looking in the rear view

so yesterday was my birthday, and no i am really not that depressed about the countdown to 40.  But I have spent some time reflecting on some things.

I was thinking on the ride back from carowinds about birthdays of years past.  One particular one came to mind.  18 years ago I turned 21, and I remember that day well.

I hate alcohol (i know it's a strong word, but i do).  Most people know that about me, and I make no bones about it, I detest the stuff.  18 years ago I became of age to buy the stuff, I became the age to go to social establishments that sell the stuff, and It also was about the time that my downfall to the stuff began.  I turned 21, drinking was what i was supposed to do, right?  going to bars is what i was supposed to do right?  partying on the weekends was what i was supposed to do right?  unfortunately most people thing that way, and act that way.  It's all they had to look forward to, and i know because it's all I had to look forward to.

What i didn't know at the time was what the stuff was doing to me.  I was drinking more and more.  Was all i could think about.  It was my only escape from reality.  My problem was i needed a new reality.  November 30, 1997 became the day I got a new reality.  It's the day i committed myself to Christ.  Was a day I will never forget, was the day God removed the desire for alcohol from me, and i am forever grateful.

Sunday night we talked in youth about taking our anger and turning into our passion and using for something good.  I detest alcohol, it is my passion to share the dangers of it, and I hope it does some good to help young people make better decisions when it comes to the stuff.

I know today was a little more personal, but my friend brian lee, has inspired me to be a little more personal in blogging, so i plan to try and do so periodically.  thank you brian.

Love to my readers, Chris

Welcome back Carter

Did John Travolta just flash through your mind lol, flashback to 70's.  No this blog is not referring to a sitcom, but it was an eye catcher wasn't it.

Prodigal Son, now if i would have just posted that you would have thought, yeah yeah, i know that one, next.  Which may be true, but sometimes we need to be reminded of the biblical stories we know well.  I have to admit when i was doing my devotion time today and i got to Luke 15:11, I was like yeah i know this one moving on, but i read it, stopped prayed and read it again.  This parable always astounds me, because the father does exactly the opposite of what we would do.

^11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. ^12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

^13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. ^14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.  (Lk 15:11-14, NIV)

 

The son demands his inheritance and bails, ready to move on to bigger and better things.  Sees the world, has adventures, and sews his wild oats; then finds himself alone, empty, and broke.  He finds a job (vs.15) working for a guy feeding pigs, and finds himself longing to eat the slop the pigs are getting.  He comes to his senses and decides to go back home.  Now we know what happens here, Dad sees him welcomes him back and he is in good standings like he was before, the problem was other brother is ticked because he stayed, he worked, he was there the whole time, and know here is brother that bailed getting treated so good.  stop.

 

Here is the thing, reality is if you or I were dad we would more than likely practice what we call "tough love" right here, son shows up we may feed him, but that would be it, we would be like you blew your chance, now go get a job somewhere else, i'm not gonna keep on being taken advantage of.  You know it's true.  But this parable isn't talking about my love, your love, or the worlds love.  It's talking about God's love, the love that is unconditional, the love that seeks you out and tells you it's time to come home, the love that welcomes you back no matter how long you have been gone, the love that doesn't remember the wrongs, the love that forgives,the love that never ever leaves us, and the love that isn't "tough love" its "grace and mercy love".

 

God loves you period.  If you have traveled away from Him, He is waiting on you to come home.  Why? because He loves you.

 

I love you too, Chris

This is too hard, so I QUIT

^60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”

^61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? ^62 What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! ^63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit^ and they are life. ^64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. ^65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him.”

^66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. (Jn 6:60-66, NIV)

 

I really don't, remember my last blog "I refuse to lose", I'm not talking about me (though at times i do feel like throwing in the towel, but don't we all?).  Sometimes making the adjustments that Christ wants us to make in our lives is easy, sometimes its a little more difficult, and sometimes its just down right hard.

 

So what do we do or should i ask what are we supposed to do?  because there is a difference between what we are supposed to do and what we actually do.  Some of his disciples (students, and not the 12) where at a crossroads, the teachings of Jesus where getting harder, and they started to complain.  The came to a point where they had to decide, am i going to tuff this out or am I going to give up.  Unfortunately verse 66 shows us what they did, they gave up and walked away never to return.

 

you and i are faced with these decisions when things get tough, we start thinking (and saying) I cant it's just to hard.  The unfortunate thing is when this happens we run from our problems, we walk away from the solution to our problems, which is Christ.

 

The end result is heartbreaking.  The disciples that walked away missed out on so much.  Think about the twelve that stayed.  Think about what they saw, heard, and had a part of.  God used them in tremendous ways, simply because they stuck it out.  They worked through the hard stuff.  God wants you to stick it out, God wants you to work through the hard stuff.  God wants to do so much in our lives.  Don't walk away, you will miss out on what God wants to do in your life.

 

I love you, Chris

I refuse to lose

^4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? ^5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders ^6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ ^7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. (Lk 15:4-7, NIV)

 

I love my flock.  I love saying I love my flock.  When it comes to my flock I refuse to lose even one.  This week has been an amazing week, and at the same time a very frustrating week.  God really blessed in VBS all week, has been outstanding, 15 children made first time decisions, 3 made recomitments (affirmed where they stood), and during the VBS program last night 3 adults made first time decisions.  Verse 7 tells us that the angels in heaven rejoiced over one, so they must have been going crazy in heaven over 21 decisions made this week.  So the flock grows, but at the same time, i have some sheep that are at odds.  I am too stubborn and care too much to let the dissension continue.  Unfortunately it has taken my focus off rejoicing in the decisions, and having to focus on the negative.

I refuse to lose.  I will not give up.  I will not give in.  I love my sheep too much.  So I am going after the sheep and I will bring them back. 

 

So sheep you know who you are so be aware I am coming for you.

 

have a blessed weekend, I love you, Chris

don't start unless you plan on finishing

^28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? ^29 For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, ^30 saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ (Lk 14:28-30, NIV)

About five years ago i began refinishing a chest of drawers for my wife, was trying to get it done before our twin girls came along.  I sanded it down, used wood filler to repair some blemishes in it, and have just about completed putting a coat of primer on it.  However, that is as far as i have gotten.  Now here we are, twins are four and olivia is nearly year and half, and guess what?  Yep you got it the piece of furniture is still not done, it's pushed way back in the garage behind boxes and who knows what else.  It's real easy to start something, get side tracked and not finish isn't it?

I'm afraid this is happening way too much in our churches today.  We come sunday after Sunday, God begins a work in us and then the distractions hit.  Work, family, friends, TV, books, and whatever else can consume our time, and we don't carry through with what God has begun.

This is why Jesus talked to His disciples about what it meant to follow Him.  He told them they needed to be willing to give up everything, including their family to follow Him.  In other words "Put God first", God always comes first.  We talk everyday about wanting to be disciples of Christ, but reality is we don't want to make the sacrifices to become one.  Make the sacrifices, devote the time, Put God First, and become a true disciple of Christ, so He may complete the work in you.

blessings, Chris