Unlimited...

Unlimited mercy.
Unlimited love.
Unlimited chances.
Unlimited grace.
Unlimited blessings.
Unlimited power.

The Lord God almighty, the One who sits on the throne, has no limits. With this being understood, I'd like for you to think about all the times you've placed limits on God. Think about a time when you've asked God for something small. Something that is achievable, but might just be a bit out of your reach. Thus, you need God's help to get you across the finish line.

Now think about the concept of risk versus reward.

What if you really went out on a limb and asked God for something that you know you cannot obtain without his intervention. Perhaps it's getting a ridiculous promotion that you thought you could never achieve. Or getting over an illness that you've been fighting for an extended period of time. Or maybe it's to help you turn around a relationship that's gone down hill for years. Financial setbacks, hard times, mistakes, etc. the list goes on and on.

With that I say that we should ask God for those unimaginable blessings. Ask and believe and it shall be yours.

 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
-Mark 11:24 

Ask God for those things that you cannot achieve on your own. For many requests have earthly boundaries. However, I tell you that we serve a God that has no boundaries. He is a God that can do anything, at anytime, for anyone.

Take the limits off the Lord and allow Him to show you His supernatural power. Increase your faith by unshackling the early chains you place on the Lord. Do this and He will show you great blessings.

Think about the unwavering faith the paralyzed man had as he his friends carried him to meet Jesus. When the paralyzed man came to the place where Jesus was teaching, it was overly crowded and they could not get in.

So what did the man have them do? He had his friends cut an opening in the roof and lower him to see Jesus. That, my friends, is unimaginable faith. That is taking the boundaries off our Lord and saying... "Here I am Lord, I believe that you can heal me."

Here is the passage from Mark 2:

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man

2 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. ² They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. ³ Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. ⁴ Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. ⁵ When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

Go forward today with great faith in your heart. Allow the Lord to show you His unlimited love, mercy, and power. Take the boundaries off the Lord and He will shower you with great blessings.

God bless you. And this is for His Glory!

Your faith has made you well

I recently realized what it truly means to have faith in God. It sounds strange even writing this, but there is a big difference between saying something and "hoping" it will come true versus saying something and BELIEVING it will come true.

On a personal level, I've determined that the word "Faith" equals "Trust". Meaning that you must put all of your trust in the Lord and believe that what the bible says is the absolute truth. The bible comes from the breath of God...  and God's Word does not change nor does God lie.

Far too many times we (as a society) attempt to create our own destiny. We think that we must have complete and total control over our lives in order to be successful or get what we need or want. However, the bible tells us that God understands all of our needs and God also allows us to ask Him for favors, blessings, etc. For it is out of prayer that we talk to God.

The one verse that I've really talked openly to God about this week comes from the Book of Mark.

Believe in your heart 

I've recently prayed for something that I never thought was possible and I spoke this verse to the Lord (as a reminder) of what He has promised... "what you ask in prayer, believe it and it will be yours." God has come through with his promise and in my mind it is a miracle. However, to the Lord, I'm sure it was effortless.

This same situation held true with the woman that touched Jesus' robe.

Healed by faith

My message is very simple today. When you pray, remove yourself of any earthly boundaries and maintain complete trust and belief in God's power. When you pray, believe that you will receive God's gifts. Not out of arrogance, but out of trust in God's Word from the bible.

God bless you. And this is for His Glory.

In good times and in bad

I recently watched a move titled Facing the Giants. It had many solid Christian messages and a few things that still leave me thinking about my daily actions. One of the biggest lessons I learned from this movie was to glorify God in both good times and bad. You see, the Lord has the (immediate) ability to change your situation. He can give or take away at any time. If you've read Job, you might recall Job's wife telling him to curse God for all the terrible things that has occurred to him...

 

His wife said to him, "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!"

And Job replied...

"You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?" So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.

I think this is a classic, real life example for all of us. We tend to forget about thanking God during the good times and have more of a tendency to turn to Him for help when we are in trouble. My message today is to always gives thanks to the Lord, even for the smallest of things. Remember, everything we have is a gift from God. Our sight, hearing, smell, ability to walk, talk... the list goes on and on. We could spend hours listing out everything God has gifted us with and still never have a complete list. 

I guess part of it is that we expect things to go our way. Don't we? We expect things to go well and if they don't then we get frustrated, angry, or depressed. Does that help us? No. It only adds to our anxiety and plays into the hands of the enemy. 

I'd encourage you to stay strong in the goodness of the Lord. For the Lord will test all of us in our own time. Even so, I pray that we all have more good times that bad and during our good times let's remember to thank the Lord for every blessed moment we receive. We are never promised tomorrow, so let's give him thanks in all situations and never lose hope. Remember the Lord is the final decision maker and can override any situation. Do not lose hope or faith. 

Remember... God has no limitations and nothing is impossible with God.

God bless you. And this is for His Glory!

Faith not Fear

I thought this short summary on the topic of fear was well written by Dr. David Jeremiah and I wanted to share it with everyone as a reminder of the importance of faith.

(Links have been added for you to go to the readings)

* * *

Reinhold Niebuhr (d. 1971) penned the original version of "The Serenity Prayer." The first line of the poem says, "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change," often popularized today as, "Don't worry about stuff you have no control over." The problem is, it sounds like it is okay to worry about the stuff you can control. However, Christians are told in Scripture not to worry about anything (Philippians 4:6-7).

Worry is fear--not necessarily the white-knuckle, knee-knocking kind of fear, but a fear that leaves us unsettled and anxious. Fear and worry are all about the future. Like when Jesus' disciples were afraid in a storm at sea (Matthew 8:26). They were definitely worried about their future--whether they would arrive safely on the distant shore or not. Fear is a lack of faith in God. We believe God knows "the future," but not our future. Yes, not worrying requires faith--but not blind faith. It is faith in a God who has promised He will never leave nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

If you know God through Christ, it's better not to worry about what you can't control. But it's biblical not to worry at all.

Nothing can cure us of fear till God cures us of unbelief.
-Francis Burkitt

God bless you. And this is for His Glory!

To Bear Witness To the Truth

This was written by Father John Corapi over a year ago, but it's one of those reminders that has no expiration date.

An Unequivocal Moral Obligation for All Christians
by Rev. John Corapi, SOLT, STD
www.fathercorapi.com

Every Catholic and, indeed, every Christian faithful to the Gospel, has the moral obligation to bear witness to the truth, “in season and out of season, convenient or inconvenient,” accepted or rejected. This mandate is nothing new, of course. It’s as old as the Old Testament, and as new as the New Testament. Nonetheless, I’m afraid that it has become more necessary than ever to remind ourselves of it.

The Magisterium formally teaches in the Catechism of the Catholic Church #2471, quoting Sacred Scripture, “Before [Pontius] Pilate, Christ proclaimed the He has ‘come into the world to bear witness to the truth’ (Jn 18:37).

The Christian is not to be ‘ashamed then of testifying to our Lord’ (2 Tm 1:8). In situations that require witness to the faith, the Christian must profess it without equivocation, after the example of St. Paul before his judges. We must keep ‘a clear conscience toward God and toward men’” (Acts 24:16).

Let me give you one definition of equivocation: “A statement that is not literally false but that cleverly avoids an unpleasant truth; intentionally vague or ambiguous.” How about this for an example: “A woman has the right to choose.” Choose what? A less vague, ambiguous, and equivocal statement would be, “A woman (or man) has the right to choose to perpetrate homicide. Or, “A nation has the right to facilitate, enable, or legislate genocide.” Oh, excuse me, that would be an unpleasant truth, or maybe an “inconvenient truth,” as the inventor of the internet, Al Gore, might say.

The Catholic Church unambiguously and formally teaches:

The duty of Christians to take part in the life of the Church impels them [IMPELS THEM] to act as witnesses of the Gospel and the obligations that flow from it. This witness is a transmission of the faith in words and deeds. WITNESS IS AN ACT OF JUSTICE THAT ESTABLISHES THE TRUTH OR MAKES IT KNOWN (see Matthew 18:16).

The recent travesty involving the University of Notre Dame’s invitation to the President of the United States to give the commencement address and receive an honorary doctor of laws degree is the antithesis of Catholic and Christian witness to the truth. A lawyer who vigorously, publicly, and consistently support an anti‐life and anti‐family litany of evils will now receive an honorary doctor of laws degree from what is arguably the most prestigious Catholic University in America. A picture is worth a thousand words. Indeed, what thousand words will be conveyed by the picture(s) of Mr. Obama receiving his honorary doctorate and sending off the graduating class at Notre Dame University?

This will be a dark day indeed for the University of Notre Dame and the Catholic Church that permitted it to happen. In the end the bishops have the right, and the duty, to decide if the University of Notre Dame can any longer claim “Catholic” credentials.

Father Corapi on the Notre Dame scandal

Meanwhile, the obligation to bear witness to the truth weighs more heavily than ever on each one of us. We have rapidly entered into a new era of persecution of the Church and the truth that she professes and teaches, reminding us again,

The disciple of Christ must not only keep faith and live on it, but also profess it,
confidently bear witness to it, and spread it: All however must be prepared to
confess Christ before men and to follow him along the way of the Cross, amidst
the persecutions which the Church never lacks.” (Lumen gentius 42; Dignitatis
Humanae 14). Service of and witness to the faith are necessary for salvation:
“So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven” (Mt 10:32‐33).

Written by Rev. John Corapi on May 14th, 2009
www.fathercorapi.com

God bless you. And this is for His Glory!

"I thirst"

After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.

John 19:28 (KJV)

For six agonizing hours Jesus suffered and carried upon Him the sins of the world as He was crucified. The "thirst" mentioned in John 19:28 was probably much more than a physical thirst, it was spiritual. Because Jesus was covered in our sins, He was separated from the Father and probably felt completely empty inside.

As human beings, we all have felt emptiness in our lives. These feelings can be brought on by disappointment, despair, guilt, loss, uncertainty, etc. Yet, throughout the Bible the Word of God continuously hits on one key point...Love.

God thirsts for our love.

Time and time again we are given chance after chance to redeem ourselves and ask for forgiveness. If God were not a loving and forgiving God then none of us would stand a chance at gaining eternal life.

It's easy to validate this statement because the most well known verse in the Bible proves it.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3:16 (KJV)

This point is also echoed in the words that Jesus spoke to St. Margaret Mary Alocoque when He said to her..."I so ardently thirst to be loved by men in the Most Blessed Sacrament that this thirst devours me..."

Do you thirst for Christ? Are you empty inside, do you feel alone, unmotivated or maybe just a little afraid of what's next in your life?

Then take a moment to quench your thirst by reaching out to Jesus.

If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

John 7:37 (KJV)

God bless you. And this is for His Glory!

Knowing how it's going to end

I see many interesting things on my drive to work. This morning I saw a van with a vanity license plate. The plate read "DTH N TAX" which is eluding to the Death and Taxes quote by Benjamin Franklin which goes...

"but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes."

Mr. Franklin got two-thirds of it right. The part that's missing, of course, is Jesus. There is nothing more certain in life than Jesus. He is our guide, our protector, our conscience, our inspiration, and our comfort. That much I'm certain.

When it comes to "Certainty" the entire Book of Revelation is based on certain events that will transpire before, during, and after the final coming of Christ. Since Revelation details these event for us the only unanswered question is when...

No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.
-Mark 13:32-33

Continuing on with this thought let's say someone records (DVR, Tivo, etc.) a sports game from their television. Before they get to watch the game, they hear who wins. So, the final outcome is already known and whether they choose to watch the game is up to them.

We have an advantage that we know for absolute certainty that Christ will come again. Our DVR is the Bible. It's God's pre-recorded message to us. It gives us the knowledge to follow the path to righteousness. We know how the story is going to end...whether or not we continue to educate ourselves with God's word is up us. But one thing is for certain...Jesus is the only way.

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

This post was inspired by my best friend who always says, "Jesus is the only way."

God bless you. And this is for His Glory!

Serving Others

Little Jimmy had lived on the streets since he was 8 years old and today was his 10th birthday. But, to Jimmy, that didn't really matter much at all. The only thing that mattered to him was that the local food bank would be opening it's doors at 6pm sharp. Jimmy looked forward to Thursday evenings because each week he was able to go down and get a nice hot meal for free.

Jimmy arrived at the food bank around 5pm and there was already a line of about 30 other homeless people. During his weekly visits to the food bank, Jimmy had met a wonderful older lady named Teresa. Teresa was in her 70's and came down every Thursday evening to help pass out food. She always smiled and hugged Jimmy when he came in. On most occasions Jimmy came more to see Teresa than he did for the meal itself. She was like a grandmother to him. She was always so kind and would often bring him a blanket, box of crackers, or a 6 pack of Dr. Pepper, which was Jimmy's favorite!

Finally, the doors opened and Jimmy was pushed inside by the crowd behind him. Like a herd of cattle they lined up and received their hot plates of food. But one thing was missing...tonight Teresa was no where to be found. It was then that Jimmy felt an arm touch his shoulder. Smiling, he whirled around thinking it was Teresa. Another familiar older lady named Beatrice bent down to Jimmy's height and struggled with a smile. "I'm sorry Jimmy." The women said, as wetness began to swirl up in her foggy eyes. "Teresa won't be coming here any longer. God called her home last night." Jimmy unconsciously dropped his plate. It was the only hot meal he would have for another week. He cried bitterly for the rest of that night.

* * *

Many years later Jimmy sat behind a polished wooden desk. Numerous certificates and accolades hung from his wall proving he was a well educated man. He was now the Executive Vice President of a large Fortune 200 Technology company. Jimmy or "Big Jim" as he was called across the enterprise, was known for getting teams to deliver on schedule regardless of how bad the situation was. Basically, he came in and "corrected" projects that were at risk of not meeting customer deadlines.

Today, he was getting ready to speak with one of his company's project managers. This particular young lady had been with the company for less than a year. More importantly, this particular software project she was managing was over budget, behind schedule, and the customer was very close to pulling the plug.

Big Jim was getting himself pumped up to put this lady in her place. His plan was to bombard her with several questions that she could not answer and then degrade every decision she had made on the project. Finally, he was going to fire her and take over the project himself. He had done it many times before and this time was going to be no different.

Big Jim motioned for the woman to come into his office. She sat down and smiled. Unlike many of the other times he'd done this, Big Jim noticed something strangely different in that smile that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

"I'm Teresa, Teresa Myers, she said, extending her hand." Big Jim wasn't accustomed to his "victims" talking first and for the first time in many years he was caught a little off guard. Without even realizing what he was saying, he responded, "I'm Jimmy, errr I mean Jim. Call me Jim." He stated, trying to compose himself and remain in "Executive mode".

"Oh." Teresa replied with a smile. "My grandfathers name was Jimmy and I'm actually named after my grandmother." Jim tried to act interested and nodded as he took a drink of the Dr. Pepper can on his desk. "And wouldn't you know", she continued, pointing at his drink. "Dr. Pepper was her favorite drink also. She use to take 6 packs down the food bank every Thursday and give them to the orphans."

Instantly, Jim's body went numb. He slowly lowered the can (which now was shaking in his hand) and leaned forward. It took him several seconds to speak and Teresa patiently sat through the silence as he brought back a buried memory. When Jim finally composed himself, he looked Teresa square in the eye and said, "Let's see how the two of us can get this project back on track."

In this story, Big Jim is reminded of the kindness that the old woman (Teresa) gave to him each time he visited the local food bank. She didn't have to show him the kindness that she did, but without even knowing it she changed a young orphans life. After her death, it was then that Little Jimmy no longer had a desire to go to the food bank. Losing Teresa actually motivated him to get off the streets and make a better life for himself. Once Jim realized that he was speaking to Teresa's granddaughter, his heart was immediately flooded with compassion and he decided to help (and not fire) this young project manager.

If we look at Mark 10:35-45 James and John boldly ask Jesus to allow one of them to sit at His right hand and the other on His left in Heaven. Jesus clears up the "I want to be the greatest" attitude by saying...

whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Mark 10:43-45

The Lesson:

The word "ministry" in the New Testament translates to mean "servanthood in the service of love". We might often find more joy in ministering to the needs of others rather than to our own. It may not be an immediate satisfaction, but you can be certain it will be felt by the person(s) on the receiving end.

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.
1 Peter 4:10

Ultimately, it would be very difficult to imagine a world without people like Teresa in it. Those who volunteer their time for the needs of the poor are favored in God's eyes. If the Lord Jesus Christ came to serve others, then what should our role be towards one other?

In the end, Jim learned that we all become great in God's eyes when we help other people become greater than ourselves.

God bless you. And this is for His Glory!

The Innocence of a Child

A small child walked daily to and from school. Though the weather one morning was questionable and clouds were forming, this child made the daily trek to the elementary school. As the day progressed, the winds whipped up, along with thunder and lightning. The mother was worried that her child would be frightened walking back home from school, and she herself feared the electrical storm might harm her child.

Following the roar of the thunder, lightning would cut through the sky like a flaming sword. Being concerned, the mother got into her car and drove along the route to her child's school. Soon she saw her small child walking along, but at each flash of lightning, the child would stop, look up and smile. One followed another, each time her child stopping, looking at the streak of light and smiling. Finally, the mother called and asked, "What are you doing?" Her child answered, "God keeps taking pictures of me."

* * *

The innocence of a child is heartwarming and so very enjoyable to be around. However, it's not long before they grow up, have their own views, and become responsible for their own actions. But, before this ever happens, a child starts off life totally dependent upon his/her parent(s). This dependency is not just during a time of convenience, it's a constant dependency that lasts for many years. Children have a very pure and unfiltered way of looking at the world. They are free from malice, do not hold grudges, do not desire authority or riches, do not lust, are teachable, and provide unconditional love. But again, they are 100% dependent upon their parents.

And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matt 18:3

When Jesus spoke about this, His message was focused on teaching His children about how we should act if we want a chance to enter into His Kingdom. The message focuses on two key points:

1) Our hearts and minds must change like those of a child. Not in a childish sense, but in the sense of being free from hate, envy, malice, seduction, greed, and all evil desires.

2) Being totally dependent upon God and trusting Him as a child unconditionally trusts his/her parents.

3) Humbling ourselves and removing pride from our hearts

These three acts of obedience will not only change your own outlook on life, they will also change those who are influenced by you. Don't be surprised when you start to see more blessings being unexpectedly handed your way.

For the full reading click the link:
Matt 18:1-9

God bless you. And this is for His Glory!

Pain versus Pleasure

World renown motivational speaker Anthony "Tony" Robbins often talks about a Pain versus Pleasure principle that seems to be ingrained in each and everyone of us. Basically, it goes like this...

If we ask ourselves the question "Why do we do the things we do?", it seems complicated, but actually, it has a very simple answer. The answer is to either avoid pain or gain pleasure. Think about this for a minute.

For example - If the only way that I can go to the gym and workout would be to get up at 4am versus 6am, then the question I will ask myself is "Is it worth it?" But, what I'm really determining is whether or not the pain of getting up two hours earlier is worth the pleasure of working out. Not only that, but do I want to do this on a consistent basis?

If the pain is greater than the pleasure, then I will stay in bed. If the pleasure of working out is greater, then I will force myself to get up. It's really that simple.

The same can hold true in terms of eating. For example, will I get more pleasure from eating a candy bar or a carrot...or would I rather just eat nothing at all?

The Bible talks about how Pain and Pleasure keep us from entering through the narrow gate. Many times this comes into play when people start going outside of the status quo and talking more openly about Jesus. There are many Christians "in this boat" (I should know, I use to be one of them) that don't like talking about Christ and either get embarrassed, angry, or turned off.

²⁰The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. ²¹But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.
Mathew 13:20-21

To elaborate, this verse from Matthew is basically pointing out that many hear the Word, but then tribulation, persecution, isolation, etc. occur on account of the Word and they fall away. This is where the pain versus pleasure principle kicks in. Because we are either thinking short term and trying to please men. Or we are thinking long term - standing firm and carrying forward with God's Word.

²⁸Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Matthew 10:28

Sometimes we may think that people are driven away from God by pain. I'd argue that more people are lured away by pleasures. Earthly pleasures are very unlikely to push people closer to God. When things are going well, we tend to forget who is pulling the strings and even when things are not going so well, we often lose faith and may not try as hard as we should to rectify our situation through prayer.

There are always going to be perils in life. The temptation to receive praise or acceptance from others will remain a constant challenge. Especially if it means that you have to take sides. It's only through faith and prayer that courage is granted and perseverance will win.

³³But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.
Matt10:33

In my humble opinion, a little bit of pain now is worth an eternity's worth of pleasure. What do you think?

God bless you. And this is for His Glory

Unanswered Prayers

A man got off work really late one Thursday evening. He had tried everything that he could to get off earlier because halfway across the country, his son was playing in a Thursday night college football game that was being televised on ESPN and he didn't want to miss it. On top of already being late it had been storming outside with rain, thunder, and lightning over the past several hours. The drive home was slow and not only did he have to be cautious driving in the current conditions, he also had to navigate around the other drivers. As he was driving, he said a prayer to God. He asked God to allow him to get home in time to watch his son on television. The storm continued to rage as waves upon waves of lightning flashed nearby.

Finally, after a drive that normally takes him twenty minutes, he arrived at home after an hour commute. He arrived just in time to see a group of his neighbors standing with umbrellas in his driveway. They were pointing and looking at the second floor of his house. The man froze as he stepped out of his car and understood what had happened. A very large tree had been struck by lightning and had fallen onto his house. The tree had fallen directly over his living room where the man would have been sitting watching the game. The tree had caved in half the roof and knocked the top floor down into the living room area. It was easy to see that if anyone had been sitting in the living room they could not have survived.

The story above has similarities to when Jesus predicted His death to his disciples. Jesus told them that He would suffer, die, and rise from the dead. Peter was not able to accept those remarks and took Jesus aside and rebuked him. Peter was in denial and had no idea about God's master plan.

He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. "Get behind me, Satan!" he said. "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."
Mark8:31-33

If Peter ended up having it his way, Jesus would have never died for our sins.

We all wish and pray for things that don't come to fruition. We must trust in God's plan and have faith that He will see us through difficult times. Forcing or going against God's plan only seems to worsen the situation. Have patience and accept the situation you are in with thankfulness and reassurance that there is a greater lesson to be learned.

God bless you. And this is for His Glory!

The Journey

The record of the oldest person in the world to receive a college diploma is Nola Ochs. She received her Bachelor's degree in general studies and history from the Fort Hays State University, which is in the state of Kansas. It was a wonderful moment when the Governor Kathleen Sebelius awarded the degree to Nola Ochs and the crowd of 2176 graduates broke into a standing ovation at her achievement, which included Nola Ochs' own granddaughter Alexandra Ochs (the 21 year old graduated with her) . The ovation was actually against the rule as according to the rule no one would applaud or create any sort of mayhem in the graduation hall until the entire class was awarded the degrees. Nola Ochs was 95 years old when she received her Bachelor's degree on May 14th 2007. But that does not seem to be the end of her educational career. If things go right, she is even planning to pursue a Master's degree.

We've all had something that was really important for us to complete. Can you remember the last time that you wanted to achieve something and put everything you had into it? It might have been studying for a degree, training for a marathon, working toward a promotion, building something by hand, etc.

Whatever it might have been - you put everything you had into it. Perhaps it even consumed your daily thoughts and you even scheduled activities around it.

Yeah, we've all been there at least once.

That's the journey...and the journey is the part that we remember the most. Because once we achieve our goal (the destination), we feel relieved and proud of our accomplishment. Ultimately, it's the journey that molds us into the person that we needed to be in order to achieve our goal.

Think about how this translates in our relationship with Jesus. What if we put everything we had into following and obeying His word? How do you think you would change as a person? If we are going to be consumed with something, let's get consumed with the Holy Spirit. It's only then that we start to appreciate the challenges and difficulty of our journey. Then the Lord will reward us when we reach our final destination.

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life^"will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?
Mark 8:34-36

Each person has their own unique journey through life and not all of us are blessed with longevity. So, the question is...are we doing the things that we need to do now, in order to reach our final destination?

God bless you. And this is for His Glory!

God is our Catcher

Picture yourself as a baseball player.

But you are not just ANY baseball player, you are a pitcher! It's your job to stand tall on the mound, throw strikes, and get opposing batters out. Being a pitcher, you are proud, because you have a superior arm and are always the center of attention. However, in order for you to be successful you must have excellent non-verbal communication with your catcher. The catchers responsibility is to give you a signal, (telling you what type of pitch to throw) then once he catches the ball, he'll throw it back to you. Being the proud pitcher that you are, sometimes you listen or agree with the signal your catcher gives you and sometimes you disagree and "shake him off", because you want throw an entirely different pitch.

Let's stop here for a minute...I'm going to pick this back up again, but want to briefly change gears for a moment...

How many times have worries kept you up at night?

We all experience stress in our lives and sometimes the daily struggle of life can take a toll on our bodies - spiritually, mentally, and physically. We might worry about a thousand-and-one different things ranging from...money, relationships, career, being late, children, weather, food, illness, etc. and we all handle these situations differently.

I get told by my wife all the time that I'm too laid back. She's right, I am laid back. But, I also try not to get worked up over things that might be outside of my immediate control. Worrying about something does not make the current situation any easier. In fact, it makes it more difficult because now your body is attempting to compensate for the added stress, along with trying to think through the particular problem.

In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus speaks to a gathering and tells them they should not be concerned with their daily needs. He is basically telling them that worry and anxiety are fruitless emotions that cause more harm than good. He also tells them that worrying will not extend their life, so why bother?

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life
Matt 6:27

When you have worries, pray to God and allow Him to deal with your worries in His own way. Transfer your worries to Him. God wants us to be dependent on Him. Remember - we are His children and He is our Father.

Now back to the pitcher story...

Since we've already established that you are the pitcher, now let's say God is your catcher. God gives you "signals" (Holy Spirit) in an attempt to tell you what type of pitch you need to throw. When you do throw it, God always catches it. Do the same with your worries, throw them to God. In your life the "bases might be loaded" and He is signaling for us to toss away our worries and He will catch them. That's how much He loves us. But, before He can take away our worries, we must first be willing to trust that He is giving us the right "signal."

Trust in the Lord and allow Him to catch your worries. He is constantly signaling us and trying to get our attention. Let us seek and find Him.

Here is the passage from Matthew that inspired this posting:

²⁵"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? ²⁶Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

²⁸"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

³¹So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' ³²For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matt 6:25-34

God bless you. And this is for His Glory!

Never judge a book by its cover

A older man pulls into a car dealership in his 12 year old Hyundai. Like hungry sharks, the always eager salesmen look over the potential buyer. The man is dressed in old sweat pants, a v-neck undershirt, and sneakers with an emerald stain (no doubt after years of cutting grass).

Quickly, the group of sharp dressed salesmen lose interest and go back to their water cooler discussions or start surfing ESPN.com on their iPhones.

The old man enters the dealership and literally has to tap a salesman on the shoulder in order to get his attention. As the salesman turns (we'll call him Dave) he offers a half-hearted smile, and can hear his buddies snickering in the background. This is going to be such a waste of his time he thinks to himself.

Just then another man pulls into the parking lot in a 2 year old Lexus. Before he even steps one foot out of the car, Dave feels a rush of wind as his associates sprint to meet the potential buyer. They are literally fighting over this guy.

The old man smiles at Dave and asks to see some of the higher end vehicles. Dave sighs and waves his hand for the old man to follow. After 15 minutes looking over various cars (Dave had finished giving the old man the revised version of his sales pitch 14 minutes earlier) the old man stuns him with a sudden remark.

"I'll take 3 of these." The old man says. "1 is for my daughter, the other is for my grandson, the other is for my wife of 35 years."

Dave is shocked and pauses for a minute just to make sure the old man isn't pulling his leg (these are $55k cars for crying out loud, is this guy serious he asks himself).

"Is cash okay?" The old man asks. "I'd like to get this taken care of before the end of the day. I'd like to surprise them before they get home."

Later that day, after the old man had left, Dave is finishing up his paperwork and he notices one of his buddies, Ralph, (the one who was lucky enough to get to the Lexus driver first) comes over, sits in the chair across from him and just stares.

"What?" Dave asks.

"I didn't sell a darn thing today," Ralph replied, as he tapped his lips with his finger, eying Dave up and down. "But you Dave, you get this old nobody who comes from nowhere and he buys not 1, not 2, but 3 cars from you...like that! (snapping his fingers). Dave just sat there, shrugged his shoulders, and marked it up to dumb luck.

Later that night Dave was cleaning out his bookshelf. He had just bought a $95 book titled, 'The Wine Connoisseurs Encyclopedia.' It was a nice thick hardcover book that he had been wanting for quite some time. After today's sale, the commission gave him the flexibility to purchase it. As Dave wiggled the book into the shelf he accidentally knocked over another book. It was an old bible that had been passed down from his father. Dave had never really opened it, mostly because he felt that he couldn't really relate to any of the stories. The bible was lying page up and as Dave reached down he noticed the page had opened to a chapter in book of Romans. For some reason that he could not understand, Dave began reading the page starting at verse 9.

⁹ For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. ¹⁰ You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. ¹¹ It is written:
" 'As surely as I live,' says the Lord,
'every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will confess to God.' "
¹² So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.
Romans14:9-12

Then and there Dave got on his knees and began to weep. He knew that he had unjustly judged the old man at the dealership earlier that day. And for some reason that he could not comprehend, God blessed him with the sale of 3 cars.

Dave spent the remainder of the night reading his fathers old bible. God had taught him a valuable lesson to never judge someone by their appearance...

Let us remember to do the same.

God bless you. And this is for His Glory!

Road Trip

Do you remember the last time you went on a long road trip in your car? At some point along the way you had to make the decision whether or not to get gas. Depending on where you live and where your going, chances are that you can find a gas station with little difficulty.

For this example, let's say that you are going on a cross country road trip....

You fill up your gas tank and hit the road, your tires are smoking as you wave goodbye. Throughout the trip there are several places you could stop for gas; however, you decide to pass these up for now under the certainty that you'll come across several other gas stations sometime down the road.

You are just having too much fun in your new red convertible to take the time to stop for gas. The top is down, the wind is blowing through your hair, your sunglasses look cool, the sun is out, people are waving and admiring your sweet ride.

After a few hours you notice that the thrill of the ride has zoned you out and you suddenly realize that you are lost somewhere in the middle of the Mojave Desert. That's 25,000 square miles of sand, rocks, and blistering sun. Immediately you realize that your flashy convertible is not very good at keeping the sun out. To make matters worse you look down at the gas gauge and it shows near empty. The plethora of gas stations that you passed are now no where in sight. You are lost, alone, low on gas and no ones going to hear to hear your cries for help. So what do you do?

You turn to the only person that can help you...God. And so you begin to pray.

The story above is an example of when some people decide to pray. Why is it that the situation has to be serious or even life threatening before people suddenly "change their tune" and turn and toward the Lord?

This is a classic example of using God as a toy. In other words, the toy is always there, if you want to play with it you can, but most of the time you don't use it. It's exactly the the same way that a desperate act of prayer works. We use the Lord as a "God-in-the-Box" toy. Winding him up when we need him and then suddenly He pops out of the box and comes to our rescue. Do you think this is how God wants to work in our lives?

God looks forward to us praying to Him everyday. He expects it so that He can help us understand our daily direction. If we don't pray, then we will mostly likely pass up all those opportunities (gas stations) and some day realize that we've been "zoned out" for years and are suddenly in immediate and desperate need of Him.

Don't wait until the desperation sets in to pray and ask God for direction. Pray daily for the wisdom, patience, love, and guidance that only He can deploy into your life.

Seek Him daily and you will never get lost.

God bless you. And this is for His Glory!

Ever Vigilant

There is an old native American (Cherokee Indian) legend about a youth's rite of passage into manhood. His father takes him deep into the forest one evening, blindfolds him and sits him on a stump. The boy is required to sit there all night and cannot remove his blindfold until the sun comes up in the morning. He also cannot cry for help and must persevere any encounter. If he survives the night, he will become a man.

As night comes the boy's senses scramble in his mind and his ears are on full alert. He hears the rustling of leaves, the howl of the wind, the beats of heavy wings, and footsteps of unknown creatures. The boy is naturally terrified and wild animals must surely be all around him. Perhaps even another human being might do him harm. But, he must sit there stoically, never removing his blindfold. It is the only way he can become a man.

Finally, after a night that seems to have lasted a week, the sun rises and he removes his blindfold. It is then that he discovers his father sitting on a stump next to him. He had been keeping watch throughout the night, protecting his son from harm.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4 (NIV)

We too, are never alone. For our Heavenly Father is consistently watching over us even during our lowest times when we feel lost, depressed, and alone. Even the times that we pray and do not think that He hears us...He does. Remember that even Jesus felt alone and abandoned on the cross...

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
Matthew 27:46 (NIV)

God will not forsake us. What we need to remember is that everything is working according to His master plan. We may not know the reason(s) why things happen the way they do, but we must maintain our faith in His plan and stay faithful to His words.

May you walk in faith even during your most troubled times.

God bless you. And this is for His Glory!

Did God Create Evil?

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis1:1

Even those who have never read a single verse from the bible have (most likely) heard the first verse from the book of Genesis. However, God did not create man to act like robots. He did not create us to be pre-programmed to do His will or obey Him. God granted us with individual minds, feelings, and a free will to choose.

Without blinking an eye, we make thousands of unconscious decisions each day. However, God chose to give us the breath of life. God chose to put us on this earth and God chose for us to live in order to glorify His name. Obviously, we also have a choice to follow Him.

I will proclaim the name of the LORD.
Oh, praise the greatness of our God!
Deuteronomy 32:3

With that being said, one question still remains...

If God created everything...Did God create Evil?

The following dialogue was provided by a new friend of mine (thank you Jan!) and with her permission I am posting it here. After you read this, it will make you think about things differently.

The Debate

At a certain college there was a professor with a reputation for being tough on Christians. At the first class, every semester, he asked if anyone was a Christian and proceeded to degrade them and to mock their statement of faith. One semester, he asked the question and a young man raised his hand.

The professor asked, "Did God make everything young man?" He replied "Yes sir he did!" The professor responded, "IF God made everything, then he made evil."

The student didn't have a response and the professor was happy to once again prove the Christian faith to be a myth.

Then another man raised his hand and asked, "May I ask you something,sir?" "Yes, you may," responded the professor.

The young man stood up and said, "Sir, is there such a thing as cold?" Of course there is, what kind of a question is that? Haven't you ever been cold?"

The young man replied, "Actually, sir, cold doesn't exist. What we consider to be cold, is really an absence of heat. Absolute zero is when there is absolutely no heat, but cold does not really exist. We have only created that term to describe how we feel when heat is not there."

The young man continued, Sir, is there such a thing as dark?" Once again the professor responded, "Of course there is."And once again, the student replied, "Actually, sir, darkness does not exist. Darkness is really only the absence of light. Darkness is only a term developed to describe what happens when there is no light present."

Finally, the young man asked, "Sir, is there such a thing as evil?" The professor responded, "Of course, we have rapes, murders and violence everywhere in the world, Those things are evil."

The student replied, "Actually, sir, evil does not exist. Evil is simply the absence of God. Evil is a term developed to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. It isn't like truth, or love which exist as virtues like heat or light. Evil is simply the state where God is not present, like cold without heat, or darkness without light."

The professor had nothing to say...

Be full of Christ today, there is no room for anything else.

God bless you. And this is for His Glory!

The Apostle Peter

"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."

But he replied, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death."

Jesus answered, "I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that
you know me."

Luke 22:31-34

All too often we associate St. Peter with denying Jesus Christ. But, he did so much for the glory of God that it cannot all be outlined here. Peter was not only "the rock" as Jesus called him; but, he was the leader of the Apostles for many years. Peter and the other apostles were charged with spreading the word and works of Jesus throughout the world. They also had the responsibility of writing the first writings of scripture, so that future generations would not be corrupted by false teachings

"In short, it was the apostles themselves who saw the need for a New Testament canon of scriptures and it was they who produced it."

About Simon Peter:

It is said that the apostle Peter was a slender person, of a middle size, inclining to tallness, and that his complexion was pale, almost white. It is also said that he had a short, thick, curled beard, thin eyebrows, or no eyebrows at all. Peter's eyes were black, but flecked with red due to frequent weeping.

Born at Betsaida in Galilee to a fisherman by the name of Jona, Peter would eventually follow his father into this profession. He, and his brother Andrew, became partners with Zebedee and his sons James and John in a fishing business. All four, Peter, Andrew, James, and John, were to become disciples of Jesus; later to be appointed as apostles by Him. So firm was Peter's faith that Jesus gave him the name of Cephas, meaning, in the Syriac language, a rock. Peter is the Greek translation of Cephas.

The house in which Peter lived in, in Capernaum, is still standing; in the 5th century AD, however, a Christian church was constructed over it. It was Peter who preached to the masses in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost following the Lord's ascension to heaven, and it is his message which is recorded in the New Testament of the Bible, the book of Acts, chapter 2. In fact, much is written about the apostle Peter in the first 12 chapters of the book of Acts in the New Testament. Peter is, also, the one who prompted the disciples to choose a replacement to take over the apostolic ministry of Judas Iscariot (after his betrayal and death); and it was Peter who healed a man over 40 years of age who had been crippled from birth with but the words, "Silver and Gold I do not have, but what I have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk."

Peter was called by the apostle Paul a "pillar" of the church, and it was believed by the crowds that the mere casting of his shadow upon the sick was capable of bringing about miraculous healing. Peter is, also, the one who defended the inclusion of the Gentiles in the Christian movement at the Apostolic Council in Jerusalem. His ministry was primarily to the Jews, as Paul's was to the Gentiles.

After being imprisoned several times in Jerusalem because of his faith, Peter left with his wife and possibly others. It is believed that he ministered in Babylon to the Jewish colonists there, and it is also believed to be his location when he wrote his first epistle (1 Peter).Peter eventually went to Rome, and while there it is believed that Mark (the writer of the Gospel of Mark) served as his translator as he preached. It is, also, believed that as Peter told and retold his experiences with Jesus, Mark interpreted time and time again to Christian groups, and by so doing gave Mark an almost verbatim memory of Peter's recollections.

After Peter's death, Mark, realizing the value of Peter's first hand account, recorded what he remembered so clearly in what we know as the Gospel of Mark. In this manner, Peter became the source of our earliest Gospel.According to church tradition, the Roman Emperor Nero, publicly announcing himself the chief enemy of God, was led in his fury to slaughter the Apostles.

Because of the persecution, Peter was crucified upside down while in Rome. Concerning the last hours of his life, it is said that when Peter saw his own wife led out to die, he rejoiced because of her summons and her return home, and called to her very encouragingly and comfortingly, addressing her by name, and saying, "O thou, remember the Lord." Of the final days of the apostle Peter in Rome, Jowett wrote that Peter was cast into a horrible prison called the Mamertine and for nine months, in absolute darkness, he endured monstrous torture manacled to a post. In spite of all the suffering Peter was subjected to, he converted his jailers and forty-seven others.

Although, just before the Jesus’ crucifixion, Peter denied three times that he even knew Christ. After the resurrection he did not do so again. Peter, just as Jesus told him in John 21:18-19, was crucified by Roman executioners because he could not deny his master again.

According to Eusebius, he thought himself unworthy to be crucified as his Master, and, therefore, he asked to be crucified "head downward." Peter met his death at the hand of the Romans in Nero's circus, 67AD.

Source: The Search For The Twelve Apostles, William McBirnie, PH.D

God bless you. And this is for His Glory.

The Executive

I’d like to share with you a true story about a job interview (of all things) between a head hunter and an executive. I bet you’re wondering what in the world does this have to do with God? Well, after reading the following story as told by Bishop Donald Hilliard, you will certainly find out. Enjoy.


The Executive:

Josh McDowell writes "An executive 'head hunter' who goes out and hires corporate executives for other firms once told me, 'When I get an executive I'm trying to hire for someone else, I like to disarm him. I offer him a drink, take my coat off, then my vest, undo my tie, throw up my feet and talk about baseball, football, family, whatever, until he's all relaxed. Then when I think I've got him relaxed I lean over, look him square in the eye and say - what's the purpose in your life?' It's amazing how top executives fall apart on that question.' Well, I was interviewing this fellow the other day, had him all disarmed with my feet up on my desk talking about football. Then I leaned over and said - what's the purpose in your life, Bob? Without blinking an eye he said, 'To go to heaven and take as many people with me as I can.' For the first time in my career I was speechless."

There are basically five reasons why we don't share our faith more often, and not one of them will hold up when we stand before Christ:


(1) We think it's the preacher's job.

(2) We aren't sure of our salvation.

(3) We fear being rejected.

(4) We've never taken responsibility for learning how.

(5) Our love for Christ has grown cold.

But not Bob: he said, "Whatever a person is like, I try to find common ground with him so that he will let me tell him about Christ and let Christ save him."


Can you say that?


God bless you. And this is for His Glory.

Dealing with Difficult People

Our response to difficult people should center around the examples provided by Jesus, for He surely dealt with many difficult people during His time here on earth. His interactions with these people was never with an attitude of superiority or dominance, but rather one of subservience. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus was quite specific: “But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you (Luke 6: 27-31).”

We also see a related statement by Jesus in Matthew 19:30: “But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.” This is a very difficult assignment, and it is certainly not something we can do on our own or in our own power. Yet it is not impossible if we seek the Lord’s help, because power from the Holy Spirit will enable us to do things we could never do on our own. In so doing, however, it is important to recall the admonition given by the apostle Paul in Romans 12:3: “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” When we succeed in dealing with difficult people with a Christ-like attitude, it is never a cause for pride or self-aggrandizement; it is an occasion to praise the God who makes all things possible through Christ, who strengthens and empowers u s (Philippians 4:13).

Some advice similar to that of the Luke passages, and just as difficult, is given by Paul to the Christians in Philippi, when he tells them to “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves” (Philippians 2: 3-4). Furthermore, Proverbs 12:16 tells us that “A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.” Chapter 13 of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians contains a description of true Christian love—it is to be patient and kind (v. 4).

Putting all this together, the way to deal with difficult people is to love them, pray for them, expect to give rather than to receive, maintain a humble spirit, and relate to them in patience and kindness. But more important is the need to pray for the Spirit’s power to change our own hearts and minds toward the difficult person and enable us to see them as needing the same love, grace and mercy that God extended toward us. Jesus even forgave the men who were going to kill him, as related in Luke 23:34-39. The way to deal with difficult people, then, is to imitate Christ’s humility and love. That kind of response is both edifying to us and pleasing to the Lord.

Excerpt provided by gotquestions.org


God bless you. And this is for His glory!