The Bible in a Year

I started listening to the Bible two days ago with the intention of reading/listening to the Bible in a year. I think this year I'll listen through the Bible starting in Genesis and read chapter by chapter until I reach Revelation. There are different plans and guidelines that help you read through the Bible in a year; choose one that best suits you and start today. It's a great learning experience for the whole year! Read it and live it everyday - good luck and God bless!

Humbled at Home

Yesterday I walked less than a mile from our church to go door to door letting people know that we had a food drive happening. As I walked through one neighborhood I was humbled at the life style some are living less than a mile from the church, not over seas, right here at home. Some were hard workers working a couple jobs each, others, not so much. However, I remember Jesus going town to town and door to door in the scriptures. In one instance in Matthew 15, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way." Jesus healed many of the people and fed them all. Lord help me to have compassion on people like you do. Lord don't ever let me forget my many blessings and continually remind me to share them!

Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

John 6:35
And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

Patience

Krista and I lived near the church where we ministered, Friendship AG Church, Richmond, TX...in Y2K. It took me about 5 minutes to get to the office every day. However, it took Krista almost an hour and a half to get to her work every day...one way. I remember picking her up from work one day and driving from the Galleria area back down to Richmond. After 3 minutes of that route I finally fully understood road rage. I could have rammed cars & shot out windows very easily! I still remember sitting helplessly in the traffic, moving by the inch every 30 seconds or so. I was maxed out. Sometimes our walk with God is just like that. It feels like we're moving by the inch when we want to be cruising down the highway. After I thought about it for a while I realized I had wasted my time that day. I was with my wife Krista; we had over an hour of time to talk, reflect, talk about the day, etc. However, I could only focus on what frustrated me instead of who I was with. We could have at least planned a vacation or talked about the weekend coming up; something to entertain us, but I was too pre-occupied with the external circumstance I could do nothing about. I hope you're beating me to the point. Point is: look at the good, keep our eyes on the positive, stay focused on energizing yourself with good thoughts, healthy conversation and being still and knowing that God is the author of your life. In other words, every part of our life is orchestrated by God. Instead of looking around at the many things we can't control, why not look to our God and have a conversation that will be uplifting and productive so that when we're finally out of the traffic jam, we have a good idea of where we're going with God.

Richmond, TX

Krista and I relocated to Richmond, TX in '99. I hired on as the youth pastor for Friendship Assembly of God Church. These next few years would set the foundation for my ministry years to come. They were good solid years of ministry. Friendship is a great church and Pastor Frazier was a good leader and teacher to me. The most lasting impression he left on me was to always give others the benefit of the doubt. It's imperative and of course Biblical to be objective when "problem solving" of any kind when in church leadership.

1) Lead with grace and 2) Mercy triumphs judgment.

Chess

League City, 1998 - I remember my good friend Mike T. who taught me the basic moves of playing chess while we lived in League City. He attended our church and we lived in the same apartment complex. I still remember coming home most everyday and thinking only about playing chess! Within a few days the game of chess had consumed my mind and I still remember sitting on Mike's porch learning the moves and trying to beat him for the first time. I still think about chess all the time! Matter of fact, I play it on facebook most everyday. I make one or two moves a day against my opponents in games that sometimes last for months! Just saying...I sort of enjoy chess!

Christianity should be something that consumes our mind. We should constantly be asking God how we can learn more about Him & best serve Him. If we ask; "How can I better serve my family, my friends, my church?" that's one sign that we're heading in the right direction. Serving God is serving each other. Jesus said if you serve the least of those around you then you have served Him. Matthew 25:31-40. Most new Christians are so excited to serve God it's all they think about; pleasing God begins to consume them. The Apostle Paul says that living a life of Christ is a marathon, not a sprint. Therefore, let's take our faith walk with God in stride, don't burn out, keep on moving forward, even if it's in small steps. Hold steady to the truth of God's promises so that you will finish with the eternal prize of Heaven. 2 Timothy 4:7,8 and 1 Corinthians 9:24.

Believe It

In a prayer time the other day I was near speechless; the only thing I remember saying was "God, I still believe in you." I went to the church the next day and didn't take my church key with me so I sat in the parking lot waiting of the rest of the team. I flipped the radio on and immediately Jeremy Camp began singing "I Still Believe." I thought that was cool enough. Then, later that morning I felt God speaking to me "Tom, I still believe in you!" I do believe in God, but there was something overwhelmingly awesome about knowing that God wanted to be sure that I heard Him speaking to me saying that He still believes in me. What a great way to start the new year. And for you, there is no doubt in my mind, the maker of heaven and Earth, your maker, your friend, the one who died for you, - Jesus still believes in you no matter what you think He thinks! He loves you, He still believes in you; and He should, He made you and will continue the good work that He started in you.

The Hunt for the Peace of God

So as Levi and I went on a little hike and hunt today we finally stopped and took a rest by a steam. I was at total peace enjoying watching him have so much fun and sense of adventure on the hike. By the stream, as Levi fiddled with sticks and asked me a few times when we'd see a deer it reminded me of our relationship with Christ. Although Levi typically seems to be a patient kid for his age and he was sitting rather quite in-spite of being little anxious, as adults we can be fidgety and unappreciative of our time with God on any given trek we're on with Him. All the while He is just glad to be on the trek with us; and of course all the while God knows exactly where we're going and watching out for our every move. He even guides our steps, so the Bible says. Today - remember that God enjoys watching you walk with Him. Not necessarily watching you work for him. Be at peace today knowing that God loves you, cares for you and will safely guide you onward in your adventure through life.