Superseding

I am excited about learning. I have heard it said that leaders are learners. i agree with that statement. I believe everyone should be willing to continue learning in their journey through life. However, that is not always the case. Generally speaking we reach a point in life where we are set in our views and ways and we do not want anymore change in life. It might be termed atrophpy of the brain. It is a state where we refuse to learn anymore or grow in an area of our lives. That happens often with spiritual things but here is something to consider.

In life we all learned that the Law of gravity. In it's very basic form for today's discussion, lets just say that gravity says whatever goes up must come down. That is the force that keeps up on planet earth without floating away in space. Astronuts deal with weightless issues when they leave the pull of the earths gravity. The quesion is how did they defy gravity since we are all subject to gravity here on earth. The answer is the law of lift. You push an airfoil fast enough it will have lift and leave the ground. That is how the Wright brothers discovered the ability to fly. They simply beat gravity wth the law of lift. When men said "if man was meant to fly he would have wings," the Wright brother's believed that man could fly with the right application of physics. When you now consider what their discovery has meant to humanity it becomes mind boggling. You can get on a 747 with four hundred other people and have the law of lift supersede the law of gravity and you can land in another county in just a matter of hours. It is amazing. So one law can supersede another law, yet the law that is superseded is still present. Gravity does not go away just because it is superseded. The law of lift is a greater law that overcomes the law of gravity.

With that in mind lets consider the law of sin and death. This s a law that is present in the earth today. This law in it's basic form says if you sin you get death. You cannot seperate these two forces from each other. That is what is said in scripture. Sin brings death with it and death always has sin attached. It's the effects of the curse that has been put upon mankind because of the sin of Adam and Eve in the beginning. Now man has to deal with sin, death and it's effects. That is why there is so much missery in the earth today. It is cause by the law of sin and death. Yet we find something interesting in Romans chapter 8. God knew that man could not overcome sin so he sent Jesus to die for us and to take our place in death so we could have life. Thus we find a new law that supercedes the Law of sin and death and it is called the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus.

Now here is what you need to know. Jesus died for us and in so doing He gave us life. That law is called the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus and it gives you lift over the law of sin and death. Sin and death are still operating in the earth but when you have life in Christ Jesus you are living above sin and death. You negate it's hold on you in life and you begin to reign in life which by the way is what God desires for everyone. What a great new concept to begin to learn and apply in your life. It is a change that is a change for good. Do not let it go or refuse to change what you believe and continue in sin and death. Let's get on board the Law that overcomes sin and death and enjoy life to the fullest! Supercede what course you are cuurently on with sin and death and realize that God wants you to have the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus to the maximum. So let's live life God's way.

"ThanksLiving"

It is thanksgiving day. A day we give thanks for our blessings. But God desires us to live a life of "ThanksLiving." Abraham Lincoln was the president that designated this day as a day of celebration for giving of thanks. It was actually not until 1946, when the President signed a bill making the last Thursday in November the designated day for the national celebration of Thanksgiving. It is the one day that people stop long enough to give thanks for all that they have. Mostly people want to feel good about the country we live in. But is that really the only time we are to be thankful for what we have in life?

I Thessalonians 5:18 says "In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." Notice that God wants us to be thankful every day of our lives. He even says it is His will for us while we are in Christ Jesus. God does not want us to be unthankful in our lives. He says in everything we are to give thanks. We do not give thanks for everything that goes on but while we are in it we should give thanks. Being a thankful person is something that should be part of who we are on a daily basis. Even in our prayer life we are to be thankful. Notice Philippians 4:6 "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God." Notice that we are to have a thankful attitude when we pray. This means prior to the receiving of our requests because we know that God our Father will grant our requests. When we are not thankful we are not acting in a Godly manner. It is a characteristic of the Kingdom of God for Christians to be a thankful people in every area of life.

The world beats on us daily and the attitude of the world can rub off on us. The world believes in entitlements and that is not a thankful heart. If you can only get excited and thankful when you are given something you believe you are entitled to, you are not living a "thanksLiving" life. What are you saying about your job? Are you being thankful or are you with everyone else and speaking negative things. What about your home and life in general? Are you being negative and speaking evil, envious of everyone and everything else or are you rejoicing for what God has blessed you with? The choice is yours. You have so much to be thankful for, and you need to remember that God wants us to have a thankful heart. Living a life of "thanksLiving" is what we should be all about. So what is keeping you from your destiny. All it takes is being intentional in giving thanks, rather than being unthankful for where you are in life. Chose a life of "thanksLiving" and you will be pleasing to God.

Christopher Alam

What a delight it has been to have Christopher Alam with us. Christopher is a Rhema graduate and a former Muslem who was converted to Christianity. He is currently a missionary that reaches into Africa and Burma with some other nations sprinkled in. He is quite the missionary.

In his most recent crusade in Zimbabwe over 250,000 decisions for Jesus were made as the gospel was preached by Christopher and his team. The one thing I have noticed is that he gives credit to his team that is on the ground in Africa. They usually get started three to four weeks before the crusade to get things in order. When they do their jobs, then the crusade goes orderly and God is able to show up and make a difference in people's lives. It is not a one man show but a team of individuals who have dedicated themselves to the Lord and to each other so that the gospel can be preached in power. It is amazing and great things are happening. God's power is in manifestation. How do we know this? By the testimonies we are hearing and seeing. You can check these out on YouTube by typing in Christopher Alam.

What I am trying to get across is that we can accomplish so much more when we work together to promote the Kingdom of God. No one person can accomplish what a dedicated team of people can do, working together with the same vision. It becomes a God thing.

We also have had some great results so far in 2010. Team Trinity has done a great job of working together in the harvest here in the Upper Cumberland. But let's not be be content with what we have done, but let's look forward to what we can do if we continue to not be consumed with who gets the credit. It's a team effort, and it brings glory to God. It is Eph 4:16 in action.

Count it all Joy

It may be hard to believe but the summer is moving so quickly that if you blink you may miss it. Maybe its just me but I think time is really moving at a faster pace. It is easy to get caught up with the everyday things of life so that life can bog you down. Life has a way of getting the best of you and if you are not spiritually prepared for what may come your way you could find yourself becoming depressed and down in life.

I learned along time ago that living for Jesus is a good life. It is according to the scripture a light and easy yoke that you take on you from Jesus. However, sometimes you can feel a little overwhelmed by the circumstances of life. I like what James said in James 1:2-3 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. Notice that we are to count it joy when we fall into different kinds of trials or tests. Now most of us do not look at it in that manner but if you catch verse three you will begin to have some joy when testings and trials come. Notice the word says that the trying of our faith works patients. That means that if you have trials and tests going on, it is because you have faith! When you have no faith there is nothing to contend for. But because you have faith then a time of testing and trial will come to you. When this test and trial does come you should have joy because you are exercising your faith and with patients your faith will being the victory.

The Bible says that without faith it is impossible to please God. That is clear enough. But consider this. The person who has faith and chooses not to exercise it will also find themselves in the category of not pleasing God. It is only when faith is exercise and contended for that we find ourselves in a position to please the Father. Faith and patients go hand in hand. The trying of your faith produces patients and it is through faith and patients that we inherit the promises.

I think in today's environment we need to encourage each other to hold on to our confession of faith and not give up so easily. I know that in today's world there seems to be no hope given to people with wars, rumors of wars, economic hardship, disease, famine and disasters created by nature and man. But if we will know in whom we have believed and know that he is able we will keep our faith stirred up and our patients will bring us the reward we are desiring.

Bottom line: KEEP THE JOY AND EXERCISE YOUR FAITH.

Thanks Team Trinity

Once again, Team Trinity, you were marvelous! You did an outstanding job for Freedom's Hope. Pastor Richard, you did a great job of organizing. And a big thanks to all the staff for all your hard work to make this possible. Thank you to all of you who helped make this a day of Hope for our community. We had plenty of volunteers and everything went smoothly.

The music of Den and Bobbie West, Legacy, and Brightgray was very good. Then Dennis Phy and Jennfier Patrick sang great patriotic numbers and the music ended with Wayne Nabors, Kellie Young, and Drea Burnett singing the National Anthem. The games were overrun with kids and parents, the petting zoo was a thrill for kids. The food vendors (G's BBQ, Sonic, Domino's, and Moogies) were stacked and packed with hungry people enjoying the evening. And then came the fireworks. This was one of the best fireworks shows in our area, and it was exciting. I really enjoyed the heart shaped fireworks, and -- well, it was Algood!

Thank you Phillip Gibbons for being our MC. David Phy, as always, you had the sound and stage measuring up and sounding professional. Thank you to FNB for the popcorn and face painting, Roland Advertising for the flag and Crane, B&K Embroidery for the shirts, The Country Giant 94.7 for the advertising, Outback Steak House, ERS Party Rentals for the infatables, games, and everything else you contributed.

A special thanks goes out to Pastor Paul Ramsey Jr and Church on the Hill. You and your volunteers were a blessing. Thank you for coming alongside and helping us to sow Hope into the residents of Algood, Cookeville, Putnam County, and the Upper Cumberland.

Overall, it was a great evening of relaxing, listening, and watching. Now I pray you all who worked will enjoy a great day of rest and relaxation with family and friends.

An Insulated Life

God is good. We have heard it so many times that we probable do not pay much attention to what is being said. But it is an amazing fact that God is good. In fact let me tell you how good he is for us. In John 17:15 Jesus said something awesome. He said "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one." Notice that Jesus said we should not be taken out of the world but that we would be kept from the evil one.

Now the word for "evil one" simple means "the one who personifies evil" or literally it speaks of "one who is evil". So literally we are being kept from the evil one by the Word that Jesus has spoken to us. His Word is all we need to stay healthy from the evil one and keeps us from living a lifestyle of sin. We also are not taken out of the world until Jesus returns. He has never wanted us to be out of the world just not influenced by the world. In other words we can live in the world but not be part of the world as far as thoughts, beliefs, and actions.

This concept could be called the "Insulated Theory", not to be confused with the "Isolated Theory". We are insulated from the world but not isolated from the world. In other words Jesus wants us to be in the world going full throttle for Him. He wants us to be the ones who determine the influences and become the trend-setters. He never called us to a life of being influenced by the world so that the church would be a conformed church. No! He empowered us with His Word and that causes us to be isolated and then we are empowered with His Holy Spirit so that we do not have to be isolated. We can be in the world and influencing it for Jesus. We are insulated from evil and, if I can get this into my thinking, I can live victorious, knowing that the evil influence of this world or the evil one of this world is not effecting me because I am insulated by His Word.

On the Job Again

It's Monday morning and I am on the job again. Well, really I never left my job. What I really did was vacate my office for 10 days and worked while I toured. I am not sure I really know how to leave on vacation or on a church tour and not be on the job. Once something gets in your heart you can never leave it entirely. So what I really did was take 10 days, went to Israel and now I am back at my desk physically doing what God called me to do which is be a Pastor to the sheep that he has given me oversight of.

The Apostle Paul had a lot of things going on in his life in II Corinthians 11. He spoke of how he had received things such as five times he received 40 stripes less one, three times he was beaten with rods, was once stoned, three times shipwrecked, in perils with robbers, and well...you get the picture. Amid all the things that came on Paul on the outside, he had things working on him on the inside. II Cor 11:28 says that the cares of all the churches worked him so that he could not let them go. Why? Because he loved them and the churches were in his heart.

That is what I mean by not really leaving my job to go on this tour. The care of the church does not leave you. Thinking about people who God puts on your heart, praying for them and staying in touch are all part of who I am. You cannot outrun it and you cannot deny it. One such case is Joe and Lois. They are lovers of Israel and were not able to go due to health issues. While we were in Israel, Jaida and I thought of them. We prayed and sent a message that we missed them and were thinking of them. That is God's way of keeping us connected.

So now I am back in the saddle and enjoying a great week of ministry with VBS. It's great to reconnect with God's family and friends.