Energy Source

Imagine that you have a brand new home entertainment system.  It includes a fifty inch high definition  television with surround sound and blue ray movie player attached.  It has every possible feature you can imagine a system having along with every cable station you want at a super low price.  It also comes with a unlimited supply of blue ray movies, a super remote control with voice command, and an expresso maker on the side.  Ok, maybe not the expresso maker.  But it has everything else that you could possibly think you need in a home enertainment device.  Last but not least, it has the ability to play Itunes, CD's, HD radio, and satillite radio.  I think it would look a little something like this:

Now imagine that you have all of that available to you for your enjoyment; but with one small problem...

You don't have any electricity in the house.

That would make everything that I just listed pretty useless, wouldn't it?  Yet that is exactly how our lives are if we don't have a close and personal relationship with God.  The one thing that is missing turns out to be the most important thing missing.  

In my line of work, I run into a lot of people who are fairly well off financially. You can tell by the cars, the houses, and the titles.  But more often than not you can see the loneliness, the strained relationships, and the emptiness in their lives as well.  I can remember talking to a gentleman that must have had every materialistic thing that a person could possibly want; yet he still seemed like the most unhappy person in the world.  He had something missing in his life.  I don't know for sure, but I am guessing that he probably sacrificed some relationships (with God and family) to achieve that financial success. 

All I'm saying is check your power source.  Pray.  Study your Bible.  Let the Holy Spirit guide you.  You may not get the super dooper entertainment system.  But what you do receive just might be much more valuble.

Peace and Love,

Rev. Mike

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A Bike Ride With God

I heard this on the radio this morning and had to share..

Author unknown
Written sometime between 1910 and 1985.

At first I saw God as my observer, my judge, keeping track of the things I did wrong, so as to know whether I merited heaven or hell when I die. He was out there, sort of like the president. I recognized His picture when I saw it, but I really didn't know him.

But later on when I met Christ, it seemed as though life were rather like a bike ride, but it was a tandem bike, and I noticed that Christ was in the back helping me pedal. I don't know just when it was that He suggested that we change places, but life has not been the same since. When I had control, I knew the way. It was rather boring but predictable ... It was the shortest distance between two points. But when He took the lead, He knew delightful long cuts, up mountains, and through rocky places at breakneck speeds, and it was all I could do to hang on!

Even though it looked like madness, He said, "Pedal." I worried and was anxious and asked, "Where are You taking me?" He laughed and didn't answer, and I started to learn to trust. I forgot my boring life and entered into the adventure. And when I say, "I'm scared," He'd lean back and touch my hand. He took me to people with gifts that I needed, gifts of healing, acceptance, and joy. They gave me gifts to take on my journey, my Lord's and mine. And we're off again. He said, "Give the gifts away, they're extra baggage, too much weight." So I did, to the people we met, and I found that in giving I received, and still our burden was light.

I did not trust Him at first, to be in control of my life, I thought He would wreck it; But He knows bike secrets, knows how to make it bend to take sharp corners, knows how to jump to clear high rocks, knows how to fly to shorten scary passages. I'm learning to shut up and pedal in the strangest places, and I'm beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face with my delightful constant companion, Jesus Christ. And when I'm sure I just can't do anymore, He smiles and says ... "Pedal."


Better to ride with Jesus than with the mother of Lucy, Linus, and Rerun!




Peace and Love,




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These Things Take Time

Do you have an idea of what your destiny is?  Have you received an idea of what God wants you to do; yet it seem like God is taking a long time to allow you to completely enter that destiny?  Ponder these things...

Abraham
Abraham was 75 years old when God spoke to him and told him to go to a land that He would show him (Genesis chapter 12).  He was around 80 years old when God told him that he would be the father of all nations (Genesis chapter 15).  He was 100 years old when Isaac was born (Genesis 21:5). 

Joseph
Joseph was approximately 17 years old when he told his family that he dreamed of them bowing down to him (Genesis 37).  He was 30 years old when he entered the service of Pharoah (Genesis 41:46).  His brothers came to him to purchase food soon after that.

Moses
Moses was 40 years old when he slew the Egyptian that was beating his fellow Hebrew (Exodus 2:11).  He then hid in the desert for another 40 years until he met God in the burning bush (Exodus 3).  He was 120 years old when he died just outside of the Promised Land after leading the Children of Isreal out of Egypt (Deuteronomy 34:7). 

King David

David was annointed to be the next king of Israel somewhere around the age of 14 to 17    (I Samuel 16). He killed Goliath in battle shortly after that. He did not actually become king until he turned 30 (II Samuel 5).

Jesus
Jesus was thirty years old when He began his public ministry.

Paul
Paul was said to be around his late thirties to early fourties when he had his Damascus Road experience.  He had lived his life up to that moment as a persecuter of the church.

These are a few examples of God preparing individuals for their destiny.  The things that they did before entering their destiny were neccessary; either for preparation or positioning.  God saw fit to reveal a little of that destiny to them.  Yet He also had to get them ready to enter their destiny.  I feel that God has revealed a little of my destiny to me.  I have to remind myself that this is simply my time of preparation.  I had an idea of my destiny in 2001.  It still has not come to pass.  But I am better prepared to enter my destiny now than I was back then.  I'll ask my questions again:

1.  Do you have an idea of what your destiny is?
2.  Have you received an idea of what God wants you to do; yet it seem like God is taking a long time to allow you to completely enter that destiny?

Take heart.  God knows what He is doing.  And you are further along than you think.

Peace and Love,

Rev Mike



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Get Out Of My Way! I'm Going to Church!

Have you ever cursed at another driver while driving to church? Have you ever fought or bickered with a family member while getting dressed for church? We get attacked by Satan constantly and this is a reminder to us all that Sunday morning is no exception. Sometimes you just have a bad day. Sometimes you wake up late and remember that you are supposed to be participating in a special event at church. Then you realize that you forgot the very thing that you needed to have with you in order to participate in the special event. So you have to turn around and go back to retrieve the thing. Now you are really running late so you have to speed in order to make up for lost time. Then the idiot in the car with the loud music cuts you off, and they only cut you off because they are a sinner and they know you are trying to get to church and "you know I'm trying to be nice Lord" and you just want to scream, "Get out of my way! Can't you see I'm going to church?” Trust me; I know it happens.

I'll give you an example. I was going to pick up a female friend of mine for church when I was in collage. The year was 1994 BC (Before Cell phone). The dorm that she lived in did not allow male visitors before noon, so I could not go inside the lobby to call her and let her know that I was there. I sat in the parking lot for a couple of minutes and asked the first young lady that walked out if she would go back inside and call my friend from the lobby phone. I can't properly explain the annoyance in her voice as she told me to get someone else to do it because she was on her way to church. Now I don't know what the young lady was going through. Maybe she thought I was trying to hit on her. Maybe she was running late. Maybe she just didn't want to talk to anyone yet. But her tone immediately told me that she had neither the time nor the desire to help me out. Now I won't tell you what I said about her mother as she drove off. But eventually, my friend did come outside and we drove to church together. We arrived at the church, parked the car, and walked inside. Guess who we saw on the first pew as we entered? That's right! The same young lady that would not help me at the dorm! I went out of my way to give her a huge Good Morning with a side order of sarcasm. She looked the other way. And Satan was pleased.

Every day we have to ensure that we are carrying the love of Jesus with us. It's common knowledge that we are going to go through trials Monday through Saturday. But don't be surprised if you catch yourself going through some major trials on Sunday. Satan attacks you every day of your life. But God is there to shield you from him. Just remember to use your shield every day. Especially on Sunday.

Peace and Love,
Rev. Mike




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