Tonight and tomorrow I wrap-up the 4TH glorious calendar year for me on this fantastic journey following, believing, trusting, loving, and thanking God. It’s a journey that unexpectedly started on a random August morning in 2006, and it just keeps getting more exciting as time goes on. I’m truly looking forward to what 2010 holds forth for me and those closest to me on this journey.
After more than 40 months one song on the vast soundtrack of this journey stands out a bit above the rest. It’s a bold and energetic song with a steady beat that calls on God by name no less than three times. It plays out like a passionate prayer with powerful words directed straight to our Lord Almighty:
I need You here with me to face the world outside
‘Cause I’m tired of “Sleeping In”
Open up my eyes, I’m tired of “Sleeping In”
In a world that’s dying to wake up
And it’s got me “Sleeping In”
– This morning we met corporately for the final time of the year and decade.
– Youth Pastor Mark S. filled in admirably for Lead Pastor Travis.
– Mark continued our “LoveWorn” message series and campaign.
– It was all about ‘Thread Bare Love’.
– It’s Love worn by us for others – our brothers, sisters, and neighbours.
– It’s comfortable, warm, and used – but still very full of Love for all.
– It’s appropriate everywhere – at home, school, work, stores, and in traffic.
– You don’t need to preach to teach what God is all about.
– The Bible says Love comes from God, for God is Love.
– Many people of this world don’t follow God because of His followers.
– Many of His followers don’t Love like God Loves.
– God instructs us to Love all of His creations – even those who don’t Love us.
– Love never wears out – it’s forever.
1 John 4:7-21 (NLT, 2ND Ed.) – Loving One Another 7 Dear friends, let us continue to Love one another, for Love comes from God. Anyone who Loves is a child of God and knows God. 8 But anyone who does not Love does not know God, for God is Love. 9 God showed how much He Loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal Life through Him. 10 This is real Love — not that we Loved God, but that He Loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God Loved us that much, we surely ought to Love each other. 12 No one has ever seen God. But if we Love each other, God lives in us, and His Love is brought to full expression in us. 13 And God has given us His Spirit as proof that we live in Him and He in us. 14 Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 16 We know how much God Loves us, and we have put our trust in His Love. God is Love, and all who live in Love live in God, and God lives in them. 17 And as we live in God, our Love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face Him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. 18 Such Love has no fear, because perfect Love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced His perfect Love. 19 We Love each other because He Loved us first. 20 If someone says, “I Love God,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t Love people we can see, how can we Love God, whom we cannot see ? 21 And He has given us this command: Those who Love God must also Love their Christian brothers and sisters.
Time: 6:34 AM – 7:18 AM
Sky: Clear
Temperature: 61°F
Dewpoint: 60°F
Relative Humidity: 94%
Winds: N 7 MPH
Barometric Pressure: 29.99 Rising
Here are my walking thoughts in 15 words or less:
– This morning I walked around my neighbourhood in the chill.
– After an 81°F Christmas Day afternoon 61°F felt so nice and comfy.
– Wind chills were actually well into the 50s during my walk.
– I felt those 50s as I walked northbound into the cold winds.
– I walked for 44 minutes – about 2.4 miles.
– All of our dumpsters were jammed and crammed with Christmas gift boxes.
– Dear City Of Homestead – Please empty our dumpsters as soon as possible.
– We’ve got garbage-eatin’ ducks ’round these parts !
– We’ve got a lot of flying bugs where I live.
– They appreciate all of the thick foilage and big lakes around.
– They also appreciated my face as I walked right through them.
– During my walk in the dawn of this new day it was peaceful and quiet.
– I talked directly to God, and I thanked Him for all of His great creations.
– I prayed for all of my friends and neighbours – believers and non-believers.
– I prayed that God would bless us all like only He can.
– I thanked God for giving me a second chance at Life, for I am reborn !
– For 30 years I said and did what the world told me to say and do.
– I did what was cool – even if it was bad for my mind and for my health.
– Now I’m cleansing my body of all that is bad.
– It’s a physical walk to heal and strengthen my body on this walk with God.
– My Dad can no longer walk or even stand up.
– He’s confined to a skinny bed in a nursing home for the rest of his life.
– He has Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis – also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
– I dedicate these physical walks to my Dad for all that I’ve learned from him.
– I thank my Father God for all that He’s blessed me with since He created me.
‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the ‘net – all my friends and fans kept checking – to see if a new blog post they could get. Have no fear, for here it is – a special Christmas Eve edition of the ‘Key Lime Pie’ from Chris – direct from our Plantation Key campus:
– Our campus in the upper Florida Keys is a tad over 38 miles from home.
– It’s generally a treacherous 45-minute drive one-way.
– It’s worth the miles and the drive to praise and worship Christ in public.
– In many countries around the world you can be sent to jail for doing that.
– We’re so lucky and fortunate to be able to live here in Freedom.
– God’s Kingdom is everywhere – even where there’s no freedom.
– There are no boundaries as to where God can reach you.
– He can reach you right there where you are right now.
– Even if you’re at hell’s gates of fire – He can rescue and save you.
– You’ve just got to believe and trust in Him.
– If you already believe and trust then share your faith with others.
– Let them see what Christ is doing deep within your mind, heart, and soul.
– At tonight’s Christmas Eve service we praised and worshipped Him.
– We sang some Christmas songs, as He listened intently.
– Our Kids Life kids sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to Jesus.
– Zech and I took turns reading Scripture out of Isaiah (7:10-14 / 9:2-7).
– Lead Pastor Travis read from Luke 1 & 2 – all about the birth of Jesus.
Luke 2:1-7 (NLT, 2ND Ed.) – The Birth Of Jesus 1 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2 (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. 4 And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.
Have yourself a very Merry Christmas my friends – my brothers – my sisters. Remember the real purpose of this most special of special days.
CountUp 