That Name

So tonight I am preaching on the Third commandment.
I have been writing my sermon and I'm now getting to the end.
As I approach the end.
I feel the need to explain the power in the name that we so easily throw around.
Here is what I love about my God's name.

See the name of God can make the blind see, the dead rise the deaf hear, the lame walk, the mute talk, the dirty clean.
The name of God can save the unsalable, forgive the unforgiveable, give grace to the ungraceful.
The name of God is bigger then death, stronger than cancer, greater than sickness and better than drugs.
The name of God can move mountains, split rivers, and turn water into wine.
The name of God can lift oppression, it can take away pain and it can heal the broken.
The name of God is more powerful than we will ever know.


I really think it is time that we start paying attention to what we say and the words we use.
There is just something about that name.
It's so misunderstood, we must teach about it more.

LiFe

So, I get to work today(early) by five minutes! I love working at this church! I get ready for the day, check e-mail, facebook and twitter. I start preparing for ONEyouth tonight, I'm excited God has been speaking to me and using this series for His glory. Im writing this thing for service tonight its like a worship invitation almost. God has really just been saying come up higher, help this group coming to a higher place with me. It's funny how that also fits in with the series Im preaching. So Im writing this introduction and then my sermon material. I'am feeling really good about it all. It's only 1030 and I already have a bulk of tonight ready. I have been listening to worship music and really just enjoying the presence of God.
and then all of a sudden...
This feeling of discouragement hits me.
Like a blow to the heart and lungs when all of your air has escaped you. I can't breath anymore, I can't catch my breath.
This voice is saying your not good enough, you dont ever do things right what makes you think your doing this right, what if your not suppose to be here, what if this isn't what your called too, You will never be good enough.
Like I am in one of those interrogation rooms from T.V. and this voice is on a loud speaker.
these thoughts are just punching punching punching me into the ground. Until I feel like poop.
I start wondering if some of that stuff is true, I call my wife and she is discouraged too, so its like what if this is true, what if this is all wrong.
But then...
God starts to speak!
This is where I have put you.
This is where I have put you.
Let me say it one more time for those of you who don't hear it.
This is where I have put you!
I get this idea then to start speaking life into things that are uncomfortable (an idea I got from a pastor in Florida)
God I speak life into my house,
I speak life into my job,
I speak life into my marriage,
I speak life into my choices,
I speak life into my work ethic,
I speak life into my words and actions.
I speak life into my life.
God bring me your life.

See I cannot not control what others say or how they treat people, but I can control how I act and treat people. I can breath life into my action and words.
I can lift people up with love.
I choose to give life and speak life.
God help me to be more like you every day, I pray.

One for One

Well once again I have found my way back to my keyboard and to my blog. It has been some time since I have wrote a real blog. One that comes from thoughts. So today I will attempt to do just that. Write a thought driven post.
As most people that are close to Kristen and myself know we are Youth Pastors. On top of that we are blessed youth pastors!!!! Well this next week is Pastor and staff appreciation week at our church and that includes us. Its a crazy thought that we are on staff at a real church. Anyway back to the thoughts of this blog.
Last night one of our youth surprised me with a pair of Toms shoes. He wears them all the time and I always say something about them and how I wish I had a pair. Well now I do. They are great!!! So light, and comfortable. Perfect in every way. I was so thrown back by getting this present when I haven't really been here that long. But anyway it was a real special feeling as he gave them to me. Something I will never forget.
And as we were finishing our night at the church I grabbed the show box which now was filled with other things because my feet were nice and cozy inside my Toms! I grabbed the box and looked at the side, it simply said "One-for-One" TOMS shoes gives one pair of shoes for every pair of shoes bought. So with the pair of shoes that I recieved last night somewhere in the world someone else will recieve a pair of shoes free.
Ok so I need to add this Oct. 17th is our Speed the Light sunday at OFA and ONEyouth is in charge of both services!!!! I love the opportunity that is here!!!!
So as I saw that saying the message for that Sunday dropped into my spirit. ONE-for-ONE. One death for one life. the power of one death, the power of one life. Because of Jesus death we each have the power to change another life. We have the opportunity to extended the invitation of eternal life because of the one that died for it. It is a ONE-for-ONE kind of thought. So as this develops in my spirit over the next few weeks I pray that each of us take the one opportunity we get every-time we encounter another to offer that love that beats all others. make it a ONE-for-ONe moment.

the road ahead

it has been to long since i last wrote. i have missed journaling and thinking. as may have noticed i am to lazy to capitalize any letters. sorry if that bugs you. but i love it! well in five great days i will be getting married to the woman of my dreams. kristen marie schnoor. i had never thought that i would be in place i am at the start of high school or even college, but here i am. 22 and on the verge of marriage, full time youth pastor living in ozark, alabama. lol it makes me laugh when i think about how good god has been to me and kristen. he has brought us through some much to get to this milestone in our lives. and yet some people dont see that happiness and try to make our day about them. sorry didn't mean to vent. on second thought yes i did. i am sick and tired of people being selfish and those who take joy and happiness out of everything. ahahhhhhhhh! anyway where was i. oh yes god is so awesome. so as i sit here in my house in ozark thinking about this week and the many weeks after saturday. i think, wow its really here. i can only think that the only reason God has chose to bless us so greatly is because we have been faithful to our relationship with him. God chose to save me from my sin, the sin that would kill he took and threw it upon his son, so that i could live. and because i choose to believe that simple truth and devote my life to him God is willing to open doors that no man could. i would like to share this thought. if i choose to live in a relationship with Christ i choose live like him and throw away my desires and replace them with his. if i choose to live for Christ i choose to bear his fruit and not my own. if i choose to live for the king i choose to enjoy life and see every moment as possibility. Jesus died with the weight of all sin so that we might walk in all freedom. i am about to step onto a very long road, and there is no way i would try to do that with out the weight of sin taken off my shoulders. if you are struggling to take that next step, let the one who paved the road help you. salvation from death, hell and the grave has been my greatest blessing and i hope it is yours too.

Where are my shoes!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last Friday Kristen and I were making our way up to Ozark, Alabama. For those of you who don't know where that is, it is two hours South of Montgomery, AL. We were going up there to interview for a youth position. We got the job! God is good all the time!!!! There is so much that has went in the past 4-5 days I cannot even write about all of it.

So my thought for today comes from the first few moments of our trip. Before I picked Kristen up from her school I was dropping my car off and our Pastor's house so it would be safe for the weekend. It actually got wrote on in permanent marker come to find out! lol. Anyway as we pulled up I was greeted by my friend JoJo haha aka Kristin and Pastor sheri who was not feeling good. I was running around my car trying to find shoes and clothes that I needed to transfer to another car. Pastor sheri asked if she could pray and I said,"just one second please." knowing she wasn't feeling up to par I gave up trying to find my dress shoes.

Prayers started to be sent up Heavenward and we were asking God for big things in the days to come. As we prayed my mind was trying to think of where these dress shoes were. I knew I had them in my car. We finished praying and I thought of one last place to look. So I popped the trunk and opened the cooler that was in my car. There they were, my nice shinny black dress shoes. I yelled out, "Who the heck puts shoes in a cooler!" The women laughed at me for a second and then we took off. To go pick Kristen up.

The shoes were in the cooler because I had put them there when packing up my dorm room trying to use every bit of space I could.

Sometimes we pack life to full, so full in fact that we can't remember where God is, or where our shoes are.

I think the example set before us in how to order the fullness of everyday life is found in Mark.

And early in the morning, while it was still dark, He arose and went out and departed to a lonely place, and was praying there. ( Mark 1:35)

Prayer is nonnegotiable.It centers our lives on what is important, that is God!
We must withdraw ourselves from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, in order to find ourselves and to find God.

If we miss these things we will not be able to find our shoes, or worse yet we will not be able to find God.

May His face shine upon you.

Notice the missing piece

About a year ago this time my girlfriend who is now my fiance (Kristen) and I decided to start wearing promise rings. I took my Dad's old wedding band that was straight from the 80's with its twirly design on it. And Kristen took her Mom's engagement ring. We did this for two reasons. One because I am cheap and didn't want to buy rings. Secondly because they both had more meaning then something bought brand new. We both loved the idea of wearing our parents rings.

At first it took a long time getting use to wearing this ring, it was uncomfortable and hurt my fingers if they were squeezed together. After awhile the ring carved out its spot in my finger to where it left an indentation in my skin. I love wearing this ring every-time I see it I am reminded of the love in my life and the commitment I have to her. I know that it isn't a wedding band but soon enough there will be one of those on my left hand to signify that special commitment I will have.

I rarely take my ring off because I will forget to grab it in the morning. So I just leave it on my finger.

Sunday I had the privilege to go golfing with my dad and step-dad. It was a post graduation celebration while Kristen and the women she was with went to pick out a wedding dress.

So as we were hitting the links as they say I took my ring off so it wouldn't pinch my skin between the club. I put it in my pocket as I golfed. It is now thursday and I just realized that I never took it out of my pocket to put it back on my finger. Partly because even as I write this, it feels as if the ring is on my finger. It is the weirdest thing how that works.

We can get so comfortable with the things that we choose to add to our lives. So comfortable that we don't even notice when they are gone.

We notice the new things when they are new. Because they take time getting use to and are different then before. But as time rolls on we get use to them as they become a part of our everyday life. But sadly we do this with God all to much I feel. We must try to remain in a place in life of spiritual newness. Where everyday has the new feeling with God, where we cannot forget that He is there with us, because it is fresh and new. And yes if we have that sometimes it will be uncomfortable. God will show you things in your life that you need to take out and things you need to add. Some may hurt and others may heal. But no matter what we must freshly revive the holy spirit within us everyday.

When when the last time you forgot your ring and didn't even notice it?

When was the last time we forgot to put God in our day and didn't even notice it?

We cannot let ourselves forget the feeling of having God newly involved in our everyday life?

So I pray that your life isn't in a place of comfort without the involvement of God today.

Grace and Peace to you.

Illuminate

When I was younger I use to be terrified of the dark, I would be almost paralyized from what I precieved was just past my vision. I would sit in a chair in the living room waiting for Mom or Dad to come home before I would move a muscle. The only problem with that was, I like to eat! So I would make a plan of action on how I was going to get to the fridge and back with everything I needed. I would start with turning the lamp by the chair on, then the living room lights, then the dinning room lights, then just because the switch was right next to the switch for the dinning room I would to the back porch light on. I would run into the kitchen and hit the light in there, then open the fridge to let the light from inside illuminate my choices. I would get what I needed to fill my hunger and then put the extras back where they belong. I would kick the fridge closed walk backwards the path I had taken to get there shutting of the lights as I go, sliding back into my chair to watch TV. I felt as if as long as there was a lighted path for me I was safe and new where I was going.

Psalm 119:105 says this:
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path (NIV).
By your words I can see where I'm going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path (The Message).
See the word of God does the same thing for us as house lights do in a dark house. When we are paralyzed by life and its problems or decision, the word of God throws a beam of light to our path. It opens up the possibility of getting from one place to another.

The words used for lamp and light is the same word in Hebrew, it means to illuminate.
The word of God illuminates what we can't see; it expands our perception of life.
This light not only opens our eyes to see our surroundings, but helps to direct us in the right ordering of our conversation, both in the choice of our way in general and in the particular steps we take in that way, that we may not take a false way nor a false step in the right way (Matthew Henry).
God’s word is our spiritual flash light. We can turn it on or we can turn it off. It’s our choice.

Illuminate your life.

Illuminate it with Gods word.

Illuminate the will of God for your life.

ON THE THIRD DAY

As I come out of my 22nd Easter I realize this one was probably the most profound for myself.

One of the most Holy Easters? No.
Did I see a vision? No.

So what made it o profound then?

I will start with Good Friday. I began the day reading
Hebrews 9:21-22

In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

This put the whole day in prospective for me, It was what happen years ago that made this one possible for me.

I was spending the rest of the day with my new fiance and her Aunt and cousin. We got up a little late, then went to a buffet that was decent for the small town we were in. We had a good time eating and joking. We then went for a walk down a trail near by the house. We chose the 2.5 mile walk. I need more of these walks. As we walked I thought these walk for Jesus, scholars say its not nearly as far as we walked but it got me thinking any how. We walked up and down hills, through swamps, and woods, in the heat of the day. I couldn't imagine what Jesus went through on this walk. Blood dripping from his crown of thorns, skin hanging off His body. Falling down with the wait of the wood heavy cross pressing down on him, pressured to keep going.

I thought it was funny how God let me experience a moment of thinking about this experience while walking down this beautiful trail. What if we walked in a way that signified our thanks for Jesus and His walk up the hill? what if the way we carry ourselves every day was in position to Jesus and the way he carried Him self with that cross? Never staying down, bleeding, enduring, persevering.

Saturday brought more blessings, we were at an interview of sorts for a pastorate in Ozark, Alabama. I just love that name. We experienced amazing things from the time we spent with the pastor. Our hearts melt for this church and it felt as if God was showing where we were going to end up but in the end maybe not because we are #2 for getting the position, We spent a great time on our way home dreaming of possibilities and time in prayer with God about our thoughts and hopes. A really amazing feeling about this job has overcome me the past few days, constantly thinking about it, and wondering if God was going to make this happen. He might you never know.

These makes me ask what if we were to think of God being our provider in a manner that makes us so excited that we can hardly wait to see what will happen? Not just with the big stuff, but with the small stuff too? God is the God of the seemingly impossible. Please move us to think like that God?

Sunday was just spectacular! Driving to church was probably the best part. There was this think fog. But behind this fog there was the sun rising in the East. The light penetrating brilliantly through the fog. Making this gold haze every where. I just started to think of Heaven right there and then. Now I am a 20 something and have a lot that I want to do still in life, like get married! So I dont always have this feeling of just wanting to get to Heaven, but all of a sudden I just wanted to see the glory of my God in its fullness.

My last thought is what if we look for something that brings us to the place where we can turn our minds on Heaven and the wanting to be there? What if we were to think about Heaven the way some of think about what we are going to eat at the next meal?

Blessings, in His name.

Knock, knock

Sitting in my dorm room this afternoon, enjoying the first few amazing moments of the start of the weekend.
I here a knock at the door and I figure its our rooms room check for the week. So I yell "OPEN," as to suggest they can come in. there is silence so I walk to the door and open it, to be met by a girl and a guy, both looking younger then myself. The girl is stretching out her hand toward me offering me a card. The card tells about their Easter program from the church they go to.

They ask if I go to a church. In my mind I am saying do you know who you are talking to? I just got done preaching the gospel of Christ two minutes ago, I respond yes I go to a great church in Winter Haven. Garden Grove is the name. Without pause the girl responds, "Well not to pull you away from your church but, do you know for a fact that you are going to Heaven when you die?"
I respond with a smile on my face with, "Yes I do!" They said thank you and I shut the door.

As I take the card to throw it away I see the back of the card. In bold letters the top says," WHAT IT TAKES TO BE SAVED" I chuckled to myself in a sarcastic tone. What kind of a question is that?

Two questions come to my mind through this experience.
1. Is this school that closed off from the surrounding community that other churches don't even know that we are Christians too and proclaim the name of Jesus as well?
2. Is that really what we are concerned about? What does it take to be saved?

To answer the first question, well that for your own interpretation.

The answer to question two I will attempt.
NO! that shouldn't be our main focus, it shouldn't be "getting people saved", it should be transforming they way they see themselves and God. To show them a relationship with the heavenlies that is indescribable. Salvation is not a ten step program, it is a journey with Jesus at the center of our life.

Please I urge you to show the way to life and not steps to be saved.

Yuck I don't even like saying that.
Be blessed.

Umm not sure

Just not sure what I am doing right now.

This feeling sucks. Sorry for the language but it does. I am so far behind on school work its not funny. Really no laughing here. Big decisions coming up soon, and trying to find where God wants me to go, or should I say where He wants Kristen and I to go. I love saying that.

In fact that is probably the only real certain thing that I have, Kristen. She is the one that I know God has for the rest of my life! Its a great feeling.

Sometimes in life I guess we must go through times were we dont know what is happening with everything in life, but maybe we have one or two things that are solid in our life.

For me I have papers that I have no idea how I will finish and book critiques and graduation to get ready for. I have to finish tiling a house in the next couple of weeks! That was a project that was to much work for me to do by myself. I feel very bad about taking this job on. But God has given me strength to finish it.

It has been a crazy past couple of weeks and it will just get crazier.

I have this strange feeling that as our life gets crazier and crazier, God is going to open some doors and do some crazy things.

This felt good sorry if there was no insight.

Doughnuts!

What a great day!

I received a box of 12 doughnuts today from my boss at work. They were for my birthday that happened to have slipped by them last week. They felt guilty for missing it so they gave me doughnuts. I love doughnuts. But not a dozen. It isn't healthy.Though I could, I wont. So I got to class and offered them out. There are still 5 left as we sit in class, whoops now 4.

Its funny how the little things in life can make a day so much better. And how the small things in life can make some people so upset. I have come to learn this semester how an unbalanced life can lead to an unbalanced attitude. I have been able to witness this in the people that surround me day in and day out.

When I say unbalanced life. I am talking about, the unbalance people have in what they say they believe and their practice of that belief. When we don't keep a balance of practicing what what we profess we become unbalanced. This semester has showed me how some people say they are called to one thing or another but they dont really show any fruit of a calling and their attitude toward people and life is like roller-coaster. One minute they are nice and sweet with the telephone operator and the next they are hanging up the phone on them in a flustered hurry while saying this and that about the person on the other line, because they didnt get everything they want.

I believe the practice that is so needed everyday in order to maintain a balanced life is diving into the word of God. When we take time out of the day to read anything it takes us to another place. but when one takes time out of the day to get reading the word of God it takes us to a whole other place then just regular reading. It is a manual for life, a guide, driven by the very will of God.

If we dont take our time to read this life manual then we cannot know how to direct our lives and it becomes as if we are blindfolded in a field of corn.

As I watch these unbalanced lives in front of my very eyes my heart breaks for them. They have this misconceived idea of what Life is, what Christianity is and what Church is.

Now dont get me wrong I am not a perfect balanced life, I have had my share of times where my life has got in the way of God's life for me. But I do know how it also feels to have that balance in my life. It is a great feeling to know that this world is temporary and God is forever, and everything that surrounds those to thoughts will be a-okay!

I would hope that we all strive to live a balanced life. One that brings glory to God in everything that we do. One thats puts Jesus in the front of our mind. And one that lives unselfishly before others.

May you be blessed today!

Autograph

So this morning as I was at work enjoying the day, a man came to the mail room window to ask about receiving some books for "The Forum." This is an annual leadership conference that my school holds every spring break for the past four years including this year.
This year the school is getting former president George W. Bush and his wife Laura to speak during the conference,the school is rush along with cleaning and finishing an overdue construction project out front in order for the school to be spic and span for Mr. Bush.
All of these things happen make me think about when I was growing up and we had to clean the house in a day and fix things for when we would have family coming in and such.
Getting back to the guy at the window. He said that he is receiving 750 books of George W. Bush's book on leadership. The title fails me right now. Anyway he was wondering about how to get it to were he needed them and so forth. But in the conversation I asked if the former president of America would be signing books. He quickly replied "No!" with a small laugh.
This was funny to me.
On top of that I found out that the former president doesn't allow cell phones out, because he doesn't want pictures taken on them.
He will have a photo opt session for all of the high contributing donors to SEU though.
Now I am not knocking the former President. I am just thinking that have we really gotten this bad? Have we really came to the place in life were people are to big or good for candid pictures and and autograph here and there. I find it very funny that at a leadership forum for screams servant leadership and being with the people. The main speaker doesn't allow contact with anyone not paying high dollar for it.

Ahhh I can not understand how this can be ok. We need to be people not some high lifted up, glorified, idolized, imagized(don't know if that's a word) type.
Just be real with me please.
Dear Mr. Bush,
Let me have and autograph and a word please.
Sincerely,
Concerned American