Walking

Walking...

In the city...in the country
we all walk through the world

Temptations haunt us, people daunt us
but our walk continues

People, places attitudes and actions
walk through life...head up, shoulders squared
jaw set...walking

Feeling pressure, receiving platitudes
why do I feel so unprepared, is the walk
worth it, can I make it, where can I turn,
who can I trust

The walk continues, highways, byways, towns, cities...
we walk, constantly move...in motion...perpetual motion

Head Spinning, mind reeling, looking for peace...
peace that comes from not conforming to worldly
patterns...just walking...

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”
1st Corinthians 10:13

True Happiness

Read Psalm 1

I want to blog today about happiness! I have met many people who seem to think that happiness some how eludes them. Have you ever felt this way? Scripture teaches us where happiness and hope come from. In Psalm 1:1 we see “Happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path of sinners, or join a group of mockers.” We can see that our happiness is determined by the paths that we take. Taking advice from the people of the world may bring happiness for a little while, but true happiness will never come from the world. The happy mans joy comes from the Lord’s instruction (Psalm 1:2). We are to meditate on it day and night! We are to make it a priority! So we know that true happiness comes from the word of God’s instruction to us as believers. Since we know this, why is it that our time in God’s word takes a backseat to all that we have going on in our lives. I heard a missionary from Africa say this morning “American’s have a watch...but no time...! We have allowed our lives to become so cluttered. Sometimes we get so busy doing good things that we neglect the joy that His word brings! Get the clutter out of your life! Do some spiritual spring cleaning! Be like the tree that is planted beside streams of water. This past weekend I took a canoe trip down the Suwannee river and noticed the trees growing out of the banks of this old river. These strong trees have dealt with wind and storms and flooding and yet they hold fast! Strong and healthy. The comparison that we see in scripture likens the believer whom is meditating on God’s word to one of these trees! There is only one way to life and happiness! His name is Jesus! He is truly the way, truth and the life! The path to Jesus leads to life! Are you happy? Turn to the word of God! I love you all! <><

Fruit of the Spirit

Growing older…but not up

One of the struggles the Modern day Church is dealing with is the issue of Spiritual Maturity. Over the past three decades many people claim to have had a life changing experience and supposedly given their hearts and to Jesus Christ. Don’t get me wrong; I love it when salvation takes place and I make it a point to be a soul winner daily. I believe that as a Christ follower, I have a responsibility to show and tell what has taken place in my own life. As a minister of the gospel, I want to believe the best in people but I must tell you this morning I believe there are many people who know about Jesus, but they don’t know or have a relationship with Him!

How do we evaluate spiritual maturity? In the corporate world employees are evaluated on job performance and in most cases are rewarded or penalized depending on how well they do their job. In academia, individuals receive a grade that indicates the level of knowledge one has after taking a course or class. Athletes and entertainers are evaluated by how well they perform. It seems that every arena in life has a way to evaluate effectiveness except the Church. How do you evaluate ones spiritual growth? This is a question that I have been thinking about and believe we can go to the word of God and set up some benchmarks that will help us maturing believers see how well we are doing!

Galatians 5:22 lays out the “Fruit of the spirit”. I personally believe these “fruits” would be great evaluators and a standard that we should consider. I love the idea of “fruit” and as I started thinking could not help but wonder how people consider fruit. When we think of fruit for the most part we think of it as in an individual piece. I am thankful that real fruit is abundant and available at markets all over the country. Living in Florida and near a railroad I often have to wait for extended periods of time as the Orange Trains roll north with millions of oranges and crates of Orange Juice so that people all over our country can enjoy Florida Oranges. I was driving near Spuds Florida the other day and got behind a truck that had thousands of potatoes freshly dug out of the ground! I am thankful for bountiful harvest.

When we think of the fruit of the spirit, we must realize that there is so much to go around. The actual word “Fruit” or Karpos from the Greek language literally means harvest. It is the bounty received from nurturing the plant or tree. It is perpetual! I am so thankful that a tree or plant produces year after year. So spiritually speaking, the fruits of the spirit are also perpetual! They are the bounty from the harvest and should be possessed by all who call them selves Christ followers. As a believer I am to have affection and good will (love) toward my fellow man. As a believer I will experience joy and a state of tranquility (peace) knowing that I serve a Sovereign Lord. I will have steadfastness and perseverance (patience) and express moral goodness (kindness) and integrity. Believers also will possess an uprightness of heart (goodness) and a genuine conviction and belief in my relationship with God (faith). I will also have a mildness (gentleness) of disposition and learn to control (self control) a sensual appetite.

Against these fruits, the Bible says there is no law. The fruits of the spirit are an outward expression of Jesus living within. This fruit grows and is expressed in any person that willingly dies to what Christ died to so that the Spirit can bring new life. I also want to tell you that the fruits of the spirit are not exhaustive. But all of the fruits are an expression of love.

How do we measure spiritual maturity, I believe it starts with a live and growing relationship with Christ Jesus! How are you doing? Let go of the things of the world and grab hold of the things of God! I love you all! <><

home in heaven

You have heard it said of places that people visit “it is good place to visit, but I would not want to live there” I have said this of places that I visited! But when it is time to go, I am always ready to get home! In Philippians 3:20 I see the Apostle Paul had figured something out when he wrote “...but our citizenship is in heaven from which we also eagerly await for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” After reading this, I began to think a little differently. Earth, is a great place to visit, but according to the word of God it is not our home. Heaven is home for the believer. I want to put down roots there, in heaven where I am going to spend eternity. Everything here on earth is temporal so striving for worldly accolades and accomplishments are really futile! I want to make an impact on people for the glory of God! Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that being successful is wrong because I really believe that God wants our best. What I am saying is that Earth is a great place to visit, but I would not want to live there! My life on earth is a journey. My journey began when I submitted control of my life to Jesus! He is the way, the truth and the life. No one can enter into the Kingdom of heaven except through a relationship with him. Heaven is an exclusive place. It is not about what you know it is about who you know! Jesus is the only way to a citizenship in heaven. So I want to encourage you to make an eternal difference! Encourage those you come into contact with and you will be putting down roots in your final home! I love you all! <><

Hadley's first solo

Great Job KP's! So proud!

Oh Lord, that you would send Revival to our land

Oh Lord, please send revival to our land...

I believe that a revival is getting ready to bust out! I really do! I am praying for a mighty movement of God to take place here in our midst! I am begging God to allow us to reach out into our area and make a impact for the Kingdom. In our Steadfast Worship service last night I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit! As the message was unfolding I could sense young men holding on to what they know, the things of right now, the things that make sense to them. I could sense young ladies who want to make and take a stand for Jesus reluctantly holding on to what appears normal. During our invitation there were 7 young men and one young lady who raised there hands indicating they did not have assurance of eternal life. We need to pray like never before! We need to share the gospel like never before! We need to boldly proclaim Jesus to those in our communities and expect God to show up and show off! This morning as I write this, I cannot help but wonder why this generation is holding on so tight to the things of the world! I honestly see and feel that many mellenials truly want to have the relationship with Jesus but are unsure of what this truly means! The easy believism of the 90’s is behind us. This generation wants to know the why’s and what’s of a real relationship with Christ. Our job and task as people called to work with mellenials require us to spend time praying for those we minister to! They need to know that we truly love them! I want so badly to wrap arms of grace around this generation and tell them the greatest story ever told! I think about the cross! I think about what Christ has done for this generation that God has called me to minister to! I am overwhelmed at the possibilities! I am calling on the called to step up! To love like never before! To tell people about what our Lord has done for you! To let them know how much you care about them! Let them see Jesus in you! I love you all and I am praying for you as you minister to the mellenials! Peace <><

Pray for your children

I awoke this morning with a heavy heart as I was thinking about the students in our church! I was thinking about the young man from Clay High School who took his life yesterday. I could not help but wonder what would bring a young man who had so much life to look forward to, to this point where he decided that it just wasn’t worth it.
I have been thinking a lot about our students. When they make it to High School sometimes it is hard for us to think of them as children, but they are! I know that they are capable of doing and thinking like an adult, but this transitional time in their lives sometimes proves to be overwhelming! I have the privilege to work with and minister to the greatest generation to ever live One characteristic of this generation is that they are searching...they are looking for significance, trying to figure out where they fit into the grand scheme of things. They are looking at us, checking us out trying to see if our relationship with Christ is real. They watch us to see how we deal with situations and circumstances. How are you doing as your child’s parent?
Many of our students are going through life and they are not being covered by one of the greatest tools that our Lord has given to us! Most go through life with out someone praying for them daily! We as parents need to live our lives in constant prayer for our children! They need to know that they are being prayed for. We need to let them know how much they mean to us! We need to take time to pray for our children’s friends! I don’t have to tell you how quickly our children grow up. In reality we have a limited time to shape their future. I want you to know that I think this is the most important thing that we do as parents!
Sometimes it is easy for us to get caught up in the routine of life and we get so busy providing for and getting through that we miss some of the most important aspects of parenting. As believers we have a responsibility to “train up a child”! This training includes their spiritual development. As your Student’s pastor I want to come along side and shore up the principles that you are already teaching. You may say Brother Jeff, it is to late for us! We have missed the opportunity! I want to tell you that it is not to late! Admit the mistakes you have made to your children and from this day forward make your child’s spiritual development first and foremost!
Pray for your children! Lift them before the Lord now! Involve them in the work of the Lord! Encourage them to be involved in missions and causes that Honor our Lord. Ensure that they are a part of Bible Study! Have a family Bible study! And pray!

Continue walking in the Spirit

A war is raging...I am not talking about what is taking place on some foreign shore, or in some obscure place I am talking about the battle that we as people face each and everyday! We are at war! Scripture teaches us “For the Flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirt desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want.” (Galatians 5:17) In order to understand the battle you have to understand that apart from Christ, we are nothing. We from birth have a sin nature that is totally opposed to the things of God. Many times we think we know what we want! Many time the things of the flesh (worldly things) appear so enticing! Scripture teaches we don’t know what we want so often times we succumb to the things that glitter...we make and choice and take the way of the world! In doing this we step away from a Holy God and suffer separation anxiety because of the absence of Him in our lives! Walk in the spirit! Make God your first priority! Immerse your self in scripture! Spend time asking God to reveal things to you through His word! Pray without ceasing...and make sure that you walk in the Spirit! Find someone who will hold you accountable and walk the walk! If we “delight ourselves in the Lord, He will give us the desires of our heart!” Are you delighting yourself in Him today? Don’t trust your flesh...it is weak and does not know what it wants! Trust in your relationship with God! He will never leave nor forsake you! I love you all <><