When Life Hurts

What do you do when life hurts?

Great question! I know for me I like to draw close to my family and friends, and most importantly I draw close to God... okay and slam a few shots of Tequila and smoke a pack of Camels. (I am totally kidding about the Tequila and smoking camels... it's what you call a joke ... though no judgment to those who do find that comforting.)

HERE ARE TWO VERSES TO ALWAYS REMEMBER

Matthew 28:20 "...lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Hebrew 13:5 "Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you."

And when life hurts, God is there to hold us.

Thanksgiving with Crazy Family

Thanksgiving is just days away, and Christmas is soon coming so I felt it appropriate to share a few thoughts on HOW TO GET ALONG WITH YOUR CRAZY RELATIVES DURING THE HOLIDAYS!

Every family has it's issues! Let's just be honest here. We are all dysfunctional in some ways... yes, even you! I know that most of my family lives here in KC, or at least within a 30 minute drive from here and there are two Thanksgivings going on because certain relatives can't stand to be in the same room with each other. I feel like I am in grade school again sometimes. I know you know what I am talking about.

Q: So how can you get along with relatives ... even the crazy-nutty ones?

1) Do not bring up touchy subjects! You know what they are... stay away.

2) Refuse to argue. Even if they try to start something, don't! It takes two to argue ... if you refuse to engage them, then they just look the fool.

Romans 12:18 "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men."

3) Know that you are not going to change them, nor get them to see the light ... no matter how bad you want them to be normal ... they won't! Probably never! Get used to it.

4) Talk about happy subjects. Don't grip, complain, slander, or bad mouth any family members ... even if others do it, you be the bigger person and don't go there.

I love this quote: "Small people talk about other people, big people talk about plans, dream and goals"

5) Stay out of negative town ... that just brings the mood low... it's the Holiday Season ... just enjoy.

6) Most important: Remember that Thanksgiving and Christmas are all about JESUS! Need I say more?

Addicted to Connected

I heard a DJ on a local radio station here in KC talk about a caller who had called in complaining about her husband spending too much time on his cell phone (Blackberry is what she said actually). She went on to say that he is constantly checking it, sending texts, receiving texts, emails, etc. even while they are out on a date. She said he even sleeps with it under his pillow at night.

Okay, I use my phone a lot ... but I do not use it while on a date, nor do I sleep with it under my pillow for heaven's sakes. This caller's husband has an issue in my opinion. I think we may be a overly Addicted to Connected here.

I heard it said that years ago all the technology advancements were going to make it possible to get 40 hours of work done in 30 hours or less ... because all the "tools" and "advancements" were going to FREE US up ... our time that is... I have to laugh! All these advancements have only busied our lives. It has bettered our lives in many areas too, but like with most things good we must learn to steward them well.

So, are the "tools" to help free up your time doing that for you... or are they stealing time away from you, your spouse, your kids, your friends?

CONFESSION
Sometimes at the end of a long day I am tired, and was busy all day messing with the "tools" that really didn't help me accomplish my goals ... but I was busy!

In all things BALANCE!

Charity: Water

Those of you who follow my blog know that I have never asked for anything from you! I just give freely; well today I am asking you to join me in giving just $10 to build a WELL that will provide 250 men, women and children with CLEAN WATER to drink in a Third World Country.

LET’S JOIN TOGETHER AND GIVE A CHRISTMAS GIFT THIS YEAR THAT COUNTS!

I am calling it the MERCY Church Clean Water Project; we can build a well for just $5000! Here is the cool thing - 100% of your donation goes to actually building the well, then after it is built we will see pictures and be given a location of the well so we can google earth it to actually see what we did together!

Just click HERE, you can give online!

Helping husbands

Husbands, I don't want to burst your bubble but, housework is not the wife's job! Now of course if she is a stay-at-home-mom, okay yes, she would be the primary caretaker of the home, just as you are the primary income earner. Though let's be honest here guys ... you couldn't do what you do without her!

RECENT SURVEY SAYS

Are husbands sharing the household chores with their wives? Research shows that married men are not pitching in.

Husbands create extra work for wives. A University of Michigan study reports having a husband creates an extra seven hours a week of housework for a woman. On the other hand, a wife spares her husband from nearly one hour of housework each week. So, the man gets the better deal no matter what.

I am not dogging husbands here; but especially if the wife is working outside the home we husbands should help with the household duties. I am not perfect here, but I mop, clean bathroom, do dishes and YES I PUT MY DIRTY CLOTHES IN THE DIRTY CLOTHES HAMPER! I've got two good arms!

TIPS TO HELP

1) Have a talk about household chores - list ALL the duties, divide them up "his job", "her job", make sure you both agree, then do it! Remember marriage is a TEAM EFFORT!

2) If you see something needs to be done guys, do it! Don't think or act like, "that's her job."

3) No nagging! Guys hate being nagged ... just tell us what you would like us to do ... don't withhold sex to try and teach us a lesson ... communicate!

4)Husbands, show appreciation for all her work around the house - a little Thank You would go a long way! Don't be a ungrateful jerk! I would recommend not only giving verbal "thanks" but also cards, notes, flowers, you call and say babe I've got dinner tonight ... (make sure to call her early enough in the day so she doesn't start it and your phone call actually upsets her cause it's 6pm and she's already pre-pared dinner)

On of the funniest lines from a movie I've ever heard was from the kid's movie Barnyard when some dude asks Otis (the cow) to help him do something and he says, "Sorry dude, I'm a no-helpian ..."

Don't be like Otis guys!

SECRET

I will close with this: When we (guys) do household chores ... it's a huge turn on for our wives (not saying you should do it for selfish reasons...) I am just saying ... nothing says I LOVE YOU more than a guy vacuuming the living room or loading a dish washer. Lol!

Angels & Demons The Truth

I did a message entitled Angels and Demons The Truth on Sunday, November 8, 2009 that you can view www.mercychurchKC.com/media or look for it on our iTunes account under "Mercy Church KC". I did the message because of the popularity of the low budget movie, Paranormal Activity.

I always talk to my Jana (my wife) after my talks to see what she thought about my delivery, content and what I could improve and she said I should have (or could have) better clarified my statement that "we open ourselves up to the devil by sinning." I agree, so here is my clarification on that statement.

I believe that statement to be true NOT in the sense that if I sin, the devil can or will come in and make my car break down or something like that... what I mean by that statement is that when we open ourselves up to sin we open ourselves up to feel more comfortable with continuing to sin, for example: If I (as a married man) allow myself to think (or dwell on) about other women in an improper way, that could lead me to looking at porn, which then leads me to look at more porn, then this could lead me to improper interactions with women, then ultimately lead me to having an affair. There is no married person on planet earth who has ever had an affair without FIRST thinking about it! You don't trip over a shoe and fall into bed with someone! Hello!

So, all that said... THAT is what I was saying when I said that when we chose to sin when are opening ourselves up to further sin and being comfortable with making bad choices. I believe we become hardened towards God when we RESIST GOD and His leading in our life.

Side Note: Every human (that would be me and you) have a good side and a bad side ... we must FEED THE GOOD side in us and the best way to do that is to follow God's will for your life. Doing good is addictive ... the closer you draw to God, the closer He draws to you.

Day 4 of Prayer Challenge

Seems strange that a pastor would be taking a prayer challenge ... shouldn't I be praying everyday already? Yes, but the prayer challenge was challenging us to prayer a specific prayer; "God not my will, but your will be done." And that is not a prayer that I pray everyday, and I would assume it's not a prayer you pray everyday either.

In just four days I have learned that my will is not always congruent with God's will, and praying the prayer everyday has made me more aware of how much I need to grow!

"Lord, not my will but yours be done!"

30 Day Prayer Challenge

Philippians 4:6 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

I challenge you to pray everyday for 30 days starting today. And when I say "pray", I simple mean talk to God, everyday.

What to pray? Whatever is on your heart and mind, but conclude the prayer with, "God, not my will but yours be done!"

You

Isaiah 49:1,3 "The Lord called me before my birth. From within the womb he called me by my name...He said to me, `You are my servant'..."

Psalm 139:13 "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb"

Maybe it's just me, but I need to be reminded that I am the only ME there is on this planet. Not that this should create in me an arrogant pride, but an awe inspiring love and adoration for God who created me!

I am now 40 years old, and for far too many years I was trying to be like someone else so I could be loved and accepted. My story is different than yours I am sure being "in the ministry" ... I wanted to be like this preacher, or that preacher ... I tried to preach like this pastor, or use his same body movements, or say the same catch phrases. I stopped this a long time ago (8 years ago), and I am so glad to just be me, the only me there is... and I am okay with not being liked ... at least I am me ... it's the truth ... I feel fully alive.

SIDE NOTE: If you are a pastor or teacher out there reading this; I challenge you to be you man (or woman)! Preach the sermons that God gives you for your church. (nothing wrong with using people's material from time to time, especially if it's good ... but if that's all you do ... I don't think that's good.) In 7 years of being the pastor at Mercy Church I have maybe used other pastor's material a dozen times... and I've delivered over 350 messages! Here's the deal ... sermons by YOU may not be as good as the other guy ... but again, at least its YOU! (Just a thought... MY thought ... love it or leave it!)

Bible Reading Plan - weeks 41 - 52

Week 41

October 6
Matthew 8-9; Mark 2

October 7
John 5

October 8
Matthew 12:1-21; Mark 3; Luke 6

October 9
Matthew 5-7

October 10
Matthew 8:1-13; Luke 7

October 11
Matthew 11

October 12
Matthew 12:22-50; Luke 11


Week 42

October 13
Matthew 13; Luke 8

October 14
Matthew 8:14-34; Mark 4-5

October 15
Matthew 9-10

October 16
Matthew 14; Mark 6; Luke 9:1-17 John 6

October 17
Matthew 15; Mark 7

October 18
Matthew 16; Mark 8; Luke 9:18-27

October 19
Matthew 17; Mark 9; Luke 9:28-62


Week 43

October 20
Matthew 18

October 21
John 9:1-10:21

October 22
Luke 10-11; John 10:22-42

October 23
Luke 12-13

October 24
Luke 14-15

October 25
Luke 16-17:10

October 26
John 11


Week 44

October 27
Luke 17:11-18:14

October 28
Matthew 19; Mark 10

October 29
Matthew 20-21

October 30
Luke 18:15-19:48

October 31
Mark 11; John 12

November 1
Matthew 22; Mark 12

November 2
Matthew 23; Luke 20-21


Week 45

November 3
Mark 13

November 4
Matthew 24

November 5
Matthew 25

November 6
Matthew 26; Mark 14

November 7
Luke 22; John 13

November 8
John 14-17

November 9
Matthew 27; Mark 15


Week 46

November 10
Luke 23; John 18-19

November 11
Matthew 28; Mark 16

November 12
Luke 24; John 20-21

November 13
Acts 1-3

November 14
Acts 4-6

November 15
Acts 7-8

November 16
Acts 9-10


Week 47

November 17
Acts 11-12

November 18
Acts 13-14

November 19
James

November 20
Acts 15-16

November 21
Galatians 1-3

November 22
Galatians 4-6

November 23
Acts 17-18:18


Week 48

November 24
1 Thessalonians; 2 Thessalonians

November 25
Acts 18:19-19:41

November 26
1 Corinthians 1-4

November 27
1 Corinthians 5-8

November 28
1 Corinthians 9-11

November 29
1 Corinthians 12-14

November 30
1 Corinthians 15-16


Week 49

December 1
2 Corinthians 1-4

December 2
2 Corinthians 5-9

December 3
2 Corinthians 10-13

December 4
Acts 20:1-3; Romans 1-3

December 5
Romans 4-7

December 6
Romans 8-10

December 7
Romans 11-13


Week 50

December 8
Romans 14-16

December 9
Acts 20:4-23:35

December 10
Acts 24-26

December 11
Acts 27-28

December 12
Colossians; Philemon

December 13
Ephesians

December 14
Philippians


Week 51

December 15
1 Timothy

December 16
Titus

December 17
1 Peter

December 18
Hebrews 1-6

December 19
Hebrews 7-10

December 20
Hebrews 11-13

December 21
2 Timothy


Week 52

December 22
2 Peter; Jude

December 23
1 John

December 24
2 John; 3 John

December 25 (Merry Christmas)
Revelation 1-5

December 26
Revelation 6-11

December 27
Revelation 12-18

December 28
Revelation 19-22