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Imagine…

Imagine you’re given the world’s best Olympic trainer, training grounds, and even genetic surgery to make you better, faster, and stronger. Imagine that the odds were so stacked in your favor that there was nothing that could stand between you and victory that couldn’t be overcome. 
Now if you actually believed that was true, would you just sit on the couch, not interested at all in seeing what could be accomplished? Would you say, “Well, I have such a great trainer and advantage, that I can just take it easy and I’ll still do pretty well.”
What about the investment made by that great trainer? 
Or the resources set aside for your training and development?
Or the work put in to build you into a whole new person, with the capability of being so much better, faster, and stronger?
Would you feel fine still saying,  “Its my life to do with as I please?”

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Where am I?

Pride, 

thinking that we have it figured out, 

focusing on what has already been conquered,

Instead of what needs to be surrendered today, 

It will lead to disgrace.
Disgrace,

When it is found before men, 

We have an opportunity to learn, 

To be disciplined by the experience,

And given an opportunity to choose

Between remaining powerless in repeating our prideful failures,

Or if we will seek God, 

And be lead to humility. 
Humility, 

When it is found before God, 

Provides an opportunity to find Hope,

in Jesus Christ who is faithful and true, 

To be empowered by the Holy Spirit,  

who is our teacher or guide and our comforter,

To know the Love of our Heavenly Father, 

Who is the unseen made visible in Christ Jesus,

And in finding God we will understand the fear of God,

Which leads to wisdom. 
Wisdom, 

She is more precious than Gold, 

She is eternal and nourishes our soul for eternity, 

Because wisdom is not worldly knowledge, 

But it is the understanding that God is in authority over all things, 

That He is ruler and we are servant, 

But that He is also Father and we are sons and daughters, 

That He knows what is best for us,

That He has a purpose for us, 

That He loves us, 

Which leads us to Love. 
Love, 

It is that most excellent fruit, 

That grows ripe on the branches of those planted in the Lord’s garden.

It is the fragrance of the incense of the prayers of His saints, 

It is a pleasing aroma to the Lord our God, 

Because it is the evidence of His very essence breathing within those that are His.

It is the life that we find when we lay down our burdens of sin and death and pick up our cross to follow Him. 

It is eternal and it is how He knows us and calls us by name. 

Love is the law of Christ, 

And it fulfills completely the requirements of God that the law of Moses could not, 

Because being reconciled to love is being reconciled to God himself, 

For God is love. 
To love Him is to serve Him, 

To serve Him is to love others,

To love others is to serve them, 

To serve others is to carry their burdens, 

To serve others is to share with them the very hope that we have found in Christ, 

To serve others is to recognize that we have a purpose in life to reach others with the gospel, 

To tell them of this ministry of reconciliation to Christ, 

To show them this love that flows from the very Spirit of Christ who lives in us. 
Where are you today,  friend? 
Moving up from pride to disgrace, 

Moving up from disgrace to humility, 

Moving up from humility to wisdom, 

Moving up from wisdom to love,

Or falling down in pride? 
Even if you find yourself falling, 

It is never too late to let your disgrace lead you to humility, friend. 

Cry out to the Lord, 

Seek Him with your whole heart, 

Repent of your evil and rebellious ways, 

Knock until He answers, 

But remember to be quiet and listen for His answer, 

Because He will answer in that still,  quiet voice, 

And you will recognize Him as the Good Shepherd who loves you. 

Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. – Proverbs 11:2 NLT

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[Mia, Daddy & Friends] “The Presentation”

 

Jesus Is Presented in the Temple

Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived.

Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord.” So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord—“either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

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[Mia,  Daddy & Friends] “Don’t Be Afraid”

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.

Luke 2:8‭-‬20 NLT

http://bible.com/116/luk.2.8-20.NLT

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Can’t you see?

Eyes blind to see truth, 

eyes that divide and separate 

by the flesh and not by the Spirit —
They live alongside hardened hearts

that do not love as Christ loves, 

do not sacrifice as He sacrificed, 

do not see need as an opportunity to serve as He served,  

do not forgive as He forgives, 

do not fear God at all — 
but only use their twisted idea 

of religion and law and order 

as a means of controlling others 

and uplifting themselves 

to tread upon the backs of others 

Who they fear might be a threat 

to their established world order 

and comfortably fenced neighborhoods. 
Yes, the religious and the political 

have built great white washed tombs 

and grand slave ships 

that reach far higher and wider 

In the shadows they cast

than the pyramids 

Or the plantations

and wrapped them in names like 

“corporation”, 

“politics”, 

“legacy”, 

“heritage “, 

etc. 
And the cries of the oppressed,  

the needy, 

the murdered, 

the forgotten, 

the hopeless,  

cry out against these enemies of God 

who have been bold enough to pretend 

as if they were actually servants of God.

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Sing a New Song

What sorrow awaits you who say, “If only the day of the Lord were here!” You have no idea what you are wishing for. That day will bring darkness, not light. In that day you will be like a man who runs from a lion— only to meet a bear. Escaping from the bear, he leans his hand against a wall in his house— and he’s bitten by a snake. Yes, the day of the Lord will be dark and hopeless, without a ray of joy or hope. “I hate all your show and pretense— the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies. I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings. I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings. Away with your noisy hymns of praise! I will not listen to the music of your harps. Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living. – Amos 5:18‭-‬24 NLT

“Therefore, give the people of Israel this message from the Sovereign Lord : I am bringing you back, but not because you deserve it. I am doing it to protect my holy name, on which you brought shame while you were scattered among the nations. I will show how holy my great name is—the name on which you brought shame among the nations. And when I reveal my holiness through you before their very eyes, says the Sovereign Lord , then the nations will know that I am the Lord . For I will gather you up from all the nations and bring you home again to your land. “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.  And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations. “And you will live in Israel, the land I gave your ancestors long ago. You will be my people, and I will be your God. I will cleanse you of your filthy behavior. I will give you good crops of grain, and I will send no more famines on the land. I will give you great harvests from your fruit trees and fields, and never again will the surrounding nations be able to scoff at your land for its famines. Then you will remember your past sins and despise yourselves for all the detestable things you did. But remember, says the Sovereign Lord , I am not doing this because you deserve it. O my people of Israel, you should be utterly ashamed of all you have done! “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When I cleanse you from your sins, I will repopulate your cities, and the ruins will be rebuilt. The fields that used to lie empty and desolate in plain view of everyone will again be farmed. And when I bring you back, people will say, ‘This former wasteland is now like the Garden of Eden! The abandoned and ruined cities now have strong walls and are filled with people!’ Then the surrounding nations that survive will know that I, the Lord , have rebuilt the ruins and replanted the wasteland. For I, the Lord , have spoken, and I will do what I say. “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am ready to hear Israel’s prayers and to increase their numbers like a flock. They will be as numerous as the sacred flocks that fill Jerusalem’s streets at the time of her festivals. The ruined cities will be crowded with people once more, and everyone will know that I am the Lord .” – Ezekiel 36:22‭-‬38 NLT
Sing a new song to the Lord ! Let the whole earth sing to the Lord ! Sing to the Lord ; praise his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does. Great is the Lord ! He is most worthy of praise! He is to be feared above all gods. – Psalms 96:1‭-‬4 NLT



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Legalism, Lawlessness, or Christ the Cornerstone?

Let’s clear something up, “Legalism” is not “someone obeying the Word of God” – it is adding to or subtracting from the actual Word of God so that someone can put forth an outward appearance of “holiness” when their hearts and minds do not love God or serve God but only serve their own pride.

And “lawlessness” is either completely denying the Word of God, or perverting it into believing that grace entitles us to sin freely and not love or serve or obey God.

Both of these are the broad way that leads to destruction. But there is another way where the cure is administered to our hearts,  and our desires are changed from sinful disobedience to grateful obedience,  when our love is shifted from self to a love and awe of God, when our lives are laid down so that we can live.

If you believe, if you love Him and know that He has called you to be His people,  than take your eyes off of your sin and look to the cross and the empty tomb to know that His grace is sufficient, not just to forgive but to deliver into new life! Turn away from sin, guilt, shame, and the foolish arrogance of “doing as you please” to learn what is best, to build upon this foundation what will not be burned away.

I say this because some would use the pointed finger of “legalism” as an excuse and justification for their continuing in sin,  as if Jesus came to gather up and celebrate sinners and sin, instead of the fact that: “He came for sinners, to bring them to repentance.” And others would use the pointed finger of “lawlessness” to overlook the grace and power of God that must be the engine and cure, alive and present inside a vessel, so that no man can boast about his own obedience but only give all the glory to God for what is taking place in his own heart by the power of the Holy Spirit.

So if you have the foundation of Jesus Christ,  if you are truly believing, in heartfelt surrender and love to God Almighty, if you are in fact a vessel for the Holy Spirit that convicts you against sin and leads you in the light, then build well for His Kingdom.

Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames. Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise. – 1 Corinthians 3:10‭-‬18 NLT

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Sex Sells

​I just realized that most of the songs that were attractive to me about women describe the very things that as a dad,  I’m afraid of seeing come alive in my daughter’s life. Think “Toxic” and “I’m a Slave 4 U” by Brittany Spears, you dads with daughters out there, and you’ll know what I’m talking about. 
But instead of trying to completely shelter her from life,  I hope that we can continue to have very real and open conversations like we did today at Carowinds about why a 12 year old boy wanting me to ride with his friend so he could ride alone with my 6 year old daughter ain’t gonna happen,  and why that makes him a “tricky” and possibly dangerous person for her to be around. 

Same thing with me,  as a married man, making contact with any new females who may not know my heart or my true intentions. I’d always rather err on the side of caution than send up red flags of “creeper”, not because I’m just playing with a deeper playbook,  but because women need to see at least an example or two in their lives of genuine,  faithful men who aren’t ruled by the other head.
Let’s show the world that there is a better option than just seeing each other as pieces of meat to be tasted and devoured. I love my friends, both male and female,  for their hearts,  their passion,  the light that shines through,  not the flesh that it is shining through.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.  If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.  And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?  For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds. – Matthew 16:24‭-‬27 NLT


Jesus Christ came to save us from sin and death, to FREE US FROM SIN, not to FREE US TO SIN. And this freedom received once we believe and receive is not our own strength, but the strength of “Him who is in is”, if we are indeed a new creation in Christ. 


We need to stop buying what the enemy is selling us, because it is poison, and it isn’t profitable for the Kingdom of God. Yes, sex and pornography and all kinds of sexual immorality is pleasurable for a season,  but there are consequences and things that it sows into hearts that cost much more than any short term enjoyment — and there is no lasting benefit unless we turn away from it and see God turn it into a testimony to His glory and honor. 

It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward.

Hebrews 11:24‭-‬26 NLT

The law is not oppression when we choose to submit ourselves to it because we actually believe that it is the best advice, the One way, One truth, one Life — a light to our feet and a lamp to our path. 

Faith. 

Believe.

Come and follow Jesus Christ on this narrow path and see your whole household touched by the power of the Holy Spirit that comes and lives in you, Children of God!

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Being a Disciple

Are we doing the work of a Disciple and Follower of Christ?

We should see what is in bold and either receive it or deny it — depending on whether we are true Israel and the lost sheep of God or we are the goat children of perdition — there is no room for compromise or excuse in the Word of God — receive Jesus Christ today and live!

​Jesus sent out the twelve apostles with these instructions: “Don’t go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans,  but only to the people of Israel—God’s lost sheep.  Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near.  Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received! 

“Don’t take any money in your money belts—no gold, silver, or even copper coins.  Don’t carry a traveler’s bag with a change of clothes and sandals or even a walking stick. Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve to be fed. 

“Whenever you enter a city or village, search for a worthy person and stay in his home until you leave town.  When you enter the home, give it your blessing.  If it turns out to be a worthy home, let your blessing stand; if it is not, take back the blessing.  If any household or town refuses to welcome you or listen to your message, shake its dust from your feet as you leave.  I tell you the truth, the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah will be better off than such a town on the judgment day. 

“Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.  But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues.  You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me.  When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time.  For it is not you who will be speaking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 

“A brother will betray his brother to death, a father will betray his own child, and children will rebel against their parents and cause them to be killed.  And all nations will hate you because you are my followers. But everyone who endures to the end will be saved.  When you are persecuted in one town, flee to the next. I tell you the truth, the Son of Man will return before you have reached all the towns of Israel. 

“Students are not greater than their teacher, and slaves are not greater than their master.  Students are to be like their teacher, and slaves are to be like their master. And since I, the master of the household, have been called the prince of demons, the members of my household will be called by even worse names! “But don’t be afraid of those who threaten you. For the time is coming when everything that is covered will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all.  What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ear, shout from the housetops for all to hear! 

“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.  What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin ? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it.  And the very hairs on your head are all numbered.  So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. 

“Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.  But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven. 

“Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword. ‘I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Your enemies will be right in your own household!’ 

“If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine.  If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine.  If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it. 

“Anyone who receives you receives me, and anyone who receives me receives the Father who sent me.  If you receive a prophet as one who speaks for God, you will be given the same reward as a prophet. And if you receive righteous people because of their righteousness, you will be given a reward like theirs.  And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded.”

Matthew 10:5‭-‬42 NLT

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[Mia, Daddy & Friends] “The Birth”

Luke 2 NLT

The Birth of Jesus

At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.