When the Last in Line Gets Chosen for the Team

The casting agent enters the room with her top picks for the show’s leading man and lady. The new series will follow the spellbinding story of a clan that builds a powerful, world-impacting family tree. This is the pilot, and it is crucial to make the right call on the individuals who will fall in love and launch this Kennedy-like family of influence and fame.

Producers and writers alike have waited breathlessly for this moment, the moment when who they have envisioned as the leading characters will be finally realized in an actor and actress. But when they turn to see who has been tapped for these most special of roles, the thud of their collective jaws hitting the majestic mahogany conference table muffles their mutual groans.

There before their wide eyes, instead of the expected vibrant, young couple with gleaming white teeth and tanned and toned bodies, stand a 75-year-old man and a 65-year-old woman. Not what they had pictured for their production.

And yet, this is what God has chosen. His screenplay called for a couple to launch a new nation, one that would impact the entire world. As he would say, a nation through whom “all the nations of the earth would be blessed” (Genesis 12:1-3).

Abram and Sarai stand there, adorned perhaps by dusty old robes and crowned with wispy white hair and loosely fitting skin and as befuddled as anyone else. God chose them to begin a nation. An unlikely pair, especially after factoring in the fact that Sarai was barren. How could God expect to start a nation with a woman who could not bear children?

To complicate the story line, it will be 25 more years before they actually have their child of promise. By that time Abram and Sarai will be 100 years old and 90 years old, respectively (and their names will be changed to Abraham and Sarah). Perhaps Social Security checks will help this special couple decorate the baby’s tent and they’ll be able take naps when the baby does. And the rest, as they say, is history. His story.

God picks people you and I wouldn’t necessarily select to take part in his story. In fact sometimes we are shocked who plays the starring roles in his stories. Unlike the way we do business, he taps people, not merely because of their abilities, but for their availability. God searches for people who are open to be used by him. Since he uses only those who are willing to be used for his purposes, there is no doubt that it is he who is doing the the wonder- working. Let there be no doubt, throughout history he is the one making things happen.

That’s good news, isn’t it? In the business world, you may not have a great pedigree. In academics, you may not be a Rhodes Scholar. You may not have a lot of money and you may have average looks. But you may be sitting in a pretty good position to be a top pick for God’s work.

Have a great week, do great things.

God’s Great Passion is to Be With You

Some movies start at warp speed. Case in point: Star Trek. From the opening scene to the end it barely lets you breathe. If you slipped out for popcorn you were sure to miss something important.

Some think that the way to maximize the movie-going experience is to be in your seat at least 20 minutes early. Never done that? Then next time you go to a movie look around and spot the person that is in the prime seat—dead middle, eye level with the center of the screen. That’s what 20 minutes early gets you. Popcorn and drink in hand, nothing will move this person from their secured spot for the duration of the movie.

That’s where you need to be for God’s story. Its opening scene also starts with a relentless pace that doesn’t let up. The first line reads, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).

Right off the bat we find the main character in the story is not you or me. It’s God. And the rest of The Story will unfold out of the nature and person of this character. Just ten words in and there is enough action to leave you breathless.

It doesn’t take long to find out what God’s great passion is. Birds? Nope. Animals? Not quite. Sun, moon or stars? Bright guess. No, in Genesis 3:8 we find that God is walking in the Garden with Adam and Eve in the “cool of the day.

Sounds nice if you are in a hot, humid climate, doesn’t it? And yet the “cool of the day” is not the focus.God is, and he is near. He is right with Adam and Eve. And he is right here with us. His simple vision for his creation was to spend time with them every day, to take a walk with them. God’s supreme passion is to be with us.

Some of you have lived your life with the idea that God is some angry cosmic kill-joy who sits in the heavens and watches you, waiting for you to make a mistake so he can zap you. Or, you feel he is distant and doesn’t care or has simply forgotten you.

But from the beginning he has shown us this is not the case. He wants to be with you. He has not forgotten you. In fact, this might be the perfect time for you to go for a walk.

I pray that you are enjoy the first part of This Journey, that you have already found yourself into the first few pages of the Creation account and are already experiencing the majesty of God.

Let me encourage you to pace yourself. By taking in just small sips or this wonderful Story,God’s story, regularly you will be feeding your soul the vital nutrients it has been craving. It is much better to take in small amounts daily than sitting down and trying to devour it all at once.

May God Lord Bless You.
Have a Great Week, Do Great Things

In reference to an article entitled “There’s Nothing Selfish About Suicide” at the Huffington post. This article was written in the wake of Robin Williams suicide.
Let me start by saying ALL life is precious. I believe we must value life including our own life.

I read this article, not just the title, so let me share my thoughts. I am called to compassion, love, mercy and hope first. This article has many holes just is the person suffering from Suicide. My comments are from the perspective of understanding how to help any person in affliction of any kind.
The definition of Selfish: (of a person, action, or motive) lacking consideration for others; concerned chiefly with one’s own personal profit or pleasure
The definition of Depression: severe despondency and dejection, typically felt over a period of time and accompanied by feelings of hopelessness and inadequacy
Katie Hurley makes a great case for compassion but does not adequately defend the title of her article: ”Nothing Selfish About Suicide”.
The definition of Compassion: sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others.
Mrs. Hurley charges that “Until you’ve stared down that level of depression, until you’ve lost your soul to a sea of emptiness and darkness… you don’t get to make those judgments.” She further expels, “you are certainly entitled to your own feelings, but making those judgments and spreading that kind of negativity won’t help the next person.”
So this is what I am replying. I have starred down into a deep level of depression. Self-loathing, deprecating, meager, listlessly gasping for air like a gold fish out of the water, was a daily existence for me. I was medicating with anything I could get a hold of. Nothing was able to reach me in the pit of despair I was in…. accept for Jesus. The only Hope for any of this is Jesus. It was the call of the Lord God almighty, which was His Holy Spirit whispering to me softly and sweetly and even though there was such loud Chaos in my life, God wanted me to know about Jesus. That He suffered that I should not have to!
The only hope is Jesus. He came to seek and save the lost. I did not see any mention of this. In the article but I did see a self-help line and ads for books about the clinical solutions to depression.
You can’t hear or see God when you are self-absorbed. All sin is (SELFISH) self-absorbing. The bible say anything not of faith is sin. The call of sin is to destroy. It lies, it placates, it dulls the senses, it toys with emotion, it will fill your head with conceit and fill your head with loathing whatever place it can get a hold of to grow and fester it will take advantage of whatever opportunity opens.
There was some good advice in the article: in the “You can Help” section, Mrs. Hurley tells us to understand the warning signs, check on friends, reach out to survivors, encourage them to get help. She is actually telling us to be “Present” in one another’s lives. This is what Jesus taught as well to be compassionate followers and Love one another. In order to be compassionate you have to be involved. The best thing we can teach the ones we Love is about the servant hood of Christ. And the best way to teach that is to live it out daily. But apart from Jesus there is no hope, there is no help. We learn through the words of God that we are dependent on God (for everything) while at the same time inner-dependent on others. The first step in being set free from any affliction in our lives is Salvation through Jesus Christ.
As a follow up article from Huffington Post I would read: “What Kids really Need from Their Parents” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/12/robin-williams-quote-about-daughter_n_5671207.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular

May God Richly Bless You,
Pastor Win Anderson

My mission in this life is reaching the lost and edifying the body of Christ. My gifts are preaching and teaching the word of God. My goal in everything I do is that you hear God in my words and you see God in my actions. I am not perfect but I am being perfected as God has called me to pick up my cross and follow after Him. I pray this blog will challenge you for the cause of Christ.
In regards to jewelry and body art, it is something that this generation has been around and seen all their life. After all the media completely embraces these types of things and regularly celebrates them by way of reality shows, billboards, businesses on every corner and even in the local shopping mall. Therefore, the sensationalism and outrageousness of getting an ear, earlobe, belly button, tongue, eyebrow, or even your nose or lip piercing really doesn’t blow the doors off the barn anymore. Likewise body art has become mainstream and welcomed as an expression as ones beliefs, loves, fetishes and at times a sign of honor for those one has lost. On the surface it seems to be very subtle and innocent.
I want to address the reason for such displays. There is so much to be said as to what we adorn ourselves with. Everyone will have an opinion as to the actual type of piercing or the actual image we tattoo on our body. There is a story behind every such display. That story can be the most telling about what a person believes. Some folks make decisions to adorn themselves with body art and jewelry as a sign of “rebellion”, or to mark a “rite of passage”, Some do it in memory of a special loved one or a love lost. Again, each display has a story associated with it; the question really is what is that story telling the viewer?
Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:23 “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. I believe that as followers of Jesus we are called to a higher standard. We are called to “be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2). I believe these are for all “believers” just as THE GREAT COMMISSION: Matthew 28:16-20 “16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
I could speak to whether or not jewelry and body art displays are “good and perfect” or if they are “permissible”; but if I did I would have to talk about “causing our brothers and sisters to stumble” (1Cor 8:13, 1Cor 8:9, Rom 14:13 etc.) ,“modesty” (1Tim 2:9) and “the body is a temple” (1Cor 6:19). I want to look at the reason behind “WHY” believers make this decision to adorn themselves with piercings and body art? I wonder how many would say: “I decide to get this tattoo at a time in my life when I was walking closely with God” or “This piercing in my belly button was because God spoke to me telling me that this would honor him”. If we are being honest, I think most of these types of things are attributed to someone else having a piercing or some body art and we admire that person and want to emulate that in our life. BUT likewise, God has created us in His image and we, as followers of Christ, are to emulate Him. Glorify God, not man, but God!
The heart of this issue is not some piece of metal stuck somewhere or even some ink splattered somewhere either. The heart of the matter is who are we are glorifying? Who are we directing people to? Who are we asking people to follow? Are we conforming to the world or are we conforming the world? Does the testimony of our witness (our actions) speak of the greatness of our savior?
You see the reason these things are not outrageous or sensationalized anymore is because the “world” has been influencing the “believer” instead of the “believer” influencing the “world”. This is a move right out of the devils play book. He has been doing this since the days in the garden. Sprinkle a little lies on the truth and they will swallow it. So let’s review the past… divorce, cheating on your spouse, teen pregnancy, pregnancy out of wedlock, homosexuality, same sex marriage, same sex parenting and adoption, lying, theft or steeling, the lengths of skirts, shorts and dresses, the size of bikinis, drinking alcohol, coveting respect for parents, placing others before yourself, having many god, have all become the norm through our cultural conversion. Believers everywhere you need to know… tolerance does not mean acceptance. Tolerance does not mean you give up your beliefs and adopt someone else’s. Tolerance is merely a permissive attitude toward those beliefs, opinions, practices, race, religion, nationality etc. differ from your own. Tolerance does not require the one being asked to tolerate to an action of acceptance and practice of the topic at hand. As a believer and follower of Christ, we have the victory over such conformity that is propagated in worldly desires because we are empowered by the Holy Spirit.
After all God has called us to be the salt of the earth: Salt and Light a City on a Hill for all to see… His Glory!
Matthew 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

More scripture on the subject:
Scripture does not prohibit the use of a cultural wedding symbol due to marital, social, and cultural conditions; nor does it establish its necessity. In certain instances, the marriage symbol or emblem may strengthen the marriage arrangement and order, and thus its use is not for ornamentation. Therefore, the cultural wedding symbol or emblem, though not necessitated, may be worn due to marital, social, and cultural situations in order to preserve the headship principle and the integrity of marriage (Genesis 3:16; 1 Corinthians 11:8; Ephesians 5:22, 23). Scripture neither prohibits (absolutely) nor necessitates the use of ornamental adornment. It does give strong precautionary principles for its use such as modesty, shamefacedness, and sobriety and calls attention to the ornament of the inner man, that of “a meek and quiet spirit” (1 Timothy 2:9, 10; 1 Peter 3:3, 4). Ornamentation must not be used in any way that lends itself to idolatrous, occult, or lustful practices (Isaiah 3:18–22; Acts 8:9; 19:19; 1 Corinthians 5:10; 6:9; Galatians 5:19–21; Revelation 2:20–23).

It is also important to remember that adornment includes more than jewelry alone. To apply the prudent principles of Scripture (both for those who wear and those who do not), an overriding principle is found in Romans 14:13: “Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother’s [sister’s] way

“Your life isn’t about the possessions and power you end up with… It’s about the making of the person along the way.”

“When you are trying to make the right decision, and you’re not sure if it was the right one, don’t get upset as if one possible mistake will derail the rest of your life. Trust that God is in control! In spite of our circumstances, He is still able to perform His plan in you!!”

 “If you continue to do the right things, then the wrong people will stop coming around.” Amos 3:3 says “How can two people walk the same road if they don’t agree on the direction?”