Are You Having Fun Yet?

For the past three months I had the privilege of coaching my son’s pony league (12 to 14 years old) baseball team.  From the beginning it was my goal to make sure that the players had fun.  Win or lose I wanted to make sure they had fun.  Even in our worst loss of the season I told them during the game don’t even look at the score board just go out there and have fun!  They did just that and made a good comeback as well.  I even had a coach’s wife from another team state, "It is awesome how when I look in your dugout, all I see is smiles".  I love the game of baseball and I want the players to love it to.  I found that when the team is enjoying the game they play better.  It is contagious and every player at the end of the season said it was one of their best seasons ever! 


I love life and because of the unconditional love that God has for me I want others to love life to!


Over the past few weeks God reminded of a saying that I use a lot, usually in a sarcastic way and that is… Are you having fun yet?  Even to the degree to, are you enjoying life, the life I have given you?  I was reminded of the first miracle of Jesus when He turned the water into wine.  God had picked a joyous celebration to show His expression of love for them.  How Jesus when talking about the prodigal son, how his father was so happy and full of unconditional love that he restored his  position as a son, killed the fatted calf and had a party!  


1 Timothy 6:17 (Amplified Bible)
17 As for the rich in this world, charge them not to be proud and arrogant and contemptuous of others, nor to set their hopes on uncertain riches, but on God, Who richly and ceaselessly provides us with everything for [our] enjoyment.


What does the world see when they see you?  Do they see love, happiness, joy?  Do they look at you and say I want what you have.  When Jesus was on earth the people wanted what they saw in him.  I can only imagine how it was to be around him during his childhood.  The way he played, probably with reckless abandonment enjoying life to its fullness.  Then as an adult how the children wanting to be with him, how when he looked at Zacchaeus and said, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.  Just think of the fun they had that day.  Zacchaeus was so moved by the experience that it changed his whole life.   


Philippians 4:4-5 (Amplified Bible)
4 Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice!  5 Let all men know and perceive and recognize your unselfishness (your considerateness, your forbearing spirit). The Lord is near [He is [a]coming soon].


Psalm 37:4 (Amplified Bible)
4 Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart.


People today still seek Jesus.  In what way are you portraying the presence of Jesus?  Are you condemning, judgmental, and arrogant?  Or do they look and say I want whatever it is that you have because you are fun to be around, there is never a dull moment and you are always happy and care free.


I have a friend who talks about restoring my Daddy’s picture, bringing people to the place where they truly know and see the fullness of the love of God.  What is the picture that people see when they see you?  Are you having Fun yet?


*Father help me to lavish on others what you so freely have lavished on me, giving them a heartfelt welcome when I see them, an open-armed embrace, the biggest of smiles, and the best of celebrations.   


God Loves You!


* (John Sheasby – The Birthright)

Be Transformed?

As we go through life God wants you to know He loves you just the way you are.  Don’t think that you have to make all these changes in your life before you can be accepted.  God sees you and wants to have relationship with you, and He has accepted the sacrifice of atonement given on your behalf.  


Romans 12:2 (Amplified Bible)


Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].


While at the NC State Fair this week while my son Kyle was waiting for a friend to find us I was sitting off to the side and I could not help to take in all the passers by their looks, actions, and differences.  I chuckled under my breath and Tamara my wife asked me what?  I answered in saying I was just looking at the crowd with all their differences and God spoke to me and said “I love each and everyone”.  I knew this and my thoughts wandered on the expression that some have just been mislead and God spoke again and said “They have no shepherd”, now this was not audible but was so clear that I had no doubt, I know His voice.


When I got home my thoughts kept returning to these words.  They brought me to the verse in:


Mark 6:34 (Amplified Bible)


As Jesus landed, He saw a great crowd waiting, and He was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things.


I could not help but to refer back to during the life of Jesus and who He chose to spend time with during His ministry.  The type of men he picked out to follow him.  He did not go to the local Church (synagogue), or to the schools of theology to find his followers.  What can we learn from this?  As Christians we are not to judge others and try to change the world. Jesus said in:


John 14:25-26 (Amplified Bible)


25 I have told you these things while I am still with you.


26 But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you.


John 16:13 (Amplified Bible)


But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future].


Take time to tell others about the Grace of God.  Once they truly see Jesus everything else will fall into place.  Don’t take it upon yourselves to change them let the Holy Spirit do a perfect work in them.  Do what God does, love them be there for them and minister to them.  Jesus sacrifice was for everyone.  God’s Grace reaches out to all who will receive this most intimate gesture of love given by the Father for our atonement so we can come as we are to Him in relationship and live life and have it more abundantly. 


I close with this:


Hebrews 13:20-21 (Amplified Bible)


20 Now may the God of peace [Who is the Author and the Giver of peace], Who brought again from among the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood [that sealed, ratified] the everlasting agreement (covenant, testament),


21 Strengthen (complete, perfect) and make you what you ought to be and equip you with everything good that you may carry out His will; [while He Himself] works in you and accomplishes that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ (the Messiah); to Whom be the glory forever and ever (to the ages of the ages). Amen (so be it).
  
God Loves You!

Pure Thoughts

Jesus said in the sermon on the mount;


Matthew 5:8 (KJV)


Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.


While scanning facebook one day last week I found a quote from a friend of mine:


"We were never intended to have negative thoughts."


God never intended for his creation to have negative thoughts, to be angry, frustrated, or worried.  We are intended to be full of Power, Joy, and of love that is affectionate, and sound mind that means control.  


So what happened?  Fear is what happened.  The fear of failure, doing something wrong, the fear of what someone might say or think.  Being so busy in the works that we forget what is most important. 


In looking at my own life I see that there has been a constant struggle when it comes to this spirit of bondage that seems to flare up out of no where at times and usually toward the people I love.  My wife has asked me why are you acting this way and I can see myself say I don’t know I am frustrated.  Just to hear then the question; why are you frustrated?  When in reality I had taken my eyes off of what is most important.  
  
 Jesus put it this way;


Luke 10:40-42 (The Message)


 38-40 As they continued their travel, Jesus entered a village. A woman by the name of Martha welcomed him and made him feel quite at home. She had a sister, Mary, who sat before the Master, hanging on every word he said. But Martha was pulled away by all she had to do in the kitchen. Later, she stepped in, interrupting them. "Master, don't you care that my sister has abandoned the kitchen to me? Tell her to lend me a hand."
 41-42 The Master said, "Martha, dear Martha, you're fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it—it's the main course, and won't be taken from her."


As we keep our eyes upon Jesus and what he has done and continues to do for us everything else will fall into place.  You’ve heard the saying don’t let satan steal your joy! I say don’t be so busy that you loose sight of what is important and give your joy away.


Spend time with God.  He made you for relationship he cares about what is going on in your life and loves to walk with you and talk about what it is that he can do for you if you would just find rest and let him.  In;


1 John 4:17-18 (The Message)


To Love, to Be Loved


 17-18 God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we're free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ's. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love.


So what is most important?  Were you able to get everything done on your checklist today?  Did everything get put away?  What does your room look like?  Your whole life might look like one great big mess but don’t fret God Loves you!


Philippians 4:8 (The Message)


Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.


God’s Grace is there in those times that we fall short.  So the next time you find yourself griped with fear, anger, frustration, or just a negative thought remember these three important words spoken by our savior; “It is Finished”


God Loves You!

God’s Grace Is Sufficient!

God has all that you need and more.  Know that you are accepted in the beloved and that God is well pleased with you. Live each day resting in God’s love, grace, and undeserved favor toward you.  Cast all your cares for he cares for you. 


1 Peter 5:7 (NIV)
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.


In America there is a saying and it might be tied to just the south that seems to be a nice thing to say to people when saying your goodbyes and that is, “take care”.   I usually catch them off guard and state “I cast all mine”.  I 


The message Translation says it this way:


1 Peter 5:7 (The Message)
 6-7So be content with who you are, and don't put on airs. God's strong hand is on you; he'll promote you at the right time. Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you.


So you might ask; how is this going to help me in getting what I need?  God already knows what you need and is just waiting for you to not only believe but receive all the blessings that are already yours!  To keep this in context Jesus said it this way in the following three passages:


Matthew 21:22 (The Message)
 21-22But Jesus was matter-of-fact: "Yes—and if you embrace this kingdom life and don't doubt God, you'll not only do minor feats like I did to the fig tree, but also triumph over huge obstacles. This mountain, for instance, you'll tell, 'Go jump in the lake,' and it will jump. Absolutely everything, ranging from small to large, as you make it a part of your believing prayer, gets included as you lay hold of God."




John 14:13-14 (The Message)
 11-14"Believe me: I am in my Father and my Father is in me. If you can't believe that, believe what you see—these works. The person who trusts me will not only do what I'm doing but even greater things, because I, on my way to the Father, am giving you the same work to do that I've been doing. You can count on it. From now on, whatever you request along the lines of who I am and what I am doing, I'll do it. That's how the Father will be seen for who he is in the Son. I mean it. Whatever you request in this way, I'll do.




Matthew 18:19 (The Message)
 18-20"Take this most seriously: A yes on earth is yes in heaven; a no on earth is no in heaven. What you say to one another is eternal. I mean this. When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I'll be there."


Rest in knowing that everything is going to be okay!  Jesus is there for you and Papa goes into action for you because of the finished work that Jesus did for you on the cross.  Be content, live carefree, and receive all that God has for you while resting in his awesome love for you.  Take hold of the fact that you are Blessed. God’s Grace is sufficient! 


God Loves You!

What Does Your Heart Desire?

My prayer for you today is that you take time to be at rest with God and enjoy all that He has for you.  The way God meant it to be, Amen!


Psalm 37:4 (KJV)
 4Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.


When I think of God’s Grace and what He desires for me I invision a fathers love for his child in giving everything that the child asks for while looking out for his or hers best interests.  The child comes to the father with those big eyes so full of expectation and says “Daddy I want ________, can I have it?”, and the Daddy smiles and says of course what color would you like?


Matthew 7:7-11 (KJV)
 7Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
 8For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
 9Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
 10Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
 11If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?


God loves you and wants you to have everything that He has for you.  Jesus said it this way in:


John 10:10 (KJV)
 10The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.


This is awesome what Jesus is saying here is that I have more for you and I want you to have life not death and have it more abundantly.  The dictionary defines abundant as present in great quantity; more than adequate, over sufficient, well supplied, more than enough!


The message translation says it this way;


John 10:6-10 (The Message)
 6-10Jesus told this simple story, but they had no idea what he was talking about. So he tried again. "I'll be explicit, then. I am the Gate for the sheep. All those others are up to no good—sheep stealers, every one of them. But the sheep didn't listen to them. I am the Gate. Anyone who goes through me will be cared for—will freely go in and out, and find pasture. A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.


Can you imagine that? Yes, God wants you to have a life more and better than you have ever dreamed. Why? Because God loves you and he sent his Son to die for you so you can live knowing that God’s Grace is all that you need, you are loved and accepted into family not because of anything that you have done but because of what was done for you through Jesus’ life, death, resurrection and His soon return! Glory to God!


All God requires is that you believe. When you take that step, all that God has is yours through the righteousness of Jesus.  


So next time when you ask does God really want me to have what my heart desires just crawl up into his lap and ask what it is that you want and see what happens.  God is willing and more than able to supply you.  His Favor is on you.  That means you are his favorite and don’t you ever forget it!    


Not only does God want to fulfill the desires of your heart... God created them in the first place. 


God loves you!