One of the Hard Parts of Ministry

One of the hardest parts of ministry is funerals. As a young minister whom hasn't had a lot of dealings with death its especially hard.

I've never lost a mother, a father, a brother, a sister, a daughter, a son, a close friend. So

in no way can I say "I know how u feel..."

In truth no one can truely know how each other feels. Every one thinks, sees, experiances differently. There for as a minister I must do one thing. Reflect our Lord the Christ. He is the only one who truly knows how people feel.

Ministers sometimes get the mind set that they have to be some sort of superman of ministry. Truth of matter is we are simply to be willing to be open to God's movement. Be sensitive to His voice of wisdom when speaking to His children. Be willing to be a shoulder to cry upon and be the arms for His hugs. Be the carriers of His peace. Be the carriers of His hope.

Not ours...

~Selah

woot!

way too excited about my dr who mug

oooo an app

thought id give this blogger app a spin.

meh update

Welp i have 2 say tonight was pretty fun. For those whom don't know i've been dating Celeste for nearly11 months now. I appreciate her so much. How she's there for me when i need her. how she's always so encouraging. I'm also so impressed with how hard she works to always do the right thing. I know it's hard sometimes for her between work, family, and soon school. But even with all that she still finds a way to be simply amazing.

here's a few pics of us

Pouring Out the Purfume

There are so many people in the church who are talented and have been blessed with so many things. Some are wealthy with finances, some are wealthy with knowledge. Whatever it is they have one thing is sure, it is God’s blessing in their life. So what happens when we use those blessings?

In the twelfth chapter of John we find the story of Mary coming and anointing the feet of Christ. The text reveals to us that what she used to anoint Him was a very expensive pint of perfume, about years’ worth of wages. (vs .3,5) The fragrance of the perfume filled the air. I’m sure that all who had not originally seen her walking in and cracking open the bottle soon turned their heads as they could smell the wonderful fragrance throughout the entirety of the home.

Sadly this moment of humbling worship was interrupted by the Judas who reprimanded the woman for wasting it. He claimed it could had been sold and the money given to the poor! (vs. 4,5) While this true we find in the following verse that his true motives were not so noble, rather he knew if it were sold he’d have control over it and its use.

What can we draw from this?

For starters let’s point out the fact that the scent of the perfume filled the air. When we humble ourselves in worship it leaves a lasting impression. When even though the meeting went south the men left the room with some of that scent on their clothing and they would continue to remember how someone was able to humble themselves and bless the Lord.

Whether it’s through your giving of finances to this project or another, your ability to lead others in worship, your ability to teach the word of God to young child or adult, your ability to simply pray and serve, it will ALWAYS leave a lasting impression. It will impact someone somehow and they will be drawn back to the truth that someone was so willing to humble themselves to bless the Lord, and in turn will be inspired to do the same.

Next, we can take away the fact that when someone is willing to truly humble themselves someone is bound to get offended. “Why are they doing that? That money could be used for better purposes! Their skills could be used in other ways then something as trivial as this. Their time could be better spent in other places!” Are these things true? In a way, however, when we take time to truly honor and bless the Father in heaven then time and energy is never wasted because He honors those whom faithfully serve and bless Him.

Now I’m not saying you need to go out and give all your money to some charity, I’m not saying you need to go out and do something that puts your family in terrible debt or pain. What I’m saying is you should not be afraid to bless Him. After all who is more worthy of praise and blessings? NONE! In his new album “The Attributes of God,” lyrical theologian Shai Linne has a chorus line that simply says “Not to us, not to us! BUT TO GOD BE THE GLORY!” This simple proclamation sums up the reasoning for us to bless and extol Him.

I encourage you dear brothers and sisters of the faith, bless our Lord in whatever fashion you can. If it be through monetary giving, through teaching a Christian Education Class, joining a prayer group, serving in THP Kidz (Nursery Ministry), The Deep (Kids Ministry), or OPEN (Youth Ministry), or whatever it is that the Lord has placed on your heart then do it! Do it gladly.

Go Deep.

The Tardis and God

As many of you may know I have become quite the Doctor Who fan. For those of you who don’t know, Doctor Who is a BBC show that has been around since the 60’s. It’s about a man known only as the Doctor who travels through time and space and through a series of events ends up helping people everywhere he goes. In the re-launch of the series the Doctor is the only remaining member of his people, The Time Lords. So he travels around in his ship known as the “Tardis,” doing what he knows best.

On twitter I get updates from an account count “DrWhoQuotes.” Today one came to my phone that struck me as interesting. Now before I give you this quote you need to understand that it would appear (I say appear because I haven’t gotten to this part of the series where this quote comes from) that the Tardis is alive, and at some point the living portion of it was separated from it into a human form. So here’s the quote.

The Doctor: You didn't always take me where I wanted to go.

Idris (TARDIS): No, but I always took you where you needed to go.

When I read this I thought “you know it’s kind of like God.” Many of us have been on a journey with the Lord. Through ministry and life he’s lead us and guided us. Sometimes we greatly enjoyed where he lead us, because those places were places we wanted to be. But at times; at times he lead us to places we felt uncomfortable. So we look at Him sometimes and we say

You didn’t always take me where I wanted to go

.

And He in turn replies to us

NO, but I always took you where you needed to go.

At the moment we didn’t known why he took us there, or it may be that at THIS moment you don’t know why you are where you are. However, by the end of journey you will know why He brought you through it. To make you stronger, wiser, or… to help someone else become stronger, wiser, or even… part of the His flock.

The Apostle Paul says in his letter to the Romans

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to HIS PURPOSE. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

~Romans 8:28-29

Here we find that God is working all things for good. Doesn’t mean all situations will be good or pleasant. But that by the end of it all, things will be good.

Take a moment and take a deep breathe. In Doctor Who there are many times where the Doctor just grips hold of something and lets the TARDIS go where it will take him. The sense of not knowing where he’s going or what will happen is an adventure for him, it’s exciting. Why? Because he knows that no matter what happens or where he goes, he’ll still be the Doctor and he’ll do what he does as such. Take hold friends and let the Lord take you wherever He wishes to take you.

They call me!!! ... MR.PIG!!

So I was chilling earlier and a phrase came to mind. Not sure why, completely random. It was a quote from a movie that honestly isn’t even one of my favorites. This quote comes from a fictional character, complex, multi-faceted character. It is a line spoke in the heat of battle! This line was a declaration to everyone around, to his comrades beside him and to his enemy before him. When he shouted out this declaration instantly his enemy began to retreat in fear! What was this line? What was this declaration of strength!?

“They call me…. MR. PIG!!!”

That’s right folks the line is by Pumbaa in the movie “The Lion King.” So what makes this line so great? It’s the recognition that he is something. Pumbaa was declaring to everyone who he was and that he wasn’t ashamed of that.

One of my favorite scriptures is Romans 1:16

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

This scripture was part of Paul’s declaration to everyone. He wasn’t ashamed of the Gospel. He was proud to be known as a Christ Follower! It’s who he was. So let me ask you, are you willing to declare who you are? If not I ask you for two things.

1. 1. Speak it out! Literally outline in your prayer times declare who you are. Declare that you are a follower of Jesus the Messiah! Declare the blessings you have as a co-heir in Christ! Speaking out these things speaks life over yourself, your home, your land, your finances.

2. 2. Walk it out! Don’t walk as a victim anymore and don’t walk as heathen anymore. If you’re declaring that you are a follower of Christ then act like it! Stop speaking doom and gloom over your life, all you’re doing is cursing it! Also don’t do the things you know Christ wouldn’t approve of. James says that he’ll show his faith in Christ THROUGH his works.