Question of the day...

When it comes to Easter, does the Easter Bunny or Jesus first come to your mind? Do you think more about candy than the resurrection? Why do you think the way that you do?

So today’s question of the day is…

EASTER – more about a bunny, candy, & egg hunts or more about Jesus, the resurrection, & church?

_______________

If I were to be completely honest, I think more about the commercialized Easter (think bunny, candy, egg hunts, etc) than the religious celebration. I believe this has to do with my childhood. I would always be more pumped up to get Cadberry Eggs (which is officially the best Easter candy ever, only rivaled by the new caramel filled Cadberry Eggs), Reeces peanut butter eggs, and Whopper eggs than to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. I do remember always having to dress up in newer, nicer “church” clothes. However, the spiritual aspect of Easter did not ever stick as much as the commercialized Easter. I am sure that the spiritual importance of Easter was communicated to me during my childhood, but the lure and power of sugar won that battle. I guess that shows my spiritual depth and insight as a child.

What about you?

im annoyed...

Im a dodger fan, always will be but this divorce between the owners of the team is making the team look worse than franks wife(plastic surgery much). anyways on to the point of this... Frank and Jaime are divorcing because of irreconsilable differences after 31 years of marriage. I came accross this article on fox sports today explaining what each wanted, it makes me sick.

The court hearing, only a mile from Dodger Stadium, centered on whether Jamie McCourt should be awarded nearly $1 million a month in temporary spousal support. Sorrell Trope, an attorney for Frank McCourt, offered her $150,000 in monthly assistance and argued his client can't tap credit lines to maintain Jamie McCourt's lavish lifestyle despite Frank McCourt's $5 million annual salary.

"If we look at this case, realistically, you can't order Mr. McCourt to borrow money to pay support," Trope told Superior Court Commissioner Scott Gordon.

So she is seeking over a million dollars a month to live on? greed is a monster... the article goes on to say

During a deposition earlier this month, when asked if there was any amount of money he should give to support his wife, Frank McCourt then said no.

"Because I think she has ample resources to take care of herself, which I'm -- I'm very happy about that fact," he said.

He was referring to the couple's seven properties, which are worth an estimated $65 million and belong to her as outlined in the martial agreement. His attorneys have argued that she could rent out the properties or sell them. Trope said Jamie McCourt uses a house in Holmby Hills exclusively for swimming while another is used to store furniture.

It must be so hard for her to have one house just for swimming and one house just for furniture storage. must be such a hard life, heres an idea... if you need money sell one of them, novel idea...

Jamie McCourt estimated she has about $4 million in savings and roughly $450,000 in cash that will quickly run out due to the monthly mortgage payments. She believes she shouldn't have to "invade" her savings to pay for her living expenses.

She also cites a long list of other expenses she and her husband had during their marriage such as trips to Paris and Vietnam, country club memberships and dining at expensive restaurants. She said she enjoys wearing designer clothing and has a hair stylist and makeup artist.

Wow having to use saved money to pay for stuff, now were asking too much, I would just like to have something in my savings much less a measly 4 million... as for Paris and Vietnam, stop going, country club? sneak in like the rest of us. designer clothing? costco it up, and look no good haircut or amount of make up could help that face... sorry to say.

She has said in court documents that the couple's worth is more than $1.2 billion.

Look Jaime your not poor, you just arent as rich anymore, frank has the team, money and kids, get over it, move on and try to live off of your 4.5 million dollars 95% of americans wish they had...

finally I wish frank would sell the team, yes sell, sell the team to someone who is not morally currupt, greedy or stupid enough to spend more than you make. No wonder you couldnt afford good players, you were to busy paying for a lifestyle you couldnt afford.

last year Jaime pleaded with us fans that they shouldnt pay Manny 20 million a season because there were kids who needed a baeball field to play on, that was more important than an over paid ball player, so now I ask, what more important kids who need a baseball field or you?

ugh, Im annoyed...

one week to live...

Imagine you had one week to live…and you knew it. One more week to spend time with those that you love. One more week to eat your favorite food. One more week to do the things that bring you the most joy.

What would you do?

What would you not do?

Would you watch tv?

Would you go to work?

Who would you spend your time with?

Would you worry about the recommended 8 hours of sleep?

Would you continue your diet and workout regiment?

What would your life look like if you only had one more week to live?

2000+ years ago, Jesus was faced with this reality. He knew that by week’s end that he was going to be betrayed by one of his followers, arrested, and publicly executed on a cross.

How did Jesus spend his time?

He ate with friends. He told anybody that hears about God’s timeless truths. He spent time having conversations with people that would forever change their lives and the human history. He told his friends to remember him. He prayed. He broke down fundamental truth of God’s purpose and mission for all of mankind so that even stubborn, challenged individuals like myself could understand

“Love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it. Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)

This Easter week, I want to remind you how truly amazing Jesus is. He is the way, the truth, and the life. Remember that he loves you. Remember that he died for you. Remember that death could not hold him down. Remember the freedom that you have in him. Remember that he defeated death so that you could spend eternity with God. Remember that he came not only to die, but to show you how to live life to the fullest.

Celebrate because Jesus is alive…

sustaining in ministry...

One of the things that helps me stay fresh in ministry is my freinds, they are great. tonight I was kinda down, my head was else where and I knew I needed to get my sunday school stuff done for church the next day, but I could not concentrate. Then I get this on my facebook messanger from Jesse McGaffee...

Have a great day tomorrow! I just wanted to encourage you and say that I'm glad you're a friend. You're an awesome youth pastor! And just keep pluggin away. Prov. 3:5-10

Proverbs 3: 5-10:

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;

6 in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight. [a]

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD and shun evil.

8 This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.

9 Honor the LORD with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;

10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.


that my freinds helps sustain people in ministry! Who can you encourage today?

Is doubting God a sin?

Is it okay for Christians to doubt? Is doubting God a sin?

I was reading a music review recently of “You Found Me” by the Fray, a song that speaks of a man who believes in a loving God who searches for his lost children, but the lyrics themselves alternate between accusation, doubt, and belief, that said…

My understand of Scripture is that, yes, doubting God is sin. But let me clarify that. To doubt God is to say in our hearts, “I’m no longer convinced that God is God, that He is right or good or loving or powerful. I can’t say I believe in Him.”

In fact, you could define sin as doubting God: “Everything that does not come from faith is sin.” (Romans 14:23)

Faith is the opposite of doubt. Faith is trusting God: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1)

Doubt, by definition, is being uncertain and unsure.

Having said that, we’re not talking about honest questions that come up when our belief in God is challenged. To ask those questions and seek real answers takes more faith, not less. And we’re also not talking about the feelings of disappointment we sometimes experience with the circumstances God allows.

Faith is the constant command of Jesus. Faith is the sole prerequisite of salvation. Faith in Jesus is how we are reconciled to God. Why all this emphasis on faith? Because if we believe in God, then we will act like we believe in God. That means that we will love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and we will love our neighbors as ourselves.

Doubt seems to have become highly valued in our society. It is a cornerstone of certain worldview perspectives. Some believe that science teaches we must doubt everything. Doubt is seen as a sign of intellectual maturity.

So what do you think? Any thoughts? Do you buy what this guy is saying? Is doubting God a sin?

Let me challenge you to step back and truly soak this in before answering. I think it is too easy to agree with whatever you naturally tend to be. For example, if you are prone to doubting, your first and normal reaction will be “no, of course not.” If you do not struggle with doubting, then your first and normal reaction will be “absolutely, doubt is a sin.” Do not choose your answer by what makes you feel better about your life. Choose your answer by what is true.

Is doubting God a sin?

my alternator is dead...

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really bad attempt at making an alternator look like what mine looks like...

Last night I was driving home from a great day with the Pathway youth pastors and an all around great visit to Sacramento when my car loses power and decides to turn off while im doing 65 MPH. so I make a few calls and a facebook post about what is going on and everyone is saying its your alternator. my first thought "whats an alternator, is it necessary and how expensive?" So I got to sit on the side of the road for an hour and a half which was quite fun because I got to count how many cars passed me( how my brain works sometimes), 2659 cars. A friend of mine, Scott tuttle, came and kept me company and helped me call a tow truck driver! Then the tow truck guy shows up (33 minutes)! Thomas was a cool guy, hes a fringe Christian but an all around great guy. Now back in sacrament I go, and thanks to Kristen Byers for driving from Benecia to Sacramento to pick me up and dropping me off in Fairfield.. I got back at 130 AM... yeah that was my night...

The best thing about the night to me was that God was in control of it the whole time. I was safe the whole night, there was no traffic near me when it finally died. all I could think about was Psalm 46:10 "be still and know that I am God". all I could do in the situation was praise God! he is faithful!

Daniel fast

WHAT IS A FAST?

According to the dictionary a fast is to abstain from something for some purpose. Well, we are choosing to abstain from certain foods that feed the body for the purpose of feeding our spirit.

A very wise mentor of mine recently shared with me, “We often think fasting is about sacrifice. Fasting is not about sacrifice. It’s about priorities.”

WHY FAST?

Jesus made it clear that fasting, like giving and praying, is a normal part of the life of a follower of God. In Matthew 6 He said, “When you fast…” Not if. He taught that attention should be invested in fasting as much as giving and prayer. And Jesus practiced fasting. He fasted often, once going 40-days without any food (Matthew 4).

One of the necessary reasons to fast is because sometimes it is absolutely critical for situations you will encounter in life. So be fasted up and ready when it comes, and trust me it will come. Once Jesus’ disciples asked, “Why could we not cast it out?” To which Jesus replied, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting” (Mark 9 NKJV). If Jesus could have accomplished all He came to do without fasting, why would He fast? How much more should fasting be a common practice in our lives?

WHAT IS A DANIEL FAST?

“In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.” (Daniel 10:2,3)

A Daniel Fast is a 21-day choice to prioritize certain foods and drink above other options with the intent of seeking God. To be in ‘mourning’ was to deny self of the comforts the flesh enjoys, while feeding the spirit through prayer and obedience to God. I urge you to spend time with God listening and learning and when needed follow through with what He asks you to do. As you study His word and wait upon Him you will be strengthen and encouraged in your faith. It will be an adventure you will not soon forget.

WHAT CAN I EAT ON A DANIEL FAST?

There are a lot of ideas on what can and cannot be eaten on a Daniel Fast. My basic guideline is to eat no meat, no sweets, no diary, and no bread. Avoid additives to food (this covers a lot). Drink water and all natural juice. Eat fruits and vegetables. For recipes and more comprehensive information on a Daniel Fast go to http://daniel-fast.com.

____________________

I have fasted in the past, but never this long. Also, this will be my first time participating in a Daniel Fast. I am excited, nervous, and expectant that God will reveal Himself in powerful ways during this time.

I invite you to join with me in this 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting. You do not have to do the Daniel Fast. You may want to fast from caffeine, TV, sweets, one meal during each day, or social media (but not reading this blog, of coarse). Whatever it is, make that commitment to God for 21 days to give up something in your normal routine to give Him more time, re-focus and re-prioritize on Him, and pray for the lost, lonely, hurting, and fallen away from God and the church.

Are you in?

3 daily questions

“Life is tough, but it’s tougher when you’re stupid.” – John Wayne

________________

Have you ever struggled with inconsistency in your personal relationship with God? Times where you bounce back and forth between times of being spiritually disciplined and times of being spiritually lazy. You may have decided that you were going to read your Bible cover to cover over the coarse of a year when you hit Numbers mid-February and lose your motivation. You may have made the commitment to spend time in honest, intimate prayer before bed when life gets busy and tiring and you seem to prematurely fall asleep every night watching TV on the couch.

If you have ever struggled with being disciplined in your relationship with God, I feel you. You are not alone. I have gone through my ups and downs over the years.

Like John Wayne said earlier, “Life is tough.” I am pretty sure that applies to all humanity – rich, poor, educated, uneducated, Christian, not Christian, etc. What’s even worse is when we have to face this tough life without the tools to be more successful, or as John Wayne so eloquently puts it, “when you’re stupid.”

Some of us (I’m talking to myself here) try having a personal relationship with God without having a clue how to have it. When I gave my life over to Jesus, I was never handed the manual of how to have a close, daily relationship with God. You ever feel that way?

I wanted to encourage you today by giving you three questions to ask yourself everyday that might help you raise your spiritual radar and help you maintain a more consistent, honest relationship with God. Ask yourself these three questions before you go to bed every night:

1.WHERE DID I SEE GOD TODAY?
2.WHERE DID I MISS GOD TODAY?
3.WHERE DO I WANT TO SEE GOD TOMORROW?

That is it. Answer those questions, journal your answers, find one person you can answer those questions to everyday, and be brutally honest. What a simple way to be more aware of the work God is always doing in our lives that we so often miss.


Try answering these questions everyday for a couple of weeks and see if it doesn’t help in your personal relationship with God. Remember, your relationship with God is not about perfection and figuring it out, it’s all about putting forth effort and trying.

Mother Teresa puts it this way, “God doesn’t require us to succeed; he only requires that you try.”

Psalm 63...

God—you're my God! I can't get enough of you!
I've worked up such hunger and thirst for God,
traveling across dry and weary deserts.

So here I am in the place of worship, eyes open,
drinking in your strength and glory.
In your generous love I am really living at last!
My lips brim praises like fountains.
I bless you every time I take a breath;
My arms wave like banners of praise to you.

I eat my fill of amazing food;
I smack my lips. It's time to shout praises!
If I'm sleepless at midnight,
I spend the hours in grateful reflection.
Because you've always stood up for me,
I'm free to run and play.
I hold on to you for dear life,
and you hold me steady as a post.

Meet Chris' Daddy

My fantasy Baseball teams that is...

Offense

C- Mike Napoli- Anahiem Angels
1b- Todd Helton- Colorado Rockies
2b- Robinson Cano- New York Yankees
SS- Derek Jeter- New York Yankees
3b- Michael Young- Texas Rangers
LF- Ryan Braun- Milwaukee Brewers
CF- Curtis Granderson- New York Yankees
RF- Andre Ethier- Los Angeles Dodgers
Util- Matt Holliday- St. Louis Cardinals
Util- Jason Bartlett- Tampa Bay Rays
BN- Rafael Furcal- Los Angeles Dodgers
BN- Franklin Gutierez- Seattle Mariners
BN- Felipe Lopez- St. Louis Cardinals
BN- Carlos Gonzalez- Colorado Rockies

Pitching

SP- Cliff Lee- Seattle Mariners
SP- Adam Wainwright- St. Louis Cardinals
SP- Edwin Jackson- Arizona Diamondbacks
SP- Jeorge Dela Rosa- Colorado Rockies
SP- Ben Sheets- Oakland Atheletics
SP- Scott Feldman- Texas Rangers
SP- Carl Pavano- Minnesota Twins
SP- Vicente Padilla- Los Angeles Dodgers
CP- Heath Bell- San Diego Padres
CP- Joakim Soria- Kansas City Royals
MR- George Sherrill- Los Angeles Dodgers

Looks can be deceiving

As a child, I woke up early one morning while I was spending the night at a friend’s house. It was one of the first times that I had spent the night away from home and my parents (I cannot remember exactly how old I was at the time). I was the first person awake in the entire house and like a typical boy I was hungry. Now you have to understand how pumped up I was to be eating breakfast at a friend’s house because that meant one important thing – I was going to get the unhealthy, bad-for-you, sugar-loaded cereal. In the Moore house growing up we typically had healthier cereal choices to start your morning such as Cheerios, Chex, and King Vitamin. As I got older, mom eventually caved and stocked our cabinets with cereal such as Frosted Flakes, Apple Jacks, and Fruity Pebbles. However, at the time of this story we only had the healthier options, so you can imagine how pumped little SM was to find a cabinet full of sugary cereals. Full of giddiness, I poured my sugary cereal into my bowl, went to the refrigerator, grabbed the milk, and poured the perfect amount of milk (you know where you have a little sugary-saturated pool of milk that you can drink after all the actual cereal is gone). I went to take my first glorious bite and something happened I did not anticipate happening. I immediately and violently spit the bite out because it tasted awful. After a little investigation, I realized that I had put buttermilk in my cereal. At the time I had no clue what buttermilk was and how buttermilk was different from real milk, but I knew from then on I wanted nothing to do with buttermilk.

Looks can be deceiving can’t they?

Recently I discovered a passage in Scripture that I had somehow missed the previous 26 years that talks about this same topic. Maybe I have never read it or I had skipped over it until I had one of those illumination moments.

Exodus 15:22-27 tells an amazing account of Moses and the Israelites in their journey from slavery in Egypt to the promised land. At the time, the Bible says that they had been traveling through the wilderness without water when they walk up on a water source in Marah. They quickly figure out that this water is not drinkable because it is extremely bitter. From simply looking at it, it looks like normal water but looks can be deceiving. Sounds a lot like my buttermilk experience, doesn’t it?

There are other things in life that are the same way, aren’t there?

Look at sex. God designs and commands sex to be under one context – marriage. No exceptions. However, the world says something different. The world says if it feels good do it. It is no big deal. It is just sex. Today’s media says the same thing. I recently watched an episode of House where two doctors pursue a non-committal, strictly sexual relationship. MTV has a reality show where a bisexual woman plays a Bachelor-type game with both men and women as contestants. The message is clear: sex is not that big of a deal and it is temporary.

So many people know that message cannot be further from the truth. Outside of the context God designed for sex, people find themselves heart-broken, confused, filled with guilt, and feeling cheap. Just like my buttermilk story and the water in Exodus 15, looks can be deceiving.

Can you think of another life example where looks can be deceiving? Please share them. It is how we learn and be better people.

The Exodus 15 story does not end with the people complaining, unsatisfied, and thirsty. God performed a miracle through Moses by changing the bitter water to clean, sweet water. The people went to sleep that night not thirsty for the first time in at least three days. What a beautiful picture of God giving His people the real thing over a cheap imitation.

Today be on guard against imitations. Be careful to pursue things that might look like the real thing but really tastes bitter. Do not fall into Satan’s traps. Remember, looks can be deceiving.

Truely creative ideas

Truly creative ideas are so hard to come by, aren’t they? Our brains are consistently downloading a plethora of information on a daily basis, which makes it pretty tough to have an orginial, truly creative idea.

However, I love that God has designed our brains so uniquely to be able to think creatively. Think about all the incredible things around us simply because people at one time got a truly creative idea.

Somebody was walking around listening to their “walkman” or their portable CD player one day and thought, “I am tired of carrying around this brick-like music player and all my cassette tapes/CDs in my fanny pack when I want to listen to music on the go. There has to be a better more efficient way to listen to music on the go.” Because of somebody having that truly creative idea we all now enjoy incredibly convenient mp3 players such as iPods and Zunes. What a brilliant idea that made somebody millions.

Another person was probably working in a office trying to remember what all he/she needed to do before the end of that work day or wanted to find that phone number of that important sales lead he/she wrote down earlier in the day. He/she could not find the old envelope or scratch paper and their day was ruined. He/she thought, “there has to be a better way to do this” and a truly creative idea was born. He/she figured out that if he/she made small pieces of paper with a little adhesive on the top that could conveniently stick on the desk or cubicle, known to us now as Post-Its. Somebody made millions over that truly creative idea.

I have been trying to come up with a couple of truly, creative ideas. I know I have one somewhere in my brain. Here a couple that I have come up with already (by the way, don’t steal these unless you plan on giving me my share)…

1. CUSTOMIZABLE TV CHANNEL PACKAGES. Imagine a media company that offered TV channel packages of different sizes where you pick the TV channels you want. I get frustrated with my cable TV at my house. I only desire basic cable (no HD channels, no premium channels). The local cable company here has two options for you if you want basic cable. The cheapest one only goes to like channel 25, leaving out the most important channel, ESPN. However, to get ESPN I have to purchase a load of channels that goes all the way into the 70s and the price gets jacked up in the process. My truly creative idea is to offer channel packages of 10, 15, 20, etc. where you pick the channels you want and you only pay for the amount of channels you want. It would be cheaper than other cable providers as well as the convenience of channel surfing only the channels worth surfing for you. No more QVC channel, no more Oxygen channel, etc. Say you only wanted 16 channels but you did not want to pay for the 20-channel package. That’s cool. Simply order the 15-channel package and add one more channel for a small monthly fee. You only pay for what you want.

2. CEREAL MILK. What is cereal milk? You know when you eat a bowl of cereal and the milk that is left at the bottom of bowl that tastes so good when you finish? That is cereal milk. It really only works with really sweet, sugary cereals like Apple Jacks, Fruit Loops, etc. I couldn’t really see this one working with cereals like Fiber Plus and Raisin Bran. Obviously you would not get milk from an actual cereal bowl that somebody has already eaten because that would be gross. Maybe they could just marinate the cereal in some milk for a while then use that. This one I have not put as much thought into it as I have my other idea. However, it still sounds like it could work. Imagine going to the store and finding treats such as “Apple Jacks Milk”, “Lucky Charms Milk”, or “Fruity Pebbles Milk”. I think it would be gold.

What do you think of my truly creative ideas? Do you have any truly creative ideas tucked away somewhere in your brain that you would like to share? Let’s here them.

Love

something I wrote in 2006...

Love is not just an idea,
but a thought in motion expressed through actions.
Love is having the courage to give unconditionally,
despite past fears of rejection.
Love is patience for one another,
embracing the inner child within us all.
Love is acceptance for our total being,
For good and bad,
For strong or weak.
Love does not discriminate.
Loves instinct is to give.
Love is kindness,
a gesture of giving not for personal gain or recognition,
but simply because.
Love is forgiveness,
letting go of anger and resentments.
Love can heal past hurts and pains,
but only if you are willing.
Love does not impose,
but is patient in waiting.
Love is simply and idea,
wthout one another to give it to.
So why dont we all give Love a try,
and Love will lead the way.

Be still and know...

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10 (NIV)

“Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me, your High God, above politics, above everything.” Psalm 46:10 (The Message)

“Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10 (NASB)

Our God says, “Calm down, and learn that I am God! All nations on earth will honor me.” Psalm 46:10 (CEV)

Unplug. Get alone. Get silent. Be still. And know.

Cross the line

Right now I am sitting on a good, no, great idea. (No, I’m not going to share this idea publicly yet.) I got this great idea that without a ton of investment could profit a substantial reward for the life of the students at Revolution. However, it is still in the idea/thinking stage. It has yet to cross the line from the thinking stage to the doing something about it stage. Right now, my idea is just that – an idea. Thoughts in my brain. What is keeping me from going for it? What’s keeping me from taking a good idea and actually doing something about it?

Can you relate with what I am going through on some level?

People have a hard time crossing the line from thoughts to actions. Thoughts are safe. Actions are risky. Thoughts are private. Action means becoming vulnerable. Thoughts require no risk. Action means risking failure. Thoughts keep you flying under the radar. Actions might require you to be brave.

Maybe you have listened to a sermon or Bible study recently where God revealed something to you. Maybe he revealed a change you need to make in your life. Maybe he revealed a relationship you need to make right or restore. However, if we walk away from encountering God like that without crossing the line from having those thoughts to acting on those thoughts, then I think we have missed something.

Let me challenge you with the same challenge that I am giving myself today: CROSS THE LINE!

Do whatever it takes to take thoughts and turn them into action. Be obedient to the positive change that you know you need to make in your life. Do not be paralyzed by fear of rejection, intimacy, or vulnerability.

Cross the line…

my favorites... very random

This is a completely random post (just how I like it). I thought it would slightly entertaining, light, and fun. Here are a list of a lot of my favorites:
• FAVORITE “FAST FOOD” RESTAURANT – Subway
• FAVORITE “SIT-DOWN” RESTAURANT(s) – Mexican anything, fresh choice, chili’s
• FAVORITE MLB TEAM – Los Angeles Dodgers
• FAVORITE NFL TEAM – Pittsburgh Steelers
• FAVORITE COLLEGE TEAM – Oregon Ducks
• FAVORITE NBA TEAM – Whoever is playing the Lakers, mainly the LA Clippers though
• FAVORITE TV DRAMA – Heroes
• FAVORITE TV COMEDY – house
• FAVORITE REALITY TV SHOW – Biggest loser
• FAVORITE NEWS PROGRAM – fox news
• FAVORITE MAGAZINE – men’s health
• FAVORITE BOOK – Crazy Love (chan)
• FAVORITE “NON-CHRISTIAN” BOOK –
• FAVORITE “CHRISTIAN” SONG – From The Inside Out (Hillsong)
• FAVORITE “SECULAR” SONG – straightjacket feeling (all American rejects)
• FAVORITE “ON MY IPOD WHILE WORKING OUT” SONG – DC Talk anything
• FAVORITE “COUNTRY” SONG – Take me there (Rascal Flatts)
• FAVORITE “WORSHIP” SONG – Inside Out (Hillsong United)
• FAVORITE ALBUM – Audio Adrenaline- underdog
• FAVORITE CHRISTIAN ARTIST/BAND – Mercy me
• FAVORITE ROCK ARTIST/BAND – Offspring
• FAVORITE COUNTRY ARTIST – Tim McGraw
• FAVORITE BOOK IN THE NEW TESTAMENT – Acts
• FAVORITE BOOK IN THE OLD TESTAMENT – Isaiah
• FAVORITE FONT – chiller size 11
• FAVORITE ICE CREAM – anything coffee flavored
• FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR – Opening Day
• FAVORITE INSPIRATIONAL SPORTS MOVIE – Radio
• FAVORITE M.NIGHT SHYAMALAN MOVIE – phenomenon
• FAVORITE MOVIE TRILOGY – matrix
• FAVORITE 80s ACTION MOVIE – Topgun
• FAVORITE COMEDY MOVIE – Dumb and dumber
• FAVORITE CHICK-ISH MOVIE – A Walk to Remember
• FAVORITE NAP TIME – Wednesday between 5-6
• FAVORITE SOUND – and the dodgers are champions of baseball!
• FAVORITE GADGET – iPod
• FAVORITE CONVENIENCE – wifi
• FAVORITE VIDEO GAME SYSTEM – PS2
• FAVORITE VACATION SPOT – LA
Those are just a few of my many favorites. Any others you would like to know?

Jesus, "Lord" of my life?

All my life I have heard speakers and ministers call people to a relationship with Jesus. One of the ways that ministers often communicate this relationship is by asking individuals if they want Jesus to be the “Lord” of their life.

There are many times where I have run into what I like to call “church” words. “Church” words are words that are often spoken in our churches that are never actually explained, but words that you are supposed to know. In youth ministry I see this a lot with teenagers because I think they are way better at being honest when they do not understand something. I have learned that ”Lord” is actually one of these “church” words.

I have been calling and leading people to committ to making Jesus the Lord of their life. However, this can be really dangerous if people do not fully understand what that Jesus being the Lord of their life actually looks like. It is like when I committed to helping with a local fundraiser only to learn when I got there that I was going to have be in a dunk tank in low 50 degree weather. We have to know what we are committing to.

I was really struggling with how I could communicate to teenagers what making Jesus the Lord of their life really meant. We do not live in a country or time where Lords are culturally relevant or common. Finally God revealed how to explain Jesus being my Lord to me while I was making Ramen noodles. Get this…Jesus is the strainer of my life. Let me explain:

When you are making noodles a few things are essential: noodles, a pot, boiling water, and a strainer. Now without pretending to be Rachel Ray, you simply cook the noodles in the pot of boiling water. When the noodles are ready, you pour the noodles and water out of the pot into the strainer and your noodles are ready to eat.

Now what/who determines what you actually eat in that process? Do you? Yes, by free will you pick out what you want to eat. You put in the necessary work to prepare the food, but the strainer actually determines what you eat. The moment you pour the water and noodles into the strainer, you are no longer in control. You are trusting the strainer to do its job (separate what you need to eat and what you do not need to eat) and you eat what the strainer determines you should eat.

In the same way when you accept Jesus as your Lord, Jesus becomes the strainer in your life. Everything you do should go through Him. He is the one who decides things for you. Every situation that you are in should go through the strainer of Jesus when you accept Him as your savior. When you do that, Jesus (not you) is the one who decides what you do. How should you parent your child? Put it in the strainer. What boundaries should I have in my dating relationships? Put it in the strainer. How should I treat the guy nobody likes? Put it in the strainer. How should I handle my finances? Put it in the strainer. How do I treat my spouse when we are in a big fight? Put it in the strainer.

Get the point yet? Jesus is a good strainer. When we get serious about dedicating our entire life to Him, our life should look different. That happens by putting our entire life in the strainer of Jesus and let Him determine what is kept and what is taken away. What a beautiful way to live!

After thinking about Lordship this way, I realized that many people have accepted Jesus as their savior, but not their lord. Jesus wants and can handle both jobs.

Is Jesus the strainer of your life?

last nights sermon intro.

last night at Revolution we started a new series called superheroes of the bible: will you be a warrior or a wimp? I had to share my introduction to the sermon on Gideon with you all, so without taking anymore of your time up...

I grew up reading comic books about superheroes. I liked Superman, Batman, The Hulk, The Green Hornet, Aquaman and Spiderman. I always dreamed about being a superhero and would often run through the house wearing a cape. I was always intrigued by how the nerd was transformed into macho man and somehow the geek always ended up with the gorgeous girl.

Superheroes are still popular today. I haven’t kept up with the new action figures but I’m happy that the old standbys are hitting the big screen. The recently released “Spiderman” has become the fastest grossing movie ever.

Let me see how you do with this superhero quiz.

Q: Why do the Hulk’s tulips look so healthy?

A: Because he has a green thumb.

Q: Why won’t Captain America use the metric system?

A: He refuses to support a foreign ruler.

Q: Why was Aquaman angry with Aqualad?

A: His grades were below “C” level.

Q: Why didn’t the Joker join the Penguin’s club?

A: He thought it was for the birds.

Q: Where does Spiderman go for information?

A: The web.

Tonight were going to look at a superhero farmer who really enjoyed his trade. Unlike some farmers, he had no desire to be anything more than a farmer. He never had political ambitions, nor did he dream of becoming a military leader and yet God had a different plan for his life. I’m talking about Gideon – not the guy that wrote all the Bibles in the hotel rooms. The Gideon story in the Old Testament is unique in that it is the story of how God made a hero out of an unlikely person. It’s not just a story of great exploits; it is a transformation story as well.

That Gym Guy

I started going to the gym about 5 weeks ago. During those times in the gym, I think a lot, I process a lot of life, I release stress, I escape reality, I pray, I people watch, and on top of all that, I am losing weight. I love being in the gym.

Upon spending many hours in the gym over the years, I have come realize that there are many (what I like to call) “Gym Guys” that you should never become. I have given these “Gym Guys” names and descriptions. I only ask that you read these descriptions and NEVER become one of these six Gym Guys…

THE “I GRUNT SO LOUD EVERYBODY IN THE GYM HEARS ME” GYM GUY. You can hear this guy lifting weights in the parking lot. This is the obnoxious guy that makes everybody else in the gym feel uncomfortable because he is obscenely grunting like a drunken mule. You are not sure if his head is going to explode or if he has turrets. The really obnoxious ones might even end a lift by declaring for all to hear, “Man, that burns!” Don’t be that guy.

THE “I MAX OUT EVERY TIME I LIFT” GYM GUY. If you are not familiar with the term “max out”, that simply means the maximum of weight you can lift one time for a specific exercise. The occasional max out is ok, but should never be done on a consistent basis. If you do max out all the time, it screams insecurity. These Gym Guys probably go around obsessively asking everybody how much they can bench and probably can be caught flexing in the mirrors. Don’t be that guy.

THE “I AM OFFICIALLY SPONSORED BY UNDER ARMOR” GYM GUY. This guy is decked out from head to toe in official Under Armor. The official clothing size of this guy is “tight”. Headbands and wristbands are probably visible. This guy lives life by the motto: look good, play good. Don’t be that guy.

THE “I STILL USE THE POWER LIFTING CHALK/POWDER” GYM GUY. These guys leave a constant reminder for anybody that follows them that they are serious weight lifters. Instead of wearing weight lifting gloves or going all natural, these guys powder those paws up to get that moisture-free, tight grip. One, it is not 1987. Two, you are not going to be winning Mr. Olympia anytime soon. Three, you make a huge, nasty mess everywhere you go that I do not want to touch. Don’t be that guy.

THE “EVERY TIME I LIFT I CYCLE THROUGH 15 EXERCISES BUT GET MAD IF YOU INTERRUPT MY CIRCUIT” GYM GUY. This guy does not take the traditional approach of going to one exercise, pumping out three lifts, and going on to the next exercise. No, this guy takes 15 different exercises, using 15 different machines or equipment, and goes through a circuit or cycle of exercises. This guy will do one exercise, leave the weight on the bar, go work out other places for 35 minutes, but will expect that no one move or use that original exercise. This person acts like they own the gym. This person can be seen rolling his eyes a lot in frustration at people using “his” equipment. Don’t be that guy.

THE "I DONT CARRY A SWEAT RAG BECAUSE I DONT SWEAT" GYM GUY. This is the guy who believes he does not sweat, does not carry a towel around, and leaves his DNA everywhere. Don't be that guy.

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That’s some free advice. Don’t be any of those “Gym Guys”. Can you think of any more “Gym Guys”?

interesting article...

I was led to A VERY INTERESTING ARTICLE by Sam Farina that I wanted to share…

The initial concept of congregational redevelopment may seem a bit superfluous, especially to those churches in the United States which can vouch for a recent increase in their Sunday morning attendance. However, as a church growth analyst George Barna points out, 70-80% of that growth has primarily resulted from Christians transferring from one church to another. Dr. Leonard Sweet also has shown that nearly three fourths of churches are actually declining in their numbers. Their members are joining other churches. Sweet says that 24% of churches are growing simply by the migration. That means only 1% of churches in America are growing by reaching the lost!

Half of all protestant churches have an attendance of 75 or less and three fourths have an attendance of 150 or less. Only a small 5% average attendance of 350 or more, and 1% average 1,000 or more in weekly attendees.

The numbers for denomination of the Assemblies of God are not all that different. In fact, Charles Arn, another church growth professional, has shown that during the last ten years membership in Pentecostal churches have declined by 9.5% although the population grew by 11%. Nearly 85% of Assemblies of God churches have plateaued or are declining. Of all churches affiliated with the Assemblies of God, 84% are under 199 in attendance, while 56% are below 99 in attendance.

When you examine the location of existing Assemblies of God churches, you find only 25% are in urban areas and 50% are in towns of 10,000 or less. In 1900 America had 27 churches of all denominations for every 10,000 people. There is an average of 310 churches that close each month.

Add to those statistics that 80% of ministers leave ministry before completing 5 years of service and of those with an earned Masters Degree, 50% do not stay in vocational ministry for longer than 10 years of service. With these statistics it is not surprising that in the United States 71% of ministers say they are in deep financial trouble, 65% of all clergy marriages end in divorce, and 1,200 ministers a month are leaving the ministry as a vocation. While these shocking statistics exist in the church, we find that outside the church 26% of people who claim to be born again Christians do not attend church.

The need for redevelopment becomes a little clearer. According to Bill Easum, the focus of redevelopment in the Assemblies of God does not need to be institutional. “Institutions construct buildings, erect structures, and restructure; organisms grow people, plant deep roots, and develop relationships and networks with the environment around them. We must go back to our roots, back to the primitive – before institutions, before denominations – to raw, miraculous, supernatural power of a runaway, uncontrollable, spirituality experienced on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2).“

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Thoughts? Reactions? How does your church match up with this article?