Revelations

Many of you may not know this, but it is a huge struggle to leave all that you know and love behind and move some place that you are quite unfamiliar with.  I recently did this because God told me to.  I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am supposed to be in Houston planting a church, but it has not been that pleasant of a journey thus far.

Don’t get me wrong.  Great things have happened.  God will prevail, and, yes, I know all this suffering is coming at me and my family because we are on the right track.  We are on the battlefield for God, and the enemy is making his move right now.

Last month I had the pleasure of going to a church-planting seminar put on by the mid-south district of the Foursquare Church.  It was such a pleasure to to meet other couples who are out there experiencing the same things as we are while they are planting churches, too!

When I left Hawaii,  I left behind a dear family at Hope Chapel Kaneohe that was a huge part of my life.  I spent years on those relationships, and each and every one of them meant the world to me.  Needless to say, when I moved to Houston, I felt lost.  I really felt alone.  I knew that at anytime I could call any of those friends that I left to get a listening ear and some support, but it is not the same as having someone face to face.

I have a great friend that God has blessed me with here, but we’ve only known each other a short time.  That relationship is not like the ones from Hawaii.

Anyway, I feel like I have made some friends, and have been introduced to more FAMILY at this recent church planting seminar.

I felt really comfortable for the first time since leaving Hawaii.  It’s like I finally knew that God wanted me to know that, YES, you are still a part of a family.  Just because you left part of it in Hawaii, doesn’t mean that you don’t have any.  GOD’S FAMILY IS EVERYWHERE!!!

This has put me at ease and more at peace than anything since I have began this adventure.

I also learned at this seminar that I am going at the right pace, that I am doing the right things, that God is directing me, and that this church plant will happen because He wants it to.  I tried to start something on my own recently, and it quickly fell apart.  I need to wait on God, but while I am waiting, I need to get involved and become a part of this community that I am in so that I can LISTEN to the NEEDS of the people here.  That way when God’s timing does happen, I will have been preparing to meet the needs of His people all along.

He has planted visions in my head, and they are big.  Bigger than I could ever imagine!  In fact, I have no idea how they will happen.  The truth is, I don’t need to know, I only need to be obedient and be patient and wait upon the Lord!

February 2010 Update

I have been here in Houston for 7 months now. I bet some of you are wondering what’s going on with the church plant. Well, there is not much going on right now. It’s basically been 7 months of getting used to a new area for me. It’s been a time of getting to know a few people that I do believe are key to the process of planting the church. Basically, I am now becominhg a part of the community that God wants me to plant a church in. I believe that community is the Deer Park/Pasadena area.

We’ve tried to start a Bible study once, but due to the conflicts of the holiday season, that did not happen. I am doing much more careful planning on the next Bible study. I have people that are interested in coming. I am excited about this and will be starting it soon.

A few months ago, I heard my friend, Pastor John Wiley, say that if you are driving down the road in your community and you see a need and you say to yourself “Somebody ought to take care of that.” Well, you are that somebody! You are the person God has placed in that community to care of it and make the changes and impact that commnunity with His love by your own actions.

I want us to be that church that does that. The church that reaches out and makes a difference in the community and lives of people around us.

Next month, I’ll be going to a small get together in Waxahachie, Texas, of church planters put on by the Mid-South Foursquare district. I hope to come away from this with new and exciting ideas that will help in the planting process.

The bottom line is that I am still on the battlefield, I am still fighting strong, and God will prevail in the end. So many things have happened that have tried to make me retreat. These things are not a discouragement to me, but yet a confirmation that I am on the right path. Adversity brings me joy in knowing that God will ultimately win!

Caring… For One Another…

We must care for those who are in need.

How many of us go through life day by day just pretending, just having that happy smile, that carefree attitude, when, deep-down in our hearts there’s anger, hatred, bitterness, racism, gossiping, back-biting, selfishness, rudeness, lust, jealousy, rage, and all other kinds of sin.

Each of us has that certain struggle within that we keep secret that only God knows about, that we think would cause the rest of the world to despise us if they knew about it.  Our God does know, and He knows our heart intimately.

Jeremiah 17:9-10 says:

9 “The human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? 10 But I know! I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”

The problem is that each of us knows that we have things in our own hearts that we just don’t want to let go of.  For whatever reason, those strongholds remain there and they hamper us in our daily walk.  I am saying this because I am guilty of this myself, and God has been convicting me on this very thing.

Those things in my heart cause me to be not a very pleasant person at times.  They cause me to be judgmental, angry, bitter, and even snobbish and hateful at times.

Yikes!  Why am I letting my humanity get the best of me? What lesson is God trying to teach me and you through all this?

First of all, if we truly seek God, He says this in Ezekiel 36:26-27:

26 And I will give you a new heart with new and right desires, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a new, obedient heart.

So that’s what I want, an obedient heart.

So what does an obedient heart do?

Jesus said in Matthew 22:37-40:

‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’   38 This is the first and greatest commandment.  39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

So where am I going with all this?

This is all about caring for one another, caring for those that are in need.  The first part of being able to do that is having a right heart with God.  A heart that can actually love when it is difficult like Jesus did.  He loved the tax collector, the adulterous woman, the prostitute, the Samaritan woman, the lepers, the sick, the dying, the demon-possessed, the needy people, and the hard people to love.

They needed the most help, the most love, the healing, and the most forgiveness.

This is a call out to everyone.  Why do we see people like that today and immediately run the other way thinking God must surely not want us to go there?  He did!  Why not us?  Are we so vain that we cannot love the unlovable as Christ did?

One of the problems I see with a lot of the churches today, and one of the reasons that I wanted to start a church, is that some churches have become a judgmental, holier than thou, religious organization of do-good, feel-good people that are going nowhere at all, and, what they are doing, is giving a bad example of Christ’s love to the communities that they are in.

So we have people that want nothing to do with the judgmental religious attitude put forth by these churches, and, unfortunately, they think all churches and Christians are like that.

I want to change that.  I want people to see this church that is going to be built and not see a building, but see a collective group of people that honestly and meaningfully want to make a difference in the lives of the people in our community by simply loving people as they are and not judging or condemning them.

I welcome all to this church that is to be.  I want us to be a diversified, loving people that continually go out into the community to do things for the needy and helpless and sick.  I want us to spread the love of Christ they way He did, by simply loving everyone and not judging anyone.

Some of you may not be ready for something like this.  Your heart may be saying to you that this is a crazy idea.  I challenge you to join us and see where God leads us.  I am a firm believer in God changing someone as you help the needy.  There is nothing like going out and helping someone who desperately needs it, and then going home knowing that you made a difference in someone’s life.

God wants to make a difference in this world.  There are so many people in this world that are in need, that are hard to love.  Why don’t you try doing something difficult for a change and stop focusing on the part of the heart within you that is getting in the way and focus outward using God’s love as a tool to heal others, and in turn, you will be healed.

I want you to think about the next two statements for a moment and pause and reflect on each one and what they mean.

Love is an amazing thing.  It can change lives forever.

Hate is a horrible thing.  It can change lives forever.

How do you want to change lives?

For that second one you can go back to my earlier statement on the secret things of the heart and replace hate with either anger, bitterness, racism, gossiping, back-biting, selfishness, rudeness, lust, jealousy, rage or even just put sin on that last line.

Isn’t love better than them all?

In light of what has just been said, let’s read the following scriptures and reflect upon them with a different heart than we may have had when we read the passage before:

Romans 12:9-21

9 Don’t just pretend that you love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Stand on the side of the good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically.

12 Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful. 13 When God’s children are in need, be the one to help them out. And get into the habit of inviting guests home for dinner or, if they need lodging, for the night.

14 If people persecute you because you are a Christian, don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 When others are happy, be happy with them. If they are sad, share their sorrow. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t try to act important, but enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

17 Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible.

19 Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God. For it is written, “I will take vengeance; I will repay those who deserve it,” says the Lord.

20 Instead, do what the Scriptures say: “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink, and they will be ashamed of what they have done to you.”

21 Don’t let evil get the best of you, but conquer evil by doing good.

9 Don’t just pretend that you love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Stand on the side of the good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically.

12 Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful. 13 When God’s children are in need, be the one to help them out. And get into the habit of inviting guests home for dinner or, if they need lodging, for the night.

14 If people persecute you because you are a Christian, don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 When others are happy, be happy with them. If they are sad, share their sorrow. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t try to act important, but enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

17 Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible.

19 Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God. For it is written, “I will take vengeance; I will repay those who deserve it,” says the Lord.

20 Instead, do what the Scriptures say: “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink, and they will be ashamed of what they have done to you.”

21 Don’t let evil get the best of you, but conquer evil by doing good.

An Update

Here’s an update for all of you who are wondering what is going on with this great adventure.

A few weeks ago, I met with the district Ministry Coordinator for Foursquare to start talking to him about the desire to plant a church in the Houston area.  It was an exciting meeting for me where I got to share a lot of the vision that God has given me.  At this meeting, he also told me that he wanted to help me out by training a coach who will walk with me through this adventure and be the support, the friend and the motivator that I need.  He told me that he would train just about anyone that I would want.

I immediately thought of my wife’s high school drama teacher’s husband, Steve Taylor.  Ginger also thought that would be a great idea.

The next night, I just happened to be going over to Steve’s house in the hopes of starting a friendship with him so that I could have some support and someone to just hang out with.  It’s sometimes quite difficult for me put myself out there and find new friends, but it seemed to be very natural with Steve.  I had a really good time hanging out with him, and later that night, I asked him to be my coach.

He said that when he heard a long time ago that I was moving here to plant a church, he felt like he was supposed to help out in some way.  He said he would consider it and talk with his wife, Donna, and get back to me.

Well, he has decided that he is going to be my coach, but, more importantly to me, my friend.  Like I said before, it is hard for me to open up to new people so I expected this friendship to take a long time to develop, but it seems so natural to me that it wasn’t difficult at all.

I now have a coach to help me out, a great friend, and a wonderful new brother!  It just seems to me like this was meant to be, that God had planned this long ago!

What an amazing God we serve!

Howdy… Texas!!!

So here I am in Texas two weeks now.  It’s ok here, really.  I know God wants me here, so I know I’ll be happy here.

I am missing Hawaii and all my wonderful friends from there.  I was there for almost 13 years!

Now God has me on this new journey.  I am both excited about this and completely terrified.

I don’t feel like I have much support here in the way of friends yet, but I am sure that will change.

It is definitely going to take some getting used to.  The plus side of things is that there is a free sauna to sit in anytime!  All I have to do is walk outside!

Lord, lead, and I will follow!

SHARING…God’s love and grace…

We must share his love and grace with everyone we meet.

Romans 13:8-10, NLT

8 Pay all your debts, except the debt of love for others. You can never finish paying that! If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill all the requirements of God’s law. 9 For the commandments against adultery and murder and stealing and coveting-and any other commandment-are all summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
10 Love does no wrong to anyone, so love satisfies all of God’s requirements.

Today, we are going to talk about two things:

1.      Sharing God’s Love

2.      Sharing God’s Grace

When we share the love of God that He places in our hearts, we can overcome just about anything.  Proverbs 10:12 says, “Hatred stirs up quarrels, but love covers all offenses.”

The other day as I was driving through Waikiki, I stopped at a traffic light and witnessed a well dressed and obviously rich man in a violent rage jump out of his nice car.  As he began walking around this other nice car, he was screaming violently and waving his arms about to the driver of the other car.  The other driver, who also appeared to be very well off, got out of his car and began yelling back.  The first man began yelling even louder and began shoving the other man.  It was actually very disturbing to me to see two men act this violently to one another.

It wasn’t until the first man’s wife actually jumped out of their car and got between the two men that I things calmed down.  I seriously thought that I was going to have to pull over and give a statement to the police about who killed who.

I really couldn’t tell what these men were fighting about, but one thing that I did notice was the look of embarrassment on both of their faces as the wife stood between them, speaking softly with her palms pointed towards each of them.  It was her kind words, whatever they were that instantly diffused the situation.  As the first man looked down at his wife, I could also see a look of fear like he was thinking something like, “Why did I just put my wife in the midst of this dangerous situation.”

Both men actually just stopped and went back to their cars and drove away.

I was quite bothered by this incident for a few days.  Possibly because it seemed like it was so close to just going over the edge where someone could get hurt, or possibly because I have never really seen two grown men that angry at each other.  Since they were both driving, I can only assume it was over some petty little difference that they had while driving next to each other.

There are so many cases like this in the world today that it just saddens me to know that if only a kind word could be spoken, anger could be easily turned away.

Both of these men had their wife in the car with them.  One placed herself in the midst of danger just to calm her husband.  I sure both wives were completely terrified, but one had the guts to stand up and stop the nonsense that was going on.

I guess what I am trying to say is that when things like this happen, it is so easy to just fly off the handle and get angry.  I know it happens to me all the time.  My challenge to you is that you start training yourself to react in love.  Start working at saying a kind word instead of an angry word.  I imagine that you will be pleasantly surprised at the results you get.

Let’s use another example here.  One of my friend’s came to me the other day very angry at his brother for saying some very hurtful things.  My friend had every right to be angry, but not the violent anger that he had.  One of the things that he told me was that he just wanted to go over to his brother’s house and beat the crap out of him.

Let’s say that he did go over there.  What do you think happened?  Did violent tempers flare?  Were punches thrown?  Was someone hurt?  Was someone arrested?  Did this event damage their relationship so that they never spoke again?

Many things could have happened if this had actually happened.  Fortunately, I was able to talk to my friend for a while.  I was able to calmly point out to him that his brother, who is not a believer, was going through a very difficult time in his life.  His wife just left him; his business is failing because of the economy.  I pointed out that his brother’s anger was not really towards him, but towards the circumstances in his life.

Simply put, his brother was hurting, and hurting people hurt people.  They lash out because they really don’t know what else to do.  The stress of their lives has them so confused that it’s hard to think straight and do the right thing.

My friend eventually calmed down as he imagined what it would be like if he were in his brother’s shoes.  He didn’t respond with anger.  He chose to just do nothing here, and, a few days later, his brother called and apologized.  Now instead of having a torn relationship, they are closer for the experience.

So, sometimes it’s much better to do nothing and wait for the anger to go away.  Usually, the senses lost in the heat of the moment come back when there is nothing more to be angry at.

Proverbs 29:11 says, “A fool gives full vent to anger, but a wise person quietly holds it back.”

The point here is to not be angry or to not show violent anger.  One of the greatest things that we can do to expand the Kingdom of God is to be that good example of stability and love in times of crisis.  People see that and want it.  Most people that I know don’t actually like to be angry.  I think everyone is looking for a way to get rid of it.

So what is it that makes a good Christian less angry than those out there in the world?

Romans 5:5 says, “For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love. ”

What was that?  What does it say that He fills our hearts with? Love?  NOPE!!!  HIS LOVE!

Wow, God places the Holy Spirit in our hearts, not only to comfort us, to empower us, and to bring us into communion with Him, but also to fill our hearts with HIS love!

So why do you think God put His love in our hearts?  Was it so we can be selfish and hoard His love just for our benefit?  No, we are to share it, and it is by sharing it, that people will know who we are and know Him.

1 John 4:7-21 says the following about love:

7 Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God–for God is love.

9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 12 No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love has been brought to full expression through us.

13 And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. 14 Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 All who proclaim that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in him.

God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we are like Christ here in this world.

18 Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of judgment, and this shows that his love has not been perfected in us. 19 We love each other as a result of his loving us first.

20 If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we have not seen? 21 And God himself has commanded that we must love not only him but our Christian brothers and sisters, too.

So let’s make sure we love each other with the love God gave us.  It is a perfect and real love that can overcome the selfishness in our lives.  In verse 19 it says that we love each other as a result of His loving us first.

So my challenge to you here is to do that in the world, love first.  That means love the people that aren’t loveable.  Love the one’s you don’t like.  That perfect love you share is exactly what can defeat the enemy in people’s lives and bring them to God.

I believe that we are all called to love people before they can even love us back.  That’s what Christ did.  Why should we do any less?

Christ Himself said in Matthew 5:43-48:

43 “You have heard that the law of Moses says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy.  44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!  45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and on the unjust, too.  46 If you love only those who love you, what good is that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much.  47 If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that.  48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Now let’s move on to sharing God’s grace.

Just what is grace?

My definition of grace is this: getting the opposite of what we deserve!

We all deserve to burn in hell for all the sin and evil that has come through our lives.  We do not deserve anything that God has done for us.  In fact, God would be justified in just wiping us all out and starting over.  So why doesn’t He?  The answer is grace.

So let’s get an example of grace.

Let’s picture an inmate on death row who murdered a whole family except one son.  Let’s say this man is pure evil.  That he is boastful and proud and arrogant about what he has done; that he continues to do wrong even while being locked up.  This man continues to be evil, and he deserves to die.

One day as he is being led out to face his execution, the one son that still lives who also lives a good life, stops the execution and says, “I forgive him.  He is no longer guilty.  I will take his place.”

Can you imagine being that son?  How difficult would it be for you to do that?

The dictionary has several definitions for grace, but the one I like the most uses three simple words: mercy, clemency, and pardon.

All of these words, mercy, clemency, and pardon, point to a second chance as if the original crime was never remembered and there was no more punishment for that crime.

That’s exactly what Christ did for us.  He took the punishment for every single bit of evil we have ever done, and God remembers that evil no more!

What I am getting to here is that we all need to extend that kind of grace to other people.  If we sit and judge and hold people accountable, what good does that actually do?  In my experience, judging people lead to them becoming angry and breaking off ties with those who have judged them.

We all sin, so shouldn’t we all have the grace to extend to others who are sinning?  That little bit of grace that we share just simply points people directly to God who has given us all much more grace than any of us deserves.

If we don’t deserve grace, and God still gives it to us, then who are we to withhold grace from people in our lives?

I don’t really think that we should withhold God’s love and grace form anyone in our lives.  If we do withhold it, then what will it be that brings more people to Him?

The bottom line is that people will not respond to you if you do not show them love and grace.  Christ showed us how to do this with His life, so we should show it to them!

God Seeks Us Out

When Adam and Eve did that original sin, immediately they felt shame and hid from God.  So where was God when they were hiding?

Genesis 3:8-9 says that He was walking about in the garden calling out to Adam saying, “Where are you?”

Like any good father, I’m sure that God knew already what Adam and Eve had done, yet He was still seeking and searching for them.  I see no signs of anger from God even after Adam and Eve confessed.  What I see is a Father protecting His children, and showing them the consequences of their actions.

Even though they allowed sin to come into the world, God still cared for them.  In 3:21 it says that God made clothing for them out of animal skins.  God was showing them that the shedding of blood covers sin.   Even after they went out from the garden, they were not cast away from God.  He still sought after them.

It’s like that with all of us today.  We sin, we feel shame, and we either hide or run away from God.  Yet through it all, His unconditional love never waivers, and He still seeks us out even in the midst of our sin!  Be glad today that God loves His creation and seeks fellowship with us!

DARING…to reach out…

We must teach, but do so by reaching out and loving the lost.

2 Timothy 4:1-5, NLT

1 And so I solemnly urge you before God and before Christ Jesus-who will someday judge the living and the dead when he appears to set up his Kingdom: 2 Preach the word of God. Be persistent, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.

3 For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to right teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever they want to hear.

4 They will reject the truth and follow strange myths.

5 But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at bringing others to Christ. Complete the ministry God has given you.

**Preach the Word of God**

Why must we teach?  Why must we preach?

We are all called to share the Good News that Christ died for our sins, and that He has completely restored the communion that mankind once had before the fall.

Rom 5:6-11
6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 7 Now, no one is likely to die for a good person, though someone might be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s judgment. 10 For since we were restored to friendship with God by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be delivered from eternal punishment by his life. 11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God–all because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us in making us friends of God.

>>> As I look back on the events of my life that led me out of the devastation that was me, I remember how lost, how hopeless, how unworthy, and how alone I felt.  I remember that the solaces I found were drugs, alcohol, sex, and lying in order to draw attention to myself.  All of those things were so selfish and so draining on those that loved me that I almost lost everything and everyone that I held dear to me.

It was because two people reached out and into my life with love that I really did not understand at the time, but I knew that I wanted it and desperately needed that love.

One day, I walked into the office of Hope Chapel Kaneohe Bay so hurt and so torn apart by life that I was just at the end of my rope.  As I walked in I knew I had to talk to someone, but the pain was so heavy in my heart that I couldn’t do anything but cry.  Eventually, as I calmed down, I was introduced to a woman name Patience who talked to me for a while and then called her husband, Ron, who proceeded to come and get me and take me to their house.  I ate dinner with them that night and spent a lot of time talking with them.

Here I am, a complete stranger, I never met these people before, yet, somehow, they managed to reach out and love me when I was most unlovable.  The friendship that was created with these two people eventually led to me volunteering at Hope Chapel, which led to me getting hired there and that eventually led to me becoming a pastor. The friendship that I now have with Ron and Patience is almost like I am a part of their family now.  They have taught me many things, especially about love and loving those who are hard to love.

During all this time, I made other friends as well.  A man named Ernie took me into his life and just began including me in his daily activities.  I actually felt like part of his family after a while.  The things that he taught me were just simple life lessons that somehow eluded me in my childhood.

The point is that these are just a few of the people that reached out to me when it was needed the most in my life.  I was desperately seeking a place to belong, a place to be loved, and a place to have some sort of self worth.

Today, because of these friendships, I know that I am a part of God’s family.  I know that I am loved, and I know what God thinks of me.  It makes me all the more want to share His love with people who are just like I was and are searching for a place to belong.

That leads me to another scripture that talks about how those of us who believe in Jesus are now children of God and joint heirs with Christ.  It talks about how we are now a part of God’s family.

Rom 8:14-17
14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
15 So you should not be like cowering, fearful slaves. You should behave instead like God’s very own children, adopted into his family–calling him “Father, dear Father.”   16 For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God’s children. 17 And since we are his children, we will share his treasures–for everything God gives to his Son, Christ, is ours, too. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

Why would you not want to teach and preach about that?  It is the best and greatest thing that God has ever done for us since creating us!

Sometimes I just want to blast it out on the rooftops for all to hear.

The problem is that the world is so far gone that no one wants to hear the Good News anymore. People are tired of the same old rhetoric.  We can’t just shout it out and expect people to listen.  If we really want to make a difference in the world, we can reach lost souls by simply reaching out and being there when they need a helping hand, and by loving them just as they are.

1 Peter 5:3-4
3 Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your good example.

Let’s be a good example of what Christ is to us.  Let’s show Him to the world by simply existing in a way that no one could look at our lives and the way that we live and not see Christ.

Rom 3:23
23 For all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious standard

That’s a scary thought because all of us fall short of what Christ was.  So how then can we be that example; that light shining in the darkness?

I think it comes down to just a few simple things.

First of all, love.  Christ said love your neighbor as you love yourself.  How do we do that?  Treat others with the same respect that you would want them to treat you.  Give them grace, mercy, and forgiveness just like Christ gave it all to you, and, when that person who comes along that you think you can’t love, do it anyway!  Christ does not choose who to love, He just loves, and He loves everyone.

Second of all, let people see you make mistakes.  Let them see that you are real.  Humility and transparency go a long way in this world.  It takes people out of that attitude of “Oh, not another Christian,” and gets them to thinking “Wow! This guy is just like me, but, wait, there’s something different here.  I want it!”

Transparency shows not only your mistakes, but also the love and joy of Christ that’s bursting forth from your life.  That’s what people want.  It’s that mystery that draws them into His kingdom.

>>> So how can we be transparent?  Well, let’s use my life as an example again.

The most difficult thing that I ever did in my life was to come forward and start confessing to each and every one of my friends that I was a compulsive liar.  I had to sit there and tell each and every one of them that I had been lying for years about so many things that I could not even get my own mind wrapped around what was the actual truth.  I had lied so much that I could not remember all the lies which I had to tell that to everyone.  One thing that I did do at that time was to make a commitment to each of them that when something that was mentioned that was a lie, I would then tell the truth.  I did do that, and it led to the truth being revealed.

This also left me in a position that no one actually trusted me anymore.  I had the daunting task of now rebuilding trust with everyone in my life.  It was a very humbling experience, but the transparency and humility that I had at the time led to my healing and deliverance.

I now often refer to myself as someone who used to be a compulsive liar so that people can see that you can get delivered from that kind of bondage.  Am I perfect?  Do I never tell a lie anymore?  Of course I do, don’t we all slip every now and then, but there is a difference between sinning and being completely in bondage by that sin like I used to be.  Besides that, God uses all that that I struggle with to help others who are struggling too.

**Be Persistent**

Whether the time is favorable or not!  Now just what does that mean?

I think that it means that we are being asked to do all these things through all circumstances.

James 1:2-4
2 Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. 3 For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.

Nothing turns people’s heads more than seeing a person full of joy in the midst of fiery trials.  We have to love on people even when it hurts, even when they don’t deserve it, and even when we don’t think we have any love left to give.

Being persistent is not about continually shoving the Kingdom of God into people’s lives whether they like it or not, it’s about you sharing the love God gave you with everyone in your life regardless of how you feel and regardless of the circumstances that are weighing you down.

>>> I’ll go back to the example of my friends here that reached out and loved me when I was unlovable.  They were so persistent in loving me that I could not help but notice.  Of course there were times when I needed to be corrected, and they were there for that, but even more were the times that I needed love that mattered to me.

It made a difference knowing that someone actually wanted to spend some time with me, that they wanted to share life experiences with me and pass on knowledge and worth to me.  In being with them, and I know it was not always easy for them, I learned the worth that God place on me simply because people were persistent enough to love me through good times and bad.

**Patiently correct, rebuke and encourage with good teaching**

Now I want you to listen the whole sentence here.  It does not just say “correct, rebuke, and encourage.”  First of all it says “patiently,” and then it goes on to say “with good teaching.”

So let’s read it again, “Patiently, correct, rebuke, and encourage with good teaching.”

This sentence is not talking about going up to someone that you see is sinning and shouting out a scripture and telling them that they are wrong.  Nope! This sentence is about being that good example so well that the truths of the scriptures play out in your life so that your actions do the correcting, the rebuking, the encouraging, and the teaching.  Of course there is a time for all that when it needs to be done, but, in this case, I believe that the scripture here is telling us that we are to patiently live out our lives as a good, joyful examples of what Christ is and let people be drawn to that.

**People will not listen**

The scripture here says that a time will come when people will no longer listen to what is right.  They will not listen because they want to follow their own desires, because they only want to hear things about what they want and desire.  It says they will reject the truth and follow strange myths.

People, we are living in this time today.  In no other time in history has the human mind been bombarded with sin and complete nonsense.  Before the internet and TV, people use to spend more time with their families.  Remember when we all used to sit at the dinner table and just talked to each other.  Now a family evening is spent around the television watching shows that promote almost every kind of evil.  The kids are on the internet getting connected to anything but their family, or they are playing video games that are teaching them how to murder, steal, gamble, and lie, or that game takes them to a fantasy world that’s detrimental to the family unity.

The bottom line is that people don’t listen because it just does not matter to them.  It’s not until they reach that breaking point that we all are headed to at some point that they finally look up and realize something is missing.  So where are they going to turn?

Most likely, they are going to turn to that stable, loving example that they have seen time and time again because someone has been patiently there loving them unconditionally even when they did not realize it or even want it.  That someone is you!

And that’s what I’m talking about.  It’s all about being that pillar of hope that they are drawn to.

Most people will see your love right away; most don’t know how to react to it when they see it, but, deep down, they all want it because God designed all of us to need love.  That love of Christ shining through us is what will save them.

Jesus said in John 12:46-47:

46 I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the darkness.

We are now part of that light shining in this dark world.

**Keep a clear mind in every situation**

What we all need to do is be calm and collective when bad things happen.  Look to God for strength and hope and, when you do, others will see, and they will be drawn to that.

We are all imperfect, so everyone is not expected to react in the perfect way every time, but we are called to be good, joyful, godly examples in every situation.

That means that even when you make a mistake, you admit to it in front of others.  The humility that you share will leave others wondering and wanting what’s inside you.  Again, here is another way to be an example for Christ and a light shining in the darkness.

>>> And we need to be good examples of this.  People in this world will not look to a Christian who does not have a clear mind.  We can’t be confusing, hurtful, vengeful, angry, bitter, or selfish when they come looking for answers.  If you react poorly in a situation in front of people, they will judge your character based on that.  In order to reach them after reacting poorly, you will need to regain their trust and apologize for what you did.

It is much easier to have a level head in situations so that people are drawn to that instead of being pushed away by a damaging reaction to circumstances.

**Don’t be afraid of suffering**

Suffering is something that God promises will happen when you choose to leave this world behind and follow Christ.  We all dislike suffering, but suffering expands the Kingdom of God as well.

Suffering not only trains us, it disciplines us into stronger Christians because we can use the comfort and training that God gives us in times of suffering to help others going through similar situations.

My greatest asset that God can use is the dark past that I have come through victoriously.  That dark past helps me relate to those who are hurting, lost, and deceived.  The words that God spoke into my life during those times will speak into other lives.  Those victories will lead to other victories.

Again, how you handle suffering will show others who you really are.  It will show them that there is strength in the God that you follow, and they will be drawn to Him and want to follow.

**Work at bringing others to Christ. Complete the ministry God has given you.**

How do you do this effectively in today’s world?

I believe this passage of scripture shows us so well how to reach out to the lost.  It’s by daring to be a pillar of love in a hurting world that is so full of hate, anger, rage, bitterness, deceit, and lies.

Love simply works!  Love conquers many things!

In our lives it has taken us from a place of fear, rejection, and hopelessness and opened up a realm of love, acceptance, and forgiveness that simply brings joy into our lives during the good times and the difficult times.

Simply put, that love is our back-door and our loop-hole into people’s lives.  Everyone is designed by God to crave love, and, by sharing the love that Christ gave us, we are bringing a message of hope, and that love and hope penetrates the darkness that is around us all.

Hello world!

Welcome to my new blog!  The purpose of this blog is for me to share with all of you things that are happening with the church plant Hope Chapel Christian Fellowship.

On this blog you will find notes from me as well as prayer requests and writings that I will soon be working on.

I’ve divided this blog into seven categories.  One for my notes and one for each of that values that God gave me for His church plant.  I hope to soon begin writing detailed descriptions of what I beleive these values are about and what they stand for.  I also hope to write notes in each of those categories as I come across things in my life that pertain to them.

Please feel free to leave comments on anything.  The more people involved, the better the discussion.

First, I’ll be writing some things on “Daring…to reach out…”  Look for that to be coming soon!

In His Love,

Markis