians sitting in the church pew? Please watch to the end - - but beware... it cuts deep.

Great Question

2008-12-18T08:27:00.004-06:00

Here is a question to think about. Let it sink in and speak to your heart.

What would you do if you were brave?

This Will Make You Think

2008-12-15T07:00:00.000-06:00

Never Silent

2008-12-13T08:00:00.002-06:00

Here are some interesting insights on Silence by Mark Driscoll. Take a look and see if his day sounds like your day.

The day began with my alarm jolting me awake. I immediately turned on my BlackBerry to hear it chime for each voicemail and email that had been left while I slept. I stepped into the shower where I listened to my waterproof radio. I then turned on the television to catch some news while I dressed. Driving to work I tuned in to some talk-radio banter.
Throughout the day the chime on my laptop kept ringing as email arrived, and my cell phone continued to vibrate and ring on my hip. Before long, I needed a break, and I put on my iPod to go for a walk.
On the drive home, I again listened to the radio in an effort to drown out the blaring horns of frustrated fellow commuters. After eating dinner and tucking my five children into bed, I turned on the television to watch shows I had recorded on my Tivo.
As I drifted off to sleep, it dawned on me that I had not had one minute of silence during my entire day. It was possible, I realized, that I could live the rest of my life without ever again experiencing silence.

If your day sounds a little like his you should read what else he had to say about it.

Silence by Mark Driscoll

Mega Ramp - Mega Life

2008-12-11T11:05:00.006-06:00

Welcome to the Mega Ramp - a 80 foot tall skateboard ramp that allows skaters to jump a distance of 75 feet, and fly 20 feet off of the ground. This ramp is so tall that an elevator had to be installed to get the skaters to the top. The Mega Ramp was developed to push the sport of skateboarding to a more demanding and exciting level. Flying higher, flying farther and reaching new frontiers is what this sport is all about. To be good in this sport you can never dwell on what happen yesterday, but instead you must be dreaming about what you might be able to do tomorrow.

What if we carried this same "skater" mindset into our Christian life?

Learn from the past but dream for the future.
Notice what God did yesterday but seek what He will do tomorrow.
Build upon what is already there to make something bigger.

I think God blesses those who want to do more for him. I think God blesses those ministries that desire and step out in faith to reach even more with the Gospel or cause even more to glorify God.

We could have -

Mega Worship
Mega Evangelism
Mega Missions
Mega Discipleship
Mega Care for the hurting
and so much more.

Using a Boat in 3-D

2008-12-08T13:43:00.012-06:00

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore.

Matthew 13:1-2

Jesus knew that his message was important - a matter of life and death - so he needed to find a way to be heard. The solution - get into a boat. It is believed that this simple action enabled Jesus to be heard by the thousands of people who came to hear him teach. Jesus used the technology of his day to tell people about the grace of God and the good news of salvation.

Wycliff Bible Translators are doing the same thing to reach the deaf around the world. In the past, the estimated 50 million to 100 million deaf people around the world have been dependent upon the ability to read braille (very rare) or the opportunity to watch someone sign in order to "hear" the Gospel. Wycliff is trying to use the technology of the day to create a 3d animation of the Gospel message. Computers, 3d animation, programing, and the Internet have become the "boat" that Jesus is using - through Wycliff - to reach people with the same life and death message.

If you want to see more of this process, click on the links below but before you do - think about how you could tell people about Jesus Christ. What is the "boat" that God has given you to use?

WordSign

WordSign Video Demos

What Used To Be True Video

2008-12-05T07:00:00.002-06:00

10 Reasons I Don't Like Most Christians

2008-12-04T11:30:00.005-06:00

Really want to thank Tony Morgan for putting this one together. If you don't know who he is, don't worry about it - just read what he wrote and see if there is anything that cuts to the heart. Personally - I said "Ouch!" on #6.

10 Reasons I Don’t Like Most Christians

1. They consistently seem angry and bitter and worried. I thought Christians were supposed to reflect joy and kindness and peace.

2. They don’t dream big dreams. That seems odd given the fact that we’re supposedly worshiping a God who is “able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare ask or hope.”

3. They seem to worship their theology more than Jesus. For whatever reason, this appears to be especially true for folks that come from a reformed theology.

4. They don’t like it when other people or ministries experience success. Think about it. There are Christians who would be overwhelmed with joy if NewSpring experienced fewer salvations, fewer baptisms and our attendance dropped.

5. They use prayer as an excuse for inaction. They’re waiting for God to do his thing, but they aren’t willing to step out in faith and obedience.

6. They’re more concerned with the BMW next door than the lost person who drives it.Christians hate people with money. They’re willing to sacrifice time and money for those without it, but they’re satisfied to let “rich” people go to Hell.

7. They would rather people live life without Jesus than give up their personal preferences. What happens when your preferred teacher doesn’t teach? What happens when your preferred worship leader doesn’t lead? What happens when you don’t like the music?

8. They are fake. They dress up a certain way on Sunday and they live as completely different people the rest of the week.

9. They think they’re better than other people. That’s why they create rules to follow. It helps differentiate why they are holy while others are not.

10. They’re comfortable with mediocrity. Doesn’t matter where. Think Christian music and movies. Think how we invest our time and money. You don’t seriously think God deserves our best do you?

I AM NOT A WOMAN... but this is what I know

2008-11-30T18:50:00.007-06:00

I am not a woman, but God has blessed me by putting three wonderful, red-headed, women in my life (my wife and two daughters). There is so much about being a woman that I will never understand, but there are a few things that I have learned over the years and would like to share with all the men out there. You will find listed below those things that my wife and daughters need to hear, feel, and see from me - the man in their life:

They need to hear me say...

You are beautiful.
I love you.
I will take care of you.
You can come to me anytime about anything.
What do you think?
How was your day?
I'm sorry.
How can I help?
I love Jesus.

They need to feel my...

Kisses
Hand in their hand
Arms wrapped around them

They need to see me...

Reading my Bible
Praying
Worshiping God
Working hard to provide for them
Honoring my parents
Caring for those in need
Sharing my faith in Jesus
Trusting God during difficult times
Turning off the T.V. so I can listen to them

Living Up to Your Word

2008-11-23T08:00:00.002-06:00

Sometimes fulfilling your promises can be very expensive, just ask the people at Dr. Pepper.

NEW YORK (Associated Press) - Dr Pepper is making good on its promise of free soda now that the release of Guns N' Roses' "Chinese Democracy" is a reality.
The soft-drink maker said in March that it would give a free soda to everyone in America if the album dropped in 2008. "Chinese Democracy," infamously delayed since recording began in 1994, goes on sale Sunday.
"We never thought this day would come," Tony Jacobs, Dr Pepper's vice president of marketing, said in a statement. "But now that it's here, all we can say is: The Dr Pepper's on us."
Beginning Sunday at 12:01 a.m., coupons for a free 20-ounce soda will be available for 24 hours on Dr Pepper's Web site. They'll be honored until Feb. 28.

I just want to say to the people at Dr. Pepper, "Thank You!" In this age of "spin" where words are turned and twisted to produce a favorable outcome, it is good to see someone who is willing to live up to the command given by Jesus - Let your "yes" be yes and your "no" be no.

Do Animals Have Right?

2008-11-21T10:23:00.007-06:00

Do animals have right?

Is there a right way and a wrong way to treat an animals, all animals, even those we eat?

Is it wrong to put an animal in a cage?

Is it wrong to own an animal?

The issue of Animal Rights is a current hot topic in our culture and is expected to get even hotter. The animal rights groups were recently successful in getting the voters in California to pass a law that would change the way chicken, pigs and cows could be treated. According to a article in Newsweek, this law is only the starting point for the what they would like to see done in the area of animal rights. Take a look at this statement:

Many people see this movement as a logical continuation of the fight against racism and sexism, and believe that the concept of animal rights will soon be as commonplace as equal pay and opportunities for women and minorities.

Most of this thinking comes from the idea that humans are just another form of animal so they have an equal status with the rest of the animals.

A sentient being is sentient regardless of which species it happens to belong to. Pain is pain, whether it is the pain of a cat, a dog, a pig or a child.

A typical adult can reason, make moral choices and do many things (like voting) that animals obviously cannot do. But not all human beings are capable of reason, not all are morally responsible and not all are capable of voting. And yet we go out of our way to claim that all humans have rights. What, then, justifies our withholding at least some rights from nonhuman animals?

Consider what the animal rights groups would like to see happen:

Eventually the only remaining beef cattle, sheep and pigs would be small herds preserved so that we can take the grandchildren to see what these once abundant animals look like. Factory farming—for meat, eggs or milk—would disappear. If we are to continue to eat meat, we'll have to rely on scientists who are now trying to grow meat in vats.

The problem is that this view about the place of animal in creation contradicts what the Bible says about animals and how they should be treated. I have provided here a Christian response to the use of God's creation:

Christians and the Environment

Humans were commanded to manage God’s creation

Genesis 1:28, God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

The words, “subdue” and “rule” carry the idea of managing over. Humans were given the command from God to manage over the creation. The purpose was to care for the creation with the understanding that it was a blessing from God to provide for the needs of humans.

This idea of managing God’s creation is also seen in Genesis 2:15 where man was placed in the Garden of Eden to “work it and take care of it.”

This command was repeated by God to Noah:

Genesis 9:1-3, Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. The fear and dread of you will fall upon all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air, upon every creature that moves along the ground, and upon all the fish of the sea; they are given into your hands. Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.

The phrase “everything that lives and moves will be food for you” of course did not include humans because God then said in verse 6, “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.”

What is the difference between humans and other animals?

Humans are the only creatures in God’s creation that were made in the image of God.
Genesis 1:27, Genesis 9:6

Humans are the only creatures in God’s creation that were brought to life by the very breath of God.
Genesis 2:7

Humans are the only creatures in God’s creation that were given the command to rule over any part of creation.
Genesis 1:28

Everything in creation was created to provide for the physical and spiritual needs of humans.

Physical Needs:
Genesis 1:29, Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.”

Genesis 9:3, “Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.”

Spiritual Needs:
Romans 1:20, For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

God does care about his creation.

Job 39:1-6, “Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears her fawn? Do you count the months till they bear? Do you know the time they give birth? They crouch down and bring forth their young; their labor pains are ended. Their young thrive and grow strong in the wilds; they leave and do not return. Who let the wild donkey go free? Who untied his ropes? I gave him the wasteland as his home, the salt flats as his habitat.”

Matthew 6:26, “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.”

God considers humans to be greater than the rest of creation.

Matthew 6:26, “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”

Matthew 6:30, “If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you?”

Luke 12:24, “Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!

Christians and hunting

Proverbs 12:27, “The lazy man does not roast his game, but the diligent man prizes his possessions.”

This verse teaches the concept about not wasting what God has created.

Can Christians hunt?

This is more about a person’s conscience than about it being right or wrong. If a person believes that hunting is wrong to do, then he shouldn’t do it. (Romans 14)

For the person who does hunt, his hunting should not conflict with his responsibility to manage God’s creation well.
Questions to ask:
Is it needed?
Is it important?
Is it wasteful?
Is it for my glory or God’s glory?
Am I trying to improve God’s creation or destroy it?

Managing God’s creation involves caring for it the way the God cares for it.

True Healing

2008-11-18T12:59:00.003-06:00

I was really touched by what Perry Noble wrote about the death of his mother and thought you should read it too. Here is just a taste...

As I look back on the passing of my mother I cannot help but think about the pain I felt when I knew she was gone. It hurt–DEEPLY–and I was VERY angry at God; after all, He COULD have healed her and He didn’t. She was only 49 years old…I was 12…I needed her!!!

BUT…He chose to take her…and I was bitter…for YEARS and, as a result rebelled against Him. BUT…it’s a funny thing…as I look back over my life and all of the time I spend running from Him I now realize that He was right beside me…step by step…whispering to my heart to trust Him because He knew what He was doing.

One night I had had enough…and I yelled out, “GOD–YOU COULD HAVE HEALER HER–WHY DIDN’T YOU?”

And He answered, “I did–you should see her now! She no longer has cancer. She is no longer in pain. She is no longer fighting to breath. Her skin is no longer pale. She’s beautiful–she’s here with me–and she’s better now than she’s ever been!!!”

Want to read more? Just click here

High Expectations

2008-11-13T12:40:00.007-06:00

A report came out today showing that many teens have unrealistic expectations for themselves and for their lives. Apparently, if you spend decade after decade telling students that they can be anything and do anything, they start to believe it. The problem with this approach is that many of them are having trouble adjusting to a basic fact about life, "Sometimes things just don't work out that way you want them too."

The findings, published in the November issue of Psychological Science, support the idea that the "self-esteem" movement popular among today's parents and teachers may have gone too far, the study's co-author said.
"What this shows is that confidence has crossed over into overconfidence," said Jean Twenge, an associate professor of psychology at San Diego State University.
She believes that decades of relentless, uncritical boosterism by parents and school systems may be producing a generation of kids with expectations that are out of sync with the challenges of the real world.

HealthDay News, you can read more about it here

I see only one solution to this "overconfidence" and "out of syn" problem...

Instead of "self-esteem" try "God-esteem".

God will never let you down and he will always do more then you could ever imagine. Put your high expectation in God and he will never disappoint you.

Deny or Die...

2008-11-11T13:07:00.006-06:00

We need to pray for Christians in India. The Christian church in India is facing a lot of persecution at this time. Take a moment a read about the difficult choices they are having to make:

"He told me to become a Hindu. He said if I did not, I would lose my home. He said I couldn't live in the village as a Christian. I did not want problems. So I accepted," Digal says.

The RSS has groups that use propaganda and groups that use violence. The groups entrusted with the task of getting the message out in words conduct meetings where they denounce the church as evil. They follow that up with warnings that Christians must reconvert to Hinduism or die. The RSS arm entrusted with enforcement follows with attacks.

From Christianity Today, you can read more about it here

Families are being forced to leave everything behind and go into hiding:

One family which did not want to be named said they had to leave their elderly mother in the jungles while the others walked through rain and darkness for 60 hours to get out of Kandhmal

"We had no choice; I could either save my wife and two kids, or stay with her and ask for death for all of us. But, I am sure God has saved her, though I have no idea where she is,"

From The Voice of the Martyrs, you can read more about it here

We really need to be in prayer for these people as they put their life on the line for Jesus Christ.

The Pray of St. Francis

2008-11-09T07:00:00.001-06:00

Today is International Day of Prayer, so for it I give you the prayer of St. Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;

Where there is hatred,

let me sow love;

Where there is injury,

pardon;

Where there is error,

the truth;

Where there is doubt,

the faith;

Where there is despair,

hope;

Where there is darkness,

light;

And where there is sadness,

joy.

O Divine Master,

Grant that I may not so much seek

To be consoled,

as to console;

To be understood,

as to understand;

To be loved

as to love.

For it

is in giving

that we receive;

It is in pardoning

that we are pardoned;

And it

is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen.

St. Francis

Internet Addiction

2008-11-08T08:50:00.005-06:00

"A growing number of parents and family therapists are seeking help for teens who appear to be hooked on cyberspace.

Addiction specialists say in some cases kids are jeopardizing their health through compulsive Internet behaviour that includes staying up all night, skipping school and withdrawing from real-life friends to get immersed in online games or surfing the web." TORSTAR NEWS SERVICE you can read more about it here

Addictions can appear in many forms, but whatever the form they are all destructive and must be dealt with as soon as possible. Addiction will make you into a slave of a cruel and heartless master. In the case of this cruel master, Internet addiction (which would include video games), the slave is forced to abandon relationships in the natural world and instead seek out love, care and respect in a make-believe world. This world will never meet your needs nor provide you with the life you are seeking.

Consider the example of Brandon Crisp and what his "master" forced him to do:

"Internet addiction came into the spotlight this week after the disappearance of Barrie teen Brandon Crisp. Brandon went missing Thanksgiving Monday after his dad removed his Xbox from the house. Steve Crisp says he had confiscated it at least 20 times since Brandon became “obsessed” with the online war game Call of Duty 4. He began to skip school and stay up all night. The teen hasn’t been seen since that day."

If this story has hit a nerve with you, might I suggest you click on the site below and take the online test about your own Internet usage.

Internet Addiction Test

Hair and Tears

2008-11-06T08:24:00.005-06:00

We often think that we don't have much to offer in a way of service to Jesus but Jesus doesn't ask for great talents, he just wants what you have. Luke 7 speaks of a woman who brought Jesus her hair and her tears:

When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned the Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

Luke 7:37-38

This woman was so moved by the love of Jesus, and her love for Jesus, that she brought him what she had, a bottle of perfume, her tears and her hair.

Matthew 25:34-36 gives us other examples of what we can offer as service to Jesus:

Food
Water
A place to stay
Clothes
Medicine
A visit

"I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."

Election Day Thoughts

2008-11-04T08:15:00.005-06:00

"I started wondering whether we could actually change the world. I mean, of course we could - we could change our buying habits, elect socially conscious representatives and that sort of thing, but I honestly don't believe we will be solving the greater human conflict with our efforts. The problem is not a certain type of legislation or even a certain politician; the problem is the same that it has always been.

I am the problem."

Donald Miller - Blue Like Jazz

Teen pregnancies tied to tastes for sexy TV shows

2008-11-03T11:34:00.006-06:00

By LINDSEY TANNER, AP Medical Writer

CHICAGO – Groundbreaking research suggests that pregnancy rates are much higher among teens who watch a lot of TV with sexual dialogue and behavior than among those who have tamer viewing tastes.

"Sex and the City," anyone? That was one of the shows used in the research.

The new study is the first to link those viewing habits with teen pregnancy, said lead author Anita Chandra, a Rand Corp. behavioral scientist. Teens who watched the raciest shows were twice as likely to become pregnant over the next three years as those who watched few such programs.

Previous research by some of the same scientists had already found that watching lots of sex on TV can influence teens to have sex at earlier ages.

Chandra said TV-watching was strongly connected with teen pregnancy even when other factors were considered, including grades, family structure and parents' education level.

You can read more about it here

A Safe Place for Something Dangerous (part two)

2008-11-03T08:00:00.006-06:00

"We want church to be a safe place to hear a dangerous message"
Mark Batterson - Pastor of National Community Church in Washington D.C. (quoted from Leadership journal.net)

Part Two: Is your message dangerous enough?

"If there's anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they're either braver than me or else just silly.'

'Then he isn't safe?' asked Lucy.

'Safe?' said Mr. Beaver. 'Don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you."

This is without a doubt my favorite line from C.S. Lewis' book, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Jesus, who is represented by Aslan in the story, came into this world preaching and teaching about loving God and loving others. He laugh with sinner, and enjoyed playing with little children. Jesus had a quality about him that was attractive to those who felt unloved, wounded, and rejected by the religious leaders of his day. He fed them, cried with them, healed them, and cared for them, but he was never safe.

Jesus was the most dangerous man to ever walk the face of the Earth because his message was the most dangerous ever preached. Why was his message so dangerous? Because it teaches the exact opposite of what the World wants to hear. The World thinks that it is alive, wise, and can take care of itself, but Jesus’ message says that the World is dead, foolish, and unable to save itself. So the World refuses to listen and has even killed many of those who were called to deliver the message.

But Jesus’ message is also dangerous to those who follow it. He wants them to put their faith in him which often means stepping out into the unknown. This level of trust is unlike anything they have ever experienced before in their lives. Jesus also changes the heart, mind and mission of the person. He gives them a new way of thinking, a new way of caring, and a new way of looking at the people of this world.

Consider the following…

Is your message dangerous?

Is your message different than the World’s message?

Does your message call for people to reexamine their lives?

Does your message call for people to know Jesus better?

Does your message call for people to do what seems impossible?

A Safe Place for Something Dangerous (part one)

2008-10-31T08:00:00.007-05:00

“We want church to be a safe place to hear a dangerous message” Mark Batterson – Pastor of National Community Church in Washington D.C. (quoted from Leadership journal.net)

Part One: Is your church a safe place?

By “safe” I mean, welcoming, accepting, and loving.

Jesus regularly attacked the Pharisees for their unwillingness to accept those who were “sinners”. Of course they didn't understand that we are all “sinners”. Jesus didn’t approve of these sins but he still welcomed them and loved them. How about in your church? Are there people who will not attend because they were treated harshly when others learned about of their sins? Do you have some secret sin that you are afraid to talk about because you know how you will be treated if you do? If you have one, doesn’t it make since that others in your church or group probably have one too?

"Safe" also includes accepting people who are different.

Jesus also provided for us an example of this when he purposely travel through Samaria and talked to the woman at the well. He was willing to go out of his way to show love for a person who was very different. From my observation, this one seems to be a bigger problem than the other, especially in youth groups. Teens will open their arms and welcome a teen who is pregnant, or addicted, or disrespecting her parents, but if she looks different, talks different, dresses different, or acts different then she is rejected.

Take a moment and think about your church, or youth group…

How long does a new person have to wait before someone talked to him? (I once attended a church were I was greeted twice while I was still in the parking lot, that made me feel welcomed)

Is the Pastor or the leaders the only ones who talk to the new people?

How long does it take before someone invites a new person over for lunch or dinner?

When was the last time you had a conversation with someone you didn’t know?

Remembering the BIG Question

2008-10-29T08:00:00.004-05:00

"Missing the difference between God and the Bible is a bit like the person who reads Jonah and spends hours and hours figuring out if a human can live inside a whale - and what kind of whale it was - but never encounters God. The book is about Jonah's God, not Jonah's whale."

Scot McKnight: The Blue Parakeet

These words really got me thinking today. There is nothing wrong with trying to understand HOW God did something just as long as you don't get lost in the "How" and forget about the "Who".

It reminds me a lot of something Paul wrote to Timothy about:

"As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God's work - which is by faith."

1 Timothy 1: 3 - 4

How was the universe created?

How was the Red Sea parted?

How did the walls of Jericho fall?

How did the stone roll away?

How will the events in Revelation take place?

These are all GOOD questions, but none of them even come close to this one GREAT question:

Who is God?

One Question... Where Can I Get One????

2008-10-27T18:43:00.002-05:00

The World's Largest Beach Ball was dropped from a building in Dallas today. All I can say is WOW!

Girls... Don't settle for Crumbs?

2008-10-22T17:51:00.002-05:00

Beautiful_01 Crumbs Outtake from NewSpring Media on Vimeo.

What I Can't Talk About

2008-10-17T10:35:00.003-05:00

I recently ran across a blog that asked readers to share things that they feel they are not allowed to say in church. The responses varied from funny and strange to those that broke my heart and made me stop and pray for the person because of the pain expressed in their words. It really hurts knowing that there are fellow Christians (my family) who are carrying around such horrible burdens and are afraid to talk about them. I know that one day the family of God will no longer have any problems, but what are we doing today to help those who are hurting? What am I doing today to help?

Here are some of the responses for you to sample…

Kyle said:

“I currently feel NO connection to God when I pray or read the bible.”

Becki said:

“When I say “I’ll pray for you.” I don’t usually mean it. I have been a Christian for 27 years and I still don’t understand the point of praying.”

Zelig said:

“I’d rather look like a good christian than put in the time and effort to actually be one.”

Joni said:

“I like to swear. It makes me feel better.”

Janel said:

“Sometimes I am afraid to say that serving in ministry is not always a joy.”

Amber said:

“Christians are boring. Christians are the reason people don’t want to become Christians”

What would you say?

Small Minded and Short Sighted

2008-10-12T19:18:00.006-05:00

Richard Garriott, an American video game producer, blasted off into space today in order to spend time on the International Space Station. Mr. Garriott paid 30 million dollars for this thrill ride and the opportunity to deliver a computer hard-drive to the space station. This drive, called the "immortality drive", contains such important information as surveys about what is the greatest movie (Star Wars) and who is the greatest sports team of all time (NY Yankees... the Cowboys came in 4th), and it also hold the DNA information of people considered very important to our planet (including Stephen Colbert and "Beast" from the show American Gladiators). The purpose of this hard-drive is to provide "others" with important information about our planet in case we are no longer around because we have destroyed ourselves.

As the Operation Immortality web site states, the drive is a way to "Leave Your Mark" and "Save Humanity". While I enjoy the fact that Jesus Christ was voted as the most influential person in human history (with Bill Gates coming in 5th), and the Bible was voted as the greatest book of all time (with Harry Potter coming in 3rd), I continue to be surprised at how small minded and short sighted some people can be. Do they really believe that the answer to the the question, "What is the greatest T.V. show of all time? (Star Trek) is capable of saving our planet?

If I had my way, every person who wanted to appear on T.V. or in a magazine or newspaper and claim that they know how to save our planet from total destruction should be made to answer the questions found in Job chapters 38 - 41.

"Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep? Have the gates of death been shown to you? Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death? Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?" (and this is just a sample)

Until you have all the answers to God's questions I would suggest that you just answer God as Job answered Him,

"I am unworthy - how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer - twice, but I will say no more."

Mark your Calendars: D-Now is coming

2008-10-09T18:49:00.002-05:00

More details to come.

A Summer Adventure

2008-10-05T15:56:00.004-05:00

What did you do last Summer?

Attended camp
Watched T.V.
Hanged out with your friends
Sat around and complained because you were bored

What about trying something new and life-changing this Summer? What about doing something this Summer that will be so amazing that you will spend the rest of your life trying to explain to people just how amazing it was? I know, I know... Summer is still a long ways away, but some things take a little more planning than others. Take a chance and click on the link below, but beware... doing so just might change your life!

Teen Missions

Jesus is My Friend Video

2008-09-26T09:01:00.002-05:00

Lea begged me not to put this on the Foothold site... but some things just need to be shared with others.