A Simple Request

Good Afternoon Everyone,

Have you ever noticed that sometimes when people make simple requests that it can really change your whole perspective? Today I want to share with you a simple request that really made my day and has changed some of my perspectives.

Monday evening I met a few of our young men at the building to leave for our weekly Bay Area Wide Devotional. I pulled the van out of the garage and proceeded to sit and visit with these young men before everyone else got there. In the course of our conversation these guys made a simple request for our youth group to become more involved in service opportunities and activities of all kind. They confided that they want to do fun things but they also know that doing service oriented projects could be fun as well. They further confided that they wanted to do these things so we could have a stronger and closer youth group.

To say that I was humbled would be an understatement. To hear these boys so clearly make those declarations did my heart well. In a world where teenagers are so inwardly focused to hear these young men ask to be allowed to serve God through service took me back a few steps.

My simple request today is that you would pray for our group here in Pearland. I have always believed we had the potential to do some great things and now it looks as if God is opening those doors. Pray for the zeal of these young people and pray that their desire to serve God never leaves them. I hope you are blessed today!!!

Be Strong and Courageous,
Paul

Are We There Yet?

Good Morning Everyone,

If you grew up in a family like mine then that means most summers you took some kind of vacation. Whether it was going to Palestine to attend the world famous Crockett Road Church of Christ VBS, or headed up to Nashville so Mom could finish her education, or touring Major League ballparks we usually managed to get away for a little while each summer. The one common theme on whatever trip it was we were on was the question, usually from me, "Are we there yet?".

Yesterday I went to Angleton to attend a monthly minister's meeting and luncheon. I was driving April's car because I was low on gas and my car was sitting at the Church building. As I was driving the forty or so miles to Angleton is occurred to me that exactly a year ago that I was driving April's car on our trip from California to Texas(I'm pretty sure I asked if we were there yet a few times). It then occurred to me that this is the first time in the past two years that April and I have not been moving to one place or another.

I am proud to say that Pearland is home. We have a wonderful church family here, the working environment for April and for me are great, and we have made ,and in some cases, renewed some wonderful lifelong friendships. As I was contemplating all of these things a scripture became very real to me.

James 4:13-16
Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.

Life is indeed precious and we definitely not in control. We like to fool ourselves into thinking we are in charge but when all is said and done God is in charge. Sometimes we need reminders of that fact ,and when we do, God is good to give them to us, we simply need to listen. To all of you who have made our first year in Pearland the best year we have had I want to thank you. You took two people who were scarred and broken and helped us to become whole again. Today I want to leave you with the words to a song that speaks to this and will help you to keep walking with the Lord.

If You Say Go

If you say go we will go
If you say wait we will wait
If you say step out on the water and they say it can’t be done
We’ll fix our eyes on you and we will come

Your ways are higher than our ways
And the plans that You have laid are good and true
If You call us to the fire You will not withdraw Your hand
We’ll gaze into the flames and look for You

My prayer today is that we will understand that God's ways are higher than ours and that his plan is the perfect thing for all of us imperfect people. I hope you are blessed today.

Be Strong and Courageous,

Paul

The Long Lost Blogger Returns

Hey Everyone,

I know, I know it has been awhile but I wanted to take a moment and write a note this afternoon. The purpose of this note is to ask for prayers on behalf of an event that is taking place here at the Pearland Church of Christ tonight at 7:00PM.

As a congregation we see the need to reach our community here in Pearland. The problem is our community is so mobile that door knocking is no longer a useful means of reaching people, we have had success in the past mailing a DVD telling about our congregation to the community but we want to do more.

Our meeting tonight is to discuss congregational and individual strategies for reaching our community. We want people to know that we have a a passion for God and a passion for the lost. I am asking you to spend a few moments in prayer today asking God to bless our efforts. We can plan all we want to but if we go into this without seeking God's blessing then we are setting ourselves up for failure. Thank you all for always being so supportive and I thank you in advance for your prayers.

Be Strong and Courageous,
Paul

What Makes You Cranky?

Good Morning Everybody,

Yesterday I took 11 of our golden-agers into the Texas hill country to take a look at the state flower of Texas the Bluebonnet. We enjoyed the beauty that is God's creation and the fellowship amongst old and young. As part of our excursion we took advantage of being close to Brenham and went to the Blue Bell ice cream factory where we all enjoyed our favorite flavors of ice cream. It is at the Blue Bell factory where I saw the shirt pictured above. It never ceases to amaze me how God can use things like t-shirts to give me ideas of things to write and to teach.

Most of you know my primary ministry is working with teenagers. Any of you who have ever worked with teenagers or had teenagers of your own understand what being cranky is all about. It seems that throughout the teenager years that the slightest thing can make them cranky. What is interesting is that we all have our moments of being cranky even as adults. It was as I was reading this shirt that I began to wonder what God thinks about us being cranky.

Philippians 4:12
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

You may read this passage and say that Paul never mentions the word cranky. I would have to agree with you if that is your assessment of the situation. What you do have to admit is that Paul does use the word content. I would propose to you that content is the exact opposite of cranky. If anyone had the right to be cranky it was the Apostle Paul. Paul was beaten, shipwrecked, wrongfully imprisoned and despised by many. In this passage Paul describes almost every aspect of life, both good and bad, and yet he still is able to be content.

As we come to a close I would ask you to think about what makes you cranky. I want you to consider you last experience with becoming cranky and try to decide for yourself how you could have remained content. I hope that we can all learn from our cranky moments and use what we learn so we do not repeat them.

Be Strong and Courageous,
Paul

p.s. I did purchase this shirt and plan on wearing it but don't read into it too much.

Showing Favoritism

Good Morning Everyone,

Sorry I have not blogged in awhile it is has been very crazy around here lately. Between launching new ministries, teaching Bible classes, preaching and traveling to perform weddings my blogging has suffered.

This morning I thought I would share a thought with you that I shared with my teenagers a few weeks ago about showing favoritism. I began class with these two pictures.

After showing these two pictures I asked the teenagers which person they would more likely associate with and invite into our youth group. After the typical funny and churchy answers it was decided the guy with the perfect teeth an no glasses would make us all feel a little more comfortable. I want to take this opportunity to thank my teenagers for being honest about how they answered this question.

After talking about the reasons for their choice we began looking at a place in in scripture where favoritism is discussed.
James 2:1-7
1My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. 2Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. 3If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," 4have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
5Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?

When you read this passage it kind of makes you think twice about the way we interact with people in our workplaces, in public and even in our churches. In the course of my study I was reminded of another passage of scripture that really humbled me and made me have to re-think some of my own actions.

Isaiah 53:2 (New International Version)
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

This is a prophecy about Jesus. After reading this it was clear to me that, figuratively at least, Jesus probably much more closely resembled our friend in the Ghost Busters T-shirt than our GQ model. The lesson for us is an old one but one that remains true today. Never judge a book by its cover. You never know what set of circumstances has brought someone into your life and if you are too busy looking outwardly you will forget to look at them inwardly. I hope you are all blessed today.

Be Strong and Courageous,
Paul

Your Life Is Not an ipod

Good Afternoon Everyone,

I hope all of you are doing well today. I decided to do a little organizing on my ipod today. You see I like all sorts of different kinds of music. I have rock and roll, alternative, pop, country, Christian, Acappella and many other genres. Sometimes as I drive down the road I like to listen to everything but from time to time I like to be a little more specific. So today I made a playlist for all the "religious" music that I have this includes acappella type music as well as some contemporary Christian music.

As I was making my new playlists I began to think that sometimes we treat our life like an ipod. Just like on our ipods we have a place for everything sometimes in life we tend to make compartments for different things. We make compartments for God. In this compartment we go to church, participate in service activities and Bible classes. Then we have a compartment for the rest of our life where we do everything that is not associated with the God compartment.

As I was working on my ipod I was convicted that we need to stop treating our lives like ipods. Instead of trying to make a place for God in our life we need to make God our life. I don't have all the answers that is for sure. I was convicted today and I hope that I have given you something to think about. Thank you all for being a blessing to me I hope I am one to you.

Be Strong and Courageous,
Paul

Springtime Renewal

Good Morning Everyone,

I know the title of this blog may seem a bit strange seeing how it is only February, and that the groundhog saw its shadow meaning a longer winter, but as with all things I do there is a method to my madness.

This past Saturday (January 31st) the elders, deacons and ministers of the Pearland Church of Christ gathered to discuss the care of the congregation here in a planning session. The elders saw fit to give me the job of setting and keeping our agenda for the planning session.

I have to say that everybody involved with this planning session brought their "A" game to the table that morning. We had great ideas coming from everyone and even ideas from people that surprised me. The three ideas the elders chose to go with were great ones and I believe ones that will help build up the Lord's Kingdom. If you stay with me for just a little longer I will outline those ideas that have blossomed into three new ministries here in Pearland.

1. Ministry of Prayer-This ministry is open to anyone in the congregation. We will produce prayer request cards and place them in the pews with our attendance cards. These cards will be a venue to give your prayer requests to a group of prayerful people without having to make that request known to the whole congregation. This group will meet each Sunday to pray over these requests. We see this as a great ministry for people who like to be behind the scenes doing things to help for the cause of Christ.

2. Devotional and a Dinner-If you are like me on Fridays nights you sometimes watch Dinner and a Movie on TBS. We "borrowed" our name for this ministry from TBS. We decided to put the devotional first so that we keep the emphasis on where it needs to be. This ministry will involve people opening their homes to other members here in Pearland and to people they are trying to teach the Gospel to. We will have some guided devotional topics that will make up the lesson and then share in a meal together.

3. Friends and Family Days-On the months with a 5th Sunday we will have a friends and family day. The Bible classes and sermon will be centered around a particular passage of scripture to facilitate discussion within the homes of our visitors. Following worship services we will share in a potluck meal together. After that meal we will have our usual 5th Sunday singing and then adjourn for the day. This will be a great chance to bring people you love to worship with you.

If you are a member of the Pearland Church and don't see yourself fitting into any of these ministries I would encourage you to be positive about them and encourage those who are participating. If you are not a member of the Pearland church but live in our area we would invite you to come be a part of things here. I hope you are all blessed today.

Be Strong and Courageous,
Paul