Influencing Those Around You

I had a wonderful talk with someone via videophone this morning! This person is still an inspiration to me. I am going to refer her by the name of Amy. Amy has been going through some ups-and-downs in life. I have personally seen how Jesus continues to change her heart. She has been reluctant about Christianity and resisting to believe that Jesus is who we all must have in our hearts! I believe I have known her for over four years now. But time will come when she will surrender her life to the Lord. And I know that God is working!

One of our conversation includes the attitudes and influence the deaf Christians at Fairfax show. I admire Amy's courage to share her thoughts and feelings with me. It is really important that I know what other people are thinking about Fairfax. I believe it's good for any church to learn their weaknesses from people outside of the body, the church. It does hurt but that's when the healing process begins. It brings our attention to an area that's (hopefully) temporarily damaged. Amy has had a hard time building relationship with others. Christians often mingle with other Christians. Amy had several opportunities to build a relationship but they wouldn't carry on in "relationship-building". "Is it because I am an outsider?", she asked. Shouldn't be!! Once I become a member, they'll put their arms around me and say, "What took you so long?" That isn't the proper thing to do. Think of the parable of Jesus talking about one lost sheep. The shepherd left the 99 to seek that ONE! Likewise, Christians leaves the Christian fellowship seeking the hearts that are without God: in the church and outside!

God has given every believer, in every one of our churches, a mission – to go into the world and share the Good News about Jesus. Why? Why should we care enough about the people around us to tell them about how to get to Heaven? This can be a difficult concept to teach our congregations. How do we motivate them to take the Good News and share it with others? Here is something that might help.

The Bible – in 2 Corinthians 5:14 – says: "For the love of Christ compels us." Our love for Jesus motivates us to fulfill our mission.

Everybody matters to God. God has never made a person that he didn’t love. God made some people that I don’t love, and God has made a lot of people that I don’t even like.

But God loves them. The most despicable person you can imagine is still loved by God. And because God cares, we must care.

If the members of your congregation don't take the time to share their hearts with "unbelievers", "unchurched", then who will? I cannot do everything myself. Though I am the minister of the gospel, the church family has a responsibility to care for one another as well as seeking for ONE soul for Jesus! If we have a visitor or two at the church services, make sure you build a relationship with them. Often I have seen visitors stand around watching other Christians mingle among each other. We ought to be motivated by love for it is the love of Christ that compels us.

Many people in our congregations wonder how they should go about sharing their faith. You do it two ways: you’ve got to show it and share it.

Remember "show and tell” from your school days? That’s what God wants us to do. He wants us to help others visualize it with our lives and verbalize it with our hands (ASL).

Sometimes, I just feel like hiding in a closet after preaching and teaching the Lord's children the art of building relationships, putting others above ourselves, considering others better than ourselves. Often, the children forgets. They're so focused on themselves. They hardly take the time to build new relationships. And they don't realize they're pushing the Lord's potential children away from Him by the example they give.

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We can actually keep people out of Heaven by the way we live. The fact is – you’re being watched by your boss, your neighbors, your employees, your children, your relatives, the visitors. Every conversation you have, every action you have, every word you speak has eternal implications.
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Satan wants to discredit our lifestyle so other people will say, “If that’s a Christian, forget it.” It's easy for us to do the opposite of what God intend for us to do and push those who may be hungry for Jesus away! The church became just another "deaf club"! That's the last thing God wants people to classify His church that way!

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God wants His church to be stewards of faith; a spiritual hospital for broken, hungry and thirsty souls!
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Remember, each and every Christian has an awesome responsibility. They are to be a powerful influence on those around you!! What kind of influence are you giving? Are you telling them your story of how you came to know Jesus? Are you building "NEW RELATIONSHIPS"!!? Jesus loves those who builds them!! He sees "relationship-builders" as "church-builders"!

I shudder to think of standing before God one day and explaining that somebody went to Hell because of my example. Remember, we have people who probably never went to church. We have people who never had a "real relationship". We have people coming from broken homes and they see similar environment in the church as their old home. We have people who thirst for relevancy and relationships but their thirst was never satisfied because we don't take the time to feed them the "Living Water". We need to show God’s love and live in a way that brings credit to God’s name. How we live is influencing where people will spend their eternity – Heaven or Hell.

I need to show the message, and I need to tell it. Colossians 4:5 says, “Make the most of your chances to tell others the Good News.”

A great question we must ask ourselves, "Is anyone going to Heaven because of you?"

D.B.R.

Pray that you're having a great Memorial weekend! For some who have not read my blog this weekend, pray that you "HAD" a great Memorial weekend!

Today, I helped all my three girls wash cars, trucks, mini-vans at the car wash fundraising event for their summer swim team. We had a bunch of cars, vans, and trucks lined up ready for us to wash away the pollen, mud and bird poop! I cannot refrain from telling you how much bird poop there was on each and every vehicles!! It's really amazing how the poop landed on almost every car but find none on the sidewalk!! Not that I recall!! Really amazing!!

Then we took the kids to the pool. Today is the first official day to open the pool. The water was frigid because we haven't had a heat wave here since last year!! It's the end of May and we'll finally get a temp over 90's tomorrow for the first time this year!! I'll be in the frigid water to cool off!!

As I lay on the beach chair, I remember all the old movies about war: Red Dawn, Saving Private Ryan, John Wayne war movies, Apocalypse Now, Pearl Harbor, Full Metal Jacket, and many more others.

I believe the two "memorial-packing" movies to date are: Saving Private Ryan and Pearl Harbor. Two vivid memories from these movies: (In Saving Private Ryan) all the men racing toward the battle lines from the boats as it docks on sand and the Germans shooting them down from the hills like ducks! I couldn't believe my own eyes that these brave men actually faced this kind of fear. It was bravery in action! (In Pearl Harbor) innocent men and women were in for a quiet surprise after seeing "Ground Zero" planes flying overhead and bombing them to zlich! One image I saw were men trapped in a boat that was overturned because it took in water after the Jap plane shot it with torpedos. The men, trapped, had their hand held out of a hole while other men work their way to create escape. But it was too late. The men inside grasped another men outside until there was no air to breathe, had to be let go. I was told that the bodies still remain in the ships that sunk in Hawaii. The memorial still stands there!

And I am so thankful for being in the country where there's freedom and peace. We're blessed in many ways because of all the men and women who fought and died for our country, to keep our country free, and to keep our country peaceful!

Another lifegiving memorial that we all must remember is the Death of Jesus. And the Burial of Christ. And the Resurrection of our Savior! He died to set us free from our sins and have peace with God! That's the most important thing in life and life to come!

"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,.." 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (niv)

Always remember the DBR! Always! Your life depends on it!

Helping Men Grow In His Purposes

I have given this a lot of thought for several months now. I have been ministering with the deaf at Fairfax for over seven years now. Since 1999, I have baptized more women than men. There are more women attending and involved in ministry than men. George Barna did a poll and found that there are 61% women in the membership of the church while 39% are men.

When it comes to fulfilling God's 5 Purposes for our lives: WORSHIP, FELLOWSHIP, DISCIPLESHIP, MINISTRY & MISSION, women are far more involved and balanced than men. Let me give you an example, the women are committed to "fellowship" than men. George Barna, in his study on churches in the U.S., found that women are the "backbone" of the Church! I found that Barna did more research on each purposes God has for our lives, both men and women:

Fellowship:
54 percent more women are involved in small groups than men.

Discipleship:
Twice as many women are involved in discipleship relationships or programs, 57 percent more women attend Bible study/discipleship classes.

Ministry:
56 percent more women are involved in leadership (not including the role of minister), 33 percent more women are involved in service, and 23 percent are more involved in financial giving.

Evangelism:
29 percent more women share their faith.

Worship: 39 percent more women have a devotional time, 16 percent more pray, 29 percent more attend church and read their Bible.

I found all this to be very true. That's why I admire women of faith whom devoted much of their time with God and family. Men are more interested in things outside of the spiritual arena. They thirst for something more appealing than what the Living Water (Jesus) can offer. I have been struggling to understand why men don't respond to the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ. Women seems to accept Christ quicker than men.

The question is, "Does the church have the intentional plan for gathering men and driving them deeper into connections and commitments?"

The church need some kind of a "boot camp" style to move men (along with women) deeper into the core of spiritual arena. From there, they'll be able to experience Jesus meeting their felt needs. Another article written by Dave Murrow, "Why Men Hate Going To Church?" writes that when the "MOM" comes to church, the family follows 17 percent of the time but when the "DAD" comes (along with the mom and kids), the family follows a whooping 93 percent of the time. Man! How important is it for men as spiritual role models for Jesus! They have a big, big responsibility and a high percent of the men fail to take it!

Men, if you were to die tomorrow and face Jesus, how would you explain your reason for "NOT" taking that responsibility? Be forewarned, don't give the "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name,.." excuse. (Matthew 7:21) "Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" (Matthew 7:23)

Men are drawn to the power and passion of worship. They abandon unhealthy passions, like hedonism, narcissism, and materialism, and reach for the highest and humblest passions that honor their bloody Savior & Lord Jesus Christ. You need to help the men in your congregation see the "Passion of Christ", and then you must challenge them to develop an unwavering passion for God’s Kingdom and God’s purposes.

Jesus is a "FULL-THROTTLED, FULL-BLOWN MAN" who was driven to living for His Father (our God) and loved Him passionately! He is the best example each of us must follow!

"Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. For just as through the disobedience of the one man many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man many will be made righteous." Romans 5:18-19 (niv)

Two men (disobedient & obedient).
Two choices (disobey or obey).
Two different outcomes (sinning or made right).

Are you helping your men to make the hard choices that lead themselves and others away from sin and toward God’s righteousness? Men? Do you have the same passion as Christ? How about the same "obedience" as Jesus? Let's strive to build a sense of brotherhood, a band of brothers for Jesus!

Deaf Ladies' Retreat

From these wonderful pictures the ladies' took over the weekend for the 2nd Annual Deaf Ladies' Retreat looks like they had a B-L-A-S-T time together!

The ladies are in the dining hall, at Graves Mountain, overlooking the beautiful Shenandoah Mountain valley!! And the food looks delicious!






They had all sorts of events that took place over the weekend. Several great classes taught by Yvonne Butler from the suburban Houston, Texas, games, time of prayer, horseback riding, hayrides, revealing the Secret Sisters and on the final day, together worshipped God with Yvonne giving the final message to be bold in Christ regardless of all the circumstances in life.





OOPS!!

My wife, Michelle, shared with me all the highlights of the DLR (Deaf Ladies' Retreat) last weekend! In this picture, you'll notice their guest speaker, Yvonne Butler, whom have slipped into the creek. And, remember, we haven't had a normal high temperature in Virginia (still below 70 since March) and the water, per Yvonne, was frigid! :)

The DLR participants watches on as, Co-coordinator, Bev Young, makes a comment during class with Yvonne (guest speaker) on the left.





Yvonne teaches to the ladies during the DLR moment. The theme for this year's DLR was "Moments In Time". Yvonne shared her experience as a Christian, a mother of two (especially when they were teenagers), and a wife.

I had the privilege to meet Yvonne on Friday for lunch before the ladies departed for Graves Mountain. She shared with me her struggles but because of the struggles she grew from a wavering faith to becoming a person God wanted her to be. Though, she was confused and very much afraid, overcoming periods of "blind faith", she knew she was being tested.



Brenda and Tammy raised their hands during the "Bible Trivia Game"!






And, alas, all25 ladies participated in one of the most eventful (per the ladies) DLR in the two year span!

"Lord, thank You for allowing these ladies to escape from the restlessness and busy-ness of DC to breathe your air and observe your awesome creation and experience the Christian atmosphere and love each one of them had for each other. Thank You for being with them and allowing them to carefully seek Your Word. May God help them remember their "Moments In Time"! In Jesus' Name, Amen!"

The Weekend

Bloggers!

I'll be "Mr. Mom" this weekend while my precious wife, Michelle, attend the second annual Ladies' retreat. They'll be retreating to Graves Mountain Lodge not far from the Shennadoah National Park and Skyline Drive. It's west of Culpeper (Virginia)! The deaf ladies' have been planning this for a long time and THEY ARE VERY GOOD AT IT! I learned that the coordinators gathered over 115 donated gift items from area stores and members of the Fairfax Church of Christ (hearing and deaf)!! That means each of the "retreaters" will get about 5 gift items (and door prizes)!! I can see in Michelle's eyes telling me, "It's good to be a woman!"

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I was reading another blog today and found it very interesting. He was talking about how "Starbucks" conquered the world today and they're in almost every corner!! Like McDonalds, you cannot miss it! One person made a comment where he quoted from Leonard Sweet's message at one of the conferences regarding Starbucks and why people are so crazy about it: "Starbucks doesn't sell coffee, they sell the EXPERIENCE OF COFFEE!" If you take a careful look at this quote that Sweet made, I think you'll understand why he put it this way to apply to "christianity".

Another fabulous point from Sweet: "Starbucks is EPIC!" The definition of "epic" is classic, heroic, and impressive.. Sweet made a point using each of letter:

E: Experiential
P: Participatory
I: Image-rich
C: Communal

Yes! Sweet is deep!

Though, I am not a coffee drinker but I find Starbucks offers excellent chai. When I get a chance, I drink a Iced Venti Chai with seven pumps and less ice. If you go to Starbucks, what's your favorite drink?

Did you know that a TALL java costs approximately $3.19!! That's more than a gallon of gas we spend!

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My youngest girl has a softball game tomorrow. After the game, the Lower Loudoun Girls Softball League (LLGSL softball) is hosting a fair for all the coaches, players and fans! It's also a fundraising event in which the girls are very excited about!! It'll be a busy day and I'm excited about that, too!

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This Sunday, I'll be talking about Elijah. One of my favorite stories in the Bible is in the book of 1 Kings about Elijah. Elijah was under the oppression of the king Ahab and the worse queen in the history of mankind, Jezebel. Elijah was very afraid, even though God has always been with him. Elijah decided to flee to a cave to hide. Then God said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" I believe this Sunday's lesson will be very interesting. I encourage you to take the time in reading the story about Elijah in 1 Kings and apply this to your life and those around you.

"The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD , for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD , but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"" 1 Kings 19:11-13 (niv)

Are you like Elijah? Are you hiding from God? Are you running away from your problems? Do you here Him whispering in your heart, "What are you doing here, [your name]?"

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Have a great weekend, bloggers!!

Sister in Christ

We had a blast last Sunday!! We had a wonderful fellowship celebrating Mother's Day and Dorothy's 50th birthday party!!

Dorothy was very nervous about this party but she did very well. We're proud of her and she was full of J-O-Y throughout the day!! :)

I want to share something about Dorothy. I have known her my entire time with the church at Fairfax. She "IS" a joy to be around with. And everyone enjoys being around her. She loves the deaf and she loves using ASL (American Sign Language). Dorothy has been ever faithful to the deaf worship services. I don't recall her ever missing one, and if I remember right, even after she had surgery that one week and managed to show up that Sunday! She's an AWESOME example to me!! Despite many obstacles she faced throughout the 50 years of her life, her faith with God stands! Here are a couple more pictures to enjoy:

Jenifer McKenney holds an amazing picture given to Dorothy by Jenifer, Neil and Kathy Flavin. I could see in Dorothy's eyes that she was flabbergasted!! It was really exciting to see Dorothy lifted up high with extreme elation!



I love to see her smile! It was fun bringing joy to a person's heart! Thank You, God, for the laughter we share!!

And we got to eat a piece of cake!!

Thank you for all those who come to celebrate her birthday and to praise all the mothers in the world as well as the women who mothers God's children in His church!!

God bless you all!!

Ba Humbug Vinci

Long since the commotion started about the upcoming movie, "Da Vinci Code", I learned that it was Ron Howard that directed it! And, yes, it came to a shock to me! I have always loved how Ron directed many great movies in the past: Cinderella Man, Beautiful Mind, Apollo 13, Backdraft, Cocoon and Splash.. Until this one (Da Vinci Code), brings a sour taste to my mouth. I don't know if he realize he's doing more damage than good out of this movie.

But....

I am looking way back in the old, old days, back to where Adam and Eve lived in the sought-after, "Garden of Eden".. God said for them NOT to touch the fruit from the knowledge of good and evil! God had left with them a choice to choose from whether or not to leave the tree alone. You know the rest of the story and they are the reason for Jesus!

Throughout the history of the world, we're given a choice whether we follow and obey God or follow the ways of man. This has been going on for hundreds to thousands of years! Really, it's nothing new, as what Solomon always say, "under the sun"!!

I want to bring your attention to the book of Acts. Let's move forward to chapter 17 where Paul engaged the philosophers in Athens – even quoting their own writings to them in order to make his points. Instead of picketing Mars Hill, he interacted with the culture. Taking advantage of the prevailing spiritual curiosity, he pointed people toward the real Jesus. And churches can do the same with The Da Vinci Code. I am starting to read the book (yes, I am a couple months late on this). Also, I learned a few things about how this book made a greater impact on the people in the world. Elsewhere, the church attendance jumped to betwen 100 and 500 more people than their normal weekly attendance.

To close this "Oh Ba Humbug Vinci" blog, I love this verse:

"It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does that matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice." Philippians 1:15-18 (niv)

Can you imagine how much the author, Dan Brown, is earning from this? 40+ million copies sold and a movie rights plus royalties for sharing a lie??

"..that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved - and that by God." Philippians 1:27-28 (niv)

We've got the "TRUTH" on our side! So, Ba humbug Da Vinci!

Make Me A Servant

I love this "Servant Song":

"Lord, make me a servant,
Lord, make me like You;
For you are a servant,
Make me one, too.

Lord, make me a servant,
Do what You must do,
To make me a servant;
Make me like You."

Are you a servant? If you say that you are, then tell me what you have done, are doing & have plans that needs to be done? I love this verse, "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:" Philippians 2:5 (niv) Really, this verse is talking about "change". Being a servant of Christ, it requires a mental shift & a change in your attitudes. What is interesting is that God is much more interested in "WHY" we do something rather than in what we do.

Some of us may tell God, "Well, I attend worship every Sunday to praise you! That shows that I am "serving" you!" That's true! But that's not the "ONLY" mark of a servant. Proverbs 14:12 tells us that, "It seems right to a man but in the end it leads to death!" I love to worship God on Sundays. But worship is only a place where we "prepare ourselves to serve the people around us." We ask God to help us surrender our lives, our time, our energies for the people who need us.

I want to flip the pages forward to James 2:14-17: "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." (niv)

Serving God involves a whole lot more than just simply worshipping Him on Sundays. You know your own heart. Let's help each other work toward being true servants of our Lord Jesus Christ! Here are a couple of attitudes we'll need to work on:

REAL SERVANTS FORGETS SELF!

This type of servant are "others-centered" NOT "self-centered"! Remember, Christians lost their lives for the sake of Christ. Forgetting self is very rare in the world today! People have been taught and driven to compete against other for power and position. They possess a "me-centered-mentality"! Consider Jesus, for example, "..but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness." Philippians 2:7 (niv) Being a servant of Christ means being "nothing yourselves". It means that we stop focusing on our "own needs" and start focusing on the needs of others for the pleasure of God!

Unfortunately, a lot of our service is often self-serving. We serve to get others to like us, to be admired, or to achieve our own goals. That is manipulation, not ministry. All the time we’re really thinking about ourselves and how noble and wonderful we are. Some people try to use service as a bargaining tool with God: "I’ll do this for you God, if you’ll do something for me." Real servants don’t try to use God for their purposes. They let God use them for His purposes.

REAL SERVANTS THINK ABOUT OF THEIR OWN RESPONSIBILITIES, NOT WHAT OTHER SERVANTS ARE DOING

They don’t compare, criticize, or compete with other servants or ministries. They’re too busy doing the work God has given them.

Competition between God’s servants is illogical for many reasons: we’re all on the same team, our goal is to make God look good, not ourselves, we’ve been given different assignments, and we’re all uniquely shaped. Paul said, We will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.

There’s no place for mere jealousy between servants. When you’re busy serving, you don’t have time to be critical. Any time spent criticizing others is time that could have been spent ministering. When Martha complained to Jesus that Mary was not helping with the work, she lost her servant’s heart. Real servants don’t complain of unfairness, don’t have pity-parties, and don’t resent those not serving. They just trust God and keep serving.

REAL SERVANTS BASE THEIR IDENTITY IN CHRIST

If you’re going to be a servant you must settle your identity in Christ. Only secure people can serve. The more insecure you are, the more you’ll want people to serve you, the more you’ll need their approval, and the more you'll be in for series of major disappointments. On the other hand, when you base your worth and identity on your relationship to Christ, you are freed from the expectation of others. You are freed to serve.

Servants don’t need to cover their walls with plaques and awards to validate their work. They don’t insist on being addressed by titles and they don’t wrap themselves in robes of superiority. Servants find status symbols unnecessary and they never measure their worth by their achievements. Paul said, "You may brag about yourself, but the only approval that counts is the Lord's approval."

REAL SERVANTS THINK OF MINISTRY AS AN OPPORTUNITY, NOT AN OBLIGATION

If you're only interested in being called "A CHRISTIAN" but not serve, God wouldn't quite understand what you're trying to do. You'll be confusing a whole lot of people around you if you live this way! I have encountered a lot of people living this way and they still do. Even though, I give them my admonishment, they shrug their shoulders and walk away.

A servant who think of ministry as an opportunity enjoy helping people, meeting needs, and doing ministry. They "serve the Lord with gladness." Why do we serve with gladness? Because we love the Lord, we’re grateful for his grace, we know serving is the highest use of life, and God has promised a reward.

What is the mark of a true servant of our Lord Jesus Christ? Humility! I pray that each of you, Christians, are a "marked person": consistent in your faith and love for God and others, enduring the obstacles and considering each one an opportunity, not a danger, living the righteousness of God, and affection for others (not a cold heart; but a warm one)!

Lord, make me a servant!

Mom

I remembered my mom combing my hair with her hand while I sat on her lap exhausted. Oh, I was about 9 years old and she was talking with some friends in the living room. As I laid my head on her bosom, I could "feel" her tender voice. I felt so peaceful with her that day! It was comforting. My mom still comforts me everyday with her thoughts and prayers for me and my family. My mom is one of the best people in the whole world!! I love my mom and wanted to wish my mom and all the moms in the world the best this Sunday!!

Here's a poem for you MOMS!!

I love you, and I miss you More!
I can feel You, But I can't see you.
I hear you in my mind.
I dream of you nightly,It's so real I don't want to awaken.
I see you in my children, your eyes, those cheeks.
I remember when we said we'll never part cause we dreamed the same dreams.
Spiritual experiences that you and I only know of.
I feel as if I'm crazy at times for I long to be with you.
One day Mom I will be there with you, Until then I am waiting to be with you, as you waited for me for nine months.
You loved me before you had me, And I love you for having me, with everything you went through for me to be.
Thank you for wanting to be my MOTHER…Remember you said we'll always be together always and forever…

Happy Mother's Day!!!

I Surrender

As Rick Warren quoted in the Purpose Driven Life book, "The heart of worship is surrender!"

"Give yourselves to God... surrender your wholebeing to him to be used for righteous purposes." Rom. 6:13 (TEV)

We really don't have a choice, you know.. Let me explain.

The last thing you would want to do against your foes is Surrender. It does implies losing, and I wouldn't want to be classified as a "loser". It is often unpleasant. The word, surrender, gives a negative context..

We live in a competitive world today! It has been this way for thousands of years! Competing against one another for a person, position, and power! We simply do not want to give in, not even once! Even Christians rather talk about winning, succeeding, overcoming, conquering, yielding, obeying and surrendering. But surrendering to God is the heart of worship!

True worship gives God the pleasure! That happens when you bring God all of YOU! It's a complete sacrifice, a dead-to-self sacrifice, a yielding-to-God sacrifice. It's all about God, not you. It's all about Him, not us. It's all about God and His Son and the Holy Spirit.

The act of surrender is recognized in a couple of things (many can be noted):

• Consecration
• Making Jesus Lord.
• Burial of your old life in baptism
• Taking up your cross.
• Dying to self.
• Yielding to the Spirit

What matters is that you do it, not what you call it. I have met hundreds, probably thousands of "Christians" who claims that they are "Christians" but do not show it. They claim that they "Know God" but they don't read and know the Word of God. They claim that they are "Servants of the Lord" but they don't serve. They claim that they are "Faithful Worshippers" but they don't attend worship (or live an irregular worship). Such Christians are "benchwarmers, sideliners", "lip-service worshippers", "Holiday Christians", "Logs In Their Eye", "Lukewarmers" and a whole bunch of names God has classified in His Word!

Now, God wants your life. All of it, really! 95% is not enough, not even 99.9.

No, no... I'm not saying we're to be "EXTREMELY PERFECT"! There's no way you will be. But that doesn't mean you're excuse from your lack of faith. Have you ever heard of "iron sharpens iron"? How about being "rooted in Him"? Or which soil are you in, "hard", "rocky", "weed infested" or "a good soil"? If you have surrendered your life in a hard soil, or rocky places or areas where they are likely to choke the Seed (Word of God) out of you, you'll likely gonna run into serious problems and apostate yourselves from the faith. You dropped the "white flag" and returned back to where you stood before (world).

Is it possible to lose your salvation? Let me ask you this question again, "IS IT POSSIBLE TO LOSE YOUR SALVATION?" Sure!! And, yes, I have heard people say that once they're sealed with a "deposit guaranteeing eternal life", then it's permanent! Hmm. So, it really doesn't matter what you do, even if you keep on sinning, you'll still have eternal life? Check this verse out:

"Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation - but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God." Romans 8:12-14 (niv)

See the "red part"?? "IF" you live according to the "sinful nature" means you stopped surrendering and you have left your walk with God, left the faith you had with Him, merged into a different path, not the pathway to Heaven. You have gone on the "WIDE HIGHWAY" while a faithful few continues on the "NARROW WAY" (Mt. 7:13-14)

What about the story Jesus told His Disciples about the "Vine and the Branches" in John 15? What happens if you have decided to stop "surrendering to Jesus"? "Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me." John 15:4 (niv) Let's continue on through several verses, "If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers: such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned." John 15:6 (niv)

See the "red part" again? "..thrown away and withers.."! Crystal clear, huh? It's the "very words of our Lord Jesus Christ." Never mind what others say.. They'll do just about anything to "water down the Scripture" into something that their "itching ears want to hear! (2 Tim. 4:3)"

If you have a "plan" in mind, it may not be the "plan God had already planned". Then where's the plan God planned? It's all in the Scriptures. Read closely to every Word He says and listen to Him. He's more interested in what goes on in the heart than what you do before us and God. As Joshua approached the biggest battle of his life, he encountered God, fell in worship before him, and surrendered his plans. That surrender led to a stunning victory at Jericho. Surrender doesn’t weaken you, it strengthens you.

Now, remember at the beginning of this blog, I said that we really don't have a choice. Why? Surrender is not the "best way to live" but it is the "ONLY WAY TO LIVE"! Be surrendered to God, you don’t have to fear or surrender to anything else.

"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you." John 15:7 (niv)

Emotional Day!

I'm at loss for words! Today was an awesome day and an emotional one!! For those of you who weren't able to be with us this morning in worship, you missed one of the most emotional baptism ever!

Dr. Allen Sussman buried his old life in the Lord in baptism this morning! He's had a long and hard journey! That's why I am at loss for words tonight! I'm just elated! I'm overflowed with a simply big J-O-Y!! I believe it is better to be silent and know that the Lord is God! I must tell you that God is really awesome and can ever fathom all of His ways!

Sussman was raised in a strong Jewish family. And, over the years, he changed and became an athiest. He strongly felt that there was no God. Then along came his soulmate, best friend and wife, Barbara whom have shown the light of Christ in Allen's heart! If it wasn't for Barbara, he wouldn't be with Jesus! Allen's friends came all the way from Delaware to witness his baptism. They told me a few stories about Allen and how he was so strong in his beliefs that there's no God and that he will never change. He was determined! Until, Barbara, whom softened his heart to see the love of our Lord. After Barbara lost her battle against cancer, she has told Allen to move on with the Lord, without her. At this point, I am just at loss for words. After Barbara's departure from this world, Allen's few faithful friends came to him, motivated him, and led him to Fairfax.

I have grown to love Allen so much. He's a man of many characters. He has vast experiences that I have learned so much from him. Truly, God had a plan!! It was all God's doing, through bad times as well as good. And I thank God for many of us who have help Allen see God in a clear way: Nancy Rarus, Kenny Hynes, Chuck and Norma Buemi, Bill and Glenda Ennis and those at Fairfax who have Show Jesus to Allen! May God bless him as he continue on his journey with God!!

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17 (niv)

Here are some pictures of Allen's baptism:












Prior to Allen's baptism, Delaware's own, Bill Ennis, beautifully sang, "The Eye On The Sparrow". It touched Allen's heart in a ways we cannot fathom! Thanks, Bill!!




























This was the time when Allen was emotionally overjoyed having arrived to the time of his life-giving sacrifice to God. I sense the Holy Spirit's presence during this time! There were no dry eyes among the witnesses!













Asking God for His hand on Allen as he begins eternity with God!














Immersed in the name of the Father, His Son, Jesus and the Holy Spirit for the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:36-38; Acts 22:16)!!



























Allen all smiles as he is now a NEW CREATION in Christ Jesus!













The family at Fairfax gathers around Allen welcoming him to His body, the church!!

Here's my favorite verse that every faithful Christian ought to take heart (Ephesians 3:14:21):

"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

God bless you, Allen! <><

In A Rut?

I've been studying the book of Ecclesiastes for a couple of weeks now. Though, I taught this class several years ago, I have been learning a whole lot more! It amazes me that I have overlooked a couple of things regarding Solomon's struggles finding the purpose of life.

All of us will always have days that we feel like we're in a rut! Especially in His church, there are days where I have the "spiritual blues"! I just hate it but it's something that we will never avoid! And this doesn't give us an excuse not to do the Lord's will!

"If you wait for perfect conditions, you'll never get anything done." (Ecclesiastes 11:4, LB)

It's easy to get stuck in a rut in ministry – same place – same thing – same responsibility - same message - almost the same people - same problems.

But settling into a rut is dangerous. Someone used to say, "Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there!"

What does it take to get you moving? There are three common motivators:

PAIN: Often it's not "seeing the light" that gets us going, but "feeling the heat.” You delay the dentist appointment until the pain is unbearable. Have you been there before? Ouch!

PRESSURE: When the doctor says "Lose 50 pounds or die," or the boss says "Improve performance or be fired," that pressure will motivate you to make a change. The problem with pressure as a motivator is that it doesn't last. And people who resist the pressure from their peers or families often becomes stuck in a rut! They become frustrated! So when the pressure subsides, so does your motivation. There is a better motivator.

PERSPECTIVE: When you see the big picture, or when you're inspired by a challenging vision or purpose, you've found the best motivator of all – perspective. But when you lack perspective of things that may be both good and bad, you realize that you’re wasting your potential.

In Ecclesiastes, "If you wait for perfect conditions, you'll never get anything done." (Ecclesiastes 11:4, LB)

WANT TO GET OUT OF THE RUT?

Here are four things that may help you "ROT THE RUT"!

1. ASSUME responsibility for your own life. Refuse to be either an excuser (rationalize failure) or an accuser (blame others). Instead, be a chooser, and choose to break out of the rut you're in or accept the rut when you cannot give an excuse or accuse others.

2. BELIEVE you can change! Stop saying "I can't", "What do you expect me to do?", "Is it my fault that I am in this rut?" and start saying "I can."

3. CLARIFY what you really want. Write down specifically how you'd like to change. Avoid the "I can't" self-pity. You, very well, ought to know that Satan want you to feel sorry for yourself and lure others to give attention to you.

4. DON'T WAIT for ideal circumstances; i.e. Ecc. 11:4. Stop saying "When things settle down ....” Do it now! "One of these days" is really none of these days.

AND SAY A LITTLE PRAYER LIKE THIS: "God, help me to do something differently this week and to do it better. Give me your strength to change."

After you have said a prayer, it doesn't mean that your "rutness" will go away immediately. Remember the #1, assume responsibility for your own life! Start there and gradually work your way down through #4. If nothing happens, then go back to #1 without an excuse, giving accusations and making the right choice!

In The Mail

I am sorry that I couldn't hold back my laughter. Really!! I received, this morning, a packet from a person (name withheld) a book refuting "baptism for the forgiveness of sins". When I saw the title of the book, I knew immediately that they have an endless issue with what the churches of Christ (and other churches that strongly believe baptism is essential for the forgiveness of sins) believe in how a person can be saved. This isn't the only book that's an "anti-baptism-for-the-forgiveness-of-sins" book. There are hundreds of them on the market. There are also hundreds of books supporting the views of baptism that is for the forgiveness of sins.

After reading this book, I wasn't impress with the author's argument against baptism. He didn't convince me at all because I only listen to what God says in the Bible, not man. I have heard the same argument before. Nothing is ever new about their refutation against baptism (that is for the forgiveness of sins). Even though, there are great books explaining in a "human viewpoint" why baptism is essential (for the forgiveness of sins), I still use the Bible as the ONLY AUTHORITATIVE SOURCE to explain its validity!!

"For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths." 2 Timothy 4:3-4 (niv)

How true this is today that we have men and women in the world that brings in their argument in a "human viewpoint". Though, they will refer their point from a book written by an human author, I give my point that is inspired by God! We read the same Word of God but they don't see it the way we do because the Word has been "watered down", before the eyes of their heart, by the traditions and views of man! How dangerous can this be!! If you're watching televangelist on tv, they may say things that you might want to see (hear). It may sound too good to be true but it's nothing but deceptive and hollow.

"See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ." Colossians 2:8 (niv)

Like, in the past, the Pharisees challenged the very words of Jesus, we have men and women in the world today challenging the very Word of God! Pharisees holds on to traditions and the principles of men.

If they truly believe baptism isn't essential for the forgiveness of sins, so be it! I know they do their very best to help us open our eyes but they may not realize that our eyes are already opened and they are blind to the real truth.

I hope, next time, this person that sent me this book will not only use any man-made books to prove his point but the Word of God!! If you read it from the Word of God, as is, it's clear enough to believe what God has commanded in the Bible is, as is!!