Can You "Snow" Me The Way?

After being cooped up inside for what seems like an eternity, I had an idea that I seemed to not be able to shake! Watch this video and I'll go a little deeper. Click here

I first became familiar with this song a few weeks ago and "wow" does not even explain the impact it has had on me! As seen, this song describes being the first one to step out and do something different for God! We should not be afraid and do something!

Yesterday, I was about to go crazy from sitting in the house so I had to get out. On the back roads in my area no one had driven on them. I backed out of the driveway and proceeded down the road at a very low rate of speed. "What was I doing," echoed in the back of my mind? "You can't see anything." "You are crazy," were the least of some the thoughts that shadowed through my mind. I was driving down snow covered road where I couldn't see anything. I looked like a completely level field of snow. I could not tell where the ditches were. I could not see the potholes or tile ends or anything! Not to mention it was very slick. "You could get stuck." "Just turn around and go back." "It's not worth it Jamey!" "You are such a moron!"

Oh, the power of our minds! That little thing that has kept so many from doing things for God's Kingdom! How many times have we stepped on the path that God has called us to, but ended up back on the couch, so to speak? We became discouraged or thought we were lost because we couldn't see the road. Or tell where the ditches were. Or the potholes. We had to go a little slower than we wanted and pay a whole lot more attention!

How many people have we missed reaching for God because we have been afraid to step out in the snow, into something we couldnt see?

Once I got to the main highway, someone else had already been down the road. I could drive a little faster and see a little better! Just because we feel alone on the "back roads" of life does not mean we will always be. If we can just make it to the "main highways," God will always place people in our lives to help us, push us, pray for us, and motivate us to stay on the path! God Bless!

On Assignment

Has anyone ever had a scripture just jump out at you like never before? Right... how could I forget? I am probably talking to people who know how to dissect every passage of scripture. You know the Greek and Hebrew definitions. Even the hermeneutical or eschatological interpretations of a scripture when you read it. I am only kidding about the previous, but I had a particular passage jump out and slap me the other day.

What is the big verse, you may be asking? Well, here it is! -> http://read.ly/Deut31.8.AMP

Isn't this powerful? Our God goes before us to the assignment He has for us. Wow! I almost shouted when I read this! Moses is giving these words to Joshua after he is declaring him the leader over Israel. Joshua's assignment was to lead these people into the Promised Land.

I must ask. What is your assignment from heaven? We all, as followers of Christ, have the Acts 1:8 assignment, but what is your personal assignment? What is God calling YOU to do? Many times we receive our assignments and get so excited, yet we don't do anything to compliment our assignments from God. We CANNOT, I repeat CANNOT, wait for God to throw every opportunity in our lap. We have to be willing to fight, push, pray, and FAST. No one's assignment is easy, but it is achievable through God. The devil is out to get you off your course through fear, pain, temptations, and many more of his tactics (1st Peter 5:8). This is why we pray and fast. It is NOT meant for drudgery or "poor, pitiful me!" It is meant as an opportunity to align ourselves with the assignment God has us. Many have spent days, months, even years waiting on God! PLEASE, DO NOT BE ONE OF THOSE. Take these times of fasting and prayer as an opportunity to fulfill YOUR assignment!

Joshua did not just sit and wait on the Promised Land to come to him. He fought many fights- Jericho, Ai, the Gibeonites. I'm sure he had many headaches. Lost sleep. Wanted to sleep in instead of praying. I'm sure he got hungry. Rained on. Burned up from the heat. Bled a little. Sweated alot. Sore throats or an aching back! BUT, I'm sure if you could ask him, his response would be. "It was worth it!"

God is not calling us to do something impossible. Even though it may seem that way at times! Always remember...The Lord goes before you and He is with you! Stay strong! FINISH YOUR ASSIGNMENT!

Get to Walking!

http://read.ly/Gen5.24.HCSB

Enoch was a man the Bible speaks very little about. However, I personally believe he is one of the most profound men in scripture. Enoch "walked" with God! He does not have a long list of accomplishments. He really isn't known for much of anything. Jude gives us the only insight to this great man. He prophesied of coming apostates. Enoch did not part the Red Sea, beat down a vile, filthy Philistine, or slaughter a mass crowd of Baal prophets on the mountain. He walked with God. The Only other mention of this fellow is in Hebrews 11, his testimony was that he walked with God.

How awesome is it that this man is simply known for walking with God? SO many times we try to be the best teacher, speaker, motivator, or preacher. Nothing is wrong with striving to be the best, however we CANNOT skip walking with God! This is the most vital aspect of any believers relationship with the Father! Walk with Him!

To develop a walk with God we MUST have a specific time and place that we meet with the Father EVERY day!! God is more worried about consistency with him than a sporadic follower. I believe wholeheartedly God had rather have someone who spends 30 minutes per day, 7 days a week, than one who spends 2 hours twice a week with Him. Find your time with God and let nothing severe that covenant with the King!

Come Monday

Luke 5:1-3 One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee,a great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there. NLT

In the passage of scriptures, crowds of people were pressing against Jesus so they could hear the Word. All these people had needs that needed to be met. They had questions. They needed answers. They had problems. They needed solutions. I believe they all saw this man as the one who could meet every need. That's why the crowds came to him. In order to teach them all, he used Simon Peter's boat. I believe the boat represents our jobs. This was how Peter made a living. He fished and used this boat daily. Once he allowed Jesus into his boat (work), many lives were touched or changed. Sadly, many people when put in Peter's place would have made Jesus get out of their boat instead of pushing it into the water.

As a friend and I was driving down the road yesterday, we were talking about how many people could be influenced or changed by Christians portraying Christ on their jobs. If we turn it around, how many people are wrongly influenced by our words and actions on our jobs? It disturbs my heart greatly that people on Sundays will worship, dance, preach, even pray in tongues, yet come Monday after they have clocked in, it's like they have "clocked out" on imitating Christ. We put on our Sunday suit, talk in our church lingo, and dance around the building so we can fit in with the church crowd. Come Monday, it is a total different story. We do everything possible to fit in with the other people in our lives.

Guys, we participate in the filth of our co-workers. Our language is so vile, we could make a sailor blush. We verbally molest the opposite sex by jokes and stories that come out of our mouths. Guys, we have no backbone and a yellow streak in our lives simply because we cant stand up for what we believe. We are not man enough to stand out, so we try to fit in. We are scared of offending or "rocking the boat."

Ladies, participipate in so much gossip, many times, that a person or their families are dragged through the mud so much that a positive thought can't even be coincided with there names. Many times, it's a dog-eat-dog world. The attitude that is portrayed is, "if I can't have it, neither can they."

This has to stop. Is this making Christ happy? I will shout an astounding "NO!" We are to be Christlike. Imitators of Him everywhere we go. Yes, on our jobs too. Imagine for a moment, how many lives could be transformed for Christ if the followers would allow Him on our jobs. Seriously? God has given EVERYONE the platform of a job to win people to Him. But, that opportunity is sorrowfully wasted so many times. We always want God to do something bigger and better, but until we are faithful where we are placed, we will never move on. Faithful is not just showing up everyday. Faithful is bearing fruit when we show up.

Guys, come break time, don't listen to the vile talk or tell the dirty jokes. Talk about what God did Sunday. Ladies, don't drag the people through the mud. Find something positive and say that. If you can't say anything, simply walk away. Standing and listening is your seal of approval on the slander or harsh talk.

So I ask the question, "Does Jesus go to work for you?" Or, come Monday, do you "clock out" on being a follower of Him when you "clock in" on you job?


Pastor Jamey

Surrender to God

This is officially my first blog ever. I have always wanted to blog but never put forth the effort (or time). So...here goes. As most of those who are close to me know, I have recently had an experience with God that has given me a new desire and zeal to work for the Kingdom. Maybe I can (if wanted to) share about this at another time.

As I was praying today, the word surrender kept coming to mind. I initially pushed it off to the side (am I the only one that does this). As I have learned, especially in prayer, that when this happens it is usually God. So I asked God, "What are you saying about surrender?" He immediately spoke back in my spirit and said, "Son, surrender is not verbally giving your life to me. It is not giving me something that you really don't care about. Surrender is giving your hearts desires, those things you want for your life to me. It is giving me something that will cost you." Floored? Um...you better believe I was. I'm sure most of you holy folks that are in the lineage of Christ have already had this understanding. But, It was like fresh revelation to me!

Immediately after God speaking, I thought of General Stonewall Jackson (I guess because I heard a story about him earlier today. I also have no clue if he surrendered or not. I'm not that polished on my Civil War history). I believe him or any other military leader is not going to surrender to the opposing forces in the beginning. They're not gonna say, "Here you go buddy. It's all yours." That is ludicrous. They are going to fight tooth and nail until the very end. Until all the ammunition and supplies are depleted! Until the soldiers are impoverished! Why? Because their country means something to them. It's their life!

Am I saying you should fight God until the end? Certainly not! I am saying that we are not surrendering if we don't give those things that mean the most to God. Surrender is going to cost us something. Oh but friend, it will be well worth it. It's easy to stand in a service where God is moving, tears rolling off our cheeks, hands lifted to the King of King's saying, "I surrender to you, God!" But, are our actions (fruit) matching our declaration to God? Come next day or next week are we still surrendered to God? God wants our whole life so He can help guide us. But, He can not do this until we surrender to Him.

I like how Webster defines surrender-to GIVE oneself up into the POWER OF ANOTHER especially as a PRISONER! Wow...how amazing is this? Essentially, we GIVE ourselves up INTO THE POWER OF GOD especially as a PRISONER (empahsis added). Wow, wow, wow. You better believe I will surrender my life to God to have His power. Surrender simply gives us Gods power. Does this excite anyone like it does me? Also, a prisoner has someone tell them what to do, where to go, what to eat, etc. So, let me get this straight. We give God something that costs us and we get God's power PLUS He guides our lives. This is a 2 for 1 deal. Makes me want to shout! God is so good!

I am not saying that we should surrender and give up on our jobs or families. But I am saying that deep down in your heart, there is something that God is dealing with or has dealt with you about. That, friend, is what God is asking for. Not because He is a mean God, but because He has to have EVERYTHING in our lives for us to walk in His shadow of protection, healing, and blessings. I hope this encourages you as much as it does me. Surrender is not a verbal contract with God! It is a lifestyle to God!

Pastor Jamey