You Won't Believe What Just Happened (12/29/2015) @ The DMV

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world....(Phil.2:14-15) 


Whenever you've heard the letters D...M....V... called out, I am sure you have learned to cringe.  I mean forget the verse above....we have grumbled & even welcomed commiseration regarding our experiences there.   If it wasn't from the excessively long lines, to the waiting in them only to find out you have to leave and come back because they required something that you didn't have in your carefully and thought out stack of documents ( I know,I know...run on.........).   If that wasn't enough the person who handled or possibly mishandled you seemed to always be in the worst of moods and didn't have time or patience to deal with you today.  

So needless to say when we have to get a new license, new registration, purchase tags....or lands you a place in the DMV always seem to be lack luster, and more a penalty than blessing.  But today something amazing happened at my local DMV..............

On my lunch I ran to take my (OH my goodness she's old enough to drive.) teenage daughter to go get her physical license and what ensued I never saw coming.  MOTEL 6 has a company motto that goes:  "We'll leave the light on for you..." and as a believer we are called to be lights (Phil.2:15)  (also check out Eph. 5:7-9, and 1Thess.5:4-6).  Sometimes I am certain we have all doubted whether our "LIGHTS" were on, or hoping that when we did or said....it didn't deter someone from knowing our getting to know our LORD...but today I was sideswiped and or T-boned that mine was.   While waiting for daughter to get her paperwork processed so that she could get her drivers license one of the workers full-on engaged me in spiritual conversation.   From asking do I believe in miracles, and .................then this lead to what church do I go to, to .....I'm looking for a new church.  

Folks I can't make this stuff up....how does this happen.  NO, I wasn't wearing one of our t-shirts proclaiming.............Is Kind of a Big Deal, or anything of the sort.  I was dressed in work khakis, a sweater vest, and tie.   Let's not forget.....IT'S NOT ABOUT ME, my daughter is the one they are serving.  Aside from the usual comment of how much we stunningly resemble each other they had little to no reason to talk to me.  But somehow  they felt comfortable, as well to some degree, asking me certain things that led to a conversation that result in the exchange of church information, and a few CDs that I keep next to my emergency roadside kit in my truck. 


All this to say, even at the DMV you, me, we can make a difference.....IS YOUR LIGHT ON?   If you can't tell......when it is...OTHERS will unexpectedly approach you, so I pray you have an answer regarding the hope you have in whatever you believe in. TODAY....I did, and I am not focused on the payoff, whether she comes to Calvary Church Connections Campus or not.....but wouldn't that be incredible if she did.  I pray that she finds a place where she can worship, serve, grow so that she can CHANGE LIVES & TRANSFORM COMMUNITIES because even at the DMV they could use a few bright lights!  
#LGLP365  #YOUAREWORTHYTOBEPRAISEDandADORED

BLESSING IN THE STORM (HURRICANE KATRINA)

COLOSSIANS 1:6-14 NLT

This same Good News that came to you is now going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace.

7 You learned about the Good News from Epaphras, our beloved co-worker. He is Christ’s faithful servant, and he is helping us on your behalf. 8 He has told us about the love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you.

9 So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.

11 We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy,12 always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. 13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son,14 who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.

Pictured above is a picture of the Upper/Lower 9th Wards of New Orleans a few days after Hurricane Katrina hit.   All week we've been talking with, praying with, and serving people that were directly affected by Hurricane Katrina, but a few of the individuals have with smiles testified of how much a blessing Hurricane Katrina was for them.   Did you get that.......Hurricane Katrina WAS A BLESSING!  

Let me remind you that lives, property, possessions, and pets were loss during Hurricane Katrina.  Let me remind you that families hundreds of thousands of families were displaced some of which are still not back on their feet, others were vulnerable to predatory contractors, some didn't know how to steward the monies they received due to their losses.  Some people that were homeowners are now homeless.  So please help me to understand, how Hurricane Katrina was a blessing. 

I'm glad you asked.......(and I have more than one story to back this up)

Please meet Mr. and Mrs. Larry Taylor :

This young man and his wife, that our teams from Calvary has blessed and been blessed by (me included today) stated that " Pastor, I  have nothing bad to say about (Hurricane) Katrina it's because of this storm that GOD has totally won me and my family."   Let me share with you what, as we know him Brother Larry, shared with me.   The water had rose to twenty feet, and he was on his roof top with his five year old son and there he sat for 3 days before being rescued and dropped off in Conway, Arkansas.  Where a church adopted him and his family for 18 mos., not only did they give him shelter, but they provided him with a job, and a church family.   

"What Katrina did for me was give me a new start.   It took my life of drug dealing and wayward living, and introduced me to a community of love.  People that I never would've known, I now know, and not just know them but love them.   They welcomed me in a stranger, they gave me money, they gave me shelter, they gave me food, and this is all to a person who deserved death."    He went on further to talk about when he bought his home he had been in it for 6 years and was on a 30 year loan.  When they came back from Arkansas to that same home it was paid off and he has since been rehabbing it, and while beautiful, they are not able to move back in yet due to much remains to make it livable.  

So why this scripture.....easy:

Larry testified of this very GOOD NEWS, that it's because of CHRIST and the allowance of this storm during a time in his life that he needed more than a rescuing off of his roof, but he needed to be rescued from his life of sin.  During this rescue he became alive to the LOVE OF JESUS CHRIST, through the kindness of other people. 

Linda Douchant and the many, many women (few men which I hope to help) have not stopped praying for Mr and Mrs Taylor, and the fruits of their prayers is a changed man.  A man that says, " If God doesn't do anything else for me and mine, He's done enough."   

As we concluded our time with Larry we asked him how could we pray for him, and he responded by saying..."So many people have given them so much, he desires to now be generous with what they have."  They want to be known as givers, generous neighbors as people move back in.   After the shedding of tears, and hugs we walk outside to here a neighbor that has just been there for 3mos from New Jersey saying "......they are the best neighbors around here.."

Let me sum it up for you: God's not dead (He's acutely aware of your current situation), the storm you are currently in, maybe a temporary inconvenience, but stop complaining and look around to see who is it GOD is sending to love on you, and you on them.    Look to see what it is that GOD is trying to rescue you from, and out of.   Consider giving thanks through your storm, and draw closer to GOD as He leads you to places that will not only restore what you have counted as loss, but restores you with what it is you didn't value you before....people who want to love you, whose love you're in need of, as well as people who are in need of His love in you.  We live in a day and age where the LOVE of GOD can make a world of difference, and is deeply needed.   #LGLP365

FORGIVENESS....that's the VERDICT

Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, ² but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. ³ As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.
⁴ “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. ⁵ The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”
⁶ They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. ⁷ They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” ⁸ Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.
⁹ When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. ¹⁰ Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”
¹¹ “No, Lord,” she said.
And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” John 8:1-11

So here we find our dear Lord speaking at the Temple, delivering a much needed message, to a group of people who needed to hear a word from the Lord, only to be disrupted by sinful act.  An act that on the outside appeared to be a simple OPEN & SHUT case.  Adultery in the culture was punishable by death, and here a woman was caught dead to rights.  Here you have the teachers of the religious laws coupled with the Pharisees poised to mete out judgment, but before doing so since Jesus was  in town, they thought they'd kill two birds with one stone.    They desired to stone this woman for breaking the law, and trip/trap Jesus into breaking the Law of Moses....but what happens in the moments following not only messed up those ready to mete out judgment it also did a number on the crowd, and the accused. 

Notice what was done/said:  THEY kept demanding an answer......(this is a familiar narrative)

Notice what HE did/said:  All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then he stooped down and wrote in the dust.

Notice what they said/did:  THEY SAID NOTHING, and one by one they slipped away til it was only the guilty woman left. 

Simple observations...nothing prophetic.....just an observation, my observation.   We never find out what Jesus was writing in the sand/dirt, but whatever it was it didn't need to be interpreted or disclosed to us (the readers) because it wasn't important.  What was important was how did JESUS handle a situation where the law had been broken, where an injustice had occurred?  I believe we live in a day in age where we want what we don't truly/fully understand.  See the teachers of the religious law & Pharisees were guilty too.   They were guilty of esteeming themselves over others, which is an offense to GOD as well, being that the woman caught in adultery was as equally precious in His site, and the "person" whom she was engaging in that adulterous act with.  NEVER ONCE does JESUS mention or ask for the head or hind parts of the other offender, He simply turns to those who are demanding and answer and says ".....let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone." 

Here's what I know we are all guilty!  LET ME SAY IT AGAIN, WE ARE ALL GUILTY!  Jesus, the one I read about, teach about, speak about, and as broken as I am attempt to live solely for, calls and compels us (especially the PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLED BY HIS NAME) to respond in situations in a way that demands our hearts to be one with His.  This means meting out forgiveness, when the law and or culture says differently.  I know that at some point we'll have to forgive _____________________ (you fill in the blank) or we will face the judgment of Christ at our appointed time, to which He said:  If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Matt. 6:14-15) 

If we are all honest, we know our guilt, and we too have been forgiven by Christ so this demands a response in kind.   From a personal vantage point, I've been humiliated, called things beyond my birth name, overlooked, as well as looked over, harassed, discriminated against, abused, falsely accused, and even wrongly persecuted but at the end of the day I'm called to not only forgive, but love others, especially those that hate/despitefully use me (Luke. 6:27ff).  Jesus knew that in the crowd of onlookers, as well as religious teachers, and Pharisees that there was no innocent amongst them, no not one (Romans 3:10) so He challenged them to look within, and determine the proper response.   They dropped their stones.....what will we do? #LGLP365

  

 

   

DYING TO SELF so I CAN LEARN TO LIVE

Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. ³⁵ If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.  Mark 8:35

Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? ² Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? ³ Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death?  Rom. 6:1-3



" Every time you die, you get smarter..." Rita (Emily Blunt) in Edge of Tomorrow

Let me start of  by saying this is not a review of the movie " Edge of Tomorrow" as much as it is a review of something valuable I gleaned from the movie.   For those of you that know little about it, it is a sci-fi version of Ground Hog Day replacing humor with action & battle sequences..and how appropriate for living that the world in which we live isn't funny but rather filled with violence.   As a Disciple of Christ ( I like to think of myself as that more than the nebulous Christian terminology)  in general I'm not a fan of Tom Cruise, but I felt compelled by public persuasion to go and check out this movie.   I must tell you, it really is a must see...and if you can afford it....I recommend in 3D IMAX, my first experience.....and I'm still picking my teeth up off the floor.  

The point and purpose of this blog post is to simply address a comment made by Rita (Emily Blunt) the supporting actress and to correlate it the teachings of the WORD of GOD.    Tom Cruises character is gifted through circumstances the ability to reset the day, and his fortune has plopped him into a war with a force that has rapidly begun annihilating humanity. Each time he dies, he learns something new...and that learning of something new can do him some great good in reengaging battle. (Now I must state this is battle Tom Cruise's character wanted nothing to do with, as a matter of fact he attempted to go AWOL many of times) 

Christ says to the following crowd if you want to follow me...you have to turn from your selfish ways, lose your lives and those that refuse to will lose them anyway, and those that CHOOSE to LOSE them for His sake you'll save it.   (my paraphrasing) The moment Cruise's character realized that he was in a war that he had to engage in, he began to learn little things each time he experienced death.  In each death it revealed purpose in his life, and I wonder if we as disciples get that.   I know the early disciples had to see this....for this was the very reason they were able to GIVE THEIR LIVES for the CAUSE OF CHRIST.  Now I realize that making the leap from this SCI-FI movie where a physical being repeatedly experiences death and is able to come back to do it over, to what we experience as "followers of CHRIST" to me shouldn't be different.   We are supposed to according to Paul, by inspiration by GOD die to our sins, in other words crucify those things that get in the way of us living like first generation disciples.   We should actually by this day and era....be smarter.   We have the WORD OF GOD that we see generation after generation of what happens when a person excludes GOD.   We see what happens when a nation complains against GOD.   We see what happens when a person tries to do things apart from GOD. We see what happens when we pretend & live as if that there is no battle  going on.   We also see and read what happens when we embrace the reality there is a battle going on, and when we engage it.....souls are saved, and the Kingdom of God rises up. 



So in closing I wonder as we are all dying (physically for sure( I pray carnally as well) are you learning from those things you are dying to as well as from?  And if you are.....I pray that it has caused you to engage this BATTLE and live to offer CHRIST to those that are living in ignorance.  Otherwise you haven't learned anything and your dying is in vain.  LGLP

The Hidden Blessing of Honor(ing)

Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.   ⁸ Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. Rom. 12:7-8




While running a couple of errands yesterday one of them entailed stopping by Target.  I wanted to run in and grab a new release or two for my family's entertainment purposes.   But what happened at the check out isle was a blessing from the Lord.   Now before you think I got the shortest line, or a miscalculated lower total (you may want to call that a blessing....uh no!), or even someone paid it forward for me (that would've been incredible) but none of those things happened.  I simply waited my turn in and when I was up to be served I simply responded to her greeting by saying, " I'm blessed Cassie, how are  you?"   Now some of  you are probably saying...." awh, Ray that's so you to communicate you're blessed....blah...blah...blah...."  but that wasn't even what excited this young girl.  Actually, I think she totally missed that....because what captured her attention, brightened her day was someone addressed her, responded to her by name.  Her actual response was elation, gittiness, with an even warmer smile, saying " WOW that just made my day!  You are the first person to call me by name all day." To which I responded, " Well of course Cassie, you're a person aren't you?"  She laughed and said, " of course I am, thank you."

Now this isn't about me, or making myself look like some super Christian.....remember she appeared to miss my little "blessed" thing.  This is about living the scripture and how something so simple gets so missed when we are focused on only ourselves, or consuming.....honoring one another which is the debt we have concerning every soul on this planet (born or unborn).  Paul encouraged the Roman believers to settle all debt....except the one love that is the one that you will ALWAYS owe to one another.   Cassie felt loved in that moment.   Do you make it a practice to seek out the name of the people that work at your local store?



The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” ²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³ and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, ²⁴ while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, ²⁵ so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 1Cor. 12:21-25



Paul addresses the Corinthian Church in the same regard because they began to treat one another differently based on their perceived level of importance and he sternly communicated that we are to give equal concern for one another, and not preferential treatment.  Cassie was not the president of Target, nor the supervisor, or team lead, but for 1min of her time....it changed her whole day (she said) simply because she felt appreciated/honored/acknowledged because she had a name, she wore a name badge, and someone addressed her by it. Simple huh?

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a responsibility to bless people with the 24hrs we have been given.   By design we actually have less than that because some of which we will spend sleeping....so what, how will, use today to glorify God and honor His creations (one anothers) today?   I know it's been a minute since my last blog.....but it's always about loving GOD, and loving people (LGLP2014<).....GOD BLESS

THE NEXT AMERICAN IDOLS

When the people saw how long it was taking Moses to come back down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. “Come on,” they said, “make us some gods who can lead us. We don’t know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt.”
² So Aaron said, “Take the gold rings from the ears of your wives and sons and daughters, and bring them to me.”

³ All the people took the gold rings from their ears and brought them to Aaron. ⁴ Then Aaron took the gold, melted it down, and molded it into the shape of a calf. When the people saw it, they exclaimed, “O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of the land of Egypt!” Ex. 32:1-4



Finally, he (Moses) turned to Aaron and demanded, “What did these people do to you to make you bring such terrible sin upon them?”
²² “Don’t get so upset, my lord,” Aaron replied. “You yourself know how evil these people are. ²³ They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will lead us. We don’t know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt.’ ²⁴ So I told them, ‘Whoever has gold jewelry, take it off.’ When they brought it to me, I simply threw it into the fire—and out came this calf!”  Ex. 32:21-24

I don't know about you....but I am fascinated with sculptures....it doesn't matter what they are made out of....it's just absolutely amazing to see what the human mind can come up with.   Being a cook, that's the cool thing about being able to take something raw, and make it, fashion it into something that stimulates the human senses to the point of desired enjoyment.   Much like the wood carving pictured above we are all fascinated by something....for some it's food, for other's it's places, for someone else it' picture, for others talent and the list goes on and one...but as a species we look for things to capture our attention or stimulate/motivate us.  Sadly though often what we choose to capture our attention turns us into slaves, and that leads us down a god-awful road.

The people of Israel had been out of Egypt for a little while know....they knew GOD had delivered them.   He had already performed miracles beyond the Red Sea to prove to them His heart was for them.   He had instructed Moses to share with them the 10 Commandments, and not soon after that they broke the first commandment by forsaking God and returning to their IDOL MAKING ways that they learned while in captivity.  I find it interesting that the scripture reads THEY GAVE THEIR GOLD TO AARON and he melted it and fashioned it, only to read later AARON lied saying he through the jewelry in the fire and a calf came out.    I think without digging too deep we learn a lot about ourselves.

Aaron had leadership qualities, which also means he has the ability to too mislead people, and did.   Like Aaron we lead people (if only the ones in our ) and like to believe that the things that we discovered/have admitted to as IDOLS crept up on us, when in reality we fashioned them, if not with our hands with our hearts.   We began drinking from the well of Facebook because I can see who, and how many people like and share my statuses.    We feel inadequate in our relationships so we turn to HER/HIM in cyberspace, until that isn't enough and we feel compelled to act out in other ways.  We can love being at work, more than home because they have tangible measure tools that affirm our worth.   We even will go so far to dress in ways to make ourselves the office/neighborhood IDOL because we want in on the PRAISE action.  

I dare you to back away from this blog post and identify what has begun giving you comfort, or affirming you and if it's not GOD, challenge you to do as HE instructed do away with.....your IDOLS.  LGLP2014

I WONDER......

²⁹ Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
³¹ Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.  ESV

²⁹ Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift. ³⁰ Don’t grieve God. Don’t break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don’t take such a gift for granted. ³¹ Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk.  MSG
 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
³⁰ And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.
³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.  Ephesians 4:29-31 NLT

What kid likes to hear their parents argue?  What person likes to be verbally assaulted/abused?  What parent likes to log on the social media stratosphere to read that their kids are saying.................?

Simply put God's word commands us to HONOR OUR FATHER (MOTHER) and truth be told we are all some one's kid....but do we really HONOR our father and mother, let alone our HEAVENLY FATHER? I mean do we.......or do we actually think when this passage of scripture was written it couldn't be applicable to us today, because we have our FREEDOM TO..................

I dare you to filter your FREEDOM with/by the WORD of GOD first before you tweet, pin, post or say.  LGLP2014