People of Life.

Hola from Honduras. I have the privilege this week of serving alongside of a team of about 32 people from StoneBridge and a few other places this week in La Ceiba, Honduras. This morning we worked at a small church in a village near the northern coast. We arrived and walked around the streets inviting the kids to come to the church (iglesia) for VBS. We ended up having about 40 kids come and we played with them, taught them Bible stories, sang songs, laughed with them, held them, high-fived them, etc. After we were done, our project leader, Larry Wilson, commented that church is supposed to be full of life and activity and should be a place that people are just drawn too. That's truly what it became today. This picture is of a little girl who was having the time of her life being loved on and hitting a big beach ball back and forth with some of the leaders. She later come up to me and jumped right up in my lap.

In John 10, Jesus says '10 The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.' We live in a world where the enemy of our souls, the devil, is working overtime to trick us, deceive us, accuse us and tempt us in an effort to destroy us and rob us of life leaving us empty and hollow inside. What a privilege we have as the body of Christ to be messengers of life. We have been radically forgiven and set free and given the Holy Spirit and declared holy and have been adopted as God's prized and sacred sons and daughters. Let's ask God to allow His life to pour out of us today and conquer the spirit of death that has captured so many around us. Let's ask God to transform expressions of lifelessness into expressions of joy and laughter like the little girl in the picture.

in Christ,
Brian

Great, Yet Tender.

Good morning. It’s time to breathe.

It’s time to chew that breakfast a little more slowly. Time to sip that coffee instead of gulping it. It’s time to observe the way the leaves take on a bright, Polaroid hue in the early light. You need to pause here for a second, because it’s time to step away from your schedule, take account of your surroundings, and just remember who you are.

And who you’ve been called to be.

Here’s an anecdote from Brennan Manning, a Christian mystic and recovered alcoholic, that just wrecks me.

“One hundred years ago in the Deep South, a phrase so common in our culture today, “born again,” was seldom or never used. Rather, the phrase used to describe the breakthrough into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ was ‘I WAS SEIZED BY THE POWER OF A GREAT AFFECTION.’

These words described both the initiative of God and the explosion within the heart when Jesus, instead of being a face on a holy card with long hair and a robe became real and alive. This phrase lent new meaning to the old Russian proverb, ‘Those who have the disease called Jesus will never be cured.’”


Sometimes, taking in the familiar things with renewed eyes can be a catalyst for refreshment. Let this truth work its way into your guts and bones:

We’ve been saved (by grace, and through faith, no less). We’ve been born again. We’ve got the Holy Spirit inside of us, helping us work out our salvation with fear and trembling.

But how about that old phrase up there—“seized by the power of a great affection”?

Catch those violent words: ones like “power,” “great,” and “seize.” And, the way they contrast with that tender “affection” at the end.

Family, our God is terrible and merciful. Powerful and meek. And if you belong to Him, then you need to remember: a great and tender power works inside you today. You’ve been seized by it, and it refuses to let you go. It’s love in its rawest form: sometimes abrasive, sometimes balmy, always abiding.

And if we forget that we’ve been seized by such a great and powerful affection—one that doesn’t wear off—then we cram our food, inhale our drinks, and bypass our surroundings and surrounders in favor of the things we’ve just gotta’ get done.

But we’re meant to be before we do. The Apostle John reminds us:

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are” (1 John 3:1, ESV).

Stop for a second. Remember your first love. Remember that you’ve got the disease, and it wants to go viral. And remember above all, that you’ve got an identity to live out:

You’re a living, breathing, child of your Father.

Godspeed,

-Ben Humeniuk

Help For The Hills.

I have been trying to get back into running lately, so while in Georgia I got up in the morning and ran several days. One of the little routes I ran I nicknamed 'heartbreak hill' in honor of the horrendous incline that awaited me about 2/3 the way through the run. One morning I started my run a little later than I would have liked and the Georgia heat was already roasting me pretty good. Right before I begin the approach to 'heartbreak hill' I run through a neighborhood. As I was making my way through the neighborhood I started thinking about...uh I mean dreading the the thought of running that hill in the heat. As these depressing thoughts began circling around in my brain, I passed by this lady who was out walking and she exclaims to me, 'God bless you for running!'. I kind of laughed at her random outburst and then found myself re-energized for the challenge that lay ahead of me.

You know we have opportunities every day to be that blessing of encouragement to those around us. In Hebrews 10 it says to ' 24 think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds.' Sometimes taking a moment to call or text or email or facebook message someone with an encouraging word can send their day in a whole new and better direction. Sometimes just taking an extra moment to notice and greet someone at church or in your neighborhood or at Wal-Mart can make a huge difference. Another way we can encourage each other is through remembering them in prayer. Paul often wrote about how he was delivered, kept safe, given boldness, protected, etc through the prayers of other believers. In 2 Corinthians he pleaded for the Christians in Corinth where he said, “You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us in answer to many prayers” (2 Corinthians 1:11). A lady was sharing how she is going through a very difficult season but periodically in the midst of her long days she will feel bursts of encouragement just flood over her and she believes those come to her from the many people who take the time to pray for her.

So who knows, your words or prayers today may give someone just the encouragment they need to face their own difficult hills that lay ahead of them on the road they travel.

in Christ,

Brian

Practice Makes Perfect.

I have played piano for about 16 years now and I will be the first to tell you that it has involved much practicing. I recall there were several times I wanted to quit but luckily I "wasn't allowed to quit until I moved out". I was young so I would always end up forgetting that I had wanted to quit in the first place and now I'm glad I didn't. Playing piano gives me so much joy, it's fun to just sit down and play old songs, new songs, or even to just sit down and make stuff up. It was much easier to get to the point at which I'm at because I had lessons for 12 of those 16 years.
Guitar. Much different.
You may be familiar with my guitar teacher, he goes by: Google.
Without lessons or concrete commitment, as well as the fact that guitar can actually hurt to play while piano rarely does; it has been difficult to keep my "skills" up. I don't claim to be a guitarist. I know a certain number of chords and that's about it. Recently(2 days ago), I picked my guitar up again and I'll be honest: the fingers on my left hand are burning at this very moment. But perseverance is key. Just because my fingers hurt doesn't mean that I'm done for the day. If I work through the temporary discomfort, I know that I can keep practicing a bit longer.
The same is true in our lives. Just because things are tough and we go through trials doesn't mean that we can just give up. I grew up watching Boy Meets World and as Eric Matthews would say, "Life's tough, get a helmet."
Life is hard...and then we work through it with the help of our Savior because we know we are not done. We are working towards a greater goal and work that does not stop and wait for us because we have a skinned knee

James 1:3-4
3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Let that be our verse this week as we encounter struggles. We can rejoice in our trials.

Burning fingers
Hailey

The Call.

Everyone is called to full time service in the Kingdom. That call is not just for people who "work at a church".

Jesus' call is much greater than that.

In the Gospel accounts,
Jesus call us to

Matthew 28:19
"go and make disciples of all nations"

John 21:16
Again Jesus said, do you love me?” “
“Take care of my sheep.”

Jesus references Isaiah 61 as He describes His own call and so ours.

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free

We are called to love children and bring them to Jesus.

Luke 18:16
But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

This week "Evidence" our High School Music and Mission team is in Denver ministering to children at a camp in the mornings and to the homeless each afternoon.

One ministry we are working with, the Denver Rescue Mission is in it's 120th year of ministry. Their faithfulness is inspiring.

It is awesome to see these students answering the call of Jesus to the least of these. My prayer is that all of us will answer God's call on our lives.

God's Heart, our hands,

Joe

Matthew 8:20
Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

How Will You Survive?

I have been reading a book entitled 'Unbroken' about a guy named Louie who survived remarkable event after remarkable event through his time as a B-24 bomber crewman out in the Pacific. After one of their planes went down, 'The Green Hornet', Louie and 2 other crewman survived the crash and found themselves on 2 small rubber rafts out in the middle of the Pacific. For 47 days they would float over 2000 miles across the vast ocean doing everything they could to survive. Every little thing they could find became life-saving during those days. They used fishooks to catch small fish. They used some fabric to help catch rain water and make hats to block the sun. They used each other to help keep their minds sharp by reflecting on their memories, sharing about the future and eventually praying out loud together and singing bits and pieces of hymns. Louie continued to focus on survival and living and it filled him with hope even though their situation grew more and more dire each day. Another crewman in the raft focused on death and the grimness of the situation and hope slowly faded away eventually taking his life.

Even though there were plenty of inadequacies to their supplies, Louie and his friends would have definitely perished without the foresight to have those rubber rafts inside of the bombers and the basic survival kit supplies. What are those things that become a spiritual survival kit for us? God's Word comes to mind. When we chose to daily read and hide God's word in our hearts, the Spirit will bring those life-giving truths to our minds at critical times to fill us with hope and give us nourishment to our desperate and starved souls. Community also comes to mind. When we go through a difficult trial, it is crucial to be connected to others who encourage us, pray for us, and help us or we will not make it. Faith comes to mind. Trust God now in the little things and when more difficult times come we will have already built up our faith muscles to trust Him in more difficult circumstances.

Only the life built upon Jesus and finding satisfaction in Him will ultimately survive.

Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.

4 Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy: "It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God's mouth."

in Christ,

Brian

A Paper Fan, a Little Tent and a Capri Sun.

It's amazing the lessons God can teach you through the most unlikely sources. The other day I was sitting out in my driveway and observing my son interacting with some of the other neighborhood boys. He begged and pleaded with me to set up his little camping tent for him and his buddies in the driveway so I finally gave in. Immediately Josh invited the other 2 boys into this really tiny little tent pitched in the driveway where they sat inside baking in the hot Texas sun. One of the boys complained about the heat so Joshua quickly gave me a supply list from inside so that he could build some paper fans to cool themselves off. I brought him his materials and he began building fans, decorating them and writing each boys name on them. He also was taking the time to teach the other boys how to build the fans. After their time in the tent they retreated to the cooler indoors and Joshua realized the boys were thirsty so he quickly raided the refrigerator and got them all capri suns.

As I was observing this scene I was challenged by Joshua's hospitality and concern for the other two boys throughout that day. I was convicted that I can easily coast through my day and just look out for me and not give much thought to the other people around me. In Joshua's play time he was practicing how to care for others which is what we as Christ's followers are called to do in life. At camp Kanakuk they call that the 'I'm Third' lifestyle where you live for God first, others second and yourself third. It goes back to Jesus' summary of the law, ' “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[Matthew 22]

'Lord, help me to throw my best thoughts, words and actions into meeting the needs of others today and truly loving them just like I love myself.'

in Christ,

Brian

Motivation.

Motivation…

Motivation can be pretty difficult at times. I've always been a bit of a procrastinator. I get things done, eventually. Lately, I've been doing better but there are still certain things or seasons when I know that I can push something back and get away with it. The postman probably thinks no one lives at my apartment because it may take me a week or two to check my mail. Some weeks, I may wait until 10 at night to start writing for this devotional blog. Yes, I get it done and enjoy it but I'm unnecessarily making the sacrifice of a good night's sleep
Just because you can do something late notice does not mean you should. At times, that can get you into trouble: some new, unexpected task pops up as well and you are sent scrambling for time and resources. Even at times when I am not rushed into multiple projects, just having that peace of doing things ahead of schedule lends itself to a comfort of double checking my work.

We should be prepared. Not just in everyday tasks but in everything we do for the Lord.
1 Peter 3:15
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect


As Evidence, our high school choir, leads us in worship this week, let us not forget our motivation to be active representations of our God along with all our daily tasks.

This weeks memory verse is
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Motivated,
Hailey

Majestic Glory.

majestic [məˈdʒɛstɪk]
having or displaying majesty or great dignity; grand; lofty

Trying to wrap my mind around the majesty of our great God. This photo by former Evidence member, Colby Wright of Mt. McKinley in the Denali national forest is helping.


Psalms 76:4
You are radiant with light,
more majestic than mountains rich with game.

Exodus 15:11
Who among the gods
is like you, Lord?
Who is like you—
majestic in holiness,
awesome in glory,
working wonders?

Job 37:4
After that comes the sound of his roar;
he thunders with his majestic voice.
When his voice resounds,
he holds nothing back.

2 Peter 1:17
He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Who is like our God?

None.

Joe

Don't Miss Out.

What a great message on Sunday....God says to Abram, "Leave your country, your relatives, and your father's family, and go to the land I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you. I will make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and I will place a curse on those who harm you. And all the people on earth will be blessed through you." Genesis 12:1-3

I remember one of my favorite moments from last summer. It involved my daughter and I going down the 40 foot hight, 700 foot long zipline at Carolina Creek Christian Camp. I thought surely my little girl is not going to want to do that....boy was I wrong! I remember for both of us that we had to make a decision...if we wanted to experience the thrill of flying through the air we had to leave the comfort and secuirty of the ground. So we started the long ascent up the steps. Why does it always seem so much higher once you get up to the top than it does from the ground?

We got to the top and we were hooked into the cable and we were sitting up there together. Both of our bodies were a little stiff and a little aprehensive. I looked over at her and asked her if she was ready. 1...2....3....we both slid off the security of the platform and the next thing we knew we are flying down the line, yelling, laughing, swinging our arms, kicking our legs and LIVING! What a great moment! The truth is we could never have had that moment if we would have refused to LEAVE the security of the ground. So when God asks you to LEAVE the comfort of what you're used to for a chance to experience the WILD adventure of following Him by faith.....Don't miss out!

in Christ,

Brian

Back To Normal?

When you come back from a mission or ministry, it's always a question.
I don't want to lose the passion, the intimacy with Christ and the sense of purpose. I want to keep that sense of closeness to the body of Christ.
So what is normal and is it bad?

Well if normal means forgetting what you learned or experienced by quickly returning to a busy lifestyle that has little time left for God or making disciples....then normal is bad.

But I don't believe that is normal for the Christian. I believe that is subnormal.

Normal is Galations 2:20.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

So this is what Watchman Nee writes in his Christian classic, "Normal Christian life."
He says normal is supposed to be, not I but Christ.

Nothing that is "special of peculiar" just less of me and more of Jesus.

God has One answer to the human need, that is Jesus Christ.

So I'm seriously jet lagged after a week in Zambia, and a two 9 hour flights, but I do get this, I will go back to "normal" only if it means more of God's grace, more of God power.

More of Jesus and less of me

Joe

Matthew 16:23
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.

Remember Who Goes With You.

I was reflecting on this final challenge that Jesus gives His followers before He ascends back up to heaven. This is described as the Great Commission that is given to all of His followers. It says,

16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” - Matthew 28

Did you read that part? 'when they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.' But some doubted? This wasn't a big gathering. It said that it was Jesus and the 11 disciples (Judas had betrayed Christ and taken his own life at this point). So even after a 3 year mission trip with Jesus (chalk-full of miracles and unforgetable moments), seeing Jesus die on a cross, and then with your own eyes seeing Him alive again, some of them were still struggling with doubt.

So Jesus immediately addresses His authority. When you go out in Jesus' name, you go out in THE authority that trumps all authorities in heaven and on earth. Because of His authority and not our own, we can confidently go into the world and make disciples today. Because of His authority and His presence ('I am always with you') we can pray for our spouse, our kids, our schools, our neighbors. We can boldly approach God and cry out for our communities and not settle for death and destruction to do whatever it wants.

It is time to come out of the timid, hiding behind the bushes, Christian experience and to walk in the authority of Christ. When doubt overwhelms you just remember that ALL authority is in Christ and your life is hidden in Christ and He is with you ALWAYS! Therefore go.....

in Christ,

Brian

This Too Shall Pass.

So. Much. Rain.

It has rained just about all week, if I recall, and it looks to continue throughout the week. I enjoy stormy weather, no complaints here. This saturating wet season we are experiencing certainly does bring back memories of last years drought. That was a long and hot 10 months and I can recall thinking that I must need to move north because, surely, I could not make it through another summer after that. We prayed for rain for so long it almost seemed like it would never come (certainly not soon enough for my liking).
The heat got pretty discouraging but I just had to keep reminding myself that God will always provide and this blazing heat could not last forever. Now, there's a song that pops into my head when I get discouraged waiting for an inevitable and needed change.
The chorus says:
Even the winter won't last forever
We'll see the morning, we'll feel the sun
We'll wake up in April, ready and able
holding the seeds and the soil of our love

Our God is a powerful and mighty God. He is stronger than any circumstances or trials that we may find daunting.
We have no need to fear or feel discouraged because we can find our confidence and our courage in Him.

Our God is GREATER
Our God is STRONGER
God, You are HIGHER than any other

Remind me not to feel so down when I should always remind myself that God provides.

Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

Let that be our verse for this week as our spirits seek to remain steadfast in the Lord.

Hailey

The Heights of Holiness and the Depths of Grace.

Why is grace such a hard concept to really receive? Free. Someone else has picked up the tab completely for our salvation, forgiveness, eternal life, adoption, and on and on. That someone else of course was Jesus, God's perfect Son. If I am honest with myself, I still drift towards this notion that I earn my acceptance before God. On a 'good' day when I remember to do my 'quiet time', I talk nice to my wife on the phone, and I don't lose my temper with my kids I might think to myself...'you know, God is sure lucky to have me on His team'. Then there are those not so 'good' days where I hit snooze, I speed, I forget to read my Bible, I snap at someone, I have all kinds of horrible thoughts, etc and I think 'I am such an awful person...God doesn't love me....no way.'

But both of these thought patterns are completely off. Those 'good' day thoughts fall miserably short of understanding God's holiness. The fact is that even my best days and my best efforts are like 'filthy rags' as it says in Isaiah 64:6. I call them 'good' based on my comparison to the average person around me and not based on God's perfect standard of holiness. My 'bad' day thoughts also are way off. They fall miserable short of understanding God's grace. The grace of God extended to the criminal on the cross, the woman caught in adultery, the tax collector, and the demon-posessed. Over the centuries that grace has extended to the murderers, the rapists, and the vilest offenders who have done the most evil things imaginable. Yes, I fall immeasurably short on either side of the spectrum. I just don't get the height of God's holiness and the depth of God's grace. All I can do is allow His holiness to convict me as guilty and His grace to declare my as righteous. My job is not to earn but to accept by faith what He has purchased for me and in turn live a life out of gratitude for this priceless gift. Wow, what an amazing God we serve.

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

in Christ,

Brian

Greetings From Zambia!

Met part of my family today and who knew, they are here in Lusaka, Zambia. And they weren't distance cousins, they were brothers and sisters. And the family resemblance was amazing. Their smile, just like my father. I instantly had this bond. When they spoke I heard phrases that sounded just like Someone I feel very close to. That's how it is with family. You just feel a sense of belonging.

This week I have two Zambian partners who will be working with me all week. They will help me share Christ with 10 orphan boys here at Camp life. I met one of the partners today. His name was Eric. We had an immediate bond with each other. To hear him speak was like hearing one of my close brothers speak. We had such similar thoughts. We have such similar approach to life and family. Only one explanation makes any sense. He knows Jesus. Because of that we are part of not only the same family, but the same body. That oneness, that's unity..........that's the church.

Romans 12:5
so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

Joe

Worship In The Everyday.

'1 So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life - and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. 2 Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.' Romans 12:1-2

I love the challenge of this passage. My friend and I went to visit the 'Campus of Hope' in Conroe yesterday. Don Johnson, long time member of StoneBridge, has begun a ministry recently that provides food, daytime shelter, clothes and encouragement to the hundreds of homeless in Conroe 7 days a week. We had a chance to tour his facility and witness first-hand what it looks like to be the hands and feet of Jesus to the forgotten and the least of these. As we were reflecting on our visit we were talking about how we could live out this kind of raw compassion on a more daily basis like Don does. What if we regularly bought extra groceries for those in need? What if we took a little more time with our waitress and asked if we could pray for her? what if we regularly used more of our free time to pray for others or plan creative ways for our families to go and serve others? What if serving others became a normal part of our daily rhythm? I think that's the kind of worship that really brings a smile to our Father's face. That's the kind of worship where we take our 'everyday ordinary life and place it before Him as an offering.'

in Christ,

Brian

Personality Test.

This morning some coworkers and I started discussing personality tests. There was one in
particular that takes your personality result and goes a step further to explain how the corresponding traits affect relationships with coworkers, friends, and family. In was interesting to read this article that, very accurately, described myself. There were a couple things that it didn't cover, but what test will after only 60 questions?
But there was more, it also had corresponding articles about how that personality functions in relationships with coworkers, family, and friends. It even gave tips on what to work on to strengthen the weaknesses inherent to my results.
It just added a certain, new level of self-awareness, pin-pointing those tendencies that I hadn't quite given a name to yet.

All this to say that being self aware is very important. I can be super pumped and ready to go out and share the gospel but if I am unaware of how I am being perceived, I could accidentally be coming across totally wrong. Self awareness is important for interactions with people we meet everyday and how we are perceived as believers. Knowing what my tendencies are, socially, allows me to use my strengths and know how to combat my weakness so that I am being interpreted as the Christ loving person I try to be.


Hailey

"Shared joy is a double joy; shared sorrow is half a sorrow” Swedish Proverb.

This week I shared a very joyful picture with my daughter and granddaughter on Facebook. In a relatively short amount of time, friends began to comment or "like" the photo. I have to say my joy was already complete, but as my friends joined me in celebrating this happy moment, I was "over joyed."

In the good times and difficult times in life...............we need our friends.

Romans 12:15 says we are to- "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep."

When Elizabeth the mother of John the Baptist had her baby, this miracle was celebrated by the whole community.

Luke 1:57. 58 When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy."

When Jesus was sorrowful, He wanted his disciples to be nearby.

Matthew 26:38
Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

That night they didn't come through for Jesus. But Jesus knew that His sorrow would have been easier to bear in the fellowship of his closest friends.

I remember the time my father stayed the night on the couch in the home of his best friend, after his friend's wife passed away. His friend let our family know that even though Dad didn't say much that night, his presence brought much comfort.

So if the often reserved Swede's know that joy and sorrow are to be shared, then certainly those of us who have the same Heavenly Father can share the comfort and joy of our Saviour.

Comfort and Joy,
Joe

Dare To Be You.

Yesterday I was reading a little bit more in the book 'Beautiful Outlaw' by John Eldredge and he was writing about how Jesus is perfectly true to Himself. No other person in all of history has ever lived a life purely as Himself and wholly devoted to pleasing God every waking minute. Check out this verse in John 8. It says, '29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.' Think about that...'I always do what pleases Him.' When we really start to get honest with ourselves we are a far cry from this kind of life. Every day we dress, carry ourselves, talk, and act in ways that fit into whatever group we are trying to win acceptance from. I think about my highschool days. There were certain brands that were 'cool' to wear and other brands that were a social death sentence. I remember having nightmares about being seen buying clothes in K Mart.

When I really stop and reflect on my life I am obsessed with pleasing people and I am constantly haunted by the fear of men and worried about letting someone down or being rejected. So I adapt my behavior to be acceptable in their sight and win their approval. God wants to sanctify that in me where more and more each day I can become truly 'me.' How freeing to wake up in the morning and live a day purely as yourself and not trying to be someone you're not. That's how Jesus lived each and every day. There wasn't a single cell in His body that was trying to please the religious leaders, the social elites or the 'cool' crowd but rather He simply hit the ground each day as Himself, living to please His Father. The apostle Paul also challenges us to live this way. Check out what he says in Galatians 1:10 '10 Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.' What a great question for you and me to ask ourselves today and in each moment and each decision we make....who am I trying to please? God or man?

in Christ,
Brian

They Believe.

This Sunday, as we honored those who serve to preserve and protect our country and our freedom, I was deeply moved. It was hard not to be.

When I think of the sacrifice of the men and women who have or are currently serving in the military, I am overwhelmed.

When I see family members standing in memory of a loved one, I am undone.

The people we celebrate are men and women of faith. They believe.

I want to share the mottos or core values of each branch of the service. This may not be definitive, but it does speak to the faith and commitment of those who serve.

US Air force- Integrity First, Service Before Self, Excellence in All We Do
US Coast Guard- Always Ready
US Navy- Honor, Courage, Commitment
US Army- This We'll Defend
US Marines- Always Faithful


As I read these mottos and core values two Scriptures come quickly to mind.

Ephesians 6:15 "and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one."

1 John 5:4-5
for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

I hope today we will all be inspired by the men and women in the Armed Forces to be faithful and ready, to put others first and to live courageous lives.

And always remember that the ultimate victory is through faith in Christ alone,

Gratefully,

Joe