I Love the Fall Weather!

I like the cooler temps, brisk mornings, and the changing foilage.

Winter...I don't like so much.

Unto Him

Now unto Him who is able. God is able. More able than I ever give Him credit for. As I sit on the couch following an Indianapolis Colts victory, eating a leftover slice of pizza, finishing a cold can of Sprite, listening to the kids playing outside, I realize that he has granted me with so much more than just a lot of "things" and warm fuzzy "feelings."

I have the opportunity to love and be loved, forgive and be forgiven, dream, and abound in hope.

What a great and mighty God to have given us so much more than just things. Although, I am very thankful for those "things" too. :-)

Give and Take

"Give to everyone who asks of you." - Matthew 5:42

Did you think about money? Did gold, dollars, or coins come first to your mind? The Lord makes no mention of money in this verse. It would seem that gold runs in our veins. The reason that most people make this mean money is that is where our hearts are. What are other things we can give?

You have probably thought of food, clothing, gasoline, and the like. Our giving should not be based on an impulse emotional response, a response lead by the Spirit which is pouring out of our lives. Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you."

We Christians try and theologically work our way out of this truth. We try to figure out what Christ "really" means by giving. We think that we certainly cannot give to EVERYONE who asks. Right?!?!? Common sense tells us that if we started giving everything away every beggar would be at my doorstep, I would have nothing left!

I think we should try it anyway. I have yet to find anyone who obeys God's command and leadings of the Holy Spirit and is then not cared for. You and I can be sure that God restrains those who beg. I know, this is radical. So is His love for us.

Genuine Imitation

It is clear and easily observed in this world that we must take initiative if we want to succeed. Countless leadership books and conferences all help the "good" Chrisitan learn to take initiative and lead. This is true and we can see this to be a valuable precept when combined with hard work. The Proverbs speak volumes of this as do many stories from the Scriptures.

But let us not confuse this kind of initiative with being imitators of God, and allowing Him to lead us. We must take His initiative and let him direct our paths. If we fail to do this and allow our initiatives, emotions, or minds to lead us, without His direction we can no longer be imitators of the Living, True, Holy, God.

Christians must understand discipleship in such a way. Discipleship does not happen in a crowd, not even in a small group. It is easy to "say" something that "we" need to "do." It is something else entirely to personal change our life in a way that will bring greater glory to God and more fruit to the Kingdom. Let us be imitators of God, as dearly loved children. Always remember that weare called followers of Christ.

Ephesians 5:1

How to Experience Christ

I have been doing some studying in Ephesians recently, preparing some devotions and messages for CSI Ministries. The following is a part of my studies today. I am reminded through my study today of the Christian principle "Less of me, more of Him."

The Holy Spirit builds us up in the body of Christ. All that Christ came to do, we experience through the Holy Spirit. Did you catch that little nugget? All that Christ came to do, we experience through the Holy Spirit.

We get to experience all that Christ came to do. That is so exciting to me. To be transparent, I do not take enough time or use enough focus to really experience this enough. It "happens" through the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 4:13

The gifts and moments of relationship we experience are for the whole body of Christ, not just for us. I fact, our individuality must "go" in order that our personal life may be brought into fellowship with the Father.

Fellowship with the Father. Not only is that something we desire, it is something He desires.

Powerful Ministry

Jamie Barton works with CSI ministries in Jamaica and directs our Student Support ministry down there. I encourage you to take a look at the JSSP website.


Here is a recent video from Jamaica that is posted at her website.




Thank you Jamie for your dedication and hard work!

Check out this Church in Highgate, Jamaica

Sure makes me thankful for all the resources my home church has here in the United States!

Butch Faulkner, the Development Director for CSI Ministries, shared this picture with me from his last trip. Butch and his beautiful family are pictured below.

Butch, thank you for your faithfulness and your dedication to CSI and to God's Kingdom.