Come to Me

In all of our lives and each day we make choices that will affect our lives in either a positive or negative manner. What firm foundation do people have in place to help make choices that will bring satisfaction? Some people are  self-seeking and are making their choices based on power, position and prestige. Materialism is one of the biggest distractions that people face today. The world offers many things that would appear to fill the void  in our hearts and lives.  Jim Elliot a missionary once said, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose." When we give our time and effort into something we shouldn't have the mentality that we need to get something in return. Yes all of us have failed and fallen  short of what would be best for our lives. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ and my hope is built one nothing else other than as the hymn says "His blood and righteousness." We have made poor choices and regret the things of my past. How do we find peace in our lives? Why is my life not going the way I planned?  Does it seem like your life is like a dark storm cloud where their in no light or hope? Well we all have been in darkness and difficult circumstances.  How do we get out of living a life of mediocrity?  I know I am posing lots of questions. From my experience and past failures and poor choices I have learned Jesus is the answer. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life - and I find my hope and joy in Jesus alone.  Do you feel like you have tried everything you know to be content and have true joy? Maybe as you read this you have never attended church and for that matter don't plan on ever sitting in a church pew. What everyone is longing for no matter where you live, rich or poor, black or white. Everyone wants to be loved!

When you hurt - Jesus gives you His peace that passes all understanding

When you are hungry - Jesus is the "Bread of Life"

When you are sick - Jesus is the "Great Physician"

When you are in darkness - Jesus is the "Light of the World"

When you were judged - Jesus offers forgiveness

When the world needed joy - God sent His only begotten son to be born of a virgin in a manager to die in my place a Savior.

For God so loved ( your name) that he gave His only begotten son that whoever believes in him will not die but have everlasting life.  John 3:16

The gift of Jesus is offered to all who are willing to come and die to your wants and needs and humbly bow at the foot of the cross and invite the love of Jesus to fill your heart and transform you life.

"Satan come to kill, steal and destroy but I have come that you may have life and life more abundantly.

John 10:10

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and you will find rest for your souls.  Matthew 11:28-31

Try Jesus because we have the capacity to love others but Jesus first loved us.  Amen.  

Blessings to all!

Tebow Time! Sharing his faith!

Tim Tebow’s Vocation

Dec 7, 2011

Thomas Haine

Tim Tebow, the outspoken young quarterback of the Denver Broncos, is the talk of the nation: He has won six out of his last seven games, several in spectacular fashion. Yet, because of his overt faith, many in the media seem to relish his every mistake with more than a tinge of anti-Christian malice. Other players criticize and scoff at him: Two Detroit Lions players recently knelt in mockery of him during a game, one after sacking Tebow for a loss and the other after scoring a touchdown. Comments and behavior like this have outraged men and women of faith across the nation. To many Christians, Tebow is a public hero who strives against intolerance of their beliefs.

I would defend Tebow in the face of secularist attacks and criticisms, but I still have lingering questions about the appropriateness of his actions. Take this example: Only moments after his dramatic come-from-behind win against the New York Jets in November, Tebow sat down with NFL commentators. The interviewer asked, “what comes over you with five minutes to go?” Tebow responded, “Well, first and foremost, I gotta thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and thank my team mates . . . ” Should Tebow tone this kind of answer down?

Perhaps Tebow should not talk and act as if every win and success is almost miraculous, as if God’s intervention is the primary cause of it. Such talk might obscure the fullness of the truth by hiding other contributing factors. God is the cause of all things and our natural order. He intervenes in his natural order as he sees fit; we call these “super” natural interventions miracles. Throwing a football is probably not, then, supernatural or miraculous at all, and neither is winning a football game. If we were to thank God exclusively after either, we may be obscuring the fact that God enabled his creation—the natural rather than supernatural order—to accomplish his will for itself. He gave Tebow his teammates, his parents, the cheering fans, his coach, etc., so that he could succeed. Perhaps it would be more appropriate for Tebow to recognize and thank these people and causes first.

But, ultimately, I think this point is mostly a quibble. Tebow does always thank his teammates and his coach publicly, and I don’t think he is even implicitly claiming that his football wins are caused by supernatural intervention. He is merely giving praise where he thinks praise is due. Instead, I think many Christians—myself included—feel uneasy about Tebow’s professions of faith in public because we suspect that in the same situation, we would keep our faith private. Why, we ask, should Tebow be so vocal?

Such questions fail to recognize the nature of personal vocations and of belief in a God who has a unique plan for each of us. We each have a tailor-made vocation, not an ill-fitting suit, handed out to all Christians. We may be a priest, preacher, or a quiet family man, but if we seek truth and follow the will of God for our lives, we should feel neither shame nor judgment when we note a difference between our calling and that of another. Christian lives should be notable for their pluralism.

So, although Tebow’s prime time confessional style may not be “normal” for most Christians, I am convinced that it is authentic for him. He seems to be genuinely in love with Christ. He compares his professions of faith in Jesus to a husband’s expression of love for his wife every day, in public or in private. And like a good spouse, he works as hard as he can in everything out of love.

As early as high school, Tebow was known for playing every minute as if it were the last in the game, striving for extra yardage on every play. He still trains harder than anyone else. In his recent documentary, “Everything in Between,” he asks every day, “Was I the hardest worker in the country?” Despite all this hard work, he is far from dominant in his sport. He shows his flaws on every missed throw and every crushing hit he takes but through it all finds a way, some way, to win fair and square.

On top of his busy football career, Tebow is out in the world preaching at prisons, doing mission work with his family, starting a hospital in the Philippines, and trying hard to lead a virtuous life. In a recent interview, Broncos receiver Eddie Royal summed him up well: “[Tebow] really is genuine and the emotion and the passion that you see him out there playing with, he has the same passion off the field with those type of things, the charity things and the missionary things. He just lives that way. Like I said, there’s nothing fake about Tim Tebow.”

All people of faith can find inspiration in his example. We can wholly support the gallant and authentic vocation that Tebow has discerned for himself even if it is very different from our own. He will be the hardest worker in the NFL for the glory of God. He will be a prayerful man, on and off the field. And he will use every camera that turns his way to loudly proclaim his trust in the God of the Bible, no matter the criticism he faces.

What about Jesus during Christmas? Stop and give thanks for God's only Son!

"About that time Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Empire. This was the first census when Quirinius was the governor of Syria. Everyone had to travel to his hometown to be accounted for. So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David's hometown, for the census. As a decendant of David he had to go there. He went with Mary, his fiancee, who was pregnant.
While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped Him in a blanket and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the hostel.
There were shepherds camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God's angel stood among them and God's glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, "Don't be afraid. I'm here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David's town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you're to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger."
At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God's praises: "Glory to God in the heavenly heights; Peace to all men and women on earth who please Him."
As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the shepherds talked it over. "Let's get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us." They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. All who heard the shepherds were impressed.
Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself. The shepherds returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned out exactly the way they'd been told!"  (Luke 2:1-20).

It was a simple scene that first Christmas – a rough room, a young couple and nothing but a feeding trough to put the child in. It was probably quite cold and with family far away there was little help. Not exactly the Hallmark moment we like to show in Christmas pageants. And yet this rustic scene marked the greatest event in the history of mankind.
God's Son became human and came to earth to save us. God had promised to send a Messiah, one who would save His people. He could have easily burst on the scene as a full grown man, a seven foot warrior with fiery eyes and arms of steel. This was what many people were looking for, but it wasn't how God did it. He arrived in the arms of a young girl. He was, as another of our authors put it, "a very small package, wrapped in rags, given from the heart of God. The perfect gift."
God gave His only Son to die in our place so that we, in all our brokenness, could know forgiveness. He came so that we could know what love feels like, real love – love that never leaves, love that never disappoints, love that is never betrayed. He sent His Son into a corrupted world to bring us hope.
How are you doing this Christmas?Are you having a hard time finding hope in the world? Are you having a hard time finding peace? It doesn't have to be that way. You can have peace and find hope and know forgiveness through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
You can receive Christ right now by faith through prayer. Praying is simply talking to God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. Here's a suggested prayer:

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 to You and ask You to come in as my Saviour and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Bring peace to my world this Christmas. Make me the kind of person You want me to be.

If this prayer expresses the desire of your heart, pray it right now and Christ will come into your life as He promised. If you invited Jesus Christ into your life, thank God often that He is in your life, that He will never leave you and that you have eternal life.

---

YES, I prayed this prayer
Your Name:

Little Drummer Boy "What will you bring Christ our Lord & Savior this Christmas

Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum
A new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum
Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum
To lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

So to honor Him, pa rum pum pum pum,
When we come.

Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum
I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum
I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum
That's fit to give the King, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum,
On my drum?

Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum
The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum
Me and my drum. 

Their are so many meaningful hymns and Christmas songs that are apart of the season of Christmas, but I must tell you "The Little Drummer Boy" is my favorite.  You may ask yourself why not "Silent Night" or O Holy Night.  Well, I am so glad you ask me. This song has special meaning to me because it simply reminds me that  Jesus was born as a gift for the world to receive.  I also think of the lowly animal feed box where he was born. I also reflect and think that their was no room for Emmanuel Christ our Lord. Scripture tells us he came to the world to seek and save the lost yet the world received him not. But this song is not just about Jesus, it's very personal to me because I put myself in the place of the drummer boy. I am not a wealthy man of earthly things but I am rich in spirit.  I certainly cannot bring expensive gifts.  But does Jesus want gifts our does he want my heart?  Well, that question to me is easy...Jesus came so that we live and have life in abundance and in all it's fullness.  That baby and King wants my heart. Jesus is the gift I live and have my being because he lives I can face tomorrow.  I am poor and have no gifts to bring but I gave God my heart and I love God because he first loved me.  I will again focus myself on giving God my all and living for Him and sharing his love with the world.  What gift will you bring Jesus?  Do you search for him tonight? If you are hurting Jesus is the "Healer" of the broken in spirit.  Do you feel like you are in the dark during this season...know Jesus loves you and He is the Light of the World.  Please receive the gift of Jesus and may God richly bless each of you this Christmas season!  Give him your heart.

Kirk

Why do we celebrate Christmas?

Well, the Thanksgiving holiday is officially over, the shopping madness of "Black Friday" has come and gone.  My family who flew in or drove in from all over have packed up and gone home and everyone is back to work. Taking the time to give thanks is something today I haven't completely perfected, but I think as I grow older I have become a little smarter and over the past several years taken the time to step back, stop and be thankful for all the blessings of God recognizing his plan and purpose in and for my life. I have struggled many times in my life and in this journey of faith.  Yes, I have been through the depth of the darkest valley although the darkness hasn't overcome me.....because I have placed my faith and hope in the "long expected Savior."  Through the stress, struggle and hardship I have risen above my circumstances because I know that no matter how cold and dark the night  joy comes in the morning and that joy is the gift of my Lord and comforter Jesus Christ. So are you hurting? Do you not have the answer to why all these bad things are happening?  Christ Jesus is the answer.
So why do we celebrate Christmas? Does it seem like we all just get sucked in to the rush of the holiday?  The stores and malls all clean up from Halloween and Thanksgiving, re- stock and decorate for Christmas.  Everyone just seems to be so busy with other things that are not of great importance. I know that children love Santa Claus and await his return to their neighborhood to drop off the presents they can't wait to get into as they sit under the tree. at school the kids have their parties, Christmas plays and sing-a-longs!
Stop and think Santa wasn't born to die for the world like Jesus did.
God gave his only Son to be born in a manager born a "King" Emmanuel "God with us" to free us from our mess and screw ups!
It is not about the warm good feeling we have when we get gifts its about giving to others.
It is about the Creator and his name is Jesus!

Perspective

I'm  forgiven, because you were forsaken.
I'm accepted, you were condemned.
I'm alive and well and your Spirit lives within me, because you died and rose again.


So listen up for all who read this:
I am forgiven because Jesus took my place...he was forsaken and condemned.
I am forgiven - my sins are forgotten because one precious drop of the blood of Christ Jesus covers all my sin.
I hide myself in the shadow of the wings of the Almighty God.
During times of crisis, hurt and pain...God gives me the strength of the Holy Spirit and I walk in peace through the storm.
I know when I do not have the faith to believe, Jesus still believes in me.
I am a child of God.
No weapon formed against me shall prosper.
Satan has no place or power of me because the Holy Spirit is in me.
I am not to be of this world.  I am a stranger in this world but called to love the unloved and share the light and love of Jesus with the world.
I am not here to make everyone happy I am here to be obedient to God and walk in the victory I have found in him.
I will trust in the things for which I do not see, for they are eternal.
The things we do see will rust and go away.
Heaven is His throne and earth is His foot rest.

Though the Earth Cried out for blood
Satisfied her hunger was
Her billows calmed on raging seas
for the souls on men she craved

Sun and moon from balcony
Turned their head in disbelief
Their precious Love would taste the sting
disfigured and disdained

On Friday a thief
On Sunday a King
Laid down in grief
But awoke with keys
Of Hell on that day
The first born of the slain
The Man Jesus Christ
Laid death in his grave

So three days in darkness slept
The Morning Sun of righteousness
But rose to shame the throes of death
And over turn his rule

Now daughters and the sons of men
Would pay not their dues again
The debt of blood they owed was rent
When the day rolled a new

On Friday a thief
On Sunday a King
Laid down in grief
But awoke holding keys
To Hell on that day
The first born of the slain
The Man Jesus Christ
Laid death in his grave

On Friday a thief
On Sunday a King
Laid down in grief
But awoke with keys
Of Hell on that day
The first born of the slain
The Man Jesus Christ
Laid death in his grave

He has cheated
Hell and seated
Us above the fall
In desperate places
He paid our wages
One time once and for all

 Send "Death In His Grave" Ringtone to your Cell 

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Bird's Eye View

On this particular October afternoon, as I get out of my truck and lace up my boots I feel the warmth of the evening sun on my face as I look out across a soybean field trying to decide what deer stand to try to get a look at the trophy buck. As I walk down a narrow and bumpy dirt path I feel a slight crisp breeze as I admire the bright and radiant colors of the leaves on the Maple trees. I would hear the rustle and scamper of a couple of squirrels making circles around a pine tree along the edge of the woods.  The warmth of the sun was quickly fading and the wind was blowing a little stronger as I reached my stand.  As I stood at the base of the tree I took my .270  rifle off my back carefully and took a deep breath of cool air.  I had finally arrived to the top of the stand about seventeen feet up about 150 years old pine tree.  What a bird's eyes view of God's creation.  The many colors of the turning of the leaves as they look  to be waving at me and singing look at me.  I look across the field and see a groundhog, sitting upright and getting his fill of soybeans for his afternoon snack.  Yes I love to hunt deer but it is more than hunting for me it is taking the time to listen, slow down and experience God and all He has made for man to enjoy. After I watched several doe pace around the corner of the field I simply watched them as I saw an amazing sunset. I didn't take home a trophy buck but I always bring home with me a attitude of thanks to God for all the blessing of family and friends.  From a deer stand I had pretty great view but as I looked up I felt very small and was just reminded of how big God is and how much he loves me.

God demonstrated his love for us that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Take the time this week and spend time with God and rest in his love