This last Sunday, my wife and I went to her home church in Iowa (the one she attended before moving to Illinois and marrying me). We were able to see some of her old friends and people that I had become friends with also. We saw the couple who DJ'd our wedding, the Pastor and his wife, and so on. One couple had an 8 month old son (who is very adorable), that is the first time we meet him. Nice to chat with them and catch up on old times. The husband is the associate Pastor there.
After talking with him for a few minutes, I remembered an adult Sunday school class that he lead one day. The topic of his sermon changed my life forever. I have always believed in God, and thought that going to church on Sunday was good enough. WRONG!! He taught us that to be a Christian and to follow Jesus, was a 24/7 deal. He taught us that most people go to church on Sunday and on Monday they go right back to the way they were living before. He called that "Having fire insurance". To be a true Christian, you had to follow Christ not only on Sunday for an hour, but for the rest of the week and for all of the remaining hours.
I felt convicted! I was going to church, being nice to people, and I thought that was enough. After his sermon, I found out that it wasn't. I needed to live the Christian life everyday! I couldn't just go to church on Sunday and then on Monday thru Saturday do what ever I wanted, and then go back to church on Sunday and all was well again. I needed to live for Jesus everyday. I needed to pray everyday! I needed to read my Bible everday! I needed a real relationship with God!
So I changed my whole outlook on things. I started treating everone the same way. I looked at people differently. I looked at situations differently. When anyone would ask for help, I would be the first one to jump and help. I didn't take things so personal anymore. I just let go of things and let God take control. I have been much better off since!
So I praise God for this young man's sermon on "Fire Insurance". It changed my life! All the glory to You God!
Monday, February 28, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
Reaching Out
I have a Facebook account. At first I didn't know what to do with it. I wasn't your typical Facebook type of guy. I started finding old friends on the website, and old friends would find me. It was really cool to get back in touch with people I haven't seen or talked to in years.
Then one day on my way to work, the roads were really bad. Snow packed and slick. I made it to work safely, thanks to Jesus for keeping me protected. I logged into Facebook and thought about what I might post. I decided to post something about how God had protected me while on my way to work that morning.
The response I received from that post was very encouraging. So I decided to take even further the next day. I started posting everything that God had done for me and my family! The blessings He has poured down upon us. His protection over us. His provision for us on a daily basis. The responses kept on getting more and more encouraging. Friends kept telling me how they looked forward to my posts every day. I am not saying this to say how great I am, but rather to show how God was using me, to get His message out to everyone!
Then after about a year or so of my faith based postings, a friend reached out to me. To pray for him and his father, and his family. His father was dying of cancer, and he wanted to know if I would pray for him! I told him that I sure would. His father passed away about a week later. Because of God using me on Facebook, He opened the door for my friend to reach out to me to pray for him. He saw my posts and knew that I was someone that he could come to for prayer.
Another friend reached out to me for another reason. She had been abused by her husband and she wanted to know if I would pray for her. I told her that I would. Again because of posting on Facebook, another friend was able to feel comfortable to reach out to me, to pray for her.
The most recent one was this evening when a cousin of mine instant messaged me on Facebook and asked me to call her right away. I logged off and gave her a call. She was telling me about a situation going on in her life and how the devil was attacking her very aggressively. She asked me to pray for her! Of course, I told her.
I pray that God will take care of all of these situations in my friends and families lives! Again, I am not blogging about this to show how great I am, but to show how God is using me and my Facebook account to reach people. Some say that I have a Facebook ministry. I don't know about all of that, but if I am able to help someone because I am on Facebook, then praise God! I am just posting what He puts on my heart! If it wasn't for God, I probably would never post on Facebook. You never know how He will use you if given the opportunity. All the glory to God!!!
Then one day on my way to work, the roads were really bad. Snow packed and slick. I made it to work safely, thanks to Jesus for keeping me protected. I logged into Facebook and thought about what I might post. I decided to post something about how God had protected me while on my way to work that morning.
The response I received from that post was very encouraging. So I decided to take even further the next day. I started posting everything that God had done for me and my family! The blessings He has poured down upon us. His protection over us. His provision for us on a daily basis. The responses kept on getting more and more encouraging. Friends kept telling me how they looked forward to my posts every day. I am not saying this to say how great I am, but rather to show how God was using me, to get His message out to everyone!
Then after about a year or so of my faith based postings, a friend reached out to me. To pray for him and his father, and his family. His father was dying of cancer, and he wanted to know if I would pray for him! I told him that I sure would. His father passed away about a week later. Because of God using me on Facebook, He opened the door for my friend to reach out to me to pray for him. He saw my posts and knew that I was someone that he could come to for prayer.
Another friend reached out to me for another reason. She had been abused by her husband and she wanted to know if I would pray for her. I told her that I would. Again because of posting on Facebook, another friend was able to feel comfortable to reach out to me, to pray for her.
The most recent one was this evening when a cousin of mine instant messaged me on Facebook and asked me to call her right away. I logged off and gave her a call. She was telling me about a situation going on in her life and how the devil was attacking her very aggressively. She asked me to pray for her! Of course, I told her.
I pray that God will take care of all of these situations in my friends and families lives! Again, I am not blogging about this to show how great I am, but to show how God is using me and my Facebook account to reach people. Some say that I have a Facebook ministry. I don't know about all of that, but if I am able to help someone because I am on Facebook, then praise God! I am just posting what He puts on my heart! If it wasn't for God, I probably would never post on Facebook. You never know how He will use you if given the opportunity. All the glory to God!!!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Answered Prayer
This morning I recieved a call from my ex-wife. She was crying uncontrollably. I asked her what was wrong, and she proceded to tell me that she couldn't pick up her daughter this weekend. She said that they had a restructure at work and all of the people who had made the prior schedules were no longer there. She has had the same schedule for the last 2+ years. Under the new system, she was only going to get one weekend off a month, and she wasn't sure when that weekend would be. I told her that was terrible. She kept apologizing to me about it, but I told her I felt bad for her because she wouldn't be able to see her daughter only once a month. I tried to say the right things and calm her down the best that I could, but what can you really say in a situation like this.
I hung up the phone and immediately started to pray. I prayed for her, her job, her boss, everyone that would be involved in this decision. I prayed that GOD would give her peace and comfort to deal with the news she had just recieved. I prayed that GOD would give her boss some wisdom and compassion for the situation. I just prayed that the whole thing would just work out. I left it all in GOD'S hands! I laid it at His feet.
About two hours later I recieved another call from my ex-wife. She was unbelievably calm. She then told me that she had a talk with her boss, and that it was all just a big misunderstanding. She did have this weekend off, she would be able to see her daughter, and that things were still the same. PRAISE GOD!!! I believe that my prayer was answered immediately! I didn't get anxious about the situation or angry, I just started to pray and trust GOD! He came through like He always does! All the praise and glory to You GOD!!
I hung up the phone and immediately started to pray. I prayed for her, her job, her boss, everyone that would be involved in this decision. I prayed that GOD would give her peace and comfort to deal with the news she had just recieved. I prayed that GOD would give her boss some wisdom and compassion for the situation. I just prayed that the whole thing would just work out. I left it all in GOD'S hands! I laid it at His feet.
About two hours later I recieved another call from my ex-wife. She was unbelievably calm. She then told me that she had a talk with her boss, and that it was all just a big misunderstanding. She did have this weekend off, she would be able to see her daughter, and that things were still the same. PRAISE GOD!!! I believe that my prayer was answered immediately! I didn't get anxious about the situation or angry, I just started to pray and trust GOD! He came through like He always does! All the praise and glory to You GOD!!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
BLIZZARD 2011
This past Tuesday into Wednesday, we had a blizzard here in Northern Illinois. Haven't had a storm like this in over a decade! Weather people were calling for over a foot to a foot and a half of snow, with wind gusts topping 60 mph! White out conditions, very low visibility while driving were common. Roads being blown closed because of drifting snow, also very common.
Wednesday morning, our daughter's school was cancelled. My wife could not make it to work either. At about ten o'clock in the morning, I decide to go out and have a look around to see what I needed to get done, so we could leave the house if we needed to. I get all of my snow blowing gear on and headed outside. I pushed the button to open the garage door and it only opened about six inches and stopped. I did this about three more times, then finally had to help it up by hand. When it went up, what I saw I could not believe. The snow drift was about half way up our door. Almost three feet of drift. No wonder the door didn't want to open!
So I borrow my daughter's camera and proceed to take pictures of the fallout from the epic storm. Our backyard is un-navigable! Drifts almost to the top of our privacy fence. Our LP tank is completely covered, except for the lid that covers the dials. So I get out our snow blower, pray to GOD that He gives me the strength and edurance to get this all done. I start the blower and proceed to work on the drift blocking our door.
I was out there a little over two hours, and with the help of my wife, we got it done! From start to finish, it didn't look like the same driveway! I had to blow it twice; once to knock down the big drifts, the second to get down to the pavement. With each pass or swipe of the snow blower, the snow was being removed and placed someplace else. Praise GOD for our snow blower!
That got me started to think about Jesus and the removing of our sins. With each passing day of being a believer of Jesus, He makes us more and more like Him. The Holy Spirit takes away our temptation to do evil. We have to repent and ask Jesus for forgiveness for our sins. He washes our sins white as snow.
Wednesday morning, our daughter's school was cancelled. My wife could not make it to work either. At about ten o'clock in the morning, I decide to go out and have a look around to see what I needed to get done, so we could leave the house if we needed to. I get all of my snow blowing gear on and headed outside. I pushed the button to open the garage door and it only opened about six inches and stopped. I did this about three more times, then finally had to help it up by hand. When it went up, what I saw I could not believe. The snow drift was about half way up our door. Almost three feet of drift. No wonder the door didn't want to open!
So I borrow my daughter's camera and proceed to take pictures of the fallout from the epic storm. Our backyard is un-navigable! Drifts almost to the top of our privacy fence. Our LP tank is completely covered, except for the lid that covers the dials. So I get out our snow blower, pray to GOD that He gives me the strength and edurance to get this all done. I start the blower and proceed to work on the drift blocking our door.
I was out there a little over two hours, and with the help of my wife, we got it done! From start to finish, it didn't look like the same driveway! I had to blow it twice; once to knock down the big drifts, the second to get down to the pavement. With each pass or swipe of the snow blower, the snow was being removed and placed someplace else. Praise GOD for our snow blower!
That got me started to think about Jesus and the removing of our sins. With each passing day of being a believer of Jesus, He makes us more and more like Him. The Holy Spirit takes away our temptation to do evil. We have to repent and ask Jesus for forgiveness for our sins. He washes our sins white as snow.
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