Archive for June, 2007
What God Is Teaching Me Through Charisse… June 29, 2007
OK…a few thoughts on this Friday (and YES, there is a picture at the bottom!!!)
- So far I have changed every diaper that Charisse has demolished!!! AND I haven’t minded at all…I want her to be clean…that is how God feels about cleaning us up, He actually became sin for us! (II Corinthians 5:21)
- All I want to do is hold her…be close to her…and freeze those moments. God has those same desires, for His children to be close to Him! He sent Jesus to die on a cross NOT just so that we go to heaven…but to have an ongoing relationship with us!!!
- Charisse does not completely understand all of the good things that I want to do for her…she never will, and I think we have no idea what wonderful things God has in mind. (Matthew 7:11)
- There is NOTHING I would not do for her–NOTHING! That is how God feels about blessing His kids! (Psalm 2:8)
- In cleaning her up I have had to put her in uncomfortable situations…but only because I love her and want her to be clean. That is why God takes us through uncomfortable situations. We don’t understand…but it is all for our own good. (Romans 8:28)
- There is NOTHING that Charisse could do to make me stop loving her–that is how God feels about His children. (Romans 8:38-39)
- Charisse has not worked for my love, she was born. that’s it–we do not work for the love of God. He just radically loves us!!! (John 3:3, John 3:16)
Dang–this fatherhood stuff is awesome–speaking of that here is me and my daughter!
I am REALLY looking forward to speaking on Sunday!
Here Are The Two Most Beautiful Women On The Planet!!! June 28, 2007
OK…so…this is MY BLOG and I am one of “those dads” who will probably NEVER stop talking about his little girl! She’s awesome! She already has my heart!!!
This moment was caught on camera yesterday just minutes after she was born. She was crying & the doctor put her on Lucretia’s chest…as soon as ‘Cretia began talking to her she stopped crying and opened her eyes…and then I STARTED CRYING!
Her birth has made the love of God, the PERFECT FATHER so real to me! WOW! I just held her yesterday for what seemed like forever and wanted time to stand still. She’s mine…and there is nothing I would not do for her.
Yes Lord, I think I am finally beginning to comprehend Your love!!!
Charisse IS HERE!!! June 27, 2007
NO, this is NOT a JOKE! She was born this morning–eight pounds!!!
Mommy and baby are both great–daddy, on the other hand, feels like he could run a marathon RIGHT NOW! Holy cow–this is AWESOME! WOW! YEAH GOD!!! How in the world can anyone witness the birth of a child and deny that HE exists!!!
I can’t wait to preach on Sunday…and YES, I WILL HAVE PICTURES!
Here’s one for now! Thanks for the prayers.
Oh yeah, two more things…
#1 – No flowers please!!! We ask that, if you really want to send something, please send a restaurant gift card to the office–that way we can grub and ‘Cretia doesn’t have to eat my cooking.
#2 – No visitors please…mommy and baby need rest.
Get Ready To Rock On Friday!!! June 27, 2007
Don’t forget THIS FRIDAY NIGHT–NewSpring will be sponsoring a benefit concert to raise money for Anderson Interfaith Ministries and the Crisis Pregnancy Center. These are two OUTSTANDING organizations that serve our community so well. Last year we were able to give each of them over $10,000 a piece–and we want to do more this year.
Remember…it is at the William Floyd Amphitheatre located at the Anderson Civic Center. The gates open at 6:00 and the concert will kick off at 7:00 and will feature our band…I CAN’T WAIT!!! THEN…later on that night we will finish off with an amazing fireworks show!!!
The “suggested” donation is $10 per person and $20 per family–with EVERY DIME going towards these two organizations…folks, EVERY DIME!!! NewSpring is NOT taking out any money–our church is totally underwriting the event…and the band and staff are donating their time. This is just one of the ways we can say “thank you” to the organizations in our community that are knocking it out of the park.
A personal note…
These two organizations are special to me because Anderson Interfaith Ministries has helped me! When I graduated from college my father and I had to find a place to live–but we did not have the money for the deposit to get our power and water cut on. We had heard about Anderson Interfaith Ministries and so we went through the application process with them…and they helped us get power and water. Like I have said before–I know what it’s like to need help–and I have NEVER forgotten what this organization did for me and my dad.
The crisis pregnancy center is special to me because I am about to be a dad. Inside my wife right now is a LIFE–not a fetus…and not a “choice!” I believe in this ministry and I know that they are being used by God to make a difference.
Once again–Friday–gates open at 6:00–don’t miss it!!!
Here–take it, it’s free! June 26, 2007
I said last week that a big announcement would be coming on this site this week–well, I can’t say it any better than Tony said it! This pumps me up!
My Bible Journey June 26, 2007
I just completed the book of Job…WOW…here are some thoughts I had on my journey.
- Job 1:21, I came into the world with nothing–that is how I will leave–everything I have is God’s–I am a steward.
- I am so glad my wife loves Jesus and loves me and does not do what Job’s wife did in Job 2:9-10. Problem–she wanted to bail on her husband when things got rough. Thank you Lucretia for loving me–even when its tough to do so.
- Job had really legalistic friends…I thank God that I’ve got friends who love me.
- God despises self righteousness and arrogance.
- Job 5:9, God has done so many awesome things that I could NEVER count them!
- Job 7:7, my life is but a breath…I’ve got one shot at life–I want to do it right!
- God is Holy and so are His ways…He has never had to say “oops” or “my bad!” And that means I can trust Him…no matter what happens. HE IS STILL GOD!!!
- Job 28:28–enough said!!!
- Job 31:1 is a commitment that EVERY MAN needs to make. The world would be a much better place if men would simply learn how to keep their pants on!!!
- AND…I’ve got to say this…the world would also be a much better place if some women didn’t feel as if they needed to show off their boobs!!! Dang ladies!!! What the heck!!! I will say this with no shame–put them away–they are for your husbands eyes only!!! If you want men to stop treating you like a piece of meat then quit putting yourself on display!!!
- Job 32:18-22, I pray that this kind of passion is always consuming me when I speak.
- Job 41:11–I don’t own a thing–everything I have is on loan from God.
- Job 42:7, focus on the Lord & do what is right in His eyes…and He will handle those who oppose you!
- Pray for your friends who have hurt you–and God will move in incredible ways. Job 42:7-9
- God is SO incredible AND blesses us beyond anything we deserve, Job 42:10-17
- Job 42:13-15, I want to raise a godly daughter and pass on to her an inheritance, not boatloads of debt and a bill for my funeral!
- Job 42:17, I want to finish well!
Is God First In Your Finances? June 25, 2007
Whenever I speak about money (as I did this past Sunday) I ALWAYS talk about the fact that I have one of THE most screwed up financial pasts of anyone I know. I received Christ in 1990; however, I didn’t put Him first in my finances until 1999–and I learned the hard way that until God is in control–I am out of control.
What are some of the dumb decisions that I made?
- Borrowing money for other people; after all, they said they would pay me back!
- I once financed a car for 84 months at 12% interest; after all, the guy at the dealership told me it was a great deal.
- Continuing to get a newer car and LOSING money every time I traded one in.
- Credit cards–dang, I could write a book! I got my first card “in case of an emergency,” ran it up–then got another offer (that HAD to be God, right) and transferred my balance–which allowed me to max out the original card again…at one time I think I had balances on either five or six cards.
- Finance companies…keep in mind there is a reason that there is “fine print” on the contract–it’s because they don’t want you to know that you are about to get screwed!
- Buy now, pay later–yeah, nothing like paying for furniture that is WORN OUT by the time you make the first payment.
By 1999/2000 I had racked up over $100k in debt and DIDN’T EVEN OWN A HOME!!! Please read that again–I was IN A PIT financially and had thoughts of declaring bankruptcy to get out. (By the way–more Americans will declare bankruptcy this year than graduate from college…yes, it’s a problem.)
THEN…in late 1999 and early in 2000 I came to this conclusion, “When Jesus saved me…He saved all of me…and if He can keep me from going to hell because I surrendered my life to Him then maybe He can pull me out of my financial hell if I finally surrender that area to Him as well.”
Folks…I struggled with this…I had ever excuse in the book as to why I didn’t need to tithe and give offerings–AND I WAS IN THE MINISTRY…but the Lord used several things to rock my world…
Malachi 3:6-12 – here God showed me that my finances were under a curse because He was not first…and that if I would take a step of faith that He would bless me in ways that were beyond my imagination.
Matthew 6:21 – here He showed me that IT IS IMPOSSIBLE to call Jesus “Lord” and not have my checkbook reflect that fact.
Matthew 6:24 – I had to finally face the fact that being obsessed with money meant that I was not obsessed with God!
I Corinthians 16:1-2 showed me that if I would just do my part and give that the church would not need to take up “special offerings” because the tithes would more than support God’s work.
II Corinthians 9:6-15 hit me between the eyes!!! It showed me that I wasn’t giving because I didn’t trust God…and it was hypocritical of me to claim that I trusted Jesus with my eternity but then would not trust Him with my checkbook.
II Corinthians 9:15 was the NAIL in the coffin–God is a giver, a gracious giver…a generous giver, I deserved hell…but when I cried out to Him Jesus saved me!!! That is a gift!!!
I finally came to the point where I confessed to God that I had been robbing Him (Malachi 3:8-9) and repented of this. It was NOT easy because every time I wrote my tithe check I would think of other areas in which I could spend that money. BUT the Holy Spirit often reminded me, “Giving is one of the ONLY tangible ways that you can demonstrate your love for me!” God demonstrated HIS love by giving!!! (John 3:16)
That’s my story. I am one of those people who can say it was a struggle for me to get to this point…but now that I am here I can’t afford NOT to tithe!!!
Folks…it is all God’s–everything. I am merely a steward of His gifts…and if He says to put HIM FIRST (Proverbs 3:9-10) then I will do that–He hasn’t led me astray–EVER–besides, I spent many years without Him involved in my finances and got into nothing but trouble!!! I had nothing to lose.
One more thing…tithing is the first step in putting God first, but it is NOT the only step. I discovered this in 2003…that I needed to learn how to live on a budget–that I needed to make wise financial decisions, that I needed to STOP buying things on impulse, that I needed to invest…
NO ONE was teaching this…and to be honest, combine this with the fact that I began tithing and I REALLY began to see some daylight.
That is why I think everyone at NewSpring who has never attended Joe’s Financial learning experience NEEDS to be there tomorrow night (Tuesday!) IT’S FREE–and when you get there we aren’t going to try to sell you ANYTHING!!! We don’t want anything FROM you–we want something FOR YOU!!!
If I could beg each person personally–I would!!! If you want to register–here is the link! You have no excuse…we will even take care of your kids…just sign up!!!
“What if I don’t attend NewSpring, but I want to come to the class!” COME ON!!! This isn’t about NewSpring…this is about God’s kingdom!!!!
This is my story…God has done a work in me…I pray He will do the same for all of us!