Be Decisive - 9-28-08

“Be Decisive” - Decisive Moments in Life

Can you imagine a marriage ceremony, where the officiate asks the groom, ‘Do you, Mike, take Sue to be your wife?” and Mike says, um, well, I…

How decisive are you? How often do you question yourself?

What are some of the decisions that you are faced with?

Signing on the dotted line…Military…4 year commitment, or on a marriage license, a life time commitment.. Deciding on the grad school to attend, Cutting the String…The cord…Separation from home (money), leaving home for good

Why do we avoid or shy away from these moments? Commitment…I believe that our decisions define our lives. And we are fearful of our lives being defined.

Singer songwriter Joe Jackson talked about our modern dilemma
I hate this supermarket

But I have to say it makes me think

A hundred mineral waters

It's fun to guess which ones are safe to drink

Two hundred brands of cookies

87 kinds of chocolate chip

They say that choice is freedom

I'm so free it drives me to the brink 



I'm sure I am not the only one who has stood helplessly in the aisle at the supermarket in front of the range of laundry products that promise me whiter, brighter, color safe, biodegradable, skin friendly, non-biological, bleach free, elderflower scented tablets, powder, liquid, gel with added softener and wondered whether anybody still makes a product which just cleans your clothes. 



We are confronted with many moments each day that are in need of decision. How do we “Be Decisive”, I think we need to take a look at what Jesus did in his most defining Decisive Moment.

One of the most impactive words in the Bible:
Yet - nevertheless – But

Jesus going to the Cross – Luke 22:42
42"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."

Decisive Movement – Jesus acted on the will of his father rather than his own will.

We are all soon to be faced with a Decisive moment in election the next President of the United States of America. For whom will you vote? Why? Your decision, your moment will be impactive toward the future of this country. I pray that you will listen and be silent long enough to hear the whispers of God in your decision.

Unhappiness is a motivating factor in this years election. Unhappy with the economy, war, taxes, the issue of abortion, gay marriages, and the nation’s deficit. We find ourselves in the midst of a weird phenomenon: No matter who the President is to be, we, the people of the USA, will infact be in this same position in 4 or 8 years during the next election. Wondering how we got here, why the economy is so bad, why taxes are so high, Unhappy with the state of our nation…could I propose something to you to ponder. To think about, considering all of our unhappiness…

Email from David Letterman -
'As most of you know I am not a President Bush fan, nor have I ever been, but this is not about Bush, it is about us, as Americans, and it seems to hit the mark 'The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some Poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true given the source, right?

The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the President. In essence 2/3 of the citizenry just ain't happy and want a change. So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking, 'What are we so unhappy about?''

A. Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 Days a week?
B. Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter?
C. Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job?
D. Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?
E. Maybe it is the ability to drive our cars and trucks from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state?
F. Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter?
G. I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough either.
H. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.
I. Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home.
J. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames, thus saving you, your family, and your belongings.
K. Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes, an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss.
L. This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90% of teenagers own cell phones and computers.
M. How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world?

Maybe that is what has 67% of you folks unhappy. Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S., yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have, and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here.

I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The president who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled ungrateful brats safe from terrorist attacks?

The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me?
Did you hear how bad the President is on the news or talk show? Did this news affect you so much, make you so unhappy you couldn't take a look around for yourself and see all the good things and be glad? Think about it.....are you upset at the President because he actually caused you personal pain OR is it because the 'Media' told you he was failing to kiss your sorry ungrateful behind every day.

Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases may have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go. They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ''general'' discharge, an 'other than honorable'' discharge or, worst case scenario, a ''dishonorable” discharge after a few days in the brig.

So why then the flat-out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans? Say what you want but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds it leads and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells, and when criticized, try to defend their actions by 'justifying' them in one way or another Just ask why they tried to allow a murderer like O.J. Simpson to write a book about how he didn't kill his wife, but if he did he would have done it this way......Insane!

Turn off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as country There is exponentially more good than bad. We are among the most blessed people on Earth and should thank God several times a day, or at least be thankful and appreciative.' 'With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, 'Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?'

Let me encourage you to “Be Decisive” while all the time “Being Prayerful” while ”Being Happy”.

James 1:2-6
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

Be Committed 9/21/08

Listen to the Phyrst Church - 9/21/08
Have you noticed that when you are fully committed to issues that affect your life or to an important cause, goal or even a relationship; you become bold, decisive, gutsy and unstoppable and are able to attract support and resources from people who have the answers or the help you need? It’s almost like you become a totally different person! When you are committed, you have lots of energy and are driven by a strong sense of purpose to achieve what you want. You unlock the doors of your imagination, your vision expands and your creativity is boundless.
When you are not committed to something, you hesitate and are reluctant to move boldly toward the things you want. You become indecisive about the actions to take and all you really have are just mere wishes, promises, hopes and a fleeting interest with no solid action. If you find yourself dilly dallying about a project, ask yourself, “how committed am I?” There is an old joke: five frogs were sitting on a log when one of them decided to jump off. Can you guess how many were left sitting on the log? Five frogs— because deciding to jump doesn’t mean jumping! The lesson is that, your decisions to commit to important issues must be backed up by some form of tangible action or motion. Take a moment and consider your life and all the commitments you made to yourself and others


Caroline Jalango

Commitment quotes:
I like villains because there's
something so attractive
about a committed person -- 
they have a plan, an ideology, 
no matter how twisted. 
They're motivated.
?Russell Crowe 




The achievement of your goal is assured 
the moment you commit yourself to it.
?Mack R. Douglas 




Unless commitment is made, there are 
only promises and hopes; but no plans.
?Peter F. Drucker 



The uncommitted life isn't worth living.
?Marshall Fishwick 




A total commitment is paramount to 
reaching the ultimate in performance.
?Tom Flores 




The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion 
to their commitment to excellence, 
regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.
?Vince Lombardi

4 faces of Manhood
(Robert Lewis, The quest for Authentic Manhood)
1. The King Face - Proverbs 4:18, Proverbs 20:7
This face reflects Righteous Energy
This face is characterized by:
• Strong Convictions
• Courageous Moral choices
• A Servant Heart
• Righteous Leadership
2. The Warrior Face – 1 Timothy 6:11-12
This face reflects Conquering Energy
This face is characterized by:
• Initiative
• Protecting
• Providing
• Persevering
• Fighting

3. The Lover Face – Ephesians 5:25
This face reflects Romantic Energy
This face is characterized by:
• Tenderness
• Sensitivity
• Sacrificial Care
• Emotional Openness
• Physical affection

4. The Friend Face – Proverbs 17:17, Proverbs 27:17
This face reflects Connecting Energy
This face is characterized by:
• Loyalty
• Accountability
• Challenge
• Fun

Phyrst Church on WJACTV Last night!

Check out the Story here- Phyrst Church Story. Let me know your thoughts!

20 years old and younger Update.

Hey Phyrst Church, The Phyrst Pub has recently decided, because of outside influences, that 20 year olds and younger will no longer be aloud in the bar during our service hours. Because of this, I have had some interest in a possible podcast of the "Messages of Hope" given each Sunday night. Therefore, I will be recording the "Messages of Hope" from now on and placing them on this blog site. My prayer is that our community of Phyrst Church participants who are 20 years old and younger would not lose their connection to the Phyrst Church. I, along with the Phyrst Church team are trying to think of new ways to interact with this younger crowd. If you have any ideas, please send them my way.

Can't wait to see all of you under age peeps on your 21st birthday!
Blessings,
Jeremiah

Thoughts from David Crowder

This is from David Crowder's blog.

question 6: “i went to the show in cincinatti and there was alcohol being
served. i was shocked that it was being served at a christian concert. can you
tell me why it was being served?”

yes. i’m pretty sure that the bar was selling alcohol because it is a bar and
that’s what bars sell. they typically like to make money and so they buy things,
such as beers, from a distributor for a certain price and then mark it up to
sell to people so that they will get a profit and get to pay their employees and
get to stay open and such. alcohol is usually a pretty big seller for bars. i am
sorry this was shocking.

i might add, both historically and currently, there are many people who love
jesus, and follow him, that also enjoy alcohol regularly. if you have not
encountered these people first hand, you should attempt to enlarge your peer
circle and i think you’ll get a clearer picture of the diversity of the body of
christ. there are denominations and traditions that denounce alcohol, and there
are those that condone it. these beliefs are typically culturally specific and
attached to a particular sect's interpretations of a few particular passages in
scripture. i should state here that we, as a band and as individuals, do not, in
any way, condone drunkenness, as it is stupid, nor under-aged drinking as it is
also stupid and against the law, and trust that those in attendance at various
dates on our club tour are intelligent enough to arrive at both of these
conclusions as well. it is not very difficult to observe the damaging effects of
abusing alcohol. it is simple that way; abuse it, it abuses you back, most of
the time immediately.

(an aside: in my experience, most conversations about alcohol with those who
adamantly reject it as a possible beverage choice, present that it could cause a
brother to stumble. this is awful logic. apply this logic to various food items
ordered at your next public meal. there will doubtlessly be present various
numbers of people who struggle with obesity or high cholesterol or heart
disease, who would really love one of your cheesesticks. there will also be
those present who are vegetarian, myself included, who are attempting to not
ingest meat. i’m sure you see the trouble with this line of thinking. this was
the very argument that peter and paul were having regarding idol meat. i will
not attempt further argument here since there is plenty to find out there, if
one were truly curious, that would present things in a much more scholarly and
organized manner than i could hope to present it. i will also state here that i
shall not require you to cease your carnivorous ways while sharing a restaurant
with me.)

and finally, i should state the reasons we went on a tour that had as its venues
bars and clu bs exclusively. we wished for the story of god to be experienced
beyond the safety of our cloistered church environments. it was our deep hope
that many who would not frequent a bar would come join us and experience the
reality of the presence of god in an environment that they might not typically
suspect to experience such a thing in. we believe, if we are reading scripture
correctly, that once the veil was torn, that in an instant, suddenly, god was
everywhere. the symbolism and consequences of this moment are epic! the way
human beings access the maker of heaven and earth were forever changed.
suddenly, once and for all, through the ultimate sacrificial offering, suddenly,
he is everywhere. every second is lived in the very presence of god. there is no
moment that is not holy. there is no space that is not sacred. it is the
awareness of our reality that shifts, not this reality. therefore, all that is
needed is for our awareness to change and we begin to view spaces and people and
cultures and music and art and eating and drinking and sleeping and waking as
moments and spaces and places where god is already active and present. our hope
on this tour was to give people a physical, tangible experience of this reality.

Scott Mangene and the Mission

Listen to Scott Mangene and the Mission here

Be Comforted 9-14-08

“Be Comforted” - Chew on these thoughts

Statement of Comfort - “I am not, but I know I AM”

Forms of the verb: “to be”

Present tense:
I am, you are, He/She, It was, We are, You are, They are

Past tense:
I was, You were, He/She/It was, We were, You were, They were

Perfect Form (past participle):
I have been, etc.

Progressive Form (present participle)
I am being, etc.

It is hard for us to wrap our human minds around this concept of always being.

This life is a tale of two stories – one finite and frail, the other eternal and enduring. The tiny one – the story of us – is as brief as the blink of an eye. Yet somehow our infatuation with our own little story – and our determination to make it as big as we possibly can – blinds us to the massive God Story that surrounds us on every side.

Story of “What was I thinking? Story of the Sinking boat in Mexico.

How can I sink a boat in the middle of the ocean with out knowing that I am sinking a boat in the middle of the ocean? I think the same way you can live your entire life completely oblivious to the grand story of the Creator of the Universe that is unfolding all around you. The same way you can spend your days making so much of someone as small and transient as you or me, and so little of someone as glorious and eternal as God.

John 8:57-59
57 Then said the Jews unto him, You are not fifty years old, how have you seen Abraham?58 Jesus said to them, truely, I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am. 59 Then took they up astones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so bpassed by.

Would you find comfort in these words and verses in the Bible?

John 6:51:"I am the living bread.
John 8:23: And He said to them, "You are from beneath; I AM from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.
John 8:12: Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I AM the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."
John 10:9: "I AM the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture."
John 10:11: "I AM the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
John 11:25: Jesus said to her, "I AM the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live.
John 14:6: Jesus said to him, "I AM the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 15:1: "I AM the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
John 19:2: Therefore the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but, 'He said, "I am the King of the Jews."'"
Acts 9:5: And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" And the Lord said, "I am Jesus.

Jesus means (The Lord IS salvation). In Act 9:5 - Jesus is stating that in He and only He can salvation ever be found.

Exodus 3 - Moses asked ‘what is your name?’

Moses and the Burning Bush
1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up.
3 So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up."
4 When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!" And Moses said, "Here I am."
5 "Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground."
6 Then he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
7 The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.
8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.
9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them.
10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt."
11 But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"
12 And God said, "I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you [a] will worship God on this mountain."
13 Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?"
14 God said to Moses, "I am who I am . [b] This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.' " – Can you image this exchange between Moses and pharaoh? Who sent you? I AM, you are what? To be. To be what? No, He is. Who is? He was? He was what? He has always been and will forever be. What? My God. Jehovah, Yod Heh vav Heh. YaWEH
15 God also said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, 'The LORD, [c] the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.

May I AM comfort you in your time of need.
May I AM bring you to a place of hope, peace, and of joy.
May you hear the “Lord IS salvation” – Jesus’ call for you to “Come to me all who are weak and are carrying heavy burdens and I will give you REST (comfort).
This week may you Be Comforted by “I AM”.

Be Available 9-07-08

“B” – Our Theme for the next few weeks

I’m not talk about hepatitis B, Aunt B, or Killer B’s, BB King, Beyonce or Scooby dooby do, not R&B, a B&B or the B52’s. No not, Barbie, or that deer Bambi. Not a beacon of light, not a bebop artist. We will not be discussing how you can, “Be all that you can be”, beefeaters, beepers or Beanie Babies. No not beer guts, bbq or the BBC news. Not BF Goodrich, B movies, Vitamin B, the B&O Railroad, or your next B-day celebration. I would like for you to receive, though, a degree, a B.A., in what it means to be…be what? you ask. Our nature is to do…but I ask for you to consider "being".

Be Available - 9-07-08
Be Comforted - 9-14-08
Be Committed - 9-21-08
Be Decisive - 9-28-08
Be Determined - 10-5-08
Be Obedient - 10-12-08
Be Patient - 10-19-08
Be Satisfied - 10-26-08
Be Skillful - 11-02-08
Be Strong - 11-09-08
Be Holy , while Being Human - 11-16-08
What does Jesus Christ have to say about these B’s? That’s what we will discuss.


Week 1 - Be Available - I’m not talking about being obtainable, accessible and ready for use or service, no, I asking for you to consider being open, ready and willing for heart change. I am asking for your heart to be available for reconstruction.
Prayer: for the weeks to come and hearts to be open to Jesus.

Love and Justice meet at the Cross of Christ. There, Jesus hangs with outstretched arms, aching for a prodigal (extravagantly wasteful) world to return to him.

There are three crosses on this day of crucifixion, not just one. There is Jesus, but there are also two thieves being crucified who hang with him, one to the left and one to the right.

Both we are told, are thieves, of what? We have no idea. But there crime is great enough to warrant the cross of death. Teetering between life and death, between Heaven and Hell.

Teetering, One thief hurls insults at Jesus and the other thief reaches out to Jesus in faith and says, “Remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” These words were the last kind words spoken to Jesus before he died, spoken not by a religious leader, nor by a disciple or even his mother, but by a common thief.

But this is not the whole story. This is the account of the interaction between Jesus and the thieves in the book of Luke, but if we take a look at the book of Matthew we see a different perspective of the same story.

Read Matthew 27:38-44
Read Luke 23:32-43

What is going on? Is this a contradiction in the Bible? Did we find a mistake? No, on both accounts. Then what? I believe that we have two different perspectives of the same story and two different reasons for writing and retelling the story for the audiences of which each book was written. But more importantly we found a nugget of hope in the Bible meant for us to find. We found a heart being available.

Something happened to this thief.

He met the eyes of Christ.

Some say the Eyes are the pathway to the heart.

In those eyes the thief saw no hatred, no condemnation, no judgment, He saw only one thing…forgiveness.

Do you remember Jesus said, “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
Maybe the thief saw what Peter writes about later in the Bible about this moment.

"To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly." - 1 Peter 2:21-23

Just before Jesus died, he said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”

This is what the Thief saw. Then he knows he is face to face with a dying God.

His heart was changed because his heart was available even when he was on his death bed. More importantly, when Jesus is faced with an Available heart, salvation, paradise is given freely.