A Father's Walk - Our Fatherly Advice

True Relationship

2012-01-21T15:35:00.002-05:00

" A man of too many friends comes to ruin, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." -Prov 18:24 (NASB)

I just finished reading an article on Yahoo! that basically stated the more time people spend on Facebook, the less happy they are with their lives. Now, I'm sure everyone reading this blog is completely blown away and shocked by this breaking news- not! The article states, "Those who have used Facebook longer agreed more that others were happier, and agreed less that life is fair, and those spending more time on Facebook each week agreed more that others were happier and had better lives." One of the main reasons, according to the research, is due to the fact that on sites such as Facebook one can post thousands of happy and fun pictures. This may give off the impression that your life totally rocks, and may cause others to feel inadequate compared to your life. In other words, you don't have to be yourself online. In fact, you can be whoever you want to be! This is where technology can fail us, and can even be dangerous. We lose that valuable human intuition that we were created with through avenues like social networking sites, texting, and so on. It's not personal, and there definitely is no transparency.

I once worked with a man who was a former mason. He would tell me stories of how they would build these huge, towering brick chimneys for condos and homes. If the boss didn't like the work, or if the chimney was tilting- they would tie a chain around the base and rip the whole thing down to the foundation! Then they would start over. When we come to the Cross, God does the same with us. Obviously we can't hide anything from Him, but He wants us to expose ourselves to Him completely as well. God desires that true one on one intamacy with us through Jesus. Unless we are willing to finally surrender and let Him take the reigns, He can only do minimal work with our lives. WE must be ready and willing to allow Him to do so. So, forget about how many "friends" you have on Facebook and don't worry about what everyone else seems to be doing with their lives. Rather, spend more personal time with God and with other believers! We were created for worship, but God also gave us the need for other human relationships. According to Webster's dictionary, the word "virtual" means "being such in essence or effect though not formally recognized or admitted." It's not real. I believe that is one reason so many people are scared to become a Christian, they know there will be a refining process and require vulnerability. We need to encourage them that God will walk with each one of us through these times, and let them know just how truly amazing this walk can be once we give our Lord the control. Listen to the apostle Peter's words in his first epistle: "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen." -1Peter 5:6-11 (NASB)

So keep those relationships open. If you aren't already, get involved in a small group. Find an accountability partner and/or mentor; go have a cup of coffee with someone you haven't connected with lately and find out what's going on in their life. Sit down with your kids and hang out with them for a while! Play games, talk, or go to a movie with them. Most importantly, connect with God in one form or another today, and be sure to make that a daily priority. Once you've established that perfect and eternal relationship with our Father, other relationships and friendships will grow and flourish as well. Be blessed.

Stay on Guard

2012-01-15T12:18:00.002-05:00

" It does not matter how small the sins are provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out into the Nothing. Murder is no better than cards if cards can do the trick. Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one-the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.”
-C.S. Lewis "The Screwtape Letters"

A coworker of mine was telling me the other day about a movie he recently saw. It is entitled "Devil". Now, I've seen the movie in the video store, but obviously never rented it. He went on to tell me about the movie: basically seven people trapped in an elevator, one of whom which is Satan himself. Throughout the movie, random things happen, lights go off, people die, etc... The movie seems to portray Satan as this gruesome, violent, and murderous monster. No one knows who's doing the killing in the movie, and I guess it has a twist at the end. My coworker explained to me that movies like this really get him thinking, that maybe Satan really IS for real. Well, he's half right: Satan definitely is for real, but hardly ever does he show up like that. Rather, he often will show up in ways that we never even know we are being deceived. For example, our enemy can use something such as a relationship, our jobs, even our kids to knock us-and keep us-off track. Basically, whatever keeps our eyes off of the Cross is to his advantage.

Peter tells us to "be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." (1Pet 5:8 NIV) He's looking for chinks in our armor, for vulnerability and weaknesses, such as a lion looks for his prey. However, sometimes it's even more difficult to discern than that. As C.S. Lewis stated in the quote above, sin can be extremely gradual and with nothing flashy. Thus, the whole "angel of light" disguise. Even the strongest of Christians and believers can be fooled from time to time, but it becomes more difficult for the enemy as we grow in our walk with Christ. If you have not read The Screwtape Letters, it is basically about a veteran demon training his nephew in the damnation of a human. Lewis uses the analogy of believers who are completely walking in the Spirit being immune to demonic attack in the following conversation between the demons: "As you ought to have known, the asphyxiating cloud which prevented your attacking the patient on his walk back from the old mill, is a well-known phenomenon. It is the Enemy's most barbarous weapon, and generally appears when He is directly present to the patient under certain modes not yet fully classified. Some humans are permanently surrounded by it and therefore inaccessible to us."

I often write or discuss about the importance of staying committed to our personal relationship with Jesus through prayer, Scripture, and quiet time. Whether you choose to use the metaphor of the two foundations, the armor of God, or anything else, the fact of the matter is that anyone who is walking solid and in complete obedience with our Lord really has nothing to fear from Satan. Yes, he will attack us. Yes, bad things may happen and we will go through all sorts of seasons in life. However, when we stay strong in the Spirit, "test all things" (1Thess 5:21-22), and remain sold out to the Lordship of Christ, we've already won the battle in a war that was won 2000 years ago. And, if you are young in your walk with Jesus or not a believer, I would encourage you to seek answers through God's Word. There is a very real battle for our souls, with either eternal rewards or eternal consequences. Be encouraged though. Salvation is for everyone. Instead, rejoice that you have a Savior who died, rose from the grave, and has reserved a seat- just for you in His Kingdom!

Announcements

2012-01-02T12:25:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone,

I just want to fill you in on a couple really cool things God is doing through A Father's Walk. First of all...my book got sent into editing today! If you didn't know I was writing a book, it's a Christian based resource for single fathers. The book is compiled on my experiences as a single dad, the ministry, and national statistics. Of course, it is strongly based on Scripture, as I included over a hundred different Bible verses in it. With God's help, it should be ready to go and able for sales by mid-March!

Second, myself and a friend of mine are putting together a single parenting expo here in GR on March 17th, 2012. This is a first-time event for us regarding something of this nature, so keep us prayed up please! You can find more information about the expo under our new section entitled "events" on the AFW website.

I pray you all have an amazing start to your new year, and keep your eyes on Jesus for guidance throughout! Have a blessed week.

Matt

An Enduring Gift

2011-12-23T11:56:00.002-05:00

"Then it happened that as Jesus was reclining at the table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were dining with Jesus and His disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, “Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?” But when Jesus heard this, He said, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” -Matt 9:10-13 (NASB)

Merry Christmas everyone! I really want to write something today that is keeping in line with the season, but not too cliche', and also sends a great message all at the same time. I know this is a time of celebrating "the Reason for the season", a time when Christians battle the non-believers for "keeping Christ in Christmas", and really reaching out to those in need. Those are ALL great things, and should never be downplayed. I just pray that we all keep this going not only all year long, but throughout our lifetimes as followers of Jesus Christ. Christmas time is sometimes a feel-good time of the year, but how often does the glow of giving and the love wear off within the next few months? For example: I used to work at a gym. New Year's was our absolute craziest time of the year, simply due to all of the New Year's resolutions that would have people who normally were not dedicated to working out flooding the gyms. In fact, our regular members would usually get quite annoyed because the place was so packed, but that came to the thought and truth of "give it a month or two and they'll all be gone." Yup, nine times out of ten that held true.

What I'm getting at here is we need to both represent Jesus and share the Gospel constantly- not just a few times a year. There is WAY too much at stake for us to back off right now! Read the scripture above again. Are we showing that true godly love and compassion? Are we following the example set in Matthew 25:35-40. Not just this holiday season, but always, are you opening your door to those in need, are we giving up our "wants" so that others can be blessed with "needs"? Our churches will be filled in the next couple days by what I've heard termed "CEO's" (Christmas and Easter only). Our job is to be that salt and light within those building walls in making sure our guests return. It is not just our pastors' job to invite others back, it's our responsibility as well. Volunteer whenever possible; give whenever you can; and by all means...please keep speaking the Truth to the lost! Jesus is the ultimate Gift...Who died for everyone, always. Let that warmth we share as we celebrate our Savior's birth this weekend really resonate with the rest of the world. Let them see what we already know, and show them that the greatest gift ever given already lives in you!

Have a wonderful and extremely blessed Christmas,

Matt

Play Time Under Attack?

2011-11-26T13:54:00.002-05:00

"A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones." -Prov 17:22 (NASB)

Ok, so I'm finally in the category of parents who actually use the phrase, "when I was a kid..."! I'm serious , though. When I was growing up, Atari and eventually Nintendo were JUST coming out, we still had a monster satellite dish in the back yard (which you needed about seven descrambler boxes just to watch), and we recorded songs and audio clips on cassette tapes and filmed videos on VHS with a camera big enough for the networks to use! So what did we do with all of this stuff? We got creative. Yes, there were days of lying around and watching movies and playing video games- but they were few and far between. I remember when I was growing up, my best friend Jeff Collins and I would make all sorts of funny videos, record songs on my tape recorder, and shovel off the snow in the driveway so we could shoot hoops. We would play games of HORSE, have home run derbies with wiffle balls, and make our best attempts at learning how to skateboard. Yes, I may have broken a few bones and once even plummeted 15 feet out of a tree into a swamp, but we were having FUN!

So where am I going with all of this, other than down nostalgia lane? Here's my point: I recently read an article explaining how our children's play time is currently under attack. In the last decade or two, children have lost approximately 12 hours a week of unsupervised recreational play time! I'm not talking about school sports, intramural leagues, and camps of all sorts. No, I am talking about letting them go outside and explore the world like we used to do (even if it means eating a worm or two). Before I go any further, I will agree with many of you on one thing: the world definitely IS a different place than when we were growing up. It's rare to think of our kids playing out in the woods until dark nowadays, walking down the street alone, or letting them go over to other kid's house where we may or may not know the parents that well. The world has changed, and often not for the better- I get that. Believe me when I say that I would NEVER substitute my daughter's safety for a little extra "fun" on her behalf. What I'm saying is that we need to let our kids be kids, and possibly even reintroduce them to some of the things we did at their age. Turn the TV off more often, set time frames on things like Facebook, phone usage, and video games. Challenge your kids to get up and go explore the huge world of opportunities that God has laid out before them! Yes, I'm sure you may have resistance on their part, but in some ways, it's not their fault. Our kids often do not know about such great adventures and times that are available for them, because WE (our generation, that is) have created a virtual world for them that requires very little face to face contact with each other. Kids don't have to be themselves when they're online, plus they can play football (on an Xbox or PS3) all day long and not even break a sweat. It is reasons such as these, combined with countless more that limit our children on their cognitive and creativity skills, physical strength and health, confidence, and so on.

I'm not trying to be a downer here. In fact, I actually hope that I stirred up some great old memories for you! As I mentioned above, we may even have to introduce them to some of these activities. I have taught my daughter the art of diving in a pile of leaves, we have had water fights with the hose, and of course- I am her favorite tackling dummy. As parents, we need to "let go of the reigns" as it be, but naturally still keep our children's safety at priority number one. Yes, it may be hard for us to break our molds as well. I'm sure many of you (myself included) have gotten very comfortable in our nice and cozy little world we've created. We surely wouldn't want to drag mud on the new tile in the hallway, would we? Hmmm... Maybe that's EXACTLY what we DO need! Come on, dad...let's go for it. Make the most of these precious times with your kids, no matter what their age. Hey, the bigger they are, the more competitive the games will be, right? I challenge you to take advantage of these times for every one's sake. One day our kids will be grown and gone, and we will have missed out on some of the greatest times God has ever blessed us with. Plus, our kids will grow into more confident adults and leaders, and I'm sure we will flourish as well. As always, seek guidance through God's Word and prayer for opportunities to grow yourself as a father, and be sure to glorify Him at the end of the night for such a great day of play! (I would suggest, however, keeping the worms out of every one's diet as much as possible.) Have fun!!!

Calling All Christians! -Pt 5

2011-11-19T13:40:00.002-05:00

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." -Psalm 73:26 (NASB)

Well, we've covered a lot in these past several blogs. We discovered how as Christians we are held to higher standards in reference to our words, our judgment (or lack of) of others, and how we steward our bodies and flesh. We challenged ourselves (and possibly others?) to go out and serve God by taking an active role in ministry as well. Today we will cover the final piece to working all of these points together- our Source when it comes to all of this. Jesus MUST be our source of strength, renewal, and protection when it comes to living out the manner to which we've been called. Anything less, and we are bound to fall. When I first started the single dad ministry, I was pumped up! I had just given my life to the Lord a little over one year earlier, and definitely had no idea the work that lie ahead. Within about a year and a half, I became totally fried in the whole matter, and had to shut the group down for a while. What happened? Although I do believe that I was following God's will for my life, I also allowed many of the guys to dump all of their problems on me, and it drained me in every imaginable way. I tried to do too much, and got burned out. Now, don't get me wrong, ministry is a high calling and we are bound to put in some serious leg work sometimes, but the victory is through Christ, and it is He we must seek through it all.

The Bible tells us in Psalms 73:28, "But it is good for me to draw near to God..." (KJV) and in James 4:8, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you..." (NKJV). Although this can be exercised in a variety of ways, I have two key words for you: "quiet time". I've said it a thousand times, add once more here. Nothing in the world can quite match up to true, uninterrupted, one on one personal time between you and God. Now, this doesn't always have to be in a prayer position on your bedroom floor. No, your drive into work everyday or a walk through the countryside can be just effective. The main point is that there are zero (or minimal) distractions where you can talk and listen to Him as He speaks into your life. The writer of Hebrews instructs us to "come boldly to the throne of grace..." (Heb 4:12), which means to draw near with confidence. God loves us, just as we are- you know that. He desires that personal relationship with us, for us to reach new heights that only He can bring us to. Our key to unlocking that potential is by dying to self and becoming obedient children, and giving our Father the love and time that He truly deserves. When we do, Jesus will become the only source of strength and refreshment we truly will ever need. Isn't it time you went and connected with Him today?

11/11/11

2011-11-11T12:59:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone,

Today I'm am going to take a break from our final section of "Calling All Christians" and focus on today in particular. What's so significant about today, you ask? Well, not only is it a once in a century date and really easy to write or type, it is an anniversary date in my life. Below is a text message I sent out to my friends and family this morning:

"As we enter into this time of Thanksgiving, I pray each one of us would truly humble ourselves for the countless undeserved blessings we receive each and every day. For me personally, today is nine years to the day since I was nearly killed in my car accident. I don't deserve to be alive, but I am. And not only am I alive in a physical sense, but I am living in Jesus Christ, whom traded His life for mine. Words can not describe my thankfulness, but He knows. Seek Him today and let our Savior know how much you love Him and be thankful for everything. Live it, don't just say it! Be blessed."

Needless to say my prayer time included plenty of praise, tears, and joy this morning! Let's focus on what really matters every day. God; our salvation; our families; the fact that we live in the greatest nation in the world (let's also remember to thank a veteran today as well); and everything else we have, but almost never deserve. Start your Thanksgiving today, and praise the One who gave it all to you in the first place- each and every day.

Calling All Christians! -Pt 4

2011-11-03T17:18:00.004-04:00

"But you, be sober in all things, endure hardships, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." -2Tim4:5 NASB)

In our previous three discussions, I have focused mainly on us working on ourselves- discovering what it takes to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ, to set ourselves apart from the world, to be pure and holy for His purposes. Today I'm going to switch gears a bit and challenge each one of you (if you haven't already) to step out of the box and get involved in ministry. I spoke on this topic at a fundraiser last year, and one of my main points was not only to get my audience to donate financially to the ministry I was representing, but to get involved DIRECTLY in one form or another. You see, our greatest calling by Jesus is to "go and make disciples", a verse most Christians know, but only some follow. I don't care what denomination you are from (we're all one Body, by the way), whether or not your church is very evangelistic or not, and if you've ever had any experience in doing any outreach. The fact of the matter is that we are ALL called to ministry, be it great or small.

"Freely you received, freely give." -Matt 10:8 (NASB)

I don't need to spell it out for you how desperately our world needs Jesus. Kids are literally dying each and every day, hope is being lost through a major campaign to push God out of our nation, and in so many cases, nothing is being done to help. It's one thing for us to pray for the lost and struggling (a must), and to preach it from the pulpit, but my challenge to you today is, what are you doing to advance God's Kingdom? Before I go any further, please do not think I am putting myself above any one, that I am implying that we all need to become Billy Graham's, or whatnot. All I am saying is that EVERY SINGLE member of the Body of Christ should be serving in one form or another. Our pastor spoke on this the other day and challenged the congregation to get involved, be it big or small. What does something like this look like? Well, God gave you a special talent (works) that only you can accomplish for his purposes. (Eph 2:10) Maybe you are a great singer, well why not try out for the choir? Or perhaps you can make a mean apple pie; hey, I don't know a single church in the world that would pass up some good home cooking! I'm sure a bake sale, position in the cafeteria, or food pantry ministry would love a "piece of your pie"! Whatever you know you are good at: greeting, ushering, working the cameras, evangelism, missions, etc... do it with all your heart. God gave us His absolute best, and expects the same in return.

My advice would be to begin to seek the Lord in this, especially if He has been tugging on your heart lately. Ask Him, "God, you have created me for Your purposes and to go into the field to reap the harvest. Lord, I am asking humbly, what is Your will for me today in ministry? My heart is open and faithful, God, and even though it may be a bit scary- I trust You completely." When we first came to Christ we gave our lives to Jesus because we couldn't do it ourselves. We trust God with our resources, our children, and everything else; so why wouldn't we seek Him with passion in fulfilling our God-given destiny?!? Start today. He will lead you faithfully, and as my friend says, "God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called." In other words, if He brings you to a particular ministry, He will most definitely arm you for the work ahead. Now, go and serve your King!

Calling All Christians! -Pt 3

2011-10-26T18:26:00.002-04:00

Read 1Peter 1:13-16

I love how the verses above go hand in hand with today's topic: dying to the flesh. Follow along with me on this:

"Prepare your mind for action" I can not begin to tell you how often battles have raged in me (before I was saved and afterwards) against addictions and strongholds- and the toughest ones are always in my mind. When it comes down to it, this is often where the war is waged and battles, both small and great, are won or lost. When I was addicted to cocaine, I often found that if I actually rode the physical withdrawals out long enough, I would begin to dwell on the high in my mind. I also soon learned that with drugs such as cocaine, that the MENTAL withdrawals can last up to a year and a half! The battlefield is always in the mind, and just like we would work our bodies out in a gym to get bigger and stronger, we must work out or train our minds to be strong in the time that we need it the most. Satan will attack at strategically placed times: often when we're tired, alone, or in uncomfortable situations. He will whisper soft thoughts of doubt, deceit, or deception into our minds, sometimes only a little bit at once- but letting it build up over time until we crack. Our counter punch to this is memorization of Scripture, discernment, and prayer. Once again, mental maturity comes over time and through CONSTANT one on one time with God. You simply can not step into the ring with an eternal opponent with no training and not expect to get clocked over and over! Take the time to find out where your weak spots are, how you react to them, and search God's Word for answers. Talk with others who have been through similar situations and hold each other accountable.

"As obedient children..." Three words that God has been giving me over and over lately have been: thankfulness, obedience, and praise. We must change our thinking to thanking God for everything in our lives: trials and blessings; our jobs and children; our finances (no matter how much or how little), and so on. We are to praise Him at all times, in the good and the bad. One Scripture that really hit me this morning was Luke 6:46: "Why do you call Me Lord, Lord and do not do what I say?" (NASB) I've read that Scripture a thousand times over, but today it stuck out. I was really battling my flesh early this morning, I had over an hour of down time before an early morning meeting, and I found my mind wandering. I immediately pulled out some old notes I had from a conference and found that verse. Hey, better late than never, right? The way I took it was sort of like if I viewed myself as a hypocrite or not. What I mean is, I claim to be this righteous and holy man of God, and I know I am, but if I (we) live in secret sin, we're lying to ourselves, to God, and to the world. (1John 1:6) Obedience. We must seek it in the same way that we would expect it from our children, yet with greater fervor. The best part of this is that Jesus has gone ahead of us in every situation we will face, He's been there. Not only has He experienced the full temptation of being human, but he cleared the way for us to stay in constant contact with our Father through it all, and not have to worry about God abandoning us when we need Him the most. Jesus knows what we're up against, and He has provided a way through it all whenever needed. (1Cor 10:13)

I could go on for much, much longer in all of this, but I won't. Just know that as long as we're still breathing air here on earth, we will be in a constant battle with our flesh, you can count on it. However, God's Word is infinitely more powerful than anything the enemy can throw at us, but there will be times when you will have to stand strong on His promises and fight back. Get into the Word daily; pray regularly; change your friendships and surroundings if needed (I even went as far as throwing away all of my secular Cd's and cancelled cable TV); and if you don't have a mentor and/or accountability partner, now is the time to start looking for one. We're not going to beat the flesh on our own, but if Jesus is already alive in you, then the chains have been broken. The key is drawing so close to Him every single day that the lusts of the world will supernaturally begin to fade out of your life. Trust me, I've been in the trenches in multiple areas as well, and it is only now- almost five years after my salvation, that I am finally getting an understanding of just how desperate I am for Jesus. Former lusts have faded almost completely out of my life (but I'm also aware that the enemy is always looking for another opportunity to destroy me), but I also realize that apart from Jesus, I (we) can do nothing. (John 15:5)

Calling All Christians! -Pt 2

2011-10-19T18:28:00.002-04:00

Read 1Peter 1:13-16

In the passage above, a quotation from Leviticus 11:44-45, the OT tells us to "consecrate" ourselves and "be holy". Well, what does that exactly mean? The word consecrate means to make holy. Holy means to set apart. So, in other words, God is commanding us to set ourselves apart- for His purposes and because He is. Well, once we receive Jesus as our Lord, that is exactly what we do. We are washed clean from our past, born again as a new creation. However, as we discussed in part one of this topic, our flesh does not always want to die that fast! WE must make the choice to turn from our sinful nature and begin a new life in Jesus. Yes, we have been freed from all unrighteousness, but strongholds can and will remain. God has given us the tools, but it's up to us whether or not we want to walk in the destiny He has laid out before us.

In part one I focused on our words- watching what we say and using a God-given gift for the right use. Today I'm going to combine that with the topic of judgement; not us being judged, but rather, being cautious that we do not judge others. You know the Scripture: "Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way that you judge, you will be judged...You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." -Matt 7:1-5 (NASB) Judging others can easily go hand in hand with gossip (words) and all of the destruction along with it. If we allow Satan to plant seeds of hate, anger, prejudice, and false teaching about others into our hearts, he can literally tear us apart form the inside out. I'm guilty of it, and I'm sure you are too. So, the question is, what are we going to do about it? As General Douglas MacArthur once said, "The greater the knowledge of the enemy, the greater the potential for victory." I have mentioned multiple times in my writings and speakings the importance of spending good, quality time with God is the best way to not only grow in your personal walk, but to fight off attacks and deception from the enemy. Given the fact that we are all sinful human beings and fall short of God's glory, yet He loves us unconditionally, none of us are fit to place judgement on others- for whatever reason. God loves you, just as you are. He did not nor does not see who you were or still may be. No, He sees you as His creation- perfect and holy.

"For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified." -Romans 8:29-30 (NKJV) God sent His one and only Son, Jesus Christ to destroy the works of the devil, and take judgement off of ourselves and each other, and nail it to the cross once and for all. So does that mean we're free and clear from this sin? Well, yes and no. (See Romans 14:10) We are freed from the sin itself, but as with anything that involves free will, we can choose to fall back into it. However, as the verse I just mentioned states, we will all stand accountable for our choices one day before Jesus. We are living in a world that places judgement (whether it means to or not) on pretty much everything around us. Think about it. How does the world (not us individually) place judgement on our looks, weight, style, and personal lives? Well, I say not good. If there was healthy "recommendations" as opposed to judgement, there would be almost zero need for all of the diet fads and shows, magazine and advertisement smut, and media barrage that infiltrates and sabotages our family values. Have you seen "Courageous" yet? If not, I would highly recommend that you do- especially all of you men, whether you are dads or not. Dads, WE are called to be the spiritual leaders in our house- no one else. Before we can teach our children not to place judgement on anything or anyone, we need to take a deep moral inventory of ourselves and make sure we're lining up within God's parameters. Are we setting ourselves apart from the crowd? Will we stand alone for our (and our family's) beliefs and values if necessary? Remember, God loved us so much that He sent Jesus to die for us, even while we were still sinners. So in "calling all Christians", I challenge you to take that step of faith, to seek out a family resolution like the one mentioned in the movie, and dedicate YOUR house to the serving of the Lord!

Calling All Christians!

2011-10-09T13:30:00.002-04:00

"Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in your behavior; because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY." -1Peter 1:13-16 (NASB)

Today I am going to basically begin a series on several topics that we "Christians" often fall in. Please keep in mind that this is to bring awareness to not only where the Body as a whole often fails, but perhaps something I write will set off a flag in your mind as well- possibly an area that needs to be addressed in your walk. Believe me when I say that this blog is being written by an extremely imperfect man, but one whose eyes are on the cross, and strives daily to reach my potential in Jesus Christ. Although I probably could write a book on topics such as these, I will focus on several topics, including our words, judging, dying to the flesh, and getting involved in ministry.

Words are an extremely amazing gift from God. With them we can bless our Lord with prayers and praise, we can tell our kids how much we love them, and use our communication skills to advance our careers. However, just like any other great gift, comes great responsibility. James reminds us in his letter that we stumble in many ways, and he who is able to bridle his tongue can control his whole body as well. (James 3:2) Wow! Did you get that? Just think of how hard it is to control our flesh, yet the Bible tells us if we can control one tiny little muscle, we can literally steer our entire ship. (v 4) Our words can be just as devastating, and often relationships can be broken, reputations can be ruined, and friendships severely damaged or lost over the wrong words. And by all means- watch the gossip!!! Do you want to hear a great definition of what gossip is? According to my pastor, gossip is "when you share something negative about someone to someone else who does not have the power to change it." Let that sink in a bit and then make any necessary corrections. (See also Proverbs 18:19)

Now, I'm not going to focus entirely on the negative portion of words, but I do pray you walk cautiously and be aware of the evil behind cutting words. Be aware of your enemy and keen to his tactics, because tools such as gossip and slander are some of his best angles in breaking the Body of Christ up. On to the positive. Dad, speaking words of love, affirmation, and joy will go farther in your child's life than you will ever know. I mentioned in a previous blog of a time my daughter asked me if I just wanted to go outside and "talk". We didn't discuss anything major, but sharing priceless times with her like this, plus all of the countless prayers, words of affirmation, and telling her how much I love her is laying a foundation in Jesus Christ that will stand against anything this world will ever tell her. There will be a time the world tells our kids that they are failures; but they will rise above if they know dad sees them differently. I'm sure there will be plenty of times a teenage boy whispers sweet nothings in my daughter's ear (unless I can find a way to keep her 5 years old), but I pray she won't be phased by his tactics because of the validation she got from God and from me. Finally, with all of the filth that is on TV, music, and in movies, make sure you teach your kids to help filter out the swearing and slander- that especially means that they NEVER hear it from us as well!

If your tongue is currently getting the best of you, take it to the One who is able to help you overcome. Come open and transparent, asking for wisdom and discernment. Let the praises flow first and foremost to our Lord and give Him the blessings that He is due. Submit yourself, your words, and tongue completely to Him and watch the transformation that follows.

It's all in Him

2011-09-25T14:50:00.002-04:00

"For You are my hope, O Lord God; You are my trust from my youth." -Psalms 71:5 (NKJV)

I had an amazing thing happen to me the other day as a father. Olivia and I were just hanging out at the house, and I decided it was a great time for some ice cream. (Like there's ever a bad time!) What happened next was wonderful. She simply asked, "Do you want to go outside and talk?" So that's exactly what we did, we sat out on my front deck, ate ice cream, and just talked. Now, that may not seem like much, but trust me- times like this are HUGE in our children's lives! Every time we take a minute to just slow down, and enjoy the everyday little moments that pass by all too quickly, we are laying another brick in our legacy as a parent. I am so grateful to God that He has opened my eyes to see these opportunities, and I pray the same for you.

In a couple of my recent posts, I have been telling you about the Fresh Air Fund, an organization that takes children from the urban city in New York, and places them in "host" families in rural areas to discover what a true summer vacation is all about. I recently received an update from the FAF, here's part of what they had to say: "You've helped support the efforts of our local volunteer leaders to recruit more dedicated host families...we were able to spread the word to other potential supporters...THOUSANDS of Fresh Air Children embarked on free summer vacations this summer." Wow- what a great report to hear!

Here's where I'm going with all of this. Our faith and trust must rest solely in the hands of Jesus Christ. Our next obligation as parents is to extend that same love to our children. But it doesn't stop there. If we are truly the hands and feet of Christ, then we must reach out to those who are in need. God gives hope to the hopeless, and He's a Father to the fatherless. Our job is to remain in Him and reach out to a lost and dying world. To all of you who helped in one form or another to the Fresh Air Fund, thank you so much! Dads, I'm gonna talk to you specifically to close out here. YOU are the head of your kids, stay connected to God as your Father, and He will lead you in the direction you are to go. I often think back to what kind of dad I would have been to Olivia had I not accepted Jesus into my life- I'm here to tell you today that not only has He made me a better father than I ever thought possible, He has given me the tools to pass on to my children necessary to keep a godly legacy intact; and the same is available to you. I simply love this quote from Maria Edgeworth: "If we take care of the moments, the years will take care of themselves."

Remembering September 11th, 2001

2011-09-10T14:44:00.002-04:00

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord..." -Psalm 33:12 (NIV)

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty, and justice for all."

Well, tomorrow marks the 10 year anniversary of 9/11. In those ten years we have experienced many ups and downs as a country. We have been in a seemingly never ending war in the middle east, watched as the housing market bottomed out, elected a new president, and bit our nails over the stock market. We have also begun to rebuild a new World Trade Center- bigger and better than ever before and have proceeded to still lead the world in so many ways that only the USA can- for the better. But, have we REALLY changed as a nation?

I remember when that awful day unfolded. I was on my way to a job interview and wondering if World War III was beginning. I also remember in the days that followed the radio commercials, the fund raising, and how this nation all of a sudden came together. We truly were ONE nation, and God was our center- for about three months. American flags flew off of every house top, car, and building- no one was going to divide us! Then the emotion started to fade off in so many ways and all of a sudden there were attacks on Muslim citizens, gang shootings, and back to the usual mayhem that we were accustomed to. Here's my point: if God truly IS our center, not just as a nation, but as individuals- why would we fall back to our old ways? Simple, we are fallen people living in a fallen world. As the Body of Christ, we are to RISE up over these circumstances to lead and evangelize- not wait for a national tragedy to bring them to us.

Jesus cleared the path for us to not only have complete freedom from our sins, but to bring a love to this world that the world itself does not recognize. I'm challenging any and all so-called "Christians": do not wait to act, be the hands and feet NOW! America loves to still call itself a Christian country, built on a rich heritage with God stamped right in the middle. Yet, we back off on certain topics and issues, or we don't stand up the way we should. I am speaking, of course, of approaching these circumstances in a Christ-like way, built solely on the Word of God. John Hagee said it once before, "If the Body of Christ would rise up and stand together, we would be an unstoppable force!" Everyone, the clock IS ticking, and time is running out. We watch as the end times prophecies unfold before our eyes, yet often fail to grasp the severity of the situation and start winning souls. If we want to truly be one nation, we must be ONE Body- functioning on all levels.

Pray. Spend time in God's Word and ask Him to place you where He wants you to be. Remember Jesus' words, "If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom can not stand." -Mark 3:24 (NASB) Let's keep this nation as great and strong as ever before- but it MUST be built on the Rock of Jesus Christ, any other way and we will divide ourselves. GOD BLESS THE USA...AMERICA BLESS GOD!!!

Once Saved, Always Saved? -Part 3

2011-09-03T10:27:00.002-04:00

"And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God." -1John 5:11-13 (NKJV)

We are going to finish up the discussion of whether someone can or can not lose there salvation today, for now. I'm sure I will be adding more to this discussion as time goes on. In the previous post, I brought up the question of why do we still continue to struggle with certain sins, even after we are saved? Galatians 5 tells us that the flesh and Spirit constantly wage war on each other, and 2Cor 10 tells us that we have the ability to demolish "strongholds"- something that is much harder to break off that other parts of the flesh. The absolute best answer I can give in response to breaking free from any of this bondage is CONSTANT submission and quality time spent in the Lord's presence. One thing is for sure- you can always count on the assurance of God's Word and His faithfulness!

We know God's Word to be true and the standard by which we should live from several key verses: John 1:1-2, 14; and John 14:6. Jesus is the Word Who has been with God from the beginning, became flesh, and dwelt among us. He confirms both the Truth of God and the one and only way to salvation in 14:6. If He's the Truth and the Word, then God's Word is absolute truth- period. (I will be writing a blog on this soon as well.) Another assurance of salvation is found in John 10:27-30. We belong to Christ, follow Him, and He gives us eternal life. Jesus and God are one, and no one will snatch us out of Their hand. We can not be stolen, but I DO believe we can make the conscious decision to forfeit our eternal home- even if it's so gradual (one of the enemy's specialties), we don't even notice it. That's the part that scares me for so many Christians. They are so convinced that they are "in", the give up on their walk. Salvation is very real and is given for everyone, that part is true. However, do I think it can be lost? Yes, at what point I do not know. The question is- God has done everything to already clear the way for us and give us the abundant life Jesus speaks about in John 10:10, so why would we ever want to let it go in the first place?!? Once again, constant time with God will reveal so many questions and answers that only He can provide.

Paul reminds us in 1Cor 6:20 that we have been "bought with a price", meaning the shed blood and death of the Son of God. He follows it up in his letter to the Ephesians: "And you were also included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked with Him in a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, Who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession- to the praise of His glory." -Eph 1:13-14 (NIV) Take your salvation and run with it; live the life God had predestined for you before time even began. Yes, you will experience trials, testing, and temptations- but NO weapon that is formed against you will prosper, you will stand against any judging tongue, for this is your inheritance from God and your righteousness is from Him! (See Isaiah 54:17)

Once Saved, Always Saved?- Part 2

2011-08-24T19:07:00.003-04:00

Read 1Cor 6:9-11

Today we are continuing the discussion of whether or not someone can lose their salvation. The questions are: If someone accepts salvation, but does absolutely nothing with it, are they still saved? Or what about someone who is saved early in life, but lives a life of sin and immorality- do they still go the Heaven? Jesus tells us in Matthew 18:14 that it is not God's will that anyone should perish; and Paul follows it up in Romans that nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ (Rom 8:38-39). God loves us more than we could ever comprehend- that it clear. However, can we still lose our eternal home with Him through our own actions?

Today's reading makes it very clear of who will (or will not) inherit the Kingdom. He warns us not to be deceived- thus illustrating the point that just because we are a "Christian", we should never assume we are not required to live righteously. Once again, we all fall (Rom 3:23), but a deliberate rebellion against God and disgracing the Cross is a different story! Let's say someone gave their life to Christ in their mid-teens, mostly because life was going good and that was the "right" thing to do with youth group and such. But, once they graduated, hit college, and fell into the world- Jesus was shoved all but out of mind and a lifetime of sin and immorality followed. Is he still sanctified from a confession and repentance decades earlier? Maybe he simply loses many of the "rewards" we are promised, such as in 2John 8 or 1Cor 3:15? Or, is there a defining line where the ultimate Judge declares him to be unholy, thus resulting in eternal separation from God? A good example of this is found in Matthew 7:21-23. In this example, Jesus is discussing the dangers of false teachings and the pits they can cause one to fall into. Just because someone is proclaiming the Name of Jesus and performing miracles, does not mean it's always coming from God. These works are no substitute for relationship- the Word of God and being in Christ through the Holy Spirit triumphs all of the above, thus giving proof to true discipleship.

As I mentioned in Part 1 of this blog, there is one sin that IS unpardonable- that is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, found in Mark 3:28-30. This is not just a one-time event, but a series of willfully chosen actions that claims Satan is the power behind Christ's work, not the Holy Spirit. This is an abomination, and no forgiveness will be given in this case. On the flip side, we DO see salvation at the last minute for those who have lived a life of sin, but show true repentance. (i.e. the thief on the cross in Luke 23:39-43) So why do we get pulled back in the first place? What is it that often draws us (not succumbs, though) to sin even more once we are saved? In other words, why would we willfully walk back into prison once we've been freed? These are some more points and questions we will explore in the next session. Until then, I pray you would take an inventory of where you may be falling short in your walk, and ask God to help you restore it. Also, ask Him to bring any unconfessed sin to the surface and allow Him to work on that as well. Be open and transparent- that's when He can do His best work in us. Allow His refining fire to cleanse you, thus building an even stronger foundation in Jesus Christ!

Once Saved, Always Saved? -Part 1

2011-08-18T18:01:00.002-04:00

"If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord' and believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." -Romans 10:9 (NIV)

Today I'm going to begin a discussion on the always popular question: "Can you lose your salvation?" In other words, once a person is saved, are they always saved? Let's lay some groundwork...

First of all, we know God's Word to be the one and only true and living Word, which according to Hebrews 4:12, is "living and active" and it "penetrates", "judges", and "divides". If we are truly living as Christ-followers, than there is no other substitute. God's Word is final- period. This is not said to scare or intimidate any of you, in fact, we should rejoice that our guidebook for life is so clearly laid out for us! The problem isn't Scripture, no, it's us. We tend to want to bend, break, and water down the Bible- when in fact we should be studying, meditating, and OBEYING it daily. We know that God sent Jesus to die for us so that we could have eternal life (John 3:16), but the next verse (v 17) states, "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him." (NASB) With that being said, let's explore our conversation.

For those of you who don't understand what being "saved" really means, let me give you the short, short version. When Adam and Eve first sinned in the Garden of Eden, sin entered into the world and cursed all of humanity. We were forever separated from God and His perfect plan for us. Through the blood that Jesus shed on the cross for us, He restored that eternal covenant between God and man- thus bringing His original plan back into being. (See Romans 5:11 & 19) Our flesh is naturally sinful, and nothing less than pure holiness will enter into God's presence in Heaven. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, His blood washes us clean spiritually, and erases our sinful being. Do we still fall? Absolutely, every day. But the important thing to remember is not how "good" we can be- but the fact that we recognize that the blood spilled at Calvary covers all of humanity completely, if we just accept this free gift. I use these words "free gift" because that is exactly what it is: "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." -Eph 2:8 (NASB) For today, I would like you to go back to the basics. If you have given your life to the Lord already, think back to that day and rekindle the fire that was lit in your heart. Are you "working out your salvation" as Paul describes in Phil 2:12? Or, are you coasting day by day, not really doing much for the Kingdom? For those of you who have not made the decision to accept Jesus as your Savior, I pray that you really begin to examine your heart and ask yourself what you're holding on to. Salvation was designed for everyone, and there is NO sin that it does not cover (excluding Mark ch 3- which we will discuss soon). If you don't believe me, have you read my testimony yet? I was one of the worst- yet God did a 180 on my life and here I am today, bringing others to Jesus.

Pray. Read the Gospels and the rest of God's Word. Open your heart and let it penetrate you- not for painful purposes, but for an eternal cleansing that nothing on this earth can match. When you do, His promises will begin to manifest themselves in your life and you can begin (or continue) a new life in Christ!

Pouring into the Harvest

2011-08-03T15:14:00.002-04:00

He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field." -Luke 10:2 (NIV)

I received an update from the Fresh Air Fund (see my post on 6/7/11) the other day. We are SO grateful to God that He has provided 650 out of the goal of 850 sponsor families for the summer! However, with only one week left, we are humbly asking for the remaining 200 families to step up and fill the void. In my previous post, I asked the question "What drives you?" I pray you search deep in prayer and the Word to see if you are led to become a host family for an underprivileged child from NYC. For more information, go to www.freshairfundhost.org.

Thank you SO much to the families that have stepped up already- and I pray that as you read this, the Holy Spirit will begin to stir you up in reaching the greatest harvest Fresh Air has seen yet!

What Drives You?

2011-08-01T19:07:00.002-04:00

Read Revelation 18:1-8

We live in a world driven by power and wealth. Throughout the Bible "Babylon" has been described as an empire against God and built for man's conquests (Genesis 11) to a prophetic city- one described by many metaphors in Revelation. As we read in the opening verses, Babylon has deceived the nations as a harlot, and the spiritual fornication includes many idolatries and abominations against the Lord. As I've been pondering what I would write for this blog, the answer suddenly came to me- and it has been in front of me for years. I'm talking about both my work environment and everyday situations I witness out in public.

At my job I work with several individuals who are driven beyond belief with the unattainable- satisfactory worldly possessions. One guy is so obsessed with work that he has forfeited everything else in life for it- including his personal relationship with the Lord, his wife, and kids. It's a vicious cycle of attaining money that he never spends- only driving himself so far down into an abyss of misery that there seems to be no end in sight. He wants to be "rich", but has sacrificed everything else for it. (See Matt 16:26) Another is sitting on a potential stock deal- and has even self-named the whole thing his "savior". Ouch. Finally, I am observing as another gentleman is watching his marriage corrode before his eyes, but makes no change in direction from his current life- just works, works, works. I asked him one time why he works so much, his answer? To pay all of his bills. He has a $2000/mo mortgage payment, plus a brand new full size truck, and so on. He works approximately 75-80 hours a week to maintain it all. So to sum it up- working while his marriage dissolves to pay for a house he's never in and a car that he rarely drives! In public I see the same thing: parents trying to be "super parent" and fill their kid's lives with toys and objects that many can not afford in the first place. Don't get me wrong, a child is definitely not going to say no to any of the above, but what he or she does not know- simple time and love from mom and dad would trump them all. They don't know- because it's never been presented to them.

The point I'm getting at is this: until we as parents are fully secure in our validation through Jesus Christ, we will not be able to pass it on to our kids. Yes, we must work to pay the bills, but are we living within (or below) our means? Have we ever just said, "No, sweetheart I can't buy that for you right now. But, when we get home I would love to play some hide and seek with you!" Paul tells us in the book of Philippians to "do all things without complaining and disputing" (2:14) and through prayer and supplication, lay it out before the Lord and "the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension" will come upon us. (4:6-7) WE must take the first step- and it begins at the cross. Are you living your life for your God, or for everything else? It's not a half-in, half-out option. You must be sold out 100% to the Lordship of Jesus Christ if you are to experience His full blessings- that starts with prayer and alone time with Him. It may sound difficult, even ridiculous, I know- I've been there. However, I can tell you that now that I'm on the other side- the submitted side, God leads me in every area in my life in ways I never saw before. He will do the same for you..."work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. -Phil 2:12-13 (NKJV)

Reaching Your Personal Best

2011-07-12T16:42:00.003-04:00

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." -Phil 4:13 (NKJV)

I often write and speak about the similarities between physically working out and growing spiritually. In a nutshell, "resistance equals growth". The more resistance (weight) we lift in the gym or at home, the stronger we become. Likewise, as we go through spiritual resistance (trials, tests, persecution, etc...), we grow in strength in our walk with the Lord. Case and point- an experience I had last year sometime when I hit a personal best on squats in the gym...

I always had a set goal in mind when it came to what I wanted to reach in my maximum squat. I had come close several times, hitting a slightly smaller weight total, and even tried my goal- but to no avail. Then I got some great advice from a friend of mine who was a power lifter. I changed a few minor things in my fundamentals- but what a difference they made! Here are 5 key points that will not only help you in working out (should you decide to go that route)- but most importantly, in your walk with Jesus:

1. Confidence. "Therefore let us come boldly to the throne of grace..." -Heb 4:16 (NKJV)
The word boldly here is the same word that means "with confidence". As I stood and looked at the weight on the bar before I stepped under it, I not only had to have the confidence that I could make the lift, but I had to come strong. That is the same way we should draw near to our relationship with Christ, with confidence- knowing that we are accepted as is and that He will only make us stronger.

2. A spotter. In weightlifting, a "spotter" is someone who stands near you when doing a heavy lift to help you just in case you can not do the weight or your own. He or she is there to assist when needed, to help keep you from getting hurt. In life, we can have several types of spotters- primarily our closest friends and family, accountability partners, and mentors. These are people who are in our lives to help us through the resistance when we can't make it ourselves, to keep us from getting hurt. (See Ecc 4:9-12) My friend stood behind me to not only encourage me before I performed the squat, but to stand ready should I need him to help me.

3. Foot positioning. Even though I had lifted for multiple years, I discovered after watching several professional power lifters, that they stood with a wider foot stance than I had done in the past. Turns our when I positioned my feet the same way, it helped my form and technique tremendously! "And having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace." -Eph 6:15 (NASB) Back in the ancient Roman empire, the foot soldiers wore hard, studded shoes, able to grip in the dirt and give them a firm stance while in battle. When we stand on the Word of God, we as Christians establish a stance on a foundation that can not be shaken, thus giving us balance and stability to not only withstand an attack, but to fight back and defeat our enemy!

4. Keep your eyes up! When performing a squat, one of the basic rules is to pick a spot out somewhere high or the wall or on the ceiling, and focus on it. This eliminates both the distractions around you and the possibility of falling forward. What do I mean by that? Well, basically, wherever your eyes are focused- your body will go that way. If I'm doing a squat but looking at the floor, my body will want to tend to go where the eyes are looking, thus I would fall forward with all of that weight on my shoulders. Huh, sound familiar? When we keep our eyes downward (focused on worldly things), we tend to lose focus and fall. However, when we keep our eyes fixed upwards on God, we remain still and can fight through the resistance. (Se Psalms 121:1-2 & 123:2c)

5. Keep your "core" tight. Your core is the middle of your body- your abdomen, low back, spine, and all of the stabilizer muscles that are in between. Without a strong core, you will never reach your maximum potential in working out. Think of it like this: if I have very strong legs and a strong upper body, but the middle (trunk portion) of me is soft and unconditioned, how can I possibly expect to handle a lot of weight on my shoulders and reach my squat goal? Could I do it? Probably- but I would be very shaky coming up and could get hurt. The final piece of advice my friend gave me before I performed the lift was to put ALL of my focus and attention on having a strong and tight core when I attempted my lift. I cut everything else out. I focused on my breathing and I tightened my abs- all at the moment of resistance. As followers of Jesus Christ- ALL of our focus, attention, and mind must be focused on Him. When Christ is our core (not our families, money, jobs, hobbies, etc...) and we put the emphasis on our relationship with Him, we will stand strong and firm when placed with that spiritual resistance on our shoulders! Just like He tells us in Matthew 22:37: "You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." (NKJV) Place Him as your center and everything else will stand strong.

Once I had all of these points in place- I placed myself in position to go for my goal. I stepped back from the squat rack, my shoulders supporting more weight than they had ever done before. I was ready. Down I went and without any help from my spotter, I rose strongly and boldly to a new personal best in squats! I had done it, I had finally reached a goal that had only been a dream before hand! Confidently I racked the weight and high-fived my buddy. Since then, I have done the same lift several more times. Did the weight (resistance) change? No- I am now more CONDITIONED to handle it. The same goes in life- some resistance will never change (dealing with difficult people, finances, stress, etc...), we just become more conditioned to handle it as we grow in our walk with the Lord. I pray this has been helpful for you. You may be going through the same trials and tribulations over and over right now, but are you growing or are you just getting beat up? No matter what, it's time to come boldly to the throne; surround yourself with a godly support system; stand firm on the Word of God; keep your eyes on Jesus; and make Him your core. If you do all of these things, you will become your absolute best in Him!

The 4 o'clock Crash

2011-06-23T16:13:00.002-04:00

"He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength...But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up on wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." -Isaiah 40:29, 31 (NKJV)

How does the middle of the day treat you? Are you like so many millions (myself included) who just CRASH physically and mentally about mid-day? Based on my personal experiences and schedule- I usually start hitting a wall somewhere between 2 and 4pm. I also find that it is at these times that I am very prone to spiritual attacks. When we are tired, our defenses are down. We have an enemy who does not fight fair, often he's such a coward that he will only attack a strong Christian when we are at our weakest. Although we are born again and live by the Spirit, we are still very prone to human weaknesses such as exhaustion and sickness. When I'm in one of these states, I see the flesh act up more. My eyes sometimes fail me; my language may go south a bit; and all too often during these times, my attitude does not uphold to the standard that has been set for us.

Thank God that He sent Jesus to die in our place to save us from our (as Paul says) "wretched" selves! God is faithful to cleanse us from all unrighteousness if we confess our sins (1John 1:9). However, it is our job as well to "condition" ourselves for times when we are at a weak point, or when more difficult and unexpected circumstances pop up. (See my blog entitled "The Spiritual Workout" for a better description of this.) As I (we) grow stronger in our walks, we will be better equipped to remain in the Spirit and not give in to the flesh. Yes, we're human- but no, we do not have to succumb to our flesh. The flesh is extremely strong, but He's stronger in us. (1John 4:4) Spend quaility time with the Lord. Get into the Word and prayer regularly and faithfully. When you do, you will find a strength deep down inside of yourself that you may have never known before. Listen to Paul's words to the Corinthians: "...I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified." -1Cor 9:27 (NKJV)

So the next time you start to hit a mid-day (or whenever) crash, pause and recognize the moment. Take a minute to step back and listen to God. Talk to Him and ask Him for that strength and focus that only comes through the cross. It will be victories such as these that will continue to lay brick after brick on the foundation of Rock you are building in Jesus Christ!

A Breath of Fresh Air

2011-06-07T06:47:00.006-04:00

"For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you invited Me in...The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'" -Matt 25:35-40 (NASB)

I recently was introduced to an organization in New York that takes children from disadvantaged homes in the inner city and connects them with host families in the country. These children are then given an experience that we all still draw upon from our youth- summer vacation! Do you remember those days? For myself, I grew up in Northern Michigan. I had access to lakes, woods, and uncharted beaches. I remember some days when my little brother and I would launch our boat out at 6am, go fishing for a while, swim & eat, then back to fishing in the evening. We literally would be on the water all day long! It is now during my "adult" times in life, when the stress in peaking, that I still recall some of these memories vividly. The smell of a summer breeze, a certain song, and so on can bring back some great memories very quickly.

This organization, known as The Fresh Air Fund (www.freshairfundhost.org) is currently looking for host families for the upcoming summer season. As followers of Christ, and many of us as parents ourselves, we are called to open our homes to the needy, and provide comfort and love to others. (Matt 22:39, John 15:13, Heb 13:2) Many of us have been given so much in life, and it would not be our nature to do the same for others. Programs such as Fresh Air fill a void in society in areas where society itself has failed. None of us could have ever controlled where we were born, and to whom- but through the love of Jesus, everyone is given the same opportunities to experience Him. My life is no different. Yes, I was born in a well-off family, but love was something that was totally foreign to me growing up. Now looking back, I would have gladly traded all of the "stuff" my parents gave me for just a few "I love you's" or some sort of fatherly affirmation. Fresh Air provides this sort of opportunity for us to not only show love to kids who may not get it at home, but to grow ourselves.

Listen to Paul's words to the Corinthians: "For they have refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge such men." -1Cor 16:18 (NASB); "Therefore we have been comforted in your comfort. And we rejoiced exceedingly more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all." -2Cor 7:13 (NKJV) He follows up the same theme of "being refreshed" in his letter to Philemon, "Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord, refresh my heart in Christ." -v 20 (NASB) We are all called to ministry, and programs such as these are a great way to get involved. If you can not sponsor a child due to location or other circumstances, even making a donation online would be filling Kingdom purposes. Whatever you do, do it with all of your might. (Ecc 9:10, Col 3:23) Now is the time for us to get involved with today's youth more than ever. Our kids are hungry for a love that this world can not provide, even if they don't know it yet. Let's stretch ourselves- be the hands and feet that we are called to do; and not only refresh another generation- but bring a revival of strong, young leaders like this nation has never seen before!

Guaranteed!

2011-05-26T06:55:00.002-04:00

"For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." -2Cor 5:1 (NKJV)

"...for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal."
-2Cor 4:18 (NASB)

In this marvelous world of technology and marketing that we live in, we are literally bombarded daily with thousands of advertisements, marketing statements, and guarantees. One thing I have learned for sure (and I know I'm not the only one), is that if we put our trust and faith in worldly things, we will surely be let down. A good example of this is the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. As we watched the chaos unfold, ecosystems destroyed, and lives changed forever, we could only sit helpless watching how our world was impacted in a matter of minutes before and after the explosion. Fishermen and surrounding communities that had absolutely no affiliation with BP were impacted directly, as were shareholders thousands of miles away. You see, many people in Europe and around the world owned stocks and dividends in BP. These dividends were their so called "nest egg"- a good investments that they could rely on to retire with, but still continue working currently. Well, as you may already know- BP was forced to pay out tens of BILLIONS of dollars to the victims and their families. All of a sudden, that so called "nest egg" (which most of these people did not even work for BP)- was gone.

Even recently, I experienced a major hit in my life. I was engaged to a wonderful woman for the past year, and we had our whole future planned out. Through a series of events and fall outs, we watched as our relationship- which we had worked on so hard to build the right way, began to crumble. So now we are both left wondering, "How did we get to this point?" Things still may or may not work out for us- it's too early to tell. What I can tell you through all of this, though, is that storms, disasters, trials, and unexpected situations will surely arise in life- but God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. His character is perfect and never changes, and His will for our lives can not be matched. All of us have been through something, especially if you're a single father. How we respond to these times reflects directly on our personal relationship with the Lord. Stay in the Word, even when you don't feel like reading. Keep praying, even if it feels like your prayers are bouncing off of the ceiling- because they're not. I am speaking from experience here, and Jesus will bring you to a level of peace and comfort that the world can not. (Phil 4:4-6) That is the ONLY guarantee in life.

Our Weakest Point

2011-05-10T07:09:00.003-04:00

"Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil..." -Matt 4:1 (NKJV)

If there is one thing I understand and am constantly learning- we have an enemy that does not tire, and will usually hit us the hardest when we are down. However, I also know that without a doubt...we have a great High Priest who is constantly interceding for us on our behalf. Recently I experienced a shake in my foundation that rattled me pretty hard. In fact, some of these events altered a portion of my life, albeit temporarily. I was mad, hurt, and offended- a PERFECT breeding ground for bitterness and revenge to set it. It may have not been instantly, but my reaction was to turn back to the flesh and my old ways...ways that almost destroyed me once before.

I wanted to pray, but they fell flat; I wanted to get in the Word, but could not focus; I received counseling and guidance from friends, but even that fell on deaf ears for the first week or two. I felt as if I was all alone, completely defenseless against the spiritual onslaught that I was being hammered with. Oh, what a great God we serve! "For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted." -Heb 2:18 (NKJV) I am now on the tail end of the attack. I know it will not stop, but I have regained my footing and am able to stand (with God's help) and fight back. This is attributed to several factors. One, God loves me (us) so much that He sent Jesus to die for us for moments exactly like this. Two, my foundation in Christ was built upon a Rock that took on the storm and did not fall. (Although I was not perfect through it all in regards to the flesh- I did not crumble and give in to more serious actions) This foundation has come over the past several years from spending QUALITY one on one time with the Lord in prayer, fellowship, and the reading of His Word. Three, I experienced a Holy Spirit encounter with a group of prayer warriors that I was not expecting. In short, one woman with such great discernment saw what was going on in my life, and I never even hinted to anything. Immediately the entire group began to lay hands on me, pray over me, and heal me. Evil principalities and forces were bound and cast out, and God's favor, healing, and anointing were loosened- all in the name of Jesus. It truly was one of the greatest experiences of my life!

The point I'm getting at here is that we will all go through great shakes in our foundation multiple times in our lives. Stuff happens- both good and bad. What you must know, though, is that nothing happens in your life that God does not allow. We may not understand why or how it did, but He has also equipped you with everything you need to get through. Maybe today you are suffering from a great hurt. Jesus took the full load of pain when He endured the cross. Perhaps you are facing a variety of temptations, He was offered all of that and more. (See Matt 4) Or finally, maybe you have lost your direction, footing, or foundation- then now is the time to cry out to God more than ever to help get you back on track. Some times are easier than others; but no matter what the trial- God has you. He will never leave, abandon, or forsake us. In fact, He sent His only Son to die on our behalf- THAT is how much He loves you! If you haven't gone through anything of this sort yet, be preparred. Our enemy is cunning and slick- always looking for a way to destroy us. (1Peter 5:8, John 10:10, 2Cor 11:14) Strengthen yourself daily in spending time with the Lord. When you do, you will not only be able to stand strong in the midst of the storm, but you will be able to flip the script and defeat the devil in that day!

Let your light shine!

2011-04-28T07:05:00.002-04:00

"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." -Matt 5:16 (NASB)

God is good, all the time. We know that. Every day when I look around, I see not only all of the joys and wonders He has brought to my own life, but I see it in other's as well. Even when a situation does not seem ideal, through the eyes of Christ we can see so much potential to how He can work in a situation that may seem lost- but is only waiting for Him to be exalted. I have been blessed lately in being able to witness to a couple guys I know. One of them is a self proclaimed atheist, the other a gang member. Now, those may not seem like the type of people I should be talking with, but why not? The question arises: are we the Church or not? Jesus Himself said that it is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. He also said that He did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. (See Luke 5:31-32 & John 3:17) The best part about all of this is that I really have not had to force myself upon either of one these men, in a sense- they are coming to me. Yes, I may have made the initial moves, introduced myself as a Christian, and asked a few probing questions- but that is because I have learned that 9 times out of 10 they will not come to us, we must go to them!

When approaching situations like these, obviously the first part is to stay keen to the Spirit and let Him lead you. What works for me may not work for you, and vice versa. Plus, every situation is unique and should be handled as so. However, there are three things I have discovered over time that are key to strong witnessing. These are: building relationships with those you are speaking to; sharing your own personal testimony; and finally, making sure you are walking the walk you proclaim. Relationship takes time, be patient and not pushy. Sometimes I don't even discuss God with nonbelievers, I just"talk" to them as a person. No one knows your story and how you came to Christ better than you. Do not be afraid to share your testimony, Jesus both commands it and He is behind you all the way (Matt 28:18-20). Finally, the world is watching. In a time when Christians are constantly under the microscope of unbelievers, your light must shine like never before. I am by no means saying to be perfect, that's impossible. Rather, be transparent. People are not looking for perfection, they are looking for what this world is desperately lacking- openness and genuine love. John reminds us in his first letter: "If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." -1John 1:6-7 (NASB)

With all of this in mind and by staying true to my personal walk with Jesus, I have a great opportunity to plant some good seed in the good soil to both of these men. So far neither one of them has been hesitant to my speaking. In fact- they both receive it sometimes and challenge me in how much I really know. I see these as positives because the more they engage in conversations like this, the further they are pulling away from the world. Can I stop them from making the wrong choices? Maybe, maybe not. But I am also seeing conviction on their part, realizing that they are not on the right path and that there may be a better Way out there. Yes, there is a better Way, for all of us- His name is Jesus. Trust Him today with your life, the lives of your children, and let Him use you to be that lampstand on the hill- shining more brightly than ever before!

Ariel and King Triton

2011-04-14T06:36:00.003-04:00

"The royal daughter is all glorious within the palace; her clothing is woven with gold." -Ps 45:13 (NKJV)

Every little girl dreams of being a princess- saved by the prince in a castle from the dragon. Countless books, songs, cartoons, and movies have been written with this familiar theme. My daughter is no different. A few years ago she wanted to be Ariel (The Little Mermaid) for Halloween, and she wanted me to be her father- King Triton. As much as I wanted to be a royal merman with a long white beard, only one of us dressed up that night. I will admit, though, we have had plenty of times when we have played this game at home- climbing over furniture and building castles in an imaginary kingdom.

Today, I am writing to you dads that have your own little princesses at home. She may be 2 or 12, maybe she is all grown. The fact of the matter is that these dreams never die within our girls, and even as adults- they still want to know that they are princesses and that their daddy will protect them. For some of us, getting into a silly game or acting all goofy may be foreign. Maybe you and your daughter's relationship is past those type of days, but is she still your little girl? Your princess? Jesus tells us in Matthew 18:3-5 and again in Mark 10:14-15 that we ALL are to humble ourselves and become like the children in order to receive God's kingdom.

As I've mentioned in previous blog posts, our world is one that is quickly devaluing girls' impressions of themselves, as well as a sound family structure over all. Dad, you carry tremendous weight in determining who your little girl turns out to be, and how she perceives herself. If you are already involved in her life and constantly build up her self esteem- keep it up! If it's been a while since you've told your daughter how beautiful she is and how much you love her, now is the time. Jesus is our ultimate example of love. Continue to spend time with Him every single day, developing that all important relationship with your Father so we can continue to grow as godly ones ourselves.

Protecting Our Children

2011-03-20T17:05:00.003-04:00

Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character." -1Cor 15:33 (NIV)

By far, one of the greatest parts of watching the Super Bowl is always the commercials. Although as Christians we should not promote habits such as drinking and whatnot, a good variety of humor with good messages can be portrayed, even during the game. I must say, however, this past year was by far one of the most disgusting displays of our culture's perception of the world that I have ever seen. Follow me on this: My fiancee' and I were over at some friends' house with our children. We were all enjoying a great game, eating tons of food, and enjoying good fellowship. The children that were present were between the ages of nine and fourteen. If you remember correctly, the variety of commercials that played that day ranged from showing disgusting horror images, to Eminem saying "D--m" on TV, and of course- several commercials with sexual innuendo. The latter included the (unfortunately) infamous GoDaddy commercials, a florist business with a term referring to a woman's anatomy, and a pointless and tasteless appearing of Kim Kardashian in a shoe commercial. All of this was not only being poured into our children's heads- but hundreds of thousands worldwide!

As fathers, it is one of our greatest responsibilities to build a strong and deep foundation in our children when it comes to God's statutes and to ensure that they will not be swayed by such shallow influences. If and when situations arise that our children are exposed to media or examples of worldly influence, it is our responsibility as fathers to immediately identify the foul and correct the moment in a godly way. Possibly you could make a comment such as, "I wish they wouldn't play commercials like that."- thus sparking an opportunity to witness to your child; or immediately back it up with Scripture or a fun experience. Whatever the choice, make sure that YOUR impression is the one that sticks in your kid's mind- not the destructive one.

The greatest impact will come, however, when our children see that we actually model the behavior that we promote. Credibility can be lost in a heartbeat should we slip by swearing in front of our children, watching something racy or gory without them (but have them catch us), or laughing at crude humor. We must constantly keep our eyes on the cross and the world to our backs. Only then, will we continue to die to self and have the light of Jesus shine from the inside out through us. Dad, let your light shine! (Luke 11:33-36)

"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." -Eph 6:4 (NASB)

Who you are in Christ

2011-03-08T06:44:00.002-05:00

When I first became a father and then a Christian, my whole world had just been turned upside down. You see, for about 99% of my life I had lived the typical "worldly" and "bachelor" life. Money, women, and partying were at the top of my list every week- with no thoughts to repercussions or consequences. However, that all began to change from 2006 and on.

Today I consider myself a disciple of Christ and a godly father. I have nailed my old ways to the cross and strive daily to improve myself as a child of God. So how did I get there? I needed to learn (and continue to do so) who I am in Jesus Christ.

KNOW YOUR BLOODLINE

The bible tells us that Adam and Eve were the first humans created by God. We were created in His image, and Adam even walked with the Lord in the cool of the evening in the Garden of Eden. We were created for fellowship with God! But then sin entered in the world and perverted the whole thing. Later down the line, the Lord made a covenant with Abraham and told him that he would become the father of many nations. Eventually, through the lineage of David, Jesus was born in order to bring the world back to God's original plan of fellowship. Through the power of the Holy Spirit and a dying of the flesh, Jesus rose and took His rightful place as the Savior of the world. (Romans 1:3-5) We, too, must die to the flesh in order to receive our true bloodline and be brought back into fellowship with God! (Matt 16:24-26)

KNOW YOUR FAMILY

I was born into a dysfunctional family, and my guess I am not the only one, right? However, I soon learned after giving my life to Jesus, that I am not defined by my earthly family, and that a new family lineage can begin with me! One of the scriptures that I hold on to constantly is 1Peter 1:23, "for you have been born again not of a seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God." What that means is even though we are born of earthly family lineage, that all changes when we give our lives to the Lord. Jesus confirms who His (our) true family is in Matthew 12:46-50. We are NOT defined by our earthly families, surroundings, social status, addictions, our pasts, and by the world! We ARE defined as children of the living God- heirs to the Kingdom of God!

KNOW YOUR INHERITANCE!

"So that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope in eternal life." -Titus 3:7 (NASB)

Our God is the best Father we could ever pray for, and like every good Dad, he leaves an inheritance to His children. Only this time, the inheritance has eternal blessings. Once we step into the Kingdom of God, our eternal future changes for good. We are given crowns of righteousness (2Tim 4:8) and our validation/protection comes from the Lord Himself (Isaiah 54:17). We are sealed from anything this world can do to harm us, and in so- we can ensure the same for our children. Dad, if you haven't made the decision to follow Christ with all of your heart, today is the day. Thank Him for being the Father that He is; know where your true family lineage lies; accept His grace and forgiveness; and be ready to receive your inheritance! Once you've accepted Jesus fully as your Lord and Savior, understand that our job is to steward our kids in the same way- for God's purposes. Lead them the way they should be led, and show them that not only are you a great daddy, but their Father loves them more than they could ever comprehend!

God bless you all.

True Rest

2011-03-02T18:53:00.001-05:00

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” –Matt 11:28-30 (NASB)

I have a close friend that I work with who recently lost his sister, Michelle, at the tender age of 47 after a long battle with diabetes. Now, I did not know Michelle personally, but after a great memorial service, I felt that I had a much better understanding of what a wonderful person she truly was. Michelle was a very upbeat person- the kind of woman that made everyone else around her better when she was near. Although she never had any kids of her own, Michelle also took on a motherly or mentoring personality over several individuals. She was strong in her faith and walked in a matter worthy of a Christ follower.

Eventually Michelle was struck with type 1 diabetes. Her body began to shut down, even to the point that she had to have one of her legs removed. Michelle would not let something like the loss of a leg slow her down, she even made jokes like, “I’m a foot shorter now.” She was a strong woman of faith and courage, and she passed in the winter of 2011.

My friend and I talked about Michelle’s life and passing at work; we prayed and thanked the Lord for the miracle of her life; and even though it is always hard losing a loved one- my buddy told me where he found the greatest peace in all of this. You see, near the end of her time here on earth, Michelle was living at home with her family. She would always fall asleep in the living room chair, but one day when her father went to wake her- she was gone. As he recalled the final day of Michelle’s life, my friend shared with me that Michelle had died with a smile on her face. She knew it was time to leave this world and a dying body. It was a time to rejoice as she was about to enter into the arms of her Savior, to a place where there is no more pain and no more tears, but only a love and comfort that we will all know one day. Michelle died with a smile on her face because she had finally found that eternal rest for her soul.

A Father's Love

2011-03-02T18:49:00.001-05:00

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

I chose to open with the most well known scripture for one reason in particular: that as fathers, we must know how loved we are so that we can then love our children the same. God our Father loved EVERY SINGLE ONE of us so much, that He sent Christ to die in our place once and for all. Our debt was paid in full on Calvary, now we must accept His love with our hearts wide open. For some of us, that may be hard. Although single dads yourselves, many of you (myself included) came from a home without a father. It's hard to grasp the concept of an “Abba” Father- one who loves us unconditionally, and will never leave or abandon us. (Deut. 31:8; Josh 1:5) Once we've accepted the fact God loves us enough to send Jesus to die in our place, we move onto another level- laying our lives down for our children. “We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” (1John 3:16) As followers of Christ, and as fathers- our children are relying on us nowadays more than ever. Kids are screaming for attention in so many ways, and often the cries go unheard. They are acting out through a variety of disastrous methods, sometimes hurting themselves or others. A loving word, hug, or act from dad will mean more to a child than we could ever know. Even at 34 years old, I would absolutely be floored with emotions to hear the words “I love you” or “I'm proud of you” come from my dad. It's never too late dad- tell your kids what they mean to you. Get involved in their lives. Find out where their interests are and where their dreams can take them. If you do these things and keep Jesus as your ultimate example, love God with everything you got, and listen to what your kids are saying- you will become more of a father than you ever thought you were capable of. I know, because that's what happened to me.

Take Up Your Cross

2010-04-01T13:58:00.002-04:00

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?" (Matthew 16:24-26)

So here we are in the middle of the holiest of weeks. Palm Sunday has passed, and 2000+ years ago at this time, Jesus was just about to be captured in the Garden of Gethsemane. He has sat down for one last meal with His closest of friends, and vowed He would not eat or drink again until he was seated at the right hand of the Father. Jesus is praying to God in the garden that this cup may pass Him, but has submitted His will to His Father. (Matt 26:39, Mark 14:36) We know the story- Jesus is captured, tried, beaten, and eventually crucified on the cross. This is where our modern day history begins.

We all fall short of God's glory- period. (Romans 3:23, Ecc. 7:20) But that's not the point- it's what we do with our lives that honors God. The day of Resurrection freed us from the seperation of God once and for all- it never needs to be repeated, ever. (Rom. 5:19) Jesus tells us that we must lay our lives down, often putting earthly pleasures to death. We are to "take up our cross" and follow Him. I once heard it said that the Christian life isn't a playground- it's a battleground. How true that is. Taking up our cross means laying our lives down and often doing things we don't want to do. But if we keep our eyes on Christ, God WILL glorify us! (1Peter 5:10) Ultimately, it's our salvation- the submission of our lives, bodies, and hearts to Christ that guarantees our eternal home in Heaven. By losing our lives, we will find a life in Christ that this world can never provide- just read my testimony for an example. I laid down a life of pride and immorality to receive one of true agape love and forgiveness.

Read the gospel(s) this weekend. Watch "The Passion of the Christ". Really focus on what this week is all about, and remember, no matter what you're going through right now- "It may be Friday, but Sunday's coming!" Have a blessed week.

Accountability

2010-03-20T15:57:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone, today I'm going to talk to you about what I believe is one of the most important (and most over looked) aspects of every believer's walk- accountability. I can just hear the sighs and "ugh's" now- but stay with me. It is an extremely important topic, and a vital part to staying connected with God. Webster's defines accountability as "an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one's actions." So why do we need accountability? How will it help us? Let's look at what God's Word says about that...

1. Importance of Accountability

"Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up." (Ecc. 4:9-10) Everyone needs a support system- as it was explained to me, someone to hold my "feet to the fire." There are two main reasons for this. The first is because if there is no accountability, we don't have to answer to anyone. Yes, we know God is always present- but don't we have a habit as humans to pretend we're behind closed doors- keeping our sin hidden? It is MUCH harder to have to answer to someone face to face consistently than it is to hide in shame. Ever heard of the "definition of integrity"? It's "Doing the right things when no one else is looking." Ouch. The second reason we need to be held accountable is because as the above verse says- if we fall, we need someone there to catch us. Because chances are, once we fall- it could lead to falling further and further. Before we know it, Satan has us completely bound in our sin. However, if we have an accountability partner, this self destructive pattern could be stopped. Listen to what James says: "My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins." (James 5:19-20)

2. Issues of Accountability

"But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called 'Today', so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin." (Hebrews 3:13) Let's face it- we ALL have something that needs to be brought into the light. For some, it may be a dark and ugly sin that we do not want exposed. For others, it may be something that we over look on an every day basis, but it is slowly chipping away at our hearts. Now in reference to the latter, I am speaking of topics such as anger, bitterness, gossip, and slander. These may be something we say, "Well, I'm not addicted to anything, and I'm not hurting anyone." Wrong. The truth is, our words can be far more devastating than our actions, and by the way- as a child of God, we are called to pure holiness. (See my previous blog "On the Fence") As far as the dark and ugly goes- just remember, once you except Jesus into your life, you are free once and for all. There may still be strongholds over your life, but they can be broken. God loves you no matter what, but it is His desire to see every single one of His children flourish. And- as we all know, darkness can NOT survive once it's exposed to the light! It may be painful at first, but I promise if you stick with it- Jesus will free you from the bondage and strongholds!

3. Increasing of Accountability

"Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed." (James 5:16) So where do we go from here? My first suggestion would be to pray and fast- asking God what sins need to be brought to the surface. The second would to be for Him to place someone in your life as an accountability partner. This should be someone with whom you can have regular contact (men with men; women with women- no exceptions), and can ask/tell them absolutely anything. You are giving them the green light to ask the tough questions, but all in the Name of Jesus- to help each other increase your walks. Try to get together on a regular basis- once a week is great. If for some reason you can't get together in person that week, do it over the phone or through email. Once again, it may be hard at first, but stick with it. You are a sitting duck if Satan can get you alone, but if "two or more" have gathered in Jesus' Name- Satan will be crushed! (Matt 18:18-20)

In His Name,

Matt

On the Fence

2010-03-06T16:12:00.003-05:00

"If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth" (1John 1:6)

I'm in the middle of reading the book "Extraordinary- The Life You're Meant to Live" by John Bevere right now. So far, I have found it to be one of the most moving, motivational, and convicting books I have read in a long time. A good portion of the book Bevere refers to the power we have inside of us once we come to Christ- a power that completely smashes every bondage and stronghold Satan has over us. However, many of us Christians continue to practice our old ways- even once we've been set free. The bottom line is, once Jesus sets us free, we no longer have any excuses to continue to live in sin.

"The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked." (1John 2:6) As Christians and as fathers, we need to learn how to tap into that power and walk the way we were created to do so. God created us for His pleasure and His enjoyment- not to take advantage of His grace and Jesus' death on the cross. God is holy, and through our salvation- so are we. (1Peter 1:14-16) We need to decide if we are going to do the bare minimum in our walk, and therefore, receive the bare minimum rewards once we reach Heaven; or are we going to dive in feet first- Christ as our Leader and take on anything and all that this world dishes out to us? I believe in the latter, you know why? Because if any of you guys who are single fathers (and anyone else for that matter) are reading this- you have already been through a tremendous amount of struggle. I for one am a fighter- God saved me not only from physical death, but from eternal hell as well- and I choose to live my life for His glory!
"For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God with your body." (1Cor. 6:20)

Don't straddle the fence anymore. Stop doing the bare minimum, or making excuses. I know the fight is tough- and the enemy loves to toy with our minds. But guess what?!? That's all he has- just tricks. Once you are a child of God through Jesus Christ, sin is no longer your master. Stand up and fight back, put on the full armor of God. When you choose to follow God with everything you have (Matthew 22:37), He will unlock greater blessings than we could have ever known! We are holy. We are righteous. "...however, let us keep living by the same standard to which we have attained." (Phil. 3:16) I pray that we all continue to seek our Lord constantly and achieve our FULL potential in Christ. We all have a God- given ministry deep inside of us, let's unlock it and help expand God's Kingdom here on earth. (John 15:16)

"So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed!" (John 8:36)

Salvation and Witnessing

2010-02-20T06:53:00.003-05:00

The reason I chose this topic today is because I am speaking at a treatment center here in GR next week. They asked me to speak on the same topic. I was just going through some of my old hand-written blogs/journals and found an entry I had written just over a year ago. In this entry I quote Romans 1:9 which says, "For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the gospel of His Son..." I continue to write in the entry of how after I first gave my life to Christ in 2001 (see me testimony on the "About Us" page), I really didn't do much with my walk other than go to church once, maybe twice a week. I really began my walk in 2007, but was just really getting going. I guess where I'm going with all of this is I ended the passage with these words: "Today I pray for God to make me a stronger witness by way of the Holy Spirit. I pray to draw so close to Christ and know Him so intimately, that others see Him in me."

So here I am, less than a year later- and I can say that I am far more confident in my witnessing and am not ashamed of my salvation or how I got here (Rom 1:16-17). Trust me, I still struggle with witnessing to some people (mostly family), but I pray to continue to carry my life out as a Christ-like model. (Phil 1:6) But overall, I have found it not only enjoyable to share the Good News, but also a duty and calling. In fact, Jesus commands us to do it in the Great Commission! (Matt 28:18-20)

I am going to talk briefly to two groups of people who may be reading this: the unsaved and those kinda just going through the motions like I did. First of all, to those of you who have never given your life to Christ, or maybe have back-slid. Several things are at stake here- the most important being your eternal future. Jesus tells us that no one comes to the Father but through Him, and to reach the Kingdom of Heaven one must be born again. Romans 10:9 gives a good outline of what it takes to be saved, but as long as you ask Jesus into your life with a truly repentant heart- He will hear you. Doesn't have to be anything fancy, just sincere. The second point is that we can not become witnesses of Christ until He lives within us. Most of John chapters 14-16 are great examples of how Jesus not only sends us the Holy Spirit to carry and guide us, but also, how we can not do anything apart from Him (John 15:5). Finally, becoming the dads we were created to be. I know whatever you are going through right now hurts, is tough, and you may see no way out- but we find a completeness and wholeness in Jesus that this world could never offer! Trust Him, let Him be your Guide and Light.

If you have given your life to Christ in the past, but have walked away from Him for whatever reason- today is the day to recommit your life to Him. Confess and repent of your sins. Ask Him to wash you clean; and give Him control again. Stay in the Word; pray fervently; attend church faithfully; and begin to surround yourselves with other strong believers. Find a small group that fits you- whether at your church or with some friends. Change what you watch on tv or at the movies and switch your choice of music. (If these things are an issue) Most of all- submit yourself and lay your life down daily for the Lord! (Matt 16:24-26) If you do, you will be amazed at what God will do for you in your life as time passes.

God Bless!

Becoming the Dad You Were Meant to Be

2010-01-27T11:30:00.002-05:00

"He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers..." (Malachi 4:6)

Hey guys, today I want to talk to you about fathering. About being a great dad. About being the father that God created you to be, regardless of our circumstances. What does it take to be a great dad? Well, there is SO much that goes into it- probably much more than I can write in a single blog- but here's a few ideas that you can work off of.

1. Represent a Christ-like model to your kids.

Paul writes in Phil. 1:6, "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." We are a constant work in progress, always remember that. Jesus promises us that if we abide in Him and hold tight to His words, that not only will we bear fruit, but our prayers will be heard by God. In fact, we did not choose Jesus to make us great men, but rather He chose us! (John 15:5-7, 16-17) Chase after Him-daily; Spend time in prayer and reading His word; and most of all- believe in your heart that Jesus is our Lord and He will hear you.

2. Spend quality time with your kids.

Being a single parent is tough, and I'll admit- I'm guilty in this area as well. There are days that we are tired, sick, stressed, and so on that we just feel like we can't give our kids our all. But do know that this is cherished time, and it's also time we can't get back. Look, you're gonna have bad days- that's a given. Don't beat yourself up when you do. The important thing is that we attempt to give our kids the time they deserve. There's a saying that goes, "Take care of the moments and the years will take care of themselves." Playing a board game can be just as much fun (and cheaper) than going to a sporting event; a cardboard clubhouse or a walk through a nature trail can evoke imagination and education more than a theme park; and most importantly- a hug, a kiss, and the words "I love you" will do more for a child than ANYTHING this world can offer. Statistics even show that when a dad is involved with his children, they have higher self esteem, do better in school, and have more positive attitudes than those without involved dads. You may be saying though, "Look Matt, that sounds good and all, but how can I give what I never received? My dad never loved me or showed me affection- I don't know how to as well." In fact, your memories of your father may not be good at all- but that does NOT have to continue on to your kids! If you can't give love because you never received love, I have a verse for you: John 3:16. God loved us so much that He sent Jesus to die for us once and for all- period. Go to the cross. Accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. (See Romans 10:9) Even if you have before, but have walked away from God- today is the day to recommit your life to Christ. Repent and ask Him back into your life. Finally, as a child of God know that you are both a new creation (2Cor. 5:17) and have attained a new family lineage. (1Peter 1:23) This is God's promise and it will open a new relationship with your children that you never thought possible.

3. Championship Fathering

There is an organization that I highly recommend called the National Center for Fathering. They have an initiative moving right now to make "good" dads "Championship Fathers". Go to their website at www.fathers.com and click on the "Championship Fathering" link. Read it over and once you're done- make the commitment. We will love our kids; we will coach our kids; and we will be great role models for our kids. I have made the commitment myself.

I pray this is a good start for you all, let me know how else I can be of assistance- God bless you all!

My Spiritual Workout- Part 2

2009-12-26T15:43:00.002-05:00

Ok, so I just came up with this yesterday- but I feel it's worth sharing. I will keep you all posted as it unfolds...

The first thing to know is in weightlifting, there is a "protocol" you must follow.

1. You must have goals. If you don't, there's nothing to strive for!
2. You must develop a plan (Workout Routine); If you're not sure how to do this, that's what trainers are for. (i.e. Mentors)
3. Train! Remember, resistance=growth.
4. Nutrition. Your muscles can not grow if they're not fed properly with the right food, vitamins, and supplements

So what does a spiritual workout look like? I'll show you what I have for mine. Keep in mind, workouts are always subject to change, and everyone has different goals and abilities.

Goals: To grow stronger in Christ every day
To become more Christ-like every day
Memorize Scriptures
Be a spiritual leader- home, marketplace, church

Workout:
Daily- Devotional, Prayer, Read the Word
Weekly- Memorize 3 verses, Attend church, Fellowship/Accountability with others
(I also put witness often combined in daily and weekly goals)
Monthly- Be active in ministry, Work with a Mentor

Train: Journal Experiences (i.e. A "workout log")
Experiences (exercise)/Outcome (Document what happened, how it was handled, and
what scriptures I can use to combat it next time)
Did I grow from it?

Food: Bible, Books, Prayer, Fellowship (friends, acct. partner, mentor), Journals

Like I said, this is just getting started- but I am very confident it is a basis for my (and yours) personal growth. Try it out. Make your own version up, and let me know what happens! "Beloved, I pray that is all respects you may prosper, and be in good health, just as your soul prospers." -3John2

In His Name,

Matt

My Spiritual Workout- Part 1

2009-12-26T15:24:00.003-05:00

Hey everyone,

It has been WAY too long since I've blogged- and I'm sorry for that. One of the things the Lord has been helping me work on is the stewarding of my time. We are called to be stewards in every area of our lives: Money, our bodies, our kids, and so on. But what about our time? The world is moving faster than ever before. Fast food, fast cars, high speed internet, text, email, conference calls, no sleep, no family time, burn out's through work, work, work!!! Where does it stop?! We have set such an unreachable bar on success, that we will destroy ourselves and many others along the way to reach it. I am no different. Now, I'm not saying that I've become so obsessed with money and possessions that I've lost focus- quite the opposite actually. Any of you single parents reading this will understand.

I recently took a new job within the past few months. It's a great job, love the hours, people, and atmosphere (most of the time). However, when you combine 40+ hours a week with being a single parent to a 3 year old, doesn't leave much time for anything else. If you combine my hours at work with my time with my daughter, it ranges from (depending on the week) 60-128 hours a week! Granted, sleeping is in there, sometimes- but where is my "quiet time" with the Lord? I also like to work out- it's a great stress relief, and my way to escape sometimes. The problem is, to attain any sort of results- I must put my time in at the gym. So during these long weeks I only have limited amounts of time to lift and spend in quiet time. They both demand my full concentration, so which do I choose over the other? I know the answer, you know the answer- but I don't always make the right choice. It's on those days, or during those weeks when I don't get my "spiritual workout" in- that I suffer greatly from attacks, frustration, and so on. I'm not "strong enough" to "handle the weight" of adversity when it arises. One of my favorite metaphores between lifting and spiritual growth is this: In weight lifting, resistance from the weights literally tears the muscle down. It responds by growing bigger and stronger- thus able to handle "more weight" the next time around. Our walk with God is the same- as we experience trials and adversity, when we go to God for help, we grow in our walk.

I've recently gotten back to quiet time- reading Scripture, prayer, and now doing more journaling. I'll put together what I've come up with so far in the next entry...

In His Name,

Matt

Out like a Lamb, in like a Lion!

2009-11-10T13:14:00.002-05:00

The spotless Lamb, the Lion of Judah. He is our King, our Savior, our God- now and forever! Our Lord Jesus Christ came to this earth for one thing- to lead us to repentance. (Luke 5:32) Although He was God's Son, perfect in every way, and did no wrong to anyone- this world turned on Him and eventually killed Him. However, as we all know- that was just the beginning of His reign.

We must look at our walks with Christ this way: we are dead to sin and have made the decision to not live of this world- however, we are still called to the Great Commission. We are to be salt and light to a dark and dying world, to show them this is not their home, to do greater things than even Jesus did! (John 14:12) We must exercise the love of Christ at all times (Matt 22:39), walk in His image, and understand that the wrath of God was satisfied with the ultimate sacrifice. We are forgiven- period. Our Lord Jesus left like a Lamb, perfect and spotless in every way- but He is not coming back that way!

Jesus did the whole "Savior of the world" thing already- this time He's coming back as the Lion of Judah! He's coming as King for His people and for His Kingdom! "And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems, and He has a name written on Him that no one knows except Himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it, He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, 'KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS'. " (Rev. 19:11-16)

Single dad, parent, teenager, or friend- no matter what you are going through right now, no matter how bad it's gotten- your battle has already been won! Your Lord, Savior, and King is here right now waiting to destroy all things that are not of God in your life. Just open your heart to Him. Confess your sins. Ask for Jesus to take control of your life and to be your Lord and Savior. If you do, His Word promises that you will find rest. (Matt 11:28-30)

Assignments

2009-11-03T14:16:00.003-05:00

I've been doing devotionals over the past few weeks, and that's fine- but I feel like I need to give you all something concrete to pray over and work on yourselves. Here are 3 different assignments I've given to the group over the past years:

1. Legacy. According to Webster's, the word legacy means "Something transmitted or received from an ancestor or predecessor of the past." It may be in the form of material possessions, or something hereditary- such as addictions and beliefs. My assignment to you is to write 2 paragraphs. The first paragraph would be if you were to leave this world right now- what would your legacy look like? The second paragraph- what do you want it to look like?

2. Positives in your life. We are so quick to complain in our nation of how bad things are. Yes, we do suffer hardships, but no where near what about 80% of the world does! To put this in perspective, make a list of EVERY positive in your life, then think of others around the world and their situations. Here's a few examples of mine: I'm saved by the blood of Christ; I have a wonderful daughter whom I love and she loves me; I have clothes, a home, food, and a car; I live in a free country with fresh drinking water; I am healthy and in good shape.

3. Being the best father you can be. Make a commitment list and place it somewhere in your house where you will see it every day (mine's on my front door so I see it before I leave every day). On this list, put every single thing you will commit to to ensure you are being the best possible father you can be. (i.e. Put God first, give our kids undivided attention, abstain from self-destroying behaviors, not bad mouthing their moms, ect...)

Pray over each one of these before and after you do them- you will be surprised at the change in your frame of mind when you do! God bless....

The Heat is On

2009-10-27T10:12:00.003-04:00

Read Mark chapter 12; and also 1Peter 1:6-7

In his letter Peter explains that we should "rejoice" in our trials- for they may even be "necessary" for our faith to increase. We often use the metaphor "in the fire" to describe the things we're going through, or even how God "turns the heat up" on us to expose and remove our iniquities. Peter says that even gold, which we consider to be one of the most valuable metals- will perish in the fire. However, our faith in God INCREASES when we're in the fire- and the result is not destruction, but PRODUCTION in our lives!

In Mark chapter 12, Jesus explains that He is the "cornerstone" of our faith (verse 10). Those who reject Him will be destroyed, but those who don't shall be part of His Kingdom. We are to love God first with all that we have, and others as ourselves (vs 29-31); Honor God with our finances (vs 17, 43, & 44); and know that Jesus is Lord (vs 35-40). When we do these things, we grow in the Lord, and when the heat is on- we WILL rejoice! For we know that we are standing on a firm foundation in Christ, growing in Him and closer to Him each day.

Loving the Unlovable

2009-10-20T06:30:00.004-04:00

"The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged..." (2Tim 2:24)

Jesus Himself laid out the standard by which we are to carry this out. He endured persecution, punishment, betrayal, and pain in ways that we could never imagine. So what happens when we confront these issues in our daily lives? It may even be something small and insignificant, but it dwells within us until we blow. Or maybe we've been treated unjustly, perhaps by someone who really knows how to push our buttons, and not only attack us- but use others close to us in the process (like our kids).

I personally experienced this a few weeks back. I won't go into detail, but I will say I was falsely accused in a situation that involved me and my daughter, without anyone ever confronting me on the issue. They just went behind my back and blindsided me. Naturally my first reaction was anger, but through the power of the Holy Spirit, I ran to my room (I have a cross on the wall), fell on my face and cried out to God. I admit I was mad, crying, and shaking all at once- but the comfort of Jesus fell upon me (Phil 4:7). I called my mentor and we talked; I prayed, and turned it over to God. The next day I woke- but filled with anger! It took a good portion of my week to finally let it go, which obviously in the long run, drained me in every possible way.

You see, I knew what I had to do- turn it over to God and move on, but I struggled. This is where we MUST have God's Word rooted so deeply within us that when situations arise, we can combat them in a peaceful way. Don't get angry (Prov. 15:18, 19:11); Don't be vengeful (Rom. 12:19); Forgive and move on (Luke 23:34, Matt 6:14); Rejoice! (1Peter 4:12-13, 5:10, John 16:33); and finally- Love (2Peter 1:5-7). Please do me a favor- look these scriptures up, don't just read this blog. There are so many more verses that we can apply, but this is a great start. Jesus set the standard on forgiveness and love- let's honor Him by living in Him. (John 15:5, 1John 4:4)

Unbelievable?

2009-10-15T07:17:00.003-04:00

"Know therefore that the Lord is your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments." (Deut. 7:9)

I have a friend who at the beginning of this past summer received a phone call that he never could have expected. It was from his 16 year old daughter, whom he had never even met! He always knew he had a daughter, but certain circumstances kept him away. Now mind you, he is now married with three children as well. My friend has never been opposed to God, or the idea of God- he just never pursued Him. After I was notified of what was going on, we began to observe the situation from a more spiritual point of view. He came to a revival with me, began praying, and ultimately by the end of the summer- gave his life to the Lord Jesus Christ!

"Commit your works to the Lord and your plans will be established." (Prov. 16:3) This is the standpoint we took from there on out. My friend was to be faithful to God. After all, God brought him to this point faster than my buddy had done by himself in 16 years. He kept praying and has since been taking his family to church. So here we are a few months later and his relationship with his long lost daughter is greater than he could have ever imagined! They are preparing for homecoming, hanging out, and she even calls him "dad."
As we were discussing on the phone the other day how great God is, I told my friend about a new job that I just received- one that was no doubt Divinely appointed. I explained how the job offer came around, that I fasted on a Wednesday and the VERY NEXT DAY I was offered the job. "Unbelievable!" That's all my buddy could say after everything he's seen in the past few months- but honestly is it? Our God is a BIG GOD, and "unbelievable" is belittling Him- it's all believable.
"With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26)

The Imperishable Seed

2009-10-10T08:42:00.004-04:00

..."who was born a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead..." (Romans 1:3-4)

Through earthly lineage Jesus was a descendant of David, but through death and resurrection He is "declared" the Son of God. How true this is for us as well! According to the flesh, we receive certain characteristics, heritage, and traits from our earthly parents. (i.e. Hair color, height, moods, habits, ect.) However with God as our Heavenly Father and through Christ's death on the cross and resurrection- we become "heirs" to an entirely new Kingdom! When we accept Jesus into our hearts and lives, He enters us by way of the Holy Spirit. We are given a new heritage. Now, that doesn't necessarily mean that our eye color will change, or that we get taller (don't I wish)- but we have the power to break generational chains passed on to us in the forms of addictions, adultery, anger, and so on. We receive a new lineage- one of love, grace, purity, compassion, and strength.
1 Peter 1:23 says, "for you have not been born of a seed that is perishable, but IMPERISHABLE, that is, through the living and enduring word of God." Just know, the things that we've inherited, especially the damaging ones, are not the true you. Our real heritage lies inside of us- with Jesus.