Life's Work

Most of my blog readers are my fellow church members, so this should sound familiar to you. I have really been needing change in my life and I'm so thankful for the mercy of God which never gives up on us. It seems that I had the recurring problem of my spirit being willing but my flesh weak. In the area of spending time in the Word and prayer, I always INTENDED to do it but stuff came up or I didn't get around to it. This was driving me crazy and I couldn't take that I was placing other things above the things of God. The great thing about God is that He doesn't condemn me but rather convicts me by the Holy Ghost and gives me chance after chance. I knew that I had to be productive with the chances He was given me because I did not want my heart to become hard. Needless to say, recent church services have been on point for me.

I read Ephesians 3:7 in the Message this morning in which Paul says, "This is my life work: helping people understand and respond to this Message." That made it very clear and simple for me. Like PS said in a recent service, "Our objective is not to have a family, raise kids, make money, retire, etc.; but our one and only objective is to take this Gospel Message to the ends of the earth."

I don't know about you, but it has always seemed a little overwhelming for ME to take this Message to the ends of the earth. However, this is nothing more than helping people understand and respond to the Message. Later on in Ephesians 3:8 Paul said, "When it came to presenting the Message to people with no background in God's way, I was the least qualified of any available Christians. (ever feel that way?) God saw to it that I was equipped, but you can be sure that it had nothing to do with my natural abilities." We need to trust God that when we step out and do what He says, that we will be perfectly equipped to do it.

The time is now. I want to be in the boat. I want to be a part of what God is doing in this earth and I must be about fulfilling the objective He has given me. My life's work will be to help people understand and respond to this Message.

Happy Birthday Dad

Happy birthday to my Pa (Sept. 24) who has managed to age like an encyclopedia: looking better and gaining knowledge every year. That was corny, but seriously, thanks for the genes.

We got a chance to play golf on his bday and had a great time. Perfect weather, no one around, deer in the fairway, mulligans galore, and birdies sparse.




It was really fun and made me realize even more that I have the best dad ever. Thanks for everything you've done dad, you're the best.

Don't worry, I'll confirm to everyone that this was a practice swing below....



-- Posted from my iPhone

What, I Can't Flex the Golden Pipes?

The e-trade commercials have got to be the funniest commercials out there. I mean a baby who talks like an adult and uses words like "shankapotamus," deserves to be #1 in the commercial biz. As much as I enjoy the golf ad with the baby and old man, I think my favorite is when the two babies are on there and one of them wants to "flex the golden pipes." Hilarious!

Here are three of the commercials, including the two referenced above. Which is your favorite?

I love....

I have recently began to watch how I use the word love. In our society, the word love has become watered down kind of like the word hope has. The only real significant meaning these words have to me is the meaning that I can get from the Word of God.

We have become so used to saying that we love so many things that sometimes I wonder what it means when we say "I love God." The bible tells us that we are to love God with all of our heart, and that we are to love other people as ourself. So we are to LOVE God and people, not things. In my life, for example, I used to say that I love golf, or I love steak, or I love that TV show. What am I really saying? I feel about that show the same way I feel about God? You might think, well that's a heart issue and God knows my heart, and that's true, but why is there no separation between God and that TV show in my WORDS?? Words are important, and I think it's important for us to differentiate what we really love in our life. I enjoy golf, I really like steak, I like watching that show, but I love Jesus.....what's wrong with saying it like this? This makes it clear to ME and others WHO not WHAT I love in my life.

What we say we love is what we will give the most attention and focus to, which is why I have removed loving STUFF from my vocabulary. Money can represent "stuff" or "things" and the Word says that "the LOVE of money is the root of all evil." I'll enjoy richly all that God has given me to enjoy, but I will reserve my love for Him and for people! I love Jesus and I really enjoy this iPhone He has blessed me with!


-- Posted from my iPhone

Faithfulness...

God has been revealing to me through the teaching of His Word that I am required to be faithful with what He's given me now. The Bible says, "that he who is faithful in the least is faithful also in much." I've been strongly convicted that we should never say, "if I had their money, then I would do great things for the kingdom of God." There is a few things wrong with saying something like that. First of all, there is a main word in that statement that we should look out for "THEIR". Why are we envisioning what we would do with someone else's money. That's covetousness, and the Bible warns that we should never be like that. The truth is that we would only do with more money then what we would do with less money now. Jesus himself said it, "if you are faithful in least you will be faithful with much." We seem to think that having more money or other outside circumstances would affect how we did things for God. This shouldn't be the case and I realize I have much changing to do in this area.

I need to be faithful with the gifts and resources that God has given me so that I can fulfill the call He has for my life. As I do, I know that He will increase me because He knows that I will be faithful with more. I don't want to become to familiar with this verse of being faithful in the little ....it is vitally important to our walk with God. It allows Him to not be limited with what He can do and give in our lives. Thank You Lord for the never-changing or expiring truth in Your Word. It is the only Word to live by!

The Parking Lot

Cortney has finally started her own blog after months of wanting to. I'm happy because it takes pressure off of me to post so often. She has titled it "The Parking Lot," because I often tell her I'm the best "Parker" there is.....not really. She has a different reason for naming it that. Find out for yourself at www.cortneykparker.blogspot.com. Happy blogging Boonie!

Effectual Faith

James 2:17 says that faith without works is dead. There are certain words and actions that validate and activate our faith. We must in some way communicate our faith in order for it to work. It's not good enough to just say I believe.......

Philemon 1:6 says, "that the communication or your faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus." This is how we effectively communicate our faith and make it active! We must acknowledge or THANK God for all of the good things that are in us being in Christ Jesus. We must be thankful and always aware of who we are, what we have, and what we can do IN CHRIST!

Have you ever noticed how when you begin to thank God that your faith begins to rise and you suddenly start to FEEL better? There's a reason for this. When we do, our faith is being communicated and activated! Let's begin to acknowledge who we are, what we have, and what we can do in HIM and see our faith become active!