destinychurch

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Ever find yourself here... that is between a rock and a hard place? At some point all of us will find ourselves in a challenging set of circumstances asking the proverbial question "why me... why is this happening to me?" 

Honestly, I can't always answer that question. But there are three things that I have learned are a guarantee... even in the most trying of times. The first: no matter how big of a challenge we are going through, God will turn it for the good for those who love Him (Rom. 8:28). The second: we will have the chance to encourage and strengthen someone else at some point in our life who has experienced the same challenges. Finally: those times of challenge reveal who we really are and "who" and "what" we will allow them to turn us into. 

The question isn't whether or not I will go through challenging times in my life. The question is how will I go through it, who will I become in the process, and will I invite God into my circumstances and watch first hand that He always keeps His word.

1 Pet. 1:6-7 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 

Church - it does a body good!

Too funny! Here are a couple of random "pastoral" activities and the number of calories each burns according to my new really-cool bodybugg (a high-tech electronic calorie counting device.)  

Staff meeting = 401 calories

Two hour creative meeting = 325 calories

Lunch Meeting = 264 calories

Destiny softball game = 612 calories 

One Hour nap = 132 calories 

Preaching two Sunday morning services = 1911 calories

Typing a blog = 47 calories 

Conclusion: At more than 900 calories per service, church apparently is good exercise... especially for the one preaching:-)  Now I understand why I sweat on while preaching more then I do playing on the softball Destiny team.

Yep, It's Official... I've Become My Parents

To know my kids are asleep in their bed, and to be at home in my own - there's no place better... Oh wow, I have become my parents. 

Day Off in 160 Words!

Monday, 4:33am - let the dogs out to "do their thing", go back to sleep, feed the dogs, go back to sleep, wake up, try to go back to sleep, devo, check stocks, scroll through the world news, run to Lowe's for weed eater twine, get gas for mower (and sodas for Mikey and I) at a convenience store, eat lunch with Renae at DesiWok, see matinee showing of "UP", call Jayme and check on her at her job, come home and watch news, gripe about president's speech regarding energy bill, repent, pray for the president, wrestle with both kids, get the daylights beat out of me, watch AFV, order pizzas, spend the evening with the family, talk, laugh, kiss the kids goodnight, feed the dogs, remove the trash can lid from one of the stupid dog's head, type this post, say a Psalms with Renae, pray for Tuesday, call it a night, and stay awake for few moments thanking God for such a great life... and a great day of rest, 11:22pm

Half-Time

It's official!  This weekend marks the half way point for 2009. Ugh, I just now got used to writing '09 on checks... and this years already half over? For two weeks at Destiny we're going to be doing a mini series called "Half-Time". It's about catching our breath and preparing ourselves to get ready to go another half... and if the first half is an indicator as to what we can expect, then what's waiting on the other side of this is is sure to be sensational. Excited about what's next? You should be... you can't imagine the incredible things God has in store and for many, "It's about time!". See you at church!  

WEARING HIS CAPE

Mowing yards and other odd jobs in the neighborhood has become Mikey’s one-man summer entrepreneurship. He tithes, saves, and of course spends WAY more than he should on things he really doesn’t need. However, because he is so faithful in his giving, and disciplined in his savings, Renae and I give him latitude and try not to wince he buys a new gadget. I have to brag though, my boy really does get that money is just another tool – and God is the one who gives us the real ability to get wealth… wealth that can’t always be measured in this lifetime. He mowed a lady’s yard from the church whose husband tragically passed away last week.  Unlike the other yards he mows, this one was because he wanted to be a blessing and set aside another kind of wealth. He saw an opportunity to serve and set aside treasures where “moths and rust can’t destroy…” And this isn't the first time... Mikey and Jayme both live by a self imposed rule of giving - they'd rather not talk about it, they just do it. But that doesn't mean I can't brag about them... You gotta’ love it when they get it! I love my kids, you make your Father proud!

Oops - I got my countries mixed up!

For all those who were at first service today, I meant to say "Iran" not "Iraq"... My bad!

Who's Your Daddy?

Here's something interesting. What do Christians, Jews, Muslims, Rastafarians, and Bahá’ís have in common? The answer: They all claim to have ties all the way back to father Abraham. In other words they can all be classified as Abrahamic religions. All claim the same geographical origination in Israel and Palestine. The Jewish nation was born out of Abraham's son Isaac, and Muslims believe they are descendants of his half-brother Ishmael. Only Isaac was given the promise of the Abrahamic covenant in Genesis 25.  A promise that was extended to the rest of the world after Jesus went to the cross - that is, if they put their faith in Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God. So, if you've ever wondered what makes Christianity different, there you have it. Salvation by grace through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ given freely to anyone who believes. 

Romans 4:13 "It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith."

Note: If you would like to see our statement of fundamental truths for Destiny Church you can here or see as fundamental truths. The core values of our vision as a church whose mission is, "Loving People - Reaching out to the lost, helping people find their next step and teaching others to do the same!"

Statement of Fundamental Truths:

The One True God:

The one true God has revealed Himself as the eternally self-existent "I am", the Creator of the Universe and the Redeemer of mankind (Deut. 6:4; Ex. 3:14; Isa. 43:10-11). God has further revealed Himself as a triune Being, manifested as Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Isa. 48:16; Matt. 28:19; Luke 3:22).

The Scriptures Inspired:

The Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, are verbally inspired of God and are the revelation of God to man; they are infallible, authoritative rule of faith and conduct. (II Tim. 3:15-17; I Thess. 2:13; II Peter 1:21).

The Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ:

The Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God and, as such, shares in the divinity and deity of God (Matt. 1:23; John 5:22-23; II John 3; Heb. 1:1-13).

Original Sin and the Fall of Man:

Man was created good and upright; for God said, "...Let us make man in our image, after our likeness."." (Gen. 1:26). The first man Adam, through disobedience, fell from grace of God, and thus sin and death entered into the world. Adam's transgression incurred not only physical death for man but also spiritual death, which is eternal separation from god (Gen. 2:17; 3:6-24). Man's propensity to sin because of his sinful nature necessitates salvation from the power of sin and a Savior to provide that salvation (Rom. 5:12-21).

The Salvation of Man:

Man's only hope of redemption and salvation from the power of sin is through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12; Rom. 5:8-13, 10:9; James 1:21; Eph. 2:8).

Christ, the One Shepherd:

Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11) and the Great Shepherd (Heb. 12:23). There is only one spiritual Shepherd referred to in the New Testament and Jesus Christ is that one (John 10:16).

The Church and Its Mission:

The church is the Body of Christ, that habitation of God through the Holy Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of her Great Commission. Each believer, born of the Spirit, is an integral part of the general assembly and the Church of the firstborn which is enrolled in heaven (Eph. 1:22-23; 2:22; Heb. 12:23).

Since God's purpose concerning man is to seek and to save those who are lost, to be worshiped by man and to build a body of believers in the image of His Son, the responsibility of the Church is:

a. To be an agency of God for evangelizing the world (Acts 1:18; Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16).

b. To be a corporate body in which man may worship God (I Cor. 12:13).

c. To be a channel of God's purpose to build a body of saints who are being perfected in the image of His Son (Eph. 4:11-16; I Cor. 12:28, 14:12).

The Ordinances of the Church:

a. Baptism in Water: The ordinance of baptism by immersion is commanded in the scriptures. All who repent of their sin and believe in Christ as Savior and Lord are to be baptized. This is a declaration to the world that they have been raised with Him in newness of life (Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 10:47-48; Rom 6:4).

b. The Lord's Supper of Holy Communion: The Lord's Supper, consisting of the elements - the bread and the cup of the fruit of the vine - is the symbol expressing our sharing of the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ (II Pete 1:4), a memorial of His suffering and death, and a prophecy of His second coming (I Cor. 11:26), and partaken by all believers until He comes!

The Baptism in the Holy Spirit:

The baptism of believers in the Holy Spirit is evidenced by the initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit of God gives utterance (Acts 2:4). With the baptism in the Holy Spirit comes the endowment of power of or the live and service, the bestowment of the gifts (or enabling of the Holy Spirit) and their uses in the ministry of the Body of Christ (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4, 8; I Cor. 12:1-31). The experience is distinct from, and subsequent to, the experience of the new birth (Acts 8:12-17; 10:44-46; 11:14-15; 15:7-9).

Divine Healing:

Divine healing was provided for in the Old Testament (Ex. 15:23-26; Ps. 103:1-3; Isa. 53:4-5) and is an integral part of the Gospel (Matt. 8:16-17; Acts 5:16; James 5:14-16).

The Second Advent of Christ:

The second coming of Christ includes the catching away of the Church (I Thess. 4:16-17), followed by the actual, visible return of Christ with His saints (the Church) to reign with Him on earth for one thousand years (Zech, 14:5; Matt. 24:27, 30; Rev. 1:7, 19:11-14, 20:1-6). This millennial reign will bring the salvation of the nation of Israel (Ezek. 39:28-29; Zeph. 3:19-20; Rom. 11:26-27) and the establishment of universal peace (Isa. 11:6-9; Ps. 72:3-8; Mic. 4:3-4).

The Final Judgment:

There will be as final judgment in which the wicked dead will be raised and will be judged according to their works. Whosoever is not found written in the Book of Life, together with the devil and his angels, the beast and the false prophet, will be consigned to everlasting punishment in the lake which burns with fire brimstone which is the second death (Matt. 25:24-26; Mark 9:43-48; Rev. 19:20, 20:11-15. 21:8).

The New Heavens and the New Earth:

...We according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, dwelleth righteousness" (II Peter 3-13; see also Rev. 21:1). 

Only When Words Are Added Is The Line Drawn In The Sand

God is the exclusive giver of every kind of talent, and for the sake of this blog post, musical talent included. From Beethoven to Bono, I’ll never buy into the idea that the world’s greatest musicians got their talent anywhere other than from God. Now what they did with their talent is another story – and often times a tragic one! But the gift/talent itself came from God. And I believe God loves music - every kind of music. Yes, even rap and country - hard to believe I know. 

But, I am also confident that God's heart breaks with what some have done with it when they've added lyrics. The music that God inspires, can turn very dark and dangerous when the wrong words are added. Words that have been influenced by man's fallen state or infected by a demonic kingdom. 

Proverbs 18:21 "The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit."

Renae and I strongly agree, "Music alone cannot be evil. Only when words are added is the line drawn in the sand."

As parents who have two teenage musicians, we live by an odd rule. At our house, "you can play whatever you want on your bass, acoustic, or electric guitars, but you'd better watch what comes out of your mouth!" 

I guess for me the whole "music thing" goes back twenty some years - It was 1986. I was 18 years old and struggling with my faith. It was during that time that God lovingly dealt with me about what I allowed to "speak" to my heart. The first thing He addressed was music. As a teen that was dealing with all that comes with being a Freshman at a secular college, I had latched on to the rock group Supertramp.  My favorite song was “The Logical Song”. Let’s just say it didn't help. Ironically, it was the last “secular” album I would ever own. A quick check on Youtube and I’m reminded as to why I destroyed my Supertramp album 23 years ago. It wasn't to find deliverance, it was because I was embarrassed. (see below - wow, is my face red!) 

My View of Second Service - The Man Series

Thanks to my son's engineering, and Southwest Fire Protection for providing the hat, here's what things looked like on my side of the plexiglass. Take some dramamine if you get motion sickness.