Weekend before Grandpa's Triple Bypass

So today I had the privilege and honor of hanging out with my Grandparents (dad's side) who live in Stokesdale NC. I call them Buelo and Buela which is short for grandpa and grandma in Spanish. Buelo just turned 81 on December 31st and He is in great shape for his age even though he needs triple bypass surgery. He is a vibrant, refined country gent who just got elected to Town Council. He is the God-fearing sort who plays golf at the country club, goes to the beach house when ever he feels like it, and has a made a good name for himself. He grew up dirt poor, farmed most of his life, raised cattle, and drove a truck while raising three kids. He got into the insurance business and has done really well, passing on the family business to his youngest child, my Auntie Angel. He loves to sing, and play guitar. Oh how I love him dearly.

He is getting triple bypass this Thursday because he has 90% 75% and 100% percent blockage in his arteries.

so anyway, today we went to mayflower, ate seafood, and then came back to the house to watch Country music and Bluegrass before going to bed. I like that!! We have had great conversations tonight about the Church, and the importance of music in the Church.

I know God is taking care of Buelo, and tonight, for the first time, I laid hands on him and Buela before going to bed and prayed over them. It was so intense, that I started to cry. Not the few tears, but the kind where if you don't stop to breathe you will pass out. The power of the Holy Spirit overcame us in that room and we all started crying as we thanked Jesus for His goodness. We all felt the power of the Holy Spirit as we lifted up Buelo and prayed protection over him and for God's healing to be present these next few months. I prayed over my grandma because she has dementia and she is scared to death of the possibility of Buelo not recovering from surgery. All I could really say clearly was Thank You Jesus for loving us, and for this family. This family is real love. You are real love.
We have an awesome intercessor for our prayers, and I praise God mightily.

I think I have seen them tear up once or twice, but I have never seen both of them cry.

Oh Gracious and eternal Father, I thank you from my innermost being that You have graciously placed me in a family where I can know Love. I am so thankful and blessed to have been adopted into a family who loves me, and who points me towards you. We are not all perfect, but You oh God, refine us with a fierce fatherly love, burning away our inequities through Your son Jesus Christ. I thank You in advance for the healing that will take place in Buelo whether it be in this life or the ultimate healing that will take place when You call him up. Strengthen us oh Lord so that we may be living examples for Your Glory in this time of need. Thank You Jesus for being the mediator, and for paying our sin debt. All glory, honor and praise to You oh Father, in Christ's Holy name, Amen and Amen.

Confessions of a dating man. Part 1. "Fear of The Lord"

When I look at my girlfriend, (who is amazing by the way, Praise God) I see Christ and His love and power in her. I see and feel the anointing of the Holy Spirit as she speaks life and truth into my life. Oh I will talk more about this heavenly creature, full of mystery, wonder, beauty and grace later on. But there is something about a Godly woman that captivates a man, yet at the same time scares him half to death. And I mean that with the utmost respect and honor. It is a good thing.

The thought of being in a relationship has always scared the daylights out of me, and even though I am in one, it still is scary. But what is the cause of this fear? For me at least, it is the "Fear of The Lord."
It is an awesome fear, one that speaks life in truth into this almost 23year old man of God. It is good to fear God, to acknowledge His holiness, His perfectness. Now without trying to go really deep, which I probably will, I need to draw out this fear, and why it is import in the walk of a Christian.

I am sorry for sounding a bit heady here. I am a Religious Studies Major, and sometimes the academic study of religion is helpful in the explanation of biblical terms......

Father I pray, that the words that I write will give You glory, and that Your words speak through me to reach those who read this expression of my soul. Amen.

What is the "Fear of the Lord?" What does it mean?

• Robert B. Strimple says, "It is the convergence of awe, reverence, adoration, honor, worship, confidence, thankfulness, love, and fear."
• Rudolf Otto (19:17) states that the fear of the Lord can be explained as numinous, that is wholly other, which is associated with meanings such as command, or divine majesty.
• C.S. Lewis, who wrote the book "The Problem of Pain," builds upon Otto's numinous, stating that the "Fear of The Lord" is to "feel wonder and a certain shrinking" or "a sense of inadequacy to cope with such a visitant of or prostration before it".
• This is a fear of out love, love for our Father who is the great I AM.

Let us now look at some scripture to draw this out, and the benefits of fearing the Lord, who loves us unconditionally. Proverbs, to me, is the best source of explaining this "Fear of the Lord" and it does so in a simple yet so powerful way.

• Proverbs 9:10 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."
• Proverbs 14:26 "In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, And his children will have refuge."
• Proverbs 14:27 "The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, That one may avoid the snares of death."
• Proverbs 15:16 "Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil."
• Proverbs 15:33. "The fear of the LORD is the instruction for wisdom, And before honor [comes] humility."
• Proverbs 16:6 By lovingkindness and truth iniquity is atoned for, And by the fear of the LORD one keeps away from evil."

• NOTE ( Hesed- is Hebrew for Lovingkindness which equals Christ. Christ is Hesed and truth.) To me this is the nature of Christ. Hesed and Truth, what does this mean? His death, that is to say His willingness to lay down His life so that we may have life in Him and through Him, is the atonement for our iniquity. When we have a relationship with Him, and when we fear the Lord, we keep away from evil.) There is of course more going on but I wanted to present an illustration using Christ. I hope that helps, I love that word Hesed, it is one of my favoraite words.

• Proverbs 19:23 "The fear of the LORD [leads] to life, So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil."

Okay, so I hope you get the point. Anyways the Holy Spirit speaks to me, and guides me in this whole relationship process.
I am spending a lot more time listening to God, which is exactly what Pastor Steven preached on this morning.
What about you? are you in a relationship with a wonderful woman of God, trying to be the Man of God that God has created and called you to be? If so, take heart, relax, and remember that God wants so badly for us to be in awe of Him, and to listen as He guides us. I mean relax in the sense not to get lazy, but to give all your fears and doubts to Him, not to Satan, the father of lies.

Proverbs 16:9
In his heart a man plans his course,
but the LORD determines his steps.

The fear of the Lord is so awesome. It builds character, builds boldness and confidence in who you are and Who's you are. I like that. Don't you?

how to turn "Waiting on God" into "Running With Your Heart"

So I can be very impatient at times, like really!! One thing that really bothers me is having to wait in line for things. I am ADD/ADHD, whatever, and I just can't sit or stand still for very long time without getting restless.

Which reminds me of how frustrated I get sometimes when people say "Oh well you need to just wait on God," when I am going through a trial in my spiritual life. "Let go and let God." Oh man that floors me because people usually do not tell me how to wait on God. How do I "let go and let God?"
"What do you mean?" "Do I just sit around, and do nothing?" "Or, should I be doing something?"

I think people just say that a lot ( me included) to other people without thinking. It is like the "Christian thing to say." Its good to tell others to wait on God before making bad decisions, or continuing in negative thought which can leave you feeling alone and unloved. But what does that mean?

I believe that God does want us to wait on Him. In his Word, God says in Psalm 27:14.

Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.
But the lie that Satan uses to trick us into becoming static is something like this: "Oh well yes, wait on God, sit back, do nothing, and maybe if you wait long enough, God will do something." "Just wait around, and in time, God will do something...probably....well not really.....okay, you gotta act now"

The danger in doing nothing, is that you are doing something: running away from God. Not God running away from you, you are running away from Him. God is not a God of just waiting around. He is not a static God who wants you to pick a number, and get in line ( the whole time you are complaining about just standing around).

Waiting on God means that you keep praying, you keep asking God to give you revelation. You still go to Church, you still read your Bible, and seek counsel from His Word. I know it is easy to get frustrated, but as Pastor Perry Noble of NewSpring says, "how can you expect to get any revelation from God when you are frustrated with God?"

Remember Paul said in Romans 12:12
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."
Waiting is an action the requires us to be joyful in the hope we have in Christ. To be patient in affliction by praying, always without ceasing.

I have been more mindful and intentionally in how I use my mouth to give advice from the Lord. I do not want to use some cliche in place of pouring out what God has on my heart. Now I explain what waiting on God really means. There are tons of verses that can help a person who is struggling with waiting, and it would take me all day to say them. But I just wanted to use the ones that spoke to my heart.

Remember that you are more than a person standing in line, you are more than just some guy/girl. You, as Pastor Steven Furtick says, are a "Divine Design with a Divine Destiny." Go claim it, do not loose heart, keep praying, keep looking, watching, praying, asking, seeking, knocking.

I hope these last verses really encourage you as you struggle with waiting.
1 Corinthians 16:13
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.
Matthew 11:12
From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.

THAT IS HOW YOU TURN WAITING ON GOD INTO RUNNING WITH YOUR(not just your, but YOUR) HEART!!!

Advice for Single guys part one!!!

ADVICE FOR SINGLE GUYS-PASTOR PERRY NOBLE OF NEWSPRING!!!!


enough said!!!

Short and Sweet!!!

Visionary Love, Dream Sex: late night ramblings

So after listening to Visionary Love, Dream Sex part one:Attraction for the second time, here are some of the things that spoke to my heart. Sorry I will ramble a bit, but here it goes.

• Be attracted to someone's name: a person's name reflects their character, their reputation. There is a lot in a name... ie JESUS. I personally am more attracted to a person's character than their physical appearance. They could be the hottest thing since sliced bread, but its their character in Christ that I am really focused on.

• I have been learning more and more these past 2 years to be a better banner, a covering of Love. To cover my sister's in Christ, to protect them, and their hearts, as would Christ do. It is not always easy, and sometimes it is very painful. I am finding more and more that it requires me to listen more, and then speak. But speak what God has placed on my heart and not just my opinions.

• But the joy, and the fruit of being a banner is that I get to see God move in their lives. I am learning more and more to call out their potential, and encourage their hearts. Prayer is really the key, and God is really the one who is doing all of this. I am just so excited to see my sister's in Christ become bold, unashamed, and sold out for Christ.

• The good thing about having pure, Godly friendships with my sister's in Christ, is that I get to see real live models of how a Woman of God should live her life. I do have close guy friends, and I do spend a lot of time with the fella's, just fyi haha.
  

• These women have taught me the standards that a woman of God should have.
  

• The best example is my mom. She embodies a Godly Woman. Always striving to grow closer in Christ. Always encouraging me, and calling out my potential. I love my mom very much, and I am so thankful to have her in my life. She has always helped me to find my confidence in Christ.
  

well I guess I am done for now... not really, but I gots stuff to do.

Women, pray hard about a guy who is pursuing you. Please do not settle for less than God's best.
I beg you from the bottom of my heart, please do not give in to sexual temptation, and let some guy put his hands all over your body.

Guys, relax, get an accountability partner or group. Focus more on your spiritual walk, than your body. Don't date women just because they are "hot" The most attractive thing should her walk with Christ. Yes duh, looks are big, but "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised."-Proverbs 31:30

If you can not be a leader and cover your sister's in Christ in your friendships, what makes you think you can be a leader in a relationship. Wake Up!!!
Seriously, get the whole putting the hands all over her body thing under control.

Pursue through Prayer, always, never stop. Always intercede for your sister's in Christ, and for the person you are interested in/relationship with.

One Thing I have learned...God has revealed this to me...
Do not pray for a girl that you are interested because you think that it will build up credit for you, and make God okay with your stupid self dating her. Instead pray for her because you are excited to see God move in her life, and because you are a man of God. ouch, that stings.

Women, seriously, be modest. Don't be a hoochie, and really, showing your boobs and all that junk, really makes you look slutty. I believe it is one of the most frustrating things for a Man of God. If you want to attract Godly men, then dress with modesty. AND NO DRUNK PICTURES ON FACE BOOK.

Sorry, I just needed to ramble... stressful week with school. Not directed at anyone, just at the World.

Visionary Love, Dream Sex

What an awesome day today!!
The sermon was just so ummm AWESOME!!
God really brought the Word, and it really hit home!!

Just so much to process.... I will write about it when I listen to the Sermon again.

WOW!!

Praise God!!!

I am just so excited!!

Vision Casting, next steps in this process in order to be more of the man that God created me to be!!!

Stay Tuned!!!!

Mean while, Elevation Made the Front Page Paper!!

Check it out!!
A Cool Pastor, And A Hot Church

Actively Single, or Passively Single? This past month...

So this past month has been amazing for me. God has really been stretching and pulling me. He has moved me out of my comfort zone.

I started off these past month passively single. I was talking with Danah and Womack today at Java's and their friend came up with this theory, that Pastor, and other pastors have talked about for ages. Brett's theory is simple, yet so powerful.
Here it is:
Are we passively single, that is not content, not taking full advantage of our singleness to advance God's Kingdom. OR Actively Single, that is content, knowing full well that we are God's hands, and that we are called right now, to live, fully, and boldly in our singleness to advance God's Kingdom. Do we set our aim on things higher than this world, honed in to God's Holy Spirit? If we are actively single, than we are caught up in matters of God's Kingdom.

1 Corinthians 7:32-35

This reminds me of the many talks, I have had with my Entourage.
I don't have it all together, I make mistakes, I mess up. I worry, I get stressed out, and one issue for me is this whole singleness thing.
This past month, God has shown me where my fault has been on this issue.
Yes I am doing ministry, yes, I am advancing God's Kingdom, but I have been yearning for my wife. ya know, looking, searching, daydreaming.
I have wonderful friends who have prayed for me, and still are, friends who care about me, and who want to see me reach new places in Christ Jesus.

I firmly believe that God uses people around us, people in our lives, not just our friends but random people, to speak life and truth into our lives.

I have realized that I have not been embracing my singleness. I have not been joyfully enjoying this season of my life.
God has shown me what great credibility I have as a single man of God. I have this great and special opportunity to live my life as a witness to others who are struggling with this same issue.
I can relate to others, and encourage others using the Gospel. I can be fully focused on God's affairs because I am single.

I am a better man today, because I have finally let God fill me up, and breathe His creative power in me. I have stopped fighting God, and just let His truth take hold in my life.

I am excited about this season now. I am fully content, knowing full well that He has that special wife out there for me. This has been a struggle of mine. Even though I have not had a gf in over a year, I still have been pursuing possible candidates.

Just because this world tells me to not wait, does not mean that God is telling me to not wait. In fact He is working so mightily in my life right now, that the best thing for me to do is to stay focused and stay in the race, running for the prize. In other words, to just chill out on this whole finding a wife business and focus fully on seeking and saving that or those who are lost by being an example.

Who do you have in your life who has your back? Who do you have in your life who will speak life and truth into your life, whether you want to hear it or not?
I pray that you have somebody. I know I have quite a few, and that is very frustrating at times because I am hard headed.

Praise God!!!!

"The More I Seek You"

Okay, so at first, I was very reluctant to watch this video by Kari Jobe,(click on the name for the video) that my friend Meredith Workman recommended. I guess it was the fact that I would probably end up crying my eyes out, and all that mushy stuff. (many of you already know I have a soft side, shh let us not tell the whole world)

Well I just have to say that you have to watch it. And try to find some room to move around, or lay out.
Also get a box of tissues, because you are going to cry. Yes, Yes, I cried. I throughly enjoyed this video.

• Just me and my Maker, alone, spending intimate quality time, breathing life and peace into my soul. Being filled up with His creative Power. His Creative Life. A peace that transcends all understanding (phil 4:7).

Here is the progression....

• A whirlwind of thoughts and emotions
• a raging sea of anxiety
• Only to be tranquiled by a still small whisper...
  
• A whisper that is so quite, so within me, yet so powerful, it created the heavens...something I cannot wrap my mind around, yet melts my heart at the thought of it... a whisper that I yearn to hear from God each and every day.
• The sense of worth, the feeling of knowing that I am a Divine Design, with a Divine Destiny.
• The joy of having loved ones who love me for who am I.
  I could go on and on... but let us focus on the peace.
  

"I melt in your peace, it's overwhelming."
THE LYRICS ARE:

The more I seek you,
the more I find you,
The more I find you, the more I love you

C:I wanna sit at your feet
drink from the cup in your hand.
Lay back against you and breath, here your heart beat
This love is so deep, it's more than I can stand.
I melt in your peace, it's overwhelming
(From Top)

Chorus:4x

JASON UPTON CONCERT pt 1

So last night, I drove from Charlotte to Winston-Salem to hear Jason Upton at First Assembly Of God in down town Winston-Salem with AJ, Jordyn, Justin, Tim, Rachel(Jordyn's mommy) and others from Victory Fellowship. It was amazing. Jason Upton's prophetic singing and his ability to truly bring the WORD is breath taking. It was down right encouraging and offensive, as I believe it should be.

I really saw the SPIRIT move last night. I really saw the power of God through Jason and the WORD challenge yet affirm people last night. I journaled a lot during the concert, and I took some very good notes.

Fire Burning In The Sky By Jason Upton really spoke to my heart, as well as others around me. God's message through Jason Upton was to "Lay it all down for the heart of Heaven," Which reminded me of Acts 20:24:
24However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.

Jason Upton sang again and again "Whom the SON sets FREE is FREE INDEED," and that means that is offensive and encouraging at the same time. It is scary because that requires us to lay it all down, and to surrender all to Jesus. "To truly be free, means to be fully controlled by Jesus." ~Jason Upton. It is something that takes a lifetime and then some. When we accept Christ, we are free from Death, but in order to live freely, that means we have to focus on the Christ, and model ourselves after Him. That means we have to be in the Word daily, pray daily ( I mean intimate time with God, intimate prayers, life changing prayers) not just for ourselves, but for our World.

OKAY SO I WILL PICK UP IN THE NEXT POST, THIS ONE IS GETTING TOO LONG HAHA

Prince Caspian part 1

If you have not seen Price Caspian, then you should go see it ASAP!!!

I'm gonna go to bed, but I just wanted to say, that it was Awesome!!!!
Some of the best parts of the movie was when Aslan was talking to Lucy.
I will write more about those quotes in the morning, and more scripture.

but for now

It was good to go to the movies by my self, with 7 other people in the theater. I just felt the prescence of God so strongly tonight. The peace of Christ that Transcends all understanding.... (Phil 4:7), really was upon me tonight. I kept coming the to brink of tears tonight because I was just so in Love with Jesus. I just felt so deeply and intimately connected with His heart tonight. It was just plain breathtaking.

God is just moving so much in my life, and in my heart, that it is hard to explain.
I just feel the breath of God. A sigh of contentment in singleness, and a sigh of being full, overflowing right now. God will call me to keep moving, keep changing, but right now, this very brief moment, I feel full, and I can just stop and rest, to bask in His Glory.

That's it.
Praise God!!!!

Marriage???

So I am going out of town this weekend to my friend Aaron's wedding in Durham.
I am have the honor of being the Emcee. I get to announce when the dances are, the cutting of the cake, ya know the stuff. It is gonna be awesome.
Plus in the morning, Aaron's friend's dad is gonna open up the UNC pool in Chapel Hill, and we get to play extreme water polo with inner tubes!!! We may even go for a run. YAY!!
I am also going home to spend some time while mom is on a youth choir retreat. That will be AWESOME TIME!!

More to the point... Here is a list of qualities I look for in a wife, fyi for all those readers out there haha. I think I will put some of the top ones.

1. Sold out for Jesus- A Proverbs 31 Woman.
   
2. Beautiful ( I know sounds shallow, but come on now, lets all be honest here) Of course she will be the most beautiful person to me, duh she'll be my wife. Hot Hot Hot!!
3. Pastor's wife. Since I am called in the ministry, I think it will be important that my wife will be okay with being a Pastor's wife.
   
4. Someone who is compassionate about others and seeing life change that can only come from Jesus and His love, grace and mercy.
   
5. Good communicator: someone who is not afraid to tell me what is on her heart, and correct me when I am wrong. I want to have a healthy marriage, and everyone who is married says that communication is the key, especially in the hard times. (boldness)
   
6. Someone who can lend me a wise word. I believe that every believer has wisdom that comes from Christ, but I want my wife to be a Proverbs 31:26 woman.
7. Sense of humor. I am a crazy guy, well spaz is more like it. Someone who can be sarcastic at times- dish it out and take it.... thats just me haha.
   
8. A gracious wife. Someone who is full of God's grace, cuz Lord knows I am gonna need a lot of grace as a husband haha.
   
9. I believe that my wife will be a good encourager. As a man, I need constant encouragement to continue in God's Will. When I do fail, I believe my wife will encourage me to seek Christ, and take the steps to correct my wrongdoing.
   
10. Someone who takes a more logical view of life. I am very emotional, and in some cases, I do not look at things from the logical point of view. (ask my dad, he is helping me in that) Not saying she cannot be emotional(thats great!!), but someone who can compliment me.
11. Someone who is Baptized with the Holy Spirit. A wife who can intercede on mine, my family's, and other's behalf. I want my wife to have that intimate prayer tongue with Jesus, and intimate prayer life that comes only from receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
12. Athletic. Yes, someone who takes care of her body is very important to me. Since I do triathlons, I want a wife who likes to keep in shape. I am not saying that she has to be like an iron woman, or a professional athlete. Just a wife who does not mind working out.

These are some of the most important qualities that I believe God has placed on my heart when looking for a wife.

I know people have asked me this question multiple times, and I have decided to write them down.

Spur one another on to love and good deeds. (Hebrews 10:24)

I want to be that Ephesians 5:25-33 husband.

Hope you enjoyed what is on my heart!!