Church Clothes.

I had a conversation with a friend of mine on Saturday. She was telling me that she wanted to go to church on Sunday, but didn't have any "church clothes." I was like "what do you mean?" She said something about having to dress up to go to church. I told her that what she was wearing at that moment would be alright. She didn't believe me at first, but I told her that I myself wear jeans to church. She said ok and that she would see me in the morning. That got me to thinking. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that you have to dress up or clean up to come to Jesus. He wants us to come as we are. Matthew 11:28New Living Translation (NLT) 28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." It doesn't say go home and put on a suit or a dress. It doesn't say go home and shower first, put on some deodorant and then come to me. Jesus says just "come!" I preached a sermon on fathers day this past year and I wore jeans and a nice button down shirt. I had several family members in attendance and they questioned my attire. I told them that this is how we roll here at this church. I asked afterword if it would have made a difference in the message if I were to be dressed up. They said no, but it might not have been as believable. I have had family members get kicked out of church for the clothes that they were wearing. Weren't dressed in their Sunday best. I could not believe it. The church was willing to turn someone away because of what kind of clothes they were wearing. How is that being a Christian? We are not supposed to judge others. That is God's job. It says in James, James 4:12New Living Translation (NLT) 12 God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor? We are supposed to accept everyone, no matter how they are dressed. Remember God shows no favoritism. All are His children no matter what they are wearing. So don't let the lack of "church clothes" keep you from going to church. God will accept you no matter what. Praise The LORD!!

Teary Eyed Work Day!

If you know me well, you know that I am an sensative person. I can cry at the drop of a hat. It all started when my Grandmother passed away. In 1989. Ever since then, any kind of personal event, I cry, weep, sob, waterworks, whatever you want to call it. Weddings, birthdays, funerals, songs on the radio, Hallmark commercials, doesn't matter. Any kind of life change event happy or sad. So occasionally at work I can get teary eyed thinking about things that have happened in the past. Could be a really long time ago, or just a few months. So today was one of those days for me. I found out that a co-workers sister had passed away that morning. That started the ball rolling on my emotions. I started to think about my Grandparents on my Moms side who both passed in 1989. Then from there I went to my Dad who passed in 2011. The final straw was thinking about my dear friend, Pastor Mike who passed a little over three months ago.I was by myself in our cooler at work, pulling orders to load onto a truck. Tears started to flow. I am like "get it together man." Being at work wasn't cool to be crying. Couldn't let anyone see me like this. That is what I was thinking. I started thinking about who had passed and what they meant to me, and what I missed about them. I miss seeing my Grandparents and visiting with them. I miss talking with my Dad about Cardinals baseball and watching old western movies together. I miss my conversations with Pastor Mike. I miss talking sports with him. I miss asking him questions about the Bible and ministry in general. I miss his advice to me and the wisdom he poured into me. I miss hearing his stories. I just plain miss him! I know that I will get to see them all again when I get to heaven, but that doesn't make it any easier now. I loved all of these people immensely. I love Jesus even more, and He comforts and consoles me in these times. I am most thankful!

Fresh Snow Cover

On Saturday, before the big snow storm hit, I was looking out our kitchen window at the snow that was still on the ground. I noticed how dirty and dingy it looked. Instead of just being white, it had a gray and white look to it. Just filthy looking. As the night wore on and it started to snow, the dirty dingy snow was being covered up by a blanket of new snow. It reminded me of Jesus' covering of our sins. Our sin stained lives are dirty,dingy and filthy. Until Jesus came and covered them with His blood and made our sins as white as snow! Like it says in Isaiah; Isaiah 1:18 New Living Translation (NLT) 18 “Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool. The more the snow fell, the more that I thought about our sins being buried forever because of Jesus. Although the snow will eventually melt away, His blood will never wash away. It will cover us forever! Praise The LORD!