meditations

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in your sight O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
This is a constant reminder to me about what comes out of my mouth. It is so easy to destroy with words. It is so easy to beat and bruise those around us with our talk. I am praying the Lord would continue to hold my tongue and heal my heart, in the areas that need it. I would be a fool to think that I have this all under control. It is a struggle daily not to allow myself to respond to situations- right when they happen. I tend to respond out of my own volition as opposed to seeking what the Lord truly wants. If I spend time meditating on the way He has called me to live - even in accordance with scripture, where it says to think upon them day and night; I tend to find myself responding in an attitude of humility and authenticity. This is what I want to be about. Lord, teach me to walk in your ways for they are full of loving kindness and truth.

sunday reflections

* I love Gateway Fellowship
* I love watching the Lord begin a new work in people's lives
* I love that we have called our church to prayer
* I love that we had 5 new members join the church this past week
* I love that we continue to see community take place in our church
* I love the fact that I did not preach this morning and it freaked people out that I was still there
* I love that we have an amazing teaching team at Gateway
* I love anxious expectation of what the Lord will do next
* I love that the Lord is beginning the early stages of birthing multi-sites for Gateway
* I love knowing He is in control and we are not
* Did I say that I love Gateway and the people there?
* I love the church and what it represents to the community

how dirty are they?

This quote is from one of the books I am using for the Leadership Development class that I am teaching at Greenville Christian School. The book is entitled, "Being Leaders" and it is written Aubrey Malphurs. I hope you find some encouragement in it today and what the Lord has placed in front of you as fellow teachers and pastors.

"We'll serve others humbly only to the degree that we love them. And the dirt on their feet will test our love for them. If we don't love them, we'll take up the leadership towel only to toss in that towel quickly when it gets a little dirty. If we love our followers deeply, we'll not only take up the leadership towel but also wrap ourselves in it. We won't mind a little dirt"

The question that comes to my mind is simply this, "How dirty are they?" Is my love for others really hinged upon the amount of dirt that I detect in their lives? Is is really my place to even put a quota on the amount of dirt that can be there before I deem it is too much? Should I instead, just get my towel out and begin embracing the one who is dirty even to the point of getting a little dirt on myself?

balance

I sit here this evening with a mind that is spinning -some would say out control. However, I am convinced it is the spinning of the things that I long so desperately to see take place in the life of our church and even in our own lives as individuals. As you know, my tasks at Greenville Christian School have more than doubled with the start of the school year. I am currently the Head Middle School Coach for Football and Basketball as well as an assistant on the Varsity Football Squad and then add to that the Head Softball Coach. If that in itself is not enough, I begin teaching my Leadership Development class this week. For the first semester of school, I will be teaching on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. I am also in charge of the Chapel program which meets weekly on Thursday mornings as well as Co-leading the "Be My Witness" program this year until I take full responsibility of the program next year. Be My Witness is the missional aspect of the school's mission statement. I am also confident that the Lord has not given me anything that I can not do. To be able to invest in the lives of students and adults everyday is a place I love! The Lord has given it to me, and I am thankful.

Please pray with me that I will continue to find Biblical Balance in all that HE has asked of me:
I am a lover and husband of one wife. I am a father of two beautiful children. I am a coach, a teacher, an elder and a pastor.

sunday night reflections

I love the Gateway Family. I love "Doing Life Together". I love the fact that the Lord continues to amaze us with what He is doing in and through the church here in Royse City. I love preparing to teach those who God has led to our church. I love that I am still up at 11:39 p.m. because I am so stoked about what He is doing in our midst.
Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing."

* we witnessed real community today
* we continue to watch people "working out their salvation"
* we baptized a young adult this evening
* we had 3 new people join the church last week and begin serving this week
* we had great worship
* we are bearing one another's burdens and celebrating each other's joys
* we are falling more in love with our Savior

what is in store?

It is Saturday evening and I am anxiously awaiting the morning, when the church gathers together to worship Almighty God. I have been praying specifically for a few people who I know the Lord is working with. I am praying that the would respond to the revelation of Jesus Christ in their life. I am praying that their are lives change for eternity tomorrow. I am also excited that we have a new Community / Connection Pastor coming on board tomorrow. God is doing some great things in the life of our church but I am constantly wondering what is next? What is He going to do? What is in store for us?

Acts 9:31
31Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.

May we, as a church, experience a time of peace as we are strengthened and encouraged by the Spirit. Scripture tells us that He leads and guides us for HIS name sake. May we never forget that. It is all about Him

where are you looking?

Psalm 121
A song of ascents.
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?

2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;

4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;

8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

What an amazing promise we find here in the scriptures. My God watches over me. He is my shade and the sun nor moon will not harm me. He does not sleep nor slumber but He keeps me forever and I do not have to question where my help comes from. It comes from Him, the One who causes my feet to stand firm. He is the author and perfecter of my faith and the One in whom I find passion and purpose in life. Thank You Father for loving me, finding me and drawing me into salvation.

don't worry, rejoice!

I have been reading Francis Chan's book "Crazy Love" and I love the concept of dealing with stress that he brings out in Chapter 2 pages 41 and 42. Here is the excerpt from his book:

"When I am consumed by my problems- stressed out about my life, my family, and my job- I actually convey the belief that I think the circumstances are more important than God's command to always rejoice. In other words, that I have a "right" to disobey God because of the magnitude of my responsibilities.
Worry implies that we don't quite trust that God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what's happening in our lives.
Stress says that the things we are involved in are important enough to merit our impatience, our lack of grace toward others, or our tight grip of control.
Basically, these two behaviors communicate that it's okay to sin and not trust God because the stuff in my life is somehow exceptional. Both worry and stress reek of arrogance." - Francis Chan

* May I remember to always rejoice, even when it is difficult.
* Am I really trusting that He is big enough, powerful enough and loving enough?
* How impatient am I?
* How often do I step into arrogance?

mindful

3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,

4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him? (psalm 8:3-4)

I love the scriptures and how it causes us to remember who we are. I am thankful that I have a God who is mindful of me. The Lord who created the heavens, placed the stars in the sky and spoke creation into existence is mindful of me. Thank you Father for loving me, finding me and saving me.

You're big enough to hold the stars
but small enough to hear my heart
O God, forever I need you

- to understand the He is both infinitely awesome while at the same time being intimately approachable

be still, rest, and cease striving

One of my favorite scriptures is Psalm 46:10. It reads, "Be still and know that I am God". Other translations read, "Cease striving and know that I am God". Regardless of the translation, the meaning is understood. The scriptures call for us to stop and listen. They call for us to cease striving. I have entered a season of life where, if I am not careful, I will move forward forgetting these basic principles of slowing down, resting and not striving to make things happen. I say this because I really feel like the Lord call for us to be obedient to the things that He puts in front of us, but there is only so much we can do. I really feel like I am called to accomplish what He gives me to the point to where I can not do it anymore and then He comes in and does what only He can do. He paints the masterpiece. For me, I have come to this place once again. I am a coach, a teacher, a pastor, a husband, and a father and I am having to balance all of this. In my humanness, I will just push, push, push and forget to rest. Pray that I will not lean on my strength but that I will rely on the Father to do what only He can do and that I will stay committed to do what only He has has asked of me. He is God!

sunday reflections

* I love Gateway and the people there
* Worship was awesome
* Community life was taking place
* God is doing a work in us all
* We had 3 new people join the church in membership class
* Once again the Lord blesses us with 1st time visitors
* We are praying specifically for some God appointed relationships
* Pray with us for the salvation of new found friends
* Looking forward to a Baptism Celebration this coming Sunday

I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene
and wonder how He could love me a sinner condemned unclean!

Thanks you Jesus for all that You are and all that You do

servant leadership

As many of you know, I am on staff at Greenville Christian School. I coach football, basketball and the ladies softball team. We have been in what we call LIFT UP all week and it has been an amazing time of growth and maturing not only physically but more importantly spiritually. I have the honor to invest in the lives of these young men and I count it a blessing. At the end of our time today, we discussed leadership. We looked at the scriptures found in John 13: 1-17. I want to share with you verses 12-17.

12When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. 13"You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

After reading this scripture, we discussed the fact that Jesus led those around him in ways that are often foreign to us. We tend to have this picture of a leader that is full of pride and arrogance and seldom has a gentle demeanor- especially in the world of sports. Our coaching staff is awesome and I count it a blessing to serve alongside of some very Godly men. We asked the Senior athletes if they would allow us to wash their feet symbolizing our willingness to be servant leaders in their life. They in return washed the feet of the Junior athletes giving the same declaration to those they have been called to lead. God gave us the opportunity to win the 6 Man State Football Championship last year and we are praying the Lord would allow us to have favor as we look to repeat this year!

perseverance

In the first chapter of James it says, " 2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

When reading this scripture and reflecting upon the things in life that I have had to walk through, I am reminded that it is perseverance working itself in me so that I may be mature and complete. It goes on to say even to the point of "not lacking anything" I know that in life, I will come up against many other trials and temptations and my prayer is exactly what we see here in the scriptures. May I consider it joy, when I walk through the valleys - even though it may hurt because I know it builds character and I am confident that the mountain top is ahead

Sunday Night Reflections

Today has been a whirlwind! the Lord continues to amaze me with how He orchestrates things in our services. It never ceases to light me up when He is in control. from the music selection, to the videos produced to the message today - I really felt like everything hit on all cylinders. You might have to ask somebody else if the message was really good, since I am actually the one who preached it?? Anyway, It was good to see our people engaging in community with one another. I love to sit back and watch the conversations taking place around the room. We had a family of 5 join us today for the first time and they have been on our prayer list for months now. God is good! At then end of service the mother and father came up to me and expressed how much they enjoyed service. They informed me that they still had a lot of questions about Jesus that still needed to be answered but they were very pleased with their decision to attend our services today. They told me they were not sure what to expect but what they received was not what they had envisioned at all. I have to tell you- I love hearing that!! It has been a good day. I want to ask you to pray specifically with me that the family mentioned above will continue to ask questions, that God would reveal Himself to them in a way that they will see and understand and that we can be the hands and feet of Christ's love for them while they journey with our community of faith. Pray that they will find passion and purpose in life through a relationship with Jesus Christ. Pray that they will embrace the cross!