How do YOU Respond?

The testing of our faith comes often at the most inopportune times in our lives. Just when we think everything is going great, a situation happens that we did not expect and each of us must choose how to respond. It is in these difficult times that the response we choose often reveals the type of person we are deep within. If we flail off in a rage, there is a spirit of anger within us; if we lash out at others, there is a spirit of rebellion/discontent with us; if we seek to tear others down, there is a spirit of division within us; and so on. However, within each of us dwells a unique opportunity to seek Jesus’ forgiveness, and ask for the Holy Spirit to take control and bring us through the trials of life. When something happens this week … ask yourself, “How will I respond?”

God bless you.

Encouraging Note for Week of 27 March 2011

God's mercy is something that each of us needs daily, no matter how strong we may feel from one day to the next. When the Psalmist wrote, “weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5), his tone of celebration was that in ALL things God is STILL in control - and if we will turn to Him we can be restored! This week is another opportunity for us to be refreshed and to understand that God’s mercy will sustain us eternally if we will only focus on Him rather than the situations around us. We must admit that we need more of God’s mercy daily, and it is my prayer that we would focus on filling our souls with the healing that only God can provide.

God bless you.

~ Bro TJ

How are you justified?

Justification is the act of being brought into a right relationship with God, but it does not take into account anything we have done.

When the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth (2 Corinthians 5:18-19), he proclaims that God is reconciling His creation back to Himself through the purpose of Christ’s life. Simply stated, God has reconciled you and I through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross … period! This is the part we must grasp if we will ever see real growth in our faith. Justification is NOT achieved through the formula:

“Jesus + something else = Righteousness”
(This is the formula the world would have us believe and it is a false Gospel.)

Justification of God’s creation is by, for, and through Jesus Christ alone. Anything that tries to add to that diminishes the very value of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, and needs to be dismissed and/or rebuked immediately. Consider this today, pray on it, and ask yourself: Are you are using God’s formula, or your own, to be justified in His eyes?

~ Bro TJ

Sanctity of Human Life

Throughout God's Word we are told of the importance of human life. God reveals to us that He knew us when were formed in our mother's womb (Jeremiah 1:5 and Psalm 139:15), which means that each of us was known to a righteous God for a specific purpose. This month, we remember the importance of the Sanctity of Human Life and it is the prayer of my heart that will seek the Lord honestly and pray for this critical issue in our nation. The cross Jesus endured was because ALL LIFE is precious to God, and as believers we must take this same stand as well. Will you seek the Lord on this critical issue and take a stand to ensure that life is preserved? If we do not speak as God's people ... who will?

May God bless you this week. ~ Bro TJ

God loves you.

Have you ever been going through a difficult time and wondered how much does God really love you? Like, if he really loved you would you have to face this trying time? Sometimes, you have to hear it from a child's point of view in order for it to fully sink in.

God bless you my friends.

Encouraging Note - 7 Dec 2010

Zechariah had doubts about God’s promises, and so God had to use silencing him in order to bring him to a place of understanding and full-reliance on God. What Zechariah had to grasp was to admit that God calls EACH of us to a place of submission, and to have complete faith that when God promises … God delivers. When John was born and Zechariah confirmed his name, his speech was returned and he glorified God in his life. The challenge for us is: When God speaks into your life, do you claim His promise or do you doubt and seek to rationalize what He has said? What if God had to silence you in order to get your attention? This week, could we not grab hold of the promise of Christ, and be willing to spread it freely throughout the world? I pray that we would be so bold! In Christ’s love, Bro TJ

Encouraging Note - Nov 21, 2010

Last week, several members from the Christian Motorcycle Association (including one lady, Marge, who spoke at our church several weeks ago) were attacked while in Haiti delivering motorcycles to pastors there. While fleeing the danger, they overcame many obstacles which the hand of God was at work to protect them; including having their bus break down right in front of a UN Peacekeeping Base. Can we thank God for their protection? Can you thank God for His protection in your life? Will you take the time this week to not only thank Him, but to testify to another about what He has done? If we’ll show our thankfulness of God to others, perhaps they too will have an opportunity to be drawn in by His love! May God richly bless you!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

~ Bro TJ

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Encouraging Note for the Week of Aug 29, 2010

As believers, each of us has a price to pay when it comes to following the Lord. It is a price to deny ourselves, to follow Christ, and to exalt Him to each and every person that we come in contact with. Because of the sacrifice Christ performed on the cross, we must be willing to lift up the name of Jesus and show what He has done in our lives. For the Believer, the true cost of being a disciple will be to totally deny ourselves, and follow Him completely. At the end of the day, can you and I say that we have done that? If not, we must seek to walk closer to Him every day, depending solely on Him, else we cannot call ourselves true disciples. Follow Jesus my friends, and you will never go wrong!

God bless you.

- Bro TJ

Encouraging Note for the Week of July 18, 2010

Sharing this week's encouraging note from our church bulletin:

The King of Assyria (ref Isaiah, Chapter 10:5-30) struggled with many different idols, but one of the primary ones was his ability to trust fully in himself rather than the God that was calling out to him. As each of us has opportunity this week to take into account our own lives, would we have the courage to look to God as the sole provider for everything we need? Would we seek the Lord and render our hearts 100% submissive to His will? Friends, if we are ever to change our nation it is going to have to start with our lives. Let us return to God, totally, and allow His guidance to lead us in everything.

God bless you!

- Bro TJ

4th of July

I wanted to share the "Pastor's Note" that was posted in our bulletin this morning. May God bless our Nation, and may God bless each of you as you seek to pray for our great land.

Pastor's Note

America. A land that we love to say that we are from, and a nation filled with a historic past that spans more than 234 years. Throughout all of history, we have seen many successes and even failures that have been opportunities to learn and grow spiritually. Our challenge today is to look for ways to share the Gospel with everyone we come across; understanding that the only way our Nation will ever return to God is if we, the church, will show Him to others. Will we be as proud of our county as we are of our Lord? Prayerfully, we will strive to do that and much more. God bless you. – Bro TJ

A few updates for June 21, 2010

Yesterday, my family and I drove to Atlanta to participate in my Masters Degree graduation and to be honest, I was glad that I went. I mean, it wasn't the most memorable thing in the world (what event with 1,400 graduates and 6 key speakers that I had no idea who they are is), but it was nice to walk across that stage and know that my wife and kids were there to see it. Of course, driving to Atlanta (which is 3 hours away) on Father's Day and missing church was not what I had planned for a Sunday afternoon ... but all in all it was (like I said) nice to go and have that behind us.

Today, I was given the privilege of officiating a funeral for a young man who passed passed away last Friday in a drowning accident. He was 18 years old, and had just enlisted in the US Navy ... such a tragedy to see his life cut short. It is a good reminder to us all that none of us knows the day nor the hour when the Lord will call us home, and we need to be ready. While the funeral was a somber time, it was a celebration of his life and prayerfully God will continue to lift up the Odom family and allow them to heal and comfort one another through this time.

Lastly, I just checked my retirement calendar and we are just 37 days away from the "big day", that is ... the END of my military service!! This morning I gave the final go ahead on my shadow box and although the layout is still being tweaked and everything needs to be tacked into place -- I really think the designer did a fantastic job on it (see picture below)!


Well, that is about all that is happening here. I realized I had not posted in a while and so I thought I would get an update out to all on what is going on in our world. I pray that the Lord is blessing each of you in a mighty way today ... God bless you.

- Bro TJ

God's Timing is Perfect!

Note: Most folks have seen this news on either Twitter or Facebook, but I thought I would make it official and post it here on the blog.

This past Sunday, May 2nd, County Line Baptist Church in Deatsville, AL, voted to call me as their new Pastor. To say that Lisa and I were in shock is an understatement; but more correctly stated would be to say that we were in awe of how awesome our God is!! When the Lord sent me there several months ago to fill the pulpit, the prayer of my heart that morning was that God would make it completely clear if my family was to serve at this church, and in His perfect timing we feel that He has done that very thing.

I can say, though, that this is a bitter sweet piece of news for us. You see, we absolutely love the church that we are serving in now (New Vision Baptist Church), and more importantly we adore the folks that we serve alongside.

Yet, when I was called into the pastorate almost 10 years ago I told God that I would go anywhere He sends me, and so that covenant I made with Him as well and standing on Philippians 1:6 as my life's verse ... we have always had peace in our hearts that the Lord would one day see fit to use me again in the pulpit, and allow me the privilege of serving Him in the capacity as Pastor of a congregation. And so, this coming Sunday (Mother’s Day) we begin a new journey anxiously looking forward to seeing how God will reveal Himself in this new endeavor; and we await with joy in our hearts at the opportunity to watch Him grow our church and our community. God is so good my friends … and we are rejoicing today!!

May God bless you and keep you always …

In His service,
Bro TJ

What a day that will be

This morning I was at our church's sunrise service and unintentionally, my mind continued to drift back to the the day Mary went to the tomb and realized that her Lord was no longer there. The bible records it this way:

"Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!" - John 20:1-2

While we were sitting outside listening to our Pastor's words, the sun began to come up out of the East and I wondered what it was like on that day; to see the disciples faces in realization that He was truly not there, that He had risen! I don't think, to be perfectly honest, that my mind can really grasp what it means to express the joy I feel today; knowing that when I die although my family may be sad -- I will be face to face with my Lord and Savior and long to hear Him say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant". As I thought more this morning, I heard Bro Butch say "I'm not sure what happens in Heaven on Easter morning, but I'm sure it is way better than the preaching down here." I could not help but agree, knowing that sitting at the feet of my Lord and Savior cannot even compare to anything we might experience on this Earth. Think of it friends: To kneel before the Throne of Grace, to see the One who sits upon it because He has been given all authority by His Father .... wow, now THAT will be a good day at "church"!!

My heart cannot comprehend all that Jesus has done, and even now in my office I am watching "The Passion of the Christ" in preparation to worship this morning -- and I just cannot comprehend how much Jesus loved me that He would willingly lay down His life for me. It is the prayer of my heart that you too would know this love. It is my prayer that you too would admit that Jesus gave His life for you as well, and that everything we have been given to do on this Earth comes directly from Him through the anointing of the Holy Spirit. It is the desire of our Father that "none should perish, but all should come to repentance" (see 2 Peter 3:9), and today could be the day for you to admit that you need a Savior. To admit that Jesus died for you, and gave His life so that you could one day live eternally with Him in Heaven. Won't you admit that today? Won't you take the time to turn to Christ, admit to Him that you need a Savior, thank Him for dying on the cross for you, and give your life to Him fully?

I promise if you do, from the trials and struggles to even the best church services you have ever attended will not even come close to that first day in Heaven, when you stand before the Lord and thank Him for all that He has brought you through. Oh what a GOOD day that will be, when my Jesus we shall see!!

God bless you my friends, it is truly a happy Easter because ...

HE HAS RISEN -- HE HAS RISEN INDEED!! Hallelujah!!

Update on Ministry Prayer

I want to take the time to thank you all for praying and remembering our family as we consider this ministry decision ahead of us (please see the previous blog entry if you need background info). I had a great meeting with our Pastor on Sunday evening and want to pass on something he reminded me of: (let me prep it by saying sometimes you just cannot see the trees because of the forest) ............ he said that God is not the author of confusion. If we are tossing about so much on this and not sure of what we should do, can we really plunge in and say that God is leading us in this direction?

(pregnant pause is inserted here)

Yeah .... that's what I said as well.

So, while I have not come to an official decision and made any phone calls, I think it is pretty safe to say what direction we are leaning on this. We are still praying of course and wanting to be sure, but I think the decision has already been made for us. I feel if the Lord wanted us to be there it would be clear and without doubt, I just want to be sure that my own emotions are not blocking things so I'm going to take the rest of this week to pray and then decide.

Speaking of this week, I'm getting ready to head to Colorado Springs this afternoon for work. I am really hoping to have a decent travel day and definitely have dinner with an old friend in the ministry this week. I found out yesterday that the hotel I'm staying at is directly across the street from "Focus on the Family", so maybe I will have a chance to go visit and look around a little bit. Well, that's the latest from here. Praying your day goes well today and that you take the opportunity to tell someone that Jesus loves them, because the whole world needs to hear! God bless you.

God already knows!

Psalm 139:1-5 says, "O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD. You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me."

I tell you something friends, as I prepare to get ready for this ministry trip on Friday with No Greater Love I am filled with thoughts of wondering what God is going to do and how He is going to speak to me personally; and am then comforted in the above passage that God already knows!! I am excited and yet at the same time filled with a sense of calm that God is already there, preparing the places we will stay, the people we will talk to, and the witness we will proclaim. Truly, it is an honor to work for the Lord and follow in the footsteps of the disciples, going out and giving the Gospel to those Jesus died for. It is a humbling experience my friends .... humbling.

Throughout the weekend I will (hopefully) be blogging from the trip (as time allows) and will try to toss in a picture or two with the thoughts. I will have pictures posted to my Facebook as well and with any luck can keep folks up to date and in the loop.

If you are praying, my personal prayer requests are: for peace when chaos is abound, for rest when we are in need and weary, and for boldness and energy when God is moving us to expand our tent stakes and take back what the devil has robbed from those around us!!

Thank you for reading, and may God bless you always.

The Challenge of Obedience

It is Saturday night, and I'm trying to get my mind around this discipleship lesson for tomorrow; as well as thinking about the trip this coming Friday with No Greater Love Ministries. As I have been mentioning for weeks (read:years), this trip to New Orleans to minister during Mardi Gras always challenges me in different ways personally, professionally, and of course in my ministry. It is an eye opening event each year and each year the Lord speaks to me in different ways. For example, the first year I went I surrendered to a call to the ministry, and the year before last He spoke to my heart and gave me complete peace about resigning as a Pastor and being more concerned about following Him -- vice following people's opinions and thoughts. It is, in my view, an honor to see God work in my life and be able to look back and see His fingerprints on the lives of those around me.

Friends, I wish there was a way to clearly express what this 5 day ministry trip does to me, and how God uses it to strengthen my for the coming year of ministry work. While I am not sure of what God has for the future (and this has been a challenge for me lately), I received some good advice tonight from a godly friend that I wanted to share. She said, "Be obedient in what He asked of you to this point. Leave the next question for Him to answer as you remain obedient in what He has asked of you so far. Trust that the answer to the next question will be the exact answer that will bring you along the path He desires for you when He is ready to answer it. Do not wait to be obedient to the small part He has asked of you, or be concerned or worried about the next part while you do it." That's good advice in my view, and I think something that we can all gain strength from. God is calling us to simply obey and follow ... nothing more.

So I think I will get back to my lesson now and continue researching how God would speak to our Men's Discipleship Class tomorrow. God bless you and good night.

A tough week behind us

This past week has been a real challenge for my family. For the sake of some legal issues that are still ahead of us I am not going to go into details, but we have really seen some ups and downs this week and are now I think are beginning to see the sunlight again. There are some definite, challenging roads ahead that we have to face, but we confess that the Lord is in control and only through His grace and leadership will we see this through. After the ordeals of this week, I can only cling to this one verse which God gave me this morning when I woke up.

David writes in Psalm 30 verse 5, "For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but joy comes in the morning." I believe we are seeing the joy return to our home and it is a very welcome sight. As I mentioned there are some challenges ahead, but my God is bigger than anything we can imagine and He has total control over everything we have faced, are facing, or will face. And that, settles that.

Chris and I, and his friend Stevens, are just 13 days away from attending the Mardi Gras Ministry outreach with No Greater Love Ministries and our excitement is definitely growing. We appreciate your prayers as we make the final preparations for this trip and confess that God is in control; and whatever circumstances happen He will get His Glory through whatever He brings into our lives. Thank you for reading friends - may you be blessed today and forever.

Veteran's Day 2009

This year, 2009, marks my last Veterans Day that I will spend on active duty and there are so many things to think about that I just do not know where to start. From the brutal attacks on our Nation that started an 8 year war on terror, to the recent shootings in Ft. Hood that make no sense, to the wars of the past that have granted us the freedom we have today ... we have much to honor our veterans for.

We have seen brave men and women willing to sacrifice their lives, and I am caught short of breath wondering what we have done to honor them in return. Veterans Day has nothing to do with taking the day of off, nor is it a day for sales to begin at the stores, but I believe it is a day to thoughtfully spend some time in reflection and prayer and ask the Lord to continue to protect this Nation of ours.

We have much to be thankful for and I wonder if you would accept my challenge to spend ONE HOUR in prayer for our Nation? Would you be willing to ask God to continue to protect us from those who seek to destroy our land and for our soldiers in harms way? I confess that I do not know what the future holds, but I am confident that I know who holds the future. We need to turn back to God and seek His guidance and continued mercy for our Nation.

Joel 2:12 says, "Even now," declares the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning." Indeed America, we need to return to the Lord with all of our hearts so that He may comfort and lead us in these troubled times we are now facing.

So, are you up to it? Can you spend one hour in prayer on Wednesday?