Perspective

After a spiritual weekend, such as Ekklesia, we often come back to the “real world” and notice how unpleasing the sounds are that hit our ears. From friends’ conversations and comments to the music we adored last week, it all the sudden sets off alarm bells in our heart and hurts to listen to. It’s not that the friends’ conversations or the music has changed, it is that WE have changed.

Our hearts have changed to revolve around something much greater than a musician, a sport, or even a friend. Our hearts have been opened fully and laid out bare to experience the redemptive love that can only come from a divine source. We get discouraged by the actions of others around us and quickly fear that we will once again become entrapped within the exact behavior we now detest. Like Peter walking on water towards Jesus, we begin to become distracted by the wind and the waves. Before long we attempt to carry the burden of our cross, an instrument of destruction, on our own. Just like Peter we start to sink under the pressure and cry out to Jesus to save us.

Then we are reminded of YAWEH’s promise in Joshua 1:9 – “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Our feet have been planted. On God our solid foundation our faith now stands, a foundation so strong that it cannot be shaken no matter what comes against it. All we can bring to the table is faith, but God has already set the table with His love, His righteousness, His kindness, and His mercy.

We begin to ask YAWEH to burn His image of us into our hearts. No longer will we settle for what we have always seen ourselves as. We now look in the mirror and behold God’s masterpiece. His mercy is great enough to cover any self-doubt, need for acceptance, or self-pride. We slip and fall flat on our face but are comforted and empowered by the words of Romans 5:20 – “where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

This past weekend was not about what a great speaker, what a great band, what a great weekend, but rather it was about what a great and mighty Savior! There will be times we fall away. There will be times when we feel completely lost and alone, but no matter what emotion we encounter, we will put our faith in You. We will trust in the Kings of kings, Lord of lords, Prince of peace, Redeemer, Savior, Rescuer, Alpha & Omega, Beginning & End, and YAWEH!

Choices

When I was younger, I remember several times when two of my friends and myself would be hanging out together. Friend A would ask his mom if Friend B could spend the night. The mom would in turn say "yes, why don't we see if Rand can spend the night too?" Then Friend A would ask if I wanted to spend the night. The whole time I knew that the only reason he was asking me was because his mom went so far as to make him. How did that make me feel? I surely didn't want to spend the night after that. If I wasn't wanted, why would I want to be there?

It's similar to our relationship with God. He desires for us to be with Him, but He will not force us to be. He has given us everything we have and everything that we are. He gave us His only Son so that we may join Him after our time on this earth has concluded. But by far one of the most awesome gifts He has given us is choice. God allows us to choose Him or not.

Life is full of choices. You choose what you will wear, what you will eat, how hard you will work, how you will treat others, and many other things. The choices you make shape your life. Ultimately it all comes down to your decisions. Yes, there are plenty of things in this life that you cannot control, but how you react to these uncontrollable events, determines what direction your life goes.

Jesus said, "You did not chooce me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last." - John 15:16

I often imagine sitting down in a chair and my life being projected onto a movie screen. I begin to think about other people being in the room with me. Everyone from my wife, parents, friends, and others that I have only known a short period in my life are seated facing the screen. I envision watching the beginning and reliving how cute I was as a small boy. Then I see things getting ugly.

Every good thing I have ever done is displayed on the screen. Every bad, horrible, and disgusting thing I have ever done or even thought is also shown for everyone to see. I think about how the people in the room would react. How long would they last? I'm sure some would leave at the very first sign of trouble in my life. I know that some would hang on as long as they could because of how much they love me. It would be impossible for anyone to sit through the whole ordeal.

As my life progresses on the big screen, I can only think about how I would like to escape this room and this viewing of all my deeds. The embarrassment and shame of the entire situation would be way too much to handle. As I sit there continuing to watch this horror film, I quietly shake my head as people steadily stream out the door. I can barely bring myself to watch anymore when I realize that everyone has left. At least I thought everyone had exited.

That is when I notice there is one person left. He sits watching the screen, never looking away. The look on his face is one of sadness, heartbreak, and....compassion. When I look at him,I am overcome with personal disappointment, as when you let down the person that is mort important to you in life. My shame is quickly replaced with hope.

I finally realize that Jesus accepts me how I am. He knows everything there is to know about me. He has seen the good, and he's certainly seen the bad. Yet still he suffered and died for me. He died for you. He CHOSE to lay down his own life so that you may have abundant life.

He did not die so that you my struggle through this life and hold on so that you can make it to heaven. He wants you to live life and live it to the fullest.

Just as Jesus had a choice 2000 years ago, you have a choice today. He is standing near with His arms wide open. He wants to love you just the way you are.

What will you decide?

Say Yes.

How can I say no?

This is such a simple question and one usually used when attempting to be compassionate. You come an old man asking for help opening a door, how can you say no? You walk past a homeless woman who sincerely looks in need of something to eat, how can you say no? You see a cute little Girl Scout selling chocolate mint cookies, how can you say no? OK, maybe the last one has to do more with your sweet tooth than anything else!

For close to 21 of the 24 years that I have been on this earth, I have lived for myself. While in those years, I have yielded my wants and desires to help others plenty of times, my main focus was satisfying me. I lived for myself and only for myself. When you are a selfish person, you tend to think you are anything BUT selfish. I was truly a selfish person. I still struggle with this today, but it is amazing the difference a few years can make.

I have had people ask me the following questions:
· Why would you want to move back to Selma?
· Why would you want to work at a church when you could be making more money somewhere else and not working on Sunday?
· Why? Why? Why?

My overwhelming response is, how can I say no even if I wanted to?

Many times in my 24 years of existence as a human being, I have more than tried to ruin my life. At one point, I was on a direct course for the destruction of my life. For people on the outside looking in, I was nothing more than an irresponsible, immature boy, who acted like most others my age. To them I wasn’t an angel, but I surely wasn’t the devil either.

Inside of me was a different story completely. My heart had become hard and black. I treated my parents and friends badly, but nothing compared to the way I treated my physical and emotional well-being.

In my darkest of times, when I knew I could go on no further, that is when it happened. Jesus had given me life so many years ago to only watch me completely throw it away. He was always there, always calling, always encouraging….all of His words seemed to fall on deaf ears. And now, at the culmination of my selfish life where I did nothing but throw away the gift He so preciously bought for me, He was there. He did not show up with a spirit of condemnation, but one of acceptance and compassion. Exactly like the father of the lost son (Luke 15), He came running to greet me with a hug and a kiss. He had reached out to me in the darkness of my life and had come to MY RESCUE!

He has been, is, and will always be “my Rescuer.”

How can I possibly say no to anything He asks of me?

Orphans

What did I learn from spending two weeks living with orphans?

I learned that you can be spoiled even when you have nothing. You can believe that everyone should give you a handout at every turn. I saw how someone can feel sorry for themselves and believe that they will not have to do anything to earn accomplishments.

I learned to not take everything for granted, even the small things. Work, hard work, is required for success in this world, whether you are in school, playing sports, working, or maintaining a family. No one is going to give you everything you need. You have to have the will power to go out and get it.

I learned to not waste time on yesterday, not worry about tomorrow, and to spend time making the most of today. Live each day to the fullest and not spend it as just a necessary time before tomorrow.

I learned to examine myself and ask, “What is the desire of my heart for this life?”

James 4:13-17 – Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.

Maybe I am not encouraged by the fact that I am “a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” But this is the exact reason why I should be making the most out of my days. I only have a finite number of days in an infinite world of God’s. This is all the more reason to be striving to do His will every day of my life. There is not time to waste. There is not time to sit on the sidelines when I can be on the field playing.

Days 4, 5, & 6

We arrived home this afternoon about 2:30. One stop for lunch and it did not take long to get home at all. I finally got home after returning the van to find my house had no power, what a lovely surprise! It's all good now, I have power.

Starting Wednesday, this was our prayer: Pray for us, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ. - Colossians 4:3

Wednesday - We had a little trouble getting up and getting moving but we still arrived at New Covenant at 8:35. It felt like quite a hot day and later we found out it was a record high for New Orleans (104 degrees!). After returning to the hotel for lunch, we headed downtown to Jackson Square. As soon as we finished walking the French Market, a huge rainstorm showed up. What better time than to hit up Cafe Du Monde for some beignets. We walked around Jackson Square and ended with taking a carriage ride. Six guys in a carriage is always a lovely sight... Tower of Pizza in Metairie was the supper choice, followed of course by Coldstone Creamery.

Thursday - Once again, there was trouble waking up and loading the van. Arrived at New Covenant at 8:40. It was our last day with the kids so we made sure to spend time giving extra attention to every child we could. We really enjoyed singing the songs they taught us (I Am A Promise, Christ In My Vessel, Oh Soldier, & If You Can't Hear Me Singing Down There). Pastor Chip and the ladies of the church presented us with a framed certificate of appreciation for the work we did. After lunch, we visited Harbor Ministries. It was an awesome ministry that works with all the seafarers that travel in and out of New Orleans. Ice cream/sorbet from Sucre on Magazine Street,after offending some lady by parking on the bricks, was a perfect snack to hold us over until supper. New Orleans Hamburgers & Seafood was a great choice for supper. They give everyone free vanilla soft-serve (second ice cream of the day). After worship and having a sharing time with our group, you guessed it, we hit up Baskin-Robbins.

Friday - We ate breakfast by 8:00 and loaded up the van and headed home.

Thank you to everyone that has been keeping up with us and praying for us. Your prayers were most definitely felt. I ask you to keep New Covenant Community Family Church and the New Orleans area in your prayers.

Day 3

Had a good morning of working Sports Camp with the kids at New Covenant. After lunch, we decided everyone had enough sun for the day, so took it easy at the hotel in order to gain back some of our energy. This was nice but also led to everyone not wanting to go to sleep last night.

Ate supper at Acme Oyster House, followed by some riding around while checking out boats and houses near the lake, ending with the all-important Ben & Jerry's, before heading back to the hotel for group worship last night.

One more thing, the late night Krisy Kreme run succeeded in bagging us 5 dozen donuts of assorted variety....in other words, no one is starving!

Day 1 & 2

We arrived here safely yesterday around 4:30, checked into the hotel, ate a good supper at Deanie's, and had orientation at 9:00.

I drank my first coke in 4 months at Deanie's. It was somewhat of a let down.

Today, we ate breakfast together and were in the van rolling out of the parking lot at 7:33 AM. That is quite impressive for our group!

We traveled to New Covenant Family Church in Harvey to help with Sports Camp.

This afternoon we did a little sightseeing and then ate supper at my cousin's house followed by going to a couple of innings of a softball game.