Women asking about their sons through out the ages.

Cindy Sheehan asked President Bush, “Why did my son have to die in Iraq?”

Another mother asked President Kennedy, “Why did my son have to die in Viet Nam?”

Another mother asked President Truman, “Why did my son have to die in Korea?”

Another mother asked President F.D. Roosevelt, “Why did my son have to die at Iwo Jima?”

Another mother asked President W. Wilson, “Why did my son have to die on the battlefield of France?”

Yet another mother asked President Lincoln, “Why did my son have to die at Gettysburg?”

And yet another mother asked President G. Washington, “Why did my son have to die near Valley Forge?”

Then, long, long ago, a mother asked, “Heavenly Father, why did my Son have to die on a cross outside of Jerusalem?”

The answers to all these are similar — “that others may have life and dwell in peace, happiness and freedom.”

What was Jesus’ idea for church organization? Did He place a great deal of emphasis on Sunday morning attendance? Did He create a variety of different programs appealing to various demographics of society?

The New Testament records His simple, yet life changing, plan of connecting people in relationships. No, not the superficial, political and self-serving relationships that are common place in most churches, but deep, loyal, committed, true connections in relationships.

Where do you go to experience these kind of relationships? It will never happen in a large, celebration type of gathering. It will only happen in the context of a small group. You can’t be intimate friends with everyone. The idea that, in church, we must know and be close friends with everyone at church has served to keep churches from growing. It’s called the us 4 and no more philosophy. On the other hand, everybody, in the body, must be connected to somebody! This can happen in a small group.

Jesus put a priority of knowing, intimately, 12 people. He poured His life into these 12 people who in turn changed the world! If each of Jesus’ 12 disciples developed a discipling relationship with 12 who discipled 12……just do the exponential math! This is the Jesus model for church growth!

Within the context of the small group is the life of the church. All the purposes of the Christian life happen in small groups: Worship, Fellowship, Discipleship, Ministry and Evangelsim. The small group is the fertile field in which Christians grow in their relationship with God and with each other. Sounds like the way to fulfill the most important command in the bible: Love God and love people.

Join a small group today!

I was reading something from one of my favorite preachers. He was discussing a point concerning the Parable of the Talents in Matt. 25:14-30. He shows why the man who was given one talent did not invest it:

Matthew 25:24, He’s blaming his boss! He’s justifying himself. He’s saying, “It’s your fault, sir, that I failed. You’re a hard man and I knew it so I hid it in the ground. It’s your fault. The reason I failed is because you were so unreasonable.”

Question: Who are you blaming for your lack of serving God? Who are you blaming for your unhappiness? Who are you blaming for not being in the center of God’s will? “If I had just married somebody else, I could have been a great Christian!… If I could have just gotten married, I’d really have gone far in this world… If I had had different parents, then I really would have amounted to something in my life…. If I hadn’t gone through that divorce… If I had had a different brother and sister… If I had had different children than the ones that I’ve got, then maybe I would have made something of my life.”

Quit blaming other people. You are as close to God as you choose to be. No more and no less. You are as spiritual as you want to be. You can’t blame anybody else. If you’re close to God it’s because you’ve chosen to be close to God. If you’re far it’s because you have moved. God hasn’t. Stop blaming other people.

It is fear that always causes me to make excuses for why I haven’t done more with my life and it is fear that causes me to blame other people for the problems in my life and why I can’t do more than what I’m doing with my life. I’ve learned this from experience. Satan will most likely attach a fear to your greatest talent because he doesn’t want you to use it for God’s glory. So if you’re good at singing, he’ll say, “You can’t do that!” Or if you’re good at planning, he’ll say, “You couldn’t do that!” On and on.

You must move against your fear. You must do the thing you fear the most. Satan wants to keep you from using your talent and making the contribution that God put you on this earth to fulfill and if you don’t do it, you’re going to report to God one day why you let fear keep you in a box. You must move against your fear and you must make a contribution helping others with the talents God gave you.

My nephew, Dan Hawkins, is an art major at UCLA. Check out some of his work through the link below “Dan, The Art Man.” I sure am proud of you Dan!

It was a busy morning, approximately 8:30 a. m., when an elderly gentleman in his 80’s, arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He stated that he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am.

I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would to able to see him. I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound.

On exam, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound. While taking care of his wound, we began to engage in conversation. I asked him if he had another doctor’s appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife.

I then inquired as to her health. He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer’s Disease.

As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now. I was surprised, and asked him, “And you still go every morning, even though she doesn’t know who you are?”

He smiled as he patted my hand and said, “She doesn’t know me, but I still know who she is.”

I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm, and thought, “That is the kind of love I want in my life.”

True love is neither physical, nor romantic. True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be.

With all the jokes and fun that are in e-mails, sometimes there are some that come along that have an important message, and this is one of those kind.

Just had to share it with you all. Oh, by the way, peace is seeing a sunset and knowing who to thank.

The happiest people don’t necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have. (Amen to that!)

Please share this with someone you care about.

I JUST DID !!

In keeping with NewSongs support of Relay for Life, I found this very relevant and encouraging article. I know it is long…but well worth the read. We all know someone who is or who will be struggling with cancer.

“But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are madeperfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effectivein [your] weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12: 9a, Amplified Version)

Casey Treat, pastor of an 8,000-member, multicultural church in Seattle, found himself in a life-threatening situation a few years ago. Despite many years serving the Lord and preaching the Gospel, the pastor’s past came back and almost destroyed him.

During a routine exam, his doctor noticed that Casey’s enzyme levels were “a little off.” More tests revealed that he had Hepatitis C, an often incurable virus that destroys the liver. After a thorough interview, the doctors concluded that Casey had contracted the virus in his youth from sharing needles while abusing drugs. The doctors explained that Hepatitis C lives in a person’s cells indefinitely and slowly multiplies until it destroys the liver. He was offered a treatment program that gave him only a 4% chance of clearing the virus.

Medical reports reveal that Hepatitis C virus has become an epidemic as people like Casey Treat, now in their forties, reap what was sown in their youth.
“When I was nineteen, Treat said, “the judge said he would let me stay out of prison if I would stay in the rehab center. I told the judge that I would be there a while!”

The director of the rehab grabbed him and said, “I’ve got something more for you than drug rehab.” Young Treat was born again, called to ministry, and the rehab director became his spiritual dad.

Casey earned a Theology degree, started a radio broadcast and television program, founded Dominion College and led an international leadership conference. Then his life and ministry drastically changed as he and his family attacked the illness in every way.

“God gives us many tools to face our problems,” he said, “and I decided to use them all.”
He believes in prayer and faith for healing. He had seen God work many miracles as he preached and prayed over people’s physical needs. However, when he told his congregation about his illness, one of the doctors in his church showed him Proverbs 18:9 in the Amplified Bible. It says, “Use every endeavor to heal yourself lest you be brother to him who commits suicide.”

“When I read that, God spoke to me,” Treat said, “He told me not to put Him in a box thinking that I will be healed by brother what’s-his-name putting his hand on me, or sending off for the prayer cloth.”

Treat felt if he used every endeavor, God would heal him in every way. He committed to a nutrition program, with supplements and vitamins, as well as the prescribed medical treatment. He also vowed to fight spiritually.

“Chemotherapy can put you in such darkness,” he admitted. “But I stayed up as much as I could. I kept my prayer life strong and I stayed in God’s word.”

When the doctors asked how he maintained such a positive mental and state, he responded, “I keep my mind on Jesus, on His promise and on hope.” The medical team didn’t know how to process his answer, but they acknowledged they saw a difference in his experience with the treatment.

Pastor Treat believes that people are often waiting for God to do something in their life in one way, but if it doesn’t happen in that way then they think God is not there. “God has many ways to get to us, and he uses many tools,” he said.

The apostle Paul talked about being beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, forgotten, and hungry, but he defined his greatness by his trials and his struggles. He concluded, “Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9b)

Casey advises people to let God bring them to the end of themselves–whether it is disease, a family problem or a financial problem. “When you come to the end of your strength, ask God, ‘What can you do with me?’”

Christians get stronger and better by journeying through battles with total dependence on His strength and His plan. The comfort and strength we gain is then passed on to others, in prayers and encouragement.

After eleven months, Pastor Treat’s family, friends and church members rejoiced as he was healed of Hepatitis C. “Now I’ve got pastors around America and around the world that I call every week,” he said. “They’re on chemotherapy for something or they’re fighting other issues. Sometimes they just need to hear me say, ‘Hey, I’m with you, man.’ The prayer keeps them going.’’

This WeekAllow the Lord to bring you quickly to the end of yourself. There, in your weakness, you will gain His strength.

Prayer“Lord, I don’t want to put you in a box with the struggles I face. I open my heart and mind to your many ways of accomplishing your will so that my life brings you glory.”

The only thing that stays the same is change! Jesus’ mission was all about change. He did not come to do a little re-modeling….He came to tear down the old and build something entirely new!

Some of his most scathing rebukes were given to religioius people. Jesus told parables, did miracles, gave talks to combat the practice of religious bigotry and legalism. He lifted up relationships over law and rule keeping. He demolished traditions, purposefully, to help people in their felt needs and to help them know the Father.

Open your heart and let Jesus in and watch the changes take place! No one is the same after letting Jesus in your heart!