Normalicy Again?

Praise the Lord I'm finally finished my all nighters! As a matter of fact I'm home early! It's only about 1:30am rather than the usual 5 or 5:30 am.

My Children will be over joyed!
My Wife is already happy as I will be able to get up with the baby tonight!
I'm very happy as I'll be able to get back to normal life!

I've had a lot of time to pray this past 9 days, but I've missed going to my office and having alone time with Jesus, and reading my Bible.

Jesus is a wonderful friend, and I don't know what I would do without Him!

Here is a quick suggestion, no, a double dare!

--Put your complete trust in Jesus, no matter what the situations you face in life. Leave doubt and fear behind, and let just the presence, peace, love, grace, mercy and righteousness of Jesus walk with you. You'll be amazed at the results! (When you do this let me know how Jesus walks with you!)

Yours for an amazing life in Christ
Pastor Fred

To Wax or not to wax!?

Good Morning one and all! Praise the Lord I've finished - sort of!

You haven't seen much activity lately as I've been out every all night every night this week stripping and waxing floors. Consequently I've been sleeping most of the day time hours away. I've finally finished my second store, and on Monday and Tuesday the grand finale!

There are pros and cons to working at night....
PROS:

1. You get to spend some time alone.
2. There is a lot of time to talk to Jesus.
3. You can think about your life, and hopefully put some perspective to things.
4. You realize how important time with family is.
5. You appreciate the little things that you normally did during the day more. (such as writing blogs, reading the Bible, playing with my children....)

CONS:

1. Your way from your family for many hours a day. (away all night and sleeping during day for about 6 to 8 hours.)
2. You are alone.
3. It ruins your days.
4. The things that you normally did during the day aren't done.
5. Your family misses you terribly.

On the flip side of the coin the store really looks great!

As you can imagine I've had a lot of time to think, pray and think some more this week. I'm so glad that Jesus is as close as the mention of His name! I haven't had much time to do things during the day, but I've felt His presence so close this week, some times I feel like I'm at heaven's door!

Before I go here are a couple of questions for your? Something that might start the old (or young) thinker grinding away.

• When you work, do you take time throughout the day to talk to Jesus?
• When you work, do you allow yourself to burst forth in songs of praise to Jesus?
• Are you away from your family for long periods of time? (NOT A GOOD THING!)
• Does your work get in the way of your relationship with Jesus? (NOT A GOOD THING!)
• Is your relationship with Jesus such that you feel at liberty to talk to Him anywhere, anytime? (YOU SHOULD!)
• When someone catches you singing to Jesus or praying, do you feel embarrassed? (I HOPE YOU DON'T!)

Always take time to be with Jesus. You don't have to be in a Cathedral to find His presence.

Yours for an all time relationship with Jesus,
Pastor Fred

The "Rather Than" Principle!

I've been trying to get the time to write this post since Monday evening, however, with the in laws visiting time is very short each day! So I'm up rather early just to write this post...., and get ready for work! LOL.

I started reading a book last week called "Beyond the Closet Door" by Freddi Trammell. She is an amazing writer! She is one of the prayer warriors that you'd read about in a book - no pun intended. She's written many books and is a travelling speaker. Anyway this book like many she writes is on prayer. I wanted to share a portion of the second chapter with you.

Trammell starts the chapter describing the story of a lady named Bernadette who was experiencing an extreme amount of pain. So, much that she missed church at times. On this particular occasion Bernadette hid away in her closet of prayer, and prayed a prayer something like this: "Lord, you know my physical condition. I do not understand why these knots are growing in the upper part of my body. The swelling is enormous, and the pain is almost unbearable. Jesus I am going to your house tonight. I desperately need a healing touch from you. I must seek medical help if I fail to receive help from You tonight."
Mrs. Trammell was speaking at the service Bernadette was going to that night. She spoke on prayer. During prayer time Mrs. Trammell was lead to call out Bernadette, who stepped forward. She and the congregation read and prayed Jeremiah 17:14 over Bernadette. To make the verse more personal they inserted Bernadette's name in place of the pronouns. They prayed --"Heal Bernadette, O Lord, and she shall be healed; save Bernadette, and she shall be saved; for thou art Bernadette's praise."
A jubilant Bernadette testified that while the Word was prayed she felt the sensation of a whirlwind of fire swirling through her chest area. All the knots had disappeared. The swelling had dissipated and the pain was gone!
(now I will quote from the book rather than paraphrase:)

Bernadette chose to BELIEVE the Master was her deliverer rather than to accept a disease into her body! She spent time alone with Him and God honored her honest confession and dependence upon Him.
The "rather than" principle should be applied when the enemy begins to bombard our minds with anything less than what God has planned for us. Examples in scripture prove God will come to our rescue when we meet with Him in sincerity and truth:
Moses, rather than enjoy sin for a season, chose to suffer some afflictions in the flesh and be one of God's leaders.
Ruth, rather than stay with her own people, went with her mother-in-law and chose to be used of God and become instrumental in the birthing of the Messiah.
Esther, rather than continue to live in luxury, and ease, chose to take advantage of God's timing and save her people.
Rahab, rather than refuse to become involved with the spies God sent to spy out the land, chose to hide them in her house; thus saving her entire household from destruction.
....
Jesus, rather than call ten thousand angels to deliver Him from the cross, chose to give His life's blood for the saving of those who will believe in Him.
.....
(there where more, however, I chose the most common for the sake of space.)

What are you willing to do rather than accept what sin and the devil have waiting for you?
Are you willing to give up some time for prayer, study and communion with Jesus rather than spend time doing something with your friends, that will not mean anything tomorrow?

What is your rather than story?

Yours for Jesus rather than the devil,
Pastor Fred

A Time for Renovations!

What a Week! It has been a very looooooong week! Yet, it hasn't been a long week in a bad sense. I've been extremely busy renovating. We gutted out our dinning room, and renewed it from floor to ceiling! What a job, it took us all week, as I had to work most of the week. Now at the beginning of the new week we are basically finished. Just a few nick knacks to fix up.

So, on account of this I haven't had time to write my thoughts this past week. Now, let me share something that I feel is very important.

While we were busy renovating this week the Lord Jesus impressed upon me the importance of renovations not just in a home, but also in the spiritual life of a person. Everyone of us needs to undergo a period of renovations every once in awhile so we can keep out the junk that the devil, this world, and our old carnal nature tries to hide in us.

Webster describes renovation as:

• 1. the act of renewing, a making new after decay, destruction, or deprivation; renewal; as the renovation of the heart by grace.
• I looked up Renovating and it refered me to Renewing: -- 1. Making new again; repairing; re-establishing; repenting; reviving; renovating.
• Romans 12:2

In order to renovate we must first take out the junk, decay, depravity and destruction. We need to lay aside our weights and sins which distract us from walking with Jesus. We need to separate ourselves from things that are worldly, and lead away from God. We need to repent which is a turning away from something, and get baptized, which is a washing away of the dirtiness of this world and sin.

• Hebrews 12:1
• 2 Corinthians 6:16, 17
• Acts 2:38

Next we must rebuild after we take out all those bad things in our lives. For, if we don't put something back in, something other than God will find its way into our hearts and take us over again. Luke 11:24, 25

We need to fill our lives with the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ, for we are the living temple of the Holy Spirit. We must put on Jesus Christ, and the Whole armor of God. We need to become the image of Christ, so that when people look at us they see Jesus instead. We must fill our selves with the Spirit so much that we portray the fruit of the Spirit.

• Acts 2:38
• 1 Corinthians 6:19
• Romans 13:12-14
• Galatians 3:27
• Ephesians 4:24
• Ephesians 6:11
• Colossians 3:10
• Galatians 5:22, 23
  
• Colossians 3:12-14

Regular renovation will ensure that we stay close to Jesus, and that we are always fresh and alive in the Spirit. We can't afford to become stagnant or stale for then we will open ourselves up to something that we really don't want in.

If we don't renovate our lives we will not be saved from God's wrath to come!
If we do not renovate our lives we will not be able to understand what God's will it!

I want to know what God desires of me!

Yours for Christ,
Pastor Fred

PS. These are not images or our renovations! Just some I took off the Internet for emphasis.

My Revolution: Organization

Well its only been a few days, but it already feels like a year long journey!

I've determined to revolutionize myself, and among other things become organized, and stay organized. I must teach myself to be organized! I must force myself to be organized! I must live a life every day that is organized! (to a certain extent)

I went to my office at the Church and re organized it. At work I re organized the way I work and plan for each day. I keep more notes - so I don't forget important things!

Organization is extremely hard work!

A revolution is extremely hard work!

There are some things in life that we must be willing to sacrifice for, and there are other things that we never sacrifice!

Things that can be sacrificed:

• Time (there is never enough so sacrifice it for the right reasons.)
• Energy (you only have so much so make sure you know what your doing it for.)
• Food (only eat to live never live to eat.)
• Material Things (stuff only weighs you down, only have what you need, and never get attached to it for it only lasts so long.)

Things that should never be sacrificed, but sacrificed for:

• Jesus Christ (never sacrifice your relationship with Jesus for anything! You'll regret it sooner than later.)
• Your Family (family is only second in importance to God, and above all else! Do not let anything get between you and your family and Jesus!)
• The Holy Bible of God's Word (refer to number one)
• Prayer (refer to number one)

So often we put importance on things that are not really important. The Bible tells us to "buy truth and sell it not." There are so things in life that are priceless, and should not be traded once we have obtained them!

• Truth
• Love
• Friendship
• Family
• Jesus
• Honesty
• Moral Values
• Forgiveness
• Faith
• Joy
• Peace

The list could go on for a long time, as could both of the previous lists. Yet, the point here is what are you willing to sacrifice for? I've made some decisions to sacrifice what time and energy I need to in order to be organized, what are you going to change in your life?

As i mentioned in my previous two posts, Jesus is and must be an integral part of my revolution in order for it to work. Is your revolution Jesus worthy? Would Jesus be happy to help you, or would he have to say no to your offer?

Find Jesus and you'll find something worth living for and with!

Yours for a revolution with Jesus,
Pastor Fred

Revolution through Jesus Christ! It can be Done!

Romans 7:24, 25a
O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

These verse have helped me to actually make revolutionary change! If you were to read the context of these verse you would find that Paul the Apostle was talking about the battle that goes on within each of us between good and evil. Paul describes it something like this:

When I try to do good I can't, and instead I do something wrong. When I try not to do something wrong the carnal nature in me will not allow me to do right. How can I get out of this conundrum!

Sunday I preached a message from these verses, and it was most definitely for me! It seemed everyone got something from the message, but I personally acted upon these convictions Sunday evening. But first let me explain what I'm describing above.

We try to make resolutions every year, and almost every year we through the resolutions out the back door. This year I want not to make resolutions, but to make a revolution in my life! Like Paul's description of our human state I am often stuck in this rut. Resolutions are made by individuals, and often tried to be enforced by individuals, but a revolution takes more than one person! It might start with one, but it spreads and soon a group of people are raising up and making permanent change!

Notice what the first part of verse 25 said: "...Through Jesus Christ our Lord." We Can have a revolution in our lives, make these changes and maintain these changes, but we must have help! We must have a group, and you and Jesus definitely makes a group! Romans 8:31 tells us that If God be for us who can be against us!

So, if you want to jump on the band wagon with me to start a personal revolution first you must get a hold of Jesus! Repentance is the start of a revolution! Turn from the direction you are taking, and turn unto Jesus, and he will lead you into a personal revolution!

It can be done! You can do it!

Your for a revolution
Pastor Fred

Resolutions or Revolutions

New Year is here again, and it's time for us to re-evalutate our lives, make changes, do things differently and love a little harder.

So many people make resolutions, which Webster defines as

• "1. Fixed purpose or determination of mind; as a resolution to reform our lives; a resolution to undertake an expedition.
  
• 2. The effect of fixed purpose; firmness, steadiness or constancy in execution, implying courage."

It is a resolve to make changes, but so many times there is no action, back bone or determintation to actually make the necessary changes you've decided to do. Often I feel that resolutions are so common place that we don't feel bad to neglect them, or forget them altogether. Things that are common place don't hold very much value, but like the old saying "you don't no somethings value until its gone." People don't value water until they don't have it any morel. People don't value friendship and love, until they are all alone with no one around. People don't value anything really until they don't have it anymore.
I believe its time for a revolution instead of resolutions!
The Wikipedia describes a revolution as:

• A revolution (from Late Latin revolutio which means "a turn around") is a significant change that usually occurs in a relatively short period of time. Variously defined revolutions have been happening throughout human history. They vary in terms of numbers of their participants (revolutionaries), means employed by them, duration, motivating ideology and many other aspects. They may result in a socio-political change in the socio-political institutions, or a major change in a culture or economy.

A complete turn around! It is much like the word we use to describe our part in the salvation process - repentance. A revolution and repentance are basically the same thing! They both describe going one direction and then seeing the error of that way and making a complete U-turn, and going the opposite direction!
All of our lives need a revolution! We are travelling, many of us, down a road, which the Bible describes as, "the end thereof are the ways of destruction!" It is time we got some determination, back bone and stood up to ourselves, and make a revolution that we can look back on with pride and resolution. Let us be able to say of this day, "that was the day I changed my life for the better!" May we also be able to say, "I gave my life to Jesus, and Oh, what a change!"

Revolutionize your resolutions, and really make change in your life!

Yours for positive change,
Pastor Fred