God can fix it ....................... If you let him!

My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20 NLT)

Times get tough. But, I am a strong willed guy. I think I can do it by myself. I think when things get tough I need to come up with a solution. I am a problem solver. But my most effective problem solving strategy is do nothing without the Lord. My loving, wise, Heavenly Father is the ultimate problem solver. 

So, here's my advice. When things get tough and you just don't think you can do it. When you think the stress of your job is too much, your kids hate you, you want a divorce, when you are tired and fly off the handle, and when you are at the end of your rope, turn to the Lord. When life gets so tough you have no where to turn, turn to the word of God, turn to prayer, turn to worshipping the Lord. DON'T JUST DO THE SAME OLD THING. Step up your relationship with Jesus. Take every moment you have to be with the Lord, morning, noon, night, breaks at work, noon time, while you are driving, every waking moment. Seek the Lord. It's one thing to turn your problems over to the Lord. However, if you don't give him the opportunity to teach you and lead you, then are you really turning the problem over to Jesus?

In my 55 years of life, God is there to fix my problems. He always has been. But, my problem is I don't take the time to listen to him and hear his solutions. The solutions are in his word. The solutions are in his "still small voice". The solutions are in worshipping him. I don't say this as some pie in the sky ideal. I say it, I give this advice because I have seen it work directly in my life. It's not some "theory" or some untested hypothesis. It's real. It works. It's the only guaranteed, fool proof, solution to your life's ills. 

Dear Lord, thank you for caring and loving me through life. I am embarrassed when my stubbornness gets in the way of letting you fix my life. I know you have the answers. You have the plan. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn through your word, prayer, and worship. I love you Lord. Thank you for being my problem solver. Amen!

Praise God for County Line Church of God!

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.” And now here we are, standing inside your gates, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem is a well-built city; its seamless walls cannot be breached. All the tribes of Israel—the LORD’s people— make their pilgrimage here. They come to give thanks to the name of the LORD, as the law requires of Israel. Here stand the thrones where judgment is given, the thrones of the dynasty of David. (Psalms 122:1-5 NLT)

I miss my church. Yes, Stephanie and I have been away from our church quite a bit this spring. We have attended multiple church visits with our Cma family, traveled to DC to honor our vets, and camped with the family. It's been busy and I miss my church. County Line Church of God is home. I am glad, jubilant, when we get to attend a Sunday worship. We have a great pastor, worship leaders, and a loving / caring congregation. That church IS a house of the Lord. But, God calls us to be away. 

I am a servant of the most high God and I will serve him as he is guiding me. Right now that is at school as a teacher, with my Cma family, and with my own family. He calls me away from my home church often and I will obey. But that doesn't mean I don't miss them. I long for a good sermon from Pastor Stu, the wonderful County Line Choir led by Kevin McIntire, and the leadership that serves the congregation. I am blessed beyond belief with this wonderful group of Christians. 

Praise God for great churches and great leaders that help us worship the Lord. If you don't have a church that you TRULY miss when you are gone, find one that you do. Church is not a chore. Church is not an obligation. Church, true worship, is a gift God gives us through great Christians. It is a gift to each of us and God weeps when worship inside and outside the church becomes a burden. Don't let it become stale, old, uninspired, or mundane. Serving the Lord should be a great  joy in your life that is best shared with a group of faithful believers. 

Praise God for County Line Church of God! I hope to see you this Sunday!

A brief encounter with Jesus!

Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region. (Matthew 8:34 NIV)

It's Christmas Eve, my one and only shopping day of the year. I am not fond of shopping but today, for some reason unbeknownst to me, I really enjoy walking the mall, watching people, and choosing just the right gift. After this day is done, I will loath shopping and the crowds. I would rather submit to water boarding than step into a Walmart! 

Tonight churches worldwide will be packed with "Christ-Ers", or those people that attend church only on Christmas and Easter. Like my shopping trips each year, they CHOOSE to spend one brief moment in the worship of Jesus. It is not a recommitment, it's not a conversion, it's an annual recognition of the power of Jesus. After tonight, they will neglect to include Jesus in their daily lives. They send him away until they need him. Some of these same people will even loath the faith and live lives completely contrary to the teachings of Jesus. 

I weep and Jesus weeps over those that reject him. I have seen the power of the savior in my life. I know the countless miracles I have seen. I have witnessed first hand his love, mercy, and grace. The idea of living without him is unimaginable. To think so many people miss that is tragic. But, there is hope. There is the chance that someone innocently attending a Christmas Eve service will see the light of Jesus. I pray that as they sing Silent Night in the solitude of their own thoughts, they will hear his voice. I pray they will open their hearts to his wonderful love and that they will be changed forever. I weep, but do not give up hope. I mourn the blessings that my friends and neighbors are missing. I am saddened by the lack of hope they have. I will not give up on them and neither will Jesus. Ilove to see them and worship with them, even if it's just for a brief moment in time. Praise God for the gift of his son and the joy of worshipping him!

Merry Christmas!

Confident about your future?

being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6 NIV)

Confidence is an important trait for the Christian. Non-Christians look for weaknesses in our faith and many times they see the chink in the armor when it comes to lack of confidence. Do you have faith in the saving grace of Jesus Christ or not? Are you confident in your future? Do you know that you know that you know you will spend eternity in Heaven? Do you reflect your confidence by you actions?

Our display of worry, our fear of death, our concerns about failure, are all related to our confidence. Our faith is to be questioned if we can't be confident about our future. Gods plan is perfect. His plan will have a perfect ending. His plan will be completed in us!

The theme of this blog is prayer, bible study, and worship. Every part of our lives should be built AROUND these three practices. You can't developed confidence in your faith or Gods plan unless you do these things. I am no different than you. I need this reminder often. 

Another place to help with confidence is watching those around you that have confidence in their faith and walk with Christ. I have had many of those in my life. My mom is definitely one of those people. She has had a life filled with faith. I have seen her handle the ups and downs of life with grace, dignity, and confidence. Thank Mom for being such a great role model.

Change Me!

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. (Romans 12:1 NIV)

In my life, what sacrifices have I made for others? I have to admit I've been more about myself than others. Probably the biggest sacrifice I ever made was giving up my job as Athletic Director to go back in the classroom. I did it so I could spend more time with my family and in ministry with CMA. It took 53 years for me to finally see I had my priorities wrong. I wonder how many blessings I missed because of my selfishness. Since I made my "Sacrifice" I have been blessed abundantly. I need to think more in terms of sacrifice. What do I have to give up that's getting in the way of me serving God? What can I do in my life to set my priorities straight?

It's hard to make changes on our own. Many times we need God's direct intervention. I have been preaching for God to help me change. I want to be more compassionate, more of a servant, and more of a minister for Christ.  I did this through some struggles a few years ago and God sent me back to the classroom. Those prayers and the guiding of the Holy Spirit have changed me in a great way. As we offer ourselves to God and his plan, we worship God more than when we do in anytime of our life. Pray for God to change you. Look at your weaknesses and ask God to help you overcome them. Be ready for changes. God will hear you!

Bad things happen!

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (Ephesians 6:13 NIV)

I wear a tie most days to school. That used to be the standard. Kids ask me why. I wear a tie out of respect for the teaching profession. I want my students to know I respect and value them so much that I want my clothing to reflect that. I don't want them to value learning like I do. We do have casual days and I participate in those days like everyone else. Even then, I dress in nice jeans and shirt. 

In teaching, my appearance, my body language, my face, tell everyone how much I think of my profession, my school, and my students. They are not getting a second rate teacher. I think when you do that it helps create a tone for your classroom. That positive tone keeps bad things from happening. If I take care of all the little details, it is a big step to having a productive group of students.

In my life, prayer, bible study, and worship, set the tone. This armor shines through in my conversations, my actions, and my attitudes. A Christian dresses the part by putting on the armor. It says to the enemy, "I'm ready for you!" , "You can't harm me!" . It keeps evil away from you because he knows you are serious about your relationship with God. You need to be ready for the evils of life. Put on the armor!

What do you take for granted?

1 Corinthians 11

 ²⁷ So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. ²⁸ Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. ²⁹ For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.

Communion is one of my favorite worship activities. Yes, I said WORSHIP. Our church does not take communion every week. I know some do and I'm not going to be critical of those traditions. But, personally, I like taking communion on a less frequent basis. As in all things, I have a tendency to take them for granted if they occur regularly. I can give you several examples: I take it for granted that I have a place to eat and sleep each night. I take it for granted that I have a steady paycheck. I take it for granted that I have a fantastic wife who loves me and treats me like a King. (Not the treatment I deserve) I take for granted the free country I live in. I take for granted I can worship in the way I choose and take communion without the penalty of death. I take for granted many, many things in my life. What do you take for granted in your life?

Sometimes, when I take communion it's easy to treat lightly what it truly means.   It is easy to take for granted what Jesus did for me.

Communion is to remind me what Jesus did for me on the cross. It has been handed down for centuries from Jesus himself. Yet, I can't say I have always treated it with the dignity it deserves. The thought of Jesus being crucified for my sins, the thought of him dying a senseless death because of me, brings me to my knees, praying for forgiveness. It's when I lose sight of that reality, that I don't treat the worship of communion as it should. 

Please forgive me Lord, for taking YOU for granted. Please forgive me for the times I am more worried about Sunday Lunch or the Sunday Football games than taking communion with dignity and respect. Lord you have freed me from sin by you selfless, grace-filled, act. You are God and yet you gave up your life for me. Forgive me. I Love you with all my heart! Amen!

My God is not like me!

Psalm 94 (New International Version)

⁹ Does he who fashioned the ear not hear?
   Does he who formed the eye not see? ¹⁰ Does he who disciplines nations not punish?
   Does he who teaches mankind lack knowledge? ¹¹ The LORD knows all human plans;
   he knows that they are futile.


Our minds are so limited. We think of God on such basic terms. God is so beyond our comprehension. Yet, we still think of him in terms of our humanness. God doesn't have ears. He doesn't need them. God does not need eyes, he sees all at all times, nothing is secret from him. He is the ultimate judge. He knows all. His thoughts are not like our thoughts. His dreams and plans are not my plans. God sent his son Jesus to this Earth so WE could relate better to him, not that he needed to relate better to us. He know us so much better than we know ourselves. He laughs at our limited view of life and our grand plans. He is not like me. He is God, I am not.

I am so glad I worship a God who is so much MORE than I am. I could not worship a small "Human" god. I worship the Creator of the universe. I worship a God that created the Grand Canyon, the depths of the oceans, and the heights of the Himalayas. I worship a God that has involved himself in my life by blessing me beyond my wildest dreams. I worship a God who doesn't have to listen to my prayers but does anyway. I worship a God who is with me every step of every day. He has sent his angels to help us. He wants to be with me for eternity. There is none other like him.  

The Church under siege!

Psalm 74 (New International Version, ©2011)

³ Turn your steps toward these everlasting ruins,
   all this destruction the enemy has brought on the sanctuary.
 ⁴ Your foes roared in the place where you met with us;
   they set up their standards as signs. ⁵ They behaved like men wielding axes
   to cut through a thicket of trees. ⁶ They smashed all the carved paneling
   with their axes and hatchets. ⁷ They burned your sanctuary to the ground;
   they defiled the dwelling place of your Name. ⁸ They said in their hearts, “We will crush them completely!”
   They burned every place where God was worshiped in the land.

The Church is under siege . Just like marriage between a Man and a Woman (what other kind of marriage is there?), it is a real battle. The Bride known as the Church is also under attack. The attack grows stronger every year. The Liberal media, secularism, and down right apathy are all forces behind the reduction of the importance of the church in America. If we look in Europe, the attack has been going on for years and it almost seems hopeless. Here are a few statistics:

American church statistics have reported [via Goodmanson]:

• In America, 3500 – 4000 churches close their doors each year
• Half of all churches last year did not add one new member through conversion growth
• Churches lose an estimated 2,765,000 people each year to nominalism and secularism

The 3,500-4,000 U.S. churches annual closure count is also cited by Ed Stetzer in “Planting New Churches in a Postmodern Age.”

Excerpted from The Condition of the Church in America, complied by Andy McAdams [via #mmi, 2005]:

• 1,400 pastors in America leave the ministry monthly.
• Only 15% of churches in the United States are growing and just 2.2% of those are growing by conversion growth.
• 10,000 churches in America disappeared in a five-year period.

Would it make a difference in your life if your church closed? It sure would for me.

My wife and I have made a strong commitment to the ministry of the Christian Motorcyclist Association,CMA. Because of this we have not attend our church regularly recently. We have made church visits with CMA and attended CMA training events. Over the next several months, we will attend many different churches and organize our own services. I'm not complaining. I feel led to this ministry. But, I love the music, I love the preaching and teaching, I love the fellowship, and I love the worship that takes place at my church. It affects my life by encouraging me, by challenging me, by convicting me, and by supporting me. I need my church.

I can not imagine life without County Line Church of God. I also can't imagine why people don't find a church they feel the same. It pains me to think of America without the strong presence of the Church. The church has been critical in the development of this country and it is the moral compass of our society. It is the driving force behind our bill of rights and the constitution we defend. The Church is the primary force in winning people to Christ and securing eternal life through faith in Christ. We need the Church. 

Dear Lord, Bless the Church. Grant wisdom to church leaders and members to reach those who don't know you. Give us the strength to fulfill your Great Commission. We know that we may falter and we will fail on our own. But, with you we will have victory. Amen!

Brother Lue Shouts!

Psalm 66 (New International Version, ©2011)

 ¹ Shout for joy to God, all the earth!
 ² Sing the glory of his name;
   make his praise glorious. ³ Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
   So great is your power
   that your enemies cringe before you. ⁴ All the earth bows down to you;
   they sing praise to you,
   they sing the praises of your name.”^[a]

^{I learned something new tonight. Have you ever heard of "Shouting"? I'm not talking about yelling something at the top of your lungs. I'm talking about "Shouting in Church". I stumbled on this, I'm guessing by the Holy Spirit. I was thinking about this verse and shouting for the Lord. I searched "Shouting" on Youtube and witnessed this phenomena:}

I think I've lived a sheltered life!

Have you ever seen anything like it. I think my church is pretty open to displays of the spirit. But, I can't imagine how people would react to this.  Why? God loves it when we get excited for him. He loves it when we shout for joy. What else are you supposed to do when you just can't contain the Love of God and the Spirit inside you.

Most Churches I've been to are so "reserved". Don't get me wrong. I love my church and the worship is real and meaningful nearly every single week. I have been to several Christian Motorcyclist Associtaion events that are just like this. THere are people who just can't contain themselves. They display this Joy in wild and exciting ways.   I'm not making fun of this display of worship. In some way, I'm kind of jealous of it.

Sometimes we christians live our lives just like we worship. We live reserved, we live "close to the vest". We don't want to do anything outside our comfort zone. We don't live like we have just discovered the greatest thing in the universe. We act like it has not affect on us at all. It's sad.


Lord, Fill me with your Spirit! Help me to express the Joy that is from you. Help me to just SHOUT! I love you Lord. I want to share what you have done for me! You are amazing, wonderful, beautiful and completely awesome! Amen!

The Complaint Department -- Take a number!

Psalm 64 (New International Version, ©2011)    

 ¹ Hear me, my God, as I voice my complaint; 
   protect my life from the threat of the enemy.
 ² Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked,
   from the plots of evildoers.
³ They sharpen their tongues like swords
   and aim cruel words like deadly arrows.
⁴ They shoot from ambush at the innocent;
   they shoot suddenly, without fear.

Do you ever feel like you are the "Complaint Department"? I am in a job that gets a few complaints now and then. I get complaints from Parents not happy with Coaches, Players not happy with playing time, Coaches not happy with Players, Coaches not happy with Parents, and Coaches not happy with other Coaches. I think you get the point! It can be draining at times. Sometimes I think people just need to vent. I'm ok with that. If I can provide that opportunity and it makes them feel better, I guess it's worth it. Every once in a while I have someone stop by my office and thank me, or tell me I'm doing a good job. Not that I need this to survive, but it is pretty nice and makes me feel like it's worth it.

Do you think God feels like the complaint department? If it's dependent upon me, I can imagine he does. At the very least I usually have a long list of things I want God to change. I don't hesitate to give him advice. I also have been critical, at times, of his PLAN. I don't think I'm the only one who does this.

How often do I just spend time praising him?  How often do I just thank him for the blessings and his wonderful plan. How often do I just listen?  I am ashamed to say, I rarely do this. So, tonight, when I spend my time with God, I will praise him, thank him, and worship him. I won't quote a laundry list of wants or complaints, or advice. I will just spend time with him. He deserves all my praise!

Are you with me?

Psalm 34 (New International Version, ©2010)

 ¹ I will extol the LORD at all times;
   his praise will always be on my lips.
² I will glory in the LORD;
   let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
³ Glorify the LORD with me;
   let us exalt his name together.


It is so much more fun to be together with others who Love God. I could sit at home and Glorify the Lord on my own, within the quiet confines, privately. How much fun could that be? Sometimes I meet people who say they don't need to go to church to believe in God. I agree. They can worship at home. They can do a lot without stepping a foot in a church. Yet, why would they want to? Where else can they get together to praise God and exalt his name with others who want to do the same thing. Oh, I know you can do it at concerts, camps, or other special events. I also know that "churches" can be held many places. I really call "Church" any place where we Christians gather together to praise God. But, if all I do is Praise God at special events, it's just not enough for me. I can't wait to attend Sunday services, or special events like CMA Seasons of Refreshing, or the CMA State Rally, or Trinity Fest. I just can't get enough of Praising God with others. We are all "afflicted". We all have times we just don't think we will make it. Yet, God not only wants to spend time with us, he also wants us to spend time together. We can provide support because we all share the same sinful experiences. When we just don't feel like we can Praise God on our own, it is important to be around others who can.

Find a place you can worship and praise God on a regular basis. Find a group who loves to spend time praising God and can't wait to do it all through the week. I attend services at County Line Church of God in Auburn, Indiana. The services are always just like that. We have a great time worshipping and praising  him. I also have a great group of fellow believers through the Christian Motorcyclist Association. I also have a great group of co-workers who aren't afraid to Praise God. I just can't get enough. I would feel lost JUST attending Sunday Services.

Thank You Lord for providing people I can worship with who Love you as much as I do! Amen!

Don't just Worship! -- Obey!

Revelation 4 (The Message)

 ^2-6I was caught up at once in deep worship and, oh!—a Throne set in Heaven with One Seated on the Throne, suffused in gem hues of amber and flame with a nimbus of emerald. Twenty-four thrones circled the Throne, with Twenty-four Elders seated, white-robed, gold-crowned. Lightning flash and thunder crash pulsed from the Throne. Seven fire-blazing torches fronted the Throne (these are the Sevenfold Spirit of God). Before the Throne it was like a clear crystal sea.


What is deep worship?

What is worship?

I have always viewed worship in terms of Praising God! I believe praising God is a key act of worship. I have attended many worship services where God is truly praised. My Church does a great job organizing and planning worship. It is great to have a place where we can just open up and truly Praise God through worship. I believe we have such a great mix of meaningful worship singing, thought provoking, challenging messages that are bible based, and time of prayer. When I leave on Sunday morning to go home, I always feel my relationship with God has grown. As the week progresses, I use this worship time and my own private worship time to get by each and every day. I can't even imagine in my mind what it will be like to praise and worship the Lord in our Heavenly home. This verse and many like it in Revelation attempt to describe Heaven and the worship that will take place.

But, I think worship is so much more than just Sunday worship. As a matter of fact, your typical Sunday morning worship is only a very small part of what worship really is. How can we really, truly worship the Lord? Is Sunday morning worship, or once a week worship, enough? In my mind, wrongly so,  I have limited my definition of worship to Sunday morning or Corporate worship "experiences".

I think this verse in Romans starts to get to the point of true worship.

Romans 12:1  Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God— this is your spiritual act of worship.

Don't you think true worship should not be just with our voices, not just once a week, not just in an experience with others, but it should be a sacrifice of our complete body. How do we sacrifice our complete bodies? Sacrifice occurs through obedience. True worship, worship that occurs continually can only occur with our obedience of God. Our living sacrifice, our ability to please God, can only be done by obedience. Then and only then can we truly worship the king of kings and the creator of all things.

Corporate worship is wonderful and even necessary. But, being obedient takes worship to another level.

Dear Lord, We praise you for your grace and mercy. We love you and want to be obedient. Guide our hearts. Direct our minds to your thoughts and your ways.  We want nothing more than to please you and to sacrifice ourselves for your purposes. Amen!

Church Quitters!

Hebrews 10 (The Message)

 ^32-39It won't be long now, he's on the way; he'll show up most any minute. But anyone who is right with me thrives on loyal trust; if he cuts and runs, I won't be very happy. But we're not quitters who lose out. Oh, no! We'll stay with it and survive, trusting all the way.

About 2.2 million kids play little league baseball. Their are only 130,000 High School Senior Baseball players. That means for some reason over 2 million kids give up on playing baseball by the time they get to High School. You wonder how many of those players, if they stuck with it, would have been All-State baseball players. The story is true for sports across the country. Even from the freshman year of High School to graduation, we see a lot of athletes who quit sports. You can't label all of these kids as "quitters".  However, I have seen MANY student-athletes give up on a sport for poor reasons. Some say it's too hard. Some quit because they don't want to commit the time needed to get better. When a talented athlete quits a sport, I always have a talk with them. My conversation is always the same. In my final plea, I always tell them they will regret not following through. In my experience, these students ALWAYS live to regret quitting. I also see that once you quit for the first time, it's easy to quit the next time. It's like running a marathon. Once you convince yourself it's ok to walk, you're done. You'll be walking off and on for the rest of the race. You also have a greater chance that you will drop out altogether. When you get done with the race you feel cheated. You feel let down.

Attending Church is just like this. I find that I really NEED to attend Church. When I miss church, I have a hard time staying focused on living as I should throughout the week. Church is more than worship. Church is a time of renewal. Church is a time to top-off the tank. Church is a time to praise God for all the blessings. It is also a place to become aware of those blessings. Church is a time to look inward and to be critical of what type of Christian we are. Church is a place to learn about our own weaknesses and to find help in getting better. Church is a place to find sinners just like us who are trying to find others that are going through the same troubled times they are.

It is easy to get out of the habit of going to church. Once you take off that one week, it becomes easier to not go back. It becomes easier to skip the next time. Once you get out of the habit. You might never go back. I have heard so many people say they don't need church. They say they can worship God from home and he will love them the same. Yes, I can't find anywhere in the Bible where God makes attending Church a commandment. God will love you no matter what you do. Is that a good enough excuse to not attend? Or, I have heard people say the church is full of hypocrites and "fake" people. All churches are made up of sinful people. We are all sinners. Some of us try to hide that. Ye who have not sinned can cast the first stone. Church is specifically designed for the sinners of this world who want to live more like Christ. Some people are further along than others.  Maybe the people who attend your local church need you more than you need them. If your relationship with Christ is great without attending Church. Great! I wish I were you! If you have that type of relationship with Christ, YOU need to be sharing that with others. If you're like me, you need all the help you can get in living Christian life. If you're like me you need someone holding you accountable for your thoughts, actions, or words.

Don't quit on attending church. If you have already given up on Church and you don't attend anymore, try it again. Make it a habit. Search for a church that suits your style of worship. Pray for God's guidance. Pray for motivation. Don't be a quitter. If you do, you might lose out on some fantastic blessings! Make a commitment THIS SUNDAY!