Chasing the Wind

Ecclesiastes 4: 6 Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.

Sit down right now and write yourself a list. What are the three things you have to get done today? I want you to keep that list in front of you as you are reading this today. Better yet, don't bother reading my blog instead watch Craig Groeschel's message 2 in the Better series.

Okay back to this important list. If you went to the doctor today and found out you were dying how important would the things on your list be? Would they be the three things you had to do today? Would your priorities change. We've all heard the saying live each day as if it is your last. Not many of us practice that even if we see the merit in it.

The problem is a concept our society teaches over and over again. If one handful is good then two are better. If one dollar is good then two are better. If one sport is good then two are better. If one television program is good then two are better. If one car is good then two are better. If one house is good then two are better. You get the idea and you've probably thought of your own if one then one statements while you were reading this.

What matters most to you? Is it the house, car, job, or money? What are the three most important things in your life? Do you have enough time for them? Let's face it we are pulled in multiple directions every single day. We need to CUT BACK, THROW OUT, and TURN OFF.

You will never change the world watching re-runs. God doesn't care the make or model of the car you drive. The type of counter tops in your kitchen don't matter. The size of your house, whether you own a boat, or even the right pair of pants. It's all small stuff.
Matthew 6: 19 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. It will all turn to dust.

We all need to cut back. You can't be pulled in ten directions all day long. You have to choose. Spend your time wisely. What is important, and why is it important? Take that and use it! Time is not best when stored up for later. It's one of those things that we either use or we lose! You can't get back yesterday no matter how hard you try.

Throw out all that junk and clutter. Having less can be good. Seriously throw out all the excess and only keep what you need. If you forgot you have it then you won't miss it when it is gone.

Most of all turn off all the things that are time wastes. He who has the most followers on twitter does not get into heaven any quicker than the guy who has never heard of twitter. He who has the newest apps on his smartphone is not any better than the guy who doesn't have a smart phone. If fact for many of us our cell phones have become an idol. Television is not important, those games you play are a waste of time, and your phone....................... Stop buying things because they are a great deal. If you don't need it; well you don't need it.

Once you get rid of all that doesn't matter it is time to fight for what does matter.

"My life is too valuable, my calling too great, and my God too good to waste my life on things that don't matter." Craig Groeschel

Your life is too! Your calling may be greater than you can imagine, and I promise God is that good!

Mighty to Save
Hillsong United
Saviour, He can move the mountains,
My God is Mighty to save,
He is Mighty to save.

Forever, Author of salvation,
He rose and conquered the grave,
Jesus conquered the grave.

So take me as You find me,
All my fears and failures,
Fill my life again.

I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in,
Now I surrender.

What is church?

John 8: 7-9 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” ⁸ And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. ⁹ Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
I don't know about you, but I hate my church parking lot. It is no different than any other parking lot. Crazy drivers, angry people in a hurry to get somewhere, and even accidents. With the church not ten feet away. Not ten feet away people shake hands, worship together, and pray for one another. What happens in those 20 to 50 steps we take to our car. Does our spiritual strength end the moment we step out the doors of our church.


It is important to remember that the church is a hospital for sinners, not a hotel for saints. It's a place where people go to improve their spiritual health. It's a place where people go for encouragement, and to get their spiritual batteries recharged.

The church is not perfect in fact no one is perfect. Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, I know that I am among the crazy drivers. I am often impatient, frustrated, and even angry. I think the hypocrisy of the world is so often perpetuated by those people who hold their church above all else. For these people their church has become an idol. It is not Jesus they worship so much as the church they worship in. Their pastor is the only one with the message. They have the only way to God and if you aren't attending that church you aren't getting there.

We've all met a few of these people. They may not act like Christians during the week, but if you ever ask them about their faith they will proudly tell you about there church. Don't bother telling them about your church, your mission, or your faith because if you aren't sitting next to them on Sunday you just don't measure up.

We all have the potential to become these people. It's in our nature, but Jesus didn't call us to judge by our standards. He told us we would be held to his standards. He didn't care where we sat on Sunday as much as where our heart was.
Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Like Breathing in and Breathing out

What if you could live fully in God's presence? What would that be like? With today's social media we are all so good at tweeting, facebooking, texting, and anything quick and mobile. Craig Groschel's sermon Better is about exactly this. Craig talks about twitter and how we can update our status as often as we want in 140 characters or less. Taking this principal and applying it to our prayer life can mean constant communication with God. In 140 characters or less. Short little prayers as we go through our day. Acknowledging his presence, seeking his will, and praying for his guidance. Imagine if living in his presence was as natural to you as breathing in and breathing out.


I have to add that today at church I got my coffee all ready and started to have a drink when I realized...................21 days. So Eric got to drink my glorious Starbucks coffee and I had a hot cocoa! I miss coffee, but every time I miss it I am reminded of God. Fasting is amazing and it truly brings you closer to God. The more you give up, the more you will be reminded of his presence in your life.


Psalm 84:10 Better is one day in your courts than thousands elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

Praying and Fasting....

Each year as the New Year begins I spend time reflecting in God's word and contemplating what the New Year will bring. Last year I completed a 21 day fast with my church. My church does the Daniel diet which is quite challenging. At some point I am sure I will attempt this diet, but with my little ones it is very hard to change our diet for 21 days without changing theirs. So I spent a few days pondering what I will fast...........Then I filled out my fast contract.


Of course this is just the beginning. As the year has drawn to an end I have been left with many things to ponder. I don't know where God is leading me. I don't know the purpose of this season. I know that God is with me, and I can see that he was with me throughout this past year. I also believe with all my heart that he will be with me as I move into the next year. In my heart I know that God is always calling. There is a work to be done and his purpose and plan is for his church to complete that work. I believe that we are the church, the body of Chirst. And if we are the body why aren't his hands reaching? What am I reaching for? What should I be reaching for?

I also ponder my purpose as a parent. Colossians 1:9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; my purpose in leading my children? Where will I lead them? How will I lead them? My life is but a blink of an eye, but each choice and decision I make will effect them because our lives are intertwined. I also know that so many of us spend our adult lives blaming our parents for the choices they made that we feel emotionally traumatized by. In my morning devotion I found this reading which is quite interesting:

"A Great Prayer For Your Children

We need to pray for our children. For many years, my wife has prayed a prayer from scripture for our three sons. Here are some ideas for you to try:
* Pray that they will increase in the knowledge of God. Most parents' greatest hope for their children is that they will be happy, but a fulfilled life comes from knowing God. Without God, there is a nagging emptiness. Lots of people know about God, but knowing Him personally is different. We all know a lot about our nation's president but only a few know him personally.
* Pray that they live a worthy life. Pray that their lives have an impact for good, and that they will be people of trustworthy character.
* Pray that they're strengthened in God's power. The world and evil influences will seek to pull our children down. They need God's power to be strong, resist temptation, and do the right thing.
* And, thank God for each child. They are unique creations of God.

We all need to pray for our children. I hope these thoughts help."

I think that these prayers are definitely something to reflect on as I move into the New Year. What will you be reflecting on? How are you going into the New Year and how will you be growing?

Whatever it brings I know that this year will bring me closer to my Lord and Savior...............

Jars of Clay Faith Like a Child

Dear God,
Sorround me as I speak
The brigdes that I walk across are weak
Frustations fill the void that I can't solely bear
Dear God,
Don't let me fall apart
You've held me close to You
I have turned away and searched for answers I can't understand

They say that I can move the mountains
And they send them falling to the sea
They say that I can walk on water if I would follow and believe
with faith like a child

Sometimes
When I feel miles away
and my eyes can't see You face
I wonder if i've grown to loose my recklesness
I walk in light of You

They say that I can move the mountains
And they send them falling to the sea
They say that I can walk on water if I would follow and believe
with faith like a child

(Children Saying)

Be kind unto others
Call Jesus Christ Your Savior

They say that I can move the
mountains
And send them crashing to the sea
They say that I can walk on water
If I would follow and believe
with Faith Like a Child

They say that love can
heal the broken
They say that hope can
make you see
They say that faith can find
a Savior
If you would follow and believe
With Faith Like a Child

Support me or stand in the way?

With the new year just around the bend I find myself doing what so many others do.......I contemplate my life. I look at the year past. All my mistakes, all the joy, and all the pain laid out to reflect upon. As I reflect I often find myself drawn to bible verses like the one below.....

1Cornintians 3But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.


I realize that I long for control in my life. I do not thrive on the instability that this year has brought. I am troubled often by the unknown, and my fears. I want to trust God and seek him even in my doubts. I often feel alone in my fears and doubts. Is it just me? Do other Christians struggle with this? Of course I know that I'm not alone, and have never been alone. God is with me even in my fears, and sometimes we need to let go. Luke 1: 37 For with God nothing is impossible

I have to remember to surrender my life to his control. I also have to realize that I cannot control those around me, and that it is sinful of me to try. Craig Groeschel preached an amazing sermon called Those People this year. In this sermon he talked about how we can surrender the direction of our lives to someone besides God. As a wife I think this is an area I must pay careful attention to. I have to ask myself a simple question. Am I supporting my husband, or am I standing in the way?

You see we all have our ideas of how our marriage, lifestyle, and parenting should go. However, I see a common thread in so many marriages. When trials and struggles set in instead of turning to God we panic. There is a saying that goes something like when the mom's not happy nobody's happy. I think in many cases as a wife we can insert ourselves in a manipulative way between our spouse and God. I believe that most of us do it out of love, but it brings heartache to both our spouse and our marriage. Your spouse cannot surrender the control of his life to you, and you shouldn't ask them to. It is not your right to be in control.
Ephesians 5:23For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.

In recent years I have attended a few weddings where the vows have been changed. In fact I read an article where one church was omitting the word obey from vows because they felt that today's women were equal to their husbands and it was just to old fashioned. God is not old fashioned. He sees and understands everything. He created marriage. It is his plan for men and women. He created specific roles for both men and women in marriage. Those traditional vows are based on the word of God. Isn't it interesting in today's culture how so many people feel they can pick and choose what parts of the bible to believe. (There's another great sermon on this that you should watch from the Carols series) The bible is clear though, the husband is the spiritual leader not his wife. God created marriage to be something Great. So often we confuse our roles in marriage and settle for something good. This was not God's plan for you or your marriage. If I forget who I am in my marriage I will find myself no longer supporting my husband, but standing feet firmly planted in his way. Just look at this verse from Titus:Titus 2:5 to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. I wonder why this verse is not read more often. An interesting message for wives, but probably considered too old fashioned for the times, don't you think?

Most of all as I look at my life and my marriage I am struck by a verse from Romans. Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Who am I to try to choose a direction for my marriage or my life? Who am I to think that I have answers to any questions? Who are you? Just because I fall short does not mean that God doesn't want me, but it does mean that I need God. Without God I am nothing. I am the sand in the desert. A drop of water in the ocean. Without God we are lost, and it is only when we find God that we find life. God is life everlasting. He is the way. He is the truth. He is the light in the darkness. He is your shield against suffering. He is in control. He is........

Matthew 10:39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

Why?

It's funny as I look around at the Christmas decorations, the presents, and all the holiday stuff. Sure I love the Christmas tree, I love the presents, and I love egg nog. However, I do hate taking down the tree, putting up the tree, wrapping all those gifts, standing in line at the post office, and the chaos of Christmas.

For those people who decorate without knowing why, I just don't understand why they bother. What do the lights represent for them? If not the light of Christ in our world why take the time to put them up? What is a tree, and why decorate it? Unless you are remembering that he gave his life on a tree for all of man kind. How about those presents why even bother? We do it because the wise men gave their very best. We do it because Jesus was the greatest gift of all.

Christmas is about Christ. Not about all the other stuff. You don't need lights to love him. You don't need a tree to know that he died for you. You don't need gifts to receive the gift he has already wrapped for you.
John 3:16 ¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Three Choices

If we look to the gospel of Luke this CHRISTmas season we can see insight into the birth of Jesus. Insight like none found in the other gospels. Luke, a physician, had a slightly different take on things. Luke didn't try to describe what no words could ever describe, instead he gives us facts. Plain and simple facts.
Luke 2: 6-7 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷ and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

A baby born not even in a barn, but in a cave where animals sought shelter from the cold. It was not clean, not sanitary, and not a fitting place for a king. Sure you've heard the story right? We all have; haven't we the story of a baby born in the manger. The story of Jesus.

The story that leaves you with three choices:

1. Jesus is a liar

2. Jesus is a lunatic

3. Jesus is Lord


Really picture this a man comes to your town saying he the son of the most high. He performs miracles in the name of God. He hangs out with thieves, liars, and prostitutes. He doesn't follow your church laws. Imagine that. Was this man a liar, a person who believed he was God but was crazy, or was he the real thing.

There are no other options. If you don't believe in Jesus then you either believe the 1st or the 2nd. It is very easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of this season. Easy to forget the meaning. The reason for it all is often swept away in the merriment. What are you celebrating? A liar? A crazy person? The king of kings? If you are celebrating Jesus then it may be time to inspect how he lived. Where would he celebrate? What would he want?

Todd Agnew
My Jesus
..................I wanna be like my Jesus I wanna be like my Jesus
I wanna be like my Jesus, yeah I wanna be like my Jesus
Not a poster child for American prosperity, but like my Jesus You see I'm tired of living for success and popularity I wanna be like my Jesus but I'm not sure what that means To be like You Jesus
'Cause You said to live like You, love like You But then You died for me Can I be like You, Jesus? I wanna be like You, Jesus I wanna be like my Jesus