That's the way I see it....

Does God Really Exist?

2006-10-30T18:31:00.000-08:00

I am a Barber by trade so this caught my attention...I hope you enjoy it too...

A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed.
As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation.
They talked about so many things and various subjects. When they
eventually touched on the subject of God,

The barber: I don't believe that God exists.
The customer: Why do you say that?

The barber: Well l, you just have to go out in the street to realize
that God doesn't exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many
sick people?

Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be
neither suffering nor pain. I can't imagine a loving God who would allow
all of these things.

The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond because he didn't
want to start an argument. The barber finished his job and the customer
left the shop.

Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long,
stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and unkempt.

The customer turned back and entered the barber's shop again.

The customer: You know what? Barbers do not exist.

The barber: How can you say that? I am here, and I am a barber. And I
just worked on you!

The customer: "No! Barbers don't exist because if they did, there would
be no people with dirty long hair and
untrimmed beards, like that man outside.

The barber: Ah!, but barbers DO exist! What happens is, people do not
come to me.

The customer: Exactly! That's the point! God, too, DOES exist! What
happens, is, people don't go to Him and do not look for Him. That's why
there's so much pain and suffering in the world.
_________________

"If it works use it"

2006-09-21T20:45:00.000-07:00

If it works use it, if it doesn't then dispose of it. I have tried to make that one of my motto's for life. I am a firm believer that if something is working in your life (for good/positive results) you should use it. We are a results driven (for better or worse) society and we are always looking for a better way to achieve them. Some of our churches are stuck in a deep rut. They keep doing the same old same old with little or no results. Just maybe it's time we quit being critical of others who use different methods and give them a try for ourselves. Whether you call it emergent/seeker sensative/whatever they are seeing results. Let's look at it like a chicken dinner...eat the meat (something you can use) and throw away the bones (something impracticle for your situation). Status quo is not working for many of you/us. Don't be afraid to try something new. Get out of the box and make a difference in your church, your community, your world...souls are counting on you...many of them are your family.

Has God ever changed?

2006-06-17T15:49:00.000-07:00

In the world we live in today, we see a lot of changes in the way people serve God. At one time people feared God and would not cross certain lines. They seemed to fear what COULD happen if they went against the WILL of God. They tried to live as CLOSE to God as they could. Todays world seems to follow a different method. They (many/most people) seem to try to live as far away from God as they can and still go to Heaven. The trouble I see with this method is that folks walk a thin line between "being in this world but not of it" and "being in this world and being of it". I am reminded of Lott's wife in the Old Testament whom when God gave specific instructions not to look back at the cities of Sodom and Gomorah as they were fleeing from the destruction that was to come on the cities. She loved the carnality of those cities so much that she just had to have one more look. It cost her everything as she was turned into a pillar of salt for her disobedience. Where is our fear today? Not fear of destruction so much but a respectful fear that seeks to please God and live as close to Him as one possibly can. Have we become so enammered by the seductions of this world that we no longer feel the need to get as close to God as we can?

Are we close enough to GOD to be led by GOD?

2005-10-15T12:33:00.000-07:00

As I have been pondering my message this week, I began to wonder, just how sensative to GOD's Spirit are we? I am preaching from Acts chapters 6-8 Sunday Morning. I am studying about Philip and Stephen and their work for the LORD. On the one hand Stephen's obedience cost him his very life (physical). But Philip on the other hand after the murder of Stephen was so sensative to GOD's leading that he preached to the Samaritans and to the Ethiopian and won them to the LORD.

Many times we get so bogged down with "STUFF" in our lives that road blocks seem to pop up and keep us from fullfilling GOD's Will . We don't respond to the tug of HIS Spirit as Philip did, thus putting us in disobedience. How many lost souls are out there that we were supposed to encounter, but because of "STUFF" getting in our path, we failed to respond.

Folks, we need to slow our pace down a bit. We are going at a NASCAR Race speed and are missing some wonderful things. I challenge you to stop and smell the roses this week. Give GOD and your family more than you give this world. You won't regret it.

Be Blessed!

Mem03

Do we really care?

2005-10-10T18:20:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I have to stop and ask myself this serious question. Do we really care about the smaller, family friendly churches? That would tend to include all churches under 200. When a congregation reaches certain sizes, do you feel they lose the personal touch? Do you miss the days when you knew everyone in the church? How can we blend the two church types together? I do love the fact that the churches are doing well and growing to larger sizes, but I wonder if we would be better served by planting new churches in other areas. The largest church I have ever been on staff at was 400 to 450. Sadly it seemed impossible to get to know everyone there.

There are some great benefits to belonging to a Large/Mega Church. You never seem to have a shortage of money to use for ministry. The youth programs are usually top notch and never seem to lack for anything. They sure have good group ministries and great outreach.

I guess we all have to find our nitch and figure out where we fit in best. It's for sure that the LORD is returning soon and we all need to be busy about the FATHERS business. Keep us in your prayers.

Bless You !

Are we (The Church) compromising with the world?

2005-07-25T02:18:00.000-07:00

In a bold new world filling up with Mega Churches, seemingly as fast as the buildings can be built; are we compromising Christian morals and values to entice the masses? Understand that I am not criticizing nor am I defending this practice. I am merely trying to understand when the line got erased or where it was moved to. Or is there even a line to cross anymore? What is the standard now? As a young man growing up in a Pentecostal Church, we would have never allowed things that are readily accepted in the Pentecostal movement today. I guess my real delemma is, if it was wrong then, why is it not wrong now? Or perhaps the better question should be, If it is not wrong now, why was it wrong back then? Either way, it seems to this Pastor that someone owes someone a mountain of appologies. Am I the only one that has these questions?