forgiveness

One thing that is absolutely necessary for us to do as Christians is to FORGIVE! In Matthew 6:15 Jesus says, “But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” There is nothing grey about that verse. If we want forgiveness from God, then we must forgive others. And notice that there are no conditions in the following verses! “But you don’t understand what they did to me!” you might be saying. It doesn’t matter what they did. There are no conditions. We MUST forgive. I know from personal experience how hard it is to forgive someone especially when they are in the wrong and you have no control of what they are doing. Think about Jesus and all that He went through before He got to the cross and when He was on the cross. Look at how He was treated. We wouldn’t even do that to an animal. Whatever we face in this life couldn’t compare to what He suffered and He never did anything to deserve the treatment He received. Yet as He hang from the cross he cries out, “Father forgive…” We have no excuses.

I have to tell you about an amazing example of forgiveness that I saw Wednesday while I was at home for lunch. As I usually do I come home, fix my lunch, and turn on the TV to watch the news. Bobby Cutts, Jr.’s trial was on this particular day. He was being sentenced. As most of you know he received 57 years in prison for killing Jesse Davis, a girl who was pregnant with their second child. As normal procedure, the family of the victim got a chance to speak to this killer who took their loved one away. I believe two sisters spoke out and one claimed that she hated him and could never forgive him for what he had done to their family. Then it was the mother’s turn. She told him that she hoped that he would find God while he was in prison and she hoped that he court would have mercy on him so he could get out someday and see how she has raised his son and that he could tell him the truth someday. And what she said next just blew me away. She said that she forgave him for what he had done! Not only hat but she looked him right in the eyes! Man! Would you be able to do that? I would like to say that I could but it would be very difficult. I think my first reaction would be, “I want to get my hands on him/ her!” but the Jesus inside me demands that I forgive just as she did.

Is there anyone in your life today that you would deem an enemy? Is there someone you “just cannot stand?” If there is then you better deal with the situation now and find a way to forgive. Don’t let unforgiveness fester. It only causes bitterness and anger. Go to that person and work it out. Be Jesus.

Father, if there is someone who we need to forgive today, show us. If we have wronged someone and we know that they are bitter or angry with us and we now about it, give us the strength and courage to ask for their forgiveness. “Thank you” for forgiving us of our wrongdoings even when were enemies to You. In Jesus name I pray…Amen. Randy

Where did they go?

I started to share with you yesterday the story found in Luke 17:11-19. It’s the story of the ten lepers Jesus healed. This story shares the heart of Jesus and shows us His willingness to share His mercy and how compassionate He is. Once again He travels through Samaria which is something a Jew definitely did not do. If you were a Jew and you stepped even a toe on Samaritan soil, then you were considered unclean. You have defiled yourself and that means a trip to the priest. But once again we have Jesus challenging their laws and walking through Samaria. Why not? It’s a shorter walk, right? As He enters a certain village ten lepers, standing far away from Jesus (because of the Law), get His attention. They yell at Him to have mercy on them. He looks over at them and tells them to “go and show yourselves to the priest.” Verse 14 makes an interesting point…don’t miss it! It says “as they were going, they were cleansed.” It wasn’t an “instant healing”…it took faith. And evidently they had some because they took the first step. And as they went to see the priest they were cleansed. Now get this. Evidently they were still in Jesus’ sight when only one of them turned back and yelled “thanks!” Luke 17:15-16 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. My question is, “What happened to the other nine?” Where did they go? And Jesus thought the same thing: Luke 17:18-19 So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? 18 Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” What did these guys think when this one Samaritan turned around to go back to Jesus? Did they think “Dude! He said go to the priest. The temple is that way! Well, he didn’t follow instructions so he’s going to loose his blessing.” I don’t know what they thought or where they went after seeing the priest but what I do know is this…they didn’t say thanks! They were given a great blessing, this miracle. They had been healed from leprosy which meant they could now return to society and live a normal live but they didn’t say thanks, only one…the Samaritan. Not only are we greedy and selfish with Jesus, but we are also unthankful. We take God for granted. Just like these nine that went off with their blessing never to be heard from again, God blesses us time and time again but we are too busy to stop and say “thank you.” Oh, we might say a quick, microwaved prayer, but what we need to do is take some quality time and spend it at the feet of Jesus just like the Samaritan. He fell on his face at the feet of Jesus, giving thanks to Jesus.

Lord, we take time today, to worship you, to sit at Your feet, and to glorify Your Holy Name. We thank You for all that You have done for us. Bless those who are less fortunate than we are. Continue to bless our churches, our nation, our families, and most of all, may You be uplifted and glorified in all things. In Christ name I pray…AMEN. Randy

selfish people

Since yesterday’s blog, I have been doing some thinking and a lot of praying. As I thought about what I was writing and the subject matter the Holy Spirit just illuminated the fact that we are a greedy people. As Christians, we are greedy with Jesus (see yesterday’s blog). And as I was spending time with the Lord this morning He revealed something else to me—we are also selfish. I guess the two kind of go hand in hand.

Have you ever seen two kids playing with some toys. It’s usually one kid with the toy that the other kid wants very bad but he’s not willing to share. We were in Nashville, TN to ride Thomas the Train and as we waited the boys went in a tent to play with some of the train tables they had set up. Of course, there were kids all over the place and the few trains they had to play with were scarce. My son went over to one of the tables to play and there was this one kid who had every train on the table to himself. He had at least 5 cars to his train while the other kids just stood there and watched, begging him for just one of those trains. My son wasn’t going to let him get away with that. He wasn’t going to watch this kid hog all of the trains. He just reached right over and grabbed him a car or two. That kid went ballistic! He was crying and screaming and made such a scene. Thankfully his dad came over and told him to let the other kids have a turn.

That’s the way we are with Jesus. We are selfish or stingy. Have you ever seen Lazy Town? If you have kids, I am sure you have. There is a character on that show named Stingy. As you can tell by his name he is “stingy.” Everything he gets he doesn’t want to share because “it’s mine.” And we act the same way with Jesus, “He’s mine. Salvation is mine. His blessings are mine. You can’t have any.” Oh I’m sure we would never say anything like that, but that is exactly how many of us Christians act! And when we finally are forced to share some of Jesus we kick, scream, and pout just like a kid who is made to share. Check back tomorrow because the holy Spirit has just revealed another “trait” we possess and it’s nothing new! I’ll leave you with this verse to think about… Mark 8:38 "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels." Randy

church planter

This past Sunday we had a guy talk to a few of us at church about church planting. Now I know what many of you are already thinking… “Isn’t there enough churches already?” Let me share with you some statistics that he gave us about “church” as we know it today. There are about 350,000 churches in America today. 3, 800 closed their doors last year and they are closing every day. The average size of a church is around 125 people. 50% of churches are less than 100 and have a bi-vocational preacher (he works two jobs because the church can’t support him financially). Get this one…80% of churches are either keeping the ship steady or they are declining and only 5% are growing!

I live in the South where we have a church of some flavor on every corner. I can throw a rock from where I am sitting at hit at least four different churches. I can go 2 or three blocks and see several more. They are everywhere here! So maybe we do have enough churches…at least in the South. But let me share with you another statistic he gave us. 83.3% of people, surveyed in 2005, said they do NOT go to church anywhere and if they go, it is no more than four times a year (holidays)! That leaves 17.7% of the population going to church. Wouldn’t you agree with me the field is ready for a harvest?

I know it seems to us that everybody has already heard the message of Jesus and that everybody goes to church somewhere already so why bother. That’s a lie from the devil! Look at the statistics that I just gave you. 83.3% of the United States population says that they stay home instead of coming to church. That means one of two things, either they don’t care about Jesus or we are not doing our job to reach these folks. Remember these words of Jesus in Matthew 9:37-38 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”? The harvest is plentiful but His laborers have taken an extended lunch break! We are too busy sitting around in our buildings on our padded pews getting fed bunt we ain’t sharing the food! That’s called greed people! Isn’t that a weird thought? We would never say we are greedy people but we truly are! We are greedy with Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the Father. What good does it do to pray, read our Bibles, listen to some sermons, go to small groups, sing some songs to God? What? Did you just say it helps you to keep “in tune” or “in focus” with God? You just proved what I am saying. If we are not taking what God has instilled in us and sharing with the lost, who are desperate for love and acceptance, then we are greedy!

This is exactly why our churches are closing the doors. We have sat around and got fat from the meat of God and we haven’t been exercising. Oh yeah, we pray for the lost, and then we sit back down on our pews. But I’m afraid that it’s just a prayer that sounds good when we stand in front of the congregation. Oh, we say we want to win the lost! You know…the Great Commission. We even have it in our creeds and mission statements. How many people were baptized or gave their lives to Christ in your church last year? The last 5 years? The church today has been filled with greed. Not for money, not for power, although these are prevalent in our churches today, no, the church has been filled with greed for Jesus. We just keep Him bottled up inside so we can have Him all to ourselves. Lord forgive me, forgive us, for our greed. Help us to share Your love, Your grace, Your mercy and compassion, with a lost soul today. Randy

Share Jesus

The last session of WinterFest was called "Share Jesus." It sounds simple enough. And the concept is as simple as the title: we as Christians are to share Jesus. I love the method that Jeff Walling came up with for the kids to have an opportunity to "share Jesus." He asked them to get their cell phones out, open up the contacts, pick one out, set their alarm to go off at 3:16 (John 3:16) so they can pray for the lost. Then, after 30 days, pass on the Bible that was given them at WinterFest to this person they have been praying for and "share Jesus."

I'm sure their (and ours) cell phones have plenty of contacts that are lost. We know plenty of people who are unchurched, left church, who do not have a relationship with Jesus...right? Yes. We even have family members who do not know Christ. What are we doing about it? Anything? are we sharing Jesus? Isn't that our job? Isn't that our privilege? We have been given a responsibility by Christ to "be light." Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

My question is, "Why do we keep Jesus to ourselves?" When people's lives are in danger, their soul is in jeopardy, and we know it that it is, and we have the answer that will help them, why do we not "share Jesus? I know we don't want people, especially friends and loved ones, to go to hell. I'm sure that we want them to know the joy and freedom that comes in knowing Christ and to bathe in the peace that He gives. what holds us back? Could it be fear? Sure. Could it be that we are afraid that we might not know how to answer their questions? Sure. Nobody wants to look dumb. Maybe it's because we are ashamed of Christ there are many reasons or excuses we can come up with. At WinterFest, they played a game like family feud and the question they had to answer was, "Reasons why we do not share Christ." The number one answer was...we simply do not care. Think about it! We would never admit it but the number one reason that we don't share Christ is because we don't care! It's not important to us. It's not a part of our daily routine so it doesn't get done. I couldn't imagine standing before Christ and saying to Him, "You are not important."

Take some time this week to pray that God will open up doors of opportunity for you to share Jesus. All you have to do is share what God has done for you. If you want to share the Gospel message of Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection, just turn to 1 Corinthians 15:1-7 and then turn to acts 2:36-41 and simply tell them to do what they did. It's really that simple! Randy

See Jesus

This lesson at WinterFest just filleted my heart wide open! This is what I've been trying to get people to understand since I first went into the ministry. I can sum this blog up in one sentence...God does not see race, money, status quo, gender, etc. The fact of the matter is that every person ever born into society has a soul that needs salvation. No matter where they are in our "made up" categories, they have a soul that needs the blood of Jesus! If we don't share Jesus with them...who will? Are we to say, "To hell with them," just because we don't associate with their type? We, as Christians, have to get passed that attitude! As Jeff Walling said in his sermon, "We need to look beyond the outside shell and see what's on the inside." God said the same thing in 1 Samuel 16:7 when Samuel was to anoint a new king of Israel and all of Jesse's sons were to pass before him. "Oh, surely you want this one Lord." And God's reply, "But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” As you know the story, they wait for Jesse to get David and God chooses David as king.

Only if we can truly grasp this concept! I like the two examples Walling used. He used a Goth kid and two gay men holding hands walking into our church building. More than likely, we'd have them met at the front door and never let them in. "Why, we can't have someone like this in our church! What will people think?" for those of you who have this attitude, let me give you something to think about: What does God think about YOUR attitude? It's definitely not Christ's. I hear people get up and pray in church that we want the lost to be saved. That all sounds good but many times, I'm afraid we really don't mean it because when the lost start showing up, we freak out and run them off. We hold elders meetings so we can get these people out of here. Parents and church members alike complain about how they look or they worry if these people will influence their children to "get on drugs." Give me a break...they go to school with them every day. How about this thought...why don't your kids make an influence on these kids, or adults even, for Jesus' sake!

Jesus ministered to everybody-rich, poor, male, female, Pharisee to the average Joe. He walked on Samaritan soil and ate with sinners in their homes. I challenge you to really dig deep into your soul and ask yourself, "Am I truly like Christ or do I just fit the mold of what I think a Christian is?" When is the last time you looked and somebody, judged them, and put them into a category, and never associated with them? If you were truly like Christ, you'd see that person as a soul that needs Jesus. Thank God that He is the potter and I'm the clay and that He continues to shape and mold me into His likeness. where would we be without His grace and mercy? Lord, help me, help us as your people, see as Jesus sees...Randy

Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” Matthew 10-13

Be Jesus

The Saturday morning lesson at WinterFest was “Be Jesus.” I had the privilege to meet one of the most fascinating persons named Marilyn Laszlo. Marilyn studied linguistics at the University of Oklahoma and then kept her commitment to God by serving with Wycliffe Bible Translators. She traveled to Papua New Guinea, with a translation partner, to Hauna Village, home of the Sepik Iwam people. Marilyn, her sister Shirley, and their language helpers took an unwritten language and created an alphabet and reading books, and taught the people to read and write (copied from her blog/ to know more about Marilyn go to (http://marilynlaszlo.blogspot.com/). She was the perfect example of “Being Jesus” however, in his sermon, Jeff Walling reminded us that we do not have to go overseas or to some foreign country to be Jesus. We can be Jesus to our neighbors, our friends, our family, our church members, people at the grocery store, teachers at school, etc.

Think about what Jesus did. Luke 4:17-19 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:
18 “ The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.”
Jesus did just what the prophets claimed He would do. He touched lepers, opened blind eyes, ate with sinners in their homes, set people free from demonic torture, etc. He did all of this in local neighborhoods, people that He grew up with as a child. Jesus traveled around the local villages and people would flock to Him. Every time He would stop to give some teaching, there would be hundreds, sometimes thousands of people hanging on every word He said. They just couldn’t get enough!

What happened to that environment? We have to beg and beg people just to have an opportunity to share Christ with them. It seems that hardly anyone is interested in what we say or do as Christians. Why? Could the problem be with us and not the world? Could it possibly be that over a period of time Christians have stopped “being Jesus” and the world has turned a cold shoulder? We simply need to “Be Jesus.” When it’s not popular, when it’s challenging, when you are being threatened, though it’s the hardest thing to do…Be Jesus. Reach out to this lost and dying world, make a difference for Christ. Simply put…”Be Jesus.”

Know Jesus

What does it mean to know Jesus? Many people say they know Jesus, including myself, but how well do we now Him? Think about this with me for a minute…many times we say we know so and so but what we really mean is we know their name and we have met them on a couple of occasions. We may know a few things about them like what kind of car they drive, how tall they are, what color hair they have, what their parents names are, etc. and we confess to really know them. But do we really? No. Let me give you an example. This weekend at WinterFest we, me, my wife and kids, met two comedians named Bean and Bailey. My sons got their autographs and my wife and I had a conversation with them. I learned that they grew up in Morristown, TN. When I was 12 years old I played against them in the Little League state tournament championship. So I told them about this experience and we talked about some of the players that I played against. I can walk away from that day and say, “I know Bradley Bean and Jackson Bailey.” But in reality, I have no idea who Bradley Bean and Jackson Bailey are! I don’t know their wives manes, what kind of car they drive, where their house is, etc. I don’t really know these guys because I don’t spend time with them. I have only met them at a youth rally. And this is the way many people are with Jesus. They have heard about Him at church, they have attended a Bible study or two, they have sung about Him or listened to a song about Him on the radio, etc. and we say, “Yes, I know Jesus.” But in reality, we don’t really know Him because we haven’t spent time with Him. We don’t worship him like we should, our Bibles are collecting dust, our prayer time is only when it benefits us or we are in trouble and we need help with a certain situation. How would my relationship with my wife be if I treated her that way or even my kids? It wouldn’t be very good. If I only used her when I needed something or I came home and never spoke with her, she’d probably disown me pretty quick. If I didn’t play with my kids or have any interaction with them, they would not be close to me and they wouldn’t have anything to do with me. It’s all about relationship…being intimate. I’ve been married for nearly 12 years to my wife and we dated for a year so I know her pretty well. I know her deepest desires, her favorite things, what she likes and dislikes. I know what makes her tick! Why? Because I spend so much time with her everyday and every night. I can truly say that I know my wife. That’s what it means to know Jesus. To spend time with Him, not just on Sunday mornings at some building, not just listening to someone else’s prayer in a group setting, not just hearing a scripture or two being read, but spending time with Him daily…quality time. Time in prayer, communicating with the Father and listening for His response, worshipping at His feet instead of microwaving your worship just to say you got it done, and reading the Bible, God’s Word, every day. When we do these things, then and only then, will we rally come to know Jesus. How well do you know Jesus? Randy
Psalm 1:1-3 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. 3 He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.

WinterFest

What a weekend! Friday morning we, my family along with 42 youth and adults, traveled to Gatlinburg for a youth rally called “WinterFest.” I have to admit I wasn’t very excited about going because last year, which was my first time to go, was a flop. The fire alarm went off during the Saturday night session so we missed it entirely and I wasn’t impressed by the production either, however this year was a different story. WinterFest passed out a New Testament Bible before the production began. It was to be used all weekend and at the end of the program they challenged the students to pass it along to someone in their contacts list on their cell phone. They used characters to play Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and these men explained what their book is about so the youth could understand better. They had several visuals using sand and paintings. At the end, they took all the individual paints and made one huge display that formed the face of Jesus. (I would recommend that you try and find the “Sand Man” whose real name is Paul Castillo. What he does with a handful of sand is awesome!) God moved in awesome ways. The theme of the weekend was Mission Christ. The four points were: 1. Know Jesus. 2. Be Jesus. 3. See Jesus. 4. Share Jesus. I will talk about these points as the week goes on.

I want to take a few minutes to brag on the youth that went on the trip. They were very well behaved and we had no major incidents! The only problem that I am aware of is the hotel got onto us because a few of the youth had bought those plastic guns that shoot plastic b-b’s. They were outlawed on the property and one kid got caught (I promise…I am not the kid). They were on time for the devotionals which required them to leave the shops in Gatlinburg and get back to the hotel by 10pm. They stayed in their rooms after “lights out” and I never heard anyone complain. There were no arguments or fights and the trip there and back home went as smooth as it could.

Overall, I must say I have never experienced a youth rally or church service that was as good as this weekend. It is my prayer that the lessons given seek deep within our hearts and our lives are changed by what we witnessed. Lord willing, I’ll have more details as the week goes on. Randy

Shape this lump of clay

Jesus was different. He ministered to all types of people, both poor and rich, no matter what nationality. He was never biased. He touched lepers and he challenged the ways of the religious leaders of His day. Today, I want to share with you some more people that those two fish (see previous blogs) represent.

First, the disciples or apostles. In Acts 2 we see them being filled with the Holy Spirit and Peter begins to preach about Jesus and how the Jews were guilty of crucifying Him. There were about 3000 souls baptized that day and the church had begun. The church, also known as “followers of the way.” This was what you were labeled if you left Judaism (the old way before Jesus died on the cross) to follow Jesus. Not long after Acts 2 we see a trend taking place—persecution. The apostles, and the church, were persecuted on a daily basis. Slapped around, beaten, heads cut off, are just some of the things they endured. Why? Because they chose to swim in the opposite direction. They didn’t want to follow “what was normal,” or what people thought to be normal.

Then you have Paul and Barnabas. Two guys who traveled all over their area and started churches…from scratch. Paul had been trained as a Pharisee, well versed in the Old Testament scriptures. He even had Christians put in prison and killed! He once swam with the Judaizers. But when he met Jesus on the road to Damascus, his whole life changed and he started swimming in the opposite direction. He too was persecuted. He was beaten, scourged, stoned, etc. yet he persevered. People would actually chase him from town to town trying to kill him! Why? Because he was different. He didn’t do what people thought was normal. He didn’t fit the description of what they thought should be happening. He went into their synagogues and instead of doing the same old rituals that they do week after week, he preached Jesus and Him crucified. Then he went into the markets and into people’s homes and preached Jesus. No. He didn’t sit in church buildings waiting for the lost to come in…he went out and got them!

I don’t know about you, but I want to be like these people. People who made a difference. And how did they do it? By being like Christ. It’s that simple. Take a look at your life, your spiritual life. Are you like these people? Or are you just one of the crowd. Do you choose to be different or do you just follow along with what ever? I want to be able to say, “I have the attitude of Christ,” but when I look within myself, I see that I have a long way to go.

Thank you Lord for your patience with us. Thank you for your grace and mercy. Thank you for being the Potter and forming this lump of clay. Continue to shape and mold us into YOUR likeness and not ours. In Jesus name…Amen. Randy

Philippians 2:1-7 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
The Humbled and Exalted Christ 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.

where are you going?

Seeing those two fish swimming in the opposite direction than all the fish in the tank at the Aquarium restaurant in Nashville really got my attention. It made Matthew 12 come to life. As I said in yesterday’s blog, I have always been different. I think differently than most people, especially when it comes to “church.” To put it as simple as I can say it, “I’m sick of the way churches have become.” Not all but most, it seems, have become social clubs. You must have a certain amount of money in your bank account, dress a certain way, and you must follow certain “rules” if you want to hang around. (I’m know we have to follow the Bible, but I’m talking about our own “personal rules” that we have and force them on someone else.) Like the Pharisees and the other religious leaders in Jesus’ day. Sure, they had the law and the prophets to govern by but they also put their own twist to things. They had all of these traditions that they made law and forced others to live by them as if God Himself had said it. If one didn’t look like them or act like them they were looked down upon and the Pharisees, who were suppose to be an example of God to the people, would shun them and label them “publicans and sinners.” They would have nothing to do with those individuals. They would go out of their way to avoid any communication with these types of individuals. Yet they stood in the streets and prayed beautiful prayers and they showed off their phylacteries so people could see how much Bible knowledge they had. I have learned that people don’t care how many scriptures you or I can quote. They want to know how we can help them. It does no good to slam someone with scriptures…in fact, it turns them off. If, however, we get involved in their lives and help with a need, the door to share the Bible with them will open and they are more likely to listen!
The Pharisees are like the school of fish swimming around the tank in one direction. They prayed, did daily rituals, made sacrifices, sang their chants, etc. Although it looked great in the eyes of man, it became a routine. Jesus said that “their hearts are far from God.” (Matthew 15:8) Jesus represents the two fish swimming in the opposite direction. He did things different. For example, He said things like, “Moses said to you…but I say to you…” Jesus touched lepers when no one would. He challenged the very thoughts of people. He sat in the homes of “sinners” and ate supper with them. Jesus chose to swim in the opposite direction…to break the mold of how things are “suppose to be.” What’s more important: wearing a suit and tie to church or a lost soul? Wearing my beanie while I eat with a bunch of youth or a lost soul? I think Matthew 12 and other passages make it clear…the lost soul. When our churches grasp this concept, then we will “have the attitude of Christ” and then, we will begin to see growth and not decline.
One thing that really stands out to me in Matthew 12 is verse 7, But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. This is the second time Jesus has mentioned this passage to the Pharisees (see Matthew 9:10-13). This passage comes from Hosea 6:6. Rick Rusaw, in his book, The Externally Focused Church, gives a great explanation of this passage:
Mercy, most simply put, is God’s attitude and action toward those in need or distress. Mercy goes beyond pity (to feel sorry for) or compassion (to feel sorry with). Mercy is always expressed in actions. The Good Samaritan is an example. The Samaritan distinguished himself from the priest and the Levite not just because he “took pity on him”(Luke 10:33) but also because he “had mercy on him” (Luke 10:37). Mercy is love with legs on it.
It’s time we, church, show mercy. It’s time to put the legs on our love and truly show Christ. Randy

Be different.

I was raised in a religious setting. My family went to church every time the doors were opened I guess. My dad had started a bus ministry at the Baptist church and it did well from what people tell me. My brother went on mission trips when I was a kid and now he has started a men’s ministry. My mom is heavily involved at an Assembly of God where I used to play drums at. I’m a youth minister at a church in TN. I was raised Baptist and, as mentioned earlier in a blog, I played drums at an Assembly of God for about five years. When I was twenty-two years old I met a girl who was raised Church of Christ. At the time I was attending another Baptist church and playing drums for a Southern Gospel group. We eventually married and started attending a Church of Christ church. While there the minister encouraged me to preach. After all, this was a desire that God had given me so I went to college and got a degree in Bible. I got my first “preaching job” at a church in Iowa before I even graduated. The reason I’m telling you all of this is so you will know my background. Trust me, it has something to do with the two fish from the restaurant (see yesterday’s blog). Unfortunately, church is very different when you are in an administrative position. Many times I wish I was still a member and didn’t know anything that went on behind closed doors. Don’t miss understand me, I love doing what I do but sometimes the road is tough, especially when you are like those two fish swimming opposite from the rest of the crowd.
I am different. I’ve always been different. I was a skateboarder in High School and wore the weird clothes. I don’t believe in wearing suits just because I’m at church or standing behind a pulpit. I wear a beanie (stocking hat, toboggan) all the time, even when I’m eating! I buy my clothes from Goodwill or one of the other consignment shops in town. I’m different. And when it comes to “church” I have some different opinions about things and it drives people crazy, not to mention that it also gets me in trouble sometimes. When I started the teen center I painted a sign that reads, “It’s OK to be different…Jesus was different.” It’s also painted on one of my old skateboards and this theme is on my business cards. This has been my motto my whole life! And that’s what God was showing me with those two fish at the Aquarium restaurant. The next morning after seeing those fish, I read Matthew 12 again and the first twenty-one verses came alive. It all made sense. Jesus was different. He challenged the “church” people of His day and the way they thought. They wanted to kill Him. They were supposed to be pointing people toward God but instead they spent their time trying to kill Him! Jesus didn’t fit their mold and He surely didn’t fit the description of the Messiah according to them. No. “We are all swimming this way around the tank. You are supposed to be like us. This is the way we do “church.” I can’t speak for you, but as for me and my house, we will…NOT fit into your mold! We choose to be different. We choose to be like Jesus, to reach out to the broken hearted, the lost, the drunkard, the outcast, the cutters, the sexually impure, and the list goes on and on. Jesus came to save those who are sick. We won’t find them in our church buildings during “worship” time on Sunday morning. We have to go into their territory. Remember what Jesus said? “I have to go through Samaria!” Jews didn’t dare set foot on Samaritan soil but Jesus did. And because He did so, many people were converted. Dare to be like Jesus. Don’t just fit the mold of “church.” But if you do dare to different, let me warn you, you will be challenged, even by the “church” people! Randy
Matthew 12:1-8 (The Message) One Sabbath, Jesus was strolling with his disciples through a field of ripe grain. Hungry, the disciples were pulling off the heads of grain and munching on them. Some Pharisees reported them to Jesus: "Your disciples are breaking the Sabbath rules!" Jesus said, "Really? Didn't you ever read what David and his companions did when they were hungry, how they entered the sanctuary and ate fresh bread off the altar, bread that no one but priests were allowed to eat? And didn't you ever read in God's Law that priests carrying out their Temple duties break Sabbath rules all the time and it's not held against them? "There is far more at stake here than religion. If you had any idea what this Scripture meant—'I prefer a flexible heart to an inflexible ritual'—you wouldn't be nitpicking like this. The Son of Man is no lackey to the Sabbath; he's in charge."

Lord, help me to understand...

It seems like every time I read scriptures lately Matthew 12 keeps coming to my mind. I remember the first time I read it, which was about five or six weeks ago, I didn’t really get anything out of it. I have read this chapter several times since with no major revelations. I had been and have been praying for God’s Will to be done, to help me listen for His voice, give me understanding, and to guide my steps so I know God is trying to teach me something. Just what that is I haven’t figured it all out but this past Friday something happened that helped in my endeavor.
I had been to a missions conference in Nashville to prepare for an upcoming trip to Mexico. On the way home we stopped at a restaurant that my wife had heard about and wanted to see—The Aquarium. So we went to the mall but instead of going to the Aquarium, we went to one called the Rain Forrest Café. My five year old was horrified because the gorillas were “staring at him” and when the thunder hit, it was all he could take! After all, we had just been through those tornadoes that hit in West Tennessee last week. So we decided to go to the Aquarium and eat. We sat in there for hours it seemed but in reality, it was about two. It was cool. They have an aquarium in the center of the restaurant that reaches from the floor to the ceiling. It was filled with sharks, sting rays, and all kinds of fish. They even had a diver who got in the tank and waved at the people! As I watched this fish tank I noticed that a school of fish was swimming around the top of the tank, all of them in one direction. In fact, all the fish were swimming in the same direction. They just swam around the perimeter of this huge tank almost like clock work. Every few seconds they’d come back around with their group. I didn’t think too much about it at this point except that it was neat how they stayed together in a big clump like they ruled the tank and dared anybody to mess with them. But then something happened in that tank and I immediately pointed it out to Kim. The Lord does work in mysterious ways and He uses many things to get our attention and to teach us lessons. The reason why it caught my attention is because this particular thing stood out like a sore thumb. There were two fish, the same kind of fish that were in the school, that were swimming in the other direction! I told my wife to look at those fish. It was so weird to me that I grabbed a napkin and a crayon (they gave these to my kids when we came in to eat and it was handy to write with) and wrote the experience down. I didn’t yet know why it struck me so, but it did. And the next morning it all came together and Matthew 12 came to life! God had used some fish to teach me some valuable lessons. I’ll share them with as the week goes on. Just remember this, if we let God speak, He will. If we will slow down and listen, we will hear Him loud and clear. Get that wax out of your ears! Randy
Matthew 11:15 (and others) He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

Like a thief...

The sirens sounded and my kids were scared. We had already prepared for a time like this. It was half time of the TN-FL basketball game when the sirens sounded for a tornado in the area. We have lived here for one and a half years without using our tornado shelter but I sure am glad we had it. School had let out early anticipating these strong storms that were to be coming through our area. They had arrived. Our NOAA radio kept sounding its alarm every few minutes. This time it was for our home town. The sirens were screaming outside for us to head for safety. I went to the neighbors and invited them to come to our shelter. Fortunately for us, the tornadoes went south and north of us. But about 45 minutes south of us, Jackson, TN, wasn't so fortunate. There was major damage to that city including Union University which is where my brother and sister both attended many years ago. Praise the Lord nobody was killed which is nothing short of a miracle! (watch the video) There are 31 reported deaths just in TN alone and over 50 throughout the the storms path. I remember listening to a girl being interviewed and she said, "When the sirens sounded we didn't think a whole lot about it because we live in West Tenessee and it happens all the time. We went to check the weather and we couldn't open our door so we headed for cover." We do have a lot of storms and we get a lot of warnings. We are guilty of taking it for granted.
The Bible tells us that one day we will stand before God in Judgment. This is something we take for granted as well, both Christians and non-Christians. Most of us don't wake up each day anticipating Christ's return or death. We get busy living our lives, carrying on our daily routines, and boom...it happens (or it could happen). How many people do you know that has died unexpectedly, so young? Think about this...we are only one breath away, one heart beat away from eternity! If we don't have a relationship with Jesus Christ, and His blood is not washing our sins away, then it will not be good when we stand before Him in Judgment. What about you friend? Where do you stand today? You never know when your time will expire here on this earth. Are you living in sin or in Christ? Our thoughts and prayers are with those who were effected by these storms. Randy
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

TEAM concept

Unity is a powerful thing. When every body does there part, great things happen. Listen to this video, especially Tom Coughlin, who is the coach of the Giants. He talks about how the Giants bought into the "Team" concept and forgot about themselves. Listen to the clip below and listen carefully to the words Eli says. He uses "we" and "team" often.

It's no doubt this team, the Giants, have done something very significant. They knocked off an undefeated team, the Patriots, who were looking to go down as the only second team in history to have a perfect season. They were a two touchdown underdog and yet they won by three! They accomplished something no one else could during the season...they beat the Patriots.

The Bible talks about the power of unity over and over again from Genesis to Revelation. I don't need to make any comments. Just read for yourself.

Genesis 11:5-6 But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. 6 And the LORD said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.

Acts 2:1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Acts 2:46-47 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

Acts 4:24, 31-32 So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them...31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. 32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.

These are just a few examples of the power of unity. Before Jesus went to the cross, John records one of His prayers on behalf of His disciples and us.

John 17:20-21 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.

If it's God's desire and there's so much power in unity, why can't we, as Christians, grasp the concept? Let me encourage you to read 1 Corinthians 12:12-31. Paul tells us that we are Christ's body and that we are ONE, not many! Just like a football team that is made up of people who play different positions, we all have our part to play. For the sake of lost souls pray about unity, pray for unity, study the scriptures about unity, and ask God to give us unity. We need His power! Randy

Taking on Goliath

It was the most watched Superbowl ever. Super Bowl 42-The Giants verses the Patriots. It was David and Goliath all over again. Think about it...David was a kid who really didn't fit the mold and nobody would ever think he could defeat Goliath. After all, he wasn't invited to the party when Samuel was choosing the next king for Israel. Nope. He was left home to "tend the sheep." The only reason he even knew about Goliath was because his daddy sent him on a mission to take food to his brothers that were fighting in Saul's army. Look at the lines given, look at who predicted what...very few said the Giants could beat the undefeated Patriots. After all, they've already beaten the Giants once. The Patriots have too many weapons they said. Their offense is unstoppable. They have set numerous records this year and they were undefeated! Just like Goliath. Goliath was the Philistine's champ. He had never lost a battle and his weapons were unmatched. He had someone to carry his shield for him which freed both hands to fight with. He had a spear that weighed around 60 pounds (shaft + spear head) and huge sword. His armor weighed around 200 pounds! He, himself was over 10 feet tall! Now compare this to a kid around the age of 12-16 years old who has NEVER been in a battle in his life, armed with some rocks and a sling shot. His brothers told him to go back home to daddy but David wouldn't hear of it. He wanted to take on the giant! If you read 1 Samuel 17:40-51 here's what you'll find out. Goliath did alot of taunting. He mocked David and God but David was not intimidated at all. When Goliath came toward David he took off running toward the giant! As he approached him he took a rock from his pouch, hurled it toward Goliath, and smacked him right in the head. Down he went...knocked out cold. Since David was armed only with a sling shot, he grabbed Goliath's own sword and beheaded him. David prevailed that day. Going against all odds, when nobody believed in him, David put his trust in God and won. The undefeated giant Goliath was now dead and the people sang David's praises. Another undefeated giant went down in defeat this past Sunday -the Patriots, which shows us, yet still, that anything is possible. I found a video on youtube of the last drive of Superbowl 42. The plays the Giants pull off in this final two minutes make goosebumps every time I watch it. Enjoy! Randy Mark 10:27 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”

Shake it off

Did you see that Super Bowl? Very few people gave the G-men a chance and boy...what a game! I'm a Colts fan so since Peyton wasn't in it, I was rooting for the Giants. Since my wife had jury duty today I played babysitter. While my oldest son and I played the game "LIFE" I watched ESPN because I wanted to see if I was dreaming or not. But it's reality. The Giants pulled off what some are calling the biggest upset in history. But as I watched and listened to the commentators something one of them said really caught my attention. They said when Eli broke out of the sack and scrambled right to throw the pass to David Tyree late in the fourth quarter on the game winning drive, it was if he "shook off three Patriot defenders like he was shaking off all those negative comments earlier in the season." If you follow football at all, then you know how Eli Manning and the coach, Tom Coughlin, of the Giants took a lot of harsh criticism during the season. There were people calling for Coughlin to be fired and Manning traded. Manning and Coughlin could have buckled under the pressure but they didn't! They kept cool and endured much affliction and now Eli is the Super Bowl MVP and Coughlin will be recognized as one of the greatest coaches to ever coach the game. "Shake it off," that's what we are to do. When things are not going exactly according to the game plan, when life deals us uncertainty, when friends are few and far between, when the world screams at us that we are nothing but "losers" we have to stay focused. Manning said he just kept staying with a positive attitude and he wasn't going to quit fighting and it paid off. The victory is his. It's the same way with us as Christians. We cannot give up and we MUST stay focused...on Jesus, on our mission, and reaching our goals (get people saved and get to heaven). If we listen to all the distractions that the world and the devil scream in our ears, we will never gain the victory. Who are you listening too? Who has got your attention? Randy Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.