Have you ever heard of religion being "Parents' Religion?"
I hear many young persons say this in a negative way. They'll say, "I don't want my parents' religion." But I have news for you. It is your parents' religion. It is my parents' religion. It is my parents' parents' religion. Guess what? It is the religion and the faith of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. I thank God that my parents brought my butt to church time after time, if they had not done that, it would not be my religion and my faith.
I have faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, my mom, and my dad.
We in this generation are part of the faith family of that generation, and I will carry this faith on to my sons and daughters. I will carry this faith onto the next generation.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Somehow Autumn
I'm doing something big with the next few months.
I was recently at Life Changing Ministries, which is a church located in Sugar Land Texas. It is a great church with great people and a great pastor. Crystal and I were visiting friends in the area, and that is where they go to church. That is how we got hooked up.
The Pastor at this church knows the Bible. His message was rich in scripture, and he truly made the word come alive. It was seeing this, and being guided by the Holy Spirit, I decided to read/hear the first 5 books of the Bible over and over and over. I am going to be cycling through the first 5 books of the Bible everyday for 3 months. I'm excited about what God is going to show me.
I was in a band when I was young called Somehow Autumn- you can still find the music online. We were young.
I was recently at Life Changing Ministries, which is a church located in Sugar Land Texas. It is a great church with great people and a great pastor. Crystal and I were visiting friends in the area, and that is where they go to church. That is how we got hooked up.
The Pastor at this church knows the Bible. His message was rich in scripture, and he truly made the word come alive. It was seeing this, and being guided by the Holy Spirit, I decided to read/hear the first 5 books of the Bible over and over and over. I am going to be cycling through the first 5 books of the Bible everyday for 3 months. I'm excited about what God is going to show me.
I was in a band when I was young called Somehow Autumn- you can still find the music online. We were young.
Monday, September 12, 2011
...when I grow up.
When I was young, I wanted to be the President of the United States. Later in life, I wanted to be a meteorologist, so I could be on TV. Later I wanted to be a youth pastor. Most recently, I have a dream to start a church that will reach the world.
Right now...
I work at an apartment complex.
I'm not saying that I am ungrateful. Just recently, my wife told me that my paycheck showed over 120 hrs of work for two weeks. I have learned alot about myself through this job, but this is not what I want to do.
When we were young, we dreamed of the best for ourselves, and as we grew older that changed. Maybe that's why God wants us to have "childlike faith." It is at that point that we are aware of our potential through Christ, and we press towards it, regardless of what our situation is.
We dream because when we dream like a child, it's not a question of maybe, it's a question of when.
"For I know the plans (dreams) that I have for you Declares the Lord..."
Take a step back and realize that all things, plans, dreams, are possible through Christ!!!
Right now...
I work at an apartment complex.
I'm not saying that I am ungrateful. Just recently, my wife told me that my paycheck showed over 120 hrs of work for two weeks. I have learned alot about myself through this job, but this is not what I want to do.
When we were young, we dreamed of the best for ourselves, and as we grew older that changed. Maybe that's why God wants us to have "childlike faith." It is at that point that we are aware of our potential through Christ, and we press towards it, regardless of what our situation is.
We dream because when we dream like a child, it's not a question of maybe, it's a question of when.
"For I know the plans (dreams) that I have for you Declares the Lord..."
Take a step back and realize that all things, plans, dreams, are possible through Christ!!!
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Dead Church???
This is not a response to what anyone has said to me. So, I don's want you to be offended if you think I am talking about you.
I am not talking about you.
Recently, God told me something that I would like to share. "There is no such thing as a dead church. There are comatose churches, there are sleeping giants, there are stagnant churches, but there are no dead churches."
I believe that the church is a giant. God created a giant. You and me, we are giants. There may be sleeping giants, and there may be active giants, but just because you are asleep doesn't mean you are dead. How would you feel if you were sleeping in your bed and someone declared you dead?
Maybe we need to be the catalyst to propel are church to great things. Maybe we need to raise up sleeping giants. You may not be dead... You may just be sleeping.
I am not talking about you.
Recently, God told me something that I would like to share. "There is no such thing as a dead church. There are comatose churches, there are sleeping giants, there are stagnant churches, but there are no dead churches."
I believe that the church is a giant. God created a giant. You and me, we are giants. There may be sleeping giants, and there may be active giants, but just because you are asleep doesn't mean you are dead. How would you feel if you were sleeping in your bed and someone declared you dead?
Maybe we need to be the catalyst to propel are church to great things. Maybe we need to raise up sleeping giants. You may not be dead... You may just be sleeping.
Friday, June 17, 2011
diamond in the rough
I have a quote on my desktop background that says, "Learn to believe in people before they succeed." ~Joel Osteen.
It's easy to give someone a chance when they have proven themselves in the position in another location. For example, it's easy to hire a manager for a McDonalds when they have already been a manger at Burger King. The top tier of leader will learn to find the diamond in the rough. More than that, they will find the person that needs to be developed.
I think (this is the just my opinion) the best leaders will make the best leaders, and they will find the best leaders.
It's easy to give someone a chance when they have proven themselves in the position in another location. For example, it's easy to hire a manager for a McDonalds when they have already been a manger at Burger King. The top tier of leader will learn to find the diamond in the rough. More than that, they will find the person that needs to be developed.
I think (this is the just my opinion) the best leaders will make the best leaders, and they will find the best leaders.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
how to be a friend of Christ
John 15:9-17
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command.
I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command.
I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
This "no" hurt
I have been applying for youth/ associate pastor positions for a while. I have this burning passion in my hear to eventually start a church, but I know that will only come with preparation. I don't want to do this to a church, but I had been looking for positions in youth ministry or college ministry and being honest about my intentions, that I would eventually use momentum and an obvious calling to start this church.
After looking for quite some time, and the result of recent developments, I think I have come to the realization that I need to force a passion on myself. I pray all of the time that God would take this passion away from me, but it hasn't happened. So, I think I will have to force it upon myself. This has been one of the most difficult things that I have gone through. I have played music, and I was able to get into most music venues that I chose. I have played sports and was part of great teams. I went to college, and I had my chance at a great education.
Ministry has been the one thing that has shown the most road blocks. I don't know why God would put something in my heart that no one else wants me to do.
It's been hard.
~Nigel
After looking for quite some time, and the result of recent developments, I think I have come to the realization that I need to force a passion on myself. I pray all of the time that God would take this passion away from me, but it hasn't happened. So, I think I will have to force it upon myself. This has been one of the most difficult things that I have gone through. I have played music, and I was able to get into most music venues that I chose. I have played sports and was part of great teams. I went to college, and I had my chance at a great education.
Ministry has been the one thing that has shown the most road blocks. I don't know why God would put something in my heart that no one else wants me to do.
It's been hard.
~Nigel
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Fart Stories Are Funny
My wife and I were eating at On The Border tonight, and I went to use the restroom. When I arrived, I went to the urinal to hear a child in the stall next to me let out a loud groan. UGHHHHH!!!! His father, trying to play it off a little, jokingly asked, "are you okay in there?"
I wanted to laugh, but I held it in.
Next, you hear the child say, "I'm all done."
I was washing my hands at this point. I don't want you to think I was watching like it was a television show. It did, on the other hand, seemed too good to be true. As I am washing my hands, I notice that the father goes in to the same stall to use the restroom as well, but he quickly tells his child, "come back here."
Confused, the child hesitates, but the father repeats, "come back here." The child walks up. (I think they were looking in the toilet) "Did you not use toilet paper?" The father asks. i ran out the door. I didn't want to know what followed that.
I just thought it was funny.
I wanted to laugh, but I held it in.
Next, you hear the child say, "I'm all done."
I was washing my hands at this point. I don't want you to think I was watching like it was a television show. It did, on the other hand, seemed too good to be true. As I am washing my hands, I notice that the father goes in to the same stall to use the restroom as well, but he quickly tells his child, "come back here."
Confused, the child hesitates, but the father repeats, "come back here." The child walks up. (I think they were looking in the toilet) "Did you not use toilet paper?" The father asks. i ran out the door. I didn't want to know what followed that.
I just thought it was funny.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Rahab and the Spies
1 Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. “Go, look over the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.
2 The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” 3 So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab: “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.”
4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. 5 At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, they left. I don’t know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them.” 6 (But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof.) 7 So the men set out in pursuit of the spies on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as the pursuers had gone out, the gate was shut.
8 Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof 9 and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. 10 We have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea[a] for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed.[b] 11 When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.
This is interesting, because when Moses sent a group of spies, only two of them said that the land could be possessed by the people of God. I guess it just goes to show that when God says, "I got yo back," he really means "I GOT YO BACK!!!."
2 The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” 3 So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab: “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.”
4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. 5 At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, they left. I don’t know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them.” 6 (But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof.) 7 So the men set out in pursuit of the spies on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as the pursuers had gone out, the gate was shut.
8 Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof 9 and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. 10 We have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea[a] for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed.[b] 11 When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.
This is interesting, because when Moses sent a group of spies, only two of them said that the land could be possessed by the people of God. I guess it just goes to show that when God says, "I got yo back," he really means "I GOT YO BACK!!!."
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Don't fake it
I just want to let you know that you are uniquely created. You are specifically crafted to do a specific thing at a specific time.
I am currently listening to a local pastor who has been majorly influenced by a "big name" pastor. Because he has been so heavily influenced, he mimics this big name pastor in speech, in tone, and in tempo. They say that "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery", but I want you to think about something different. Why would you rob the world of you. I know people who are very good at being who they are. I know a J.J. who is really good at being J.J.. I know a Christopher who is really good at being Christopher. I know a Crystal that is really good at being Crystal, the love of my life.
Why would you change who you are? Christ created you to bless the world with you. Enjoy who you are.
Don't change a thing.
I am currently listening to a local pastor who has been majorly influenced by a "big name" pastor. Because he has been so heavily influenced, he mimics this big name pastor in speech, in tone, and in tempo. They say that "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery", but I want you to think about something different. Why would you rob the world of you. I know people who are very good at being who they are. I know a J.J. who is really good at being J.J.. I know a Christopher who is really good at being Christopher. I know a Crystal that is really good at being Crystal, the love of my life.
Why would you change who you are? Christ created you to bless the world with you. Enjoy who you are.
Don't change a thing.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Isn't that a little fast? Ha ha... That's what she said.
There is a trend right now in several churches to streamline the Sunday morning service down to an hour or an hour and fifteen minutes. I'm not trying to insult any one pastor; so, don't think this is directed at you... or maybe it is just for you.
I have recently watched several of my favorite churches, and I realized that they take their time. The worship is full, the preaching is full. They take their time. I know your church may be different. I know I may be the product of my mom's church, but I love being with others in worship. Don't get me wrong. I worship on my own as well. Don't get me wrong. I spend time in The Word. Still, what's the rush? Can Sunday lunch not wait 30 minutes? People are hungry, they have a sickness and the only prescription is Christ in his fullness.
I know Christ can move quickly, but some people need a little time.
I have recently watched several of my favorite churches, and I realized that they take their time. The worship is full, the preaching is full. They take their time. I know your church may be different. I know I may be the product of my mom's church, but I love being with others in worship. Don't get me wrong. I worship on my own as well. Don't get me wrong. I spend time in The Word. Still, what's the rush? Can Sunday lunch not wait 30 minutes? People are hungry, they have a sickness and the only prescription is Christ in his fullness.
I know Christ can move quickly, but some people need a little time.
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