Living the good life

Life seems kind of hard right now. There are plenty of things to think about that might get you down. Gas prices are setting record highs everyday, the cost of food is right behind it and some people are even losing their homes.

In the midst of everything that is happening around us I can say that life is good.

Here is a hearty chunk of scripture for you.

Matthew 6:25-34

5 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27 “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 28 “And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30 “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! 31 “Do not worry then, saying, `What will we eat?’ or `What will we drink?’ or `What will we wear for clothing?’ 32 “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

How great is our God? How great is His love towards us?

I challenge myself to always say,

“I’m not worried about anything because I am trusting in God and I know that He will take care of me.”

If God takes care of the birds for doing nothing except eating and pooping, how much more do you think He will take care of one of His children that He loved so much that He died for them?

The world may be in a crazy state around us but realize that as long as you put your faith in God, He will give you the ability and resources to live the good life.

I AM GOING TO LIVE THE GOOD LIFE FROM HERE ON OUT!

-waugh!

God’s Creative Power

I am reading a book at the moment called God’s Creative Power, by Charles Capps. Its all about the Word of God and how we need to speak the Word over our situations, our health and finances. I’m only through the first chapter but I can’t wait to finish it!

Capps talks about how our faith is released with our words. When faith is released through our words, whether positive or negative, they set spiritual laws into effect. Now I’m not trying to get super spiritual here but it just makes sense. A good example of how we need to confess the right things over our lives is Galatians 6:7-8.

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.

Galatians 6:7-8

Growing up in church I would always hear that scripture being used for offering. So if you sow or give sparingly you will reap sparingly. I don’t really think its a bad scripture to use for offering but it makes more sense to me to use it when thinking about the words we use.

The words you speak are seeds that produce after their kind. just as sure as they are planted, you can be equally sure a harvest will follow.

God’s Creative Power, Charles Capps pg 15

At a Believer’s Convention in 2006 Gloria Copeland told a story of a man they knew. For some reason or another when times would get rough, money was tight or he was sick he would always say,

“I’m not going to make past 40.”

The man’s family can recall him saying that as far back as age 6. As the years went on he would always say that wouldn’t make it past 40. Now what he didn’t realize is that from the first time he said that he was setting that into motion. He was setting himself up to not live past the age of 40.

The man never really got sick, he didn’t have any major illnesses or injuries during his life until he was 39. While he was 39 he developed a tumor in his brain. It affected him so bad that he went into a coma and eventually past away before he turned 40. His whole life he had been confessing that over himself and sure enough without missing a beat it came true.

In the hospital before he passed his family was there praying for him asking God to heal him but legally God couldn’t do it. That might sound weird but without that man confessing life over himself or confessing healing in his body God couldn’t reverse the laws that were in place from all the years of negative confession. It wasn’t that Lord didn’t want to heal him or that He didn’t want him to be alive but without that man confessing positive things over himself to cancel out the negative, He couldn’t do anything.

Please don’t misunderstand me and think that if you say, “Oh that just kills me” or “I’d rather be dead” that you will drop on the spot. Also that the Lord doesn’t want us healthy living long on the earth or that He doesn’t answer prayers because I am living proof that He does answer prayer. The point I am making is that our words are very important. The things we let come out of our mouths will dictate what happens around us, what happens to us and the world around us. You will sow what you reap.

Imagine if that man would have said that was going to live to be 140 instead of saying that he wouldn’t make it past 40. You know he would still be alive and in good health now so that he could make it 140!

Charles Capps said it this way,

Words are containers. They carry faith, or fear, and they produce after their kind.

I know in myself I need to be more conscious of the things that I let come out of my mouth.

Church & Media

I just finished reading an article from the Washington Post all about churches and the use of media.

“Worship Goes Big-Screen and Hi-Fi, With Direct-Deposit Tithing”

“The stepped-up use of technology has changed the way people worship in a way that some parishioners and experts like and others don’t.”

This article is all about church and media; the stuff I love! There are several examples of fairly large sized churches, 2,000 and up members, who have incorporated “elaborate sound systems”, big screens and “flashy videos” to worship and preach their messages.

There are people from different churches somewhere in the Midwest saying that congregations that incorporate such media are really seeking to be more entertainment than true worship. They believe that having an audio system, even down to drum set is not necessary for worship and fellowship with God. Their argument is that church doesn’t need to change and involve these things into service because the church needs to “stand out” from the world and not look like the world.

I must say that I disagree with the idea that media used correctly, takes away from worship and fellowship with God. The notion that TV ministries, the use of the Internet to have webpage are wrong and not what God wants us to do is silly.

We are called to preach to Gospel to every living creature. The Great Commission is the go into the entire world and preach the good news of our Savior, Mark 16:15.

I think of the media that we use as an extension of ourselves and an extension of Pastor Rich or Pastor Doug. It is a way for us to spread the Word to places and people that we may not have had the chance to in person. Giving a CD of a message from a Wednesday night in Youth or a Sunday morning in main service to someone who wasn’t there is like giving them a chance to experience the Word of God as it was delivered by one of our pastors.

Just yesterday a guy named Rich (not Pastor Rich) came and told me how he has been witnessing to someone at his work (we’ll call him Guy because I didn’t get his name) with a somewhat negative response. Rich has been witnessing to Guy for a long time but it seems that Guy hasn’t really been listening to him and for sure isn’t interested in anything Rich has to say. Over time, since Rich has been consistent with witnessing to Guy, he has slowly become more interested in what Rich has to say and what has been going on with church. With MR. T just being here that was the first thing Rich thought to tell Guy about. Well little did Rich know that Guy was a HUGE fan of MR. T! Guy couldn’t believe that Rich hung out with MR. T and that he preached at our church. Seeing this as a great opportunity to witness, Rich told Guy he would bring him a DVD of the service. Guy could not believe it and is super excited to see it. I look forward to hear what happens or how responsive Guy is to MR. T’s message. Now that Guy has a DVD in his hand that he will be able to watch on his own time, he will be able to hear the Word God from MR. T and the incorruptible seed will be planted in his heart.

Now I have a question, what would have happened if we didn’t record our services? What would have happened if MR. T did come to our church and spoke, without a sound system because they are too worldly, and we didn’t record? What would Rich have done? Well he could have invited Guy from work to come to church that night. If he would have said no to that there would be nothing else Rich could do and Guy would have gone about his day not thinking anything more about it.

Without the media that we use from the projectors, sound system, the band, all video systems and computer systems we would have no way, besides word of mouth to extend the reach of our Pastor and the Word that is preached. Now I am not saying that the only way to witness to someone is through a CD or DVD but it can be a very useful tool. It can be used as a way to open the door for discussion with someone who isn’t saved.

I think Pastor Rich is doing a good job taking advantage of all the different ways the Internet offers for reaching out and spreading the Word. As we grow and learn more it will be a very vital tool.

Media in churches is not a bad thing. The only time that media becomes a bad thing is when it takes the place of true worship and the focus of a ministry shifts from winning souls to having the bestest, newest, shiny-est technology.

Church is a place to get equipped to take Jesus to the people that don’t know Him. The more ways you have to spread the Word the better. I left quite a bit out of this post but will be sure to add it later.

“Love God, love people, and win souls.” – Pastor Doug Bird

-waugh

The first of many…

This is my first post in my new blog.  I have been thinking of signing up for one for some time and finally made the plunge.  I have read that you should blog about one subject that you are very passionate about and stick to it.  The issue I find is that I have passions that aren’t in the same category or subject.  Maybe I will just write about them all.

-waugh