Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Time Flys


It really is crazy how quick the time has flown by this past year. It's been a big year for me. I moved to Springfield, MO in August of 2007 to be the Student Pastor at Central Assembly, got married November 10, 2007, and bought my first home August 22, 2008. God has been so faithful to me and has blessed me beyond what I deserve.
Jess and I celebrated one year of marriage just a couple weeks ago and I can't tell you how thankful I am for her. She is my best friend, my biggest supporter, and my encouragement!
With the Thanksgiving Holiday coming tomorrow let me encourage you to take some time to reflect on all the things you are thankful for. You'll be surprised just how many there are and how it can change your attitude and add a smile to your face.

Be thankful for and enjoy all the blessings you have because time truly does FLY!

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Holy Discontent


Just been dreaming about the future of Fusion. Andy Stanley described vision as what could be, should be, and will be. I've been challenged today to dream a little bigger. To not be satisfied with where I am personally or where Fusion is as a ministry. I know I can do more and Fusion can do more. And not so that I or Fusion can become successful but because there are lost people that are searching for a hope that can only be found in Christ. We constantly need to challenge ourselves not only to dream but do what it takes to see the dream become reality. There are no limits with God but only the limits we put on ourselves.

God help us to dream big and sacrifice to see the dream become REALity! Amen

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Faith and Finances



Faith by definition means to have complete trust in someone or something. As Christians we are commanded to put our faith in God. To trust him with every aspect of our lives. I find it easy to completely trust God with some areas in my life but hard to completely trust him with some other areas. One area I think we all can struggle with is finances. America has taught us to put our trust in money, or as I call it the "Green God." Our culture pulls us to put our hope and faith in our paycheck, stock market, and retirement rather than God.
With the current economic troubles we are facing in America I'll have to say that my faith has been put to the test. I have had to ask myself, "Do I completely trust God with my finances?" Thankfully since I was young my father taught me to always be a faithful tither and giver. I have always believed that if I'm faithful to God He will be even MORE faithful to me. Although my faith has been tested it has remained strong because of those values my dad instilled in me.
On CNN last night they did a report on church offerings going down and how many churches are cutting back in order to keep the doors open. This troubles me. If we really have our faith in God and trust him with our finances our giving should be going UP not DOWN. God desires to bless and take care of us, but this only happens when we in faith obey his word and continue to give even in tough times. We can not be gripped by FEAR but must let go and trust God by FAITH!

Many will say, "I just can't afford to give." But I say, "We can't afford not to give."
Praise God that we don't have to worry about anything because he promises to provide!

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Dead Zones

We've all heard over a hundred times the Verizon Wireless slogan "Can you hear me now?". Their most recent marketing commercials are all about the "Dead Zones" we hit in our cell phone service, and with the Verizon Network you don't have to worry about ever loosing your connection. Check it out...



In our most recent sermon series Fusion HD (Highly Defined: a detailed, clear look at our mission at Fusion) I preached to our students on how we "connect to God". One of the biggest responsibilities we have outside of a consistent devotional life full of prayer and God's word is to Keep a Clear Connection. There is nothing worse then hitting the "Dead Zones" in our walk with God. Areas where there is static and interference between God and us. The good thing is that God always gives us great reception and we can always have full "God Bars" when we need them. However, the bad thing is that God gives us free will and we often CHOOSE to bring things "sin" into our life that causes the connection to go bad.

Isaiah 59:1-2 says...
Listen the LORD is not too weak to save you, and he is not becoming deaf. He can hear you when you call. But there is a problem- your sins have cut you off from God. Because of your sin, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.

The old Roman Catholic Bishop, St. Alphonsus Liguori, said "Nothing but self-will can separate us from God." We have to make sure that we don't choose to allow things to bring static into our connection with God. As the scripture says, he can always hear us but we can't always hear him. We can go places and do things that cause the "God Bars" to drop too low. Just like we would do with the dead zones in our cell phone coverage, we have to avoid people, places, and things that cut us off from God. We have to get rid of all the junk and sin that causes us to lose our connection with God.

What are the "dead zones" in your relationship with God? How high are the "God Bars" in your connection with God?

Monday, August 18, 2008

House = Done!


On Friday August 22 Jess and I will close on our first home. We are very excited and can't wait to finally be in it. We looked consistently for almost 3 months before stumbling upon "the one". We are so thankful for how much God has blessed us. I've been at Central now for over a year (hard to believe), we've been married for over 9 months (even more harder to believe), and things can't be going better! I am honored to serve at such a great church, work with such great people, and lead such an amazing student ministry. http://www.studentsfusion.org/

Life is GOOD!

God is always faithful and never fails!

More posts coming soon!

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Risky Business



I got the amazing opportunity to preach a message entitled Risky Business in "Big Church" last weekend at Central.
If you'd like to listen click here.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Words from comedian George Carlin


A friend forwarded me this message from comedian George Carlin and I thought I would share it with all of you. Sorry that I haven't posted much lately. I've been super busy with the summer schedule of Fusion and buying my first home! I promise to post more regularly once it all slows down.


George wrote...


The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.


We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.


We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.


We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.


We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.


These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...


Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.


AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:


Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.



- George Carlin