Demonstration.

We heard about this last night at church. How are we demonstrating the Holy Spirit at work in our lives. Let me tell you a story.

My wife, daughter and I went on a trip to visit my wife's Grandma in SD, one Labor day weekend. While out there, we went to a Christian book store and my wife bought me a Bible. Awesome right! When I started attending church again, I kept hearing the pastor say, "read your Bible everyday". Over and over again. No matter what church I attened. This message was constant.

I tried and tried to do it. I tried to read my Bible everyday. I tried right after I got off of work. Kept falling asleep. Tried reading it at night when my daughter was watching tv. That didn't work either. I kept getting distracted by the noise of the tv. I needed to read it in the quiet so I could understand and soak it in.

Every morning before work, I would wake up and then turn on the tv and watch mindless tv shows and sit there and flip channels until it was time to leave. Then one morning it happened. The Holy Spirit spoke to me. Why don't you turn off the tv and pick up your Bible. Wow, what a message. Thank You Jesus! I have been reading it faithfully everyday since. That was in May of 2008. My life has become so much richer because of God's word, than the sportscenter updates. Or the excercise shows, or news updates. All that stuff is of the world. I wanted a Biblical wold view. Only get that from reading and applying God's word. I praise You and worship you Jesus!

Tithing.

Tithing. It was a concept that I really didn't understand for the longest time. I had always had the belief that it was the church just looking for money. Seemed like they always had their hand out. Whenever I would attend a church, and they passed around the offering plate, I thought here we go again. Even as a new believer it took me a little bit to understand tithing and how it works. Then finally one day, God got a hold of me and changed my mind and softened my heart. He showed me that it wasn't the pastor just coming up with this stuff on his own. It was in the Bible. Several different places. It is a mandate from God! So I wanted to be God honoring. Read Malachi 3:8-10 to get an idea of what I am talking about.

So I was a single Dad not making much money. Paying child support and trying to pay my rent and all of my bills, the idea of giving money to the church willlingly, wasn't a very popular idea to me. Ten percent! Wow. I could use that money to go out to eat, or take my daughter to a movie. You know, do something selfish with it. How dare I take that money and give it to the church. Once God got a hold of me, it all changed. At first I didn't think that I could afford anymore money coming out of my account. Once I started incorporating it in my budget, it wasn't difficult at all. I loved giving to the church.

Once I started giving, boy did the blessings start coming from God! I got custody of my daughter. I got engaged. The house that we bought dropped $50,000 right into our price range. Needed a car, found one exactly in the price range we could accept. And finally, we got married in a beautiful outdoor ceremony in Iowa. The blessings from God are tremendous to say the least. In Malachi 3:10 it says to test God on this. Go ahead, you'll be amazed. Praise GOD for His provision!

Changed Attitude

As recently as five years ago, I had kind of a flippant attitude about abortion. I didn't really care one way or the other about it. When people would ask me about my feelings on the subject my answer would always be "it's the woman's body. She can do what she wants with it." If she wanted to abort the baby or give birth I really didn't care. Did not affect me in anyway. I could have not been more wrong on this.

About five months after my wife and I started dating, the church we atteneded had a religious confrence there. It was called the Eagles Wings Confrence. It went from Thursday night all the way through to Sunday's service. We both worked during the day, so we decided to attend the Thursday night service. The special speaker that night was Lou Engle. He stepped up to the microphone and changed my life forever!

He told us that he had this whole sermon layed out ready to go and then God changed his plans. He was told that he was going to speak on abortion instead. I thought "great, here we go again. Another politcal agenda." Could not be any further from the truth. He spoke from his heart and was very passionate about the message. He made me look at abortion in a very different way. I saw a baby in a mothers womb much differently now. He made me realize that a fetus was a real live person. Growing and breathing, you know 'ALIVE'. WOW. That was powerful. My attitude changed in a moment of time.

I now champion against abortions. I am 100% for life. My wife and I attend banquets and support a local center for this exact cause. I can not believe the way that I used to think about this. Almost unfathamable. Then I read in the Bible how Jesus knew us before we were even born.
Psalm 139: ¹³ You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.

Praise God for our children. They are a gift from Him! I pray that the woman out there who are thinking about doing this to their child, well get the correct and true information. I pray that they choose LIFE!!

What does God want?

I have been to the theater twice to see the new Christian movie *Courageous*. It is very well done and very emotional. It is about four men and their calling to be better fathers, husbands and men in general. Having a daughter myself, one of the lines in the movie really got me to thinking about that. "What does God want from me as a father?"

I sat there kind of dumbfounded. I provide for my daughter. She has a roof over her head, food on the table and clothes to wear. I thought that was enough. It's not! God is calling me to be much more to her and to our family.

I am to be the spiritual leader of the family. I am to be the protector and guardian. I am to encourage. Support her in whatever she attempts to try. I am to be a role model. Living my life in a Godly way. To lead by example. Open arms, open ears, and an open heart. To be a comforter. To help her on her spiritual journey. Man, the list goes on and on. One thing for sure, I do not want someone else doing this in my place. Not my church and certainly not our school system. It all starts at home!

So I have decided that I am going to be a man of courage. Who will stand up for my family? I WILL. Who will lead this family spiritually? I WILL. Who will protect them? I WILL. Who will encourage and comfort them? I WILL. I take full responsibility for this family. For everything that happens to them, I shoulder it all. It's my job, no one elses. I WILL BE COURAGEOUS! For me and my house we shall serve the Lord!