OVERFLOW

“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” Colossians 3:17 (NKJV) To be an ambassador for Christ means that we are always living a life, full of words and deeds, that is Christ-like. The cliché WWJD was huge in the ‘90’s, but should not be overlooked in the 2010’s. This simple question can draw us towards seeking the face of God to conform us into His likeness when asked and applied correctly in all areas of our lives. But asking the question is never enough, we must also take steps to do what Jesus would do. WWJD.4- On Abortion The debate around abortion seems to be one that is unending, but when understood biblically, life begins upon conception (Job 10:8-12) and therefore should be both treasured and cared for. Additionally, regardless of how life was conceived whether it is between two consenting adults or a case where rape is involved, terminating life is always wrong and is murder of life (Gen 9:6)

“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” Colossians 3:17 (NKJV) To be an ambassador for Christ means that we are always living a life, full of words and deeds, that is Christ-like. The cliché WWJD was huge in the ‘90’s, but should not be overlooked in the 2010’s. This simple question can draw us towards seeking the face of God to conform us into His likeness when asked and applied correctly in all areas of our lives. But asking the question is never enough, we must also take steps to do what Jesus would do. WWJD.3- On Alcohol A growing area of ambiguity can be found on a Christian’s relationship with alcohol. Are there cases when drinking is prohibited and others when it is allowed? According to Scripture, drinking alcoholic beverages is not a sin and in some cases it is even spoken of in positive terms (Ecc 9:7; Ps 104:14-15; Amos 9:4; Isa 55:1; 1 Tim 5:23 [To name a few]). However, just because it is

“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors…” 2 Corinthians 5:20a (NIV) To be an ambassador for Christ means that we are always living a life, full of words and deeds, that are Christ-like. The cliché WWJD was huge in the ‘90’s, but should not be overlooked in the 2010’s. This simple question can draw us towards seeking the face of God to conform us into His likeness when asked and applied correctly in all areas of our lives. But asking the question is never enough, we must also take steps to do what Jesus would do. WWJD.2- On Sexuality We live in a time where sex is everywhere. We see it in our movies, hear it in our songs, drive past the billboards about them, and even get spam e-mails about it. The inundation of sex has been detrimental to our society by devaluing it and stigmatizing those who practice abstinence. However, this is not something that is new to our generation but rather has existed for many millennia. When addressing the view of Biblical sexuality it is important to de

“Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter.” Proverbs 24:11 (NIV) In the last post, I briefly touched on the point of how the Word of God is relevant in all areas of our lives and that when we are faced with temptations of any kind at work, school, home, etc, we should firmly stand on the Word in order to overcome. I concluded by claiming that we should ask ourselves the question WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) to all areas of our lives as we live with a Christian Worldview.  WWJD.1- How did we get here? We have come a long way since the times of the early church yet the message of the Gospel has not changed in the slightest, the power of the Gospel has not diminished and the relevancy of it in our lives has not expired. The problem, as I see it, is the same mistake that Eve fell into when she “saw that the fruit of the tree was …desirable for gaining wisdom” (Gen 3:6). The problem was that her desire and love for God was turned away from Him and

“If you are slack in the day of distress, Your strength is limited.” Proverbs 24:10 (NASB) When faced with temptation, what is your reaction? When falling into temptation what is your response? Too long has this generation gone by thinking that they no longer need to heed the Word of God and as a preacher and teacher of His word I am held accountable for what I teach and do not teach. We must understand that the Word of God is still very relevant in our lives today as it was back then. It is useful in guiding our moral decisions and training us in righteousness so that we may be equipped to do God’s will (2 Timothy 3:16-17). It is unfortunate that so many people have incorrectly made up their minds about God’s word in their lives that they refuse to heed advice or listen to correction when anyone tells them that the Word of God says differently. Walter Kaiser said it well in his book What Does the Lord Require Of Us? when he asked if "those excuses and realities pass the te

"Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth." 1 John 3:18 (NIV) Every once in a while we are all going to need help. I remember a night a few years ago when I was driving up to Dallas and got a flat tire. "A flat tire? No big deal," I thought for I had changed many a tire before. Unfortunately, on that night I did not have a tire iron, nor a jack. Having the spare tire served me no good if I did not have any way to change the tire. What made matters worse was that no one was willing to stop and help me out. I eventually had to call a tow truck to bring some tools to change the tire for me. Now imagine if I had called the towing service and instead of sending a truck, they prayed with me over the phone? What good would that have done? So many times, we see people around us that are in need of some help. Too often, a Christian brother or sister will say, "I will be praying for you." Now I am not saying that you sh

"Return, Israel, to the Lord your God. Your sins have been your downfall! 2 Take words with you and return to the Lord." Hosea 14:1-2a (NIV) I am sorry for all my readers for my abrupt absence. Recently I increased the number of responsibilities I have and have been neglecting posting anything up. It is not an excuse, but I will do a better job of sticking to my Monday postings (I know it is Tuesday). I recently preached on the passage above and I thought I would share some of my sermon notes to sort of ease myself back into the flow of blogging weekly devotionals. This verse is an important call for both the Israelites and us in modern times. We need to return to the Lord. In fact, if that is not a word for all mankind, I do not know what is. When you look around at all that that is going on in around the world, and even locally here in Houston (Bing "Annice Parker Subpoenas churches") I believe that this is a word that is necessary even more. Hosea tells the p

“…and if He delivered righteous Lot, vexed with the filthy conduct of the wicked 8 (for that righteous man, having dwelt among them seeing and hearing, was vexed in his righteous soul day after day with their unlawful deeds)” 2 Peter 2:7-8 (KJ21) When we look around this world, what is it that we see? Would we say that it is similar to that of what Lot was enduring while he was living in Sodom and Gomorrah? Turn on the news and it seems that all we hear about nowadays are war, poverty, conflict, and destruction. When we hear about those things that are occurring around the world, or even locally, it may cause us to cringe and stop to pray. But what about the things that are happening in your immediate sphere of influence? What about the things that you read on your Facebook news feed or what is going on in your coworkers lives? Do you have the same reaction? The sad thing is many of us are outraged when injustice in the form of murder or kidnapping occur but have become desensi

  "Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?" Proverbs 6:27 (KJV) After having been dormant for over 500 years, on June 12, 1991 Mount Pinatubo began to erupt, and three days later exploded with twice the power of the 1980 Mount St. Helen's eruption. The release of power blasted a cubic mile off the mountaintop and the earth shook for eight hours. The eruption produced an ash cloud that rose over 50,000 feet into the atmosphere. If that wasn't enough, Typhoon Yunga then struck the island nation with fierce winds and torrential rains which mixed with the ash creating what the locals called "Black Saturday! The United States was forced to abandon and eventually close Clark Air Force base, located just a few miles from Mount Pinatubo, due to the devastating blanket of fallen ash. When a vulcanologist was asked to account for the widespread damage which sent thousands of American soldiers and Filipinos fleeing, he replied, "When a volca

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” Matthew 10:34 (NRSV) I heard a pretty interesting quote that goes something like, “How can the world not get along with the Holiest of all, but get along perfectly with you and me?” Maybe you have asked yourself that very question. Maybe not. Either way, I challenge you to examine your life and see where it stands according to scripture. I do this daily through my journaling (not this blog, personal journal) in weighing my life against Christ’s. If we call ourselves Christians, should not our lives bear the same image of Him who we say we follow? When Christ came from Heaven as a man, His teachings were not always comfortable, but they had a cost associated with them. John explained this to us that just as Christ laid down His life for us, we are also to lay down our lives for others (1 John 3:16). How often do you hear someone say that I will just love people as God loves u

“Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.” Matthew 9: 37 (NIV) Everyone wants to be the hero. Never have I encountered an individual who has told me, “I would really love to be the one everyone picks on. I want to be the one who always loses.” It is just part of our nature. As humans, I believe we all have that innate longing for accomplishment in some sort of form or fashion. What is disheartening is when people grow up and lose that passion. We get older and think our time has come and gone. Truly, that inspiration is never gone, but rather is diminished. It is that motivation that allows one person to push past the pain and get one more rep in a workout, whereas another person, who may in fact be fitter and stronger than the first, quit early. The heroes of the faith knew what it meant to dig deep. They knew what it meant to sacrifice. They were driven by a longing to be restored with their Father and point others towards Him. I cannot

“Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but one who has a hasty temper exalts folly.” Proverbs 14:29 (NRSV) Anger. It is an emotion that I unfortunately am all too familiar with. Those who know me would not describe me as one who gets angry and some have even said they have never seen me angry or believe that I can get angry. But anger is an emotion that I do express. And it is that emotion that I feel can be the most dangerous when unbridled. It can cause us to lose our inhibition and, possibly, sin. And that is the danger of anger. When we lose control of ourselves, there is no telling what we will do. A driver in Philadelphia shot another driver on the highway. There was a construction blockage on the road, narrowing traffic down to only one lane, creating long backups as cars from each direction took turns getting past the blockage. Well, this driver patiently waited his turn. But just as he was about to get past the blockage, a car came up fast on the shoulder, pass

"The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe." Proverbs 18:10 (NIV) If you follow the news, there surely has been one headline that you are sure to not have been missed. General Motors, the automotive company, has made the headlines once again and not in a good way. It has issued out another major recall bringing the total up to over 20 million vehicles this year due to the instability of certain safety features of the vehicles. Many of the vehicles on the recall list have even received 5 star safety ratings. Although the smallest of components may be the ones malfunctioning, they compromise the safety of the passengers inside. Isn’t it encouraging knowing that when our faith and trust is placed in the Heavenly Father we are secure? There are many nowadays who misplaced their trust in material possessions, social status, their academic grades, or by the number likes or retweets they get from complete strangers. And what I am sure they are

 “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad.3 O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.” Psalm 34:1-3 Sometimes you do not need to go far to find the glory of God. At other times in your life you may feel like you are so far away from God that nothing can bring joy into your life because of the void which exists. I believe that it is in each of those moments when we should exalt the Father even more. In every state our soul may be in, we should yearn for Him and desire to bring glory and praise to His name. Since I do not yet have children I cannot extend this analogy to myself, but I have heard from Fathers that one of the best times of the day is when they return home from a long day at and waiting for them at the door is their son or daughter. And with a high-pitched scream, “Daddy!!!!” is yelled as they run into the Father’s arms and with warm

“…No, but I will buy them from you for a price; I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing.” 2 Samuel 24 (NRSV) A burnt offering in the times of the Ancient Near East meant literally a sacrifice in which the entire offering was burned completely to ashes as a soothing aroma to the Lord. It would symbolize the complete destruction of the sacrifice in order to renew a relationship between the Father and man. In 2 Samuel, David had sinned against God by taking a count of his armies in pride to see his power. When confronted with his sin, he was given a choice of the consequence he would be have to accept. Towards the end of the time of punishment, David went to offer God his burnt offering to restore his relationship with the Lord God. What is so remarkable about this passage is that David refused to offer a sacrifice that would cost him nothing. How often do we in our lives repent for the sins that we have committed and do so with empty words, and eve

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (NIV) There was a little girl who had a very large collection of dolls heaped on her bed. A guest in her room one day asked her "Do you love dolls?"  The little girl replied, “Yes! I love all of them!” Then with tender loving care she spread out the whole collection for the guest to inspect and admire. The guest then asked her, "Which doll do you love the most?"  She hesitated, then asked, "Promise not to laugh if I tell you?" He promised. She picked a ragged doll with a broken nose, whose hair had mostly come off, and one arm and leg were missing. "This is the one."  "Why?" the visitor asked. "Because if I didn’t love this one nobody else would." How amazing is God’s love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Understanding the magnitude of that statement I believe will he

      "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us..." Hebrew 12:6   Simply put, we are not the first person to have sought to do the will of God and, more than likely, we will not be the last. Let us follow the example of the men and women of great faith that have gone before us and have boldness in our walk. Many have been martyred defending the faith that we freely enjoy in America. Let us remember them this Memorial Day as they were the ones who laid down their lives so that we could have the scriptures and His word today. Also, pray for those who are being persecuted for their faith across the globe.   Also, for those living in the states, pray for those who serve in our Armed Forces and remember those who have served.   JoMo, you were one of my best friends and I cannot wait to see you

“Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful” 1 Corinthians 4:2 (NKJV) “Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,   44  and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.   45  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,   and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:43-45 Living for a purpose is something that I feel we all innately crave. Life can get busy, I cannot tell you how many people tell me how I do not understand how busy they are and how much more busy they are than everyone else. They may in fact be busy, but we are all given the same 24 hours in a day and we all have to make a decision as to how we will choose to live those 24 hours. As for me, I want to live it in a manner worthy of the calling placed in my life. I am busy just like the next person, but what truly defines a person is not what they invest their time into, but the product or result of their investme

“Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” Luke 12:15 (NIV) One of the strangest things I have noticed in life is sustaining a life of contentedness. Is it not strange that you can be fully content with life throughout a good portion of the day only to have it ruined by news of a someone having success, or moving on to bigger and better things, or getting the latest and greatest device or “toy”. Bitterness, if unchecked, may create tension and anger between us and the other person, thinking that they are less deserving of their fortune or prize than you are. Studies have been conducted on user’s interaction with Facebook and they have found how individuals spend more time looking at what other people are doing in their lives than posting updates on their own, by nearly 300%. Even more startling is the fact that many people, who are content with their lives, suddenly feel like they are behind

“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”  Psalm 100 (NIV) There is something special about worship. No matter how my day has been or how empty I feel or what is going around me, the moments that I just stop and worship God are the times when I feel absolute peace. Those are the times when my joy is complete and I am fully content with what I am doing. This life is full of things that can satisfy for a moment. I remember when I got my first car, I was a junior in college (Yes, in college). I was overjoyed and excited to drive everyone, anywhere, at any time. I just wanted to use my car. It had great gas

“31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 A church had an unusual ritual every Sunday morning. Before the church sang the Doxology, they would stand up, everyone turned to the right facing a blank white wall, and they sang. Every Sunday without fail they did this. A newcomer to the church was confused by this and asked, “Why do you do this?” No one knew. The only answer they could come up with was, “We’ve always done it this way.” But that answer did not satisfy the newcomer. Other people were asked the same question. Finally an elderly man who had gone to church longer than anyone else remembered the reason. It seems that at one time they didn’t have hymnals and the words to this song were painted on the large white wall. Everyone stood, turned to the right facing the wall and sang. Over the years the words faded and the wall was repai

“Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 (ASV) One command that is very clear is that we are to serve God with all that we are. In fact, evidence of a true change in the life of a believer is the existence of fruit in their lives and the ability for the person to love one another (John15/ John 13:34-35). What I have noticed, and this is not a new thing, is that many believers out there take the Gospel message that they have received, believe it, accept it, but then do nothing with it. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus makes a very clear statement that because we are the light of the world and, in the same way, we must also shine. A story is told of a man whose job was to be on the railroad tracks and warn with his light the upcoming train of the bridge that had been damaged. That night as the train came the man showed his lamp but the train went right into the ditch. The man was taken t

"My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" 1 John 2:1 (NRSV) There is a familiar story about Muhammad Ali, the man who proclaimed himself to be the greatest boxer of all time, riding on an airplane. The pilot had notified the crew and passengers of some moderate turbulence on their path and had recommended everyone to take their seats and to buckle their seat belts. As the flight attendant came around to ensure that each passenger had indeed buckled up, she noticed that Muhammad Ali’s buckle was not fastened. She asked him to buckle his seatbelt, to which he replied, “Superman don’t need no seatbelt.” She responded, “Superman don’t need no plane.” In my life, there have been many moments where I felt like I was superman. There have been moments where I felt as if there was nothing that could stop me, because I was on top. And I am sure that yo

“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” Hebrew 13:16 (NIV) There was a blackout one night. When the lights went out, I fumbled to the closet where we keep the candles for nights like this ... I lit four of them. I was turning to leave with the large candle in my hand when I heard a voice, "Now, hold it right there." "Who are you? What are you?" "I'm a candle." I lifted up the candle to take a closer look. There was a tiny face in the wax. "Don't take me out of here! I'm not ready," the candle explained with pleading eyes. "I need more preparation." I couldn't believe my ears. "More preparation?" "Yeah, I've decided I need to research this job of light-giving so I won't go out and make a bunch of mistakes. You'd be surprised how distorted the glow of an untrained candle can be..." "All right then," I said.

“And this is the message which we have heard from him and announce unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” 1 John 1:5 (ASV) Darkness is not a real thing. Cold is also not a real thing. They are just words that we have made up to define the conditions of an environment or state of existence at a specific period or periods of time. What do I mean then when I say that they are not real things? Well, what I mean is that the darkness that we see (or cannot see because of) is not because it is overwhelming, but because it lacks light. Darkness is the absence of light. When light comes into existence, because light is something real, darkness is expelled. That’s the same with cold. Cold is simply the absence of heat. It is not that it is cold and then at some point it shifts to being hot. It is simply that the heat that exists is too miniscule that it cannot bring warmth to anything. In verse five, we read that God is light, but not a weak source of light

“ Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various   trials,   3  knowing that   the testing of your faith produces endurance.   4  And let endurance have   its   perfect   result, so that you may be   perfect and complete, lacking in nothing .” James 1:12 (NASB) The official start to the Crossfit Games Season began last Thursday with WOD 14.1 being released. As you know, I am an avid Crossfit fanatic and I am also a participant in this year’s season. After completing the WOD, there is not really any feeling other than relief to know that it’s over and anxiety in wondering where you will be placed after shakeup. However, I had slightly different feelings upon completing the workout. For those unfamiliar with the routine, it is a 10 minute AMRAP (As many reps as possible) of 30 double unders and 15 power snatches at 75 pounds. I chose to do my initial run outside where it eventually started raining, making it difficult to grip the bar and forcing me to take precious s

“…for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Philippians 4:11b (NIV) This has been a very busy month for me in terms of traveling around. I returned home from Brazil after a long three weeks and, after two days, I now find myself back in a hotel in the great city of Duncan, Oklahoma. Although it is slightly inconvenient to me, in terms of my schedule for studying the word, prayer, and working out to live in a hotel for almost a full month, I have found great comfort in the words from the apostle Paul. A man who has murderous attempts on his life, been imprisoned on multiple occasions, beaten up, shipwrecked three times, and bitten by a snake was able to find a state of contentedness regardless of what situation he was in. Talk about finding complete joy. This is the same joy that the beloved disciple wrote of many times for other believers to embrace. And this is a joy that over the years I have learned to develop and enjoy. That no matter what situation I find

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." Psalm 19:1 As I roam (safely) around Brazil during the little free time I have here, I am astounded with the beauty of all that is around me. Growing up in Houston where our mountains have a peak of 50 ft. above sea level I am completely in awe of the scenery around me here in Rio de Janeiro. I am not one to waste time, but when I go out I cannot help but take a moment of time to simply soak in all that is around me. I am reminded of the words from David proclaiming how His creation proclaims His glory. I can honestly say that those words are not enough. The average elm tree has approximately 6 million leaves on it. Have you ever thought about how diverse and creative God is? He didn’t have to make hundreds of different kinds of bananas, but He did. He didn’t have to put 3,000 different species of trees within one square mile in the Amazon jungle, but He did. God didn’t have to create so man

“But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.” Psalm 1:2 (NKJV) A little over a year ago I began this blog to track my development in two aspects of my life. The first area related to my spiritual walk with the Lord. I have enjoyed writing my thoughts and learnings throughout this short period of time and have most benefited from my meditation of scripture. It is not just enough to read the scriptures, it is vitally important to glean wisdom and understanding from and through it. There is a quote that goes something like “By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.” Oh how this is so true. This blog provided me a source to express my reflections (albeit filtered and summarized) on certain passages that I had read during the course of that week. It is no lie that when we constantly focus our thoughts and attention on o

“But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. 8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.” 1 Timothy 4:7-8 Above is a picture of the view I have from the hotel that I am staying at in Rio De Janeiro. The weather here is an amazing 80 degrees Fahrenheit and before you get jealous, know that I am here on business and rarely have free time during the week to spend time getting tanner and go swimming. Additionally, the Crossfit Open (if you haven’t registered yet, go ahead and do that now, you can read this after) is coming up on Feb 27th. With me being here in Brazil until February 20th, I know my physical fitness will take a hit, as I won’t have all the equipment I need, and my performance will not be where it could have been. I do plan on dropping in to a few boxes when I can to get a proper workout and maintain some of my strength. Howev

“And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant. ” Exodus 14:31 (NIV) There is a story about two best friends who graduated from high school and parted ways to their respective universities. Because of their close relationship, they always made an effort to get together once a year at their favorite restaurant and catch up with one another. One year, after they had finished their meal and were pulling out of the restaurant parking lot, their vehicles collided with one another. The damage was not too extensive to either vehicle, but damage did exist. Like good friends, they agreed to reconcile with one another and let it go. In fact, they decided to seal their commitment with a bottle of wine. After the first friend took a drink from the wine bottle, he passed it to his buddy to take a drink. To this, his friend responded, “I will take my drink after the co