I'm HOOKED & I Have to tell!!!

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Matthew 10:32-33

32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

Psalm 34:1-3

34 I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 2 My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. 3 O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.

I read that the most popular item on people’s 2012 Christmas wish list was some sort of Apple product, (Ipad, Iphone, Ipod, Mac). I can’t refute those requests. After all I own many Apple products and as a matter of fact I’m typing this blog on my MacBook Pro.

The product’s popularity could be attributed to it being user friendly and colorful but a big chunk of credit has to go to how the Apple brand is marketed. Every time you turn on the tv, open a website or walk anywhere – the Apple brand can be seen. The company does a great job promoting the product but people’s word of mouth testimonials are twice as powerful.

I believe that if we talked about God as much as we talk about Apple – maybe He would be number one on more lists.

We are to be living examples of Jesus Christ – a walking billboard always exclaiming the goodness of our relationship with the King of Kings. We receive little to no reward from the creators of many products for promoting them. However when we publicly promote our love for Jesus Christ He brings our name up to God. The creator of the universe and author and finisher of our faith!

Equally as intriguing is the fact that “A Dad” was the tenth most popular item on the wish lists. (http://now.msn.com/britains-10th-most-popular-christmas-gift-request-is-a-dad)

People are seeking a physical father to encourage, empower, love and invest in them. Our spiritual Father can do all of those things and more if we would just accept Him and trust Him.

My new year’s resolution is to be a better example of Jesus and tell others about how great of a father He is. I challenge you to look back over your Christmas list, evaluate what you promote, and consider how good your Father in heaven has been to you! 

I Drink the FINEST French Water! Faw-cet!

Bath Water is Delicious!

John 2:1-11

2 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3 And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” 4 Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” 6 Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. 7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. 9 When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. 10 And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!” 11 This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.

I have read and heard about this story many times. Recently, my eyes gravitated to two unique aspects – the servants and the water pots.

This was Jesus’ first miracle. Beyond what we can deduce in the book of John, Jesus’ full identity was still a mystery to most people.

The waterpots were large containers that held water for washing. The people acquired all sorts of street debris as they walked around in those days. The roads weren’t paved and most wore sandals. In order to enter the wedding festivities they had to clean and purify themselves.

Jesus tells the servants, who most likely barely knew who He was, to refill the waterpots and take them to the master of the feast. That means they were mixing dirty debris water with fresh water. Nowhere does he mention to empty or clean the water pots.

The master of the feast loves the bath water that is now a vintage wine!

Here are my two quick points.

1. The servants were asked to do something awkward that ended up awesome! Review the things God has been asking you to do. Do they seem awkward or unbelievable? He is about to do something amazing for you and through you! Don’t believe me? Ask Moses! He was an awkward, stuttering, orphan that led one of the greatest exits ever!
2. Some people feel as if they start out their day, week, month, or year having everything they need. Over time they give and are used. That fullness has now diminished. They are essentially the half used water pot. Jesus is sending people in your life to refill you with joy and strength to endure. He will take what you have or what you have been through - add to it - and still make miracles! If you do the math - there was enough from the gallons of water to make over 900 bottles of wine!!! Just when you feel insignificant – God will remind you that you have everything you need to be more than enough. You ARE MORE than a CONQUEROR! (Romans 8:37)

You are not half-empty – you are half-full and God is providing the nourishment you need to be full again. Take His challenge and do something AWESOME!!

Black Leather and 90's Swag!

Busting Out!

Matthew 9:17 "
Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

Before I was married I was given a pair of black leather pants from the lady I was dating at the time. I absolutely loved those pants. Whenever the weather in Houston got a slight bit chilly, I would pull them out and rock them like they were brand new. I also had a motorcycle at this time. I felt very awesome getting off my bike with my black leather pants and riding boots.

After I got married, my wife kept threatening to get rid of my favorite leather pants. I gave every excuse to keep them. Her response was consistent, “You no longer have a bike, they don’t fit, and we are not living in the 90’s!” One wintery afternoon I came home prepared to rock my leather pants - THEY WERE GONE!!! She smiled like a Cheshire cat and claimed innocence.

God has brought you through and promoted you to better days and higher heights. However, there is that piece that wants to reclaim your past for any number of reasons.

When you accepted Jesus into your life He spoke this statement over your life, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

You can’t move forward while looking back!

There may be items in your life that you tried to remove but haven’t had the strength or ability. That is when God will provide the necessary action to remove those things. Don’t be mad they are gone! Give God praise and accept His new blessings that replaced your old sins. 

That life, those issues, those problems don’t look good on you anymore. He has clothed you in new life – so let go and let GOD!

Same Difference!!!!!!

Gone Fishin'

Luke 5:4-7

4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”5 But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” 6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. 7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.

I was told that the definition of insanity is to repeatedly do something while expecting different results.

In this passage of scripture, the men were practicing their profession. They were fisherman by trade. When they got up every morning for work – they went fishing! Unfortunately, on this trip, they were not yielding their intended results.

The passage says that the men fished ALL NIGHT! That is a long time to work at something and receive nothing for it. This same scenario is true for many of us. We have been good at something for a while and achieved nominal success, but now we have hit a roadblock. 

Your career/life/workout/relationship has reached a plateau and as much as you go back to what YOU did to get there – the results are insignificant.

Now it is time to do the same thing – DIFFERENTLY!

Get a NEVERTHELESS in your spirit.

THE LESS this situation looks good – NEVER stop trusting God!

The fishermen couldn’t go back to their normal fishing hole that they called the sweet spot – Jesus Challenged them to Go further and fish deeper!

Despite what you see and what you have experienced – you MUST TRUST God! This situation may be bad but God IS Good and thisWILL work out. The men were rewarded for their attitude and their faith. Trust Him with your WHOLE HEART and Try Again – Your overflow blessing is not right there - you are going to have stretch out a little further into the deep and go for it! Then, you and those near you will be overwhelmingly blessed.