Murderer to minister and the church is cancelled?

I have seen some amazing changes God has done in people’s lives. I have seen the power of the Spirit of God turn people from sinful ways. I have seen Jesus turn cold hearted people to loving and generous. I have seen some people live through terrible situations and come out better in the end. I have seen people that should have died in bad accidents walk away alive. I have seen people worship Jesus while going through physical and emotional storms. Most of all I know a story where Jesus turned a murderer to a minister.

He used to murder Jesus followers now he is one. This is the story of Paul. Paul was one of the first century enemies of Christianity. He went by the name Saul and was one of if not the number one enemy of Christianity. He got documents created so he could jail Christians or Jesus followers. Worst, some of the people he persecuted he was able to get them put to death. How could Jesus change this man? He did.

Long after this conversion and starting multiple churches, Paul had enemies. People questioned Paul’s motives.  In 2 Corinthians 4:1 it states, “Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.” Not losing heart is the same as giving up. Paul didn’t give up. Through the tough times in Paul’s life, he didn’t give up. Paul was under attack. They questioned his motives in Corinth. They said he used the gospel for his own benefit. They thought he deceived people (Verse 2) and the way this was put meant Paul was cunning and trickery. They didn’t like Paul.

This is Paul. The man wrote several of the books of the Bible I love. The man started churches in the Middle East, Asia and Europe. Many came to know Jesus through him and people hated him? Believing in Jesus does not mean life is going to be easy. He stayed strong with his will and the message of God led him through tough times.

Paul constantly reminded us this in 2 Corinthians 4:5-6…”For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.”

Paul didn’t do Christianity for his benefit but for Jesus’. Jesus was the focus not Paul. Paul worked hard not to make himself the focal point but Christ. Paul was once in darkness, Jesus changed that. Jesus bring light to dark places. This is what we are called to do as Christians bring light to darkness. Today we have an amazing opportunity to do that.

Over the next three days the weather is going to be miserable in the Midwest. For only the third time in my life church is cancelled. Just because service is cancelled, doesn’t mean a break from Jesus. I am looking forward to sharing the love of Christ with my family today. I am looking forward to Hailee and I watching a sermon online. I am looking forward to spending time in the word of God with my kids. I am looking forward to breaking bread and having communion with my family. It’s going to be a different Sunday but a Sunday I look forward to very much. It’s still a Sunday I can worship Jesus.

Even though many church buildings are closed the church is still thriving. How can you lift up Jesus today? How can you let the story of Paul influence you in a positive way? Today is an amazing day, you will never be as young as you are today, don’t waste it away. You can do amazing things.

Have a great day.

GPS only works when traveling, where do you end up in life?

GPS is great, but once every while it’s wrong.

There have been terms when the GPS didn’t even know the road we were traveling on (In the middle of Indianapolis).

It makes me think of GPS and how things have changed.

Hailee and I have transitioned to using the GPS on long trips.

It wasn’t long ago we would use MapQuest or Google maps to find out where to go.

Before that we would grab a map and plan accordingly.

Yes we actually had to plan where we were going to go.

This is just with driving to some place, but what about with life.

How much planning is involved in your life?

With your…

·         Career/Job
·         School/Job Training
·         Church
·         Family/Marriage and the list could go on

Life takes planning.

Nobody decided to be a surgeon and walk into the ER the next day and tell them I am a surgeon and get a job.

Being a Dr. you have to have the right grades, college degree and extracurricular activities, get accepted to a school that will take another several years of your life in order to get a chance to become a doctor.

It takes planning.

How do you plan?

What if things change?

Life happens and things change.

There are sacrifices that were made to get you where you are at today.

Paul was going through his mission and there was times when God would tell him not to go into the city/area.

Acts 16:6-7…

“Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia.  When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.”

If God and Jesus were for saving everyone, why would he keep them out of certain areas?

It could be to people and possibly riots or threats on their lives, but it could also be for many other reasons it was not the right time.

What is the right time for you?

When Hailee and I were first talking about getting married, we were planning on waiting til after we graduated college.

That didn’t happen.

We were going to wait till we graduated and were settled before having kids.

Then comes Connor and Nevaeh.

Life has a way of not going the way we plan it.

How has your life changed throughout the years.

Does the end result or where you are at make you happy?

In my job profession, I get to talk to people about life.

With my focus being mostly on students, I look at where they are going in life and are they doing what it takes to get there.

This is the beautiful things about life, if you’re not happy you can do whatever you want to do.

I was 1.5 years away from being a full time sports writer.

I was 38 credits from having a journalism degree and I had plenty of experience in order to end up at a newspaper.

God had different ideas.

Part of those ideas meant going to school for a lot longer.

I ended up losing 54 credits in order to go into ministry.

I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Paul was told to skip by those cities, obviously it wasn’t part of God’s plans.

What are your plans for life?

What do you think God has planned for your life?

Maybe he is blocking one area like Paul in order to put you in a better area.

GPS might be able to get you to a location, but it can’t lead you in life.

Where are you going?

Maybe today is the day you realize the direction you need to be headed.

Have a great day.