Grace and Peace

a form of godliness

2009-07-15T07:40:00.000-07:00

1 Corinthians 3 Paul addresses the issue of CARNALITY. He does not define carnality the same way most of us would, but surrounds it with words like: STRIFE, ENVY, DIVISION. The problem he is addressing is that the people were being drawn to Paul, Appolos, Cephas (not Christ) and this was causing major discord, fighting and division. He first addresses this issue in chapter 1 and then comes around just 2 chapters later and addresses it again!

Understand there were many problems in the church at Corinth at this time: perverting the Lords supper, confusion in the church, incest and other sexual sins, litigation ect...BUT NOTICE WHAT PAUL RIPS ON FIRST? He does not address litigation until ch 6. Perverting the Lords Supper ch 11. Disorderly conduct ch 14. The sexual sins ch 5.

look at ch 3 verse 6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 8Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. 9For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.

Any good we do, and righteousness we have, is of GOD, and is GOD!
If we want to be right on this subject we need to:

1. Stop worhsiping SELF
18Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. 19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. 20And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.

2. Stop Worshiping Others
21Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; 22Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;

3. Start Worshiping the Lord!!!
23And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.

I Pray men will stop self exhibiting and others exalting and start worshiping the king of kings and the Lord of Lords. It is ok to get along with people who are different than you!!! I sure am glad God does. In all of our sin, he still loves, accepts, forgives and fellowships with us. Those who practice religion instead of a relationship cannot comprehend that. Thank God HES all about a relationship and has always been against religion. If your spirituality is based on rules and regulations, in place of a relationship you have missed what God has intended the Christian life to be.

I do right, not because some man parrots some older man, I do right because the Love of God constraineth me!

Preached this past Friday Evning in Flower Mound, Texas

2009-05-18T07:13:00.001-07:00

This past Friday evening I had the privilege of being in the great Temple Baptist Church in Flower Mound Texas. Temple Baptist was started by Dr. Richard Wallace in 1977 in a store front location. Today the church owns over 21 acres of property has a thriving congregation and a large Christian school. After 31 years the church is still growing and reaching the North Texas area for the Lord. I preached in the Reformer Unanimous program which my good friend Bro. Richard Wallace Jr. started just two years ago. There were over 80 in attendance and the spirit was great!!! Praise the Lord for a church that teaches and preaches the Bible. It is great to see a BALANCED church that takes a stand for the Lord and His word. The greatest day of TBC are the days ahead. Please be in Prayer for this great work, great Pastor, and great pastoral staff.

Missions Emphasis Week

2009-05-11T07:24:00.000-07:00

Wellll...we just finished our missions emphasis week last night with a great challenge from the word of God. Dr. Sisk (legend missionary) at age 77, brought an outstanding challenge about giving. I was not only challenged to give, but to give joyfully. This is probably the hardest part for most. I am praying that this year I can take it to the next level personally and become a more joyful more consistent giver.

I also had the privilege of having Bro. Wesely Palla speak in my early adult class. He is leaving for Brazil in 2010. Please be praying for his family as they face the challenges of uprooting and dedicating their lives to serve.

Social Networking and the Christian

2009-04-30T05:23:00.000-07:00

I was recently listening to a preacher go off on Facebook, Myspace ect...I actually found myself in some respects agreeing with him on some of the issues he was bringing up. The problem I encountered was: There was no scripture used which disqualifies it as preaching and makes it motivational speaking at best. The second thing that I noticed was an extreme position instead of a balanced one. The third thing that cracked me up hit me yesterday as I was lurking around twitter for a bit, I came across many of his staff and church on the site. Now to me, that is funny. We wonder why we lose so many teenagers, college students ect... Well let me just tell you from experience, that, when we overstate issues, get on emotional rants, then publicly engage in a similar act to what we were screaming about...Teenagers and college students (who don't just parrot everything they hear and can actually think for themselves) do not buy into it (i realize some do and always will)!!! I am thankful that I have a Pastor who preaches the WORD, teaches the WORD, focus's on the Word. When the Bible speaks he speaks, where the Bible is silent he is silent. Thank the Lord for a Pastor that is not a dictatorial control freak, but a loving shepherd pointing people away from himself, his opinions, but to the FATHER.

Here is a great approach to social networking and the Christian (or any area of life):

1. Does it Glorify God? 1 Corinthians 10:31
2. Could Christ be a partner? Matthew 28:20
3. Does it Grieve the Holy Spirit? Ephesians 4:30
4. Will it cause stumbling? Romans 14:13
5. Does it appear evil? 1 Thessalonians 5:22
6. Have I asked God for wisdom? James 1:5 and about 50 other verses in Proverbs

These are questions we should ask ourselves, our kids, and our ministries and evaluate the decision being made by them. I believe if we do that the in all areas of life we will find ourselves living more abundant lives and living in favor of the spirit rather than the flesh.

I do right not because some man rants and raves about it (Gal. 1:10). I do right because I want to please the Lord (His love constrains us). When I please HIM everyone who needs to be pleased is. There is also a GREAT article on this subject found at http://www.paulchappell.com/

First night with Turk a success

2009-04-23T04:07:00.001-07:00

-- Post From My iPhone

read these today AWESOME STUFF

2009-04-22T07:45:00.000-07:00

Deuteronomy 4 (selected verses from there)

4But ye that did cleave unto the LORD your God are alive every one of you this day.

9Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons;

24For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.

29But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.

31(For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.

35Unto thee it was showed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God; there is none else beside him.

39Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.

Caffine Update

2009-04-15T09:26:00.001-07:00

Pray for me...I am in bondage...:)

getting out of your comfort zone

2009-04-03T08:03:00.000-07:00

when is the last time you did something where you felt challenged. When is the last time that God HAD to come through for you?

So often I see so many in this place of contentment. This place where one finds themselves happy with where they are and who they are. Whether it is the comfort zone of contentment with the class you teach or the ministry you oversee, I want to challenge you not to get comfortable. Not to get used to the same 20 people or being in the same room or same place you are next year right now. Possibly its the contentment you have with where you are spiritually. Let me say that is a dangerous place to find yourself. I hope you will decide to push forward. To read more. To pray more. To worship more. I hope you will decide to get out of your chair or your pew and talk to that new person, to that new family. Question for today: Are you Comfortable. Revelation 3 says: "15I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth."

Caffine Update

2009-04-01T05:20:00.000-07:00

This week has been tough! A few headaches...But I think I am going to make it!!!!

another effort to cut back on the CAFFINE

2009-03-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

wellllllll! here we go again. About a year ago I stopped drinking coffee AND Dr. Pepper for a few months. I had never felt so good. Once I valiantly passed the body cleansing phase and after the intervention it was great. I had so much energy! But, it got real busy and I found myself driving by Starbucks and my body would almost go into convulsions. Well to make a long story short I fell back into the at least a pot a day routine.

Today I am starting with only two cups. Lets see how it goes.

Thankful for Our teenagers

2009-03-25T15:02:00.001-07:00

I just want to say how proud of, and how thankful for, I am of our teenagers. I believe God has blessed our church with some of the best teens in the world! Thank you for your great attitudes and your heart for the Lord! I wish I was able to spend more time with all of you! I enjoyed being in chapel with you today!

preaching chapel in the morning

2009-03-24T15:08:00.000-07:00

Sermon: Identity Crisis
The Children of Israel were reminded over 25 times "I am the Lord your God". They had forgotten who they were and where they had come from. They had forgotten Exodus and how they were delivered out of Egypt! They had forgotten their salvation. They did not know who they were. I hope we are not at that place. A place where we have forgotten who we are. Where we have come from and what we have been delivered from. We are children of the King. We are a chosen generation. We are representatives of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords!!! Let live it! Lets remember it!

Great Couples retreat this past weekend

2009-03-23T05:09:00.001-07:00

We had over 20 couple join us for our cx3 and Barean class couples retreat this past weekend. We stayed in Gettysburg right by the outlets. Friday night we had preaching by Bro. Montoro then some great games them wonderful evenings with our significant others. Saturday morning we had an old fashioned breakfast and I spoke. Then we spent the remainder of the day doing what ever we felt like. We hung out with the Jay's and Hiatts and had a stellar tour of Gettysburg on SEGWAYS!!!!!! Probably one of the coolest things I have done in a while!!!

Reaching the college age

2009-03-22T07:31:00.001-07:00

I've been told u cannot reach non-Bible college students without compromising....wellllll packed house praise the Lord!!!!

-- Post From My iPhone

Some Practical Marriage Stuff

2009-03-20T07:44:00.000-07:00

Practical Marriage Principles
1. Hug and Kiss her every morning before you leave for work. If she is sleeping kiss her on the cheek and whisper “I love you to her”
2. When driving or walking together reach over and grab her hand, and just simply hold it
3. Leave her a note on her mirror on a sticky note or him a note on his dashboard, just something simple like “I Love you” or “your beautiful” or have a great day”
4. Leave a voicemail for your spouse just thanking them for being in your life
5. Go an entire day without saying any negative comment to them
6. Go to bed together at the same time
7. Turn off the television and just talk
8. Send her an email or a text randomly involve in conversation
9. Make sure she NEVER has to pump gas
10. Work together on household chores
11. Put down the paper, or the remote, turn off your computer and ask her to go for a walk
12. Have a daily prayer time together (men, lead her to do this)
13. Feed each others ego

Great Quote From David Brainard

2009-03-05T05:09:00.000-08:00

David Brainard (great missionary to the Indians) said: “I never got away from Jesus and Him crucified. I found when my people were gripped by this great evangelical doctrine of Christ and him crucified, I had no need to give them instructions about morality. I found that one followed as the sure and inevitable fruit of the other.”

I am the Lord YOUR God

2009-03-03T07:56:00.000-08:00

This is what I have for this Wednesday night: I will be preaching at http://www.rosedalebaptist.org/

Text: Leviticus 11:45 Chapters 18-26

Outline:
When the Lords Your God
1. It's a Personal Place (prayer)
2. It's a Protected Place (permanent)
3. It's a Proactive Place (praise)
4. It's a Powerful Place (preeminent)
5. It's a Peaceful Place (proven)

I hope you will all pray that it goes well!!!

Skating with yasm and kk

2009-02-21T16:01:00.000-08:00

-- Post From My iPhone

Great Poem I had to analize in my lit class

2009-02-20T06:33:00.000-08:00

THE ROAD NOT TAKEN - by Robert Frost

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth; 5

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same, 10

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back. 15

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference. 20

My friend wes and Tuesday nights!!!!

2009-02-11T04:47:00.000-08:00

-- Post From My iPhone

Another packed house at ru

2009-02-06T18:40:00.001-08:00

-- Post From My iPhone

don't obsess

2009-02-04T14:57:00.000-08:00

the more and more I minister to singles the more and more I meet people who are obsessed with finding that significant other. So often I hear things like:"Jake, I'm 23 years old and am not married, is there any hope for me?" What a terrible way to view life. I want to encourage anyone who is reading this to remember to be patient and wait patiently upon the Lord. I have never met one person who waited on getting married and regretted it. I have met many that rushed into it and did.

This can apply to any area of our lives. Our love life. Our financial life. Our work life. Our recreational life. Our spiritual life. Ohhhhhh i forgot...all parts of life are spiritual.

God is sovereign and is in control. He always provides for us...doesn't He? Oh you only believe that when it's someone else...huh....

Trust Him.

Grace and Peace

Speaking in Texas

2009-01-29T13:44:00.000-08:00

Welllllllll. I am currently in Flower Mound, Texas. I had the wonderful privilege of being with Dr. Richard Wallace and Temple Baptist Church last night. We had a great service with wonderful music and a great response from the crowd. It was great to see many old friends and to be able to preach in a GREAT church.

This morning I had the opportunity to preach to 5 Christian schools that are represented at the "David Von Erich Basketball Tournament".

Please be in prayer as I preach this evening and twice tomorrow. May God bless you! I covet your prayers! Here is the link for the church I am preaching at. http://www.templebc.org/

don't count the OLD MEN OUT

2009-01-07T05:59:00.000-08:00

This past Monday evening we played our annual Staff versus the Varsity boys game. The boys started out killing us! By half time they were up by 19 pts....needless to say don't count the old men out. WE WON! thats all I'm saying. ITS NOT OVER TILL THE BUZZER! DON'T EVER QUIT!

start today

2009-01-01T05:53:00.000-08:00

wellllll...2009 is upon us. The first day of a new year. I want to encourage all of you to start fresh today. Maybe last year you had committed to reading the Word and praying on the daily basis and did not make it. Well start today. Take it one day at a time. I am not a big fan of new years resolutions but I am a big fan of having goals and making and keeping commitments. So many "followers of Christ" that I know, are really good at the Sunday stuff...the exterior...the religious aspects of Christianity like going to church, pretending like your praying before you eat ect...I want to encourage each one of you to today to dive head first into a deep relationship with the Lord. The best way to do this is to walk with him. Talk to him. Meditate on His word. Have you spent time with him today? do you have the joy of your salvation right now at this moment? I hope you will not superficially live this life. But you will humbly realize that we are nothing without Him, and can do nothing without Him.

If nothing else this year remember: It's not about me. It's all about HIM. Commit this year not to pleasing some person or some Pastor but to pleasing God. I do this not by my separation from something (rules and regulations) but by my separating to something (the Lord Jesus Christ).

May this year our lives be full of Christ's peace, love, and forgiveness. May we enter each day with the fruit of the spirit in our lives: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.

something that got me this morning in Luke 1

2008-12-24T05:47:00.000-08:00

This morning I was spending some time reading and meditating on the Christmas story. As I read the end of Luke 1 it reminded me once again of the purpose of Christ. (and also how so many "Christians" have twisted his purpose.

Verse 77 - to give knowledge of salvation unto His people
Verse 79 - to give light to them that sit in darkness
Verse 79 - to guide our feet into the way of PEACE

If these were the purposes for Christs coming and his Life....hmmm

Christmas Shopping

2008-12-22T06:04:00.000-08:00

I am one of those sick people who waits pretty much last min. to do my Christmas shopping. This past Saturday I was in target looking for a Wii for my wife. Of course the people who worked there laughed at me when I asked if they had any in stock. I googled game stop on my phone and begin to call every one that came up in our area. There was about a seven year old little squirt that was listening to my conversations and was laughing at me. Finally i hung up after calling about 4 or five places. The little punk looked at me and laughingly and said in a baltimorian accent, "man, your crazy they aint got no wii's anywhere!" I don't know why I found this so amusing, but if you were there you would have been laughing too!

Celebrating 7 years of marriage this Sunday (what I've learned)

2008-12-18T09:40:00.000-08:00

This Sunday Sara and I will be celebrating our 7 year anniversary. God has taught us so many things over the course of this journey. I want to praise Him and thank my wife for the influence and love she has given me and shown me. Through my wife God delivered me in many ways. When we first met I was a hypocritical Pharisaical ego-maniac who had NO idea who God was or what he was really all about.(not to mention an addict) Through Sara God has shown me who he is and what he is about. He has helped me to realize life is not about religion or rules and regulations but about relationship, freedom, and love. Through this journey he has shown me through her what real forgiveness is. He has shown me what commitment is. He has shown me what love is. He has taught me patience. He has blessed me with a wife that is what God intended a wife to be. A friend. A counselor. A comforter. I married way above myself. I want to thank God for her.

Some other things I have learned:
a king size bed is a great investment. Put the lid down when your done. Snuggling is a good thing (even if it makes me itch). credit cards are bad. you still iron your own close after you get married. wives don't ever answer cell phones. avoid questions about appearance you will not win.

Redemption

2008-12-15T10:57:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite words, which has become a cliche' in Christian circles is the word REDEMPTION. This morning I took a couple of minutes to read once again about what it actually means. Here are some of what i found....

"Purchasing of a slave with a view to his freedom."
"to buy up for ones self"
"to release a receipt of ransom"
"to free from bondage"
"liberation from guilt or doom"

if you have been redeemed basically it means you are free. you are no longer a captive, you do not have to live in captivity. you do not have to stay there any longer. you have the freedom and liberty to walk away from the bondage. The choice is up to us. As one great orator stated, "you dont have to live like this!" so dont.