Real Life

Col 3:1-3 "IF THEN you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, thus sharing His resurrection from the dead], aim at and seek the [rich, eternal treasures] that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2And set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth. 3For [as far as this world is concerned] you have died, and your [new, real] life is hidden with Christ in God."(AMP)
"Our lives are hidden with Christ." Our life is found in Him and in Him alone. For those of you who know me know that I struggle with materialism, I always have. I am learning that my possessions need to have there proper place as do all things in this life. A prime example of this is sports... I love sports! The Red Sox, The Raiders, and with March Madness here I would love to see Duke University win it all. But... Can I really find true Joy in those things?
    Red sox fans know better. 2004 is long gone (that was the first time in 86 years that they won the world series). They also won it in 2007... But 2007 is long gone. Every baseball season the cycle starts over, and we cant draw on the past joys that we have experienced. especially in this life. When they win we are overjoyed, but it only lasts for a little while, and then, as I said, the cycle starts over with a new season, no matter what sport we are talking about.
    As far as possessions or money, there will never be enough. We will always want the better thing. Notice how Apple comes out with a new iphone, ipad, or ipod every year?! That is so we will think that the one that we bought previously is no good now.. Or we are not cool if we dont have the new latest and greatest thing that comes out. Are these things where we will find true joy and contentment?
    2 Peter 3:10 says "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will vanish (pass away) with a thunderous crash, and the [[a]material] elements [of the universe] will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and the works that are upon it will be burned up." 
 Everything that we have or can obtain in this life, every material thing that exists will cease to exist. The only thing in this life and the next that can bring us true joy is Jesus Christ and serving Him!
      Does your life lack true joy? Look to Jesus. Ask Him how you might serve Him today, how you can give yourself and the resources that He has given to you.
     Do you know Jesus? Please accept Him today! He died on the cross and rose again from the dead so that you could have eternal life! And that your eternal life could start here while on this earth.

Stepping Out in Faith

Stepping out in faith can be frightening.
Especially if you are stepping away from the avenues that make sense.
Especially if people that you trust tell you that you :  a) are not in God's will,  and b) give you sound Biblical advice about submitting to leadership.

But there comes a point when you have to choose.
Do we obey the intense leading of the Lord,  even though it doesn't make a lot of sense,  and people don't understand?  When our pastor is telling us we are wrong?

Or do we step out in faith?

Proverbs 16:9
A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.


Sometimes you have be to radical...


Following the God of the Universe is an adventure.
And when He gives you a calling, you can expect that it is going to take twist and turns that you do not expect.  Sometimes you have to leave the familiar, and what seems right.  We are looking at our journey from only our own vantage point.  But our Creator God is seeing everything, and knows what needs to happen in order to accomplish His purposes.

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
John 10:27

We know His voice.
My husband and I have been Christians for over a decade, and in those years, we have learned what His voice sounds like.  We have grown accustomed to the ways that He speaks to us.

And our God is relentless.
When our leadership had us convinced that we weren't hearing from God, that we were being clouded by selfish ambition, our God persisted.

When we tried to convince ourselves that we were wrong (out of submission to leadership), God began using other methods. And FINALLY we began to see that we could still hear His voice.


Twice in my life have I been told something by leadership that made me doubt my ability to hear when God was speaking to me. The first time I was much younger in my faith, and didn't have the confidence to question it.  I didn't begin to heal from that experience, and grow in my faith until after we left that church, and started attending a different one.

This time, since everything about this adventure is new to us, and we have no idea HOW He is going to do things, we are always questioning what we are hearing, and asking for confirmation before we make any steps forward.  Our desire is to stay right in the center of His will, not making any moves that are not directed by Him.

We are grateful for the confirmation that we have in fact been hearing from the Lord the whole time, and have been made more confident in our ability to stay right in His will.  While the situation is painful, we are now more fully equipped for this good work that He has laid before us.

To quote my favorite song, by Laura Story:

Sometimes your blessings come through raindrops,
Sometimes you healing comes through tears,
Sometimes a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know you're near.
What if trials of this life
are your mercies in disguise.

Who does Christ identify with?

1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:

2 Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. 3 Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. 4 Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. 5 Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, 6 and Jesse begot David the king.

David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife[a] of Uriah. 7 Solomon begot Rehoboam, Rehoboam begot Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa.[b] 8 Asa begot Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah. 9 Uzziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah. 10 Hezekiah begot Manasseh, Manasseh begot Amon,[c] and Amon begot Josiah. 11 Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were carried away to Babylon.

12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel. 13 Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor. 14 Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud. 15 Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob. 16 And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.

As I read over the genealogy in Matthews’ Gospel I think of how many times I have had to read other genealogies in the old testament and how I despise to read them only because I can barely pronounce the words.

This genealogy is so different and mainly because it the direct line all the way from Abraham and through the tribe of Judah.

I myself have singled out certain people in this genealogy thinking “why in the world are they in there!!” And just amazed at others that are named in there, namely Tamar, Ruth and Rahab… Especially Rahab! Not just a woman but also a prostitute and not just that, but a gentile as well!!

But there are so many other names in this genealogy that we should be amazed at. BUT we should be amazed that there are any names in there.

To start off The patriarchs were liars, attempted murderers and thieves. David himself was a murderer and adulterer and the the Bible labels him “A man after Gods’ own heart!!” Some of the most wicked kings in Israel’s history are named here…

Then I have to ask myself “why” why would Jesus identify with such people?

I was going to go through every name one by one and talk about why I am so amazed at why such people would be in this genealogy…

But then by the sprits leading I got to thinking about me… me… Why would Jesus choose me?! Choose me to plant a Church and bring the gospel to the lost in this region.. As far as I am concerned I may not have sawn a prophet in two but according to Christ my anger towards others in the past has been the same as murder, and I am just naming one thing… I am the most filthy, rotten sinner that I know!!

We are quick to look at a list of these people and be in total amazement and rightly so. We should also be amazed that God would use us!! When I think about that I realize that I can identify with this list of people! I can identify and relate with 12 clueless people that Jesus chose to be his disciples and even prayed all night the night before.

Jesus you are amazing!!! Thank you for your grace and mercy to a sinner like myself!

Help me to show grace and mercy to others as you have shown it to me!!