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Yesterday evening, during our block party off of Kipling, we had an interesting and unexpected attender show up. While the mission team from Beaumont, TX was singing some of their songs that they had taught the kids during the week, a card-board sign appeared over the privacy fence directly in front of the choir.

You could see a visible change on the kids faces when they read the sign that was being waved back and forth. A woman that lived at that house had taken a black marker and written in large letters, “GOD IS IMAGINARY.”

As I stood to the side in full view of both the choir and the sign, I wondered how the kids were going to respond to someone who did not believe as they did and was willing to be as expressive about their beliefs as the choir was about Jesus. Needless to say, they were in SHOCK that someone didn’t believe in God. They had never faced anything so bold.

As soon as one song finished and a drama team was getting ready, one of the bold young men walked straight to the fence, where the lady had very proudly hung her sign, and began to take it down in disgust, but the lady very quickly told him to stop and leave it alone.

As I began to walk up there to diffuse and monitor the interaction, I heard her say to the young man, “God is no different than the Easter Bunny!” He was trying his best to engage her in a discussion about beliefs. He was ready and willing to argue his points of belief and defend God. She was going to have nothing to do with a discussion because her extreme irritation with the music was all that was on her mind. So, I calmly asked the young man to back down and I apologized for volume of the music and we would be finished soon.

After the performance was over, I called over the young man named Jacob. He was visibly stirred up and I wanted to encourage him for his passion and zeal. As he approached, he was followed by a group of students that were ignited by his bravery to confront the lady and attempt to correct her beliefs.

So while I had that teaching moment, I reminded them of Peter and his zeal for Christ. He even chopped an ear off in his zeal. I am sure that Jesus was impressed by Peter’s passion, but Jesus needed to redirect that zeal. Immediately after the ear fell to the ground, Jesus told Peter to chill out. He needed to remind Peter that they were not there for ears, rather, they were there for hearts.

I wanted to encourage this young mans passion, but I wanted to remind him that we were called to be “fishers of men” not winners of arguments. We want to engage this woman’s heart, not to drive a wedge even further between her and God by tearing her sign down.

We were able to go back to the fence later and talk with the lady and listen to her and ask her to consider God one more time. One of the Group leaders from Beaumont was able to have a discussion with her and asked her to take a 30 day challenge by reading the Gospel of John and ask God to reveal himself to her.

May God grant us the wisdom to recognize the difference between ears and hearts. We need to be more interested in winning hearts than arguments. May we all be as wise as serpents and gentle as doves when we encounter those that need to experience the love of God. Paul said to the church in Philippi, “I pray that your love may abound more and more in depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best…”

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is “best.”

In His Grip,

Joel

Have you heard the song by John Mayer titled, “My Stupid Mouth?” Here are just a few lines from that song:

My stupid mouth, it’s got me in trouble.
I said too much again, to a date over dinner yesterday,
and I could see that she was offended.
She said, “Well anyway!” Just dying for a subject change.

Oh. It’s another social casualty.
Score one more for me, oh how could I forget,
Momma said, “Think before speaking.”

Have you ever caught yourself in one of the awkward moments where you just contracted “foot’n'mouth” disease? You know, those times when you ask when the baby is due, and she is not pregnant; or when you call your girlfriend by your last girlfriend’s name?

We have all had those moments when we say something and then wish we could immediately hit the “delete” button. Well we all have brain slips at times, but I am more interested in the words that come from our mouth on a regular basis that we would be completely embarrassed by if someone outside of our family could here. Isn’t it interesting that we talk the worst to those that we love the most? I can tell alot about a family, a parent, a child by how they talk to those closest to them when no one else can hear them (or atleast they think nobody can hear).

May I challenge us all to evaluate the words that come out of our mouth, especially when they are spoken at home and towards those we love the most. Scripture teaches us that no unwholesome talk is to come from our mouth, only that which is edifying and encouraging to others.

I pray all of us would be more careful about what and how we use words.

Joel

This morning as I read the newspaper, I read about the violence that is happening in Peru. The native Indians are striking against the Government because their land is being taken for resources and they are not being asked or compensated for their loss of land.

Well that is an interesting story to me because my youngest son, Grayson, will be flying to Peru in two weeks for a mission trip. He will be a part of a team that is going into Aquitos, and then a couple of hours into the jungle.

As I talked with God this morning about the trip, I asked him to bless the team as they go. I asked that He would give them great influence with the people that they would encounter. But I also asked him to watch out for Grayson. As soon as I asked it, I was set back by my request. What makes me think that He wouldn’t do that in the first place. Grayson is one of His children, one that He dearly loves. Scripture says that He will never leave or forsake Grayson.
What I learned this morning is that I need to move that passage of Scripture from head knowledge to heart knowledge. I need to live the truth of that.

My prayers changed from protection to influence. Lord, please allow Grayson and the rest of the team to be great influencers for your Kingdom. Even in the face of danger and adversity, please give them courage and strength to live boldly for you. Yes Lord, I do pray for your hand of safety over him, but even if he is endangered, fill him with your courage and strength.

Thank you Lord for the opportunities you give us to live for you. As Grayson and the team fly to Peru, Lord, may they wait on you and allow you to raise them up as on wings of eagles. Allow them to work for you and not grow weary, renew their strength on a daily basis.

What a quote from the Denver Nuggets team leader, Chauncy Billups.  Last night after the Nuggets clinched the series with the Hornets, he talked about how his team was so excited about clearing the first round of the playoffs.  He said, “It has been a long time since I have lost in the first round.  Man, I shoot higher than that.”

It appears that his teammates had set their sites on just making it past the first round.  Chauncy made it clear that he didn’t come back to Denver to just make it past the first round of the playoffs.  He has his sights set on a much higher prize.  I believe he was sending a clear message to his team that they needed to adjust their aiming point.

I encountered this  attitude when I was coaching as well.  When Abilene Cooper High School hired Randy Allen to be the Head Football Coach, he was coming back home.  He played for Cooper in the late 60’s when they played Austin Reagan in the 5A State Championship.  With the clock winding down, 4th and Goal on the one yard line, they ran the ball up the gut and it was called down on the one inch line, the game was over.

In his first team meeting as Head Coach some 20 years later, he surveyed the team about their goals for the next season.  At that time, Cooper was battling their cross town rival, Abilene High, to see who would be the worst team in the district.  We were bad!  The team overwhelmingly set of goal of just beating Abilene High so they wouldn’t be in last place.

Coach Allen, said, “If your goal is just to not be in last place, then I came to the wrong place.  I came back for one more inch.”  And from that moment on, I watched a team redefine their thinking and begin to march toward another 5A State Championship appearence in 1996 against Austin Westlake.

What goals have you set for yourself?  What about your family?  Have you set any spiritual goals lately?  May we take a lesson from two outstanding leaders and make sure that we are setting our goals high enough.

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.”               Ephesians 3:20

SHOOT HIGH TODAY!!

Joel

I don’t know if you are like me, but I am constantly referring to my calendar to see what I have scheduled next or when the next sporting event for one of the boys is scheduled.  I have my calendar on my computer, I have it on my iphone, I have a hard copy in my office….. my calendar is always close by.

I also know that the time that I don’t have things scheduled with something to do is precious to me.  That is the time that I get to do what I want to do.  I get to decide who I share it with.  I am not a loner type person, so I usually look forward to spending my down time with my family and friends.

Today, I am reading through Psalm 103 and I am impressed with what was on God’s calendar.  If you haven’t taken some time to read through this Psalm, make sure that you do today.  Do whatever you have to do to fit it into your calendar.  Make sure you have time to sit quietly and let these words marinade in your heart.

Verse 17 says, “But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him.“  Did you catch that?  God has a continuous appointment on His calendar to love those that fear Him.  I don’t know about you, but I plan on spending the rest of my days in awe of my Lord.  I am glad to know that I  am on His calendar from everlasting to everlasting.  I needed that today, how about you.

Well, how does knowing that the God of the Universe has your name on his calendar everyday effect you?  For me, it reminds me to make sure that those that I love the most are on my calendar everyday.  I am guilty of letting work, business, and everything else block out those that matter the most to me.

May we all take a lesson from our Heavenly Father and love others with an extreme kind of love.  Make room on your calendar for God and family everyday.

Joel

I have been so impressed by the Lord lately about the importance of following Him with all that I am and hope to be.  I did a word study on the word “follow” and discovered a wide variety of uses of the word.

In classical literature, the word was used in a military context.  A soldier would follow the orders of his commanding officer without question or hesitation.  His obedience to his commander could have a direct effect on his fellow soldiers.  If he delayed, it could cost them their life and if he followed immediately it could save their life.

It was also used in the context of a conversation and trying to follow a train of thought.  Have you ever been in a conversation and it was a struggle to follow where someone was going?

It was also used for following someone’s advice.

The thing I began to discover was how all of those uses have a direct application to you and I and our walk with the Lord.  The result of our following him could have a direct effect on those around us.  Just imagine if we were to respond to his leading and wisdom immediately and with confidence.  Just think of the impact that could have on our marriages, parenting, work environment, home life, etc.  If we delay in our obedience, it could have an impact on those places as well.

When is the last time you went to the Lord for advice?  Did you follow it?  Have you been following the train of thoughts that He has been speaking to you through your time in the Word?

Are you following Him?

May we all make it a focus of our life to follow Him this week.  May we set aside our own wisdom and understanding and in all our ways acknowledge him and watch him make our paths straight.

In His Grip,

Joel

This morning I am sitting in a hotel lobby in Dallas, TX awaiting the day.  It is quiet this morning and my coffee is hot.  Catherine’s family says goodbye to Grandpa Bowman today.  We came down to Dallas to be with Catherine’s dad as he says his farewells.  The family will reunite today and draw strength from one another.  It is in these times that family becomes so important.  Old relationships are renewed, and new relationships are formed.  My thoughts and prayers go up for the Bowman family today.  May God bless you all.

As I consider the day ahead, my thoughts are directed to my boys at home.  We are so blessed to have Garrett and Grayson.  Just the other night in Garrett’s football game, he ran down the field on kick-off and had a violent collision with the ball carrier.  I immediately knew that he hurt something.  He got up and started toward the sideline and his left arm was hanging straight down.  With a grimmace on his face he came over and told me that his arm was on fire.  I immediately knew that he had a stinger.

A few plays later, when we went back on offense, I looked at him and asked if he wanted me to tell the head coach that he was done.  The look he gave me was one I won’t soon forget.  He looked at me as if I was crazy.  Dad, you can’t keep me out of this game, I must do my part for the team.  (My thoughts, not his words) 

From a father’s perspective, I didn’t want him to hurt that shoulder any more than it already was.  I wanted to protect him from further injury.  I don’t think my perspective was wrong, but I failed to see that my son was willing to go back on to the field of battle for the sake of the team, even though it will mean more pain.

I wonder how often I take myself out of the game of life when things get difficult?  When I experience pain, or hardship, do I ask God to set me on the bench?  I have been encouraged by the tenacity and courage of Garrett this week, because when he realized that he would have to play with the pain, he simply pressed on. That is what we have to do when we encounter pain and adversity in our lives.  We realize that there will be pain, but we choose not to come out of the game and rely upon God’s strength and not our own.  

I have come to realize that often times we see great things happen in the midst of pressing on.  Whatever your situation may be today, I encourage you to stand firm and press on.  Call upon the Lord and admit your pain and ask for His strength.  When you are at your weakest is when He is at His strongest.  (2 Corinthians 12:9)

P.S. - Garrett went on to have 3 carries for 47 yards and 2 TD’s in the game.