You are Welcome at my House!

I’m going to be a bit feisty in today’s blog. I can, because this Facebook/Blog space is my house, so to speak. I welcome you to stop by and check out what’s going on and to see what God’s download is for us. I have some "house" rules that include kindness, encouraging each other and everyone is especially welcome if you need a friend, a confidant, or a shoulder to cry on and to have someone who will pray with and for you. I’m expressing my heart and the absolute non-negotiables in my life. I’m sharing the values that we built our faith and family upon for generations.

This blog was inspired by my 16-year-old grandson, Brennan, who I’ve hung out with over the last several days and when he came to Frisco a few weeks ago. Something, rather, Someone, of monumental importance has happened to him. This guy has had a major encounter with God – not that he hadn’t before, but this time, he is all in and is undaunted in making his love for God known. He is daily on Tik-Tok and Instagram speaking to young people about making the most important decision in their lives, which is to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. He is unashamed --- Mr. Cooler than Cool guy has had a radical transformation. And the best part, is that others have noticed this 180 – as he lives by example now. He wants to be a difference-maker. I was so blessed on Sunday when I saw him up at the front of the church on Sunday with other young people -- singing and raising their hands in praise and worship to God.

This year, he has taken this new zeal for Christ seriously and is taking it to school with him in an audacious way. His friends have noticed. Not everyone is excited about it as he was the cut-up, attention-getting, not-taking-God-real-serious guy. I saw him in his room playing a video game, while listening to a minister speaking on his computer. We binged on the three “God’s Not Dead” movies and ended with “The Case for Christ” movie. Brennan and these movies fired me up too -- with the certainty of the reality of Christ’s birth, death and resurrection. Among the many reasons for knowing it is true, over 500 eyewitnesses saw Him alive. (1 Corinthians 15:6)

Brennan inspired me so much that I want to make my values and beliefs known too. My values are found in the Bible, God's Holy Word. I agree with the psalmist’s words “Your Word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” (Psalm 119:105) And in Joshua 1:8-9: “This book of the law shall not depart out of my mouth, but I shall meditate on it day and night, that I may observe to do according to all that is written in it; for then I will make my way prosperous, and then I will have good success." Scriptures undergird my values which are the absolute non-negotiables in my life. These are some of my statements of faith and my "house" rules:

** Love, peace, joy and God’s grace are fluently spoken here
** I believe in God our Father. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son. I believe in the Holy Spirit – our God, all three in one. I believe in the resurrection. I believe that in the name of Jesus, we can be healed and set free from any bondage. I believe in a real enemy of our souls, but more importantly, I believe we can live in complete freedom because “Greater is He who lives in us, than he that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)
**I believe that if we applied Jesus' "house rules" to our life -- we would make our world a better place. His "house rules" (aka commandments) are to “Love God with all our heart, mind and soul” and to “Love our neighbor as ourselves.” (Matthew 22:37-38) Keeping those "rules", reveals the depth of love we have for God and each other.
** I am Pro-Life. I believe ALL LIVES MATTER from the moment of conception to the grave.
** I believe in our “one nation under God” in our Pledge of Allegiance; in supporting our military; in supporting and praying for Israel; in the ability to worship God and practice our faith without being hindered by government; in patriotism where I stand for my National Anthem and my American flag.

When God made us, He planted within us certain things that we value deeply. They’re hardwired in our heart. Through our life experiences – from the environment we are raised in, the schools we go to, the friends we associate with, and the religious foundation we receive, God makes them clear to us. Those things are our core values. Now, you know mine.

Time to Register for Cross Training

On New Year's Day, I heard this said:: "This is going to be your best year ever, but keep in mind, though you may be going in with a clean slate, you're still taking some of the "old" in with you. You still take YOU!"

That's a wake-up call, isn't it? It's awe-inspiring to think that the old stuff -- the negative circumstances, the mistakes and failures, the overwhelming and the underwhelming situations are over with, because we think "2017 is going to be different. Good things are coming my way this year! 2017 is going to be MY greatest year EVER!" But, once again, what has changed in you AND me, that guarantees a better year?

Bottom line...we probably need to undergo some tweaking with our attitudes, our outlooks, our overspending, our carelessness, our tempers, our giving (or the lack thereof), and our heartfelt appreciation for how blessed we really are.

The way for the most guaranteed-for-success-outcome, is to lean into the ONE who will make the most significant difference in our 2017. Rather than God being simply a casual acquaintance to us and only when we need Him that we call on Him, we should make Him the CENTER of everything...our finances, our relationships, our health, our character, and our devotion. To be fully devoted followers of Christ, makes the difference. How often do we just "sprinkle" a little Jesus into our day by a mere glance at Him. But when we understand that He is the difference maker in everything about our lives. When it really dawns on us that He lives inside us and, when we rely on Him for the best decisions to make, the kindest attitude to others, the character that does the right thing when no one is looking, and seriously consider our actions by submitting our emotions to Him, saying "I'm not responding that way any more.

Luke 2:52 says that the young Jesus "grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man." Now that's what I'm talking about. Though we leave the past mistakes and all the negatives in the past, because we bring ME, MYSELF and I into the new year, wouldn't it be a great idea to determine that "THIS YEAR, I will do some CROSS TRAINING and grow in wisdom and stature and favor with God and man." We do that -- not just by sprinkling a little Jesus on our lives....but all out making Him the Lord of our lives and purposing to surrender our "old" selves to Him, obey Him and His Word, and live with all out gusto of being, not sprinkled, but FLOODED with the Great I AM!!!