Happy New Year to all, hope your Christmas and New Years were wonderful and that this year is the beginning of an incredible adventure in your relationship with God.
We live in an incredible time in history and in an amazing place to see all that God is doing all around us.
One of the greatest gifts I have ever been given has been the privilege of being part of an amazing church on Long Island NY. What made this church so special for me was the constant visits from men and women of God from all over the globe. On average we would have a guest speaker every two months, many were from places you would not go even if you were paid a lot of money
The interesting part was that everyone who spoke had amazing stories about what God was doing all over the world, not just in Greenlawn NY. My worldview and my God view was shifted and enlarged. It is hard to be unhappy with your house and the car you drive when you hear stories of teenagers in Africa who walk for two hours to go to a bible study. The world starts to look different and inevitably so does God.
So very much of our lives are viewed from a very narrow window, everybody wants to believe that they are aware of all that is going on around them, but only the truly wise know that we are living life, spiritual life that is as though we are blindfolded.
1 Corinthians 1:18
18For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
There can be little debate that our natural mind and our spiritual life are at odds. Most of the everyday things we worry about are of little consequence to our spiritual calling. We are always looking for God and His call and purpose for our lives and it seams like the harder we look the more elusive God is.
There is never just one thing we need to know or understand about God.
There is however one thing that makes an enormous difference not only in how you see the world but how the world views you; Atmosphere.
Take the finest seed the most fertile soil and the purest water, put them together in Napa CA. In April and in a couple of months you will have an incredible harvest. Take the same seed, soil and water and bring them together on Mars and you get nothing, the atmosphere simply can not sustain life.
We fight through life and try to bring life to a lost world within a caustic atmosphere and don’t understand why there is no harvest. We have to create an atmosphere of God, a place where people breathe in the breath of the Spirit of God in a positive loving environment.
Create an Atmosphere of heaven around your life and watch how your world changes, lives are healed, chains are broken and devils flee.
Think about this; corporations spend billions of dollars to create a certain atmosphere in stores and places of business to make you spend more money and be more productive. Sounds, smells, colors are all used to influence you and create the illusion of an atmosphere; this causes you to think or feel a certain way.
Begin today; you can change the world around you.
Next month we’ll talk more about how to create a godly atmosphere that is in touch with the world today.
Have an awesome week,
Talk to you soon.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Gift Ideas
Do you remember when you were 5 years old, how about 6 or 7? I don’t mean every detail, but maybe some special memories you still carry with you today. For some of you that was a long time ago, for others maybe not as long ago. What ever the case we all have something from our past that we still carry with us today, a memory that has stayed with us and has effected our lives in a positive and profound way.
This is the time of year when we remember those days when we were all much younger, full of hope and expectation. We believed what we were told and expected everthing our parents told us to be truth and absolute. .
On November 23 Americans spent $ 8.96 Billion. In one day folks flooded the stores, malls and internet sites and spent more money on gifts then many countries have budgeted for an entire year of operation. .
Many of the hot items on the “Must Have List” are elusive and expensive, Apples I Phone and I POD Touch are flying out of Apple stores, HDTV’s are moving like they were being given away. New video games and DVD’s are a big hit as well. WOW $8.96 Billion is a big number and yet if you quadrupled that number you still would not come close to putting a smile on every childs face this December 25th. .
After walking with Jesus for nearly 3 yrs the disciples still struggled to understand what Jesus was saying and what he was doing. In Matthew 19: 13-15. Jesus is brought a group of children to pray for and lay hands on. His disciples were upset with the children being there, they wanted to have the children taken away so Jesus would not be bothered by them. They started to yell at the adults who brought them, when Jesus sees what is going on He tells His disciples to bring the children closer and He prays for them all and lays hands on them. Then Jesus sort of rebukes His disciples and tells them that the kingdom of heaven belongs to little ones, just like the children they were turning away from Him.
This Christmas give your children the hottest, most expensive gift ever given, bring your children to Jesus, introduce them. Don’t worry about what anyone else has to say. Talking to your children and friends about Jesus and your relationship with Him is the greatest gift you can give them and they will remember your gift to them for the rest of their lives.
It will change their lives and it will change your life.
If your brave enough to go into the mall the day after Thanksgiving you are brave enough to talk about God with Family and Friends.
Have an awesome Holiday
This is the time of year when we remember those days when we were all much younger, full of hope and expectation. We believed what we were told and expected everthing our parents told us to be truth and absolute. .
On November 23 Americans spent $ 8.96 Billion. In one day folks flooded the stores, malls and internet sites and spent more money on gifts then many countries have budgeted for an entire year of operation. .
Many of the hot items on the “Must Have List” are elusive and expensive, Apples I Phone and I POD Touch are flying out of Apple stores, HDTV’s are moving like they were being given away. New video games and DVD’s are a big hit as well. WOW $8.96 Billion is a big number and yet if you quadrupled that number you still would not come close to putting a smile on every childs face this December 25th. .
After walking with Jesus for nearly 3 yrs the disciples still struggled to understand what Jesus was saying and what he was doing. In Matthew 19: 13-15. Jesus is brought a group of children to pray for and lay hands on. His disciples were upset with the children being there, they wanted to have the children taken away so Jesus would not be bothered by them. They started to yell at the adults who brought them, when Jesus sees what is going on He tells His disciples to bring the children closer and He prays for them all and lays hands on them. Then Jesus sort of rebukes His disciples and tells them that the kingdom of heaven belongs to little ones, just like the children they were turning away from Him.
This Christmas give your children the hottest, most expensive gift ever given, bring your children to Jesus, introduce them. Don’t worry about what anyone else has to say. Talking to your children and friends about Jesus and your relationship with Him is the greatest gift you can give them and they will remember your gift to them for the rest of their lives.
It will change their lives and it will change your life.
If your brave enough to go into the mall the day after Thanksgiving you are brave enough to talk about God with Family and Friends.
Have an awesome Holiday
Friday, November 16, 2007
Tomatoes
The joy of watching something grow is not appreciated by many people. You are not likely to see lines of people outside the botanical gardens waiting to see flowers bloom or grass grow.
Most people associate waiting with boredom and inconvenience, there are even socially acceptable amounts of time to wait for people, depending on the situation.
As a very young boy I spent countless days with my Grandfather in a small backyard in Elmhurst, NY tending to a garden of Green and Red Peppers, Eggplant and Tomatoes. My Grandfather was Sicilian, raised during the depression by very strict parents, he had a difficult life. Nothing was given to him, what he had he earned, one way or another. The garden was a bit of a sanctuary for him, a place to relax and laugh.
It was not till I was much older that I realized how special my relationship with my Grandfather was.
In that small garden, all I ever wanted to do was what my Grandfather was doing. He would tell me not to touch the plants, but I would see him snipping and staking and I would try to help. I thought he was growing tomatoes, I realize now he was growing a grandson. I thought he was tending to the plants, but he was tending to the delicate task of raising a grandson.
My grandfather was a regular guy, but in that regular guy I saw God for the first time. I saw patience and I experienced the love of a Father.
You are God to someone in your world.
You have a divine purpose.
If you have any doubt about how God sees you, read the first chapter of Ephesians.
The most important job on the planet is not being the President, a CEO of a large company or even a King.
The most important job is being a parent.
To take the responsibility for the life of another is an awesome thing and the most honorable.
Look around your world and see all the broken lives; you can make a difference in someone’s life. Maybe it is your Son or Daughter or maybe a complete stranger.
Grow something.
Have an awesome weekend!!
Steve
Most people associate waiting with boredom and inconvenience, there are even socially acceptable amounts of time to wait for people, depending on the situation.
As a very young boy I spent countless days with my Grandfather in a small backyard in Elmhurst, NY tending to a garden of Green and Red Peppers, Eggplant and Tomatoes. My Grandfather was Sicilian, raised during the depression by very strict parents, he had a difficult life. Nothing was given to him, what he had he earned, one way or another. The garden was a bit of a sanctuary for him, a place to relax and laugh.
It was not till I was much older that I realized how special my relationship with my Grandfather was.
In that small garden, all I ever wanted to do was what my Grandfather was doing. He would tell me not to touch the plants, but I would see him snipping and staking and I would try to help. I thought he was growing tomatoes, I realize now he was growing a grandson. I thought he was tending to the plants, but he was tending to the delicate task of raising a grandson.
My grandfather was a regular guy, but in that regular guy I saw God for the first time. I saw patience and I experienced the love of a Father.
You are God to someone in your world.
You have a divine purpose.
If you have any doubt about how God sees you, read the first chapter of Ephesians.
The most important job on the planet is not being the President, a CEO of a large company or even a King.
The most important job is being a parent.
To take the responsibility for the life of another is an awesome thing and the most honorable.
Look around your world and see all the broken lives; you can make a difference in someone’s life. Maybe it is your Son or Daughter or maybe a complete stranger.
Grow something.
Have an awesome weekend!!
Steve
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Hidden Treasure
Have you ever noticed that following God is not at all what it first appears to be? Walking with God is not the kind of thing a sprinter would find appealing, although at first it seems like a sprint is all that is required to keep up with God.
Walking with God is more like training for a triathlon. (It should be called training with God)
It is an undertaking that few would ever enter into if they knew beforehand all that would be required of them in order to reach the finish line.
Training for a triathlon is grueling and you never really feel like you're ready. If you do feel like you are ready then for sure you are not! Running, Swimming and Biking at this level of intensity is something that could consume every moment of your life. Pushing your body to the point of exhaustion, not to mention the time away from your family.
Walking with God is much the same. You can never find enough time to pray, fasting is no fun and there is always something else you could be doing. Our focus MUST be on the prize at all times. If we doubt the success of our race we will fail!
During a triathlon, water stations are set up along the race route, and along our walk with God there are strategically positioned treasures. The difference here is these treasures are hidden from us, they're for us to discover as we travel with God.
Our relationship with God and our current posture towards Him at certain times in our life will cause us to Dig for these treasures. It is most likely that you will find the greatest treasures in places you thought you had looked before, and usually in places you would rather not be digging, Today, this time, you are looking for a different reason.
In most cases, it is a trial that gets us to dig deeper and with a greater passion. We arrive at a point where we no longer care about what others think; we don’t care how we look digging up our front yard. Our focus is completely on finding what God has prepared for us to discover.
Stress, Pain, Anguish and complete loss of self, are all positions that few people ever want to experience and yet, they are the very places where ordinary men and women of God grow into extraordinary, powerful, faith filled disciples of God.
A place where our understanding of who God is grows to a new level.
Who we are in God becomes clearer.
The plans of God are revealed,
Revelation is birthed.
Most importantly it is where we discover how awesome Our God truly is!
It is in our darkest days that Gods light shines its brightest, we just have to have our eyes open to see Him.
Matthew 13:43-45 (NIV)
43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
44"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
45"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.
Pace yourself for the long race and finish strong with your eyes fixed on the Prize.
Friday, November 2, 2007
You are Special
Have you ever noticed that all the mentally imbalanced individuals populating the mental health institutions throughout the world think they are God or the devil, some say they have super powers. Some of these poor folks think they can fly or have superman like strength. None ever think they are the Milkman or the Garbage man or how about a Farmer?
It seems interesting that Jesus calls the people that make up the church, “a body”. He said some are like Ears some are like Eyes, some like Arms, Legs or Feet, and He goes on to explain how important each part is, and how vital it is that all the parts do their part. Jesus explained how all the parts need each other and that no one part is more important than any other
Everyone who will read this has had some point in their life when they have wished to be someone else, or at least possess what someone else had. We see others in a way that is different from the way we see ourselves. We look at others and we ask God why others have what we want. Instead we need to ask God to show us all that He has given us. If we spend all our time looking at others how can we ever see ourselves for who we really are?
If you ask the people you admire, how they do the things that you admire them for, most of them will not think much of the things they do well.
God is an amazing God, always creating new things. Power beyond our comprehension, Omnipresent and Omnipotent, The Beginning and the End! The list goes on, so is it safe to say that He knows what he is doing and that He doesn’t make mistakes.
The Bible says God breathe life into us; we are not some cosmic accident.
You and I are created with purpose, a very special purpose. We have been given a task and who we are is the perfect match for what God expects of us. No one else can do what you do the way you do it, you are special and unique.
Ephesians 3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
You are an awesome creation of the most Incredible God.
This weekend call a friend and ask them what you do best, and what makes you special. I am sure you will be surprised by all the nice things people will have to say. Perhaps God will use some of your friends and family to open your eyes to His blessing in your life.
Have a great week and I’ll see you soon.
Be Blessed,
Steve
It seems interesting that Jesus calls the people that make up the church, “a body”. He said some are like Ears some are like Eyes, some like Arms, Legs or Feet, and He goes on to explain how important each part is, and how vital it is that all the parts do their part. Jesus explained how all the parts need each other and that no one part is more important than any other
Everyone who will read this has had some point in their life when they have wished to be someone else, or at least possess what someone else had. We see others in a way that is different from the way we see ourselves. We look at others and we ask God why others have what we want. Instead we need to ask God to show us all that He has given us. If we spend all our time looking at others how can we ever see ourselves for who we really are?
If you ask the people you admire, how they do the things that you admire them for, most of them will not think much of the things they do well.
God is an amazing God, always creating new things. Power beyond our comprehension, Omnipresent and Omnipotent, The Beginning and the End! The list goes on, so is it safe to say that He knows what he is doing and that He doesn’t make mistakes.
The Bible says God breathe life into us; we are not some cosmic accident.
You and I are created with purpose, a very special purpose. We have been given a task and who we are is the perfect match for what God expects of us. No one else can do what you do the way you do it, you are special and unique.
Ephesians 3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
You are an awesome creation of the most Incredible God.
This weekend call a friend and ask them what you do best, and what makes you special. I am sure you will be surprised by all the nice things people will have to say. Perhaps God will use some of your friends and family to open your eyes to His blessing in your life.
Have a great week and I’ll see you soon.
Be Blessed,
Steve
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