Monday, August 25, 2014

Colossians 3:1-2

if this seems as if in the past tense i was getting this ready on Friday and Saturday.

This afternoon I took my dog Mara for a walk and as always I took my mp3 player.  As we walked i listened to a mix of Christmas music, praise choruses and hymns.  I suddenly found myself singing out loud right there in Evelyn Price's Park praising God.  Later I came to work and as far as customers go I have been yelled at, cussed out, called ma'am, and had people constantly want to argue when all i was trying to do was help them.  At the end of my shift i was pretty frustrated.  Then God brought my attention to these verses.  I needed to slow down.  Are you ready for these verses because i can tell you i wasn't but i needed them.  

1-2.  "Since you have been raised to new life with Christ set your sights on the realities of Heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand.  Think about the things of Heaven not the things of earth."  

See a lot of times we don't think about the "realities of Heaven."  Now let's look at some other verses it brought to mind for me.  See in the verses we read above we are reminded that Christ is in Heaven in the place of honor at God's right hand.  As a follower of God we need to fix our eyes on the things of God and heaven because of Ephesians 2:6.  "For He raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.  Our eyes and thoughts need to be fixed on God so Jesus can do the next few things.  When i started the Batcave Blog one of the first things I learned and taught on was Psalms 3:3.  "But you, O Lord are a shield around me, you are my glory the one who holds my head high."  See something happens when you're struggling and having a bad time and you fix your eyes on God.  He gently puts his hand under your chin lifts your head and has you look into the face of the Prince of Peace.  That's when one of the other changes described in the song How He Loves takes place.  "When all of a sudden I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,"  Then you get taught another lesson found in Psalms 23:2-3 "He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3     he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.  "  A lot of times mentally and emotionally we need our strength and our souls refreshed.  Fix your thoughts on God think on these things.  

Heaven of my heart by Whiteheart White Heart - Heaven Of My Heart .  

 
 
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Think on these things by Petra Petra - Think On These Things 

 
 
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directly from Psalms 3:3 Ashield about me by Zoe Group Zoe Group - A Shield About Me

 
 
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How He loves by Kim Walker Smith How He Loves Us - Kim Walker, Jesus Culture


Healer by Kari Jobe Kari Jobe - Healer LIVE 



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Monday, August 18, 2014

Charlie Mike

Churches often throw around words that get hard to understand.  One of those words is missions.  It can be overseas evangelism or here in the United States.  Do you personally know what your mission is because in this hurry up up world it can get muddled and confused.  I have heard a lot at Real Life Corpus and from my dad "The only thing that matters 100 yrs from now is where someone is in their relationship with God".  We were given a command in Matthew 28:19-20.  "Therefore go and make disciples of all the nations baptizing them in the name of the Father iand the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.  And be sure of this I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  
  As God's servant Paul had a mission and we have a mission.  Thanks to author Larry Hama writing G.I.Joe comics for years I have picked up on a little military lingo.  CM or Charlie Mike is a command I am going to give all of you when you are done reading this.  
Colossians 1:28-29  

28."So we tell others about Christ warning everyone and teaching everyone.  With all the wisdom, God has given us.  He wants ut to present them to God, perfect in their relationship in Christ."
29.  "That's why I work and struggle so hard depending on Christ's mighty power that works within me.  

This Sunday my dad preached on two verses that went very well with this study and after his sermon i knew they needed to be added to this.  because as Christians we preach Christ crucified and raised from the dead and in John 20:30-31 we are given the reason why he wrote the book and the reason why we keep preaching and teaching.  "Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples which are not written in this book.  But these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing you may have life in his name."  we preach and teach so others may have life in his name and believe.  
As Christians you and i are on mission with God to reach the unsaved.  God sent his own son to die for you and me.  CM in military terms means "Continue the Mission."  Jesus promised he would be with us always.  Like Chris Tomlin sang.  "And if our God is for us who can be against us and if our God is with us who can stand against,"  

Our God by Chris Tomlin Chris Tomlin - Our God (Live)

 
 
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Soldiers of the Cross by Degarmo and Key DeGarmo And Key- Soldiers Of The Cross

 
 
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Mighty to Save by Real Life Corps band and cardboard testimonies that went with it because lifechange is why we preach and teach the unsaved.  The guitarist who flips his guitar is my friend.  i can relate to his story in so many ways.  Real Life Cardboard Testimonies


 
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Sunday, August 10, 2014

God sized changes

This is going to be a very real raw and personal Batcave Blog and a bit of a departure from what you normally get to read.  This week was the first time i went back to work after about a full week off on vacation.  I've encountered a co-worker who launched into a tirade against something i truly care about.  I had to forgive that person and it wasn't easy.  See the Bible clearly states in Matt 6:15.  "If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.  But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive you."  On Monday I met with a good friend Jimmy Heald(Real Life's Children's pastor) and for the first time in my life i heard more of the story of what happened before my wedding and how my wife ended up at church.  Jimmy and his wife Katie were near divorce and he was staying with my future brother-in-law and sister-in-law.  Jimmy's daughter Hayley was coming to Real Life Corpus.  Jimmy said as a last ditch effort he brought Katie to church and God changed both his and Katie's life.  Then my Brother-in-law and sister-in-law started coming to church that led to Marion and her parents coming as well.  A few months passed and God gave these two ladies Jill and Tammy a dream that Marion and i were a couple and they believed God and introduced us.  just a few short months would pass and Jimmy said at our wedding reception Katie said "Isn't it crazy how God works."  He asked her what she meant.  "Well a few months ago we were on the verge of divorce and now God has changed our lives and we're watching Zac and Marion get married."  I'm writing all this because I'm part of this story and because of what it says in Romans 8:28 "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."  Admitting to that verse i have to continue with my week the stress of my job has been incredible.  Most people have different reactions to bad calls.  I'm having to remember 1 Peter 5:7 "Give all your worries and cares to God for he cares about you."  it's a moment by moment thing i have to do because i admit I'm a control freak.  I read this article this week in In Touch magazine about how sleep is the ultimate test of faith because we can try to go to bed and we can take stuff to help us sleep but our brains don't want to shut down.  Some of us are such control freaks we can't sleep because we're afraid of what we won't be in control of.  I'm learning i have to leave all anxieties and worries in God's hands .  I come home from work at 5am and you wouldn't believe the amount of posts on face book of people who say they can't sleep.  Trust God he will give you rest.  All week i have been stressed financially and asking God for help.  I called my dad Thursday and he started giving me answers for the problems and the whole time He was pointing me back to God.  The answers and the hope i had been praying for God was suddenly providing.  Then i got to work and we have a perfect attendance rewards program that is ending well before it ended God provided Marion and an i a way to get groceries with $120.00 in Wal-Mart gift cards when bills are piling up.

I don't know what personal struggle you're going thru but I know God is in control he still loves you he has a purpose and a plan for you.  He changed a family near divorce to cause me to meet my wife He's given me a family and friends who care more than i can even understand.  I tell you when Jimmy said i was a part of his testimony i was confused.. Now i agree with Katie "isn't it crazy how God works."  it started with a little girl named Hayley getting her parents to church.  God can use us in ways we don't understand and He gets all the glory.  

There are two songs that i heard Thursday when i started seeing God answering prayer that nearly left me in tears.  

God is Faithful by Shelia Walsh God Is Faithful - Sheila Walsh (lyrics) 

 
 
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Enough by Barlow Girl Enough - Barlow Girl 


 
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