My childhood Bible and what I want to pass on

The other day I found the Bible I had as a kid packed away with some books. I don’t remember when, where or how I got it and there is nothing special about it other than the content. Many emotions and memories came to me as I looked it over. I remember in many hard times I read it, no rhyme or reason, I just read parts flipping through the pages hoping God would answer me somehow. In that time, I really had no idea how to approach reading the Bible, which I think is something many people can relate to. I knew there was much to learn and know, but I had no idea how to gain this knowledge. This was the beginning of my love for the Word of God.

In the last several years I have been feeling the call to teach from the Bible. So in trying to work out what I felt was a call 4 or so years ago, I started a Christian blog and a little later a bible study podcast on the book of 1st Peter. Now I may be a terrible writer, bad speaker and lacking as a teacher, but I love doing it. I love talking about the Bible and what Jesus did for us and more personally, what He did for me. I am very much a work in progress and I thank God at minimum, every morning when I wake up and every night before bed for what He has blessed me with. I love my family more than anything on this earth and if I can pass on something to all four of my children, it would be my passion to love and learn more about Jesus. I hope they will always stay on the narrow path.

I love looking at that old bible because it reminds me of where much of my curiosity for learning about God came from and how far I have come as a man and how much more I have to go. More importantly it reminds me how forgiving, loving and awesome God is and how far He has brought me as a Christian. In this life I will never be worthy of what Christ did for me, but I don't want it to be for a lack of trying.

So go dig out your bible and read it. Find out why after 2000 years, Jesus, a poor carpenter who never traveled more than 200 miles from home, is still the most important and compelling figure of all time. It could change your life.  May God bless you.

Merry Christmas everyone, thanks for checking in >>John

Be a man Biblically - Wake up call for all of us

Men, are you the leader of your family? Not a leader in the “Do as I say, or you’re going to get it!” leader, but as in a father leading his family to be Godly, loving people kind of way. Do you respect and honor your wife as your co-heir?

Music: “Dance in the Desert” by the Ken Ferguson Band. Check them out at KingdomTunes.com! Contact me at : biblestudypodacstsJohn@gmail.com

1st Peter 1:17-19 - Fear in God?

Fear in God? God does love you, but do you think you can live your life as if the blood of Christ sacrificed for us was not something of infinite value?

Music: “Lovesick” by the Ken Ferguson Band. Please support his ministry over at KingdomTunes.com! Visit the rest of BibleStudyPodcasts.org podcast lessions...

1st Peter 1:13-16 - Where do you find your joy?

Where do you find your joy? Is okay for Christians to continue the sinful activities they found pleasure in before they committed their lives to Jesus Christ?

Music: “Only you are Worthy” by the Ken Ferguson Band. Please check out and support their ministry at KingdomTunes.com!

1st Peter 1:10-12 - What brings you Joy

What brings you Joy? – When you think about your life, what brings you the most joy and happiness? Is it family, your job, work, money?…some activity? What if I were to tell you what should give you the most happiness and joy in your life should be what Angles even long to look into.

Music: “Only you are Worthy” by the Ken Ferguson Band. Please check out and support their ministry at KingdomTunes.com!

1st Peter 1:8-9 - Love without Seeing

Love without Seeing – Though we don’t see Christ face to face with our physical eyes, we do see Him in another way that is even more important.

Music: “Lovesick” by the Ken Ferguson Band. Please check out and support their ministry at KingdomTunes.com!



Check us out on  biblestudypodcasts.org.

1st Peter 1:6-7 - Get refined!

What does your faith prove? When you face hardship in life, how do you react? Life is filled with many pains, it is not enough to simply endure them.

Music: “Psalm 91–Beautiful My God” by the Ken Ferguson Band. Check them out at KingdomTunes.com!



Check us out on  biblestudypodcasts.org.

1st Peter – 1:3-5 Born Again

Episode 3 of the study of 1st Peter – Born Again: The blessing, mercy and hope in our salvation.Music: “Walk on the water” by the Ken Ferguson Band. Check them out at KingdomTunes.com! Contact me at : biblestudypodacstJohn@gmail.com


Reminder : I have joined BibleStudyPodcasts.org and I am re-releasing the 1st Peter Podcasts. Sorry for those of you who have listened to all the first 12 Episodes of 1st Peter. I will be rerecording some of them, so they might not all be the same. You could also check out some of the many other studies on BibleStudyPodcasts.org until week 13 and pick up the 1st Peter study then.For those of you who are new, glad to have you!!

1st Peter – 1:1-2 Christian Discrimination?

Reminder : I have joined BibleStudyPodcasts.org and I am re-releasing the 1st Peter Podcasts. Sorry for those of you who have listened to all the first 12 Episodes of 1st Peter. I will be rerecording some of them, so they might not all be the same. You could also check out some of the many other studies on BibleStudyPodcasts.org until week 13 and pick up the 1st Peter study then.For those of you who are new, glad to have you!!

Episode 2 of the study of 1st Peter – Christian Discrimination?.

Have you ever felt people think of you or treat you differently because you are a Christian? Have you ever felt the pressures of staying true to your faith and still trying to fit-in in an ever growing secular world? Peter has some words for us concerning this topic and more as we move into Episode 2 of the study of 1 Peter.

Music: “Lovesick” by the Ken Ferguson Band. Check them out at KingdomTunes.com! Contact me at : biblestudypodacstJohn@gmail.com

Did God choose individual Christians?

Did God choose individual Christians because He knew they would believe in Him? Or God choose them and that’s why they believed in Him?

Salvation (election) is not an accidental event, but it is a part of God's salvation plan from the very beginning. It is God who initiated a person's salvation by choosing them first before they chose Him, “Through the sanctifying work of the Spirit”.

We are the elect based on God's foreknowledge of our acceptance of the Gospel, given that God's desire is to save all persons (1 Pet. 3:9), and that, in accordance with His desire to save all, God has provided the means for saving all (2 Pet. 2:1). If God has the desire to save all, and the means to save all, then why are only some elected? "Individual choice".

God has let us have the choice to choose him, to love him. Love cannot be forced, so if God had already decided that we would just all come to him, with no choice, then this would not be love. God loves us enough to let us chose. God does know what we would chose if given the choice to accept him. God wants to save all of us but only the chosen or elect, because of their faith in Him will be. Of course remember, God must first draw us in order for us to respond but everyone has at least a momentary opportunity to choose him.

Jesus said in (John 6:44), “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.''

Hope this helps!

Thanks for checking in and God Bless >> John

Essentials - this is what's important

Having been a Christian Blogger and Podcaster for over three years now, I have received many different reactions to my posts and Podcasts; from the very positive to the very negative. The negative is almost always someone who is a Secular Humanist or a Christian who wants to argue over non-essentials.

The only thing that really bothers me is when Christians argue over non-essentials. These non-essentials are the things that have created so many denominations in the Christian Church and what caused some of the worst bickering between Christians. Many people cling, I mean really cling to tradition or routine like they are scriptural essentials, when in fact they are not.

Examples of the non-essentials are, what day we worship, type of baptism(full immersion or Sprinkling of water), frequency of communion, type of music in service, instruments in service, dress code, King James Version only, I could go on and on. People get wrapped around the wheel over non-essentials more than anything else.

Below is a list of essentials...or in other words, this is what's important.

The deity of Christ. - Jesus was fully God and fully man. (John 10:30 , John 20:28, Matt. 2:2,11; 14:33, Heb. 1:8,Col. 2:9)

Salvation by grace - There is nothing we can do to earn God’s favor or gain access to heaven apart from His grace. Salvation is by grace through faith alone. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Salvation through Jesus Christ alone -  HE IS the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through HIM. (Acts 4:12, John 14:6, Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:8-9; Gal. 3:1-2)

The gospel - The resurrection of Christ. The gospel of Jesus Christ—His death on the cross for sinners and His resurrection from the dead to everlasting life. This is the bedrock of the Christian faith. To believe Jesus did not resurrect is to deny that Jesus’ work here on earth was a satisfactory offering to God for the sins of mankind. Jesus rose from the grave physically. (1 Corinthians 15:14, John 2:19-21,1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Galatians 1:8-9)

Monotheism - There is only one God, you are to put no other “gods” before Him. (Exodus 20:3,1 Corinthians 8:5-6, Isaiah 43:10; 44:6,8)

The Holy Trinity - All three Persons ARE represented as one in the Bible. - (Matthew 28:19, 1 Corinthians 12:4-6, 2 Cor. 13:14, Isaiah 6:8, Gen. 1:26)

As we mature as Christians we can see Gods work more clearly in the small things. Faith is essential in Christianity. Hebrews 11:1 tells us “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen”. We believe in a God we cannot see, but we can see Him in things around us and in our life when we earnestly seek Him out. “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).

Thanks for Checking in and God Bless >>John

This is the REAL way “Love Wins”

Serve God with Spiritual Gifts

For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

Behave Like a Christian

    9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. -  Romans 12:1-13 (NKJV)
I was reflecting on Romans 12:3-13 today and it got me thinking about how many people we take for granted around us that allow our lives to go so smoothly. I’ll give you this, my smoothly may be much different than your definition, but we in America have it pretty easy compared to most around the world.

For now, we can worship freely without fear of violence. We are protected by the most advanced military in the world. Most of us live pretty close to hospitals, EMS, Fire and rescue (many of them volunteers). We have Police to protect us, people to come pick up our trash, water treatment plants that make sure we have clean running water and sewage treatment plants that make everything else “goes away”. Here is a biggie, we have food everywhere. I can drive 5 minutes and pass 20 places that serve food.

We can live our lives the way we do because of the love, caring, talent and hard work of people of the past and present. I have heard the term that “we stand of the shoulders of giants” that so many greats came before us. There are so many great people in this world that do so much for so many. We Christians owe so much to so many, so shouldn’t we live lives worthy of the sacrifice of so many?

        In verse 9 it says “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil.  Cling to what is good.”

We hate evil, we should serve and thank one another, love and lift each other up. We should not be self absorbed shut-ins spending our time trying to avoid contact with the “outside” world.

        Verse 2 tells us “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Let’s change our hard coded mind sets to think outside the box when it comes to helping others. Lets humbly and thankfully serve each other. Think of someone who makes your life easier day in and day out. They don’t do it for praise or thanks....but why not make their day and do something for them, not just a “thank you”, but a gesture that shows you care about what it is they do and who they are? In using our individual talents in helping and loving each other, we can lift each other up as one in the body of Christ.

This is the REAL way “Love Wins”.

        “Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:11


Thanks for checking in and God Bless>>John

Haiti mission trip support and Prayer request for a good friend. Update 5

For those of you that have been following the update from my friend Anthony and his fellow team members from Berean Community Church in Rochester, Michigan. They are all back from Haiti safe and sound!! Anthony sent me this slide show/video that was put together. Please continue to pray for that message and work in Christs name that they did will continue long after they have gone. Enjoy! Great Job and God Bless you all.

Thanks fro Checking in and God Bless >>John

10 Resolutions for Mental Health

 Great article by Pastor John Piper:

On October 22, 1976, Clyde Kilby, who is now with Christ in Heaven, gave an unforgettable lecture. I went to hear him that night because I loved him. He had been one of my professors in English Literature at Wheaton College. He opened my eyes to more of life than I knew could be seen. O, what eyes he had! He was like his hero, C. S. Lewis, in this regard. When he spoke of the tree he saw on the way to class this morning, you wondered why you had been so blind all your life. Since those days in classes with Clyde Kilby, Psalm 19:1 has been central to my life: “The sky is telling the glory of God.”

That night Dr. Kilby had a pastoral heart and a poet’s eye. He pled with us to stop seeking mental health in the mirror of self-analysis, but instead to drink in the remedies of God in nature. He was not naïve. He knew of sin. He knew of the necessity of redemption in Christ. But he would have said that Christ purchased new eyes for us as well as new hearts. His plea was that we stop being unamazed by the strange glory of ordinary things. He ended that lecture in 1976 with a list of resolutions. As a tribute to my teacher and a blessing to your soul, I offer them for your joy.

1. At least once every day I shall look steadily up at the sky and remember that I, a consciousness with a conscience, am on a planet traveling in space with wonderfully mysterious things above and about me.

2. Instead of the accustomed idea of a mindless and endless evolutionary change to which we can neither add nor subtract, I shall suppose the universe guided by an Intelligence which, as Aristotle said of Greek drama, requires a beginning, a middle, and an end. I think this will save me from the cynicism expressed by Bertrand Russell before his death when he said: "There is darkness without, and when I die there will be darkness within. There is no splendor, no vastness anywhere, only triviality for a moment, and then nothing."

3. I shall not fall into the falsehood that this day, or any day, is merely another ambiguous and plodding twenty-four hours, but rather a unique event, filled, if I so wish, with worthy potentialities. I shall not be fool enough to suppose that trouble and pain are wholly evil parentheses in my existence, but just as likely ladders to be climbed toward moral and spiritual manhood.

4. I shall not turn my life into a thin, straight line which prefers abstractions to reality. I shall know what I am doing when I abstract, which of course I shall often have to do.

5. I shall not demean my own uniqueness by envy of others. I shall stop boring into myself to discover what psychological or social categories I might belong to. Mostly I shall simply forget about myself and do my work.

6. I shall open my eyes and ears. Once every day I shall simply stare at a tree, a flower, a cloud, or a person. I shall not then be concerned at all to ask what they are but simply be glad that they are. I shall joyfully allow them the mystery of what Lewis calls their "divine, magical, terrifying and ecstatic" existence.

7. I shall sometimes look back at the freshness of vision I had in childhood and try, at least for a little while, to be, in the words of Lewis Carroll, the "child of the pure unclouded brow, and dreaming eyes of wonder."

8. I shall follow Darwin's advice and turn frequently to imaginative things such as good literature and good music, preferably, as Lewis suggests, an old book and timeless music.

9. I shall not allow the devilish onrush of this century to usurp all my energies but will instead, as Charles Williams suggested, "fulfill the moment as the moment." I shall try to live well just now because the only time that exists is now.

10. Even if I turn out to be wrong, I shall bet my life on the assumption that this world is not idiotic, neither run by an absentee landlord, but that today, this very day, some stroke is being added to the cosmic canvas that in due course I shall understand with joy as a stroke made by the architect who calls himself Alpha and Omega.

>>By John Piper

Daily Devotional : The Spirit of God will not forsake you.

"Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." - Philippians 1:6

Paul remained confident as he wrote this to letter to the Philippians. He was confident in God’s desire and ability to continue His transforming work in the lives of the Philippian believers.

Remember: The Spirit of God will not forsake you, HE will see you through to the end, until your mortal bodies will appear before the judgment of Christ to be glorified. Be strong and confident in your faith; let your witness to the world be the fruit of your faith and trust in Jesus. All glory be to God.

May God Bless you and keep you. Thanks for checking in >>John

Haiti mission trip support and Prayer request for a good friend. Update 4

Hello everyone. I am 6 days late posting this, but here is an update from my friend Anthony. He leaves this week for Haiti, please keep he and the rest his team in prayer:

Friends and Family,

I am 1 week away from departing for Haiti with a team of 14 from
Berean Community Church from Rochester, Minnesota.

A few tidbits to update everyone:

-Presidential elections are taking place in Haiti today. Please be in  prayer for the country. Amidst the election, former President Jean Aristide has returned to the country after being exiled several years ago. There is speculation by the media that his presence could create unrest in the country. Pray that the country stays calm while we are there.

-Water is Life, an organization that we've partnered with is indeed going to drill three wells – They are bringing in the heavy equipment in September to do the actual drilling. In typical Haiti fashion everything is still a little bit up in the air as to how things will happen. But there is a firm commitment to drill the three wells.

-While we are in Limbe there is some work they need help with: Putting up a chain link fence around the orphanage and there is a cement floor on the compound they need put in. There might be some kitchen remodeling to be done as well.

-Praise the Lord we are at 108% of the funding we need. The Lord will guide how we are to give the extra 8%

-As I have mentioned before and I mentioned at the top of this note, we have a team of 14 people going. I have concerns about a group this size in that sometimes people are tempted to want to do their own thing and stray from the group. Please pray for our team leader Paul and for those in the group - that they will put the group's needs before their own.

-Lastly - there is a girl with dwarfism (achondroplasia - the same type as me) who resides in the town Cap Haitien where our team flies in and out of. I've seen her standing on the sidewalk every time we are on our way out of Haiti. She's been at the same spot both times. Pray that if it is in God's will, He would give me the opportunity to stop and share the joy and good news of the Lord with her. It is very likely that she has never met another little person in her life or if she has, only a few occasions. I want her to know that she is not alone and that she is loved by God. You can pray that God brings me in contact with other little people as well while we're down there ;)

Blessings in Christ!

Anthony

The world did not know HIM...so it will not know us.

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. -1 John 3:1

The more news I read, the more nonsense I see in our schools(US), TV, movies and hear in music, the more my heart hurts for this world. It is depraved...it hates God. People are happily marching toward a cliff unwilling to hear that they are going to fall.

The last thing non believers need to worry about is so called "judgment" or "intolerance" from Christians; for we happily admit WE are not the judge. I place this question to you Non Believers; believing what we Christians do about salvation and Heaven, how much would Christians have to hate you to say nothing about your impending fall? How much would we have to hate someone to not help them get to Jesus and salvation?

One difference between a Christian and Non believer is Christians want to stop you from falling off that cliff(that you choose to say is not there); your belief system would let everyone walk off the cliff just to not sound judgmental or intolerant. Christians are about love, yes we are all sinners and we are all broken. You must remember that people can call themselves anything they want; you WILL know a Christian by their fruit. Don't let the hateful people put a wedge between you and God.

Thanks for checking in. God Bless>>John

Japan: After Empathy and Aid, People Want Answers - John Piper

Priorities

First things first.
When Christians see suffering they feel empathy. We too have bodies (Hebrews 13:3). Therefore, love commands, “Weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15).
Then comes aid. We want to help relieve human suffering—all of it, especially eternal suffering:

So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith (Galatians 6:10).

And that includes enemies:

Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you (Luke 6:27);
If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink (Romans 12:20).

But sooner or later people want more than empathy and aid—they want answers.

Proclamation and Power

When love has wept and worked, it must have something to say about God. It doesn’t need to have all the answers. Only God does. But it has the Bible, and the Bible is not silent on this matter.
No earthquakes in the Bible are attributed to Satan. Many are attributed to God.¹ This is because God is Lord of heaven and earth:

He commands even winds and water, and they obey him (Luke 8:25);
He sends forth His command to the earth. . . . He gives snow like wool; He scatters hoarfrost like ashes. He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs; who can stand before His cold? . . . He makes his wind blow and the waters flow (Psalm 147:15-18);
He looks on the earth and it trembles . . . touches the mountains and they smoke! (Psalm 104:32);
[He] shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble (Job 9:6).

Earthquakes are ultimately from God. Nature does not have a will of its own. And God owes Satan no freedom. What havoc demons wreak, they wreak with God’s permission. And God has reasons for what he permits. His permissions are purposes. That's the point of Job 1-2 and Luke 22:31-32.

Purpose

God does nothing without an infinitely wise and good purpose:

He is wise and brings disaster (Isaiah 31:2);
The Lord is good (Psalm 100:5);
All his works are right and his ways are just (Daniel 4:37).

Therefore, God has a good and all-wise purpose for the heart-rending calamity in Japan on March 11, 2011 that appears to have cost tens of thousands of lives.
Indeed, he has hundreds of thousands of purposes, most of which will remain hidden to us until we are able to grasp them at the end of the age:

How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! (Romans 11:33);
The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us (Deuteronomy 29:29).

Yet there are possible purposes revealed in the Bible that we may pray will come to pass:

1. The end-time earthquakes in the book of Revelation (see above) are meant as calls to repentance—to warn people who deny Jesus Christ that a day is coming when unbelievers will cry to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb” (Revelation 6:16).
2. The end-time earthquakes in Matthew 24:7-8 are meant to be interpreted as “the beginning of the birth pangs.” That is, they are a wake-up call to this world that God's kingdom will soon be born. So be alert and prepare to meet Jesus Christ.
3. God's unilateral taking of thousands of lives is a loud declaration that “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away” (Job 1:21). The message for all the world is that life is a loan from God (Luke 12:20) and belongs to him. He creates it and gives it and takes it according to his own will and owes us nothing. He has a right both to children (2 Samuel 12:15) and to the aged (Luke 2:29). It is a great gift to learn this truth and dedicate our lives to their true owner rather than defraud him till it is too late.
4. The power felt in an earthquake reveals the fearful magnificence of God. This is a great gift since “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Psalm 111:10). Most of the world does not fear the Lord and therefore lacks saving wisdom. The thunder-clap summons to fear God is a mercy to those who live.
5. When the earth shakes under our feet there is a dramatic sense that there is no place to flee. In most disasters the earth is the one thing that stands firm when wind and flood are raging. But where do you turn when the earth itself is unsafe? Answer: God.

Pray

And let us pray that in this catastrophe the Lord fulfills two other purposes:

1. That Christians repent of worldliness. “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3).
2. That Christians in Japan and around the world would step forward with extraordinary, sacrificial love to show more clearly the mercy of Christ who laid down his life in the midst of the Father's judgment. The suffering and death of Jesus Christ for the sin of the world is the one place where empathy, aid, and answers meet. He invites everyone to come for all three.

O how fragile this life is. The world, and all its life-sustaining processes seem so sure and solid. They are not. One thing is sure and solid:

Let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe (Hebrews 12:28).

¹ 2 Samuel 22:8; Isaiah 13:13; 24:18-20; 29:6; Psalm 60:2; Nahum 1:5-6; Revelation 6:12; 8:5; 11:13-14; 16:18

by: John Piper 

Haiti mission trip support and Prayer request for a good friend. Update 3

Updates and great news from Anthony,

Two weeks from tomorrow - Sunday, March 27, a team of 14 individuals including myself depart for Haiti.

A few tidbits/updates:

We have raised 97 % of our financial goal for the trip. We have $600 left to raise. I trust that God will provide the remaining $600
before we depart on March 27.

This past week, I have had several opportunities to connect with a
co-worker who is from Port Au Prince, Haiti

On Friday, March 4, 7 of us team members had the opportunity to pack food at the Feed My Starving Children warehouse in Eagan, Minnesota (just outside of Minneapolis). Along with 70 other people, we packed over 90 boxes. That amounted to over 20,000 meals - enough to feed 52 kids for a year! It was an awesome time bonding with those whom I will be going to Haiti and we had the opportunity to serve alongside of others we had never met before. Meeting strangers is cool!

We have connected with an organization that builds wells and water
pump systems in Haiti and they have an established relationship with Grace Missions whom we partner with in Limbe, Haiti. I stated in a previous note that we have hopes of building a well / fresh water supply in Ennery where our sister church is located. Praise God that this organization has visited Ennery and knows where our sister church is located. We do not know if a well or fresh water supply will be built while we are in Haiti, but we pray that this is a good start - establishing a relationship with people who know how to build wells in Haiti and who are familiar with the town of Ennery.

Tomorrow is our bi-weekly Haiti missions trip team meeting. We'll be working on skits and reviewing plans for when we arrive in Haiti.
We'll also work on bible verses and sing worship songs in Kreyol the
native Haitian Language.

Please pray for my stamina. Work has been intense and the days/nights have been long. Pray that God sustains me and provides me rest before we depart for Haiti. I have a couple of projects that are due to be delivered while I am in Haiti, but I trust God will put things in the right hands while I am gone. If not - He has other plans for me :)
Regarding the well we have been hoping to build at our sister church in Ennery, Haiti. We received word today that the organization we contacted has funding to begin building the well and our team will have some involvement while we are in Haiti to get things started.

This is HUGE.

Three individuals from our team will have a conference call with the organization building the well on Tuesday - pray that the phone call goes well and we are obedient to God's plans.

It started out as an idea / thought in passing to look into a way to supply clean water to the town where our sister church is located.

Then we thought this would be a good idea to tie in with the message given in John 7:37-38:
37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”

And now our desire is becoming reality. It is our hope that people come to the well to receive clean drinking water and they will also receive the message of Living Water as told from the bible from our sister church in Ennery.

Thank you for your support!

In Christ,
Anthony

Thank all of you for your support. Please keep this team in your prayers. God Bless >> John

Sometimes there are no immediate answers. - Psalm 86:6-7

I saw this and was thinking about the people in Japan, please pray for those people suffering right now.

Hear my prayer, O LORD; listen to my cry for mercy. In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me.

— Psalm 86:6-7 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Sometimes there are no immediate answers. We have prayed and cried and tried and gone sleepless and mourned and shouted. Still there are no answers. The days roll by in an agonizing parade of pain. Still there are no answers we can identify. What do we do? We go to the Psalms. We let them raise up our heart's cry. We are honest with the God of the entire universe and yet we can still anticipate mercy from him. We are convinced that in our troubles, he will not only hear us, but he will also care about what is happening in our lives.

My Prayer...

Almighty God, the only true Healer of disease and Mender of broken hearts, please hear the cry today of those I love who are in such desperate situations. May your will be done in every one of their lives with tenderness, grace, and a sense of your presence. And Lord, please be near me, and help me see your answer to my prayers. Forever yours in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Credit: http://www.verseoftheday.com/

Hey, you can't judge me! Um, yes I can...

 I wanted to write something about a verse I hear quoted out of context all the time; ironically by non-Christians most of the time. Now Christians don’t get a pass here, because they are just as bad if not worse because they should know the context and how to use the verse.

I think most people know Matthew 7:1 even if they don’t know they do, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” This verse has been morphed and twisted to mean something it was not intended by secular society; namely telling someone they can’t judge someone’s actions or lifestyle. NEWS FLASH, you are wrong if you think that; and if you tell someone they can’t judge, well guess what? Based on your rules, you have done wrong by telling someone else they are doing wrong. See how that works?

Clearly we can’t escape making moral judgments.

Alright, if we take look at the context in which Jesus is speaking in Matthew 7:1-5, you will see Jesus IS making a moral judgment about certain people using metaphors comparing people to dogs and pigs.

Let’s take a look:

1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
6 “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. 

You can see in verse 6, Jesus is stressing that we should not continue to present Gods grace to those who persistently scoff and ridicule. As in Matthew 10:14, we must at some point shake the dust off our feet and move on to more receptive people.

The plank in the eye, I know, I’m getting to it. I did not skip verse 3-5, it’s coming. I have to say this first, I find very important to state that Jesus commanded us in John 7:24 to, “Stop judging according to outward appearances; rather judge according to righteous judgment”. So we see that we are not to judge people who look different to us or are outside of what we consider “normal” looking. Having worked with teens in youth Groups, you will see some that will make you go “hmmmmmm” but you will learn they are good kids with a big heart for the Lord.

So now to digest all this; how do we resolve this conflict of judging? We resolve it by taking a look at the spirit in which we make judgments. Are we making this judgment because we think we are better than them; or is there some true issues with their actions and or attitude that we need to address in the spirit of caring and humility? Are we self aware enough to see our weaknesses and if we are clean in the area in which we are pointing out in someone else?

Matthew 7:5 tells us to first look at ourselves, examine ourselves to remove the sin in our life first before attempting to remove it from someone else’s life. How can we help someone if we ourselves are doing the same thing? So if there is a problem to be dealt with, do it, but only after self examination.

Now the wrong kind of judgment will come across condemning and not helpful to the person. For us to make the correct type of judgments on moral or doctrinal matters, we need to first pray and approach the person with a humble heart (after self examination.) Also, we must always remember to treat others as we would like to be treated; we are not trying to come across as another hypocritical “religious” person condemning someone to hell. We have enough hypocrites in Christianity; we need disciples willing to lead the way by example, with caring and love. True, we are all sinners, but people still need to be called to task on moral and doctrinal issues.

“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. - (Matthew 7:12)

So when “judging” comes up with people, make sure to define what you mean by the word judge. These conversations are never easy ones. Defining what your intent is will help in greasing the wheels in the conversation. We as Christians can’t back down on moral issues or making moral judgments, it is impossible to do. Even the people who say “don’t judge” can’t escape making a judgment. So yes, we can judge, we have to, no one can escape it; but remember we have enough hypocrites, so be careful. Remember we cannot judge someones place before God, only God can do that.

What is prayer?

Prayer is the practice of the presence of God. It is the place where pride is abandoned, hope is lifted, and supplication is made. Prayer is the place of admitting our need, of adopting humility, and claiming dependence upon God. Prayer is the needful practice of the Christian. Prayer is the exercise of faith and hope. Prayer is the privilege of touching the heart of the Father through the Son of God, Jesus our Lord.

The Bible speaks much of prayer. But, sometimes, too often, we ignore prayer and seek to accomplish in the strength of our own wills those things that we desire to have or happen. For those of us who are too often guilty of this, we need to bow our knees, confess our sin, receive God's forgiveness, and beg that the will of the Lord be done above our own. God is sovereign and loving and He knows what is best for us and others, even if it doesn't always seem to make the most sense.

We so often come to the Lord with legitimate requests for healing, conversions, and needs and yet the answers we hope for often do not come. We wonder and sometimes doubt. Yet, we persevere and praise God. We pray because we know that God hears us and because we desire to see results. We should pray by faith, trusting God. We should pray consistently, trusting God. We should pray for healing, trusting God. We should pray for others, trusting God. We should pray and when our prayers are answered or are not answered remember this: If we knew what the Lord knew, we wouldn't change a thing.

Prayer changes the one praying because in prayer, you are in the presence of God as you lay before Him your complete self in confession and dependence. There is nothing to hide when in quiet supplication we are reaching into the deepest part of ourselves and admitting our needs and failures. In so doing, our hearts are quieted and pride is stripped and we enjoy the presence of God. James 4:8 says, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you."

I am reminded of another benefit of prayer: peace. "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus," (Phil. 4:6-7).

I suppose that we can test our prayer life and dependence upon God by the peace or lack of peace in our hearts. In all things we are to seek the Lord and in His continued presence peace will surely be our gain.

Prayer is the practice of the presence of God.

by CARM.org

The Bible says There's Only One Way To Heaven

The gospel is that Jesus died for sinners on the cross, was buried, and rose from the dead (1 Cor. 15:1-4).  His death was a sacrifice that turns away the wrath of God (1 John 2:2).  This is the only way to be saved.

Jesus is the One you need.  Him alone.  Not your works (Rom. 3:10-12; Isaiah 64:6).  Not your sincerity.  Not your goodness.  You have nothing to offer God except your sinfulness.  It is only by the love and grace of God found in Jesus and His sacrifice that you can be delivered from the righteous wrath of God upon all who have broken His law.  Jesus saves you from God.

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto my Father but by me." John 14:6
Nobody Else Can Save You. Trust Jesus Today!

1. Admit you are a sinner
2. Be willing to turn from sin (repent).
3. Believe that Jesus Christ died for you, was buried and rose from the dead.
4. Through prayer, invite Jesus into your life to become personal Saviour, Boss, King and Lord.

What to Pray;

Lord Jesus, I know that I have sinned against you.  I know that I am not perfect and that I cannot please you through my own efforts.  I know that I deserve to be judged according to my sins.  And, I know that I have nothing to offer you.

Lord Jesus, I ask you to forgive me of my sins.  Please cleanse me and make me right before you.  I trust in what you have done on the cross.  I do not rely on myself but only on you and I receive you as Lord of my life and as savior of my soul.  Lord Jesus, save me.  I look to you alone.

Did You accept Jesus Christ as your own personal Saviour?

If your answer was Yes, then this just the beginning of a wonderful new life with Christ.
Now you need to:

1. Read your Bible every day to get to know Christ better.
2. Talk to God in prayer every day.
3. Be baptized, worship, fellowship, and serve with other Christians in a church where Christ is preached, and the Bible is the final authority.
4. Tell others about Jesus Christ.

If you are a backslider(a person who has walked away from the Lordship and obedience to Christ) please return, he is calling for you. He loves you and is a God of another chance. Don't put it off, today much less tomorrow is not promised.

"And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh."

Man cannot endure God's judgment, justice, or will forever, we are only flesh and will fall if we don't yield to God.

Repent, turn and yield to Him Now.

If you have prayed and asked Jesus to deliver you from your sins and save you from God's wrath, then please email me. johnchristiandoe@gmail.com

Thanks for checking in and God Bless!>> John

Haiti mission trip support request for a good friend.(Update)

Anthony on a previous trip to Haiti
playing with some children.

Hello all, here is an update from my friend Anthony: 

A few updates/highlights as the team of 14 including myself are 4
weeks away from departing for Haiti

-As of this e-mail we have raised approximately 57% of our financial support goal and this 57% is all outside of our church. We will be inviting members of our church next week in the form of a free will offering to partner with us with financial support. We are trusting that the Lord will provide all that we need and all that He wants us to take with us to give to the people of Haiti.

-We listened to a CD of hymns/worship songs in Creole, the native
language of Haiti. We sang together some of the hymns today and it
went really well.

-We have made a connection with an organization that facilitates the building of clean water supplies in Haiti. They have visited the town of Ennery and are familiar where our sister church is located.
This is exciting because we are being led to giving a message of
living water and encouraging the people in the church to invite others in the community to "come to the Well" What an awesome thing this would be to (1) come to the church to obtain clean drinking water and (2) Receive a message of "Living" Water as given in John 7:38

-This coming Friday, March 4, our team has the opportunity to pack
food for an organization called "Feed My Starving Children" in Eagan, Minnesota (near Minneapolis). Feed My Starving Children prepares boxes of food mixture with rice and vegetables and lots of protein that are easy and safe to transport, simple to make with only boiling water, and culturally acceptable worldwide. They will be sending a shipment to Haiti which will eventually find its way to
Limbe, Haiti and be distributed by the people we partner with from
Grace Missions.

From previous correspondence

- Presidential elections are still set for March 20. We arrive in the
country, the morning of March 28. Things tend to get crazy in a
country like Haiti near/before/after Presidential elections.

-We have thoughts of doing a foot washing while we are in the town of Ennery for the people who come to the church. What an awesome way to reach out as humble servants this would be!

-We are in search of creative yet simple ways to engage kids/children while we are there.

Blessings to you in the name of Jesus!

Anthony


Prayer is the biggest need for our team, but if the Spirit leads to give finances toward this trip, people can send donations to:

Berean Community Church
3157 Kenosha Drive
Rochester, MN 55902

Checks should be made out to Berean Community Church with "Haiti Missions Trip" in the memo line.

No, Mr. President. Killing Is Killing No Matter What We Call It.

It's a magnificent thing: The only newly-originating life in the universe that comes in the image of God is Man. The only newly-originating life in the universe that lasts forever is Man.
This is an awesome thing.
And, as everyone knows, that reverence is not shared by our new President, over whom we have rejoiced.
He is trapped and blind in a culture of deceit. On the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, he released this statement,

We are reminded that this decision not only protects women’s health and reproductive freedom, but stands for a broader principle: that government should not intrude on our most private family matters.

To which I say:

• No, Mr. President, you are not protecting women; you are authorizing the destruction of 500,000 little women every year.
• No, Mr. President, you are not protecting reproductive freedom; you are authorizing the destruction of freedom for one million little human beings every year.
• No, Mr. President, killing our children is killing our children no matter how many times you call it a private family matter. You may say it is a private family matter over and over and over, and still they are dead. And we killed them. And you, would have it remain legal.

Mr. President, some of us wept for joy at your inauguration. And we pledge that we will pray for you.
We have hope in our sovereign God.
(From the sermon: "The Baby in My Womb Leaped for Joy.") - John Piper

The Four Spiritual Laws

As Christians, we are to witness with truth, honesty, and integrity. The Lord give us opportunities to:

• witness to others
• defend our faith  
• or just give answers for anyone who wants to know about the Hope that is in us.
  
  Read - (1 Peter 3:15); (Isaiah 55:11); (John 12:32)
  

To accomplish these tasks we must Pray and ask the Holy Spirit for help, study Gods Word daily, be humble and point people to Jesus. Let them know that it is HE and HE alone who saves. You are delivering the Good News, Jesus is that Good news and Jesus is the one who saves.


There is only ONE way to Heaven and that way is through Jesus. All paths are NOT to the same place. The door is narrow and the path is single file.


“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. - 2 Timothy 3:16-18” - God gave us a tool to use and that tool is His Word!


*Here are the 4 spiritual Laws:

1. God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life," (John 3:16). “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. “ (John 10:10)
   
   
2. Man is sinful and separated from God: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," (Rom. 3:23); "For the wages of sin is death," (Rom. 6:23); "But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God," (Isaiah 59:2). Man was created to have fellowship with God; but, because of his stubborn self-will, he chose to go his own independent way, and fellowship with God was broken. This self-will, characterized by an attitude of active rebellion or passive indifference, is evidence of what the Bible calls sin.
   
   
3. Jesus Christ is God's only provision for man's sin. Through Him you can know and experience God's love and plan for your life : "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me" (John 14:6); "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us," (Rom. 5:8). “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance[a]: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,..” (I Corinthians 15:3-6)
   
   
4. We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we can know and experience God's love and plan for our lives:  "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name," (John 1:12); "if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved," (Rom. 10:9); "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God," (Eph. 2:8).
   
   To receive Christ you must turn to God and away from self and repent. You must trust Christ to come into your life to forgive your sins and to make you what He wants you to be. Just to agree intellectually that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died on the cross for your sins is not enough; even Satan knows know who Jesus is. It also is not enough to just have an emotional experience. You must receive Jesus Christ by faith, as an act of the will.

Gods Word will accomplish what God desires; that the Gospel has the power to save and  it is Jesus who draws men to himself. Jesus does the work, not us.

"Lord Jesus, I want to know You personally. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving me of my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be." Amen

Thanks for checking in and God Bless >>John


* William R. "Bill" Bright developed the evangelistic Christian tract of the “The Four Spiritual Laws” in 1952

8 Ways God Blesses Us

By : 8 Ways God Blesses Us

1 Corinthians 1:1-9 lists eight ways God blesses us through Christ.
About 1 Corinthians

Corinth was the major commercial center in the Roman Empire. The city was famous for its wealth and also for being filled with every kind of evil. It was home to twelve pagan temples, including the Temple of Aphrodite, which housed over one thousand prostitutes. The city was so wicked that the term “Corinthianize” was coined to describe someone who practiced sexual immorality.

It was a city many would describe as God-forsaken, but God loves the unlovable and saves the unsaveable. So He sent Paul to preach the gospel and establish a church there.

Now living in this environment you can imagine that these new Christians would have trouble – and they did. There were divisions, legal problems, impurity and scandals throughout the Corinthian church. Instead of the Christians influencing the culture, the culture was influencing the Christians. So God lead Paul to write the book of 1 Corinthians to address these problems.

The book begins with nine verses laying out the believers standing before God and Paul uses this standing as the reason why they should change their ways. He basically says, “This is who you were, but this is who you are now in Christ, so live accordingly.”
1) God blesses us by adding us to His Church

Paul addresses the Corinthians in verse 2 as “the church of God which is at Corinth”. The word church means, “The called out ones”. It refers to people of every generation, every race, every nation, every walk of life, who were called out of the world and into the family of God.

1 Peter 2:9 describes the church as “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people,” who are to “proclaim the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

It’s a group made up of people so flawed and so deep in sin, yet they’re called “the Church of God.” The reason this is possible is because of the second way God blesses us.
2) God blesses us by sanctifying us

In verse 2 Paul first calls the Corinthians “the church of God”, now he calls them “those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus.”

To be sanctified means to be set apart for God’s purpose. We’re sanctified in three ways: positionally, progressively and ultimately.

We’re sanctified “positionally” when we come to Christ. Hebrews 10:10-12 explains: “We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.”

In the Old Testament the priests would continually make sacrifices because they never permanently paid for sin. But Christ offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice and has paid for our sins once and for all. So we’ve sanctified, or set apart, to obtain salvation through Christ.

Then we’re sanctified “progressively” throughout our Christian lives. Progressive sanctification is the process of dying to sin and living for Christ by becoming more like Him. Galatians 5:22 explains that whereas before we did the works of the flesh we’re now to produce the fruit of the Spirit which “is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Progressive sanctification isn’t about our salvation it’s about how we live after we’ve been saved.

Then finally we’re sanctified “ultimately” when we go to heaven. Throughout our lives we wrestle with sin but when we go to be with the Lord our sinful nature is left behind. 1 John 3:2-3 explains that “now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”

That brings us to the third way God blesses us.
3) God blesses us by making us saints

Paul continues his address in verse 2 by referring to the Corinthians as “called to be saints or literally “called saints”. The word “saint” means the same as sanctify – to be made separate or to be made holy. Those who are the recipients of sanctification are called saints. So we could refer to saints as “the sanctified ones”.

Notice that they’re called saints now. Saints aren’t canonized by the church. Verse 2 goes on to explain that saints are those “who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.” If that describes you then you are a saint right now.

Now we move on to verse 4 and find the fourth way God blesses us.
4) God blesses us by making us recipients of His grace

In Verse 4 Paul says, “I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus. The reason we’re the church of God, the reason we’re sanctified, the reason we’re called saints is because of God’s grace.

To receive grace means to receive undeserved favor. Just as there are different aspects of sanctification there are also different aspects of grace that the Christian enjoys.

There’s saving grace which is described for us in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

Then there’s sustaining grace which we find in 2 Corinthians 12:9 where Paul is asking God to remove some hindrance. God responds by saying, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” And that caused Paul to say, “Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

So God’s grace doesn’t just save us, it also strengthens us, encourages us, and enables us to have joy in all circumstances.
5) God blesses us by enriching everything by Christ

Verse 5 says “You were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge.” Or, as the NIV puts it, “you have been enriched in every way-in all your speaking and in all your knowledge.”

James 2:5 tells us that “God has chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him.” In 1 Corinthians 2:16 we’re told we have “the mind of Christ” which enables us to think on spiritual things. God showers us with gifts of salvation, fellowship, love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness and faithfulness. We’re given everything we need to serve God and be fulfilled spiritually.
6) God blesses us by confirming us

Verse 6 says that “the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you”

When someone comes to Christ the Holy Spirit applies salvation to the believer. Ephesians 1:13-14 tells us that “In Christ you trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

We can rest secure in the knowledge that the promises of God are guaranteed to those who are in Christ.
7) God blesses us by causing us to be blameless in the day of our Lord

Verse 8 says that “you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The day will come when God will judge men according to their works. But Psalm 32:1-2 reminds us that “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity.” Through Christ we stand blameless before God because all our sins were covered on the Cross.
8) God blesses us by calling us into fellowship

Finally in verse 9 we’re told we’re “called into the fellowship.” We’re called into a relationship with God and with fellow believers. 1 John 1:3 says “That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. God grants us the gift of a relationship with Him and the opportunity to join others in praising Him.

By : 8 Ways God Blesses Us

Don’t let stress and worry bring you down.

Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God  I will strengthen you, surely I will help you  Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. - Isaiah 41:10

Ah stress, something we all probably know too well. Stress definitely can be a motivator for action or an emotion that can tear people and families apart. Stress is a very personal reaction; by this I mean, different things from the minor to the major affect all of us in completely different ways.

Many of the things we stress about are completely our fault because of sin or lack of planning. Many times, stress is because of other people’s lack of planning and sin.  True character is exposed when we are under stress; as Christians how are we to handle stress? Can we make good come from it? Some of the most stressful times in my life have had joyous times after them because I endured and overcame. James and Matthew has some words for us below on this topic:

James 1:2-4 tells us:
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Matthew 6:25-34 tells us:
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?  Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?  So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Being joyous in times of extreme trials is not always easy or even possible; but have faith and trust in God, let Him hold your heart and carry you through. In Matthew 25-34 above, Jesus tells us not to worry about those needs that God promises to supply. The effects of worry and stress can damage your health, disrupt your productivity, negatively affect the way you treat others, and reduce your ability to trust in God.  Anything that drives a wedge between you and God, release it.

The difference between worry and having genuine concern; worry and stress immobilizes and damages you; concern moves you to take action. Release what is binding you today, release what is tugging at you and breaking you. What do you have control over? What do you not have control over? Take action if you need to, then put your faith and trust in God.

Worrying or stressing about something will not add one day to your life. Work on releasing, taking a breath, praying and lifting it up to God. Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and May HIS will be done.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – John 33:16

Thanks for checking in and God Bless >>John

Make today about real Love, Not Hallmark.

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! I could not let this day go by without writing something about Love. I published Episode 9 of the 1 Peter Bible study Podcast which has the same theme. Check it out here.

God expects Christians to love others. By our fruit we can tell the level of love we have for our fellow man. Do you actively seek out ways in which to serve and love others? Or, is your thing just to cut checks and allow others to do the work, feeling like you've made a difference? When is the last time you actively sought out to make someone else have a good day?

We all know what it is like when people really make us angry; from rude comments, to inconsiderate behavior, taking too long with our dinner while eating out and so on. We all know how bad this makes us feel. I know I have been there more times than I would like to admit. I have my selfish moments, thinking it is all about me. We all have a tendency to view the world from the standpoint of us being the center and everything else needing to conform to our wants and needs. This is such a unhealthy way to live.

John 13:25 tell us, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” It is a very damaging to have Christians treating each other badly. It not only goes against what God expects from us, it is a bad witness to non-believers. If you quarrel in front of a non believer you may drive them further from Jesus because of your failings. To me, there can be nothing more sad than that. Is it worth sinning to make yourself feel better by snapping at someone to make them feel small because they have somehow wronged you? Would you be comfortable having lots of people see you at moments like that? I know I would not! How we act is proof that we belong to God. How many people right now would accuse you of belonging to God?

Proverbs 10:12 tell us that, “Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all transgressions.” Pick your battles, and let things go. Nothing makes you feel better than saying I’m sorry and letting conflict go; doing right feels much, much better than being right most of the time. That last one is for me, this is a major flaw I have and I am sure many others have also.

Start with making someone’s day today. I know this is a day is a day to spend with your significant others. Think about how many people may be lonely today. Think of those who have had the love of their lives pass away; and about those who have their love ones fighting overseas so that others may live with simple freedoms that we all take for granted. Think of that little girl or boy missing their daddy or mommy right now when kids are giving their parents handmade cards and about the hugs and kisses they wish they could give them right now.

Love could be as simple as forgoing coffee and treating someone else to a free coffee, lunch or dinner…or just a smile and a hug for that person who looks like they need it. Call that person you know is alone; stop this time to acknowledge and help that person you ignore every day on the street. Lets us make this day not about Hallmark, expectations and “what did you get?” Lets us today, be what we should be everyday as Christians. Lets love in the Biblical since, let us fill others with love and compassion and overflow their cups; let that person or persons know they are a child of God and that they are loved.

“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” - Hebrews 6:10


Peace be with all of you today. God Bless. >>John

What is humility?

Zephaniah tells us in 3:12, the “But I will leave among you A humble and lowly people, And they will take refuge in the name of the LORD.”

We are not to think too highly of ourselves. The Lord showed the Jews during those forty years wandering in the desert, that He was in control and He would take care of them by letting them go hungry and then feeding them manna. We become humble when we acknowledge God is in control and release our selfish pride. We become humble when we recognize God knows what we need and that He will be the one to meets those needs.

1 Peter 3:8 says “Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.” As we turn from being selfish and self centered, we can start to develop compassion and sympathy toward our fellow man.

Jesus was the perfect example of being humble. Born of a virgin in a stable; he was the King of Kings riding in his royal procession on a donkey. He, who knew no sin, became sin so we could become His righteousness; though Jesus is God, He became nothing to die on a cross for us. We should model ourselves after Jesus, serving others and not just being served. Serving others will help us develop a humble heart.

1 Peter 5:6 tells us that the Lord will honor the Humble, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”

Psalms 69:32 also tells us that “The humble have seen it and are glad; You who seek God, let your heart revive.” So being humble will open our eyes to see what the Lord does in our lives. We may have a tendency to think that everything is of our own doing. Don’t let pride blind you to what God is doing around you.

Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

I rise and fall everyday with prayers thanking God for all that I have, from my family, to my health, to my family’s health, to my job, to pretty much everything He has lead me through in my life. It should be a great comfort to us, that humble and thankful praises from us are more pleasing to God than the most costly, pompous sacrifices.

Without God I am nothing; may all the Praise and Glory be to God. Amen


Thanks for checking in and God Bless >>John

The Pride Test - Something we all need.

If we were to all take an honest look at ourselves, I think most the issues we have would go away. Yes, start with ourselves, not others. God bless guys!

Prayer request from you; Let me have 'em!

Hello everyone! I am running behind on recording Episode 9 of the study of 1 Peter.(Get Episode 8 Here) I'm in Prayer while writing the script right now and thought I would drop a line to all of you on anything you might want to Prayed about?

What is going on in your life that you are struggling with? Is there someone you know who is is need of prayer? If the payer requests make it in before I record the Podcast I will add them in if you want.

Prayer is a powerful thing and as Christians prayer should always be out "go to" when we need God.

Respond to this post or send me a message! God Bless all of you....

"This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. " (1 John 5:14-15).

Haiti mission trip support request for a good friend.(Date Correction)

Hello everyone! I have a request for prayers, and if you can, monetary support for a good friend who will be making a short-term mission trip to Haiti. Anthony is a great guy, I have known him since we where kids and he has a big heart for serving the Lord! I am getting this out a bit late so a quick response would be great!

Their team of 11 is based out of Berean Community Church in Rochester, MN. They will be leaving March 27, 2011 and returning April 6, 2011. They will be spending time in Ennery and Limbe (home base) for Grace Missions. God willing they will try to serve others in nearby towns. This team is very motivated to serve God and the people of Haiti in the midst of the recent Hurricane fallout and cholera outbreak. Below is from Anthony about their goals:

Anthony on a previous trip to Haiti
playing with some children.

“Our primary purpose in going continues to be the same – to share the good news of Jesus and be a light to others. Whereas some people going on the trip are first timers and don’t know what to expect, I am hoping to accomplish some things that I have not been able to during my last two visits. For example, there is a little person (an “LP”) who lives in the town of Cap Hatien who I would like to visit. Cap Hatien is the town we fly in and out of and I have seen this individual sitting on the sidewalk on both my trips leaving. There is also a park in the town of Limbe where I would like to speak and share the good news of Jesus with others. I have built relationships with people in Haiti during my past two trips and I want to continue to be an encouragement to them.

Clean water supplies are very scarce in Haiti and as such, our team has been hoping and praying about building a well at the church in Limbe or even at our sister church in Ennery. Finally, the bible says in James 1:27 “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” Grace missions is already making an impact taking care of orphans. We are hoping somehow make an impact on the lives of the elderly in Haiti.”

They have been asked to raise $1300 and you can participate by praying, donating or both! Part of the money will be given to the people of Haiti who serve them meals during their trip. Please prayerfully consider supporting Anthony and his team. Give as your heart leads you not out of compulsion or necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver! (2 CORINTHIANS 9:7)

Below is a list from Anthony of things to be in prayer about for their team:

• That God's plans would be the mission team's plans.
• The current unrest in Haiti to settle down.
• That God would break us of ourselves and we would seek His leading in sharing the gospel in Haiti.
• Funds and resources for the trip. We have raised 20% of the funds needed for the trip.
• Lord willing, a well could be drilled while we are there in Ennery where our sister church is located - providing clean water to the people of Ennery.
• My strength and stamina. It will be a tough trip for me, but Jesus didn't go to the easy places - He went to the hard places.

Updates here

Prayer is the biggest need for our team, but if the Spirit leads to give finances toward this trip, people can send donations to:

Berean Community Church
3157 Kenosha Drive
Rochester, MN 55902

Checks should be made out to Berean Community Church with "Haiti Missions Trip" in the memo line.

Correction to Post: You don’t have to do this alone.

I great friend pointed out a bad, but kind of funny typo in my post "You don’t have to do this alone".

I put:  “They live blinded by false idiots, hardened hearts, and are content in relying on their own strength in everything.”

Should have been: “They live blinded by false idols, hardened hearts, and are content in relying on their own strength in everything.”

Word auto complete is always "helping" me out. I make plenty of typos and grammatical errors on my blog, but that mistake need to be corrected and addressed because I don't want anyone thinking I would be name calling. I apologize to anyone who might have got offended by that.

Feel free to correct!!..lol

Thanks for checking in and God Bless >>John

John Christian Doe CSN Stores $20 promo code giveaway!(Over)

This $20 gift code can be used at any of their over 200 stores!!!(Over)

Hello everyone, hope you are all having a blessed day!  I have received an offer from CSN stores to have a $20 gift code give away to you, John Christian Doe readers and listeners in the US and Canadian only(sorry everyone else, not my rules!).

CSN Stores have over 200 unique sites for you to use your $20 gift code. Being a neat freak and liking things looking clean and organized with modern furniture and no clutter, I think this will come in handy. So check it out and let me know what you guys think.

How to be eligible to win:

Look for WHAT YOU THINK are my top 3 Blog posts on my site, and reply to this message with the Titles of those posts in order of your favorite. I will count up the replies have a random number generator pick between one and whatever the total is. I will then take that number and countdown that many replies….that person wins. I will then email or message you the $20 promo code. It’s that easy.

The contest will end this Friday (2/04/2011) at midnight.

Winner, #2 post, Anonymous! I 'm glad you posted your email..lol. Thanks everyone for playing!

You don’t have to do this alone.

 “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.” - Colossians 2:8 

There is a way of life or philosophy that greatly engages our mind and soul. It improves mankind and solidifies our faith in our Lord; it is the study of the Word and the Works of God. There is also a way of life or a counter philosophy that is conceited, vain, deceitful, void of Faith and completely self serving. This is the philosophy of the Worldly. What we believe, is our base or center of operations for our lives and how we conduct ourselves as humans. Everything depends on this center. 

The first way, is in total acceptance of the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ for our sins. These people are in Christ, saved from the punishment due under the shadow of their sin; they are living in a holy, sanctifying, dead to sin and in a mutual loving relationship with our Lord God.

The second way of life is a sad, disappointing existence and worthy of much pity. They live blinded by false idols, hardened hearts, and are content in relying on their own strength in everything. Their backs are turned against Christ, brushing His helping arms away. They are failing to truly see and accept their sin, failures, hurt and disappointments as a load only Christ can forgive, carry and guild them through.

If you are hurting, tired and broken, Christ is waiting for you. Tell Him you accept Him as your Lord and Savior. Ask for God’s forgiveness for your sins. Ask Him to come into your life and make you new again. Ask Him to guild your thoughts, mind and heart, all the days of your life. Many of us have been broken by trying to carry the hurt and pains of life on our own. This is a futile fight that you don’t have to endure alone. Jesus loves you so much; He laid down His life for you. And because of His perfect sacrifice He rose again, securing your salvation. May God Bless you.

Thanks for checking in and God Bless >>John

Christ’s death and resurrection; It’s about the “why”.

John 10:18 tells us "No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father."

These words spoken by Jesus have been written down for all to read for almost 2000 years. Yet, many people have worried about “who” killed Christ, missing the point of why it happened and in turn, taking God’s hand out of it. Genesis 50:20 tells us "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive." So what men meant for evil by killing Christ, God meant for good. The “who” was not important; the “why” was everything.

The great preacher John Piper put it like this, “And since God meant it for good, we must look beyond human causes to a divine propose. The central issue of Jesus death is not the cause, but the purpose-the meaning. Human beings may have their reasons for wanting Jesus out of the way. But only God can design it for the good of the world."

What many fail to see is that Christ’s death and resurrection was so important, so miraculous that it changed everything; nothing would ever be the same again. Christ’s death and resurrection changed the Roman Empire, the very Empire that took his life. Christ’s death and resurrection changed his own unbelieving brother’s mind of who he was. A meeting with the risen Jesus changed the Apostle Paul’s heart to stop hunting and persecuting Christians; and turned him into one of Christianity greatest leaders and writer of much of the New Testament. Christ’s death and resurrection lead the apostles to continue to build Christ’s Church in the face of great opposition and persecution. Seeing Christ’s death and resurrection eventually lead most of the apostles to martyrdom because of their belief and love for Christ. Christ’s death and resurrection was meant to change us forever. Are you fighting that change?

Sometimes we may lose sight of what the gospel is about; we may get wrapped up in details that cause us to miss the meaning. Christ’s death and resurrection has changed our fate and given us new everlasting life. Jesus’ sacrifice paid our ransom. It provided our justification, sanctification and ultimately or salvation; it is our pardon and our purity. So, as you go about your days on earth, keep in mind the meaning of “why” Jesus went to the cross, was crucified, was buried, rose from the grave and ascended into Heaven and act accordingly in all you do. Hope in the grace of God!

Thanks for checking in and God Bless >>John

Question: Are you of the world or just in it? How we fall short.

Be in the world not of it. This is a hard one for us Christians. We are told to “Be Holy, because I am Holy” by God in 1 Peter 1:16. We are to separate ourselves from the “Worldly” things and through our sanctification process we are to be more like Christ and not enjoy the things we know are morally bankrupt, like most things coming out of Hollywood and the secular music industry.

I think most Christians fall in the middle on this topic; not too much bad…but there is some in there. Some of us may be somewhat more discerning on what we consume on TV, Movies and Music. Some of you may not think about what you watch or listen to at all; well, unless you have kids and sometimes you will filter their entertainment (hopefully).

Now I would hope anyone with children would be monitoring what they watch, listen to and what they go see at the movie theater. It does take more time to block channels, check on the music they listen to, install a filter for the internet and read about the movie they are going to see with friends. These are the basic things you should do to protect your kids, because society does not care. If you don’t believe me, just watch a PG-13 movie and see the nonsense they put in for “entertainment” value and if you need me to tell you what is on the internet, then you should not have kids.

I have gone the long way round to get to this point, if those of us who do all this filtering for our kids find it important, why is our filter for ourselves not better? If we truly believe that the content is not good, why is it okay for us? Why are we still watching shows that are inappropriate? There are some shows that are perfectly fine, but there are movies, TV shows and music that just plain glorify sin and sinful lifestyles. Now, a show having sin in it, is much different than a show which says, “its okay, here it is in your face nonstop”.

I hear about it all the time; Christians who see no problem with consuming these things which go completely against Christian beliefs. They justify it and make excuses for it all because they find joy in it and it might be too much work to find something else. Now if you go through all that trouble for your kids, what do you think they learn by seeing you finding joy in those things? You are saying, “You’re not old enough to enjoy this sinful, bad stuff yet…but someday you can have all you want like us!”.

John 17:15-16 says, "I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”

“Christ does not pray that they might be rich and great in the world, but that they might be kept from sin, strengthened for their duty, and brought safe to heaven. The prosperity of the soul is the best prosperity. He pleaded with his Holy Father, that he would keep them by his power and for his glory, that they might be united in affection and labours, even according to the union of the Father and the Son. He did not pray that his disciples should be removed out of the world, that they might escape the rage of men, for they had a great work to do for the glory of God, and the benefit of mankind. But he prayed that the Father would keep them from the evil, from being corrupted by the world, the remains of sin in their hearts, and from the power and craft of Satan. So that they might pass through the world as through an enemy's country, as he had done. They are not left here to pursue the same objects as the men around them, but to glorify God, and to serve their generation. The Spirit of God in true Christians is opposed to the spirit of the world. (Jn 17:17-19)” - Matthew Henry

Thanks for checking in and God Bless >>John