Hey, It’s OK to Look and Act like a Teenager

Life is pretty tough at times, isn’t it?  There’s pressure on every side to conform to what the world around you wants rather than to what God wants.  There’s pressure to wear the “right” thing, “act” the right way, go to the “right” places.  Life is not easy.  Hebrews 4:15 says “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin.”  Again, this verse says Jesus “has been tempted in every way, just as we are.” 

YEAH. SURE, you may say…He didn’t have to live in my day, go to my school or be accepted by my friends.  How could He even begin to know what it’s like?  Because Jesus, being all God, became human by taking on flesh, He allowed himself to be JUST LIKE US.  He felt loneliness, He felt abandonment, He felt betrayed, He felt unaccepted, He felt disappointment and heartbreak…He felt DIFFERENT!  He was also at one time a Teenager, just like you.  He felt every pressure and temptation that you feel.  That’s why you can bring everything to Him.  He does know what you’re going through.  And He cares!

You say “But, I’m too young, I have things I want to do in life, being a Christian is too stuffy and regimented…”  How are you different from kids who aren’t Christians?  No, I know you don’t have a third eye or six toes on each foot.  And no one expects you to dress like your Dad/Granddad.  Hey, it’s OK to wear your team jerseys, it’s OK to wear Hollister, Aeropostal, Vans and ball caps…Hey it’s OK to look and act like a teenager!  However, YOU ARE EXPECTED TO BE DIFFERENT!

Scripture tells us “NOW you are the people of God” (1 Peter 2:10).  The NOW represents change, newness, an indication that in times past, before the “NOW”, you were NOT the people of God and you were subject to the rule and authority of this world.  But, “NOW” you are no longer subject to the rule and authority of this world, BUT you are “NOW” – “a CHOSEN people, a ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, a HOLY NATION, a people BELONGING to God, that YOU may declare the praises of Him who called YOU out of darkness into His Marvelous Light.” (1 Peter 2:9)  Get it?  YOU BELONG TO GOD!

Being “Different” as a Christian means making sure that EVERYTHING you do reflects in a positive manner on God. 

Be a teen:  Be a teen that is kind.  Be a teen that is thoughtful towards others.  Be a teen that is honest.  Be a teen that is trustworthy.  Be a teen that has integrity.  Be a teen using words:  to edify, to equip, to help and to encourage…not to put down or to shame. 

Be a teen that can say “NO” because you’ve already said “YES” to Christ!

BE GOD’S TEEN, the very best person you can be!

Hearing God...Here?

This Monday morning was typical of every other Monday morning until… 

Let me start from the beginning.  As many of you are aware, Monday mornings are mornings that are filled with conversations concerning the previous weekend’s events, sports scores, triumphs and gatherings.

Well, this Monday started out much the same as every other Monday preceding this one, except the story that was shared today was one of revelation.  Here’s how it went: “Keith, are you busy, can I tell you about my weekend?” “Sure, I said, have at it!”  “I was bored this weekend and was discussing with a friend during a chat session on our computers, that, here it is, the weekend, and we are both logged on to Facebook… I do this way too often”.  The friend replies “Let’s go out…let’s hit a club and have a few drinks and perhaps you can get your “dance on”.  Being that my friend loves to dance, they hit the club/bar. 

Upon arrival, there was something different.  Being a [self-proclaimed] “great dancer” (my personal jab at my friend, hahaha), my friend found it odd that the urge to dance was not felt on this particular evening (not that there is anything wrong with dancing). 

As my friend sat at the bar, God began to speak!  Over the noise of the bar, over the loud music and even over the voice that would plead with my friend to ignore what was happening…God Spoke!  God spoke so vividly and so precise these words…”YOU ARE BLESSED”.

God not only spoke but He revealed to my friend, as if watching a movie, the many times that He had been there, the blessings that He had provided, the love that He has given and His constant presence and confirmation of His promise that He would never leave us nor forsake us…He never withdrew Himself…even when things were done/said that were not according to His Will.

My friend couldn’t wait to come in this morning to speak of what God has spoken to them.  It wasn’t the typical game scores, nor of the conquests on the dance floor, but… that God spoke in a place where they would least expect to hear God! 

Think about it, my friend has had God on their mind ALL WEEKEND!  My friend came to work this morning with their mind on Jesus!  My friend came to talk to others and to tell about the time that God reaffirmed His love for them! 

If God can bless in a nightclub, He can indeed bless us anywhere and at anytime!  HALLELUJAH!!!

When God speaks, there is nothing that can interrupt what He has to say…NOTHING!

Children's Ministry - Top Priority!

I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.  So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.  "And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on My behalf is welcoming Me.  

But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in Me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.  

"What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting.

- Jesus, Matthew 18:3-7

Controlled by Time?

Have you ever noticed how we are continually manipulated by time?  Time dictates when we wake up, when we are to eat and when we are to go to sleep.  We keep time devices on our nightstands, in our pockets and on our wrists.  We can find timekeeping devices embedded in our cars, microwaves, refrigerators, ovens, computers, stereos and telephones (landlines and cell phones).

With all of this attention on time, to be on time, to complete on time…no wonder we’re stressed out!  We have too much and so much to account for , so much and too much to deliver and so many and too many places to be…on time!

I remember a few years ago having lunch at Union Station here in Washington D.C.  I was sitting in a restaurant that overlooked the main concourse of the station.  It is very picturesque and very striking to behold all of the artistry that is a part of Union Station.  As I sat there, I couldn’t help but notice all of the doors/entrances and exits that seem to surround this main concourse.  We were literally in the middle of the Station! 

I started to think, where are all of these people headed and why does it seem that they are all in a hurry?  I saw people walking fast, some were running while others were obviously upset because of running late (my assumption).  What were they late for?  What were their hopes and dreams?  What appointment will now be missed because of missed connections at the station? What was it in their mind that they now felt was delayed?  Where is their final destination to be?

While these things are stress factors for most of us, the CLOCK continues to tic and tic and tic….  Time never stops, therefore we never stop!  We never stop to pay attention to the important things in life, we never stop to take in the beauty; the picturesque view of what God has created!   We never stop to say thanks!  With all of this perpetual motion, when and how do we find rest?  How are we to relieve the stress and the conditions that cause stress in our lives?

Isaiah relates God’s Word as given to him by saying “For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: In returning to Me and resting in Me you shall be saved; in quietness and in [trusting] confidence shall be your strength…” Isaiah 30:15

If you have found yourself busy with the things of life and life has been stressing you out, return back to the one who can give you Peace, to the one who can give you Comfort, to the one who can restore your Joy!  This is one connection that we all MUST make…don’t miss it!!

Return and re-establish your relationship with Jesus, the Christ!  He says “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

The Time is NOW, tomorrow is not guaranteed…to any of us!

Emptiers

Our Fuel Gauge/Fuel Warning Light say EMPTY But That Isn't the Case!


“… For the Emptiers have emptied them out…” (Nahum 2:2b)

OK, it appears as if we’ve all got that one person, that one thing, that one thorn in the side that seems to be RELENTLESS at stealing your joy, stealing your ambition, stealing your confidence! We ponder, we speculate that perhaps it’s us and we look for mistakes or misspoken words that we may have uttered, we look for misunderstandings and we look for reasons. However, please know that there are forces that are assigned to keep you off balance, to keep you in a state of confusion, to keep you from the abundant living that has been promised to you in Christ. The enemy has assigned his forces to do just as he does…to Kill, Steal and Destroy.

Oftentimes, the attack will seem to come from those closest to you…family and friends and even co-workers! Sometimes the family and friends you love most can contaminate the pureness of the Word God gave you on Holy ground. They have known you from birth, and they often become the “hometown naysayers” who doubt your ability to do a supernatural task at God’s command.

However, Ephesians 6:12 warns us that “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. “.

Jesus says “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

So, instead of feeling empty, depressed, joyless…Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute! Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious--the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies. (Philippians 4:4-9 The Message Bible)

Declare TODAY that I am no longer empty, but I’M FULL OF HIS LOVE!

Good Morning!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. (John 1:1-5)


What a wonderful representation of what God has done and is doing in the lives of His people. This occurs every day…the sun rises! Each day we ought to slow down enough to take in the awesomeness of God, how He has created newness for each of us, how He has brought us out of the darkness, how He has shed light upon our future, how He continues to raise the Son in our lives each and every day.

The word “Morning” means the first or early period of “anything”. When we say “Good Morning” we are signifying that the first shall be “Good”. Therefore, if we begin our day with He who is the Bright and “Morning” Star or He who is the “first” He will shine so brightly in you and your day that it could be nothing but “Good”.

Anything that is dark is counterfeit, masked, concealed. Do away with dark thoughts; Do away with dark knowledge; Do away with dark deeds! STEP INTO THE LIGHT, HIS MARVELOUS LIGHT!!!

“In Him is Life and that Life is the Light of men!”

When we greet one another today with a “Good Morning”, think about why it is so good. It is because Christ has come to free us from the grip of darkness, to light the pathway so that we may no longer stumble, He has come to give us Hope, Peace, Love and Joy!

GOOD MORNING!

A Made Up Mind

A few weeks ago my wife decided to take the Training Wheels off of my daughter’s bike. Training Wheels are designed to add stability to the bicycle for young and inexperienced riders. They provide the familiarity of riding all the while safeguarding the rider from taking a fall. This familiarity of riding last only for a little while, when all of a sudden the rider notices something different about the bike that they are riding and the bike that a more skilled rider is actually riding. You see, Training Wheels, although useful during the season that they are needed, does have limitations. You can’t go as far or as fast with Training Wheels, you can’t ride everywhere and anywhere you want on Training Wheels, uneven ground causes those of us who are still using our Training Wheels to spin our wheels without actually moving (Training Wheels are stuck and the actual tire is just rotating gaining no ground).


Spiritually, some of us are still on our Training Wheels. We have become comfortable riding in circles on the driveway, never venturing out to see that there is so much more out there for us. Not knowing how awesome we are as God’s created wonder! We’ve placed boundaries where there should be no boundaries and we’ve placed limits where there are to be no limitations.

People of God, we must have a Made Up Mind that we can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens us, that we can stop moving in circles not going anywhere, not gaining any ground, not maturing, not growing into what God has called us to be! We have to come into the knowledge and understanding that obstacles are simply opportunities for God to display His awesomeness in our lives.

We need to have Made Up Minds to overcome our dependence (Training Wheels) on drugs, alcohol, preoccupation of others opinions and acceptance, and arrogance. Let’s move out of our driveways to announce the goodness of God and the Salvation that is ours through and in Jesus, The Christ!

Just yesterday, my daughter made up her mind that on this particular day, she was going to ride her bike like a big girl. She has now discovered that not only can she do what she once thought was undoable, but now she is realizing that there is so much more ground to cover outside of her driveway! Look Dad, I’m not going in circles anymore! The road that she is now riding on has no limitations but unlimited possibilities!

But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded – 2 Chronicles 15:7

Life Lessons

This past Labor Day Weekend of 2010, I planned a trip back to my hometown in Pennsylvania for a Golf Outing with my Class of ’84 Classmates. During this planning, I decided that I would take my boys with me and just have a “guys” weekend…it would do them good to take a trip as we’ve not traveled on vacation this year. Keith Jr has started his senior year in High School and I especially wanted to make a little time with him to bond even more as he is on the verge of manhood.


Once we arrived, we were blessed to be surrounded by lifelong friends. Almost immediately, the stories of old were being shared. I must add that most of those stories, although great, were often very, very over-the-top… sports accolades and accomplishments were told about me to my boys. I could see the sparkle in their eyes as they heard one thing after another concerning their Dad. They were excited and proud of their birth name “White” as this was how everyone yelled out to me while visiting “Hey White, it’s been a long time…”, “Hey White, remember when you…” – being called simply “White” had its purpose…being a twin, they wouldn’t confuse me for Ken and vice versa.

The life lesson taken from this visit wasn’t even given by me, it was given by Ken. He and Keith Jr were talking during our visit and Ken asked him “Well, what do you think? How do you think of your Dad now?” Keith answered “Everybody knows my Dad! I would like to live here” Ken answered my son “Your Dad made a name for him here and is well respected. In order for you to do/be the same, you will have to make your own name and gain your own respect. The respect that you are looking for is earned.”

As Keith Jr was sharing this lesson with me on the way home, we passed Frostburg State University…the college that Ken’s youngest daughter is attending as a freshman. Keith Jr. said “Dad, that’s my school.” I do believe that he is going to work hard to get into school, to contribute positively to society and to earn his respect!

My moniker on this website is “The Same but Different” and that is what took place in the mind of my son. Because of this trip and wise council and having an open mind, Keith Jr. has renewed passion to become all that he can, to be respected and to be an example to others! I’ve taken notice of my son…he’s “The Same but Different”!

Why don’t we all follow the example of Uncle Kenny and take the opportunity to speak positive life lessons into those we love so as to make a difference in the life of another!

Saved or Safe?

How would you, the church, describe your “Redeemed Life” in Christ? Are you living a Saved life or a Safe life? In not so many words, this very question was presented during a Bible Study. So I pose it again here.

What does it mean to be the church? Has Salvation become a status, a position, or even a condition that we have become self-satisfied and content in -- SAFE?

There is nothing that indicates that the church should be inactive and complacent, but have we become just that?

Christ’s example to us was in His coming from heaven to earth (from the church to the streets) to pull us up and out of the mock and mire of this world. To clean us up and set our feet on solid ground.

Picture Christ in a deep gorge of filth, grime, dirt - - sin! He is there chest deep in the mess reaching down to pull us out, calling our names, rescuing us from what seems to us a hopeless situation. Although he is chest deep, there is no sin in Him. He is not infected by the sin of this world.

When we are touched by Christ and repent from our sins and receive His forgiveness, He SAVES us…in other words he inoculates us. We are then called to go out and to get into the mock and mire with Him to pull out our brothers and sisters. We need to rid ourselves from the fear of becoming infected, congregating among those who look like and act like we do…living SAFE. We have received the vaccine, and we have been healed and covered with the perfect Blood of Jesus!

So be encouraged, you have been vaccinated and you will not become infected again. Stop living the SAFE life. Christ says “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.” Turn back and lend a hand to someone in need and in order to extend your hand, we must be where we can reach them. We can’t reach them in the safety of our church buildings when they are in the streets and back-alley ways. We must go where they are. Christ left His place of worship to come to us…

The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest.

Witnessing...The First Thing!

For those in your family….

John 1:40-42 says that “one of the two who heard…followed Jesus. The first thing he did was to find his brother and tell him. We have found the Messiah (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.” Birthdays, Valentine’s Day, Anniversaries, and Christmas are some of the occasions along with many others that we search for the perfect gift to give those that are close to us. There is no greater gift than the gift of Salvation. Jesus told the disciples that “you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). In other words, witness where you currently are (home) then spread out to the neighborhood, then to the city, then to the county, then to the state, then to the outer regions of all of the earth. Are we witnessing in our homes and in our families? Are we witnessing to our neighbors or neighborhood? If not, why not? What hinders us? Is it that we feel that we would lose our relationship with loved ones; perhaps our neighbors would label us fanatics. The truth is that if we are afraid to lose someone we need to realize that if we withhold the gift of Salvation, they are already lost.

Pay close attention to the photo. Although we have a lot of things in common (age, looks, background, etc) there was one very important difference...one is alive and is living an abundant life in Christ, the other was not. Can you tell which one?

On the outside, we all look OK, but on the inside we can be dead. We have to ask the question to those we encounter "Do you know Jesus the Christ for yourself?”, and if not, to introduce them to Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Restlessness

O Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away. Ps. 139:1-2

We hide parts of ourselves, certain feelings and thoughts - from God, ourselves, and others. To be whole, we need to express our true selves before God! He already knows but He requires our trust in Him...that He will work it out, that it will look like the vision already shown you, that you will have peace and rest and be rewarded for your labor! He loves you and will bring you rest!

Let go and let God! Worry no more of this thing that is making you restless...God is already speaking over it...IT IS FINISHED!!