Resolution

   It is December 31st, the last day of the year 2012. I want to encourage you by asking you a question. I am assuming that most of the readers of this blog are drivers or have driven something to some extent before. When you drive, do you put a blindfold over your eyes as you enter the car?
   You may be thinking, what a ludicrous question. But seriously, there is no way that anyone would want to put a blindfold over their eyes before they drive, because they want to map out where they are going so that they can get there.
   It is a good thing to map out your path to reach the destination. So as we plan for this new year, let us contemplate new ways to serve and show the Love of Jesus to all that we contact during this new year. Let us plan to give our time to Him and dwell in His Love! Let us map the path letting our destination be Him! Happy New Year! 

Going, Telling

   Tell me, what happens when one has a baby, or gets married, or gets their first car, or buys their first house? What is one of the first things that they do? They TELL someone. In all of their excitement, it becomes more than they can contain and they cant help but spread the word.
   This proves the theory that good news calls for sharing. But tell me, from a Christian standpoint, what news is better than ALL of our sins being forgiven because someone died on a Cross for them, Jesus to be exact, and rose three days later? No news is better.
   If this is truly the BEST news, it is our responsibility to share this news! Good news calls for sharing, and the Great news of the Gospel calls for Proclaiming to all of the nations! Go Proclaim!

Getting Back Up

   It is fascinating to me when I think about the difference between and boy and a man, a girl and a woman, a child and an adult. One of many of those differences is the response to hardship, failure, or falling if you will. When a child fails something, to them it can mean the absolute end of the world.
   What I mean by that is the last thing that they want to do is get back up again, making a change. The only thing that they want to do is make an excuses. But the man gets back up. Realizes his mistake but does not waste time on blame.
   In Christ, we sin. None are perfect but the Father in Heaven. But the fact here is, because we have already been forgiven of those sins by Christ dying for us on the Cross, we have the option of getting back up, our eyes back on Christ, and that is what we are called to do. This is not an excuse to sin, for the wages of sin is death, however, be encouraged, for your sins have been forgiven. Therefore, get back up again!

Without

   First of all, ALL of us at HOPE Ministries of the Upstate hope that everyone had an incredibly Merry Christmas and will have an amazing New Year! This is a Season of Joy and Love centered around Christ Jesus!
   Secondly I wanted to ask a question. Do you know, without looking it up, how long the human body can survive without food and water? Any guess? Ill relieve the anticipation and tell you, the human body can only survive 8 days without water and 7 weeks without food before fatality. Why? Because we were DESIGNED to need water and food.
   Just as we were designed for that, we were also designed to need the Word of God! We cannot truly go a day without some form of His presence! So I urge you all, be diligent in your devotion to Him, for without Him, we will too eventually perish! Seek Him with all that you are and with everything within you!

About HIM

   This Christmas Season, let us bring our focus to the original intention for this special time. Think of this, when you buy a shoe, do you immediately turn and put in on your head? Do you glue it to the back of your cell phone so it can charge the phone?
    You may think that these are ridiculous answers to a straightforward question. You might think, NO, you buy shoes to put them on your feet obviously. So tell me, what is the purpose of Christmas, the ONE main purpose. Is it to go to the store and buy gifts, or receive them, or to cook as much food as you can? The main purpose is the CELEBRATE. Celebrate what? The Birth of the One who eventually died on the Cross so that we may be forgiven and be with God for eternity. That birth is the birth of Jesus!
   So this Christmas, as your spending the irreplaceable gift of time with those you love, remember that the reason for the season IS Jesus, and His birth! Merry Christmas and be blessed!

Character

   This day and age, there are a lot of people who find their justification, and maybe even what they think is there salvation, by the church that they attend, the number of times that they go, or the amount of service done throughout the week. That think that solely by doing these things, people will both know they are Christians and see what a Christian should look like.
   This is true, Christians do attend church and sometimes other actions throughout the week as service to the One who Saved them. However, this is neither the cause of our Salvation, for that is solely Christ, nor is it the only thing that people look at. Our Character shouts louder than anything else when it comes to what others look at about us.
   Our character, especially in a world as dark as it is today, should set us apart and make us holy, that is, different. If we are not showing a Christ- like character, we are simply not showing Christ. So, what character are we showing?

Not About Surroundings

Have you ever seen the person in a crowd that stands there silent, as everyone around them is screaming or shouting or full of energy of some type? Everywhere this person looked, there was movement.
   Here is the deal, Jesus is the Prince of Peace. Peace. And when He was on the cross, and everyone around Him was yelling at Him and the guards were piercing His side. Yet, Christ stayed silent, until His last words before He died and was raised to life.
   What other people were doing around Him did not change the state in which Christ was in, for that was up to Him. What others around you do should not change your peace, for that is up to you. Peace does not depend on your surroundings, but rather depends on you!

Back to Him

   Let us face the obvious elephant in the room. a few days ago, in Connecticut, there was a horrible tragedy in which a man entered an establishment meant for education and opened fire on the principal, other staff members, and students as well.
   So now leaves the aftermath, the feelings, the effects, the opinions of all of those who have survived, both that were there and those that were not. There comes the obvious questions that tend to be thrown on Christians, "Can you explain why this happened? How could a good God allow for this to happen?"
   Here is a response. Did God guide the hand of the man as he shot those children and faculty at the school? NO. However, can God use tragedies like this to bring us as a community and a nation to bring us closer to Him? ABSOLUTELY. God can use this for us to realize that our hope cannot lie within ourselves, but God alone and only Him, is where our hope and trust should truly lie.
   So I urge you to make sure your Hope and Trust are where they should lie! For in God is the only place the suffices!

Living out Proof

   There are many great minds in the world today that do not believe in, and/ or believe in the Power of Christ. Yes, we have the Ultimate Truth, but do not let that fool you, some of those who do not believe have good, even seemingly compelling arguments.
   However, the best argument is a changed life, for who can argue against that? No one. That life speaks volumes and is more that enough to prove the Power of Christ. However, if one is not ACTUALLY living a changed life through Christ, whether they profess His Name or not, where is the power?
  It is not only about proclaiming His name, no matter the passion. It is also about actually living the life that God has changed to show His Glory! Live the proof!

The Best Gift

   Have you ever wondered why Christmas Time and even Thanksgiving is always spent together? Is it the gifts that make it special? Sure, they can be a blessing and a treat, but are they really the main source of the happiness?
   The gifts are great, but the actual source of most of that happiness, whether one realizes it or not, is the TIME spent together. That is also the only thing that one cannot get back. This Holiday Season, even though gifts are great, I challenge all of you to not take the time spent together for granted.
   I also challenge you to spend time with someone that you usually do not, as it is truly an amazing gift that money could never buy! TIME, one of the best gifts available!

Mediator

   Anyone who has heard the True story of Christ will know what I am about to say, that is, Christ was and is the Mediator between us and God. That is to say, since we were bounded by the penalty of sin, which is spiritual death, then He came to die on a Cross hence taking our place, mediating.
   However, I want to take a different look at that word tonight. I want to look at it in the perspective that we should not have one, that is, between us and Jesus. That is simply saying that nothing should come in between us and Jesus, because it is not necessary, nor does He desire anything to.
   Not our preacher, for we are all a Royal Priesthood, a Holy Nation in fact. Jesus wants a personal relationship, a Pure one! He is our mediator, so let us seek Him without distraction!

No to Worry

   As a college student in December, I am learning what it means to worry. There are the constants of being a college student, the food, the roommate, the residence halls, the money, etc.. and then there is the December worry, finals. Everyone at my college is claiming their space fast as people prepare for these feared times.
   People are studying wherever there is a desk and an outlet for their computer, and obviously space is limited so at some point things can get a little crazy. When one thinks about it, exams are putting the entire semesters learning into one test.
   However, as Christians, we take this from a different perspective. We take it from the perspective that God tells us that we will never have more than we can bear, therefore we know that there is no need to worry. Yes, these exams both directly and indirectly impact the rest of our lives, but with God, there is NEVER any need to fear!

Never Too Much

   In a given week, especially with things how they are today, there are probably a million things that have to happen. For example, in the ministry, six guys are discipled three out of five days, this blog is written five out of seven days, and everyone in the ministry has personal and family responsibilities as well.
   Needless to say, this can all be a lot. For example, if you were to look at your task list daily, you would find that there are probably more things that you do that it seems you should have time for. Therefore you may think, how do we get through it all, and still serve and Honor the Lord in the process? The answer is quite simple, God promises to never put more on us than we can bear. Know this, even though it may seem as all is coming at you at the same time, the Lord still is guiding your hand and watching your back!

No Games

   We live in a world of imaginary reality. That is, everywhere you look, there seems to be a game somewhere. For example, if you were to walk into a college dormitory and look into the rooms, you would see that a majority of them have a gaming system of some type.
   Tons of people will have parties in February in celebration for the Super Bowl. Even more will attend the World Cup to watch soccer. Yes, the players are real, but the sport is a game in reality. No one lives or dies based on the results, they just get up and play again. 
   However, one thing that is not a game is our Faith, period. No matter how many games we play on an Xbox or how many World Cups we attend, Christianity is NEVER a game! God's Love and Salvation is absolutely real and so should the way we live out that Love! Dont play games with God!

With Grace

   Last night, we discussed that no matter the results of some things that have affected this entire nation, and no matter your thoughts or opinions on the matter, we are called as Christians to look at Christ for our source of Ultimate Guidance and Leadership.
   However, I would like to discuss the practicality and reality of what will probably occur over the next few weeks. No matter one's opinion, or what one may think or say about current world events or anything for that matter, we are to yes hold firm in our beliefs, but we are also to act with grace.
   We may not agree on everything going on in the world, and some may not agree with you when it comes to the subject of God, however, we are called to act with grace, so that we may show them what the Word of the Lord says. After all, that is how we were saved, not by our works. Therefore, I encourage you to show the Grace of Christ in showing His Love!

Eyes on Christ

   We all know the results of the election that has affected everyone in the United States of America that took place last night. However, neither this blog, nor H.O.P.E. Ministries of the Upstate is or will endorse either candidate through this post or other affiliation.
   However, no matter the results, whether one may like them or not, a Christian is to always put his full Faith and Trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are to trust, no matter our political preferences or thoughts, that the Lord is fully sovereign and takes care of His own!
   Our focus has been and should always be on the Lord Jesus Christ, for that is where our help comes from. That is the only thing truly Eternal through the ages. Therefore I encourage you to put your trust fully in Him and keep your eyes on Him, the King of Heaven!

No Shame in Guidance

   I can remember back in my high school days when there were the guys who had so much, as they would say confidence, but honestly pride, that it would detrimentally effect their decisions. Here is what I mean, their pride was of such magnitude that instead of asking for the advice of someone older or wiser when it came to a specific situation, they would instead try to figure things out for themselves and end up failing in the process.
   There is NO shame in asking for guidance and wisdom from those who have experienced what you need assistance with. The Holy Spirit is the Ultimate Guide, but He uses others, if you would only ask.
   There is no need to go through life feeling as if you cant seek guidance from others with the philosophy that no one is perfect. Its true, no one is perfect, but God can use anyone. So ask for guidance from the wise, that you may grow as well!

Not Assuming

   Have you ever met the person that has a Bible in every room of their house, they never use vulgar words or anything in that sort, however they do not seem to do anything to actually advance the Kingdom of God? How about the guy that goes to church every Sunday, is the Head Deacon, yet drinks until he is completely wasted every Saturday night?
   Are you thinking that the first is a Christian and the second not? Or how about vice verca, would you agree with that statement the other way around? Well, here is the answer: Thats not the question that we should be asking ourselves. The question should be, "Are we showing them Christ?"
   It is not safe to assume, but always better to show Christ and let Him lead. Assuming someone is a Christian is absolutely no excuse not to show the Love of God! So be safe, and dont make those assumptions.

Treat

   You may live in a neighborhood where children come to your house and ask for candy. What is the all to common phrase used when doing this? "Trick or Treat" right?
   Well I encourage you to choose the latter. Here is what I mean. The best treat that you can give? No, its not candy. Its not some random small item that you bought, its the only thing that gives true life.The Gospel of Jesus Christ!
   The Gospel is the best treat to give anyone. The saving power of the story of Christ cannot be measured against anything else in existence. Therefore I urge, no I exhort to you brothers, to do all that you can to give the best treat of all, the Gospel of Christ!!

Focused

   Have you ever seen a sniper set up in the military getting ready to take the one shot that will determine the entire battle? He thinks through all of his training, prepares his rifle, looks through his scope, and takes his breaths as he steadies for his shot.
   All of the training, all of the endurance, the finest on his rifle, everything would mean absolutely nothing if he did not do one CRITICAL thing, and that is, focus. He must be still as he takes his aim, and focus on what his goal actually is. A perfect shot on the wrong target is worse than no shot at all.
   We must also focus on our reason and goal as Christians. Our reason for living as we live is to bring Glory to the Father and our goal therefore is to proclaim His Name above every name by every aspect of our lives! Are your reason and goal focused on the Lord?

No Beside

   No matter how much debating is done between the two candidates, and no matter your belief about which one will make a better president for the next term, there is one undeniable aspect about this election. That aspect is that the president, for now, is STILL the President.
   I say that to make that point that there is nothing that can be said during this debate to change that fact that as of now, the president is still the president and has the powers that go along with that responsibility to lead this country.
   There is nothing that ANYONE can say or do that can change the fact that God is God, and unlike the president, God will be God until the end of times! Someones belief about that does not change it. He is in the Ultimate Position and there is nothing that ANYONE can do to be beside Him in anything either, not power, not magnificence, not Glory, nothing! Rejoice, for God is always God and there will never be anyone beside Him!

Quality over Quantity

   Have you ever asked someone a question and they answer you with a bunch of words that seem to have no relation to the question for five minutes straight, and at the end of those five minutes, your question is still not answered?
   Or how about you see the guy in the gym doing push- up after push- up, however, you see that none of the push- ups that they are doing seem to have correct form? If that is the case, then what then is the point of the push- ups, even if they did do one hundred straight?
   Just as in these examples, God desires quality over quantity, that is to say, God looks at the heart, not just how many churches weve attended or weekly services we went to. Yes Faith without works is dead but by no means do your works SOLELY define your Faith! Look at your heart, does it proclaim what you believe?

Test Material

   In my Chemistry class, we are basically guaranteed to have a test at least once every three weeks. Usually, that consist of two weeks of laboratory and lecture work, followed by a test week, in which everything that we have went over is vigorously tested.
   Tell me, therefore, how intelligent, or asinine as a matter of fact, would it be for me to know that there is a test in three days on the material over the past two weeks, and decide that there is no reason at all to study and prepare for the test? It would not be intelligent at all!
   If that is true, then how come we are persistent in not reading what is to prepare and guide us through life as Christians, the Word of God? That is our Ultimate Preparation for absolutely anything that life has to throw at us! I urge you, know that material for the test of this life, know the Word of God!

Lovely Treasure

   Have you ever heard, or said the phrase, you can lead a horse to water, but there is no way that you can make it drink? It may seem like a cliche to some, because it some cases it can be, however, when it comes to people, that phrase has proven true time and time again.
   What do I mean by that? I mean that, especially in the world of instant gratification, it seems as if most are only satisfied with the final result rather than the beauty in the process. For example, most new age bodybuilders dont like the basics, but will spend lots of money on "shortcuts" instead.
   In our desires, this may lead a person to lack one thing, and that is wisdom. That is, the wisdom to be successful and live the life that God wants us to live, and the wisdom to be a good father/ mother etc. Instead we seem to want things like this to happen overnight. Wisdom is often a well overlooked lovely treasure that it is a blessing to seek and find. I urge you, instead of praying for instant gratification, pray for the wisdom of the process!

We Rejoice

   Have you ever seen the guy walking down the street with seemingly no Earthly possessions at all, no home, no car, and may not be able to contact his family at that present time, however, he seems to have a bright smile on his face?
   People, and maybe even you, have looked at that guy before and possibly wondered what exactly is making him so joyful that he can smile in the midst of all of this chaos. Well, there is one Truth that you should know, the Joy of the LORD is our strength. Because God is eternal and never changes, that Joy is non conditional and nothing may alter it or take it away.
   It is an uncommon joy that the world simply does not have, for it depends on nothing but the Father, which is ALL it needs! There is only one question, have you found this uncommon joy?

Truth vs. Belief

   There is a concept that I often here derived that is simply untrue. That concept is that because something is believed, no matter the passion of that belief, that it is therefore true.
   For example, say a little cold believes that a burning stove will cause no harm to him or her if they touch it, so that is exactly what they do. They go to the stove, believing with all of their heart that they will not get burned. However, we all know what happens next. They touch the stove and consequently get burned.
   So, that leads to the question, what is truth? Well, in terms of the purpose for this blog, Truth is everything that has been stated in the Word of God, all centered around the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Him dying on the Cross for our sins and being raised three days later! If you believe ANYTHING other than that, your belief is simply not truth. Do you believe Truth?

Yes or No

   Have you ever been to see a football game at any level of competition? You see the game happen from begging to end. From the first kickoff to the last exta point, the game finally ends in double overtime with a score of 21-20. You say its a close game between two evenly matched teams, however, there is still a clear winner.
   You see, this game was to determine who made it to the state playoffs, so ties were not an option. Either you won this game, or you lost this game. There was simply no in between. And when you describe the game to your friends, even though the game was close, you still state who the actual winner was.
   In Christianity, there is no in between of whether or not one is a Christian. One has either accepted that they have sinned and came against the Glory of God, believed that Jesus died and rose from the dead for the forgiveness of those sins, and called on Christ to be Lord of his or her life, or not. There is no middle ground. The question to ask yourself is, have you?

Rest Assured Part 2

   Two days ago, I told a story of two people shopping for groceries, giving the explanation of the aspect that they both got to choose what they wanted, what seemingly tasted good, and what was actually good for them. This was the story:
  When one goes to the grocery store, they have a few options. They could decide to get nothing at all, they could decide to pick up anything that they think looks good to consume for the week, or they could get what is actually good for them for the upcoming week.
   However, it is all the same when they go to the counter. They all must reach into wherever they store their money, and pay for the food in which they bought. However, what happens if some people were to go up to the counter and their food was already paid for?
   Now I want to talk about the aspect of the groceries being paid for. We were all in sin, disobeying the Laws set by God, and therefore, we deserved death, for the wages of sin is death. However, Christ died on a bloody Cross so that we may be forgiven for those sins and be with the Father. Therefore, on our judgement day, we may face God when it is time to pay for that disobedience, and He can say "Your debt has been paid by my One and Only Son, Christ Jesus!" How great of news is that!! Rejoice, for you have been forgiven and your debts paid!

Champion

   2012 years ago, a bloody cross was carried to the site where it was to be put in the ground so the man carrying may be crucified. Why? Because a man, and the Son of God, named Jesus, was to die for our sins, so that all that believe in Him may have life and life eternal. They beat Him, pierced His side, and put a crown of thorns on Him to mock Him among many other torturous things.
   However, three days later, guess what... He was risen for the dead, conquering death! He did this so that all who believe in Him may have the same future, to live eternally. However, not just to live eternally, but for His purposes here on Earth. If we accept this, we are also promised to be blessed while fulfilling His Will and Word.
    We are not to live bloody, and bruised, but as champions for we are part of the Kingdom of God! Dont live looking down, but looking up, at Heaven, for through Him, you are a champion!

Rest Assured

   This is both an encouragement to the believer and a warning to the non believer. When one goes to the grocery store, they have a few options. They could decide to get nothing at all, they could decide to pick up anything that they think looks good to consume for the week, or they could get what is actually good for them for the upcoming week.
   However, it is all the same when they go to the counter. They all must reach into wherever they store their money, and pay for the food in which they bought. However, what happens if some people were to go up to the counter and their food was already paid for?
   Over the next two days, I would like to take this story from two different angles. Today's angle is the option to pick the food. One could pick what is seemingly good, or what is good for them. We also do this with our actions and beliefs. Jesus is the best for you, however, sin may seem the best to you for that moment. You have the option to chose. However, just as rotten or junk food has a bad effect on your body, sin has a bad effect on your spirit! Choose whats best FOR you, Jesus Christ!

Everywhere

   Have you ever been watching a football game with an incredibly intense defense? The offensive pressure is on, however there is one player on the defense that seems to keep making tackles and showing up on plays. The free safety on the defense is there on every pass, every run, everything that the opposing team tries to throw at them.
   You have probably heard, therefore, the commentator say something like, "that player is everywhere!" They start on one end of the field, but is at the other in a flash. The only way that could be better is if they were at every position on the field at once.
   Good news. The God that you server, Jesus Christ, IS at every position on the field at once. Like a Mighty Lion, He defends those He loves against anything the enemy has to bring against them. There is, in turn, absolutely no where that one may go to hide from God! That is such good news! If He finds us wherever we are, He can love, protect, and discipline us wherever we are! Praise be to God!

Pressing On

   Have you ever seen the 6 foot 3 muscle head in the weight room working on his last set of weight for the day? He gets up on the bench or whatever excersize that he is doing, and he goes to lift it, but he struggles. His spotter sees this and goes to assist.
   The next thing you see is the weight almost at the top, but the lifter again struggles. He puts the weight down and tries again, needing the exact same assistance as last time. He gets the weight almost to the top, and struggles again.
   However, the third time, he finds and clings to something greater than himself, and he lifts that weight out of no where like it was nothing. How? Strength comes through pressing on, or perseverance. The trials may seem overbearing now but Joy cometh in the morning, for our help comes from the Lord, who is much greater than ourselves! Be encouraged! Press on!

No Doubt

   There is an old Gospel song that goes like this, "Lord Im running, trying to make a hundred, for ninety nine and a half wont do". When it comes to our Faith in Christ, you are either in 100% confidence with the Word of God, or you are in 0% confidence with the Word of God, there is no in between. Out of this when can correctly derive that you are either 100% Christian or 0% Christian, there is no in between.
   What do I mean by confidence in the Word of God? It means that one must believe EVERYTHING that the Word of God says is Truth or is not. Not half way. Everything from the way the World was formed to the Cross the Jesus was crucified on.
   In turn, if one does not believe everything that the Word of God says or commands, then there is a serious problem with their Faith! Therefore, I urge you, all who read this, to fully believe, without any doubt, in every  Word that has come from the Almighty God! For in every word, is life, and life eternal!

Will Laid Aside

   Have you ever seen the child that only wants to do for himself? For example, before letting you come through the main entrance of a store, they will walk in first and not even hold the door even though you were right behind them? Or they will intentionally cut you off in traffic just because they wanted to be in that lane at that moment?
   You may think of those examples and many more like them, and may simply leave it to those peoples are selfish or something of that sort. However, another aspect is the fact that their will in that moment was the will of their own. For example, a parent's will may be for a child to have what is best for them in the long run, while the child's will is to have what is best for them now.
   Our will's are to be laid aside for the cause of Christ however as Christians! What does this mean, it means that all we do is for the glory of the father, period. Our will controls our way and our ways should be what God wants them to be. Take inventory of the little things that you do daily and ask yourself, "is my will laid aside for the cause of Christ?"

Be Blessed

   I wanted to take today's post and just encourage and remind you of why we live the lives we live. That is to say, why we live like Christ. 2012 years ago, a sinless perfect man, the Son of God in fact, died on a bloody, wooden cross. With nails in his feet and hands and his side being pierced as He hung their, wounded for our sins.
   He was beaten and bruised and bloodied beyond description. After His death, He was buried in a tomb with an incredibly large stone in front. However, three days later, He was risen from that extremely cold tomb by the God the Father, defeating death through death. Now He sits at the right hand of the Father and offers forgiveness of sin for those who come to Him.
   This is not only our Hope, but our Joy! Be encouraged that you are one that is considered saved. If you are not, then seek Jesus because a time is coming where every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord! Have a fantastic weekend!

No Free Pass

   Two nights ago, the importance of a relationship being in priority in Christianity, as Jesus came to fulfill the Law, was discussed. We discussed how some have the impression that Christianity is just full of Laws that Christians are supposed to try and live out perfectly everyday, but in reality, a relationship with Christ Jesus is of priority, a mutual relationship with the One who Saved us from sure condemnation.
   However, there is one misinterpretation that I must address. THIS IS NOT AN EXCUSE to just live life in whatever kind of manner we want to. Jesus was in absolute perfect relation with the Father. Completely blameless in fact. However, He did not just go around do whatever He wanted to. He lived a perfect life pleasing to the Father BECAUSE of His relationship with Him.
   The relationship is what inspires practicality in living the life that Christ wants for you. Not the other way around. Our relationship makes us not want to sin, it does not give us a free pass to. Build you relationship with Him, for if you seek Him first, all other things will be added unto you.

Break

   For tonight, we will take another trip to the gym. This time, we are going to shadow a bodybuilder who is training for the World's Strongest Man Competition. We see them lift what is seemingly a thousand pounds a thousand times until they cannot anymore, and then they go to another excersize. However, there is one part of the workout that is just as important, if not more, than the weight lifted.
   One thing that is often overlooked is the time taken to take a break in between sets and go get water. They put down the weights momentarily and go hydrate, thinking of their next set. They give their muscles time to relax and get ready for their next test.
   As Christians, we are called to rest at times as well. This does not mean taking time away from following Christ! This does mean not to drive yourself into the ground. God never gives you more than you can bear, however you can! Growth occurs in rest, and is prepared during tests. So stay growth ready and prepared by taking some time to rest, both physically and spiritually!

Relationship

   I have heard of the stories of those who think Christianity is a bunch of laws of how to live life. A law of exactly what to do and exactly when to do it. Laws to tell how and what to pray, when to take a break from eating, basically when to do anything. However, Christianity is more about a relationship.
   Let us take the example of a foreign diplomat on US soil. After he steps on US soil, he is basically exempt from US law. If he decided to drive down the street in reverse, no police officer would probably bat an eye. Why is this? Because the United States has prioritized and good relationship over the laws of the country.
   Yes, there are guidelines that we go by as Christians, but they are because of the relationship that we share with Christ, not the other way around. I also encourage all Christians to desire and prioritize having your relationship with Christ in order, as that is most important, rather than trying to fulfill all laws, for your works will never suffice. Live you life for Christ, but have a relationship most of all!

Peace of Mind

   I still remember the days in high school in which I would come home with some kind of fine or something that needed to be paid to the school that I just could not handle myself. For example, during my freshman year of high school, there was a filed trip to Williamsburg, VA, Busch Gardens to be exact, and I had absolutely no job and no means to pay for the trip by myself.
   However, I did know that whenever I went home, there would probably not be any problem with the monetary cost of the trip. Not saying that my parents had all of the money in the world, but they had enough to supply and care for the family. Therefore, when I gave it to my parents, it was handled and I was able to go on the trip.
   Tomorrow, I will take antoher aspect of this stroy bu for now let us focus on the fact that whenever I stepped through the threshold of my house, I knew that my concerns were handled. That is how it is in Christianity as well. God is the Father, who has all that one may need. Once your burdens are truly given to Him, there is nothing more to worry about. Ive heard it said, "If you are going to worry, dont pray. But if you are going to pray, there is no need to worry!" Do you have peace of mind in the Father?

Actual Shining

   The South Carolina Christian Conference was held at the Marriott in Spartanburg, South Carolina on yesterday. At this conference, a lot of different organizations, ministries specifically, came to celebrate the works of Christ in the city of Spartanburg. Along with this, was a speaker, Chris Pollard. He is a Pastor at the Journey Church in Spartanburg, SC. He spoke on the theme of the conference, which was letting our light shine, not verbatim.
   That got me to thinking, the verb. "to shine" is active. That is, it requires some type of action at some level. However, the verb to glow, is more passive. For example, it does not take any action for your watch to glow in the dark. However, when a light bulb shines, it uses energy!
   We are not called to only glow, but also to shine! Yes, we are to glow as well in the since that even when no one is looking, we are to be living a life based on the life of Christ. However, we are also to shine, which translates to actions being done to some capacity that reflect the life of Christ.
   That means going and loving the unlovable, not only praying for the fallen, but helping them up, active benevolence to share the love of Christ! that is actively shining, so let our lights shine for Christ!
   F.Y.I.- Do to recent schedule changes, the times that the posts are written are now designed to be read later in the evening, maybe during your quiet time after work or at night, as Christian food for thought for the next day, something to start your tomorrow with strong! God bless you all on behalf of H.O.P.E. Ministries of the Upstate!

Required Summer Reading

   As part of the required Summer Reading at Wofford College this year, we were required to read a book called "Old School" by Tobias Wolff. The story in itself was pretty well written in my opinion, but my focus for now is on the theme of the story. The theme of authenticity.
   We were to read the book and write an essay on how the theme of authenticity played a role in the story. There were many points in the story where the characters seemed to lose both their authenticity and their identity. For lack of authenticity generally points to lack of identity.
   However, this reminds me that our lives should be as authentic as our Faith, and our Faith as authentic as our Bibles. Let me explain this second part. This is stating that our lives should reflect a Faith that is always grounded, on a solid foundation, not ashamed in any way. When we pick up our Bibles to read them, they do not disappear from our hands all of a sudden and then come back. The pages are not wiped blank spontaneously. The Bible remains the same, and so should our Faith, and so should its reflection on our lives!
   God is "I AM" and Jesus is the Son of God. God and Jesus both stated these statements themselves. Why? Because They are 100% authentic by telling who They are. We should do the same as we show others that we are sons of God and disciples of Christ!

Outlook...

   There are two males who grew up together practically side by side. They ate together, played together, learned together, and even got into trouble, together. How was all of this so possible? They were twins brothers. They looked alike, at least on the outside, all of their lives.
   They had the same smile, same hair, same face, everything. Most people that did not know their personalities would have no chance at guessing which one of the brothers was which. However, there was one MAJOR difference. One believe whole heartily in Jesus Christ and everything He taught and stood for, while the other did not.
   So, that leads to the question, "What is one thing that separates us (Christians) from the rest of the world?" The answer: outlook. One of the brothers took the Bible for what it actually said, while the other just saw it as a task and long set of rules. One took Jesus for who He said that He was, while with the other, it fell on deaf ears. So my question to you is, what is your outlook? Not just on the Word of God, but what it implies about life in general? If it does not line up with God's Word, then maybe it needs to change.

One Way Street

   All of you who have have your drivers licenses for a while now surely know the rules of the one way street.  You know that if you break these rules, which are, on this road, all traffic must go in this one direction and this one direction only, then there is a definite price to pay!
   This week has been another milestone week for the ministry. With all that is going on behind the scenes, and the graduation that took place a few days ago, surely God is moving a lot with H.O.P.E. Ministries of the Upstate. However, it is our job to keep on direction in mind, and that is, ahead. We are always to be looking and moving forward.
   On that one way street, if the police catch you moving in the wrong direction, you will probably get a ticket. A hefty fine to make sure you do not try to go in the wrong direction again. Or, even worse, you may hit a car that was going in the correct direction.
   Spiritually, when you look back, you give the enemy an opportunity to sneak into your mindset and try to manipulate it. I understand that we are more than conquerors, but that is no reason to give the enemy ammunition! I encourage all of you to continue to look forward and follow the ways of Christ, continuing in the Faith daily!

Pushing Hard

   Have you ever seen the end of a high school, college, or professional basketball practice? I will give you the general idea of what goes on to set up the background. After previously lifting weights the day before, a team of around 30 players head onto the court to start practice.
   The start with shooting drills, do some dribbling drills, some more shooting drills, and a couple of passing drills, totaling to about an hours worth of work. After they are done with all of that, they have to do it all again. Simply to build ENDURANCE.
   Yet even after all of that, to conclude practice, they get to run from one side of the court to another, as fast as they can, for however many times the coach specifies. Yet after practice, they can endure much better than when they went into practice, which was the point.
   We do not go through trials for the sake of trials. We dont have tests for the sake of tests. However, we learn how to endure, in our Faith, which is solely in Christ Jesus! I exhort to you, no matter the season of life that you are in, ENDURE, in Christ Jesus!

Mid- Day Encouragement

   As you are probably taking your lunch break or something of the sort, you may want or need some encouragement for your day, and youve come to the right place! You may be going to lunch and entering your car to find that your gasoline tank is on Empty, or looking into your wallet to find out that there is no money for you to go purchase lunch.
   However, I want to restate something said earlier. We, as Christians, are a part of a kingdom. The Kingdom. And in a kingdom, the people are only as successful as the king. So what about the kingdom in which the King created the ENTIRE UNIVERSE? Whos resources are absolutely unlimited! That is our King, and that is why the Bible says to seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and ALL other things will be added unto you.
   No, this does not necessarily mean that new BMW we want will fall in our driveway, but it does mean that everything we NEED will be given to us. By our Father. Therefore, there is absolutely no need to worry about anything of this world, for it is all in the Lords hands! Be encouraged, for God has your back!

To the Graduates

   You are only hours away from walking across the platform, leaving the past behind, and continuing on the road to become more and more like Jesus Christ daily. I can almost assure that there has been days where you thought this day would never come. Where you thought you may not fully understand what is expected out of you as a true man of God, however, tonight you will see how untrue that statement really was.
   Remember that you never truly graduate, for the road is truly ongoing in becoming like the One who has saved you from your sins. However this is simply a landmark, stating that you have completed an intense program that shows you how Christians truly live.
   You will always have H.O.P.E. Ministries but much more importantly, you will always have Jesus Christ with you wherever you go and whenever you go there! Keep up your Faith in God, love Him, and be called according to His purposes and everything will work out for your good in the end! Congratulations!

Genuine

   What if I told you that you could attain a brand new Rolex timepiece (around $5k) for only $250? While there are some that save up for years for something like this, you could get a Rolex as well for much less of a price. What would be your probable response?
   Im not a mind reader but I could probably guess that you would think that this "Rolex" that Im referring to was a complete fake, not something that you would ever invest your hard earned money into. Why? Because your hard earned profit is real, so why would you use it on something of a non genuine value?
   When it comes to Christians, why would anyone want to spend their time, something they can never get back, working to become a non genuine Christian? What does that mean? In the words of the President of the ministry, some become a "great pretender." They may go to church and attend Christian events but their hearts may not be in good standing with God.
   The point, if you are going to spend your time in church, in the Word, etc, do it with the intention of becoming like Christ, otherwise you are pretending! Your fruit that you bear through studying and sanctification should be genuine as well! Dont "do" Christianity just for the sake of calling yourself a Christian, but GENUINELY seek and follow Christ!

Why of Importance

   I want to exhort to you another reason why we should study the Word of God, and for this, I will use a football analogy for all of you sports fans. Say you are watching the SuperBowl and the New York Giants have the ball on their own 10 yard line. There is one minute left and they are down by 6 points.
   A touchdown and an extra point would win the game, so they decide to snap the ball. The quarterback takes the ball and looks down the field- vision. He already knew what routes the receivers were going to take and he looked in those areas for the open one. He found the receiver in which he had anticipated to catch the pass. They scored and won the SuperBowl.
   What does this have to do with the Word of God? Well among other things, it stresses the importance of vision. We must KNOW the Word so that we can see life through the Word and have the vision to carry out the Word of God!"Knowing to see what to carry", if you will. Read the Word, seeing life through the eyes of God, and carry out the vision of His Will!

Benevolence

   I am sure that most of you have heard the word benevolence used at one point of your life or another. It is not really a word of major complexity, but rather one of much importance, especially in the life of one who claims to be a Christian. It is also one much overlooked, mainly because of a lack of knowledge of a kingdom mentality.
   The word simply means giving, specifically in a way that benefits others. This could mean materially, but really giving anything that is for the good of others. As in the words of the President of H.O.P.E. Ministries of the Upstate, the important thing that one can give is time. The reason, time is one thing that no one can ever get back.
   However, it seems that in a daily walk, we do not tend to actively give time or anything else that may be of any sacrifice to us, for the benefit of other people, because of fear that we will no longer have all that we need. This especially comes in play with material things. However, we a part of the Kingdom of God. A king ALWAYS supplies for his people, especially the TRUE King! Therefore, we will always have what is of necessity to a life that lives for Him!
   Benevolence is giving, and the Kingdom of God is receiving. As we receive from the King, we are to give to others, both our time and what we can for the benefit of others, for that is what Jesus did! Let us be benevolent in our Christian lives!

Find For Yourself

   Have you ever heard of the child that grew up in church, on the choir, in Bible study, and every religious event you could think of every week because their parents went? They would just get in the car and go. To them, it was a way of life, they did not have to exactly know and experience God for his or herself, but instead they accepted the idea of God from their upbringing.
   However, when they leave the house and enter the world fully, they seem to slowly falter, leaving the Gospel farther and farther behind. Over time, they seem to let their faith in God fully deteriorate. Do not misunderstand me, this is not the fault of the parents by any means. However, the point of this passage is to stress the importance of knowing, accepting, and studying the Word of God for oneself.
   There comes a time where saying that Christianity has just been all Ive done for my life no longer suffices. I urge, no I exhort to you all to study and know God and His Word for yourself, so that you are His and He is yours!

Same Goal in Mind

   Most of us have seen the television show or the movies where the entire family is sitting at one table and they are eating dinner and just having a great conversation. Laughter, smiling, and food all brought together for whatever the particular occasion. However, like most families, there was eventually something of controversy said at the table that brought mixed feelings to those involved.

   Something that was not discussed often because of the mixed feelings. Whatever the topic would generally cause division in some sorts in the family. They may have bickered or became upset, but they were still family. 

   It seems that the church can be this family. Issues and interpretations in the Bible tend to split into denominational differences. Different opinions seem to cause bickering at times between the same family. But this was written to remind the church that we should all have the same Goal in mind, that is doing the Will of God by proclaiming His Son Jesus Christ to all Nations, no matter the denomination! Do you have the same goal in mind?

Status: Active

   Did you know that, while simply sitting on the couch for an hour, you would have burned one calorie per kilogram of weight that you have? This translates to a 60 kg person burning about 60 calories after simply one hour on the couch by just sitting there.
   However, in your opinion, do you think that one would burn the same amount of calories if they were running for an hour straight? Do you not think if they were sweating and fully active that they would burn a lot more calories than just sitting on the couch?
   Passive attitudes and actions very rarely pay off more than active ones. For example, in reading, one just scanning an article probably wont get as much out of it as one who is intensively reading for a gaining of knowledge. Our Faith is the same way. We cannot wait to do God's commands, live for Him, and proclaim His name. We ACTIVELY do those things every day. We reach out to the lost and the hurting, not wait on them to come to our doorstep with a sign reading "lost and hurting." Christianity is not a passive thing, so I urge you, ACTIVELY live your life for Christ!
 

A Verb

   You have probably already heard it, the verse that everyone loves to say when it comes to the Bible, John 3.16, for God so loved the world... So lets take a look at the word "love" and what it therefore implies. We especially want to look at this in our country  because the political excuse for all of the things that are being approved that go against the Word of God and foundation of this nation is that "God is love."
   Well, lets go deeper into that verse. "For God so loved that world that he... GAVE!" Now, as you know, giving is not some passive thing done just by sitting on a couch all day. Giving requires an action, against human nature even, for the greater good of all involved. Therefore, saying that you love God, yet doing absolutely nothing, helping no one, giving in no possible way, is NOT love!
   God GAVE his ONLY Son! The Son of God was given for us so that we could be forgiven from our sins. Therefore, it takes giving, especially our time, in showing that the Love of God is a verb and is to be returned in the same way received. Love is not passive, it is a verb. Have you given the Love of God?

Already Answered

   Remember when you were a child, and you wanted some cereal, but there was no way that you could reach the box on top of the refrigerator? So what did you do? You asked your parents or guardians every single time that you wanted some cereal. No matter the time or place, you would always ask.
   Then, as the years went by, you got taller. You could finally reach the box on your own. However, because of your age, you still had to ask permission before the cereal was yours. Not because of your physical ability, but because of your maturity and discretion on when to eat the sugary food.
   However, eventually there came the age where your maturity and age caught up to letting you eat cereal at your own discretion. What did your parents do? They told you that you did not have to ask to get cereal. They already said yes.
   You do not have to ask to do the Lords Will. If it is in His Word, the answer is Yes or No accordingly. He will never go against His Word, therefore, if you know His Word, you will already know the answers to some of your questions. Read his Word, your questions may be already answered!

More Confidently

   Do you remember in grade school when the teacher first said the words, we are going to have a test? No if you had an older brother or sister, you knew that to prepare for this test properly, you needed to study hard on the subject at hand.
   When you got older, the test may have gotten harder, but the concept never changed. You studied, this time more confidently, trying to pass the test. Why more confidently? This is because you had been tested before, and you still passed.
   So at this point, when you take a test, there is no reason to sweat it at all. You have taken tests all of your life, and you know how to study for them. So when the tests and trials of life come upon you, you have already studied up in the Word of God so that you can answer confidently and pass the tests of life! Study up, in the Word of God, and ace the tests of life by His standards!
 

Never Relenting

   Have you ever done something so bad that, at least you thought, your parents would never forgive you or want you anymore because of what you did? Maybe you broke a vase in the house or threw something and broke the television or something of that sort?
   And you were in fear. Not because of the punishment as much as the disappointment that you knew that you'd probably caused. However, after your punishments, and everyone has had a chance to cool and calm down, you still had parents that generally care, relentlessly even, and still loved you just as much as they did before.
   Jesus relentlessly offers his Salvation to all. He says in Hebrews that for all who believe in Him, and those who call on His name, they will be called children of God! Of course this means true, full belief, however He offers His unconditional love and Salvation relentlessly, the question is, have you accepted it?

Gentle Reminder

   Tonight, I just want to take a short time and remind us all of what is of first importance. At times, yes, it is appropriate to talk about daily practical aspects of the Christian life as we grow in Christ. However, we are to continually remind ourselves of why we say that we are Christians in the first place.
   As Christians, we believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ! We believe that we were bound to sin, which is anything that we think, say, or do that goes against the Will of the Father for His children. However, we also believe that 2012 years ago, a perfect being that was God and man, died on a cross so that we may be forgiven for our sins, for He is the son of God, named Jesus.
   We also believe that He rose again three days later and is now seated on the throne in Heaven with the Father waiting to return to Earth. Therefore, we believe that true belief in Him brings everlasting life! This is the Gospel, and this is what we truly believe! Remind yourself daily

A Family

   Today I would like to point out something that truly breaks my heart. And Ill do this by taking us all on another small journey. Let us go to our local "hood" or "ghetto" area. Some of you may be thinking, "why would I go there", or even "Im fine, I volunteer there every week", but stay with me, the area itself is not the focus.
   So you walk around this area and you start to take note. You may see babies or mothers crying, you may see drugs being handed off, or even worse. Then you turn the corner and you see something that makes you want to run. You see a gang leader and his entire gang about to fight another gang leader and their entire gang.
   You stay to watch and you realize one thing, the members of each respective gang ALWAYS have each others back. If one gets hit, the other members of their gang are on their way to help. Sure, they may be fighting, but they have an amazing UNITY!
   However, in the church, where our leader is Christ as we fight the world against sin and Satan, we sometimes lack that unity. We may not build each other up, but instead purely point out faults and continually tear down our "brother" in the faith. Its a shame that a thing of the world such as a gang understand unity at times more than the church. We are a family, and its about time that we start acting like one!

Just a Taste

   Have you ever seen the little child at a birthday party who has snuck past his parents and gone into the kitchen where the freshly baked birthday cake was? And what do you think this child does? Dips his dirty hands in the center of the cake and takes a big bite, hoping that no one would notice.
   So, of course, the parents finds this and the child gets into major trouble. But even that is juvinile. Let us get a little more serious. How about the child that, against the instruction of his parents, is fascinated by the flame on the stovetop. He goes to touch it and gets a first degree burn. But all that he wanted to do was experience it for a second, right?
   Or what about the teenager who desides to sniff cans just once, for the high. His experimentation ends up killing him and his parents find him dead the next morning? Guess what, all sin leads to some sort of death, for that is its wages. Even just a taste. When you find yourself wanting just a taste of sin, go for a whole meal of Jesus!

Explaination

   I wanted to take this time and explain why there may have not been a lot of posts on the blog lately. For those who know who I am, you know that this time in life is a transition time between high school and college. All of you who have experienced this know exactly how hectic this time can be.
   With a vacation a few weeks ago and another last weekend, time was greatly prioritized to relaxation before life gets even more busy with college as a family. Therefore family time during vacation was mostly spent only with family, and the computer was a rarity.
   Nevertheless, this does not mean anything detrimental for the future of the blog. The blog will continue to be updated daily unless special circumstances, such as vacation, etc. occur. Rest assured that encouragement based on the Word of God will continue to be proclaimed daily!

No Reason To Hide

   Do you remember growing up, when you would do something that you knew your parents or guardians told you not to do, but you just did it anyway out of temptation? And what happened when your parents came around? The first thing that you wanted to do was avoid them.
   Or, even worse, what happened when you did something to disappoint them, or anyone in charge for that matter? Or even, what happened when you disappointed someone you remotely cared about? Avoidance probably became your best friend, because back then, in your mind, you had a reason to hide, something to be ashamed of.
   Unfortunately, there are Christians today who think of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the thing to be ashamed of to the world. They hide it, in plain fear and shame, because they believe this brings acceptance, which is what some are after. However, would you not rather be accepted by the Son of God, over the world? Think about it, as Christians, we have no reason to hide!

Takes Two to Tango

   I am sure that many have heard the famous expression, "It takes two to tango." This can be used in a variety of ways, both good and bad. However, let us look at this in a Christian perspective, specifically referring to a relationship with the One and Only Living God, Jesus Christ.
   I have heard, a lot, that God is forgiving and He loves all of us. In fact, I have heard the phrase, "God is love" so much that people have used it as an excuse to go against His Word, using His love as a pass out of following His commands.
   However, it takes two to have a relationship. We must also love Him! Which means that we follow His Word and commands as much as we can, because we love Him back! This takes away the excuse to sin and instead brings in a will NOT to disobey what He has set forth. A true relationship does take two! Do you love God as well?

Half Heartedly

   Have you ever eaten a piece of chicken that was only cooked on one half? Or how about wore a shoe that only had half of the sole? Or drank from a cup with the bottom missing from it? Of course not!! You would never imagine doing those things. You probably wouldn't drink from a cup without a bottom at even the fanciest restaurant. Why? Because no one is truly satisfied by a half hearted performance.
   Take the Olympic athletes for example. They train 6 hours a day every day for 4 years in preparation for one event. Some sprinters train that long for 10- 11 second race. So, could you imagine training that long to only give half during the actual race?? How ludicrous would that be?!
   Well, we train everyday until we die, reading our Bible and spending time with the Lord, for a possible 2 minute conversation with a non believer, or the 10 minute conversation we have with our friends while others are watching and being influenced, or the 3 hour holdup in the grocery line while younger Christians watch how you respond.
   We seek God daily. Therefore, it is ludicrous to only give half heartedly in our everyday lives. We should live fully for God, and show HIS example, in everything, with everything! Live whole heartedly!

Stronger

   Have you ever heard of the phrase, "it can always be worse..." Generally this is said when someone is feeling bad about a situation that they are in and they are thinking about it in the wrong way. Therefore, they are reminded that they is a situation that could be worse.
   How about seeing the bully in a school growing up and seeing how big and strong he seemed. Yet, when you went home, you knew that there was no chance that bully could defeat your parents, for they were bigger and stronger. The point of these analogies is that there is always a superlative comparison to make to any situation, including the fight against sin.
   Sin is strong. It can be extremely difficult to overcome and very deception. It can have you hooked before you even know it. However, the Power of Christ is STRONGER, and His grace is sufficient. Sin is strong, temptation is strong, but Christ is Always stronger! Remember in any sin, God is stronger! Therefore, seek in Him, abide in Him, read His Word, and trust fully in Him!

By Example

   Do you remember the timeless phrase, "do as I say, not as I do?" Generally spoken by the parent who tended to have a bad habit that they would not allow the child to have. Therefore, since they still had this bad habit, they would tell their children to follow their words in lou of their actions.
   However, being a disciple means that one is being a follower. Not a following of words alone however, but a follower of the actions done by the teacher. In the case of the Christian, the teacher is Jesus Christ. So, we are supposed to not only follow the words of Christ, but His actions as well!
   Here is the tie- in. As disciples, we are called to disciple others. Therefore, we are not only to be followers of the words and actions of Christ, but we are to be living examples to others Christians as well, for we all are becoming imitators of Christ. That is in every area of our lives as well, we are the be the shining Christian example! Are you leading by example?

Proven by Life

   Last night, we discussed how the defending of the Faith is only solidified in the Word of God and our belief in it. We discussed how knowing the Word of God is how we defend the Faith, by studying and standing by it which hence, is fully what we believe.
   However, tonight we are going to talk about evidence of this Word and the defense of our Faith. Get this, the evidence that people see and that has the most impact does not come from church, or seminary, or Bible College. The evidence is truly our lives.
   Let us take the Founder and C.E.O. of the ministry. He lived a life that was surely not according to the Word of God. YES, before you ask, he DID attend church, and was greatly involved. But at times when you saw him out, you knew he was not living the life of Christ.
   However, now it has been a complete turnaround through Christ and the Power of God, and only Him. Only God could have done what was done! His LIFE is the proof in the pudding, evidence of the defense to the Faith set by the Word of God!
 

Knowing the Word

   The week long vacation is over and we are back again ready to discuss things that matter here on the blog of H.O.P.E. Ministries of the Upstate. As someone who is about to go to college, and as a person who knows a lot of people that are either in college or have graduated, I can tell you that defending our Faith has become a daily task for the Christian of today.
   Especially with the whole Chic- Fil- A deal, we are challenged daily to defend what we believe. However, our beliefs are only opinion unless they are based on the Word of God. In fact, our beliefs are even folly if they go against the Word of God.
   So, now that we have established that the True Word of God is the only judge to our statements and defender of our Faith, how can we go on to claim Christianity and be on the frontline to defend our Faith if we do not know that Word? I do not just mean quoting John 3.16. I mean a daily devotion to the Word of Christ so that we may learn and live in Him. Learn the Word. Know the Word. Defend the Faith.

Our Forgiveness

   Imagine that you were to go up to a king who has only been absolutely great to you and everyone in the kingdom, and spit in his face? Imagine that this king always gave his people what was of necessity to them and even sometimes, things that they just wanted that were not fully necessity.
   Everyone in his kingdom was treated fairly and with pure, common justice. However, instead of obeying this king, you disobeyed him in pursuit of selfish desire, turning your back to him? Well, we all have sinned and come short of the Glory of the Father!  We have disobeyed the King. HOWEVER, He sent His one and only Son to die for us on a cross and forgive us of the disobedience if we accept it.
   When we therefore share the Gospel, we share forgiveness. I want to mention the shooting in Colorado. Here is the thing: it was a terrible thing that was done! That is obvious. God is just and He shall punish according to what is fit in His eyes! Therefore, we must make sure that we realize that even he, after those evil deeds done, can be forgiven through the Almighty power of the Blood of Jesus Christ! God is just, and He forgives!

Big with No Power

   Have you ever seen the guy that goes to the weight room seemingly every day and lifts for about six hours and comes out looking like Goliath, but he lacks one thing: strength? He takes creatine and l- argenine and every supplementation one may think of as an attempted shortcut to doing all of the work required for full true strength and his body shows results, but he cant lift a piece of dirt?
   So maybe you answered yes to that, so let us take another situation. Have you ever seen the Christian who spends all day reading of opinions from theologians, Greek translations, and backgrounds of everything that they have read in the Bible but lack one thing, the Power of the Holy Spirit that has the ability to change lives?
   Yes, both are important. Reading your Bible and knowing the Word is an absolute necessity! However, it is the Power of the Holy Spirit from truly having a relationship that changes lives and peaks the interest of something different shown to others! I urge you, dont be big in your theology but have no power of the Holy Spirit!

One Must Exhale

   Often, when discussing with others the essence of life itself, there are two things that are mentioned quite often. They are water and oxygen. Water is a very complex one as there is life in water itself, however, another thing comprises actual water is oxygen.
   You, and fish, breath it in every day. You give off carbon dioxide to trees and plants and in turn, they give you oxygen. It is quite a fascinating relationship.
   However, there are two parts to every breathe. After inhaling, one must exhale before taking the next breathe. If one just inhaled, even with all of the wonderful life that the oxygen supports, they would not live. Holding your breathe only last for so long until you pass out.
   It is the same with the Gospel. We can not just inhale this life, we must exhale it to others. After all, it is pure life! and we MUST share it (exhale) with all that we come in contact with, for it is only fair to share the full Life that we have been given through the Gospel!

Constant Communication

   I have recently decided to re- explore the fascinating (in my opinion) world of two way radios. I have studied public service radios, consumer radios, business radios, etc. This may seem to bore you but there is one thing in common of all of these radios that I learned for sure, they ALL have a range.
   From the few miles of the consumer radios to the vast mileage of the police and public service radios, they all have a point where they no longer can communicate with one another, because they are simply too far away.
   But guess what, there is a way of communication that never fails. There is no range that this signal will not travel, no mileage that cannot be covered. And before you ask, no!, it is not your cell phone signal.
   This is the power of prayer. It does not matter where you are, physically or in life, God Himself hears your prayers. Whenever, wherever! That is great news for the believer! The one stipulation: you must pray! He will hear it, but you must do it! Try it out, it is the best signal reception in existence!

Keeping It Simple

   I have set in many a math class in my day, and I realized one thing, the longer that I advanced, the more difficult it truly became. For example, it went from x to x squared, to x cubed, to y= 3x - 7 to the derivative of 4x.
   However, that leads to my next point. Another thing that I learned is that, no matter how complex the mathematics became, it was all based on something that I had learned before. In the example above, if I had never learned what "x" meant in mathematics, there is no way that I could have solved anything that came after it.
   The first day of kindergarten, no student will get asked to find the derivative of "x". The first day of being a new creation in Christ, what Christian should be expected to know and debate all of the secrets of God, or His laws? Time after time, babies are bombarded with all of this law from the OT and rules and regulations for church, etc., and the Gospel of Jesus Christ is simply treated as a small stepping stone in the Faith! Christ dying for our sins is the foundation of our Faith, the CLIMAX of our lives, so that they only increase in Christ, BASED on the foundation of the Gospel!
   Keep the Gospel, the Saving Grace of Jesus Christ and a relationship with Him, the foundation of your faith!

Where in the World?

   The guys in the ministry are currently attending the event posted in the H.O.P.E. Ministries newsletter entitled ComeCloser. In case you do not know, ComeCloser is an event that now includes a good number of organizations that go into the innercity of Spartanburg and serve and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
   Hopefully, we are all especially familiar with that last part, the spreading of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As this is the Great Commission, to go and spread the Gospel to All Nations! So, the question is Where in the world are you spreading it?
   Not as in the phrase "where in the world" but the literal meaning, where are you spreading it? With ComeCloser, it is the innercity of Spartanburg that is the primary target. However, what about those in remote countries that have never had access to a Bible, or the translation of it to our language?
   The point is not to prioritize one place over the other, however it is important to spread the Gospel somewhere, for if everyone spread it, the surely the Great Commission will be fulfilled!

Lead a Horse to Water

   Many of you have heard the phrase that you can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink! This is so true literally, and spiritually. 

   And from that, I have come up with yet another phrase, you can tell someone the Truth, but you cant make them believe it! For example, you can tell a child that the stove is hot, but he may not believe you, until he touches it, then that all changes! 

   You can tell those new or ignorant to the Faith Truths about this Faith and Christ, but that, unfortunately, does not guarantee belief. The key, or deciding factor comes to this, one MUST believe that the Bible is completely, 100% true before all of the Truth can be believed. For the Bible goes against the world's definition of "common sense" in order to give the truth about God! 

   My challenge is to read and believe EVERY WORD of your Bible! Know and learn the Truths about God from the only deciding factor, His Word!

Only Hope

   There are some, actually a lot, that do not like to believe Christianity or its beliefs because the things that it teaches, or the events that it declares have happened in the past, cannot always be put in a test tube and proven or understood by a scientist.
   For example, the creation of the world. The Bible says NEITHER of these two things : The big bang created the world : God created the big bang, which created the world. If you open Genesis Chapter One, the first words read, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth...". Therefore, if you so avidly believe that this cannot be true, you believe that, for example, after we are finished on this Earth, that is it, and there is nothing else.
   But answer this, if that is the case, then where is the hope? Where is the future? It ends when we leave this Earth for those who do not believe. However, there is a Hope, far beyond science, that we know, and that is that through Jesus Christ, eternal life is ours forever! Christ died for the forgiveness of our sins so that we may be with the Father forevermore! The is REAL Hope!
 

Baby Watches Everything

   Those with children understand the concept of babies always watching what is done by the parents. Especially when they are starting to walk and such. They see the parents walking around the house seamlessly and all they want to do is walk around the house once without falling. Why? Not because they know the importance of walking and how it relates to modern and historical science, but partially because they see parents do it, therefore they think that it is the norm.
   Guess what, as Christians, we are to guide those who are just joining the Faith or are weak in it. Im sure you already knew that, but consider this: just like in human growth, there are babies and there are those that have matured.
   Those that have matured are to guide those that are not by being an example of the Christian life as defined in the Bible! Realizing that the babies are always watching and trying to imitate, so that they may be capable as well! You are always being watched, so always be an example!

Dead man Walking

   How would you define the word alive? Better yet, how would you define the word "life" in general? Some would say that if you are breathing, you are living. And the Bible says that everything that has breath, praise the Lord.
   How do those relate? Everything is alive for a purpose, AND a purpose therefore makes something truly alive! How alive would you consider someone who only sat on the couch and watched television all day? I doubt that you would consider them very alive.
   If our purpose is to worship and obey, then when that purpose is being fulfilled, we have life. Lets go a little deeper. That purpose is only fulfilled through Christ Jesus! He is the only way in which we may fully experience and please the Father! He is the ONLY way to truly and fully fulfill our purpose, THEREFORE He is the only way to truly have life! Without Him, we are all dead men walking!

Unfair

   Let us take the hypothetical situation that we are in a humongous city full of excitement and danger. In this particular situation, we see our friend about to turn a corner into an alley in which stands a criminal with a gun ready to shoot whoever goes into that alley. IS IT FAIR for you NOT to tell your "friend" about the criminal around the corner that he is about to turn?

   Or how about this one, you see a friend that has just been brutally injured. There is blood running down their entire body, and by themselves, they are helpless. However, you have a cellular device with a full battery and a full signal and could call the ambulance and SAVE THEIR LIFE. Is is fair for you to call?

   The Gospel of Jesus Christ saves from the danger of eternal damnation in hell and gives eternal life in absolute beauty! We are helpless and hopeless without it, but those that know it and accept it have hope and an eternal life. Now tell me, IS IT NOT FAIR to share it? Share it!

Romans 12.2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
 
   Tonight is the night to talk about the final part of this verse, the will of God. Over the past three nights, we have discussed not conforming to the ways of the world, and the transformation by the renewal of the mind. Now is time to cover the will of God.
   We are to prove what is good, acceptable, and perfect will of God. We do not always know what is necessarily good. What we think may be for our harm or the harm of the others can be a part of God's plan for the good of those that love Him.
   He has a will for us to worship and obey Him. He also has a will for us to prosper in all of the works that we do for Him! Therefore, not conforming to this world, and transformation by renewal of the mind causes one to do what is good, acceptable, and perfect, in the will of the Father!

Transformers

Romans 12.2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
   Last night, the first part of this verse was discussed, not conforming to the deceitful ways of this world. Now we will discuss the second part of this verse, the transformation by renewal of the mind.
   I will use the illustration of the dog with the invisible electric fence. When the collar is first put on the dog, and they past the boundary of the invisible fence, they get a shock. Rest assured that enough of those shocks will cause the dog not to want to cross the boundary of the fence anymore. However, when you take the collar off of the dog, the MIND of the dog still thinks of that boundary, and the dog still will not cross it.
   This verse talks about transformation, or as some may say, sanctification, or the becoming like Christ. This is a process. And it happens by renewing our minds, which are so powerful. This happens through the immersion of the Word of God and a TRUE relationship with Him! There are so many treasures in this process but it only happens to those with a TRUE desire and relationship with Him!

Not Conformed

Romans 12.2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

   Over the next three days, we will be dissecting this three part, deeply rich verse so that we may understand it even better than we do now. This was written by the apostle Paul to the, guess who, Romans, or the church in Rome.                                                                                                                    Tonight, we will take the first part of the verse, which states, "and be not conformed to this world." Have you ever had a pack of bread that you left out a tad too long and looked the next day to find that there is mold on four pieces of bread? However, if you studied it, you would realize that the mold started with one piece of bread, but spread, and the other pieces were contaminated and conformed to the mold of that one piece.                                                                                                                                     Paul is warning us to both watch our surroundings, what we let in, and what we let out because, without guarding our hearts and saturating them in Christ, one will conform to the surroundings of the world! Watch what you let in, and what you let out, for we are NOT to conform to the ways of the world!

Everything in the House

   Have you ever went to the house that seemingly had everything? The newest televisions on the market in every room to any food that you could imagine? They had not only most privileges, but also all of the needs as well?
   Therefore, when it is time for them to eat, they have full confidence that they will get a meal when it comes that time. When it is time to take a shower, they know that they know that there will be warm water and clean clothes. Therefore, they do not live their lives in a worrying mindset, but in confidence.
   We have a God that created absolutely everything and lacks absolutely nothing! It is true, God chooses to give us things according to what we can handle, and we may not have all of the latest televisions in every room. However, we should have confidence that God will provide ALL that we need, for his resources are unlimited. We walk in confidence knowing that the Lord will sustain and provide us every day of our lives. For He has EVERYTHING in His House!

True Independance

   I truly hope that everyone had a fascinating 4th of July, or Independence Day. Since freedom and more specifically, independence, is the topic of the national holiday, I thought that would be the subject of today's post.
   First, we must understand who we are and our fleshly nature. To understand this, you must understand the fall of man. Adam, the first person on Earth, did not originally live in sin. However, in the garden of Eden, the forbidden fruit was eaten by Eve, being deceived by the serpent, and thus sin was brought into the world.
   Therefore, in our flesh, there is what is called a sin nature, a natural inclination to sin. Therefore, we were slaves to our sin. But then steps Jesus, who, by all means, in every since possible, frees us from this sin, and makes us free in Him and His Freedom! We were doers of sin, and now we are liberated in Christ! That is true Independence. Freed from sin, and alive in Christ!

Every Eye Will See

   Let us take a little adventure. Let us imagine that there is a little boy, well call him Samson. Samson did not live in the most prestigious neighborhood around by any means. In fact, he lived in the poorest part of his town.
   He lived with his parents in a small two bedroom one bath apartment. He did not wear the nicest clothes by any means either. Being 17, you would think that he drove his own car to the local High School, but instead, for lack of funds, he was forced to ride the bus all of his life.
   However, one day, he went to the SuperBowl and was blessed enough to go in the locker room with one of the teams. He gladly told his friends, but none believed him. Until, one day he brought them the ticket and the backstage pass along with pictures that he'd taken that night. See, even though his friends did not believe him, it did not change the truth!
   Even though some may not believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it still does not change the Truth. However, rest assured that one day, EVERY knee shall bow and tongue confess that He is Lord! The important part is that YOU profess and believe what you know to be the Truth, which is the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

The Stand

   Have you ever heard of the story that describes the person that just attained a new girlfriend or boyfriend, but they are ashamed to go in public with them for appearance sake? They may be a great person, but, for whatever reason, they are afraid of what others would think if they were seen together?
   Therefore, by family or in private, they are very supportive and fully claim the other, however as soon as they are questioned in some way or another about the relationship, they crumble. Or even worse, it is the case where they claim the other person, but live a life in complete dishonor to them, but that is another story.
   Now, have you heard of the story in which the one who attends church gladly claims the name of Christ in church, but when out in public, or in the quarters of their privacy, Christ is no where to be found? You see them treat others in a way that Christ Himself plainly opposed, and they act like everything but a child of God? Here is the thing: to truly STAND for something, neither nor place are credible conditions that affect your stand. STAND for Christ, in private and public! Not a stand for show or appearance, but a living stand, for the one who died for you!

Bought and Fixed

   I recently purchased a phone from a friend of mine. However, this was more of a trade than a full out purchase with money in exchange for a good. Instead, I traded an item that I previously owned for the good.
   However, the principal is still the same. A price was paid in some form or another for the good in exchange. The only thing was, I actually had to fix this phone. I had a crack in the screen that needed to be fixed. And what was easier than to fix it myself. So that is what I did.
   Did you know that God Himself paid a huge price, the death of His One and Only being nailed on a cross, so that he could have you and me, as broken and dirty as we truly are, and fix us back to how we are supposed to be, and that is the image of Christ, His Son?
   It is true. ALL that you have to do is accept the price that He paid through His Son Jesus, and accept Jesus as the Lord and Rightful Savior of your life, and serve Him and Him only! You were bought with a price!

Great Remembrance

   At least one time a week, I like to remind all of the readers of this blog, and ones visiting, about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, or as the Apostle Paul called it, what is of First Importance. This is the basis of Christianity and the very foundation of HOPE Ministries of the Upstate.
   Here is a way of depicting this Marvelous Truth. There was a Creator. This creator made everything that you see when you simply go outside. The trees, mountains, sky, bird, the entire Earth! But even more importantly, when you look in the mirror, what you see is also this Creator's creation.
   However, His creation disobeyed the simple commands of the Creator, and in that, the creation starting worshiping itself. And all of His other creation starting worshiping themselves. The Creator had to be just and could not let them go unpunished. The penalty for such insolence is death.
   However, one day, the Son of the Creator, Jesus Christ, the One and Only Son of God, came in to mediate and substitute our death for life by dying brutally on a Cross, for us. And now, this day, we have the option of accepting this call of forgiveness and salvation that Jesus Christ offers us, and it is the most important decision that we will ever make. Christ died for our sins! That is of First Importance, and the salvation offered should be of Great Remembrance to the believer and follower of Christ Jesus!

Growing in the Word

   Have you ever heard a brother and sister of young age going back and forth about who should be able to play with a certain toy that they share? They go back and forth arguing what they both think to be fact.
   However, whether both, none, or only one of them figure it out, there is only ONE truth! They both go in with different precepts of what that truth is, but there is still only one.
   As Christians, we believe that EVERY word of the Bible is true. We do not believe that some of it is true, or maybe certain stories happened, but imagination might have taken over for the writing of some of it. We simply believe that ALL of it is true.
   Therefore, if we have disputes about how things are or what fact is, we need to discuss it with each other, USING WHAT THE BIBLE says as the one and only guide and dictator of the actual TRUTH! Discuss the Bible with others, and let it guide you to Ultimate Truth!

The Virtue

   Those who say that they want to be like Christ CAN NOT lack one thing: and that is patience. You may read that sentence and think that you have heard this all before and want close the blog, but I urge you to continue reading.
   To be like Christ, you must be like the One who is the "Prince of Peace." Here is a simple but profound statement that you may not have heard before, peace is non existent without patience. Whenever peace is around, patience is somewhere in the midst.
   Jesus had disciples that had the great passion and will to follow Him. However, they were by NO means perfect, therefore, to sanctify them, Jesus had to have patience. It takes patience to both lead others to Christ, to be and example of His, and to grow in Christ yourself.
   Monitor your patience towards others this week and remember, to be like Christ, patience is something that you MUST have.

What we Let in

   In the year 2004, over 603,000 deaths were caused or linked to second hand smoking. Can you believe that? That is a pretty large number. However, most of you know that to be considered second hand smoking, this means that one was not smoking or holding the cigarette themselves, but someone else nearby was.
   They, however, inhaled the exact same smoke and, sadly for these, paid the price of their lives. The victims were not careful enough about what they let in. Its not just about what you do, it is also about what you let inhabit you or what you inhabit in.
   Have you ever heard of a song that does not in any sense glorify the name of Christ, but you can not seem to help but move to the rhythm of the song? The song may even be disrespecting the teachings of Christ. However, music is one of those things of great power. Therefore, we must watch meticulously of what music we listen to and whatever we let in to our spirits, and our bodies. I urge, no challenge, all of you to take inventory of what we let in.

Defensive Walls

   One of my personal favorite pastimes is the game of soccer. In the game of soccer, as most know, there are many official positions. There are forwards, midfielders, defenders, and a goalie on the field. The forwards are in the enemies territory and they try to score with the ball.
   The defenders, for the most part, basically stay relatively in their own territory and their job is to make sure that the other team does not score. This is obviously done easiest by making sure that every time that the forwards have the ball, we disrupt the play by either stealing the ball or kicking it out of bounds.
  We should live the Christian life like defenders when it comes to forces that the enemy brings against us, however, we should not live like defenders when it comes to our brothers who only try to bring growth in the faith. We must not defend ourselves against our brothers who only want to help us in the faith by showing us what may be hard for us to see from the inside out.
   Let us grow off of these observations that come truly out of love, so that we may truly become closer and grow together in the faith!

Hope In God

   You can ask almost any child that grew up with a single parent, it is absolutely expected for every parenting role to be fulfilled by that one person. If it is a mother, she must be a mother, but her child also expects her to protect and toughen her children. If it is a father, he must be father, but he is also expected to nurture his children as a mother would.
   However, we know that this burns single parents out. Sometimes not every parental requirement is fulfilled when both of the parents are in the home, just because there is no human that is perfect at parenting.
   The child, however, puts their hope in the idea that this one parent with be the perfect equivalent of two, and this generally leads to some disappointment.  
   This is not just for the situation of a single parent, but for any situation in life. Your trust should be in the Lord! Otherwise, putting all of your trust in mankind, whether one person or many, will lead to disappointment, but God NEVER fails!

Judging a Book

   Tonight, we will look at an extremely abridged version of the Founder and CEO of H.O.P.E. Ministries of the Upstate. Skipping past the birth and the childhood, we will go straight to his adult life to the point where he was taken to prison.

   This was for borrowing a car and not returning it. Yes, he had permission to initially drive the car, however, it was not returned in a timely fashion. Therefore, he was thrown into prison.

   He had been before and therefore he was put in the part of the prison those who had committed violent crimes had gone (in which he did not commit.)

   When he got out, I am sure that he can attest to the fact that he was judged greatly by manner simply because he had went to prison before. However, if they had only knew that he would have a vision for such a ministry, and that God would use him in so many wonderful ways, they would have never judged him like that. You do not know that future for others! Do not judge a book by its cover!