Are you the next Rocky...?

Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. - Ephesians 6:13-18 (MSG)


Ever feel like life is just punching you in the gut? Do you feel like every time you climb out of a hole there is someone there to smack you in the face and knock you right back in? These are the times in life that we want to give up. I know, I've been there. Just when you feel like you are starting to make headway in life, something hits you and knocks the breath out of you and you fall to your knees.

When we are in those times in life, on our knees and out of breath, we have a choice to make. Do we get up and get back in the fight, or do we stay down for the count. Are you like Rocky Balboa? Do you continue to stand up and continue the fight no matter the punishment? Are you like Glass Joe from the video game "Punch Out"? Do you take a hit and stay down hoping it will all stop?

I think it all comes down to who we have in our corner of life. Do you have family, coworkers, friends helping you? Who exactly is helping you get up when you get knocked down? Is it the people in your life that are also getting knocked down constantly, or do you have the ultimate trainer and friend? Do you have God in your corner? Nobody can knock him down or even phase him. Will he let you take some shots? Sure, how else are we supposed to grow. How would we ever learn how to teach or lead others if we have never faced any type of struggle where we had to lean on Christ.

Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. - Matthew 6:34 (MSG)


The one thing that everyone can learn from the Rocky movies is this: no matter how many times you get knocked down you have to get back up. That is easy to say, but hard to do. Sometimes the punches come so hard and fast that all we can focus on is the pain. All we can see or think about is the pain, and we don't know if it will ever come to an end. This is the time we need to call on God. He will help you deal with whatever situation or pain you are going through. He will meet you where you are and will change your life.  All we have to do is trust that he has the right game plan to help us through the fight. However, like any other fighter, we must train for the fight.

How do we train for this fight? (This may sound preachy but it is true.) Get into the Bible, study God's word. There are so many lessons to be learned just by reading this book. Also, we need to pray, and I don't just mean at bed time. We need to spend time with God everyday, and sometimes quality supersedes quantity. Lastly, don't forget going to church. How are we supposed to have human help if we don't surround ourselves with like minded people that also seek God. They will stand in your corner and scream for your success.

Seek out what God wants you to do in your life. He will show you the game plan to follow in life. He will help you through every round of this fight. He will show you people that will help you train for this fight and succeed in life. One of the most important things to remember is this, when you get knocked down, he is the hand that helps you back up.

Don't stay down. Get up. God is standing above you with his hand out to help you up. The question is this, will you grab it and continue the fight? Thanks for stopping by and God Bless...

Can you handle the truth...?

Pilate said, “So you are a king?” Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.” - John 18:37 (NLT)


We all know the famous line spoken by Jack Nicholson in the movie A Few Good Men. He is on the stand testifying and Tom Cruise yells at him that he wants the truth. Jack's response was, of course, "You can't handle the truth!" Sometimes I feel, as Christians, we don't want to see the truth because we couldn't handle it staring us back in the face. We don't want to look in the mirror or take off our mask because we are afraid of what we might face. Even worse, others may see the truth about our lives or our deepest darkest secrets.

We as churches have stopped loving the truth. We have become a body of zombies that file into church on Sunday morning. We hope the preacher doesn't say anything to make us uncomfortable. All we want to hear is something that makes us warm and fuzzy inside, or that makes us feel better because we sinned that week. We no longer want to be challenged or shake up the status quo. All we worry about is our money, houses, cars, careers, and social status.

Why? Because hearing the truth can hurt. It can make us uncomfortable. It will challenge us to get out of our comfort zones and actually do the work God has called us to do. It will challenge us to change. We might have to get our hands dirty. We might have to hug a child with a snotty nose. We may have to serve a family that doesn't smell so good. We might have to go to the altar and ask for prayer, and we might be embarrassed because people will stare. Worst of all, it will make us face our past mistakes and ask others for help to shape a better future. Should you care about what other people think? Nope. You should care about what God thinks. The truth will challenge us to change, and change doesn't come easy.

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” - John 8:31-32 (NLT)


As followers of Christ, we must follow ALL of Christ's teachings. We don't need to follow all the religious legalism that has caused so many to stumble. If you notice in most of the stories involving Christ changing peoples lives, they were sinners and some were even caught in the act of sinning. Did he yell and scream at them telling them they were going to hell? No. He loved them and told them to go and sin no more. Did it hurt when their sins were exposed? I'm sure it did. However, look at the eternal rewards they gained by listening to Christ. They are the same rewards available to us today. The truth no matter how painful will always set us free.

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." John 14:6 (NLT)


So, there is the truth that can really hurt. Jesus is truth and life. He is also the only way to God. That thought may be unpopular, but Christ said it and I believe it. In today's world we want to be good and moral, thinking that will get us into heaven. However, believing in Jesus is the only way to walk through the "pearly gates." We don't have to be legalistic about it. If we read about how Jesus lived and follow his example, our lives will be fulfilled beyond our wildest dreams. Plus, (here's the big kicker) if we live and love like Christ, when we sin we won't be afraid to come to our peers and ask for help. Also, they won't look down on us, because we are all equal in God's kingdom. They will be glad to pray for us. There is no shame in admitting our mistakes when we are looking to grow closer to God.

Take off your mask. Stop being a zombie. Don't pretend to be perfect. Face the skeletons in your closet. Live and love like Christ. Go and sin no more. Admit your sins if you do stumble. Stop hiding behind your social status, house, cars, or possessions. Chase after Christ and ask for help. Read the Bible. Jesus Christ is the only way. The truth may hurt sometimes, but the rewards are more than worth it.

There is the truth. Can you handle it? Can you live it? Look at yourself in the mirror and make a choice. You have been challenged. Thanks for stopping by and God Bless...

We are farmers...and I don't mean insurance...

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.  - 2 Corinthians 9:6 (NIV)


Do you think of yourself as a farmer? Do you think about the seeds you sow in life? Do you think about how your decisions will affect your future or others? Well, whether you do or not, you should. One of Christ's most well known parables was that of the sower and the seed. He talks about the sowing of God's word in a man's heart and how they reacted to it. There are also several other examples throughout the Bible that compares a mans actions and outcomes to sowing and reaping. So let me ask you again. Do you think your actions will affect your future or others?

Some people call it Karma, some call it fate, but no matter what you call it, no matter what you do, there will be a consequence. The outcome may be good or bad, but someone will be affected. As Christians, everything we do sows some type seed in the lives of people around us. We can lead people to Christ, or drive them away. Non-Christians are not exempt. You either sow positively into peoples lives, or sow hate and discord. What are your actions doing?

We are farmers of the soul. As people grow throughout life, there comes a point when they will reach a choice. A choice whether to follow Christ or not. If they have had a positive seed sown in their lives by Christians, there is a good chance they will choose God. However, if the church has shown them the negative side of life, they won't even darken the doorstep to the church. How are you planting your seed?

One of the downsides of this is the fact you may plant the seed, but you may not reap the harvest. You may show someone the love of Christ, but they end up meeting God at a different church. This is where we as Christians need to not be competitive. We are all playing for the same team. If someone becomes a Christian the whole kingdom of God wins. (Quick rant) "Churches", and I'm talking about the different denominations and buildings, need to quit competing with each other and unite to reach one common goal. They need to come together for the sole purpose of reaching and serving the lost. Who cares who has the most people, or who has the biggest building. Who cares who has the loudest sound system or biggest choir. Come on, we are all serving the same God and he doesn't play favorites. So why should we compete with each other.

So go out and sow the seeds of love. Serve others with no strings attached. Do random acts of kindess. Show others the true love of God. Sow the seeds. Unite with the churches around you. Reach your community as the body of Christ. Who knows, you may reap the seed that someone else has sown, or you may see a life changed from the very beginning.

So here it is. We are farmers (insert music from the commercial here) , but I don't mean insurance for your stuff.  We are trying to give insurance for the soul. We plant and we sow everyday. Just pay attention to what kind of seed you are spreading. Change the world for the better. Thanks for stopping by and God Bless...

Bridges...How strong are yours when under fire...?

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. - Isaiah 41:10 (NLT)


I recently came across and interesting analogy in my daily devotional. It compared the tough times in life to bridges we have to cross. It told the true life story of two firefighters that were driving through a wild fire in order to save friends and family. They were driving in such heavy smoke that as they crossed the bridge, they could not see it was on fire. Ultimately, the bridge collapsed and they lost their lives.  If we compare the rough or "smoky" times of life to crossing a bridge my question to you is this: What is your bridge made of? Can it handle the fire coming against you?

Have you built your life and bridges on the backs of friends and family, or have you given everything to Christ and built it on him? Now, this question is not just for those who don't believe in Jesus. This is also needs to be personally asked by every Christian alive today.  As we go through rough times like financial trouble, marital problems, accusations, career issues, etc., do we just give it all to God and drive over the bridge? Do we try to carry the problems by ourselves and hope the bridge doesn't collapse? Do we hope that our friends are strong and loyal enough to help us through our issues without giving up or turning their backs on us? How do you handle the rough times?

I will be completely honest. Too many times I have tried to either take it all on myself or put it on the backs of my friends and hoped for the best. Each time has ended in some type of disaster. I may not have lost my life, but I have fallen into pits of depression and lost friends by doing this. Until recently I did not realize how important it was to give everything to Christ, and I mean EVERYTHING. From the smallest to the largest. It doesn't matter how big or small it is, if you put God in a box don't expect anything outside YOUR box to happen. Step into God's box and let him show you how big he really is. Give it all to God and let him carry you through.


See, God has come to save me. I will trust in him and not be afraid. The LORD GOD is my strength and my song; he has given me victory.” - Isaiah 12:2 (NLT)


What is something that has recently happened in your life that if you had only given that issue to God would have turned out different? Again, it doesn't matter how big or small. Did you recently loose your job to downsizing? Did you recently go through a divorce? Did you go to buy a new car and didn't quite get the deal you were wanting? Did you forget to do something for your spouse for the umpteenth time? It may sound silly, but (I'm gonna beat a dead horse here) no matter how big or small, if you give it ALL to God things will be different. Let me follow that up by saying this. The outcome may be the same, but building your "bridge" on Christ will allow you to be different in the end. You will be able to walk off the other side with honesty and integrity, a different person, ready to move forward and continue on.

So, what have you kept for yourself? What do you rely on your friends for? What do you need to let go of and give to God? This may sound silly, but try it for three weeks. Give everything to God, and I mean EVERYTHING. Be honest and when you come out on the other side of the three weeks, you will wonder why you didn't do it sooner.

Build stronger bridges and make it through the "smoky" times. Change the world for the better. Thanks for stopping by and God Bless...

Straight up or watered down...?

Why would I still be persecuted, then? If I were preaching that old message, no one would be offended if I mentioned the Cross now and then—it would be so watered-down it wouldn't matter one way or the other. - Galatians 5:11 (Message Bible)


I am just gonna come straight out and say it. We have become a watered-down world. Watered-down integrity, honesty, love, life, and worst of all watered-down Christianity. Too many people no longer care about the honor that their family name carries. They don't care if their word carries any weight with others. A handshake no longer means anything to most people. And now, Christians no longer want to hear the truth that is in God's word. They want to hear the good news only. They don't want to hear that they have to give up something in order to serve God.

People no longer want to daily take up their cross and fight for the cause of Christ. They want to sit in their overpriced houses and drive their overpriced cars, all while sitting on a mountain of debt they can barely pay. Why? Just so they can look like they are doing well in their social circles. People hide behind masks that hide the truth of their lives. Plus, they won't look at themselves honestly in the mirror to see what is wrong with their lives. They just continue to run around thinking that the next big purchase will soothe the pain they feel inside.

We as Christians have allowed our pastors and leaders to water down God's word and only tell us the "nice" stories of the Bible. We don't want to hear about the trials and tribulations of the "Heroes" in his book.  We don't want to hear how Paul and Moses were murderers, Noah was a drunk, Job had an issue with looking a young women, and David was an adulterer who had his lovers husband killed. The Bible is full of heroes that failed, a entire race that turned its back on God, and even a book that describes erotic sex in the marriage bed. As an imperfect human, why would I want to water down anything in this book? It shows me that the greatest heroes failed, but God still had grace and mercy for them. The problem is, most people don't want to do the work that comes with being a hero for God.

I am glad I have a pastor and friend in Pastor Chad that does not water things down. He has always been straight forward and honest when it comes to God's word, and is not afraid to tell the people of our church how it is. However, it is time for God's people to demand from their pastors and leaders to stop giving us the fluff.  We are no longer babies that need God's "milk". We need the real meat of the Bible to change our lives.  We need to take off the masks and quit lying to ourselves and others.

This may be a shocker to you, but it is OK to not be alright.  God is looking for an army of people that don't have it all together. He wants to use everyone, no matter how good or bad your past is. He wants to meet you right where you are. We just have to quit watering down our lives and be honest with him, ourselves, and those around us. If your pastor doesn't want to deal with your reality, (I'm gonna be bold here) then it's time for you to find a new church and a pastor that cares.

I have been in churches in the past where the only things taught was the fluff of Christianity. Fortunately for me, I don't have to deal with that anymore. I bounced from church to church until I found DC and people that would be honest with me, and help change my life.

So here is my challenge to you. If all you hear is fluff coming from your pastor, ask him to help you face the truth. Ask for help taking off the masks and making a real change in your life. Ask them to help you and others dig deeper into God's word. Find God and quit watering down your life. You will be happy you did.

Thanks for stopping by and God Bless...

What kind of hero do you want to be?...

But now your kingdom will not last. The Lord has searched for a man after his own heart. The Lord has appointed him ruler of his people. - 1 Samuel 13:14 


As a firefighter, many people see what I do and consider me a hero. I don't see it that way. I see it as the career I chose and part of my job, just like anyone else. I recently had a thought however, about what kind of hero I want to be here on earth. Do I want to be a hero to the masses and have pride in myself, or do I want to be the hero God has called me to be and be humble in what I do for him?

Many people (and I am guilty of this as well) live their lives only to puff themselves up, and make themselves look good. They step on whomever they need to step on. While on the outside they may look like a hero, there are piles of bodies they have stepped on to get where they are at.

God has called us to be better than this. King Saul lost the grace of God because he did what he wanted to do to make himself look the hero. Due to this, God had Samuel anoint David as the next king. David is known as "a man after God's own heart." Was David perfect? No. He committed adultery and also had a man killed, but he still knew what kind of man God had called him to be. After his times of weakness and wrong decisions, David turned back to God and changed the lives of many and was known as one of Israels greatest kings. All because he did what God wanted him to do.

We have a choice to make in our lives. Live as we want to and try to make ourselves look better at the expense of others, or live humbly and try to change the lives of others for the better. Either way we will become a hero to someone, maybe many. The difference is this, do you make the world better by what you do? Do you make someone's life better and help them, or do you step on them just to get to your next social position?

No matter how big your "kingdom" or finances are here on earth, remember this, they will not last. Your money, your house, your car, your electronics, your jewelry, they will all come to an end. Plus, when you die you can't take them with you. On the flip side, your legacy, what you have done for others, the memories of who you were, how you touched others will live on, whether good or bad.

I have come to the point where, while I want to provide nice things for my family, my finances and "kingdom" no longer matter as much as the lives I want to touch. I know as long as I follow what God has planned for my life and my family, he will provide. He will make sure we always have a roof over our heads, food on the table, and a way to get from A to B. We may not have the most fancy or "latest and greatest", but we have the greatest of all in our hearts.

As for me and my house we will follow the Lord. Won't you please decide to do that also. Become the hero God wants you to be. Not so you can have pride in yourself, but so God can be proud of you for doing what he wants you to do. It is a tough decision to make and it is very hard to get yourself out of the way, but it can be done.

Remember this as you move forward: You may not be able to help everyone, but you can start by just helping one. Change the world for the better. Be a hero for God. Thanks for stopping by and God Bless...

The one time it is ok to hate...

Then, as before, I threw myself down before the Lord for forty days and nights. I ate no bread and drank no water because of the great sin you had committed by doing what the Lord hated, provoking him to anger. - Deuteronomy 9:18 NLT


One of the biggest challenges I have faced as a Christian adult is apathy. Not having a burning desire to change or do anything to grow in my relationship with God. This also included my sins. I just attributed it to stumbling or using the excuse that no one is perfect. That is until I got hit in the face with a startling reality. I did not hate my sins.

We are shown in this passage from Deuteronomy that the Israelites did a great sin and did what the Lord hated. He hated it enough that it made him angry. If God hated this sin, and every sin (no matter how big or small) is still a sin, then God hates all sin.

Growing up, we were taught as kids not to hate. We were taught that everyone is unique and equal at the same time. I still believe that with every fiber of my being. We are all born equal in God's eyes, so why should anyone be treated different than I am? The problem with this thought is that we allow it to flow over into every thought process in our brain.

From my point of view, most Christians just try to skim by with the bare minimum. Too many of us just go from Sunday to Sunday, sitting in our seats for an hour, then living however we want during the week. We don't ever make the true decision to take up our cross and follow Jesus. Now, these people are not bad or evil, but they are not walking the way they should. They try to live "moral" lives, but never aspire to move beyond sitting in a chair on Sunday. Why? Because they don't hate.

Take a breath and let me explain. Why do people fight in wars or fight for a cause they believe in? Because they hate what is being done to people or by the people they oppose. So why in the world do we not hate the ONE thing that separates us from a life altering relationship with Christ? Our sin!

I have recently been challenging myself and the men of my church with this one question, and I think everyone should apply it to their own lives: Do you hate your sin enough to change? Notice I did not say fight, I just said change. I believe that before you are ready to fight you have to make that inner change to truly follow Christ because you hate your sin.

Now, let me continue by saying that this is easier said than done. I remember in my past when I was hooked on pornography, every time I got my porn fix I would look in the mirror and absolutely hate myself and the images I had just viewed. However, I was apathetic and didn't hate it enough to change, much less fight. It took a long time for me to reach the point of hate that I needed in order to act. When I did I had to include Bible reading, prayer time, and peers to hold me accountable. It has not been easy, but it has been worth it.

So here is my challenge to you. First, be completely honest with yourself AND God. Second, put yourself in front of a hypothetical mirror, and pray that God show you the sins you need to hate (this will be more obvious for some than others). Next, when God reveals those sins to you, (this is the change part) STOP DOING THEM. Then, read the Bible daily and find peers to help you with your walk. Finally, as you grow in your faith, ask God to show you where he can use you in this fight.

So there it is. It's not just time to change the world around you, it's also time to change your world. Start working on yourself and those around you will be affected. Remember, no one can be perfect, but that doesn't give us a reason to continue in our sin. Keep up the fight, love everyone but (for the one time I feel it is ok) hate your sin.

Thanks for stopping by and God Bless...