Blessed Be Your Name...

The Matt Redman song "Blessed Be Your Name" is a tremendous anthem of God's sufficiency. He is the Indescribable God, whether our lives are running smooth or we hit some rocks.

I'm feeling a little rocky today.

My new business venture is disappointing. My plans for seminary and really plowing into the Community Group project at our church will be delayed, and my work load on our other business (and probably the need for another business) will go up significantly.

More concerning to me is my feeling today I can only call weary and just wanting to sit. I so prefer my typical way of life, positive, challenging, bright, encouraging others in the Lord.

In the Bible, James tells us to "Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way." James 1:2-4, The Message.

Man, doesn't that so go against our will? If you are like me, you want to fix it, and fix it NOW! So, knowing that I am not God, I did not create the universe, and I do not know what is coming or what I will need to handle it...I choose to Bless the Name of our God through the Son, Jesus, when my life is easy and when there is tougher time.

So, I choose maturity and to, in our Heavenly Father's loving hands, be molded into a well-developed follower, sufficient in Him in every way. Lord, help me to learn quickly and not forget!

He is the One who called me into His marvelous story! Then called me again to step into the path of spending more of my time investing in His Kingdom by building others up (vocational ministry). He is sufficient, and I will trust Him!

All for His Fame! jack

Seven Things...

Sydney (the most lovely woman in the world...my wife), tagged me to list Seven things about me. Here goes:

1. I love Jesus.

2. I love my wife. She is smart, beautiful, kind, sweet, unbelievable with our kids. She knows God's Word like nobody's business. I am blessed!

3. I dig playing the Guitar. I'm playing a Big Baby Taylor. It sounds great and was not expensive. I just played some songs from my recent birthday presents, songbooks from David Crowder*Band, Remedy, and Chris Tomlin, See the Morning.

4. I am super decisive about some things (stuff in the Bible, moral decisions, most business decisions), but indecisive with others (which shirt to get...).

5. I am really relational. I would not like to be on a desert island all alone for a week. It is such a kick to encourage people in Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for allowing me that privilege.

6. I really enjoy the TV show, 24. Now, for my next big present, I Jack Bauer's pistol. It is an HK USP. OK, maybe that makes me weird, but so be it.

7. When I get to Heaven, to be before the Lord, I want a really FAT crown to lay before His feet! What a wonderful Day that will be.

All for His fame, Jack

Well...

Did you know today that you are loved by God? That is true of everyone. In addition, if you belong to Jesus and He resides in you, you are accepted by God and a treasured possession of His?

I needed to hear that. I'm a little discouraged today. This "Burning the Ships" thing can lead to some unknowns...and that's where we are right now.

But this I know, "My God is a Consuming Fire," and I belong to Him. So, I will trust Him when I feel all great, and when I don't. He is faithful. When I wonder about God's commitment to His Glory, and to me inside that, I just look at the Cross of Jesus. Look there with me now. There hangs the price God was willing to pay for you and me. We can trust Him.

All for His Fame, jack

Pray (displacing worry with Constant Communion with God)

It has been interesting recently. Last week I was deep into anxiety about stuff that was supposed to be settled about an investment but was still hanging, unknown and not in my power to change. I prayed, yes, but my anxiety remained.

I pulled out Louie Gigloi's "I talked to God Today" cd set, which I have listened to several times before. But I needed this encouragement from God.

My life belongs to my Heavenly Father. He is in control. I can trust Him.

So, I prayed. And I called a few friends in Jesus, and then started displacing that worry with prayer. In Philippians 4, Paul tells us that the Peace of God will stand guard over our hearts and minds! Wow!

The fact is that My God shall supply all my NEEDS according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus, Phil 4:19!

And the Peace of God is standing guard over my heart and mind in Christ Jesus. I have a relationship with my Heavenly Father in Christ Jesus. He is my joy, strength, fortress, provision, protecton, victory and overcomer.

Thank You, Lord.

Burn the Ships

Legend has it that Cortez, upon arriving in Mexico to conquer it, burned his ships while his men on the beach watched. Knowing the work would be treacherous, Cortez's intent was to steel his men's resolve to move forward no matter what. There was no going back to Spain on those burnt shipsI

Well...we didn't light any fires, but we did "Burn the Ships." July 31, 2007 ended a near 15 year run making a living as a Banker. We have launched forward into Entrepreneurship (full time in the business we entered into 3 years ago and a new project) to make a living and pursuing Christian Ministry and seminary!

I have a burden. A burden to lead people into a growing relationship with Christ. The chief way God has grown us, Sydney and me, has been in the context of intimate relationships. Call it Community. And we are moving forward to integrate Community Life into our Church, chiefly through small groups as an adjunct to Sunday Morning Bible Study.

Initiating change as an established church is an interesting endeavor. But here is where we are planted, and as I see it, we could be so much stronger, reflecting a more accurate picture of God to the world and much more connected to Him through each other. Then, when we tell others about Jesus, they look at our lives and think, "I want to be like you. I'll keep listening."

So, the adventure continues.

Sydney and I are committing...All For His Fame, jack

All Gave Some...Some Gave All

It's Memorial Day. Sydney and I took our four girls to the Avenue of Flags. It is a collection of hundreds and hundreds of large casket flags that have been donated or loaned by the families of deceased Veterans.

Did I mention yet what a great country we live in?

This past weekend, I rediscovered the Billy Ray Cyrus song, All Gave Some...Some Gave All. I'm sure I heard the song when it came out, and I remember when they used it in an episode of Doc, starring Billy Ray. But after watching Hannah Montana with the princesses on Saturday, I stumbled across that song, and it's been on my heart and playing in my mind since. Of course, I checked out the original video for the song on YouTube, and several people's renditions of it with patriotic themes.

I LOVE THIS COUNTRY! We live in the greatest nation on Earth! God has blessed America. But, freedom isn't free. It costs blood and treasure. It has cost hundreds of thousands of men their lives. That sacrifice brings such gratitude to my heart. Thank you to the widows and sons and daughters and all who long for those who will not return home. We appreciate your sacrifice!

I know war and death is not glamorous. But evil lurks then lashes out and such requires a response of force to defeat it. The United State of America has been an agent for justice and good. Oh, we have erred and caused some injustice. But we punish our own when we fail to live up to the good. While far from perfect, my declaration is that I am for America because She is for right! Pray that America continues in what is right.

Freedom isn't free. It costs blood and treasure.

Just ask Jesus. My freedom from sin and death was costly. It cost Jesus his life. The Father experienced the ultimate Memorial Day...when Jesus laid down His life for the sins of the world.

All Gave Some...Some Gave All. Some came through for the Red White and Blue and some had to fall. If you ever think of me [a vet named Sandy Kane], think of all your liberties and recall...Some Gave All

God Bless America

Hope for the Hokies

I've had an easy life.

No grand story of suffering at the hands of evil-doers. No epic battle leaving me bruised and scared.

Yet sin left it's mark on me...death, a crushing blow from which there is no earthly recovery.

Tonight I was reminded again of the Hope that is stored up within me. A hope that knows no bounds and never runs short of power. That Hope is in Jesus Christ, the One who paid my debt and rescued me from sin and death!

I read Louie Giglio's blog tonight (http://www.268blog.blogspot.com/) about the recent on-campus worship service recently at VT. There is mighty power to influence in the depths of suffering. Lord, use the junk of this sinful, broken world to stir up the hearts of the hopeless. Use us to shine your Marvelous Light into dark places, to break loose the chains and set free the captives!

There is none like you, Jesus!

Sunday's Comin'

It's Friday...Jesus is being betrayed, abducted, abandoned by his closest companions, tried, lied about, beaten, spat upon, scourged, crowned with thorns, beaten with whips, left all alone, cursed at, mocked and laughed at, falsely accused, beaten again...

It's Friday...He's feeling the awesome burden headed His way. The burden destined for Him. He is the only one sufficient for this terrible journey. No one else could measure up to this horrific requirement. Jesus is nailed to a cross. As He hangs there between earth and heaven, He suffers, unfairly, for my sin and yours. He gasps, He hurts beyond measure, and the dark burden of sin and death overcomes the Lamb of God, and He dies, separated from His Father for the first (and only) time...

It's Friday...Jesus willingly takes up what you and I left behind (or will leave behind), the sin of every man, woman and child. No one made Him do anything. Jesus willingly laid down His life, and He took it up again (John 10:18).

It's Friday...but Sunday's a Comin'

Thankful

I was stopped in my time with God today...just to confess how dependent I am on our Heavenly Father. My way has been so blessed of God, and I take it for granted. I forget to pray, and just pass deep, desperate prayer by, thinking that God will do whatever we He is going to do anyway. Our Heavenly Father loves us and He knows what we need. We need Him. That's the final answer. We need Him, so He calls us to pray, to seek His face, to Know Him.

I'm so grateful we get to know Him. I praise God for Sydney. She encourages me to know Him and walk in Him.

Life In Christ is THE Grand Adventure. I'm diving in...

In The Beginning

Have no doubt, there is a beginning. It all started with God. He actually never has a start...He always has been. We, however, had a start, and it started with God. I got a new start, a new, spiritual birth, about 17 years ago. That was my real beginning.

Here is the start of my blog. My wife is the main blogger in our family. I think she looks cute when she's talking about her blogs.

Jesus, there is none like Him. He is unrivaled, unequaled, unparalleled.

All of life is about Him. All of my life I want to be for His Fame.

Let the adventure continue...Jack