“Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?” John 1:22     A new leader had burst on the scene and the Pharisees wanted to know more about him. Since he wasn’t one of them, they questioned the validity of his ministry. Although people were being attracted to John and were listening to his message, he lacked the credentials of the religious elite. So they demanded to know from him:  who are you and what do you say of yourself? Those are the questions that every believer has to answer to before they can produce any lasting fruit for the Kingdom of God. Who are you and what do you say of yourself? Because we are in Christ we can know exactly who we are. “As He is, so are we in this world” (I John 4:17). That means whatever is true of Jesus is also true of you.  If Jesus is righteous, then so are you. If He is victorious, strong, prosperous, all-conquering, then so are you. You are not who others say you are nor are you who the devil wants you to think you are. You are who God says you are. His testimony is that you are just like Jesus. Once you have that settled in your heart then the next step is to say it of yourself. You have to agree with God and your own lips have to confess what the Lord has decreed. Jesus knew who He was and He testified to it r...

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I got a random text the other day from a girl who needs a recommendation letter. It made me laugh because I haven’t talked to her in months. In reality, I haven’t really talked to her for over a year besides a quick “Hey” if I happen to run into her. Honestly, the thought that ran thru my head was, “Look who they come to when they need something.” This happens a lot. People come and go in our lives. I’ve had kids come to INSIDEOUT then drop off the face of the earth. But they haven’t dropped out of my heart. My commitment to them hasn’t faded just because I don’t see them weekly or speak to them regularly or because they aren’t doing what I think they should be doing. God loves us with an unconditional love, and we are to do the same with those around us. I’m actually quite honored that this girl felt she could still approach me, despite the years and distance. Not long ago I had an athlete say all sorts of crap about me. She spread some lovely rumors that were totally false, but hurtful nonetheless. Oddly enough, a couple months later when she found herself in trouble, guess who she came to? Indeed! It was me. I could have easily ignored her and let her handle her troubles on her own. But I didn’t. As she was letting the rumors fly, I had told her I was here for her if she ever needed ...

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I love how God is behind the scenes, orchestrating the details of our lives, and many times we don’t even have a clue that He’s up to something. Psalm 37:23 says, “The Lord directs the steps of the Godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” There’s so many examples I could give about this, but here’s the latest, greatest in my world. In the fall of 2007 I was asked to help coach lacrosse. I knew nothing about the sport, but the coach liked how I worked with teenagers and how teenagers responded to me. I was honored by the request, especially since I barely knew the coach. I thought it over but figured a whole new sport would be too much to take on. I was already coaching volleyball, basketball and travel basketball, plus umping softball in the spring. Let’s not forget the fact that I knew nothing about lacrosse. I said NO. Fast forward thru basketball season, and its now mid-February, 2008. My thoughts were completely on basketball sectionals and brushing up on my umping skills. I had actually forgotten about lacrosse. Yet one fateful Monday morning I was getting ready for work, and I heard the Lord speak to me, “Coach lacrosse.” It wasn’t an audible voice but came thru in my thoughts. It was so out of the blue; I knew immediately that it was God. Yet I discounted the thought because of how random it w...

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“What do you think about that?” Who hasn’t been asked that question before? While it may be more of an offer to state our opinion, preference or point of view, we usually can give an immediate answer as to what we “think? Why is that? Because we’re always doing it. Can’t really help ourselves. It’s what we do all day long. Our minds are constantly engaged in the thought process. Without even realizing it, many of us are doing some serious meditating. That is simply the practice of dwelling on certain thoughts continually. Unfortunately, most of the time these thoughts are of a negative, unbelieving nature. This is the condition of natural man. That’s why Jesus very first sermon had to address this. It was a fairly short message but well worth noting. “Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:14,15). A grand total of 18 words. But the point was clearly made. Since Jesus had come to bring the Kingdom of God to earth, if man was going to enter that Kingdom, access that Kingdom and operate that Kingdom, he would need to do two things: repent and believe. It all starts with repenting. Change your mind. That is all repenting is. Has nothing to do w...

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For many it’s hard to believe and yet there it is boldly stated for us in God’s Word. “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world” (I John 4:17). As Jesus is, present tense, so are we, present tense, in this world. I am so glad that last part was added. Otherwise, we might be content to write this off as a benefit for eternity. But there is no getting around this. It’s not for another day. It’s for the here and now. The Scripture does not say as Jesus is so we can be, or hope to be. As He is, so are we means we are just like Jesus Christ. Our salvation placed us in Christ so whatever is true of Him is also true of us. Has to be. We are in Him. As He is, is also how I am. So then, how is He? Is Jesus rejected of the Father? Is He condemned, depressed or confused? Of course not and neither am I because as He is, so am I in this world. Is Jesus poor, sick, afraid of the future? If He’s not, then I’m not either. Do you see Jesus as inferior or worthless? Then neither are you because as He is so are you in this world. What a powerful and liberating truth this is. You are in Him and you are just like Him and since Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father, then so are we. It’s time to take your focus off of yourself and how you are. You&rs...

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Abraham and Lot. Two men with much in common. They are from the same family (uncle and nephew). Both appear at the beginning of the redemptive story. The law has not yet been given so each of them is under God’s grace. And the Lord calls both Abraham (Genesis 15:6) and Lot (II Peter 2:7,8) righteous men.  That, however, is where the similarities end. The very first place Abraham pitches his tent in Canaan is on a mountain. He is looking for an elevated position. He wants to go to the top. Abraham longs for the high places to dwell. He finds himself at this early stage of his journey between two significant places. From where he sets up his tent, the city of Beth-el, meaning house of God, is to the west. Ai, meaning ruin or destruction, is to the east. Abraham is now standing where all men have stood. Between the presence of God and utter ruin. Which direction will he go in? which way are you headed? We get a clue when we hear that Abraham built an altar to the Lord there. Altars speak of prayer and worship and a desire to seek the Lord. When we first catch up with Lot, we do not find him on a mountain. In fact, he is in a valley. While his uncle sought the high place, he has descended to the low lands. Not only that, but the Scripture tells us that Lot journeyed east. That’s right, he’s walking straight into ruin. Why would a righteous man do ...

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I want people to ask me about my upcoming wedding. It’s a super big deal in my life, and I love talking about it. The thing is tho, not everyone asks about it. Now I don’t expect people to ask me non-stop about this occasion, however, if we haven’t talked in awhile, then yes, I do expect them to ask. Nor do I expect someone to ask in passing. However, if we are spending an extended amount of time together, then again, yes, I expect them to ask! Scenario 1 - I’m out to dinner with some friends. I haven’t seen them in months. They didn’t ask one question about the wedding. Not one! No wedding talk was made. I left thinking, “Wow, that’s kinda weird...don’t they care?” Scenario 2 - Another dinner scene, but this time with friends we see quite often. They already know most of the wedding details. However, they had gone away for 5 days and upon their return, they wanted to make sure they didn’t miss anything. They pumped us for wedding updates and info all thru dinner. Scenario 3 - My friend had a baby. It took me a few weeks to visit her, but visit her I did. I wanted to know all about her new life as a mommy. I wanted to know how the baby sleeps, and what sort of adjustment it has been for her, the new mom. I wanted to know what her plan was for going back to work. I wanted to know about her workout schedul...

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I understand what it means to be in love. I probably know way more than I should about being in trouble. I’ve had close friends that were in the army. It’s possible to be in confusion, in deception, in distress. All of this gives us a partial point of reference for what the Bible calls being “in Christ.” Need I say that this is the greatest in of all. Your salvation has placed you firmly in Christ Jesus. This is a most powerful reality. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things have passed away and behold all things have become new” (II Corinthians 5:17). We are now new creations with a totally new life not by anything we have done but by simply being in Christ. You have everything you will ever need or want as a result because “all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Him” (Colossians2:9). The next verse goes on to say “And you are complete in Him.” You are not complete by learning more or attaining more as some might think. Completeness is not a by-product of adding something or someone to our lives. If it pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell, and you are in Him, then all fullness is now yours. Being in Christ means that you are made one with Him. As far as the Father is concerned there is no difference between you and Christ. When He looks at you He sees Jesus because ...

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It started back in November as I was working out. My partner and I were on a new weight lifting routine, and it was tough. We were working only 2 muscles a day; 4 sets of 25 reps, with 3-4 exercises for each muscle. Our leg workout was the most lethal of all. I could barely walk after the first leg workout day. It was a killer program we were on for 6 weeks. By week 2 of the legs, I was actually dreading going to the gym , knowing what was in store for me: hamstrings; leg extensions, curls, and presses; squats and calf raises. There were 2 specific leg exercises we alternated back and forth with that were especially difficult. I was hurting by only the 13th rep, yet still had 12 more to go, followed by another 3 sets. Counting up to 25 seemed impossible. That’s when I did “it.” I have been known to talk to myself during my workouts. “Come on Crowley,” “You can do it,” or “Push” are typical self pep-talk strategies I’ve found myself using in the past. But during this workout, the thoughts soaring thru my brain were more or less, “I don’t think I can do this...how am I going to make it?” Something needed to change if I was going to finish, so after each rep I began saying one of the following to myself: “You got this,” “You can do this” and “This is easy.&rdqu...

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I’m not much into making New Year’s resolutions, but I have made a life resolution, and that is to be intentional about growth. I want to be constantly growing. Growth comes when we challenge ourselves, learn new things, switch up the routine and get out of our comfort zones. It comes when we’re not satisfied with staying where we are. I introduced a new drill in practice a few weeks ago; the team did not like it. The reason they didn’t like the drill had everything do do with the fact that it challenged them. My team is more than content to stick with drills that they are successful at. Once I introduced one that exposed their weaknesses, it was a totally different ball game, and they wanted nothing to do with it. We tend to live our lives that way, sticking with what we are good at or with what we are accustomed to. But growth comes thru a challenge. Growth comes from that which is not always easy or even natural for us. Here’s how I am intentional about my growth: • I listen to sermons 3-5 times a week while getting ready for work. I’d rather listen to music but listening to different podcasts builds my faith and helps me grow. • I read. Leaders are readers. Reading expands my thinking and knowledge; it also stirs up my creativity. • I surround myself with people who are more experienced or better than me in...

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Everybody likes to get new things. New is always special and exciting. Whether it is a pair of shoes, a car, a baby, a friendship, a puppy, new anything usually charges our batteries.  We get that appreciation of all things new from our Father in heaven. He’s totally into new things. We see that in everything He does. When I gave my life to the Lord I immediately discovered His penchant for things new. The first thing He did for me was to give me a brand new heart. The old one could have been remodeled or restored but instead I received a new one. This is part of His intention to make every believer a new creature in Christ, where old things pass away and all things become new. Right now the Lord is in the process of making everything in your life totally new. Nothing refurbished or recycled for you. This is a new day and you are in line to receive all things new. Jesus didn’t come to this earth to remake or renegotiate the Old Covenant. He didn’t add some amendments to it like our government has to our constitution. Instead, He came to establish a New Covenant with man based on new and better promises. New and better is always the way of the Kingdom of God. It is time, once again, for us to flip the calendar on a New Year. Many people are simply expecting for the New Year to be a repeat performance of the old. We are not among that crowd. We li...

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I am a big fan of the entire Christmas scene. Even the extreme business of the season and the occasional (ok maybe numerous) rude and grumpy shopper is all enjoyable for me. There is literally nothing that I don’t enjoy regarding the day of our Savior’s birth. My only complaint would be that it comes and goes all too quickly. Of course, I could say that about all of life at this point. It all seems to be rushing by me at warp-speed. I have found that if I don’t slow down and savor the moment, I forfeit the potential benefit and the beauty that each day holds. The holidays serve as a great example of how that works. The best things in life need time to be enjoyed and appreciated. I can woof down a fast food burger in matter of minutes but when I take my wife to our favorite restaurant for a steak dinner, we may be there for hours. Time stands still for us. Being with the love of my life in a special place makes me in no hurry to go anywhere soon. My schedule is no less crowded nor do the demands of the day disappear. They just become irrelevant for the moment. My total focus is fixed on the present. The future, and everything else, can wait. My prayer for you this Christmas season is that you may be able to derive the greatest pleasure from the wonderful blessings the Lord has bestowed on you. In the form of relationships, opportunities, special giftings, mater...

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Classic Buffalo Bills. They started the year strong, winning their first 4 out of 5 games, giving so many of us hope. Then classic Bills mode set in, and they have now lost 7 in a row.  It doesn’t matter anymore how great they started. Sure, it was fun, but now it means nothing. They started strong and are finishing weak. Lame and pathetic also qualify as adequate descriptions. Once again, for the 12th straight year, the Bills won’t be in the playoffs. It’s quite disheartening. With coaching, I’ve seen my teams do that plenty enough. They come out strong but can’t maintain it and fizzle off before the game is over. The problem is you can’t start strong and not finish strong. Ever seen a team come from behind??? Maybe they started weak, but the other team, the team with the lead, started strong, but didn’t finish strong. It certainly makes or breaks the game. I tell my girls before every game, in every sport, “We gotta start strong, play strong and finish strong.” Ever seen this in someone’s life? They go at something with a vengeance. They tackle a hobby, a volunteer position, whatever it might be, with vigor. But they don’t finish the task that way. Many simply don’t even finish. I’ve seen plenty of people start something but never finish it, whatever “it” might be. “It&rdq...

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It’s in full swing now. Despite all the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season it is still a wonderful time of year. A time honored tradition of Christmas is exchanging gifts with the people closest to us. Not that the gifts need to be expensive, just a reflection of our love for them. Love always motives us to want to give to the object of our love. We see this pattern demonstrated for us in the very nature of God Himself. The prophet foresaw the coming of the Lord and proclaimed: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given” (Isaiah 9:6). The Father went first and gave us the gift of His only begotten Son. And what a gift that was! The Son of God became the Son of man so that the sons of man could become the sons of God. Jesus walked this earth not as a gift to man but as a giver to man. He went to the cross and died in our place so that we could have the “gift of righteousness” (Romans 5:17).  Our righteousness is not the result of any works or accomplishments on our part. We are righteous by receiving the gift that Jesus gave us by faith. We didn’t earn it and we don’t deserve it. That’s why it’s called a gift. Then when Jesus ascended into heaven the  Holy Spirit came to us. He is another gift to us and He came bearing gifts as well. All of these gifts are precious and reveal the heart of the ultima...

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The prophet Jeremiah spells it right out for us. What is the difference between a cursed man and a blessed one? Would you like to know? Jeremiah explains that clearly and then paints a portrait of each one. He addresses the cursed man first. This is the man who puts his trust in man. Whether that is himself, other people, or the experts, his confidence is in the strength and ability of mortal man. He looks to man for all his answers. He leans on his own understanding and his own abilities to get what he wants in life. The flesh is his arm. He is described as a shrub in the desert and he does not see when good comes. It’s not that good things don’t come to the cursed man the problem is he just can’t see it. The only good he can see is what his own efforts can produce since his trust is in himself. Blessings are all around him he’s just not aware of them. The blessed man also needs to learn how to trust only his trust is not in man but in the Lord. He rests knowing Jesus did it all for him on the cross and there is nothing he can add to that. He’s not out to convince God or anybody else that he deserves good things because he knows he doesn’t. He simply believes in his heart and receives God’s best by faith. And the blessed man is no shrub in the desert. He is a tree planted by the waters with deep roots. This is a picture of health, vita...

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Working out early in the morning works best for me. It gets me out of bed. It helps me feel energized for the day. Plus, if I don’t do it before work, the day tends to yank control and “later” never comes. Tuesdays and Thursdays are easy wake-up days for me. I take a cycling class at 5:15am, and I love it; plus, a bunch of the people in the class are my friends. I not only want to take the class, but I want to see my friends! All of this motivates me to get out of bed. And if I’m not there, I know I’m gonna hear it from them. “Where were you Crowley??? Got the keys to slackerville today????” They make sure I’m in class or have a valid reason for skipping. My problem has been Mondays and Fridays. Wednesdays depended on the week because there was another early morning spin class I liked. But getting out of bed before 5am on a Monday??? Or even better: out of bed before 5am on a Friday, my day off?!?!? It wasn’t happening consistently. I’d still get to the gym, just not as early as I liked, which meant it cut into the rest of my day and plans. Not good. Enter Katie. Katie is my new Monday, Wednesday and Friday workout parter. Katie is into weights, exercise and health like I am. Katie has the same goals and work ethic that I possess. While Katie actually knows more than I do, I’m more disciplined and consisten...

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Everything else pales in comparison to this. Most people dream about winning the lottery. Or wish they could strike oil in the backyard or that they had a rich relative to leave them a huge estate. If only they knew about this. I even love the sound of it rolling off my tongue. Heir of the world. That’s what I am as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. Heir of the world. The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof. He created all things and they all belong to Him. When He died on the cross to atone for my sins, He did so much more for me. He also decided to leave all that He has to His family members. This promise was first given to Abraham and was to include all his seed. “And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29). Because we belong to Christ, we are Abraham’s seed. That makes us an heir according to the promise. Since the Lord made many promises to Abraham, what is the promise spoke of here? We discover the answer in Romans 4: 13 “For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.” THE promise was that Abraham and all his seed would be heir of the world. Please note that the inheritance would not be by any merit or works done on the part of the heir, but would inste...

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Have you ever had someone avoid you??? They see you and go the other way or immediately make it appear like they are busy or like they didn’t see you. I’m totally used to this happening to me!  I’ve seen people (usually teenagers!) in the mall or at Wegmans or somewhere out and about and have watched as they literally try to hide behind something, anything, so I wouldn’t see them! Sorry, that rack with 2 articles of clothing isn’t doing its job very well! But this happens probably more than we would like to admit. If you’re honest, you have probably done it too. I know I have. Maybe I’m in a hurry and just don’t want to deal with taking the time to stop and talk. Or maybe its someone I’m not a huge fan of for whatever reason. Ashamedly, I admit I have done my fair share of avoidance. The best is when you know they didn’t see you though because then you are let off scotch free! Now to my defense, more often than not, I’m the sort of person who calls a person out that I know. I go running up to people I see, even if they are trying to hide! That actually almost makes it better! And if they didn’t see me, but I saw them??? That’s ok! I’ll make sure they see (and hear!) me. Unfortunately the world tends to take the avoidance route more often than not. That’s why a simple little thing t...

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Abraham believed it. I also believe it. I’m hoping that you believe it too. Abraham was the first to believe it and by doing so he became the father of faith. The plan of redemption all began with the man who “believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” It would be hundreds’ of years before the Lord gave the Law to Moses. So Abraham had no law to obey, neither did he have a Bible to read or a church to attend. But when God spoke to him, Abraham acted on it which is what faith is all about. Hearing from God and then responding to what you heard. What exactly did Abraham believe that set him apart from every other person on planet earth? He believed that God Almighty, the holy God, justifies the ungodly by faith and not by works (Romans 4:5). That is a concept familiar to believers today because of Jesus’ finished work on the cross and yet many Christians still struggle to walk in the reality of a righteousness that is a gift from God (Romans 5:17). A righteousness that is freely given to us apart from our own efforts to attain it. A righteousness that keeps us in right standing with God even in our worst moments. Because it is by faith and not of works, we are never unrighteous anymore. Jesus has done for you what you could never do yourself. He kept the Law of God perfectly and is now “the end of the law for righteousness to ...

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I am 31-years old. I’ve had good dates, bad dates and blind dates. I’ve had boyfriends (who never lasted more than 3-months), guy friends, plus the typical 3rd wheel experiences and feelings of loneliness and being left out for lack of a boyfriend. I’ve had my fair share of tears, plus my fair share of thrills and adventure. But thru the years, I have heard these 3 things over and over: I am too picky; too dominant for a guy to handle; and too busy for a serious relationship. But one thing I’ll never forget hearing was this from my dad: just be about my Heavenly Father’s business; the rest will fall into place. Now here I am, engaged to the man that is the most perfect fit for me. He came into my life at a time when I least expected it, or was even looking for it. And he is above and beyond anything I could have asked for or imagined. So here are my thoughts on my recent engagement: 1.   It has been worth the wait I have been told this so many times as well...it will be worth it.  And guess what?!?!?! It is! How do I explain it??? I don’t know. It’s the old analogy of the farmer, working and sowing, then enjoying the fruits of his labor. It’s like my teams, working hard, seemingly beyond their capabilities and limits in practice, but it pays off in the game. The same is true for us.  I mean, have you seen t...

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11/10/11 Marriage is a covenantal relationship between a man and a woman. Because it is a covenant and not a contract it is unbreakable and voided only by death. Although our society allows divorce for almost any reason, God’s standard is still “until death do us part.” This basic and simple understanding is the backdrop for the teaching of Romans 7 concerning the Law and grace. Here we discover a powerful truth that can release you to enjoy an intimacy with the Lord that may be missing from your life right now. We are told that the Law has dominion over every single person on planet earth. God’s holy, righteous, pure law is the measuring stick for all of mankind. Although we are powerless to obey the Law, we cannot escape the demands it makes on us and the relationship we have had with it since birth. In this way the Law is our first husband. Even after we realize what Jesus did for us on the cross, experience His matchless grace and fall in love with Him, we are still bound to the Law. No matter how much we may long for intimacy with our Savior, as long as we are still legally married to the Law, we are not able to join ourselves to the real Lover of our soul. Being attracted to Jesus is easy. He loves us, protects us and provides for us. The Law does none of those things. Who would you rather be married to: someone who serves you and honors you or so...

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The Law of Moses was designed to tell us what to do and not to do: “thou shall love the Lord thy God…thou shall keep the Sabbath holy…thou shall not steal…thou shall not commit adultery…”. These are strong and definite demands made of those who would be followers of the Lord God of Israel. The Bible says the Law is holy and good. The problem is that it just has no ability to make us holy or good. It required total adherence to the commandments but offered no help whatsoever to accomplish that daunting task. If we intend to walk in true holiness before the Lord than we need much more than a desire to do it. We will need the strength and power that only comes to us through the grace of God. One of the things that grace does that the Law could never do is it has the ability to teach us (Titus 2:11,12). Grace will do far more than forbid us, it will instruct us in the very areas we need the most help in: how to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and how to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world. Jesus Christ came to bring us abundance of grace, which is unmerited favor and blessing. Let that grace teach you what you need to overcome all ungodliness and worldly lusts in your life so that you can fulfill that deep longing in your heart to live soberly, righteously and godly in the here and now. Unlike the Law, grace will neve...

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Mood Swings  Today I am grateful because I was able to wake up early enough to go for an early morning, in the dark, run. Today I am grateful for the politeness and smile given to me by the coffee lady @ Bruegger’s. Today I am grateful because I was able to sit in on a ministry panel at Elim Bible Institute and offer some ministry advice and encouragement. Today I am grateful because I got to see a Camp Shiloh camper and anything to do w Camp Shiloh makes me happy. Today I am grateful as I remember the HUGE rainbow I saw last night and the reminder it is to me that Jesus is faithful and true and never lets me down. Today I am grateful because the iphone is soooooo cool and fun to use, and I now own one! Today I am grateful because the sun is shining and fall is at its peak, and I sure do love fall! Today I am grateful to be sitting in my new, much larger office! Today I am grateful for the opportunity to love and serve others. Today I am grateful for the MAC guy at Best Buy who has been helping me out and teaching me all the MAC tricks (I’m packing up some candy to take to him as a thank you!). Today I am grateful for my friend who drove over an hour to sit on the ministry panel w me. Today I am grateful for my boyfriend who texts me first thing every morning to tell me he’s praying for me and for us. Today I am grateful that the candy dish o...

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When we think of the ministry Jesus did when He walked this earth, various images come to mind. Opening blind eyes, making the lame to walk, cleansing incurable lepers, raising the dead back to life again, casting demons out of people, commanding storms to cease and cursing unfruitful trees. All of it eye-catching, hard to miss type of stuff which was  necessary to validate His claim to be the Messiah. However, most of Jesus’ time was not spent on the sensational but rather on the practical. Every single day you could find Jesus in the same place doing the same thing. Teaching the people in the temple (Mark 14:49). Nor was it just confined to that one venue. From mountain sides, at the waterfront, in someone’s living room, Jesus used every opportunity available to Him to teach and preach. Teaching in the temple was nothing new but the people were attentive to hear Him because He taught differently than anyone they had ever heard before. First of all, He taught with an authority and anointing unlike those who they were accustomed to hearing. That set Him apart. So did His message. He came teaching and preaching the Kingdom of God. How it operated, how to access it, how to enjoy the benefits of it. If teaching was so important that it consumed the majority of Jesus’ time, I wonder where we get the idea in today’s church that we already know enough. If...

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We’re supposed to obey. We’ve been taught that since we were children. If we’re obedient and do the right thing, we’ll be rewarded. Disobey and there will be severe consequences. You know the story. We all like the benefits of obedience, that’s for sure. But let’s face it, this obedience thing can be a bit tricky. You can look like you’re being obedient when really you’re not. Or you can pretend to be so that others will give you credit for it. It’s also possible to fully intend to obey but not even come close. And don’t forget you can be obedient on the outside but totally defiant on the inside. Does that count for us or against us? Sometimes, it’s really hard to accurately gauge our level of obedience. Hard as we may try, no one can ever fully obey the commands of a holy God. We strike out every time at bat. So then how am I going to get the blessings He promises? Obedience truly is the way to the fullness of God’s blessings flowing in our daily lives. Only it’s not our obedience that does it. . I am referring to the obedience of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He totally and completely obeyed the Father in all things. He perfectly kept the Law of Moses and all the commandments. He did what you and I could not do: live a sinless life. Through Adam’s disobedience we all became sinners. By vi...

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I read a blog the other day that told the story of a man who performed a “30 Day Generosity Experiment.” This man found himself always saying NO and  one day just simply decided to say YES for the next 30 days, no matter the request. It changed his life. This man now tries to live his life “as a ‘YES man’ in response to the issues that grip his heart.” This particular blog by Pastor Steven Furtick of Elevation Church in North Carolina went on to challenge his readers to take the “30 Day Generosity Experiment” as well. Pastor Furtick’s challenge involved making a commitment to God for the next 30 days to meet any need that crossed the reader’s path as best they could, whether it be emotional, physical, spiritual or financial. Instead of always automatically responding with a NO, he challenged his readers to say YES to the Holy Spirit promptings within one’s sphere of influence. Pastor Furtick promised that thru this, not only will other lives be changed, but your life would be changed as well. Now to be honest, I didn’t dwell too much on this blog after I was done reading. I did think about Jim Carrey’s “Yes Man” movie that came out in 2008. But I can’t say I vowed to do the experiment and take the challenge.   Fast forward to the next day, early afternoon. I was in line...

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10/5/11  She had no business being there. She certainly knew better. The Levitical law was very clear about this. Having an issue of blood made her unclean (Leviticus 15). Everyone and everything she touched were also now unclean. So why would she do it? How could this woman justify squeezing through a crowd of innocent, unsuspecting people, making contact with countless numbers of them as she went? And while those touches could be considered incidental, grabbing the garment of the man the crowd had come to see was purely intentional. That was, after all, why she was there. She wanted to touch the hem of Jesus garment, believing that was all it would take to end the twelve year nightmare with her issue of blood. As it turns out, the “gamble” paid off. Immediately upon touching Jesus clothes, her issue of blood dried up. Instead of receiving rebuke or chastisement for violating the law, she received the miracle she longed for. Jesus told her why it happened. Her faith had made her whole. Not a law or obedience to a law. It was not because of good works or acts of kindness. As this woman looked at Jesus, she didn’t see a law giver or a law enforcer, she saw Him as John had declared Him to be: full of grace and truth. Which brings us to a very important question: what do you see when you look at Jesus? Faith will also rise up in you for your miracle...

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9/30/11 According to JC    I left church very encouraged that day. I always enjoy being in the House of the Lord and it’s not unusual for me to go home from church feeling good. But this was different. I had been ministering in a neighboring church this day. Actually, it was the church that had sent me out to plant the church that I now pastor. Through the years we had not maintained an especially strong connection. Despite the mutual love and respect, there was not an exchange of ministry between the two churches. Then a few years ago things changed. A friend of mine who served with me as elders in that church became the senior pastor. He was going to be out of the country on a mission trip and invited me to fill the pulpit on one of the Sundays he would be gone. As my custom is I arrived early at church that day and was soon approached by one of the members I had known when I attended there. He was a deacon when I left 30 years ago and after our conversation I discovered he was still serving in that capacity. For 30 long years this brother has been faithfully serving his local church. Through all the ups and downs of church life, with so many opportunities to be offended and pull back, my long-time friend had let nothing move him from His God appointed position. That ministered to me more than my sermon ministered to the congregation. I was just there to pre...

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Today is my favoritest day of the school year. And no, favoritest might not be a word, but I’m sticking with it! Today was See You at the Pole, a national (even international!) student-initiated and student-led movement that is now 21 years strong. Teenagers all across the world gathered around their school flagpole BEFORE school to PRAY for their school, friends, teachers, administration and country. Awesome! Students getting up early, going to school early and praying in direct sight of all their peers??? It’s powerful! But it’s also intimidating. It definitely takes courage. Who’s going to see me? Will they laugh and mock? Many schools have their flagpole at the main entrance. Our kids are in direct sight of the ENTIRE school as they arrive for the day. I can be intimidated even as an adult! For me, attending SYATP fills me with hope, faith, vision and excitement for the school year. There is nothing too difficult or too hard for our God. Nothing is impossible for Him, and that includes the turning around of our schools! As I stand in the circle around the flagpole with students from different denominations yet the same school, I am full of awe and excitement for what God can do thru them! It also makes me so proud of our young people that they showed up; that they care enough to come EARLY and PRAY. We had turnouts of 30, 15, 2, 8, and even just ...

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I am in my 6th year of coaching volleyball.  The first few years I coached were on my own, unassisted. Then a Varsity player asked if she could help me with my team because she needed community service hours. I’ve had Varsity players help ever since. I’m now even at the point where I have to turn girls away because too many want to participate! Thru the years, I’ve realized everyone benefits - me, the team and the Varsity athletes. Having Varsity players around helps me accomplish more in practice. I can do 2 drills at once, because the Varsity girls run one, while I run another.  They also see and hear things I don’t.  As a coach, it’s also just simply a blessing to have my former players come back and want to invest in the younger girls and spend time with me. It definitely makes me proud to see how far they’ve come since their Junior High days. My team benefits because they see what they can become in the Varsity players. It gives them something to work towards and look forward to. They have a positive role model, receive more individual attention and have someone to cheer for when we attend a Varsity game. The Varsity athletes benefit because it provides a community service opportunity, as well as gives them an opportunity to use their skills beyond their own practices and games. Their involvement provides an opport...

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When it’s being handed to you, you really should accept it. For the most part anyway. While I wouldn’t accept a ticking bomb, most of the stuff I’m handed is something I need or asked for. A cold drink, the car keys, TV remote, newspaper, food, money, cards. You receive them because someone is offering it to you. Especially gifts. Who hasn’t been given a gift that was neither wanted nor needed and yet we accept it, smile and say thank you. After all, that is the polite thing to do. We wouldn’t want to offend the other party making the offer. Yet, for most people, that same response does not apply to our relationship to the Lord. His gifts are always good, free, and exactly what we need. Jesus died on the cross to hand you your salvation at no cost to you. All you have to do is receive it. Righteousness is also a gift that cannot be earned or worked for. All the blessings of God come to us by grace, which is unmerited favor. Our part is to accept them and be thankful for such a wonderful, giving heavenly Father. Whatever you need right now has already been purchased for you by the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. He’s offering it at no cost to you. Stop trying to achieve it on your own and go ahead and accept it at His hand. It’s more than being polite, this is how you honor God. By taking what He has ma...

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Jesus came to set us free. Free from sin, free from death, free from hell. Oh, and one more, free from the Law of Moses.  Most of us would see sin, death and hell as an enemy while we firmly hold on to the law. After all, it was God who gave those 10 Commandments to Moses. So believers everywhere go to church and are we admonished to keep the Commandments. The very Commandments that no one can keep. The same Commandments that the Bible calls the ministry of death (II Corinthians 3:7). The very purpose of the Commandments was to reveal to man that he is a sinner. A sinner in need of a Savior. Jesus became that Savior with His death on the cross. Our salvation is not in our ability to observe laws, commandments, or ordinances. Our salvation is in faith in Christ alone. While you and I are sinners and have totally missed the mark, Jesus did what we never could do. He kept the law of God perfectly. He did it because we couldn’t. Because He did it we don’t have to. Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes (Romans 10:4). Jesus fulfilled all the demands of the law on your behalf and now you are in right standing with God at all times. Not by what you have done or not done but by faith in the only begotten Son of God. Enjoy the freedom that the Lord has so wonderfully provided for you from sin, death, hell and the law. He did it all for y...

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Been working out this summer w a Physical Education teacher from the Greece school district. She’s been introducing me to new techniques and ideas as we lift weights together. I’m loving it! Every time we get together she passes on some new form of knowledge that she picked up from reading various fitness magazines. The woman is a plethora of knowledge, and I’m the lucky recipient! What struck me the other day tho is when she said some PE teachers are still teaching the same format and using the same knowledge they had when they were in school for physical education. We were talking about how things change and new ideas come along, and she stated that she likes to incorporate these things into her classes. I thought it was rather sad that some teachers who went to school well over a decade ago are still using the same techniques from back then, when all sorts of new knowledge, formats and ideas have been discovered.  Made me think about my own life, and how I always want to be learning. I don’t want to be the sort of person who isn’t willing to discover, learn or try new things. Nor do I want to resist change or be stuck in the past. Whether it be in my personal, coaching, church or spiritual life, I never want to assume I have arrived and know it all. There’s always something to be discovered. I’m all for learning a...

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I went to a Bob Dylan concert the other night with some friends. I really know nothing about Dylan, but outdoor concerts are always fun, as is people watching. I really didn’t know what to expect at a Dylan concert. I figured there would be a wide genre of people, tho more of the older set than my age; plus a fair share of hippies most likely. I figured the instrumental aspect of the music would be good, the air might be saturated w smells I’d prefer not to waft my way, and that people watching would be at its peak. I was right on all levels.   There was far more for the eye to behold than I could have even hoped for. One lady to the left of us never stopped hula-hooping. It even lit up when it got dark out. There were definitely plenty of people dancing, spinning and swaying to the music. I enjoyed the fashion of a rainbow-colored feather boa in the hair of one girl my age. It was quite an eclectic group that night.   And what I learned from all this???   People sure have an aspect of freedom many of us are trying to obtain when they just be who they are. Sometimes we try to be what people want us to be; or are ashamed and embarrassed of who we are; or we try to make ourselves fit into some mold because we deem that “cooler” and more acceptable; or we are caught up in people’s opinions. The hula hoop lady sure didn’t s...

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Pat was in the 2nd row of the middle section of the church. She had just had foot surgery a few days earlier, yet here she was on Sunday morning, huge leg cast, crutches and all. When worship began, she was standing, yet had to sit very soon after. Periodically she had to elevate her leg, but all she had was the back of the chair in front of her.  She propped her leg on top of that chair, but it looked pretty uncomfortable.   In steps Greg.   Greg is our head usher. Greg saw Pat and made his way over to help. I saw Pat too, but I never moved. Greg talked to Pat, then talked to the people in the row in front of her. I watched this all from my position on the right side of the church.   Greg unhooked the chair directly in front of Pat and turned it around so she could prop her leg comfortably on the seat of the chair, instead of uncomfortably on the top edge of the chair. I thought to myself, “Wow, what a great guy!”  I think we could add attentive, kind, thoughtful and sensitive to the definition of great guy.   Pat came back to church the following week. Again she was in the 2nd row of the middle section. She still had the huge leg cast and crutches. Again Greg came over, talked to the people in front of her, then moved the chair around so she could comfortably elevate her leg. And once again, I watched this all unfold from m...

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My lacrosse team had a summer league game last night. We had just enough girls to play. Just as they were taking the field, a girl randomly came up to me and asked if I needed more players, and if she could play with us. Come to find out, the random girl was named Stephanie; she is going into her freshmen year of high school; and she simply just wanted to play lacrosse. She had already played in 2 games that night and was just wandering around, looking for any team to play with. For me, she was a blessing because her addition to the team for that game gave us a much needed sub. But what impressed me most about Stephanie was her attitude and boldness.   When I went to sub Stephanie into the game, I gave her instructions, and her reply was, “Whatever you need coach. I’ll do anything you want.”  When she got on the field, the girl gave everything she had, and even played in some positions that she was less skilled in. Yet Stephanie never hesitated, nor backed down.   Before Stephanie even took the field, she was cheering her new teammates on from the sideline. When she got on the field, she never stopped. She congratulated girls for making a good play; she encouraged them when they messed up; she singled out girls by calling out the number on their pinney; she even gave the goalie a shout-out from the opposite end of the field. From start to f...

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I have to admit that I sometimes find myself reverting back to former ways. Although I have been studying and preaching on grace for months, I am still learning how to live in the realm of unmerited and undeserved favor. Under the Old Covenant, God’s people were required to live in strict obedience to the law of Moses. Full compliance with those laws released blessings but the slightest disobedience brought curses. If you did good, you got good. If you did bad, you got bad.   We’re all pretty much familiar with how that works. Jesus’ death on the cross changed all that. In fact, it changed everything. “The law was given by Moses but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” Moses gave us the law, but Jesus brought us grace and truth. He hand delivered it.  The Bible is abundantly clear that we are no longer under law but under grace. I’ll take unearned favor over enforced laws and ordinances any day.   I am very grateful to be a New Covenant believer where the emphasis is not on achieving but receiving; learning to walk by faith and simply accepting all the benefits Jesus won for us on Calvary. He paid the price. He won the victory. And as He so aptly stated with His final breath, “It is finished,” we now have full access to all the benefits of the cross through no work or effort of our own. That, my dear fr...

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I read a Mother Teresa quote to my basketball team the other day before our game.  She said this, “I can do what you can’t do, and you can do what I can’t do. Together we can do more.”  I thought it made for a great pre-game quote on teamwork.  However, the following morning it took on new meaning while I was at practice. The team was doing foul shooting, and I was at a basket with 2 of my athletes, making my rounds, helping each group as they shot.  Out in the hallway, 4 kids walked by.  They were dressed in black from head to toe.  They had baggy pants on.  Chains too.  Did I mention they had all black on? I was standing in front of the foul line, rebounding a shot when they walked by.  I think they were at the school for stage crew.  The play is coming up soon.  It hit me like a ton of bricks: I’ll never reach those kids.  Reality came crashing in on me at that very moment.  My sphere of influence is so limited.   I’m strictly limited to athletes and a few of their select friends.  I coach sports so that’s the group I reach. But what about the musicians? What about the stage and lighting crew? What about the artistic kids?  What about the ones who go home every day after school? What about them??? Who’s gonna connect with, and reach them? I h...

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We walk our offering up to the front of the sanctuary during worship.  It’s just how we do it here at New Testament.  So last week there was a little boy in front of me with his parents.  He brings his plastic guitar with him every week and rocks out with it during worship. It’s pretty awesome. But then came tithe and offering time.  Pastor Jim walked up front, shared a few words and prayed.  This boy’s dad pulled the family’s tithe check out of his pocket and waved it as his son.  Instead of grabbing it from his dad, this little boy said, “No dad, I got my own. No dad, wait, I got my own.” He then proceeded to find his Kid’s Church cash that he had jammed in the pages of his Bible.  Yes, this little 5-year old boy tithed his Kid’s Church cash that he could have bought toys and candy with. It kind of reminded me of the words Jesus spoke in Mark about the widow who gave from what little she actually had, compared to those who gave little out of their abundance. During this same Sunday service I looked across the sanctuary and a 9-year old girl was looking up at her mom during worship.  Her mom had her hands lifted, so the little girl lifted her hands too.  It was precious. What a cool service that day was.  Jesus said multiple times in the New Testament to let the children come t...

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I guess sometimes it doesn’t matter. The order of things, that is. Like getting dressed. I can put my shirt on first and then my pants or the other way around. I like to put my socks on first and then my pants but not always. Left shoe, right shoe, either one can go first; it doesn’t really matter. Same with eating. A plate full of meat, potatoes and veggies, you can eat a little of each until you’re done or all of one and then the others. The order doesn’t matter. Like my wife says, it all ends up in the same place. Even dessert can be eaten before the main meal. My mom wouldn’t like it, but I admit I’ve done it before. I didn’t get sick and no lightning bolt appeared to teach me a lesson. For many things the order just doesn’t matter. But then there are times when the order is essential. Some things need to be done first. I have to put my socks on before my shoes. The snow needs to be cleaned off my car before I drive. First things need to be first. Like the day I was going to stop at the bank, take my wife out to breakfast and then do some errands; all in that order. We ended up going to breakfast first. Half way through breakfast I remembered that particular restaurant only takes cash. That’s why the trip to the bank needed to be first. That’s why it is important for us to put first things first. What we do fir...

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