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30 Days in Matthew... Day 18-30

2010-07-14T12:06:00.001-05:00

Day 18 – Matthew 16:13-20
Okay, now that you’ve read these verses …who do you say Jesus is? Do you have an answer? Do
you think he was just a good teacher? What about a nut-case who claimed to be God? Maybe just
another prophet who made a lot of noise and put himself in high-profile positions? A lot of opinions
are out there, but there is only one right answer to this test. Have you, like Peter, said “Jesus, you
are the son of God, the Messiah who is to save us and secure a place for us with God throughout
eternity!” If so…A+, ticket to heaven, salvation, hope for the future, and eternity with God.
If still need more proof, I want to encourage you to keep reading, develop your questions, watch the
lives of genuine Christians, and ask God to make himself clear to you. I can guarantee you he won’t
appear inside your bedroom in the middle of the night and say, “Psst, over here…hey pal it’s all
true.” God doesn’t work like that. That’s one of the reasons Jesus didn’t give the Pharisees a sign.
Jesus knew that miracles help those of faith feel more confidant, but they don’t lead skeptics to
desire salvation. Keep searching and you’ll find the answer.
Notice, Jesus specified his question to Peter only, “who do YOU say I am?” After he heard what
others thought, Jesus wanted a personalized confession. When it comes to your personalized
confession of faith, realize Jesus isn’t taking a poll and he isn’t looking for the majority opinion or
what others think. He wants your personal response. Your answer to that question is the basis for
salvation (see Romans 10:9-10; 1 John 2:18-23; 4:1-3).
Today, take some time to write out your decision to follow Christ. Don’t worry about what others say
about Jesus. What do you say?
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Day 19 – Matthew 16:21-28
I’m amazed at how quickly Jesus’ words turn on Peter. A little earlier Jesus calls Peter “a rock”
because of his professed faith believing Jesus was the Messiah. Now, Jesus says to Peter, “get
behind me Satan.” Wow! Imagine how Peter must have felt after hearing those words from his Lord.
That must have been a painful moment for Peter going from a “rock” to a “stumbling block.”
Why did Jesus use those words? They seem kind of rough don’t they? Well, Jesus was laying out
God’s plan for the world and salvation. He had hinted about it before but now he was making it
public and clear. Death and resurrection. Pain and suffering. Ridicule and humiliation. These actions
were part of the plan for Jesus to endure and Peter was just thinking like a human—probably like
you and I would have thought. He didn’t realize that the plan of salvation included Jesus’ pain. Peter
didn’t like suffering (like who does?) and he sure didn’t want his best friend to go through it. To me,
Peter’s reaction seemed like an appropriate response to show his love, support, and protection for
Jesus. But for Jesus, Peter’s response was similar to the Devil. In chapter four the devil told Jesus
he could have greatness without suffering and Jesus knew this wasn’t his Father’s plan.
Jesus continued to make it clear that God’s way was very different from the world’s way. To follow
him means commitment—“pick up your cross and follow.” Basically, the was saying, “get ready for
pain because a commitment to me won’t be easy.” But the good news about being a Christian is
having the confidence that suffering leads to glory. They go hand-in-hand. Today, try to picture what
it might mean for you to suffer for Jesus’ sake.
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Day 20 – Matthew 17:1-27
Peter confessed that Jesus was the Messiah (Mt. 16) and now he got to see firsthand that Jesus
really was the Messiah, the Son of God. If Peter would have been asked that same question, after
the Transfiguration (17:1-13), it would have been a no-brain-needed answer to the question “who
do you say I am?” He would have said, “Without a doubt, you’re God. I saw it on the mountain while
you were with Moses and Elijah…that was awesome…can you do it again?” But that confession
wouldn’t have been as meaningful to Peter’s faith. Before he saw the glory of God, Peter believed,
confessed his belief, and received assurance from God on the mountain. I like the way that works;
believe, confess, receive assurance. Did it happen that way with you?
The Transfiguration is a powerful event in the walk with Christ and one you might want to further
study. The quick version can be understood when you realize Moses represented the Law (the
Old Testament) and Elijah the prophets. Both the law and the prophets point to Jesus and the Old
Testament and prophetic messages are fulfilled in Jesus. Basically, the Old Testament and prophets
painted a picture of the future that was missing THE key character…until Jesus came to earth.
During the Transfiguration Peter wanted to express his excitement by building a shrine to
commemorate the occasion. But, before he could take action, he was interrupted by God’s voice
booming His love for Jesus. Peter quickly dropped his idea of monument building and dropped to
his knees to worship God. Take note of Peter’s response. It’s the only appropriate action you should
have when you fully understand who Jesus is…worship. Total commitment to Christ isn’t seen by
wearing Christian clothing, getting a cross tattooed on yourself, or building a monument for your
faith. Commitment is seen through one’s desire to worship. When was the last time you dropped to
your knees in worship?
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Day 21 – Matthew 18:1-14
It appears that the disciples might have lost a little of their focus on what’s important when they
began to argue about positioning (the argument is more clear in Mark 9; Luke 9). Their pride had
become an issue. It may have been that they were jealous of Peter, James, and John for going to
the mountain with Jesus (chapter 17). They might have even arguing over high positions in the new
church that Jesus spoke of. It became such an issue that they even had the guts to ask, “which one
of us is the greatest?” I envision it like this, “Hey Jesus, we know you’re pretty special being God…
uh…but, we’re over here kind of wondering which one of us is the greatest...aside from you of
course.” It’s at this point Jesus steps in and teaches about the importance of humility.
Jesus didn’t even dignify their answer. Instead, he called a little child into his presence and said
the child was a picture of greatness. He told them to stop being childish with their meaningless
arguments and become childlike. That was a creative way to deal with tension and teach about
humility wasn’t it?
True humility is taking your eyes off yourself and putting them on someone else. Humility is a positive
consequence for becoming others’-centered. What keeps you from becoming others’ centered?
Pride. Pride has always been a struggle-point with people. The fall of humanity can be traced back
to pride. Look for it in your life. Notice it. Catch it action so you can recognize it. Name it. The hurdle
to growing spiritually is learning to navigate around the bumps of pride and clear away the mounds
of pride that have been building in your life.
Jesus tells his disciples to take drastic measures when evaluating themselves. He doesn’t intend for
them to literally cut off a hand or a foot since destroying the outside of your body will not affect the
condition of a heart. Do you need to take drastic measures to take care of your pride problem? If
you want to be great…the road to take is humility and it’s easier to get there being a servant than a
celebrity.
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Day 22 – Matthew 18:15-35
When we say “yes” to living God’s way we are also saying “yes” to living in harmony with others.
Healthy relationships are a strong theme in the Bible and God has made sure we have some
practical instruction on how to make relationships work, even in the midst of conflict. Most people
hate conflict! Do you? Conflict can produce feelings of hate, revenge, and withdrawal.
Jesus tells us that when we have conflict we need to talk face-to-face and try to work things out.
If the conflict is with another Christian, harmony should be the goal since it’s the goal of all Godcentered
relationships. Most of the time, conflict will require forgiveness and Jesus know a lot about
forgiveness…as a matter of fact, he died so we could experience forgiveness from our sins that
would otherwise keep us from God.
As Peter hears Jesus teach about conflict and forgiveness I believe Peter is anxious to impress
Jesus that he is finally getting the idea that followers of Christ are to be different. Because of his
growing understanding, Peter comes up with a number which probably sounded high to him—
seven (Jewish rabbis taught that you should forgive someone three times). He may have thought,
“for us, it should be different, more like seven.” (You got to love Peter!) But Jesus makes seven seem
insignificant when he says “7x70.” Jesus doesn’t want his followers to limit their forgiveness to a
countable number. Jesus wasn’t pushing for the actual number 490, instead, he was asking for a
spirit of forgiveness that wasn’t restricted.
Forgiveness is crucial for the believer. If you want to be forgiven you must forgive—that’s the point
of the parable Jesus told. If you’re anything like me, you’ve had a lot of sins forgiven and will need
future forgiveness. Your forgiveness of others is crucial to the forgiveness equation. As you continue
to grow in your relationship with Christ you will develop an attitude of humility, an appreciation for
God’s forgiveness, and a heart to forgive others. It doesn’t come overnight…but forgiveness will
begin to appear the more you become like Jesus. Is there anyone you need to forgive today?
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Day 23 – Matthew 19:1-12
The Pharisees couldn’t trap Jesus on other issues so they went after a biggie—divorce (isn’t it
interesting that divorce continues to be a controversial issue today?). The Pharisees didn’t seem
to care about the truth regarding marriage, they were eager to see Jesus fumble his words and
contradict himself regarding his interpretation of the Mosaic Law of Divorce (Deuteronomy 24:1-4).
Once again, Jesus masterfully backs his accusers up by taking them to a time prior to the Mosaic
Law, in Genesis, where God’s intention for marriage was that it would be permanent. Jesus changed
their focus from divorce to the importance of a lasting marriage—God’s design from the beginning.
In verses 4-6 we can learn some solid truths about marriage:
1. Marriage is God’s idea. This doesn’t take much explanation. Basically, it wasn’t some guy name
Randy who discovered marriage during the cave-man era.
2. Marriage is a physical oneness. The reference to “two becoming one” points to sexual
intercourse. God created sex so that husband and wife would become one flesh, which is a physical
image of marriage. That’s why God intended sex to be for marriage only.
3. Marriage is intended to last. God’s idea of oneness is that it will last as long as one of them is
alive. The words, “let no one separate them” don’t give room for options.
4. Marriage is male and female. Other variations to man and wife are unacceptable in God’s design
for marriage. They may become more acceptable in our courts and liberal society but not in God’s
eyes.
Divorce is going to happen, but that doesn’t make it right. It’s been happening since the beginning
of our time. That’s why Moses made a law that required some steps to be taken before divorce
could happen. Moses saw woman being thrown out of homes when the husband was frustrated or
“done” with them. Divorce was too easy and the sinful people were destroying each other. Divorce
brings pain and God hates it.
About half the students I know come from broken families. There’s a lot of suffering in their lives
and they would be the first to tell you that divorce hurts. As you think and pray about your future,
keep in mind that God’s plan for your future marriage doesn’t include divorce. His plan is that it will
last. Don’t loose sight of that standard as you continue to live your life hungering and thirsting for
righteousness. Here’s something worth remembering, “marriage is one of God’s most wonderful
designs!”
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Day 24 – Matthew 19:13-30
The first time I read this passage I thought all Christians had to sell everything they owned in order to
follow Christ and make it to heaven. Jesus told the young man those very words, and the disciples
left everything they had follow Jesus so poverty seemed like a natural consequence to obedience. I
began to wonder if the Christians I knew who had money weren’t really “true” believers. I lived with
this confusion for some time. Maybe you’re confused also…if so, let me help that misunderstanding.
As you read the Bible, it’s important not to confuse eternal truths Jesus taught with specific actions
of those truths. For example, when Jesus said, “cut off your hand if it’s causing you to sin,” he
wasn’t expecting literal mutilation, he was requesting them to get drastic with their sin. He knew one
less hand wouldn’t change someone’s heart.
In today’s reading, Jesus’ point is to put God before anything else. He knew this man had a
problem with money and he wanted to attack the problem and get at his heart. Earlier, you read in
Matthew 6:33, “But seek first his kingdom . . .” Jesus wants to be first—even before money. Another
example, the first two of the ten commandments are, (1) “You shall have no other gods before me . .
.” and (2)”You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything” (Exodus 20:3-4). The point
is loud and clear…loving God must come before everything else in a person’s life.
Jesus knew the spiritual condition of this rich man: on the outside he obeyed God’s rules, but on
the inside (his heart) he obeyed his possessions. Jesus said, “it is hard for the rich to enter the
kingdom…” and the disciples understood him completely. Essentially, everyone who lives separated
from God is “rich” because they think they don’t need anything, when in reality, the opposite is true.
I was “poor” without Christ and now I’m “rich” with blessings because I have a relationship with
Christ. True wealth is knowing you’re poor enough to need God. Take a moment today and write
about your personal need for Him.
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Day 25 – Matthew 20:1-34
My mom is a great lady and one of my biggest fans. I’ll never forget when she gave my baseball
coach a hard time because she thought I deserved to bat higher in the lineup than he did. They
discussed my batting average, she reasoned, he countered, and my mom came out victorious.
While I may have batted higher in the following games (from 8th spot to 9th) , I lost respect from my
teammates because my mom whined.
Because of that experience, I can relate to how James and John must have felt when the mother
mom petitioned Jesus for a higher place of greatness. She was just doing her job—being a good
Jewish mom. Just like my teammates, the other disciples were ticked—they also wanted positions
of greatness with Jesus. Imagine their thoughts, Jesus just said he was going to be put to death,
and their minds started to roll… “hmm, if he’s going to be in heaven first, maybe he can talk to God
about a better spot in the heavenly line up.” That was all they knew about greatness—a higher
position. Once again we see human meeting divine and conflict emerging.
In this discourse with James and John’s mother, Jesus lays out a formula that, to this day,
challenges our view of leadership. He said if you want to be a leader you must be a servant. His
design for greatness begins at the bottom. If you want to be first, you must be last. If you want to be
great, you must serve. Pretty different than, “claw your way to the top at any cost.”
Following Christ isn’t like following other leaders of the world who love to show off their power and
authority. Christians show power when they are weak, humble, and others’ centered. Through
weakness, God comes alive and becomes strong in the life of the believer. Through humility, Christ
can be seen. When you become others’ centered, you become God-centered. It’s a life long journey
that begins when you say “yes” to God’s way.
How’s your journey with serving others going? This is one biblical paradox that you may never truly
understand (I don’t!).
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Day 26 – Matthew 21:1-27
While Jesus was trying to teach the religious leaders that they didn’t understand true religion (that it
was heart not actions), he also was trying to teach his disciples about true faith. He wanted them to
understand the importance of faith. Jesus knew that the only way to please God was through faith.
The backbone to one’s relationship with God is faith. To the Christian, faith is everything! We have
faith that God became human in Jesus. We express faith in trying to live God’s way. We have faith
in the unseen future. Faith is what is needed to last. The Christian hall of fame (Hebrews 11) is lined
with people of faith. These people of faith trusted God’s way as THE way and set their life on a
course that reflected faith.
How’s your faith today? Do you have faith that God forgives you? Do you have faith that God’s plan
is a good plan for you? Does your faith really believe that God can use you to do wonderful things?
Are you willing to step out in faith and risk being a Christian in today’s non-Christian world? Faith…
it’s a big deal!
I want to challenge you to try something new today. Read Hebrews 11:1 and paraphrase that
verse…in other words, write out how you would define faith. Then, list two faith stoppers in your life.
What are two things that keep you from living a life of faith? If you have time, write out how the story
of the fig tree might relate to you today. Keep the faith…you are loved.
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Day 27 – Matthew 21:28-22:14
God doesn’t show favoritism. That’s good news! The doors to his Kingdom are wide open to
any race, color, language, or painful past. God wants the banquet of heaven to be full…but,
unfortunately, some will refuse the invitation. Just think about all the different types of people that
have said “yes” to God’s invitation...
Druggies, Killers, Child abusers, Rapists, Thieves, Pastors, Accountants, Teachers, Students, Etc.
If you’re anything like me, you might look at a person and say “no way” when you try to picture them
in heaven. I hate this about myself. I often have to stop and say, “Doug, who made you the grace
cop?” These passages that you read don’t put limitations on people, other than their belief. Jesus
died once to save all. He didn’t die to save those I think are worthy. No one is worthy, and that’s why
salvation is called “the good news.”
God wants his house to be full. He wants the party to be filled. He wants to see people saved.
Thank him today that his eyesight isn’t as limited as yours and ask Him to help you look at people
the way he does. Cover your eyes and begin to see people like Jesus… open the doors and let the
party begin!
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Day 28 – Matthew 22:15-46
I’m a pretty simple thinker and I love simple answers! The religious leaders thought they were asking
Jesus tricky questions, but Jesus immediately gave simple, straightforward answers. When they
asked the question about marriage after the resurrection it sounded as confusing as a present day
word problem from math class. But, instead of showing frustration, Jesus communicated in a clear,
concise fashion.
In verses 37-38 we find a strong theme for the Christian life. Jesus summarizes the Old Testament
with what we call the “great commandment”. His simple answer is (1)love God, (2)love others. That’s
it! He didn’t say the most important commandment was not to keep from lying, cussing, having sex
outside of marriage, or stealing. Much simpler, right to the point--love God and love others. He knew
that if these two were in place, the others wouldn’t be issues.
If you spend some time thinking about this answer, you’ll find that loving others is going to be a
lot easier once you focus on loving God. Actually, everything is a lot easier when you direct your
thoughts on loving God. It’s not easy to show love to others but that’s a commandment that’s
important to Jesus.
Some say that the Bible can be wrapped up in one word—“don’t.” But those who understand what
it means to walk in God’s way find out that “don’t” isn’t the greatest commandment. Actually, it’s
“do.” For those on the outside of the faith, looking in can be illustrated in a positive way…by doing.
You want to follow God’s command…DO. DO love God. If you do this, focus your life on loving God,
it will result in naturally love others.
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Day 29 – Matthew 23:1-39
I’m not sure it’s possible to read this chapter and not think, “wow, Jesus sounded mad!” We’ve seen
all throughout the Book of Matthew that Jesus attacked the hypocritical attitudes and lifestyles of
the religious leaders and it seems to come to a moving crescendo in this chapter. Religious frauds
did upset Jesus 2000 years ago and it can’t be any different today.
It’s safe to assume that Jesus wanted to make sure his disciples understood that holiness was
much more important than looking and/or acting holy. This is a great lesson for us. It’s so easy to act
spiritual, to wear Christian clothing or jewelry, attend Christian events, and talk a Christian language
without being a man or woman of God. Faking it isn’t that tough. It becomes even easier as you
take your eyes off of the basics (like fairness, compassion, faith, etc…) and put your eyes on the
acceptance of others.
Verse 26 is a good one to memorize… “First wash the inside of the cup and then the outside will
become clean to.” It’s a safe bet that if you take care of your heart that you will bear fruit with your
life. A clean heart, forgiven and refreshed by God’s presence, will produce a real and authentic
Christian life. This type of life would never be characterized by the term “painted tombstone” (verse
27)…and that’s good news!
If you’re wearing a Christian mask ask God to give you the desire and the strength to drop it today.
This is one acting job that won’t bring fame..
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Day 30 – Matthew 24:1-51
Any discussion of the end-of-the-world gets a little spooky at times. Even though you might think
it’s weird and try to avoid talking about it, Jesus taught on it. The disciples asked for a sign of his
coming again and Jesus told them there will be a day when he returns (known as the second
coming) No one knows when this time will be—Jesus didn’t even know (v. 36).
Ever since I’ve been a Christian (over 20 years) I’ve heard different preachers and television
evangelists predict a date for the second coming. They’ve all been wrong. I’ve learned, over these
years, that Christians shouldn’t be on the time and date committee trying to predict His return. We
should be on preparation committee and communicate, with urgency, that Jesus IS coming again.
Jesus told us that the end wouldn’t come until the gospel had been preached throughout the world.
That’s our job, as believers, to spread God’s plan of salvation—which is the good news.
During this waiting time on earth we can be assured of persecution for our faith, false teaching
surrounding our faith, and false prophets professing a different faith. But in the midst of these trials,
Jesus encourages us to keep from panic (v.6) and to be on guard with our lives by living responsibly
(v. 42, 44). He also gives us some good news that our survival will result in reward (v. 46).
Although we don’t know the time and date, we do know it’s going to be sudden and it will catch
a lot of people off guard just like the flood of Noah’s day (v. 39). Like Noah, be ready. Build your
“ark” of faith and obey God’s Word. God chose Noah because he found him to be a righteous man
whose heart was right. Noah is a good picture of the type of person I want to be…how about you?
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Day 31 – Matthew 25:1-46
In this chapter, we not only find more teaching on the end times but also on the responsibility of the
believer to do something with his or her life. We’ve read enough by now to know that the arrival of
Jesus (the second coming) is going to be sudden and many won’t be ready (vs. 1-13). But the rest
of this chapter is a solid wake up call that our life is meant to account for something.
I must write very carefully because I don’t want you to think that you are saved by works (what you
do for God), because you are saved by your faith in Jesus Christ (what He did for you). But what you
do is a result of your faith and salvation. These two stories show us that we aren’t to waste our lives
but to invest them in God’s service.
What is God’s service? It may be as simple as giving a cup of water, food to the hungry, clothes
to the naked, visitation to the prisons… When you help someone in need you are helping Jesus.
Christians are “Christ’s one” and are to try to follow Christ’s actions while on earth.
Sometimes I think of being one of Jesus’ twelve disciples and how I would have responded to
the pain and lack of justice he experienced on the cross. I think of what I would have said and
how I would have acted. When I put myself in that situation I become quite the superhero, in my
imagination. But, in the reality of the everyday situations that Jesus refers to (vs.31-46), I’m not
super at all. You see, when I see Jesus in need everyday (when I see others in need) I often miss the
opportunity to serve him. I see him in need when I drive by the hungry, pass by the homeless, read
about the prisoners, and don’t think about offering a drink to the thirsty.
I know I’m saved by faith, but there is an incredible opportunity to do—in the name of Jesus—that
demonstrates that my faith is real. Take a look at your life today and think about how you can show
someone needy Christ’s love in a very real and practical manner. How could you do that today?
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30 Days in Matthew... Day 10 - 17

2010-07-08T08:40:00.003-05:00

GO TO YOUVERSION.COM TO READ THE SCRIPTURE.

Day 10 – Matthew 8:1-9:39

As you read chapters 8 and 9 you’ll find that Matthew has written about ten miracles of Jesus and

placed them together. Did you find all ten in your reading? Isn’t it exciting to read about the power of

God that was displayed in Christ? Can you imagine what it would have been like walking with Christ

and watching him? Seeing him firsthand heal a leper, control the sea, and raise a girl from the dead.

I know how I feel just reading about his miracles 2000 years later, I can’t even imagine what a thrill it

would have been to follow his actual steps.

As you walk with Christ through the scriptures, be careful not to miss some of the subtle words

spoken by Jesus in the midst of the supernatural crowd pleasing miracles. For example, in-between

the crazy man/pig episode (8:28-34) and the girl being raised from the dead (9:23-26) Jesus makes

a statement about why he came to earth. Did you catch it? In Matthew 9:12-13 Jesus explains why

he came to earth and who he came to reach:

The lost.

The non-religious.

The outcasts.

We see the heart of Christ again when he looks at the crowds and his heart breaks with compassion

because the people looked so lost…like sheep without a shepherd (9:36-37). This truth is very

important for you to know as you continue to read the New Testament. The bigness of his miracles

helped people see he really was who he said he was (God in flesh) but the words he spoke reveal to

us the heart of God.

I’m so glad you’re reading God’s word and seeing his power and hearing about his heart. Keep

looking, keep learning, and you’ll see God do some type of miracle in your life.

Day 11 – Matthew 10:1-42

Wow! There’s a lot to unpack after today’s reading. This is one of the those chapters you could

study for days and then, when you think you really understanding everything Jesus communicated,

you’d probably only be half way to the depths of his work.

As Jesus sent out 12 disciples to preach and heal, he prepared them with a “don’t give up”

message that speaks to us now. Today, Christians are part of a war…it’s been going on a long time.

God declared war on Satan (Genesis 3:15), Satan goes after Jesus (Matthew 4), and now we live in

a world that Satan influences. Because of this, following Jesus has its difficulties.

The Christian life is a battle and Jesus wants us to know about our future and that following him and

living God’s way has a cost… As a Christian you will be opposed, it may be from:

by religious people (v. 17),

by the government (v. 18-19), or

by your family (v. 21)

When you face opposition for your faith (and I hope you do because that means you’re living God’s

way), view the attacks as minor wounds that a loving God easily heals. Your flesh may injure but

Jesus makes it clear that our soul can’t be harmed (10:28) and that we don’t have to fear. “Fear not”

is a strong message of Jesus. Why? Because God’s love for you is incredible (10:31).

Isn’t it wild that God loves you so much that he even has your hairs numbered? Why? Because God

is concerned with every detail of your life and he wants you to know it. Trust him as your strength so

you can live as a courageous soldier who can walk into the world of wolves suited with His armor of

love.

Day 12 – Matthew 11:1-30

I hope that when you came to the end of chapter 11 you got a smile on your face. Read this

paraphrase of verses 28-30 from The Message and imagine Jesus saying these words directly to

you….

“[your name] ____________ Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get

away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and

work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy

or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Have you ever been tired of doing good? Did you know that a lot of people who serve God and

follow him get tired? In Matthew 10 we read about those who were sent out to do God’s work and

were doing a job that may have made them weary.

I know I get tired doing God’s work because it never ends. Sometimes I focus on what I’m doing

instead of who I’m serving and I get tired. I focus on the labor and not on the Lord.

I also find myself getting tired because I begin to doubt that my work for God is making a difference.

I get discouraged and weary. John the Baptist did the same thing. He’s sitting in jail and begins to

doubt… “are you really the Messiah or should we keep looking?” And this is from the greatest of all

the prophets that ever lived…and he doubted.

There is good news! Jesus promises us rest when we surrender our lives to him, when we slow

down and hang out with him. It’s an undeniable truth that we become who we hang around…what

kind of people do you hang around? Keep company with Jesus and your life will change…that’s a

promise.

Day 13 – Matthew 12:1-50

God in the flesh is standing before religious leaders and they don’t recognize him. Jesus is a mystery

to them. The Pharisees had spent so much of their growing and learning years studying about how

to act religious that they actually missed God in action. It’s almost comical, but it’s too sad to be

very funny. Jesus claims equality with God by stating he’s the Lord of the Sabbath and the “religious

actors” miss the moment.

In chapter 12 we read about the Pharisees trying to trap Jesus so they could “prove” Jesus wasn’t

the Son of God and that he was nothing more than a devil-following freak show. It seems every

attack thrown at Jesus was met by an answer that baffled the Pharisee’s thinking and challenged

their religious game.

In verse 30, Jesus makes a bold statement that there is no middle ground in following him. He says

that you can’t be neutral about following him…it’s either all or nothing. This is challenging! And Jesus

reminds us that following Jesus is begins with the heart. He slams the Pharisees and then tells them

he can “see” their heart by how they talk. Their religious show meant nothing, but their heart mean

everything.

It’s good to stop and think about the commitment you’ve made to follow Christ. You might try writing

your answers to these questions below:

> Where do you need God to perform surgery on your heart?

> Can others tell the condition of your heart by the words you speak?

> If you find yourself being neutral about your walk with Christ, what do you need to do?

Also, take a minute and tell God that you don’t want to act like a Christian (Pharisee) but that you

want to be identified by the fruit you display in your life (v.33).

Have a great day as you walk with Christ in your life!

Day 14 – Matthew 13:1-58

Everyone likes a good story! As you walk with Christ, you’ll find that Jesus tells a lot of stories. It’s

his number one way to communicate truth. Not all this stories are easy to understand and that’s why

the disciples have to ask him to explain himself. But all his stories lead to truth.

The chapter you read today has a lot of stories and they’re good stories…if you’re a Christian.

If you’re not….ouch. In Jesus’ story he paints a clear picture of what judgement will look like.

Christians will be separated from non Christians (or the wheat from the weeds) and there will be

weeping and pain for those who made a decision to live their life without God. That’s a story that

doesn’t have a happy ending.

The ending can be changed in everyone’s life if they hear God’s word and accept it into their life

(v. 8-9). Not only will eternity be planted in their lives but they (we) are given an abundance of

knowledge for living today (v. 12).

As you go through your life today be thinking about your friends who need to hear the life-changing

story of salvation that is only offered through Jesus. This story isn’t fiction and isn’t made up…it’s a

real story of a real man who died on a real cross so we could receive real forgiveness and not end

up at judgement day looking like a weed. Can you share that story with anyone today?

Day 15 – Matthew 14:1-36

Try to imagine what this one day would have been like if you were able to walk around with Jesus.

You’d have seen our Lord in all types of situations; from grieving the death of a friend, to feeding

5000, to walking on water, and calming the seas…unbelievable!

What strikes me about this chapter are the times where Jesus went to be by himself. After the news

of his friend’s death he wanted to be alone (v.13), and after feeding the multitudes he retreated

(v.23). In the midst of all the hoopla, Jesus sought solitude. He knew he had many things to

accomplish and lots of people to heal but he also knew he needed time by himself. His miracles

were amazing, but in the midst of grief, people, pressure, agendas, and a mission…he needed to be

alone.

He gave us a picture of what we should be doing. Can you learn anything about the importance of

spending time with God in the midst of a busy day? When was the last time you experienced some

solitude? Is it difficult to pull away from the crowd to be with the Creator? You need some of this

quiet-time every day to grow spiritually and become more like Jesus. Learn from the model of Jesus

and make sure this happens on the busiest of days. Maybe that’s why God said, Psalm 46:10 “Be

still and know that I am God.”

Day 16 – Matthew 15:1-39

Sometimes I lack faith. I hate to admit it…being a pastor and all…but it’s the truth. I know I should

have total faith in God’s way and not question or worry, but that’s not always the case. I’ve seen

God work in the past and yet I still wonder if he’s going to work in the present. I can point to specific

times when God has faithfully answered my prayers but I still wonder if he’s going to hear my pleas.

Basically, it boils down to either I lack faith or I’m really forgetful about what God has done in the

past. To make it worse, I feel guilty about it too. Can you identify with this?

But I begin to feel a little better when I read this chapter and see that the disciples were a lot like me.

They just saw Jesus feed 5,000 people a few days ago (Matthew 14) and now they have the nerve

(or lack of faith) to ask, “where are we going to get the food?” (v.33). Huh…maybe they were a lot

like me (and you?) because they were faced with a tough situation and they had forgotten God’s

work and provision in the last tough situation. How quickly we forget God’s ability to provide.

Today, be encouraged that God still works when you lack faith. He can repeat miracles in your life

even when you question. When you’re faced with discouragement over an issue in your life take

some time (remember the alone time from yesterday?) and consider God’s faithfulness in the past.

God is good and he’ll keep working even when we’re faithless, forgetful, or just plain dumb (like me

at times).

Day 17 – Matthew 16:1-12

Pharisee and Sadducee yeast sounds a little weird. At first the disciples didn’t know what it meant,

so if you were a little confused with today’s reading you’re not alone. Again, in these few verses of

chapter 16, Jesus uses another illustration to communicate the essential truth that the inside of a

person is more important than their actions.

Typically, the Pharisee and Sadducees were religious enemies because they disagreed on many

issues. But when it came to their hatred for Jesus and his teaching they became a team with the

goal to discredit and destroy him. In Jesus’ eye Pharisee and Sadducees were both religious frauds

because they didn’t focus on the issues of the heart (their insides) but on actions (their outside) from

the law. As you’ve been reading, Jesus hated this.

Now, you might have thought, “what the deal with “yeast?” Yeast is an ingredient used in cooking

to make bread rise. Too much yeast can ruin everything. That’s why Jesus called the Pharisee and

Sadducees “yeast.” Even a small amount of evil in their lives was ruining an entire group of people.

Sins in your life that seem “little” may very well be “yeast” and have big effects on your relationship

with God, your witness, and your other relationships. Your sin can impact others just in the same

way the sins of the Pharisee and Sadducees were leading others away from the truth that Jesus

brought. Evaluate your life today and see if there’s any “yeast” that needs to be dealt with.

30 Days In The Book Of Matthew... Day 9

2010-07-06T12:40:00.000-05:00

Day 9 – Matthew 7:1-29
In the last two verses of chapter 7 we read that the crowds were amazed at the teachings of Jesus.
No doubt! God in flesh, the Creator of the Universe, the designer of all humanity, teaching people
about how to live their life right. That’s awesome! “Amazed” almost seems too mellow of a reaction.
As you walk with Christ this month, I want to encourage you to take special notice of how many
times you read that people were blown away or amazed by Jesus’ words, his actions, and how he
lived. You’ll probably find that they were amazed because…
He had more than charisma, he had character.
He had more than personality, he had divine power.
He had more than crowd teaching, he had personal tenderness.
He had more than confidence, he had compassion.
He had more than words, he had wisdom.
In his words of wisdom he gave an illustration about a wise and foolish builder. The wise builder not
only heard the words of Christ but he put them into action. The foolish builder crashed because he
heard the words and didn’t apply them.
You too may be amazed at the teachings of Jesus, but you can be amazed and a fool at the same
time if you don’t apply His words to your life. Make a commitment today to become a wise builder
and develop a solid foundation for your life that is based on God’s Word…and your life will become
amazing.

Matthew 7

1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured unto you.3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me cast out the mote out of thine eye; and lo, the beam is in thine own eye?5 Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before the swine, lest haply they trample them under their feet, and turn and rend you.

7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:8 for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.9 Or what man is there of you, who, if his son shall ask him for a loaf, will give him a stone;10 or if he shall ask for a fish, will give him a serpent?11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?12 All things therefore whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye also unto them: for this is the law and the prophets.

13 Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby.14 For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it.

15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.16 By their fruits ye shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but the corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.20 Therefore by their fruits ye shall know them.21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven.22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by thy name, and by thy name cast out demons, and by thy name do many mighty works?23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

24 Every one therefore that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them, shall be likened unto a wise man, who built his house upon the rock:25 and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and if fell not: for it was founded upon the rock.26 And every one that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand:27 and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and smote upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall thereof.

28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these words, the multitudes were astonished at his teaching:29 for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

30 Days In The Book Of Matthew... Day 8

2010-07-01T09:13:00.001-05:00

Day 8 – Matthew 6:1-34

It is clear that Jesus knows the inside of our hearts. He knows that we humans tend to go for

whatever is the easiest way or for whatever will bring us the most attention. Since that is our human

nature, he knows he must give us specific instruction regarding even the normal activities of our

faith; prayer, giving, and fasting--some spiritual habits that are foundational to Christian maturity.

Jesus wants to make it very clear that these habits should not become a masquerade for attention

or an illusion of righteousness. If we are to pray, give, and fast, Jesus is more concerned about our

inside (our heart) than how we look to others (our outside performance). Can you tell the heart is a

big thing for Jesus?

After reading this chapter I thought to myself; “Don’t fake it…God knows you and He is crazy about

you the way you are. Don’t worry…live…be honest with your faith. Learn to pray, give, and fast

because you want to develop an intimacy with God, not because you want to impress others. Don’t

live to gather things because things produce worry. Don’t worry about getting…receive God’s giving.

Remember, if God is impressed with simple things like lilies…he’s really impressed with you! He’ll

take care of you.”

Today, remember that if you try to live your life for others’ approval…it won’t last. (See 1 Pet. 1:24

if you like). Focus on your heart and live your life for God’s reward and praise…this you can’t loose

and it will last forever.

Matthew 6

1 Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of them: else ye have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.2 When therefore thou doest alms, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward.3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:4 that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee.

5 And when ye pray, ye shall not be as the hypocrites: for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward.6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thine inner chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee.7 And in praying use not vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.8 Be not therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.9 After this manner therefore pray ye. Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth.11 Give us this day our daily bread.12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.13 And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen of men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward.17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face;18 that thou be not seen of men to fast, but of thy Father who is in secret: and thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall recompense thee.

19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal:20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:21 for where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also.22 The lamp of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is the darkness!24 No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.25 Therefore I say unto you, be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the raiment?26 Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value then they?27 And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit unto the measure of his life?28 And why are ye anxious concerning raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:29 yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.30 But if God doth so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?31 Be not therefore anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?32 For after all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.33 But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.34 Be not therefore anxious for the morrow: for the morrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

30 Days In The Book Of Matthew... Day 7

2010-06-30T14:09:00.002-05:00

Day 7 – Matthew 5:17-48

If I only had a few verses of the Bible to read every day, this section would be among my top choices

because it is so practical. When I read this section of scripture I often personalize the tender words

of Jesus saying something like, “I want you to grow up spiritually so let me give you some ideas on

how.”

As a child, I didn’t always appreciate my parents telling me to “grow up.” But, now that I’m a parent,

I understand their motive. They wanted me to live out what they were confident I already knew. In

these verses, Jesus gives us very practical examples of doing what we already know. He shows us

what it means to live a God-first life…a different life (remember the salt and light from yesterday?).

Jesus uses the religious leaders (Pharisees) as bad examples. Jesus saw their religion as a ritual

and not a living relationship. The Pharisees were more concerned about looking religious than they

were concerned about their heart. Jesus wants us to know that holiness starts with the heart being

changed and then the changed heart impacts our actions to others.

You see, starting with the action is too similar to acting…people who act right might impress

humans but God isn’t impressed. God is concerned with our hearts. You might even re-read this

section and look for the heart-talk. Jesus uses issues such as murder and adultery as examples

of heart-talk. Jesus says, “you’re concerned about murder (action) and I’m concerned about your

anger (heart). You’re concerned about adultery (action) and I’m concerned about your lust (heart).

You’ll see more of this type of teaching throughout your daily walk with Christ. If you’re concerned

about keeping up with this reading schedule (action) remember, God is more concerned with what

you learn and apply (heart) than if you finish.

MATTHEW 5:17 Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets: I came not to destroy, but to fulfil.18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished.19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.20 For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.

21 Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:22 but I say unto you, that every one who is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment; and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council; and whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of the hell of fire.23 If therefore thou art offering thy gift at the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee,24 leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art with him in the way; lest haply the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.26 Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou have paid the last farthing.

27 Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt not commit adultery:28 but I say unto you, that every one that looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.29 And if thy right eye causeth thee to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not thy whole body be cast into hell.30 And if thy right hand causeth thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not thy whole body go into hell.31 It was said also, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:32 but I say unto you, that every one that putteth away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, maketh her an adulteress: and whosoever shall marry her when she is put away committeth adultery.

33 Again, ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:34 but I say unto you, swear not at all; neither by the heaven, for it is the throne of God;35 nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, for thou canst not make one hair white or black.37 But let your speech be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: and whatsoever is more than these is of the evil one.

38 Ye have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:39 but I say unto you, resist not him that is evil: but whosoever smiteth thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.40 And if any man would go to law with thee, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go one mile, go with him two.42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

43 Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy:44 but I say unto you, love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you;45 that ye may be sons of your Father who is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust.46 For if ye love them that love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the Gentiles the same?48 Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

30 Days In The Book Of Matthew... DAY 6

2010-06-29T08:17:00.002-05:00

Day 6 – Matthew 5:1-16
I often imagine being one of Jesus’ committed disciples and sitting near him as he talks about living.
Here, he speaks to his closest followers about attitudes that flow from a pure heart. Jesus’ words
are very exciting to read and yet very difficult to apply!
Jesus paints a picture of happiness in verses 3-10, and then he gives us a strong image of how
followers are to “look” to the world. Basically, he says, “this is why you’re here…to be different.”
(my paraphrase of verses 13-16) Yesterday you read about a higher calling that affects what you
do—fish for people. Today’s reading impacts who we are to be—different. Not “weird” different…but
“different” different. Different so you stand out in a crowd…not because you’re crude but you stand
out because you’re a person with character. You are different because of whose you are.
Jesus uses the images of salt and light to help us see that we are to counteract decay (salt)
and darkness (light) which are symbols of living the world’s way. I love the paraphrase (from The
Message) that reads, “You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this
earth…and you’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world.”
Are you living a life that’s different from the world’s way? Not a life that brings attention to itself, but
a life that counteracts the decay of hatred and brings light to the darkness of evil? How can you be
different today?

Matthew 5

1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into the mountain: and when he had sat down, his disciples came unto him:2 and he opened his mouth and taught them, saying,

3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God.

10 Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 Blessed are ye when men shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you.

13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men.14 Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid.15 Neither do men light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shineth unto all that are in the house.16 Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

30 Days In The Book Of Matthew... Day 5

2010-06-28T08:22:00.002-05:00

Day 5 – Matthew 4:12-25

If I walked up to you at Taco Bell and said, “drop your burrito and follow me” you would probably

think I was crazy and you’d call the police or punch me out. But for the guys you read about today;

Simon, Andrew, James, and John it was a different story. They followed. They dropped everything

and followed Christ. Why?

I think it’s because Jesus gave them a calling that was bigger than their trade—fishing. He used

terms they could identify with to talk about a more important type of fishing—people. Fishing for

souls—changed lives. A more attractive catch don’t you think? Think about it, what would you rather

do? Pull in a big-eyed bass or open the door to heaven for someone in desperate need to walk

through? Can you see why they dropped everything and followed? They sensed a higher calling.

Some say Jesus asked them because fishermen had to have patience and faith to fish. Patience

in the waiting game and faith that there were actually fish out there. Do you think you have what it

takes to follow Christ’s call to be fishers of people? Do you have patience to allow God to use your

life to send a message to your non-believing friends? Do you have faith that God can and will use

you? If you do, drop your nets and follow him…there’s a lot of lost fish out there who need what you

have and who you know.

MATTHEW 4:12 Now when he heard that John was delivered up, he withdrew into Galilee;13 and leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali:14 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,15 The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,16 The people that sat in darkness

17 From that time began Jesus to preach, and to say, Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

18 And walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brethren, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishers.19 And he saith unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you fishers of men.20 And they straightway left the nets, and followed him.21 And going on from thence he saw two other brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.22 And they straightway left the boat and their father, and followed him.

23 And Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of disease and all manner of sickness among the people.24 And the report of him went forth into all Syria: and they brought unto him all that were sick, holden with divers diseases and torments, possessed with demons, and epileptic, and palsied; and he healed them.25 And there followed him great multitudes from Galilee and Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judaea and from beyond the Jordan.

30 Days In The Book Of Matthew... Day 3 / 4

2010-06-27T01:01:00.001-05:00

Day 3 – Matthew 3:1-17

About thirty years has passed from the time you read yesterday (in chapter 2) to what you read

today (in chapter 3). Now, you read about John the Baptist, a prophet, a man chosen by God for

a mission to set the stage and prepare people for Jesus. John the Baptist’s mission included a

message--“repent.” Repent is basically a fancy word which means, “to change one’s mind and act

on that change. To turn around. To turn from living the world’s way to living God’s way.”

Did you notice who came to hear John the Baptist’s message? Those who sincerely wanted to

confess their sins and change, as well as those who wanted to be part of the “in” crowd. The first

group experienced baptism and life-change while the others received a lecture and a slap to their

character.

Which group do you most identify with? Do you go to church because you need to hear a message

that will lead to life-change, or do you go because you want to be seen? When was the last time

you asked yourself this question, “Why do I really go to church?”

John the Baptist had a message of change. Jesus Christ is the way to bring about change. John the

Baptist said of Jesus, “he will change you from the inside out…”

What needs to be changed in your life? It’s never too late! Do you need to change your motive for

going to church? Is it your heart? Do your actions need change? You can’t make any significant

life-change without God’s help and power…that’s a big message in the Bible! That’s the goal of the

Christian journey . . . change. That’s the reason for this church! By the way, the beginning of the year

is a great time to make changes!

Day 4 – Matthew 4:1-11

As you take this daily walk with Christ you’ll discover that although Jesus was human, he was also

divine (meaning he was God). This is both difficult to figure out and exciting to comprehend.

As you just read, his human life wasn’t without temptation. He got the royal treatment from the King

of Liars. But, unlike Adam and Eve’s first encounter and temptation with Satan, Jesus won! Because

he won, we can also win over temptation if we use the same tools Jesus did. Notice Jesus didn’t

use his supernatural powers (although he could have—remember he was divine) but he used what

is available to us today. He used:

(a) The power of the Holy Spirit (verse 1), and

(b) God’s Word (“It is written”).

These are available to us today! If you are a Christian you have been given the Holy Spirit—God

within you. Ask for God’s help during times of temptation. He wants you to win. Also, as you read

God’s Word you will learn some promises from God that you can use to counteract temptation.

The more you grow in your faith, the more you will be tempted. If your life isn’t being lived for God,

you’re no threat to Satan’s work. But, when you put God first and walk his way you will threaten the

enemy and you can guarantee the door to temptation will fly open. Because Jesus defeated Satan,

he became a walking example to every human past, present, and future that He is the ultimate

conqueror. If that doesn’t get you excited you may be dead!

Matthew 3

1 And in those days cometh John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, saying,2 Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.3 For this is he that was spoken of through Isaiah the prophet, saying,

4 Now John himself had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey.5 Then went out unto him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about the Jordan;6 and they were baptized of him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said unto them, Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?8 Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance:9 and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.10 And even now the axe lieth at the root of the trees: every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.11 I indeed baptize you in water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire:12 whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing-floor; and he will gather his wheat into the garner, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.

13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.14 But John would have hindered him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?15 But Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffereth him.16 And Jesus when he was baptized, went up straightway from the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him;17 and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Matthew 4

1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he afterward hungered.3 And the tempter came and said unto him, If thou art the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.5 Then the devil taketh him into the holy city; and he set him on the pinnacle of the temple,6 and saith unto him, If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written,

7 Jesus said unto him, Again it is written, Thou shalt not make trial of the Lord thy God.8 Again, the devil taketh him unto an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;9 and he said unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.11 Then the devil leaveth him; and behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

30 day walk through the book of Matthew DAY 2...

2010-06-25T09:03:00.002-05:00

Day 2 – Matthew 2:1-23 READ BELOW
Today you read about God’s sign (a star) signaling the birth of Jesus. As I read this chapter I realized
that all the key players were confronted with the news of Jesus Christ and they acted in different
ways.
• The wise men (or the Magi’s) chose to find Jesus and rearranged their life to seek him out.
• The religious leaders (the priests) knew the prophecy concerning the birth of a Messiah and chose
to ignore the news of Jesus.
• Herod heard the news and chose to oppose and destroy Jesus out of fear and jealousy.
All three made choices regarding Jesus--all different choices. Do their choices sound familiar to you?
Do you know people who have made choices in each of these three ways?
As you walk with Christ, through the New Testament this year, it’s my experience that you will
respond the way the Magi did and be overcome by Jesus’ presence. When God’s Word impacts
your life you will respond in worship. There’s really no other appropriate response other than
worship. As your life begins to change don’t be silent to those who ignore and oppose… your
praise, your life, your words, and your tenderness will act as a strong sign that God is alive.

Matthew 2

1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, Wise-men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying,2 Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we saw his star in the east, and are come to worship him.3 And when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.4 And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ should be born.5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written through the prophet,6 And thou Bethlehem, land of Judah,

7 Then Herod privily called the Wise-men, and learned of them exactly what time the star appeared.8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search out exactly concerning the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word, that I also may come and worship him.9 And they, having heard the king, went their way; and lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.10 And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.11 And they came into the house and saw the young child with Mary his mother; and they fell down and worshipped him; and opening their treasures they offered unto him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

13 Now when they were departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I tell thee: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.14 And he arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt;15 and was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt did I call my son.

16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the Wise-men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the male children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had exactly learned of the Wise-men.17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet, saying,18 A voice was heard in Ramah,

19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying,20 Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead that sought the young child’s life.21 And he arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither; and being warned of God in a dream, he withdrew into the parts of Galilee,23 and came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets, that he should be called a Nazarene.

30 Days In The Book Of Matthew...

2010-06-23T21:42:00.003-05:00

Day 1 – Matthew 1:1-25 READ BELOW

You may be thinking, “what a crazy way to start the New Testament . . . with a bunch of long, too many-syllable names. If there’s 30 more days of this I’ll have had some good pronunciation practice but reading the New Testament is going to be a drag!” I know how you feel! I remember thinking the same thing the first time I read the first chapter of Matthew over twenty years ago. Actually, I laughed at the name Jehoshaphat because it sounded like “Joe’s-so-fat.” But, over the years, I’ve learned the list of names you read are important because they set the stage for Jesus as he Savior of the world. Everyone was looking for the Savior but no one expected him to be a baby. The list of names reveal the power of God’s work, behind the scenes, to fulfill some big-time promises (also known as prophecies) from the Old Testament (all the writing in the Bible before Jesus). I’ve known a lot of people who read these names and immediately gave up reading the Bible because they didn’t get it. In frustration they say, “hey, this doesn’t read like a love-letter, it reads like a historical genealogy from my history class.” If you feel this way today, my response is similar to how the angel responded to Joseph, “don’t be afraid . . . don’t hesitate to dig-in and read . . . you’ll never be the same.” Joseph was surprised with his new adventure and he got to hold the King of the world. May you, too, be surprised with this new reading adventure . . . soon you’ll hold the truths that are out of this world.

Matthew 1

1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judah and his brethren;3 and Judah begat Perez and Zerah of Tamar; and Perez begat Hezron; and Hezron begat Ram;4 and Ram begat Amminadab; and Amminadab begat Nahshon; and Nahshon begat Salmon;5 and Salmon begat Boaz of Rahab; and Boaz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;6 and Jesse begat David the king.

7 and Solomon begat Rehoboam; and Rehoboam begat Abijah; and Abijah begat Asa;8 and Asa begat Jehoshaphat; and Jehoshaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Uzziah;9 and Uzziah begat Jotham; and Jotham begat Ahaz; and Ahaz begat Hezekiah;10 and Hezekiah begat Manasseh; and Manasseh begat Amon; and Amon begat Josiah;11 and Josiah begat Jechoniah and his brethren, at the time of the carrying away to Babylon.

12 And after the carrying away to Babylon, Jechoniah begat Shealtiel; and Shealtiel begat Zerubbabel;13 and Zerubbabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor;14 and Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud;15 and Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob;16 and Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

17 So all the generations from Abraham unto David are fourteen generations; and from David unto the carrying away to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the carrying away to Babylon unto the Christ fourteen generations.

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.19 And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.20 But when he thought on these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.21 And she shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name JESUS; for it is he that shall save his people from their sins.22 Now all this is come to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,23 Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son,

24 And Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took unto him his wife;25 and knew her not till she had brought forth a son: and he called his name JESUS.

NEW DAILY DEVO STARTING THURSDAY!!!

2010-06-22T10:12:00.001-05:00

Who Is Jesus?
He is God (Matthew 26:63-64)
He became a person (John 1:14)
He taught with authority (Mark 1:22)
He healed the sick (Matthew 4:23)
He hung out with the outcasts (Matthew 9:10-11)
He got angry at the religious fakes (Matthew 23:27)
He was persecuted unfairly (Matthew 26:59-60)
He was tempted in every way (Hebrews 4:15)
He never made a mistake (Hebrews 4:15, 1 John 3:5)
He died, rose from the dead, and continues to live to this day (1 Corinthians 15:20)
He made it possible to have a relationship with God (John 3:16-17)
He can sympathize with our struggles (Hebrews 4:15)
He Loves Us (Ephesians 3:19)
In this devotional, you’ll get to explore for yourself the life of Jesus as told by one of his followers.
Matthew was one of the twelve disciples and walked with Jesus for three years. When Jesus found
him, his character was questionable: as a tax collector he was cheating his own people. Jesus
transformed his life, and Matthew would later write the story of Jesus’ life so others might also be
transformed.
Each day includes a scripture reading, a short inspirational thought, and space for you to reflect on
what God is teaching you. Having a quiet time 31 days in a row is tough! Pick a time when you are
at your best: if you’re a morning person, consider the morning. If your a night person...you get the
picture. Pick a place that is free of distractions. Disconnect from the internet, your phone, anything
that’ll grab your attention away from God.
Having a quiet time for 31 days is REALLY tough. If you miss a day, don’t beat yourself up! Jump
back into the swing of things, don’t stress yourself out by trying to “catch up.” The point is to grow
closer to God, so read at your own pace. The goal is not to “finish,” but to grow.

Weekend Wrap Up...

2010-01-18T09:09:00.002-06:00

What an awesome weekend...
1. Great message on creating margin in our lives. My wife and I are taking a page out of the Groeschel's book and will be turning off all Technology every Tuesday and Friday and instead focus on family time and create Margin for our family.
2. Awesome Worship with THE H2OChurch.CC worship team. Chris and his team did an awesome job of leading worship this weekend. The music was great and the spirit of the worship was Awesome.
3. Sweet LifeGroup time. I was blessed by an opportunity to pull away and spend some time with some old friends as we kicked off another LifeGroup where we will do Life together...

All in all it was a great Sunday and I look forward to the opportunity to live it out loud in my life this week. Remember "Put God First"...

Blessings,

Z

Sweetness...

2010-01-14T08:43:00.002-06:00

Wow. Last night at Youth was off the hook... The youth worship band is really Gelling and after our message on "Being in RHYTHM with God" 2 students gave their hearts to Christ "WHOOOOOHOOOOOO"... This was definately a night that was a reminder of why I do what I do. I think I fell in love with student ministry all over again, it is easy to go through the steps of what we do but when we can work out of passion instead of just doing what we do God moves... Have an awesome day and God Bless.

Zac

This side of Christmas...

2009-12-28T09:49:00.002-06:00

Welp, Christmas has come and gone. It was here with a flurry as a blizzard blasted Ada with almost a foot of snow. This blizzard did shut the church down for our Christmas Eve Experience but it did not phase us for our Christmas Dinner for the Hungry. It was awesome seeing so many volunteers show up to help serve those in need in the Ada area. I believe the final number of deliveries and walk ins was around 400-500 people. It was awesome to be able to serve as the hands and feet of Christ on this day when we remember His birth. I am amazed to think that this idea was birthed in the heart of a child around 5 years old. It is amazing to think that God probably tried to pour this vision into so many leaders and adults in our area but we were too busy/distracted to listen to the calling of God but a child heard and ACTED on what God spoke. Thanks Dave...

Blessings,

Zac

Week in preview...

2009-12-22T07:59:00.002-06:00

I am looking forward to the next few days... Yes Christmas is around the corner and I will see family and friends that I have not seen in a while but this year I am excited about the possibility of doing something different. On Christmas day I am working, not with other church's or as H2OChurch but simply with other believers as me and my family serve the needy on Christmas day. We will be feeding and delivering food to those in need on this day. It is so easy for me to get caught up in the rush and business of Christmas and forget what it is all about. I want to raise my kids in a mindset that Christmas is about giving back just like God gave His only son Jesus for me and you we should find ways to give to others in the hope that we can possibly share with them the greatest gift of all... JESUS...

12/10/09

2009-12-08T13:04:00.003-06:00

Okay, I have shopped for 0 Christmas presents at this point and just got the Christmas tree up last night but I did do 3 miles of cardio today so that is a good thing:) December is flying by so fast that I am not sure what to think... We are less than a week away from our OPERATION CHRISTMAS where we are providing presents and care packs for 100 kids in need in the Ada area another week away from a party we are throwing for our little kids to celebrate Jesus's birth then Christmas eve Experience, then Christmas and all the craziness that goes with that plus serving food to the hungry Christmas day with DAVE-O and somewhere in all of this managing my mom walking through stomach cancer:( Even with all of this going on I am going to make sure to make time and pull away each day so that I don't just let the craziness control me but I find time with God in the day so that He can control me... Have an awesome Christmas season and don't be controlled by the things that don't need to be controlling you give the reins over to the one who can see what is coming down the road...

Blessings,

Zac

Blogging time...

2009-12-07T07:59:00.002-06:00

Okay I have been out for a bit but hey it is just a blog:) Here are some highlights... My dad was diagnosed with cancer about 5 weeks ago and we were taken aback by that but we took it in stride and they removed his kidney and in turn the cancerous tumor, two weeks later my mom went in for stomach surgery and they found a tennis ball sized tumor in her stomach and they cut out 50% of her stomach. The tumor came back as cancer and now we are having to look at chemo and radiation. I am not really sure how I take this news because it is really scary but I am really bad about mentally checking out of tough situations and just walking through them and I kinda feel that I am doing this here and just taking it day by day. My wife has even asked me "Aren't you sad, and my response is yes but I just am taking it as it comes". I guess this is just a survival mode that we go into when things get tough... Today I have started my fight. By fight I mean my battle against what has happened to most of my family and that is putting on the weight and just settling. I have put on too much weight and now I am fighting back I have a target of being 185 by summer. I am doing this the old fashioned way of running, lifting weights, drinking water and eating better. I am really pushing myself to do this so I am laying off of most fast food and going to bed earlier so I can wake up at 6:00am to work out. I am excited about the next phase of my life, I graduate from EMT school in two weeks and will be doing that part time for a bit but I think I have a nack for it and really enjoy the this field. My wife and kids are healthy and I Praise God for that daily and I am part of a growing vibrant ministry that is about seeing lives changed for Christ, I don't think it gets much better than this.

God is good:)

Mountain Biking by Doug Fields:)

2009-11-12T09:05:00.001-06:00

For years I’ve had buddies tell me, “You’ve got to get into mountain biking…it’s amazing! You’d love it! A lot of ex-athletes wind up doing it.” My usual first response is, “Who you calling an EX-athlete?” But my second response was always, “I’m too busy with my own kids’ sports to have one of my own.” That would usually shut them down for another year or two before they’d come back with that maniacal look and say once again, “Dude, you’ve got to try it.”

A couple months ago my doctor didn’t tell me to begin mountain biking, but he did say, “You’ve better find some type of exercise program that you like or you’re going to die.” (I’m not sure those were his exact words, but they’re close.) Then, I was dumb enough to tell my wife what my doctor said and she told me, “If you don’t find an exercise program you like, I’m going to kill you before you have a chance to die.” So with that external motivation I sent an email to some mountain-bike friends and asked if anyone had a spare bike I could borrow to get me started—they all replied in similar language, “Dude, yeah…awesome!”

So as I sit at the keyboard, I have less than one month under my belt into the “world of mountain biking.” I now own a bike (bought it from a friend); I also have a helmet, shoes, clothes, gloves, and most of the gear “required” for this sport. Basically, I have everything needed except for the cardiovascular condition, the needed skills, and the coaching.

After my first ride I realized mountain biking is not like the bike riding I did as a kid. It’s not “jump on your bike and ride all day.” It’s much different! In addition to the extreme terrain there are so many moving parts that add to the confusion: 3 front sprockets, 5 or 6 back sprockets (I can’t remember), 2 brake levers, and 4 shifting systems

My list of “how to” questions could fill up the page.
I can already feel my cardio condition changing, but I desperately need the coaching to get answers to my questions.

You may be thinking, “Does this have anything to do with youth ministry or has Doug lost all blood to his brain?” Well, here comes the youth ministry connection. On this morning’s ride I began to think about how little I know about this new sport/hobby. I really need a coach. I have so many questions. I’m not sure when to shift on the hills. I apparently have a tubeless tire that I wouldn’t know how to fix if I got a flat. I have front shocks that need to be adjusted based on the terrain and I don’t have the slightest idea what to do. I fell off my bike today because I couldn’t unclip my shoes from the peddles when my chain came off the sprocket. My list of “how to” questions could fill up the page.

As I was riding and wishing for a safe and caring riding partner/coach I began to think about the teenagers in our ministries. What are we doing with all their questions? Do we even know the questions they’re asking? Or do we assume they’ll catch everything about Jesus as they begin their ride with him?

Like I need a riding coach, teenagers need a Jesus coach. While mountain biking is much more complex than “jump on a bike”…so is following Jesus much more complex than a simple “come to church.” For a month I’ve been riding every day, tinkering around at the local bike shop, reading magazines and Web sites to try to find coaching tips, downloading trail guides to my iPhone, and asking a lot of questions… And I’m still confused, frustrated, and wanting someone to coach me. I want someone else to care enough to care about me.

Could it be that our youth ministries have become good at getting teenagers to come to church… but we’re not so good at coaching them on how to walk with Jesus? Then, if they don’t know how to walk with Jesus, they graduate from our ministry and graduate away from church. Do the kids entrusted to your care (as a youth pastor over several or as a volunteer over a few) know that you want to coach them in the ways of Jesus? Do they leave your youth ministry knowing that there is a caring, loving and available adult who wants the best for them? Who won’t laugh at their questions? Who will walk beside them as they struggle and fall? If so…great! Way to go! Those teenagers are blessed. But if not, what might need to change within your youth ministry and your personal leadership style so teenagers will know that they’re not a number to be counted or a seat-filler, but rather a young follower of Jesus who needs a little help with the call of Jesus to “follow me”?

Jesus spent most of his time with the few. Yes, he spoke to and fed the masses, but his most common audience was the few. Who are the few that need you right now? They don’t need to be invited to church, they need you…coaching, listening, loving, and caring you. Walking with Jesus is an adventure… but it’s one that requires more help and coaching than we’re probably aware of.

New Series...

2009-10-17T21:29:00.004-05:00

I am pumped about the new series that will be kicking off in 1 week at H2OChurch called "GHOST". Lifechurch.tv will be diving into a 4 week series on the Holy Ghost... We will also be doing some awesome life changing messages with our H2OKids. I am looking forward to see what God is going to do in this next series.

Zac

H2OChurch Fallapalooza!!!

2009-10-13T08:04:00.002-05:00

I am pumped about what God is doing at H2OChurch and how He is moving in awesome ways. November 8th we are kicking off the Fall with a blast out at Cornerstone Kids Ranch. Everyone is welcome and there are so many things geared towards our H2OKids that it is going to be incredible. H2OChurch will also be having a meet and greet with our new pastor that has just joined our team Gary Lukens and his wife Lanita Lukens. We look forward to this awesome evening of fun and fellowship. Don't forget we are taking our Engage ministry students to the nightmare October 30th as well...

Have an awesome day,

Zac

Mastering time and Influencing the World- 5 Things I’ve learned about time, focus and eating frogs

2009-10-05T09:05:00.001-05:00

Here are some awesome thoughts from a workshop I attended this past week...

It’s not enough to be busy, so are the ants. The question is, what are we busy about? Henry David Thoreau Before you begin scrambling up the ladder of success, make sure it is leaning up against the right building.Steven Covey

A. Find your focus. You are designed such that you will enjoy doing the very things that you can be the very best at. Successful people are those who have taken the time to identify what they do well and most enjoy. What are you uniquely gifted in and passionate about doing that will affect the success of your organization? What can only you do?

B. Eat that frog!

Mark twain once said “If the first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog, you can go through the day with the satisfaction of knowing it is probably the worst thing that is going to happen to you all day.”

1. 1st rule of frog eating- Eat the ugliest frog first. You should always focus your best energies and abilities on starting and completing those key tasks that your unique talents and abilities enable you to do well. These are the task that will make the most significant contribution to your organization. Your ability to select your most important task at each moment, then to get started on that task and to get it done both quickly and well, will probably have more impact on your success than any other quality or skill you can develop.
2. Apply the 85/15 rule.
3. Delegate the tasks that someone else can do.

Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you. Carl Sandburg

C. Be a master Planner (and Calendar user)

1. Prioritize time with God, family and friends ahead of time, never letting people take that time.
2. Schedule large blocks of time
3. Discovering the time of day your mind works the best
4. Building space in your schedule- When your ambition ends with you, your ambition will end you. Ed Young
5. Plan to plan your week. (Every 10 minutes of planning will save you an hour of time)

D. Master email, don’t let it master you. 85/15 rule- 85% of constraints for you to achieve your goals are internal, within yourself. 15% are external.

1. Work offline, don’t lose your mind
2. Set times to check your email, etc.
3. Apply the 2 minute rulSet up folders, making sense of email
4. Train those around you and above you to give you space
5. Keep priorities straight with a task list

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time…. Being able to split up tasks and execute on them separates the men from the boys.

E. Keep priorities straight with a task list

1. http://www.todoist.com- 3 minute demo of todist at http://todoist.com/#start
2. One Note- for jotting random things

LOVE...

2009-09-28T08:35:00.002-05:00

Wow, I have been hit in the face by this scripture:
John 13:35 "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
I look around and so many times I see us missing this. We are known that we are Christians because of our t-shirts or because people see us going to a certain church but our actions just don't line up with this. We walk out the door and talk about other people, are rude to our waitress where we eat, speak down to people and so on and so on... This saddens me because I see it in scripture very plainly that we will be known as His disciple by "HAVING LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER". This week my goal is that I will live this verse to the fullest. I will have love for my brother whether he is the guy that is homeless and I know hasn't bathed in a while or if he is a well known person in town and "POPULAR:as they put it in high school". They will get the same embrace from me because I am tired of being "CASUAL" about my Faith in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior... God is Good...

FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T LIKE SOCIAL NETWORKS THEN DON'T WATCH THIS!!!

2009-09-22T08:43:00.001-05:00

Sitting down for a bit.

2009-09-22T08:19:00.002-05:00

Okay it has been a crazy September with college starting back, high schools and junior highs kicking into high gear once again and the big daddy of them all Pastor search team "we don't like the word committee". I am slowing down a bit today to sit at my computer and write a about what is going on. We have been searching for a new pastor to bring onto the team for a while now and PRAISE GOD we found him. I will give more details next week after we have done a formal announcement at H2O but man am I pumped about what God is going to do as we move forward in this next installment of this Amazing ministry. It is funny because we brought guys in from Chicago and Atlanta to interview and the guy God had for us was right here the whole time. I will give no more details until next week so stop trying to get me to leak it. STOP IT... Yesterday I had an awesome opportunity to play in a golf scramble with some fun guys and we pulled in 2nd place with 12 under par, that is right I said 12 under par. This was the funnest game of golf I have ever played and I was playing with some amazing guys. We only used one of my hits the entire game and it was a putt. Honestly it was a really close putt but the fellas let me try first and by the grace of God I actually sunk it. This was a fundraiser to raise money for the United Campus Ministry "UCM" a collegiate ministry at ECU that does some awesome stuff to reach out to the college students. Soon I am going to be pouring a ton of focus on our college campus to start having a strong presence on the campus. I am pumped about what God is doing in our ministry. One more thing, this Sunday we are launching 14 Lifegroups and they are going to be AWESOME!!!

Unity...

2009-08-31T09:47:00.002-05:00

Last night I was blessed with the opportunity to walk into a church with several hundred others from churches all around Ada, Oklahoma and Worship God and at the same time break down "Denominational walls and church Pride" at the same time. We were not a bunch of churches coming together we were "THE CHURCH" coming together to worship God last night. I want to thank all of the pastors that I am blessed to work with in One Ministry, each one of them have a heart to promote GOD not their church and I love that about them and this ministry.

God is good...

A study on the "Good Samaritan" conducted at a Seminary... Thanks Paul E.

2009-08-25T09:08:00.002-05:00

Darley, J. M., and Batson, C.D., "From Jerusalem to Jericho": A study of Situational and Dispositional Variables in Helping Behavior". JPSP, 1973, 27, 100-108.
This is the famous seminary experiment about the Good Samaritans.

Previous studies have failed to find a link between personality traits and the likelihood of helping others in an emergency. However, changes in the # of people present did have a big effect on behavior.

The parable of the Good Samaritan is an interesting example. What possessed the priest and the Levite to pass by the injured man by the side of the road? Possibly they were in a hurry and were filled with busy, important thoughts. Maybe the Samaritan was in less of a hurry. Or maybe the virtues that the religious leaders espoused were not something they followed themselves (unlike the Samaritan).

The researchers had three hypotheses:
1. People thinking religious, "helping" thoughts would still be no more likely than others to offer assistance.
2. People in a hurry will be less likely to offer aid than others.
3. People who are religions in a Samaritan fashion will be more likely to help than those of a priest or Levite fashion. In other words, people who are religious for what it will gain them will be less likely than those who value religion for it's own value or are searching for meaning in life.

Procedure
The recruited seminary students for a study on religious education. First they completed personality questionnaires about their religion (to help evaluate hypothesis #3). Later they began experimental procedures in one building and then told to go to another building to continue. On the way they encountered a man slumped in an alleyway (the victims condition is unknown -- hurt, or drunk?).

They varied the amount of urgency they told the subjects before sending them to the other building, and the task they would do when they got there. One task was to prepare a talk about seminary jobs, and the other about the story of the Good Samaritan. In one condition they told the subject they were late for the next task, in the other they said they had a few minutes but they should head on over anyway.

In an alleyway they passed a man sitting slumped in doorway, who moaned and coughed twice as they walked by. They set up a scale of helping:
0=failed to notice victim as in need
1=perceived need but did not offer aid
2=did not stop but helped indirectly (told the aide on their arrival)
3=stopped and asked if victim needed help
4=after stopping, insisted on taking victim inside and then left him.
5=refused to leave victim, or insisted on taking him somewhere

After arrival at the 2nd research site, they had the subject give the talk and then answer a helping behavior questionnaire.

Results
The amount of "hurriness" induced in the subject had a major effect on helping behavior, but the task variable did not (even when the talk was about the Good Samaritan).

Overall 40% offered some help to the victim. In low hurry situations, 63% helped, medium hurry 45% and high hurry 10%. For helping-relevant message 53%, task relevant message 29%. There was no correlation between "religious types" and helping behavior. The only variable that showed some effect was "relgion as a quest". Of the people who helped, those who saw religion as a quest were less likely to offer substantial help than those who scored low on this statement. But later analysis revealed this may not be caused be real religious differences.

Conclusions
Ironically, a person in a hurry is less likely to help people, even if he is going to speak on the parable of the Good Samaritan. (Some literally stepped over the victim on their way to the next building!). The results seem to show that thinking about norms does not imply that one will act on them. Maybe that "ethics become a luxury as the speed of our daily lives increases". Or maybe peoples cognition was narrowed by the hurriedness and they failed to make the immediate connection of an emergency.

Many subjects who did not stop did appear aroused and anxious when the arrived at the second site. They were in a conflict between helping the victim and meeting the needs of the experimenter. Conflict rather than callousness can explain the failure to stop.

Howdy Fair...

2009-08-17T15:03:00.002-05:00

Today we did the Howdy Fair at East Central University and it was a blast. H2OChurch.cc handed out a package of Ramen Noodles wrapped in a flier that had the top 5 recipes for Ramen Noodles and on the other side there was information about our church. We handed out over 400 of these bundles and connected with tons of College students, it was an awesome time. I look forward to this semester and spending more time on campus connecting with students. God is good...

One of my favorite verses...

2009-08-10T08:33:00.001-05:00

I received this verse from YOUVERSION.COM if you have not downloaded it to your computer and/or smart phone yet do so today.

Blessings,

Psalm 15
A psalm of David.

1 Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy hill?

2 He whose walk is blameless
and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart

3 and has no slander on his tongue,
who does his neighbor no wrong
and casts no slur on his fellowman,

4 who despises a vile man
but honors those who fear the Lord,
who keeps his oath
even when it hurts,

5 who lends his money without usury
and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.

He who does these things
will never be shaken.

Last night & This morning...

2009-08-05T08:35:00.005-05:00

LAST NIGHT:
Last night was Awesome taking the 4th - 6th grade kiddos at H2OChurch.cc to a Redhawks game in bricktown. I am a little confused I thought the Redhawks were the Rangers minor league team but it appeared they are the Red Sox minor league team... We all had a blast watching the game, eating ball park hot dogs and soo much more. Don't miss signing up your kiddo's for our next trip as we get geared up to go to the OKC ZOO and SPEND THE NIGHT... That is right I said spend the night at the OKC Zoo and take a MIDNIGHT TOUR of the Zoo. It is guaranteed to be AWESOME...

THIS MORNING:
Okay I have gotten out of shape physically and this morning I spent 1 1/2 hours in the gym lifting, running and dry heaving. This is no fun but unless I want to continue to grow until I cannot walk I have to make a choice. The same is true in our spiritual walks as well. A few months ago I was noticing that my daily time with God was feeling empty so I shifted gears and started writing the bible which I have found takes WAY longer than reading it but I retain more and get more out of it. For me this has been a big encouragement during my time in the word. I also encourage you to find ways to serve, the funny thing about serving is that no matter what you are doing the one who is impacted the most is YOU!!! SERVE...

The Moments...

2009-08-04T08:32:00.002-05:00

I remember growing up and not having a lot, okay this is not going to be one of THOSE I walked to school 8 miles barefoot stories just hang in there. One summer my mom, aunt, brother, sister and myself went on a vacation in a truck with a bed cover. We threw a mattress in the bed and the three kids rode back there and the only air conditioning came from the front of the truck through a sliding back glass. If at any time we got caught fighting or getting too loud they would shut that glass. This would actually be similar to how they transport illegals across the boarder of Mexico. I remember getting spanked every single day for my mouth, my sister telling complete strangers that there was no adult male with us and my mom and aunt freaking out, myself jumping into a hotel pool and not knowing how to swim and sinking to the bottom where a complete stranger jumped in and saved me "I then got a spanking, my sister throwing up at Carl's Bad Caverns in the elevator "I made fun of her and got spanked", driving within 5 miles of Billy the Kids grave and my sister crying about feeling sick and TURNING AROUND AND HEADING HOME "YES I am still bitter", and so many more memories that will forever be etched in my mind. This was the most gehto vacation I have ever been on but it was the most memorable as well. So many times we get so consumed with doing what everyone else is doing no matter the cost or the amount of debt it puts us in. I know that was me and praise God he is changing that mentality in me and through the teachings of Dave Ramsey I am heading towards that moment when I scream out "I AM DEBT FREE". Memories are not determined by how much money you spend or how nice the car you took was they are made by the moments. Moments that etch into you and your child's mind forever. If you have not looked into the teachings of Dave Ramsey you have to check it out and find out where his classes are being held locally and SIGN UP. If you are in the Ada area we have three classes going and will be starting a new one in a month or so. My wife and I just finished up our 13 week class and within that time we saved and payed off above our normal payments $12,000.00. Before this class started we were living PAY CHECK to PAY CHECK and because we applied these principles, started living on a budget and sold everything including our dog we were able to something that I would have said was impossible. I am setting up a future for my kids where they start out their lives with these principles as a base for them instead of them having to try to learn it after they have been consumed by debt. If you don't do this for yourself then do it for those around you so you can be a difference maker in their lives. Don't miss out... God is Good... Peace Out...

z

Weekend Top Ten!

2009-08-03T08:35:00.002-05:00

Okay here are the top ten things from this weekend...

1) A hand went up this weekend from someone saying Yes to invite Jesus to be their Lord and Savior.
2) We had and Amazing wrap up to at the Movies as Pastor Craig challenged us in an awesome way to step up in our marriages.
3) 305 people walked through our doors this weekend and there were many visitors.
4) We wrapped our Financial Peace University class that we were doing on Sunday nights and between 8 families we paid off extra and saved a total of $53,010 which is life changing. God is good...
5) We had awesome volunteers stick around to do tear down and clean up of At The Movies decorations.
6) This weekend I worked with a couple that were really struggling and they came to church for the first time in a while and the message was life changing for both of them.
7) We had Awesome volunteers show up to serve and give. I would like to give a special shout out to our Worship guys who are so STINKIN awesome. I would put them up there with my favorite worship bands and these guys have volunteered in amazing ways over the past 3 years. God is good!!!
8) My mom and dad were at church Together which may not sound like a big deal but trust me it is and I praise God for answered prayers.
9) I started a new fast from something that I feel has too big of a role in my life this weekend that will be for 40 days. I don't say that to brag I say that because I praise God for what He is doing through the ministry of LifeChurch.tv and H2OChurch.cc and if you let it sink in it will challenge you and I to do things that are bigger than just us.
10) I got to worship my Lord and Savior this weekend....

Chicken Burritos...

2009-07-30T06:14:00.003-05:00

Last night was Awesome and today I am simply sharing how good God is. For youth we went door to door as a street mission to connect to the unconnected. I was so stinkin proud of my students as I watched them go up to perfect strangers and with passion tell them about our church and invite them to come and check it out. I know for those students this was a memorable night and was a faith builder for them. We got back to the church around 9:00pm to eat chicken burritos "$.89 at Taco Bell" and share about Experiences. Right then a new couple from the church showed up and I was blessed to talk with them for a bit but then I received a call about a family in the church that their kid was in a bad 4 wheeler wreck. I shut down my convo with the new couple and sent the youth home and then I headed straight for the hospital. I was broken inside for this family and prayed soooo hard as I broke the speed limit getting to the hospital. I was so glad to hear the the scans came back good and it was just surface injuries. Still going to be over 50 stitches but he was OKAY and talking and smiling with me. This was a great night of ministry and nights like this remind me of why I do what I do. GOD IS GOOD!!!

Z

FOUR!!!

2009-07-29T08:40:00.002-05:00

Okay last week I pulled out my golf clubs and dusted them off, no literally I had to take a towel and dust off my clubs and I even had to Clorox my bag. It has been a couple of years since I played golf, maybe because I avoid it like the southern Malaysia bubonic plague. Myself and a friend decided to play a round after work at Lakewood here in Ada last week. The course was perfect for me but those that don't like water hoses going across the fairways and above ground sprinklers moving in your direction may want to stick to the more pricey places but I HEART Lakewood. I was very quickly reminded of how bad at golf I am, literally I stood at the first woman's tee box and I was practice swinging and lining up and then I looked back at my friend Michael and laughed and said I have no idea what I am doing so I just walked up to the ball and WHACKED it. I was PUMPED the ball went in the air, it very quickly made a right and then went directly into the woods and I mean WAY into the woods. Some may have seen that shot and thought "how sad" but for me I was pumped that the ball did not bounce along the ground like every other shot I have ever hit. You know for some my shot was UGLY but for me it was what made my day. Don't get me wrong by the 9th hole it was game Zac again as I hit 5 consecutive balls into the water but that ONE moment is what I remember the most. For me I look back over my walk with God and there have been many times that I have not made par but truly what I remember the most are the MOMENTS. The moments where God did something really cool like "break me" during a worship song, heal a young girl that the doctors gave a grim report about, restore a marriage that was broken, give me strength to serve when I am sapped, and SOOO much more. I praise God for the moments because for me I can sit back and remember them and praise God for them as I go along this journey of Life...

Peace,

Z

Running on Empty...

2009-07-28T09:34:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I got a little frustrated when I got into my wife's car. Once again her gas light was on and the gauge was BELOW "E". I called her and asked her if she ever actually puts gas in her car or if she just trades me vehicles every time it is low so I will fill it up. I quickly apologized for the phone call and wrote in my little book of things I should never say or speak of again. Well I think she would not mind if I include this in this blogpost but I may be writting in my little book again after she reads this. I do hate that feeling though of getting in a car, having to be somewhere soon and know that you may or may not make it on what you have in the gas tank. I believe that MANY Christians live this way. I know I have many times in my spiritual journey tried to live this way. The feeling of Knowing you are on "E" but pretending you filled up you tank this morning. Knowing that spiritually I may break down on the side of the road and be unable to function at any moment but smiling like everything is perfect. In my wife's car I have to put my big boy pants on and pull into a gas station, get out of the car, pay for the gas, and PUMP IT. Just like my wife's car we HAVE to do the same with our spiritual lives. We have to put our big boy pants on and OPEN THE WORD OF GOD and let it pour into our lives. The funny thing about the Word of God is that the more you get of it the more you want it. So if you are "Hungering" for God then begin just diving into his word and let Him fill you. If you don't know how then find a good devotional or someone that can mentor you on how to get in the Word.

Z

Why Mormons Do Better Youth Ministry Than We Do

2009-07-21T08:56:00.002-05:00

I came across this article and had to post it...

By Greg Stier

Let's face it. Most of us look at the clean cut Mormon missionaries that peddle the streets of our city and knock on the doors of our houses as somewhat out of date. Although they are kind and well spoken young men, when they knock on our doors we either don't answer or tell them we are already Christians who reject Mormonism and bid them good day

Let's face it. Most of us look at the clean cut Mormon missionaries that peddle the streets of our city and knock on the doors of our houses as somewhat out of date.

We think to ourselves how "behind the times" these young people are forced to be when they are required to do door-to-door evangelism for their religion. We reflect on how grateful we are that we have the truth once and for all delivered to the saints. We may even think about how much more superior our youth ministry strategies are compared to theirs.

Or are they?

* Mormons expect a lot out of their teenagers. We don't.
* Mormons ordain their young men into the ministry at the age of twelve. We don't.
* Mormons require their teens to attend seminary every day of high school. We don't.
* Mormons ask for two years in the field of every graduating senior. We don't.

Maybe that's why we don't meet a lot of ex-Mormons, while there are hundreds of thousands of former church attendees in the true church of Jesus Christ (of everyday saints) who flee the church after graduating from high school.

Maybe that's why Mormons give more, work harder and are exploding as a religion. In 1985 there were 4.5 million Mormons and now there are over 12 million.

When many of our teens graduate from high school, they grab their books and a beer and go off to the college dorm (A.K.A. "The Party Zone"). When Mormon teens graduate from high school they grab a backpack and a bike pump and go off on a mission.

They know what they believe and why they believe it. They've hammered out their theology on our doorsteps. Their souls and minds have been steeled and sealed into Mormon orthodoxy through their fanatical commitment to the accomplishment of their version of the Great Commission.

Meanwhile we compress most of our mission work into one week in Mexico once every year or two. And even that is comprised mostly of building houses, not necessarily advancing the kingdom of God and the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

There's a great line in the movie Braveheart where Robert the Bruce is commenting on William Wallace to his father. He says, "He believes. I want to believe like he believes."

When I look at the Mormons I think to myself, "They believe. I want to believe like they believe." Now don't get me wrong. I don't want to believe what they believe. Mormon theology is far from what the Bible says about Jesus, God, sin and salvation. It is, by no means, a truly Christian religion.

Having said that, Mormonism pushes their kids harder and takes them deeper and farther than even the most ardent of evangelical youth ministries would ever dare.

Can you imagine a youth group that challenged every teen in the youth ministry to meet at 6am every day of the school year for a class on Christianity? That's exactly what Mormons do with their high schoolers and their belief system!

We get excited if once a year at 7:15am, while Mormon teens are coming back from their daily seminary lesson on Mormonism, our teens gather around a pole and pray.

I'm not saying that we copy the Mormons specific strategy. I can't foresee our teenagers racing Mormons to the door in a battle of the bicycles. Nor do I believe the answer lies in a daily early morning class. We don't need to copy their strategy. We do, however, need to adopt their philosophy.

We need to push our teens. We need to turn them into active activists. We need to build consistent opportunities for service, outreach and training. We need to equip them to share their faith and then go with them, leading the way. After all, we are youth leaders.

Somebody may accuse me of looking at this as some sort of competition. It is. We are in a competition with Satan for the souls of our young people. And we are getting our rears kicked.

My problem is not with Mormons. It's with us. Let's learn from the Mormons and turn our kids into missionaries. Armed with the power of the true gospel (not some aberrant belief system) our teens could mount a comeback and help us win this thing.

Game on.

Childrens Ministry

2009-07-21T08:09:00.002-05:00

I have been pouring a lot of time and energy into our Children's Ministry this summer and it has been a blast. This is one group that purely chases after Jesus. Last night I was talking with a couple of them, not really about anything important just having a conversation when one of them looked at me with one of the most serious faces ever and said "Mr. Zac you have hair in your nose, thats weird". I then pulled the hair out of my nose and put it on him but you have to love their honesty not only with things you don't like but with the things of God. Last night we talked about the forgiveness of Christ. A week ago we had 20 kids give their hearts to Christ and I shared with them about how sometimes even as Christ followers they may mess up and "Sin again" but the love of God is His Forgiveness through Christ. Praise God... This has been Zac Christian and I am signing out... PEACE

Back in the Saddle...

2009-07-20T08:13:00.002-05:00

Okay excuse time... 2 weeks ago I had me a nice upper respiratory infection, a sinus infection and some mucus thingymabob, then last week was Childrens camp and they wore me smooth out. Okay I have used my excuses but still I just haven't taken the time to blog. Welp this weekend was week two of AT THE MOVIES and Lifechurch.tv and Pastor Craig are doing some amazing things through this series. This weekend we saw three hands go up from people signifying they wanted Jesus to be their Lord and Savior. I know people wonder why a church would do a series where so many movie clips are used or why would a church use money to decorate their Experience room for a series or probably a lot of other complaints that I don't care to know about. All I know is before Sunday morning three lives in Ada Oklahoma were heading for a eternity of separation from God in Hell and today they are destined for a place eternally with their Savior. I love this phrase "ANYTHING SHORT OF SIN TO REACH THE LOST". This week is chopped full of planning for student ministry stuff, childrens ministry stuff, and ministry in general stuff. It is always chaos ending the summer and beginning the new school year but what a great time to connect with people.

Zac

Great words from pasotr Perry Noble...

2009-07-09T10:01:00.000-05:00

15. Am I Wanting A Nice, Quiet, Peaceful Life?

In Matthew 10:34-39 Jesus clearly tells those He has called and gifted your life is not going to be one of relaxation and enjoyment on a consistent basis.

It amazes me the number of times Jesus clearly told people in the Gospels that following would cause controversies and divisions. If you want a nice, quiet, peaceful life, the ministry is not a place for that. We will experience family problems, we will experience emotional problems, we experience health problems, and we will experience spiritual warfare on a magnitude that most people cannot identify with.

When we begin to do effective ministry the target on our backs for every demon in Hell to take a shot at gets larger and larger so if peace, prosperity and niceness is something we achieve to, ministry should not be the road we go down. That is not meant to discourage anyone but to encourage you. When these things happen it probably means that God is doing something or getting ready to do something in your life that will blow your mind.

Jesus never promised us a peaceful life this side of eternity; in fact, He promised the opposite! We should not be surprised when all hell breaks loose…because it usually means the stage is being set for God to show just how AWESOME He really is!

16. Will I Trust God or Others for My Reward?

Jesus clearly says in Matthew 10:40-42 that there is some sort of reward for those in ministry. I believe there are rewards on both sides of eternity…the Bible speaks of this…however, rewards should NEVER be our motivation–JESUS SHOULD!

I would much rather hear the unfading applause of Heaven than the conditional applause of men. And…one of the dangers of ministry is that we can get so caught up in receiving attention and getting rewards from other people that we actually sell out Jesus (just like Judas) and turn our backs on the ministry that He has called us to.

One of the things that I want to hear from Jesus is “Well done my good and faithful servant.” And the way to insure that that happens is to not get caught up in what people are saying about me as a leader whether good or bad but keeping my eyes one Him and remembering He bought me, He called me and is THE very reason I am alive!

I am a servant of the MOST HIGH GOD…that is my reward…anything else is wood, hay and stubble!

The Dust...

2009-06-29T09:00:00.007-05:00

After this weekends Experience I am thinking about how good God is. When I say that God is good and then list a bunch of good things I am not implying that He is good because all these great things happen because the reality is that even if these things did not happen He is still GOOD.

-> First it is truly amazing to see Him work through the volunteers here at H2OChurch.cc. 1. Worship: these guys are all volunteers that create an incredible Experience that I would put up against the top PAID worship teams in the nation, Love these guys, 2. Kids Workers: This is a VERY special group of people that walk through these doors every Sunday morning and SERVE SERVE and SERVE some more, THANKS GUYS. 3. Host Team: you never know what a warm greeting or a cold soda or a filling donut can do in someones life. I talked with a guy last week that sat with one of our Host Team and spoke with him for a while and after their visit he received $40 from this Host Team "stranger" and got prayed for. I was blessed with an opportunity to meet this guy who later that morning gave his heart to God and is bringing his family back with him "PRAISE GOD". 4. Experience team: Paid and volunteer guys, here EVERY Sunday to do an amazing job doing whatever it is you do behind that tall booth area. 5. H2Oers, you guys walk through these doors excited and ready and that makes ministry fun, I love to see you guys worship and talk to you about what God is doing in your lives... GOD IS GOOD...

-> Second, ONE PRAYER... We are hearing from the top communicators in the Nation and this weekend Andy Stanley brought it home as he reminded us the God is Certain. No matter what I am facing God has it in His hands... This series is seeing almost 2000 church's and over 1,000,000 people from around the world uniting for one cause and I am excited to see how God is going to move through this "movement"...

-> Third, My family, I love you Callie and thank you for being such an awesome and understanding wife. I believe that ministry is hardest on the family and I am blessed with an amazing one that walks this Journey beside me. I love you Callie, Ayden and Cate...

Now that the Dust has settled let us take what we received from the Word of God this weekend and live it out loud...

D-DAY

2009-06-22T08:25:00.002-05:00

Sunday at 12:30 am I was awoken by my wife and son with a bag of Fathers Day gifts. Inside the bag was a shirt that my son painted and a dvd that my wife put together. I got out of bed went to the computer and played the dvd. It consisted of pictures of myself with the kids and at the very end my son Ayden singing me a song. He go a little confused and was singing happy birthday to you instead of fathers day but hey he is only 2 years old. It was honestly the coolest thing I have ever recieved. I was brought to tears seeing myself with my kiddos and realising how quickly time has already passed by. I pray that I don't waste a moment and enjoy every day with them. What can we do today to make sure we spend that time with those that matter the most?

Zac

This is the day...

2009-06-16T07:46:00.002-05:00

I have to be very brief this morning I have a meeting in like 4 minutes. So I was thinking about a friend that has been having a really rough road lately and I was talking to him the other day and I asked him how his day was and he said, "THIS IS THE DAY THE LORD HAS MADE AND I AM GOING TO BE GLAD AND REJOICE IN IT". He inspired me in just those few words so no matter what you are going through or facing today let that phrase be the first thing that pops into your mind. BE BLESSED...

Peace Out,

Zac

FEAR FACTOR coming to H2O...

2009-06-15T08:47:00.002-05:00

Okay maybe it wont be on NBC but it will be on "U MUST C" TV "Stolen from Jentsen Franklin". Okay I promise "NO MORE QUOTES IN THIS BLOG TODAY". Tonight at 6:00 pm H2OChurch.cc is kicking it at Wintersmith Park for the 3rd Monday night of H2O kids Summer Spectacular. See, I did not use quotes even though I wanted to. Tonight we will have tons going on, The FEAR FACTOR SCAVANGER HUNT is the focus but there will be put put golf, food and sooo much more. Come and hang with us tongiht as we fellowship together and bust open the Word of God.

Peace OuT...

Hut Hut...

2009-06-11T08:20:00.002-05:00

Last night I had the most stressful dream ever and woke up very nervous. It started out with me and some friends just hanging out and then all of a sudden I got a call to come and quarterback the OU sooners in their big game against Texas. I was unable to make it to the game in time so they decided to hook up a device to their quarterback so that I could control him via my Xbox game. I proceeded with forgetting every controller action on the remote and I spiked the football like 5 times and could not kick a fieldgoal for the life of me "somehow I also controlled the kicker". I woke up very stressed out and also very thankful that it was only a dream. P.S. OU kicked Texas's tail. God is good.

Peace,

Feeling Defeated...

2009-06-10T08:07:00.002-05:00

Okay I have to admit last night we just lost our "" well I am not really sure how many softball games we have lost so far but it is equal to how many softball games we have played. I will say this, it is a ton of fun and is better than sitting in front of the television or computer screen. Last night I got home and went for a walk with the fam, but Ayden filled his diaper and was walking funny and started saying "I POOPOO" over and over. Callie took him inside but I wanted to keep walking. I ended up doing over two miles last night and it was actually pretty easy. If I was consistant with that man I would be in shape pretty quick. I need to just make it a habbit. Welp, no softball game this Thursday night but oh well I am looking forward to next Tuesday. God is good...

Peace Out,

Slip N Slide...

2009-06-09T09:06:00.002-05:00

Last night we had our Super Summer Spectacular thingy with the kiddos at H2OChurch.cc. Here is a small list of a few things I got to do that I don't do everyday. Get spun on a marrigoround, Spin kids on a marrigoround, Had a water balloon fight, get pelted in the eyeball with a water balloon, get owned in the kidney over 5 times by water balloons that refused to bust, run really hard at a slip and slide and throw my body on it without care, slide farther than any kid on the slip and slide and be covered with mud, I am sure there is more but I am kinda getting sore thinking about all of this. It was an awesome night and we talked about when Jesus took the 5 loaves and 2 fish and fed 5000. Our scripture memory is John 6:3 Jesus went to the mountainside and spent time with His disciples.

God is good...

SUMMER DAZE...

2009-06-08T09:08:00.001-05:00

This past Saturday we dropped our kids off at Callies moms and met some good friends at Lake Arbuckle for an awesome day on the boat just hanging out. I have to admit I felt more refreshed this past Sunday than I have in a LONG TIME. It was a great day, Pastor Perry Noble brought an amazing message where we looked at remembering the "Life of Jesus" the "Death of Jesus" and the "Victory of Jesus". A truly amazing message that inspired and challenged all. I am excited as we continue over the next several weeks with our "One Prayer" series. Right now there are over 1700 churches united and almost 1 million people. I believe by the time this is over these numbers will have grown in amazing ways. I continue to sit back in awe of what God is doing in the Global ministry of the "Church". God is good. All the time.

Peace Out...

Vacation...

2009-06-01T08:19:00.002-05:00

Okay I will give you a breakdown of my vacation week. Of course I am a genius and decided to take vacation when I already had memorial day off. but the other 3 days were completely packed with me putting siding on the house, cleaning out rooms in the house, burning brush and junk, mowing, weedeating, landscaping, setting up for Ayden's 2nd birthday party, figuring out how the goats were getting out, and finally a little fishing. I am proud to say almost every bit of this was done with my boy Ayden by my side. This was an awesome father son week. He would wake up and say "daddy me work OUTSIDE" I am truly a blessed man and I thank God for that daily. Have an awesome day and be blessed.

Zac

Getting in the WORD. CREATIVELY

2009-05-20T08:53:00.002-05:00

CREATIVELY, I have always wavered in my routine/time I spend in the Word of God. Though I try to open the Word daily I struggle not only to do that but to get the most out of it when I actually do. Over the past few weeks I have started a brand new process for me and that is writing the WORD of God or I should say copying the Word of God. This has been TREMENDOUSLY helpful in not only getting into the Word of God but getting the most out of it when I am in it. Over a period of time of doing this I will have Copied/hand written the entire word of God and how awesome will it be one day when I am able to hand my son a bible that I have hand written. This has helped me in an awesome way, what are some things you are doing to get into the word of God.

Blessings,

Zac

STUFF

2009-05-07T09:45:00.003-05:00

Late night last night working with the youth and then a early morning today eating breakfast with several pastors in the Ada area. Last night we started our new series with the youth "Baggage", over the next 4 weeks we will be learning how to dump the crap that life piles on and this morning I discussed with local pastors about a Corporate Worship Experience in Ada Oklahoma. Please be praying that God will be in this not only in the evening but the planning and the details. Thanks for all you do.

Blessings,

Zac

Faith

2009-05-04T23:03:00.001-05:00

Luke 5:4,5

4 And when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.5 And Simon answered and said, Master, we toiled all night, and took nothing: but at thy word I will let down the nets.

I pray for this kind of faith...

TACO BELL

2009-04-28T09:45:00.002-05:00

Today I am meeting with some of our students at H2OChurch.cc for a Taco and bible study "LIFEGROUP". I am pumped about this and how God is going to use this outreach to connect to students, not only the student leaders at H2O but those that will be eating lunch at Taco Bell looking on. I want to continue to get outside these walls and into the environment where people are. I know it is comfortable in our safe places with our safe people but what if we mixed it up and had our neighbors over for dinner, brought lunch to some of our co-workers, or just did something that was outside of the normal for us. I will let you know how today goes. Have an awesome day...

Blessings,

Zac

Amazing Weekend...

2009-04-15T10:16:00.002-05:00

It would just not be right of me not to post about what God did this weekend. We had two Amazing Experiences this weekend as we remembered why we do what we do "Jesus's Resurrection". People packed out H2OChurch as we celebrated Easter weekend with 4 Baby Dedications, Amazing Worship, and the best Easter message I have ever heard. We celebrate with those that gave their lives to Christ and those that rededicated their lives as well. How awesome it is to see God move in such amazing ways. To God be the Glory Forever and Ever...

Blessings,

Proverbs 15

1 A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. 2 The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly. 3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. 4 A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit. 5 A fool despises his father's instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is prudent. 6 In the house of the righteous there is much treasure, but trouble befalls the income of the wicked. 7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the hearts of fools. 8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him. 9 The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but he loves him who pursues righteousness. 10 There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way; whoever hates reproof will die. 11 Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the Lord; how much more the hearts of the children of man! 12 A scoffer does not like to be reproved; he will not go to the wise. 13 A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed. 14 The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly. 15 All the days of the afflicted are evil, but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast. 16 Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble with it. 17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it. 18 A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention. 19 The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a level highway. 20 A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish man despises his mother. 21 Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense, but a man of understanding walks straight ahead. 22 Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed. 23 To make an apt answer is a joy to a man, and a word in season, how good it is! 24 The path of life leads upward for the prudent, that he may turn away from Sheol beneath. 25 The Lord tears down the house of the proud but maintains the widow's boundaries. 26 The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord, but gracious words are pure. 27 Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household, but he who hates bribes will live. 28 The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things. 29 The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous. 30 The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, and good news refreshes the bones. 31 The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise. 32 Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence. 33 The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.

Cate Is Here...

2009-04-14T09:12:00.003-05:00

Cate came last Thursday at 9:38 in the A.M. She weighed 7lbs 8ozs and has an amazingly awesome personality already. She has rocked my world and it is awesome to see her and Ayden hang out. I have loved taking Ayden and just spending tons of time with him this weekend going hiking, playing, working on the house and looking for mushrooms, it has been amazing. It is definately different having 2 kids, especially with one of them being an infant but I must say having gone through the infant process once already it is a lot easier to do it now. I will be blogging a lot this week as I am getting back to the routine and now that baby Cate is finally here. Thanks for all your prayers. Oh yeah this Sunday was AMAZING, I love all my H2Oers out there you are all amazing and you guys showed up in force this weekend. Lets crank our some more proverbs this week.

Peace Out,

Proverbs 14

1 The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down. 2 Whoever walks in uprightness fears the Lord, but he who is devious in his ways despises him. 3 By the mouth of a fool comes a rod for his back, but the lips of the wise will preserve them. 4 Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox. 5 A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness breathes out lies. 6 A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain, but knowledge is easy for a man of understanding. 7 Leave the presence of a fool, for there you do not meet words of knowledge. 8 The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools is deceiving. 9 Fools mock at the guilt offering, but the upright enjoy acceptance. 10 The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares its joy. 11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish. 12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. 13 Even in laughter the heart may ache, and the end of joy may be grief. 14 The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways, and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways. 15 The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps. 16 One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless. 17 A man of quick temper acts foolishly, and a man of evil devices is hated. 18 The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge. 19 The evil bow down before the good, the wicked at the gates of the righteous. 20 The poor is disliked even by his neighbor, but the rich has many friends. 21 Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor. 22 Do they not go astray who devise evil? Those who devise good meet steadfast love and faithfulness. 23 In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty. 24 The crown of the wise is their wealth, but the folly of fools brings folly. 25 A truthful witness saves lives, but one who breathes out lies is deceitful. 26 In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge. 27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death. 28 In a multitude of people is the glory of a king, but without people a prince is ruined. 29 Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly. 30 A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot. 31 Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him. 32 The wicked is overthrown through his evildoing, but the righteous finds refuge in his death. 33 Wisdom rests in the heart of a man of understanding, but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools. 34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. 35 A servant who deals wisely has the king's favor, but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.

BABY...

2009-04-02T10:03:00.001-05:00

Update, Callie is at a 3 I have to be honest that I have no idea what that means nor do I but I do know that things are getting closer to baby time. Please pray that all things go smoothly. Have an awesome day...

Proverbs 13

1 A wise son hears his father's instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke. 2 From the fruit of his mouth a man eats what is good, but the desire of the treacherous is for violence. 3 Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin. 4 The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied. 5 The righteous hates falsehood, but the wicked brings shame and disgrace. 6 Righteousness guards him whose way is blameless, but sin overthrows the wicked. 7 One pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth. 8 The ransom of a man's life is his wealth, but a poor man hears no threat. 9 The light of the righteous rejoices, but the lamp of the wicked will be put out. 10 By insolence comes nothing but strife, but with those who take advice is wisdom. 11 Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it. 12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life. 13 Whoever despises the word brings destruction on himself, but he who reveres the commandment will be rewarded. 14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death. 15 Good sense wins favor, but the way of the treacherous is their ruin. 16 In everything the prudent acts with knowledge, but a fool flaunts his folly. 17 A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a faithful envoy brings healing. 18 Poverty and disgrace come to him who ignores instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is honored. 19 A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools. 20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. 21 Disaster pursues sinners, but the righteous are rewarded with good. 22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the sinner's wealth is laid up for the righteous. 23 The fallow ground of the poor would yield much food, but it is swept away through injustice. 24 Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him. 25 The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite, but the belly of the wicked suffers want.

Bought and Sold...

2009-03-30T09:14:00.002-05:00

Okay this past week our family went through quite the transition and when the dust settled all that was different was a goat. Of course I have already mentioned the goat thing in a previous post so all I am going to talk about now is the dog. A week ago my wife passed on the opportunity to get a free shih tzu registered puppy. I asked her what she was thinking and she said that we did not need a dog. I could not agree more I said but we could have sold that sucka. 1 day later I got word that the dog was still available and I snagged it up. Callie came and picked it up and I was going to post it on Craigslist that evening, unfortunatley by the time I got home Callie was already attached, Crap. After two short days of it craping and peeing all over the floor "THANK GOD FOR CONCRETE FLOORS" she was ready to give it away. So finally I got to put it on the "LIST" and it sold the next day for $200. Dave Ramsey is challenging me in so many ways financially and I will be debt free soon... Have an awesome day.

Blessings,

Proverbs 13

1 A wise son hears his father's instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke. 2 From the fruit of his mouth a man eats what is good, but the desire of the treacherous is for violence. 3 Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin. 4 The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied. 5 The righteous hates falsehood, but the wicked brings shame and disgrace. 6 Righteousness guards him whose way is blameless, but sin overthrows the wicked. 7 One pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth. 8 The ransom of a man's life is his wealth, but a poor man hears no threat. 9 The light of the righteous rejoices, but the lamp of the wicked will be put out. 10 By insolence comes nothing but strife, but with those who take advice is wisdom. 11 Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it. 12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life. 13 Whoever despises the word brings destruction on himself, but he who reveres the commandment will be rewarded. 14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death. 15 Good sense wins favor, but the way of the treacherous is their ruin. 16 In everything the prudent acts with knowledge, but a fool flaunts his folly. 17 A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a faithful envoy brings healing. 18 Poverty and disgrace come to him who ignores instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is honored. 19 A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools. 20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. 21 Disaster pursues sinners, but the righteous are rewarded with good. 22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the sinner's wealth is laid up for the righteous. 23 The fallow ground of the poor would yield much food, but it is swept away through injustice. 24 Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him. 25 The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite, but the belly of the wicked suffers want.

Raquetball and beer.

2009-03-26T11:29:00.003-05:00

The other day I was not feeling really good by any means but I was really craving a Root Beer and so I got one and downed it pretty quick. Right after that I played a hardcore game of cutthroat raquetball and immediatly afterwards I threw up all over the parking lot. I share that not for spiritual insight or anything like that I simply share that to let you know that root beer feels really weird coming out of the nose. Be Blessed.

Proverbs 11

1 A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight. 2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom. 3 The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them. 4 Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. 5 The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight, but the wicked falls by his own wickedness. 6 The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the treacherous are taken captive by their lust. 7 When the wicked dies, his hope will perish, and the expectation of wealth perishes too. 8 The righteous is delivered from trouble, and the wicked walks into it instead. 9 With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous are delivered. 10 When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness. 11 By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown. 12 Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent. 13 Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered. 14 Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. 15 Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm, but he who hates striking hands in pledge is secure. 16 A gracious woman gets honor, and violent men get riches. 17 A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself. 18 The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward. 19 Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live, but he who pursues evil will die. 20 Those of crooked heart are an abomination to the Lord, but those of blameless ways are his delight. 21 Be assured, an evil person will not go unpunished, but the offspring of the righteous will be delivered. 22 Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman without discretion. 23 The desire of the righteous ends only in good; the expectation of the wicked in wrath. 24 One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. 25 Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. 26 The people curse him who holds back grain, but a blessing is on the head of him who sells it. 27 Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor, but evil comes to him who searches for it. 28 Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf. 29 Whoever troubles his own household will inherit the wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart. 30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and whoever captures souls is wise. 31 If the righteous is repaid on earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner!

I bought a Goat...

2009-03-25T12:39:00.002-05:00

Okay yesterday I bought a nice little Pygmy Goat. This may turn out to be one of the biggest mistakes of my life but I am hoping that it will keep me from mowing my back yard this summer. It was only twenty bucks and it feeds itself. Our dog in the backyard is lonely so hopefully this will also work out nicely for him. I just feel there is something that I am missing, something in the pit of my stomach tells me I am going to regret this purchase but I guess only time will tell.

Proverbs 11

1 A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight. 2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom. 3 The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them. 4 Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. 5 The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight, but the wicked falls by his own wickedness. 6 The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the treacherous are taken captive by their lust. 7 When the wicked dies, his hope will perish, and the expectation of wealth perishes too. 8 The righteous is delivered from trouble, and the wicked walks into it instead. 9 With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous are delivered. 10 When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness. 11 By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown. 12 Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent. 13 Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered. 14 Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. 15 Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm, but he who hates striking hands in pledge is secure. 16 A gracious woman gets honor, and violent men get riches. 17 A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself. 18 The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward. 19 Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live, but he who pursues evil will die. 20 Those of crooked heart are an abomination to the Lord, but those of blameless ways are his delight. 21 Be assured, an evil person will not go unpunished, but the offspring of the righteous will be delivered. 22 Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman without discretion. 23 The desire of the righteous ends only in good; the expectation of the wicked in wrath. 24 One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. 25 Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. 26 The people curse him who holds back grain, but a blessing is on the head of him who sells it. 27 Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor, but evil comes to him who searches for it. 28 Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf. 29 Whoever troubles his own household will inherit the wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart. 30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and whoever captures souls is wise. 31 If the righteous is repaid on earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner!

It is rainy...

2009-03-24T08:32:00.001-05:00

It is rainy and I have a meeting in like 0 minutes so here is proverbs 3...

Proverbs 10

1 The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother. 2 Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death. 3 The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked. 4 A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. 5 He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame. 6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. 7 The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot. 8 The wise of heart will receive commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin. 9 Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out. 10 Whoever winks the eye causes trouble, but a babbling fool will come to ruin. 11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. 12 Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses. 13 On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks sense. 14 The wise lay up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near. 15 A rich man's wealth is his strong city; the poverty of the poor is their ruin. 16 The wage of the righteous leads to life, the gain of the wicked to sin. 17 Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray. 18 The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool. 19 When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent. 20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; the heart of the wicked is of little worth. 21 The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense. 22 The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it. 23 Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool, but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding. 24 What the wicked dreads will come upon him, but the desire of the righteous will be granted. 25 When the tempest passes, the wicked is no more, but the righteous is established forever. 26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him. 27 The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short. 28 The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish. 29 The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the blameless, but destruction to evildoers. 30 The righteous will never be removed, but the wicked will not dwell in the land. 31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off. 32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked, what is perverse.

DEBT FREE...

2009-03-23T09:23:00.002-05:00

Okay not yet but I am working that way. I have been moved in awesome ways by Dave Ramsey and his challenge to be a great steward of what God has put in my hands. As of today I am restarting my posting of the daily Proverb, Dave says read one daily and I have gotten away from that in my blog but it is returning with vengeance today. My wife and I are selling our vehicles and I am Ebaying all of my junk "Bose sound system, guitar, video game systems, and maybe the dog I am not sure yet". I will keep you updated.....

Proverbs 9

1 Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn her seven pillars. 2 She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine; she has also set her table. 3 She has sent out her young women to call from the highest places in the town, 4 Whoever is simple, let him turn in here! To him who lacks sense she says, 5 Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. 6 Leave your simple ways, and live, and walk in the way of insight.

7 Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury. 8 Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you. 9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning. 10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. 11 For by me your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life. 12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself; if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

13 The woman Folly is loud; she is seductive and knows nothing. 14 She sits at the door of her house; she takes a seat on the highest places of the town, 15 calling to those who pass by, who are going straight on their way, 16 Whoever is simple, let him turn in here! And to him who lacks sense she says, 17 Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. 18 But he does not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

Back in the saddle...

2009-03-20T14:33:00.002-05:00

Hey guys I am back and ready to go... I actually am still a little under the weather "FLU" but I got stir crazy at home and had to get in the office. This past week I buried a friend of mine that graduated out of my youth ministry. He passed away at 22 years of age and will be sorely missed. He knew the Lord though and is in Heaven and that just simply ROCKS... This was my first official funeral and I have to admit it was tough but at the same time I was excited about it because he was a friend and I knew Jesus was his Lord and Savior. I also married a couple last Saturday, man this pastor thing is kinda surreal, I love it though. Well it is rainy and cloudy in Ada today but hopefully it clears up tomorrow because I am suppose to take the family to the Zoo... Have an awesome day.

Blessings,

NAME THE SHOW!!!

2009-03-09T12:27:00.001-05:00

Okay a little trivia for all you... From what show did this phrase come?

eek a mouse yeah it was more like EEK A SEMI...

In The Blink Of An Eye...

2009-03-09T08:50:00.002-05:00

This weekend the worship band was leading in the song "in the blink of an eye". This was an awesome song because I spent most of the weekend with a young man and his family as they went through surgery to repair his broken femur and his severly cut legs. I was thinking how it is just a moment away and I don't even have to have anything to do with it. It could be just someone going the wrong way in my lane of traffic and it is over. I asked myself am I doing what matters while I still have time here on this earth. I know this will be an ongoing thought with me this week but I just thought I would share. Also here is todays Proverbs, I am a little behind...

Proverbs 8

1 Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice? 2 On the heights beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; 3 beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud: 4 To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man. 5 O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense. 6 Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right, 7 for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips. 8 All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them. 9 They are all straight to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge. 10 Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold, 11 for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.

12 I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion. 13 The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate. 14 I have counsel and sound wisdom; I have insight; I have strength. 15 By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just; 16 by me princes rule, and nobles, all who govern justly. 17 I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me. 18 Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness. 19 My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than choice silver. 20 I walk in the way of righteousness, in the paths of justice, 21 granting an inheritance to those who love me, and filling their treasuries.

22 The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old. 23 Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth. 24 When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water. 25 Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth, 26 before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world. 27 When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, 28 when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep, 29 when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, 30 then I was beside him, like a master workman, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, 31 rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of man.

32 And now, O sons, listen to me: blessed are those who keep my ways. 33 Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it. 34 Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors. 35 For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord, 36 but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death.

Dang Pride...

2009-03-02T09:09:00.002-06:00

During this message series I have been trying to step up what I have been doing as a husband, attempting to be more intentional. This weekend I was working on the old house up to about 1:00am and I looked at my wife and was like "I AM DONE" I proceeded to walk away shower up and climb into bed. I knew this was not going to make her happy but I had been working on that house all day and at that moment did not care a whole lot. Later as I was laying there Callie leaned over and apologized for working me so hard. I AM A JERK, she did nothing wrong and yet was apologizing, me on the other hand. I was a jerk and rude and could not apologize, dang pride. We "hugged", seriously just hugged, I was stinkin tired and then we went to sleep. I encourage you, whoever you are, to heal a hurt today. If you need to go to someone that you have hurt and apologize then do it. It will honor that person but more importantly it will honor God.

Peace...

EEEEEEEK A CAT!

2009-02-27T10:52:00.001-06:00

EEEEEEEEK a cat, that is what I just posted on some drawing to win a free trip to Chicago and attend a National Youth Conference. I find it funny because everyone was begging to win or quoting scripture about Jesus and stuff and that was what popped into my mind. What is wrong with me... Have an awesome day.

Zac

Proverbs 7

2009-02-27T10:47:00.000-06:00

Proverbs 7

1 My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you; 2 keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye; 3 bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 Say to wisdom, You are my sister, and call insight your intimate friend, 5 to keep you from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words.

6 For at the window of my house I have looked out through my lattice, 7 and I have seen among the simple, I have perceived among the youths, a young man lacking sense, 8 passing along the street near her corner, taking the road to her house 9 in the twilight, in the evening, at the time of night and darkness.

10 And behold, the woman meets him, dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart. 11 She is loud and wayward; her feet do not stay at home; 12 now in the street, now in the market, and at every corner she lies in wait. 13 She seizes him and kisses him, and with bold face she says to him, 14 I had to offer sacrifices, and today I have paid my vows; 15 so now I have come out to meet you, to seek you eagerly, and I have found you. 16 I have spread my couch with coverings, colored linens from Egyptian linen; 17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. 18 Come, let us take our fill of love till morning; let us delight ourselves with love. 19 For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey; 20 he took a bag of money with him; at full moon he will come home.

21 With much seductive speech she persuades him; with her smooth talk she compels him. 22 All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast 23 till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know that it will cost him his life.

24 And now, O sons, listen to me, and be attentive to the words of my mouth. 25 Let not your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths, 26 for many a victim has she laid low, and all her slain are a mighty throng. 27 Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death.

Proverbs 6

2009-02-26T15:09:00.000-06:00

Proverbs 6

1 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, have given your pledge for a stranger, 2 if you are snared in the words of your mouth, caught in the words of your mouth, 3 then do this, my son, and save yourself, for you have come into the hand of your neighbor: go, hasten, and plead urgently with your neighbor. 4 Give your eyes no sleep and your eyelids no slumber; 5 save yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

6 Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. 7 Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, 8 she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. 9 How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, 11 and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.

12 A worthless person, a wicked man, goes about with crooked speech, 13 winks with his eyes, signals with his feet, points with his finger, 14 with perverted heart devises evil, continually sowing discord; 15 therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.

16 There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, 19 a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

20 My son, keep your father's commandment, and forsake not your mother's teaching. 21 Bind them on your heart always; tie them around your neck. 22 When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you. 23 For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life, 24 to preserve you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress. 25 Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes; 26 for the price of a prostitute is only a loaf of bread, but a married woman hunts down a precious life. 27 Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned? 28 Or can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched? 29 So is he who goes in to his neighbor's wife; none who touches her will go unpunished. 30 People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his appetite when he is hungry, 31 but if he is caught, he will pay sevenfold; he will give all the goods of his house. 32 He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself. 33 He will get wounds and dishonor, and his disgrace will not be wiped away. 34 For jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge. 35 He will accept no compensation; he will refuse though you multiply gifts.

Proverbs 5 and it is good to be back...

2009-02-23T09:05:00.003-06:00

Zac is back and I am pumped... Sorry no posts last week I was in a hotel in TX and they had no WIFI... I do not understand... Anyhow I am back and here is Proverbs 5, You know what they say a Proverb a day keeps the ? away. Never mind here is Proverbs.

Proverbs 5

1 My son, be attentive to my wisdom; incline your ear to my understanding, 2 that you may keep discretion, and your lips may guard knowledge. 3 For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil, 4 but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. 5 Her feet go down to death; her steps follow the path to Sheol; 6 she does not ponder the path of life; her ways wander, and she does not know it.

7 And now, O sons, listen to me, and do not depart from the words of my mouth. 8 Keep your way far from her, and do not go near the door of her house, 9 lest you give your honor to others and your years to the merciless, 10 lest strangers take their fill of your strength, and your labors go to the house of a foreigner, 11 and at the end of your life you groan, when your flesh and body are consumed, 12 and you say, How I hated discipline, and my heart despised reproof! 13 I did not listen to the voice of my teachers or incline my ear to my instructors. 14 I am at the brink of utter ruin in the assembled congregation.

15 Drink water from your own cistern, flowing water from your own well. 16 Should your springs be scattered abroad, streams of water in the streets? 17 Let them be for yourself alone, and not for strangers with you. 18 Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth, 19 a lovely deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight; be intoxicated always in her love. 20 Why should you be intoxicated, my son, with a forbidden woman and embrace the bosom of an adulteress? 21 For a man's ways are before the eyes of the Lord, and he ponders all his paths. 22 The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him, and he is held fast in the cords of his sin. 23 He dies for lack of discipline, and because of his great folly he is led astray.

Proverbs 4

2009-02-16T08:44:00.001-06:00

Proverbs 4

1 Hear, O sons, a father's instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight, 2 for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching. 3 When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother, 4 he taught me and said to me, Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live. 5 Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth. 6 Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you. 7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight. 8 Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her. 9 She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.

10 Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many. 11 I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness. 12 When you walk, your step will not be hampered, and if you run, you will not stumble. 13 Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life. 14 Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil. 15 Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on. 16 For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble. 17 For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. 18 But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day. 19 The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.

20 My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. 21 Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. 22 For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. 23 Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. 24 Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. 25 Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. 26 Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. 27 Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.

Proverbs 3

2009-02-11T15:16:00.001-06:00

Proverbs 3

1 My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, 2 for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.

3 Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. 8 It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.

9 Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; 10 then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.

11 My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof, 12 for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.

13 Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, 14 for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. 15 She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. 16 Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. 17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed.

19 The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens; 20 by his knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew.

21 My son, do not lose sight of these-- keep sound wisdom and discretion, 22 and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck. 23 Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble. 24 If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. 25 Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes, 26 for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught. 27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.

28 Do not say to your neighbor, Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it--when you have it with you. 29 Do not plan evil against your neighbor, who dwells trustingly beside you. 30 Do not contend with a man for no reason, when he has done you no harm. 31 Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways, 32 for the devious person is an abomination to the Lord, but the upright are in his confidence. 33 The Lord's curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous. 34 Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he gives favor. 35 The wise will inherit honor, but fools get disgrace.

Proverbs 2

2009-02-10T08:52:00.001-06:00

Proverbs 2

1 My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, 2 making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, 4 if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, 5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; 7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path; 10 for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; 11 discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you, 12 delivering you from the way of evil, from men of perverted speech, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice in doing evil and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 men whose paths are crooked, and who are devious in their ways.

16 So you will be delivered from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words, 17 who forsakes the companion of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house sinks down to death, and her paths to the departed; 19 none who go to her come back, nor do they regain the paths of life.

20 So you will walk in the way of the good and keep to the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will inhabit the land, and those with integrity will remain in it, 22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the treacherous will be rooted out of it.

John "NOT" Proverbs it is

2009-02-09T10:03:00.003-06:00

Okay I said John but Proverbs it is. I am dedicating myself to reading a proverbs a day which is easy because there are 31 proverbs and for the most part 31 days in a month. So for the next 31 days we will be reading from the wisest King ever. I am sure there is plenty to chew on here.

Proverbs 1

1 The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:

2 To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, 3 to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; 4 to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth-- 5 Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, 6 to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles.

7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

8 Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching, 9 for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck. 10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. 11 If they say, Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; let us ambush the innocent without reason; 12 like Sheol let us swallow them alive, and whole, like those who go down to the pit; 13 we shall find all precious goods, we shall fill our houses with plunder; 14 throw in your lot among us; we will all have one purse-- 15 my son, do not walk in the way with them; hold back your foot from their paths, 16 for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood. 17 For in vain is a net spread in the sight of any bird, 18 but these men lie in wait for their own blood; they set an ambush for their own lives. 19 Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors.

20 Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; 21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks: 22 How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge? 23 If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you. 24 Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded, 25 because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you, 27 when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. 28 Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. 29 Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord, 30 would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof, 31 therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices. 32 For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them; 33 but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.

TOO FUNNY

2009-02-07T01:26:00.000-06:00

JAMES FINAL

2009-02-07T00:46:00.002-06:00

I love verse 19 because we all know people who have "wandered" from the faith and what a great opportunity to be that connecting point in their reconnection to God. This will wrap up James and will be starting the book of JOHN next week. I look forward to continuing.

13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

Wrapping up James...

2009-02-04T14:06:00.002-06:00

Hey guys,
We are about to wrap up the book of James and there has been soooo much in the study of this book and if anyone is interested in doing like a big breakfast meeting or something to discuss more in detail the whole book of James. Let me know if you are interested my adding a comment to this post.

Blessings,

Zac

James 5 part 1

2009-02-04T13:47:00.002-06:00

Patience during streesful times like Job is not neceserially in my character but more true would be anger during these times, but God loves me so much just the way I am but Too much to let me stay that way. It is during those moments of stress and hard times when He is trying to put His character in me and replace my old ways. Praise God I am still and on this side of heaven always will be a work in progress...

Blessings...

James 5
1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. 4 Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.

7 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. 10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

12 But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your yes be yes and your no be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.

James 4 continued...

2009-02-04T00:24:00.002-06:00

The last part really hits home with me where it says when you know the right thing to do and fail to do it is for me sin. How many times do we face this decision of "DOING" the right thing or choosing to fill our selfish desires.

JAMES 4

13 Come now, you who say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit-- 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that. 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

James 4

2009-02-02T10:50:00.002-06:00

This is a great scripture to keep me in check. Sometimes there are those people that just are like sandpaper and rub you the wrong way and it is easy to talk about them but "WHO" are we to judge. Best idea is to shut up and show Love. Jesus Rocks...

James 4

1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us? 6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

11 Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12 There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?

2009-01-30T09:40:00.002-06:00

I just watched this video about 5 minutes ago and if you ever wondered why it is important to have a global mindset and stay on top of the latest technology for ministry here is a great picture why...

James 3 Wrap Up...

2009-01-29T13:12:00.003-06:00

This is a shorty but a goody, okay that was cheesy but I really do like this scripture because I see snippets of myself in it. I can remember times when God was doing something awesome and either my selfish ambition got in the way or someone else's and messed up everything. I have learned more from mistakes than obedience to check myself and get Zac out of the way.

James 3
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

James 3

2009-01-28T16:37:00.003-06:00

Playing catchup due to ice I will comment more later...

Blessings,

James 3
1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

James 2: 14-26

2009-01-26T10:03:00.003-06:00

I have had so many discussions about this and the whole Saved by Faith and Works discussion. The big opposing verse is in Galatians 2:16 "yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified." My personal thoughts are who was the audience: One group he was speaking to were believers that were not being productive in their faith and I see him saying "How can you have faith and no works they go hand in hand, faith without works is dead." that was Zac's paraphrase. The second group he was speaking to would not have necessarily been believers but devout Jews who stood on their "Works" more than anything else. With that said, I like the song where it says "ALL OF LIFE COMES DOWN TO JUST ONE THING AND THAT IS TO KNOW HIM AND TO MAKE HIM KNOWN" I always thought these guys were weird because they said one thing and then mentioned two. The reality is that we can't know Christ without the desire to share him. I believe works do not come from us they come from Christ who changes us. I will throw my thoughts out there though, We are saved by Faith and Faith alone, works will come out of a relationship with Christ.

James 2: 14-26

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, Go in peace, be warmed and filled, without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, You have faith and I have works. Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe--and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness--and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

James 2: 1-13

2009-01-24T22:54:00.002-06:00

Today I was at the longest Auction in the world and I almost missed everything I wanted to bid on. I am home now and just got done doing a little work on my baby girls room and am settling in for the evening. I was reading through these verses with my son tonight and as I prayed over him I just prayed that God would give him the eyes of Grace not judgment. I get stirred up inside when I see people treat others unfairly just because of their outward appearance. We never know what someone has walked through in their life and should be lights to all. This is also tough when people are real annoying I won't name names but man this is a tough one for me but it is also my opportunity to be more like Christ...

James 2

1 My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. 2 For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, 3 and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, You sit here in a good place, while you say to the poor man, You stand over there, or, Sit down at my feet, 4 have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?

8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well. 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. 11 For he who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not murder. If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

James 1: 16-27

2009-01-21T21:16:00.003-06:00

There is so much to chew on in these verses but I am going to pick out the area that spoke to me the most. The words "be doers not only hearers" followed up with "deceiving yourselves" are strong words. I am challenged by these words and in my walk with God. Being in a ministry position I struggle "counting" what I do on the clock as much for God even though it is ministry. I like to find ways outside of my job to serve and be a doer of His word. I am not always succesful at doing this but I am sometimes.

16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

RICK WARRENS PRAYER...

2009-01-20T22:17:00.000-06:00

Rick Warren's Prayer

Almighty God, our Father:

Everything we see, and everything we can’t see, exists because of you alone.

It all comes from you, it all belongs to you, it all exists for your glory.

History is your story.

The Scripture tells us, “Hear, O Israel, the LORD is our God, the LORD is one.” And you are the compassionate and merciful one. And you are loving to everyone you have made.

Now today, we rejoice not only in America’s peaceful transfer of power for the 44th time, we celebrate a hinge point of history with the inauguration of our first African-American president of the United States.

We are so grateful to live in this land, a land of unequaled possibility, where a son of an African immigrant can rise to the highest level of our leadership. And we know today that Dr. King and a great cloud of witnesses are shouting in heaven.

Give to our new president, Barack Obama, the wisdom to lead us with humility, the courage to lead us with integrity, the compassion to lead us with generosity.

Bless and protect him, his family, Vice President Biden, the Cabinet, and every one of our freely elected leaders.

Help us, O God, to remember that we are Americans—united not by race or religion or blood, but to our commitment to freedom and justice for all.

When we focus on ourselves, when we fight each other, when we forget you—forgive us.

When we presume that our greatness and our prosperity is ours alone—forgive us.

When we fail to treat our fellow human beings and all the earth with the respect that they deserve—forgive us.

And as we face these difficult days ahead, may we have a new birth of clarity in our aims, responsibility in our actions, humility in our approaches, and civility in our attitudes—even when we differ.

Help us to share, to serve, and to seek the common good of all.

May all people of good will today join together to work for a more just, a more healthy, and a more prosperous nation and a peaceful planet.

And may we never forget that one day, all nations--and all people--will stand accountable before you.

We now commit our new president and his wife, Michelle, and his daughters, Malia and Sasha, into your loving care.

I humbly ask this in the name of the one who changed my life—Yeshua, 'Isa, Jesus [Spanish pronunciation], Jesus—who taught us to pray:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.

Amen.

James 1:9-15

2009-01-20T20:46:00.002-06:00

Hey guys sorry about the delay today I have been sheet rocking my baby girls room. Enough excuses lets get down with this scripture... I love these verses and I am challenged by the reality
that God does not do the tempting with evil but rather it is us "ME" and our"MY" own junk that leads to that. I also like how it walks through the birth process of Sin and how it is a reality that we don't just happen into sin but rather it is a process. We have the ability to break that process down and guard against the sin that is in our lives "I have to be more intentional though if I am going to do this". "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial" I Pray for strength to live a life that represents this.

JAMES 1:9-15

9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, I am being tempted by God, for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

Study on James: 1:1-8

2009-01-18T23:56:00.003-06:00

This is by far one of my favorite books of the bible. I have used this scripture many times in my own life when I was walking through JUNK. God has also given me opportunities to share this verse with many people that I have had opportunities to minister to in the past. I have seen light come into dark places for people when they began to try and live this scripture out. I think this scripture ties right in with the scripture where God tells us that we have to have a renewing of our mind. When we face tough trials and the world says "It's your party you can cry if you want to" God's word says "Consider it pure JOy when you face trials of many kinds". WOW!!! What are your thoughts.

James 1
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this , that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

New Feel!

2009-01-17T23:56:00.003-06:00

This Monday this blog will take on a new feel to it. I will continue to post life stuff but effective Monday this will also be where I Intentionally post a daily Biblical reading/study. I am beginning a new type of accountability with some friends that will be blog driven. Comments are the interaction and we are accountable to each other to comment about the daily read. I am excited about this and pray it will bless those that come across it as well. See u Monday.

Zac

One Prayer

2009-01-17T23:55:00.002-06:00

http://2009.oneprayer.com/

Check this out and spread the word. One Prayer rules and I can't wait...

Zac

5 hours in the ER

2009-01-15T10:54:00.002-06:00

Yesterday I was pumped, God had put an awesome message on my heart and I was ready to share. It was titled Jesus "The Rock Star" VS Jesus "The LEPER". I sat down with one of our worship leaders that I am beginning discipleship with and I went over it with him. He shared with me a great verse out of Luke that God laid on his heart that went really great with what God had given me so I was going to have him share at the end of my msg. My wife and son got to the church and we noticed a knot on Aydens head that he had gotten the previous day was extremely bigger. We called the nurse hotline and they said get to the E.R. So I went in talked to my Wed. night team and pulled out an unused Nooma video that tied right in with what Jess had shared with me earlier and asked Michael to lead the upfront activity and away I went. We got to Death Valley I mean Valley View and the waiting room was FULL. We filled out the forms and then had to sit in the waiting room for over 4 hours with a hurt, tired and cranky 19 month old. We were between a kid that might of had R.S.V "EXTREMELY CONTAGIOUS" and some dude that slide his hand up and was bleeding like a stuck pig. After being moved to an exam room for another hour they informed us the internal bleeding had stopped and his body should absorb the excess blood over the next few days, and the swelling would go down. I did have an opportunity to strike up a conversation with the R.S.V kid "came back negative, he just had bad cold" and his mom and grandma. They were like, yeah H2O that is the church that is a little different right and I was like HECK YES we are. Long story short they will be visiting this weekend and I am excited to see what God is going to do.

Blessings

Zac

Loving me some Google...

2009-01-14T09:36:00.002-06:00

I am in my office corner area and I am about to head to the college to hand out some fliers and make some connections. I have a certain time that I am doing this in because I have just fallen in love with the Google Calendar. This calendar not only allows me to schedule my week and keep track of everything on my iphone it also allows me to share it with my team and I can also have a copy of their calendar so we know where the others are if we are in need of them. This is a great concept and I am excited about this new addition to what we are doing. I know that a lot of times without direction and intention I can let time pass without being as productive as I would be if I had a plan. SO I GUESS GET A PLAN....

Have an awesome day,

Zac

The Day Off...

2009-01-13T23:33:00.003-06:00

Okay I took today off and I did some honey do's. We now have working lights in our living room and a partially sheet rocked baby room. Thanks Steve for the help today. I am on day 2 of no t.v. and I have to confess I am learning that I put a lot of time and energy into the tube. I have been in the word like 2 hours today and I have gotten soooo much stuff done. I pray this is not just a 40 day thing but that it challenges me to approach my tv time differently, with INTENT. I want to be so much more intentional instead of just doing "Whatever". I have so many things that I am excited about that are around the corner but I will just have to blog on them as they come. Have a terrific Tuesday, wait there is only like 20 minutes left so have a Wonderful Wednesday.

MONDAY IS HERE!!!

2009-01-12T14:27:00.002-06:00

www.tokbox.com

TokBox

2009-01-07T11:12:00.001-06:00

www.tokbox.com

Sweet New Free Tool...

Change 3...

2009-01-06T22:40:00.002-06:00

Okay today I buried my Grandmother and it was sad yet at the same time very peaceful. God kept speaking the word SNAPSHOT into my spirit. I kept thinking about the moments of life with her and each one was like a snapshot of our life together. I just wanted to share that briefly as it was a big part of today.

Change is this weeks discussion point and I am excited about our Worship at H2OChurch.cc and where God is taking us. I had a meeting with our Worship leaders last night and we discussed where we are as a ministry and some possibilities for the future. A lot of really good ideas were discussed and I am expecting great things. Later that evening I received a phone call from a friend asking if it would be possible for Jami Smith to lead worship for us over the next two weekends and I talked with our worship leader and I am pumped to say that she will be leading worship at H2OChurch.cc over the next couple of weekends. This will be a neat change, I would not take anything for our worship team but it is a unique opportunity to have a worship leader come in that has worship songs that top the radio charts and that has lead at some the the biggest christian venues in the the nation. I am expectant of this change, it will be a short one but fun.

Blessings,

Zac

Change 2...

2009-01-05T20:32:00.002-06:00

Tomorrow I will be at my Grandmothers funeral. She was 96 years old and I can't imagine the changes that she has seen over the years. Horse to car, writing letters to the telephone, the telephone to cell phones, microwaves, televisions, and sooooo much more. She grew up in the depression and if you open a drawer in her kitchen you will find hundreds of bread ties because she was always afraid that another depression would hit. She saved everything and even picked up pennies from the ground. Over the past few years I used my camera and captured many of her amazing stories and I am so glad that I did because now my kids can hear these awesome stories of her life. I wonder what changes I will see over the span of my life. I think we will inhabit another planet but I may be wrong. It was neat today when I did a conference call with one of the Life Church guys and another pastor from out of state. The call was all on video through the internet. No post tomorrow due to funeral, have an awesome day.

Blessings,

Zac

CHANGE...

2009-01-05T09:37:00.003-06:00

Some people hate it some people live for it... I was blessed this weekend as I heard from people that attend LifeChurch.tv about how their Experience changed them. It was amazing to hear these people say this is who I was and because of Christ this is who I am. These "Stories" of Life change were like a breath of fresh air for me. So many times in ministry you can get caught up with the "Stuff" that is going on around you that you, or i guess I should say "I" miss the Life changes that are going on. When I went home yesterday I simply reflected on what God has done in my life and the Life Change that I have gone through and I was brought to tears as I remembered who I was and because of Christ who I am and the things that brought me to tears were not that I am a "church pastor" or that I work with an "amazing" church, it was that Christ has molded me into a good Godly dad, that for the most part I am a loving good husband, and that I don't let work "Ministry" come between me and my family. What is your Life Change story.

Blessings,

Zac

Looking Forward to 2009...

2008-12-29T09:02:00.002-06:00

I have been doing a lot of thinking about where we have been in the past year and what God has done in our ministry over this time period and I am truly blown away. I walk away every Sunday wondering WHY God has chosen to use me in this amazing ministry and I sometimes just Break down. I am excited about things to come and I have been praying about what God is moving us towards in 09' and I just have this sense that we will be seeing God doing "not only Great things in our ministry but Through our ministry this coming year. I just have this Go get em mentality right now and I just am continuing to seek Him and Pray for His leadership so I don't get ahead of myself or God. GOD IS GOOD, ALL THE TIME<><

2008-12-22T14:18:00.000-06:00

Little Drummer Boy "LIFECHURCH.TV Style... A friend of mine J.C. posted an awesome story about the meaning behind this song that inspired me to post this. Blessings,

Zac

SILENCE:

2008-12-16T10:18:00.002-06:00

The Bible describes multiple benefits of purposeful silence, including:

* hearing from God (1 Kings 19:11–13)
* waiting patiently for the Lord to act (Lamentations 3:25–28)
* worshiping God (Habakkuk 2:20)
* knowing God better (Psalm 46:10)
* praying effectively (Luke 5:16)

I am going to try to spend at least five minutes an hour in silence, at least thirty minutes in uninterrupted silence each day, and a full day in silence once a month. During those times I will try to go for silent prayer walks to listen to God, writing in my journal, and sometimes do nothing at all.

Thanks to Mark Driscoll for this challenge...

Princess

2008-12-16T09:27:00.002-06:00

The other day I was eating lunch with my racquetball pal and we somehow got to talking about our wives and he really challenged me. He asked me how I view my wife and we dialogued about that for a little while and he then said what if you viewed your wife like a princess that God has entrusted you with instead of viewing her as that last mistake or argument. I was challenged by this and that day I went home and did some house cleaning, I heard my wife mention that her coat zipper broke so I went and bought her a new winter coat with a scarf and gloves, I then got a baby sitter and took her to a dinner and movie with some friends. Our marriage was not by any means troubled but we sure are having a lot more fun now that I have been more intentional about what I do and how I treat my Princess. What can you do for what God has entrusted you with today?

Blessings,

Zac