Yesterday my lovely wife sent me a email from across the room and today I finally got around to opening it and I watched a video that is titled "Christmas with a capital C"

Do you say Merry Christmas or are you afraid of what others will say if you do?

Regardless…watch this video  

There is a choice you must make—Money Or God!

Today most of us are caught up chasing the all mighty dollar and it is a choice!

Wheather it is the latest and greatest new car to come out of the new iphone or ipod, it just doesn't end. The other night I was watching our local news and on Thanksgiving night, people began lining up early in the day to get in line for the opening of the doors of the great lure of the bargin at the local mall in South Portland.

People were interviewed and some had been there for 3 days camping out to be first in line to grab the "Deals" to get a new laptop at a very good price.

These people totally missed Thanksgiving and instead of being thankful for what they have and those in their lives, they we more concerned about what they can buy. And many of them professed on T.V. that they were not their to shop for others, but to BUY FOR THEMSELVES…

Continuing to watch the next day they showed this mall somewhere in the country where 1000's and 1000's of people where herding outside the mall waiting for the doors to open. As the doors flew open people rushed the doors, pushing and shoving each other and running into the stores to gobble up not a thanksgiving dinner, but STUFF…Not to be thankful for loved ones in their lives, but thankful that the laptop was only $295.00 and they were going to fill their empty hearts and minds with stuff and think that that is going to satisfy them.

It was sad to watch as we stumble into the stores to gobble up and grab what the media tells us will satisfy us. We have become a self centered and selfish world. Very Sad indeed. None of it will hold satisfaction in your life, it will only serve to prolong your unfulfilled desires, until the "Next Deal" comes along. Then you will toss out that 6 month old cell phone because now there is one that is way better than that old useless cellphone you got for Christmas.

Jesus said it well in Matthew 6:24 "No one can server two master, Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot server both God and Money."

Who Do you Serve?  Money Or God?

Today, it is apparent that God has been tossed aside and we will watch this holiday season unfold as a time to get the goods instead of getting the goodness that Jesus came to give us— Eternal life !

God Help Us All! 

In doing my daily bible reading I came across Romans 2. When reading Romans 2 it became clear that being humble and not judgmental is an area that God looks at closely. One of the areas we are challenged at is not comparing our faith to others. I know that I have been guilty of this and have listed to the enemy speak to me about how my walk is not "Christian enough" and I am a hypocrite. And I have seen my reaction to this be one of pride, which spins me away from God.

We are all influenced by our upbringings and by our environment. That means we will have different views on how we see the world. But God's word is constant and true. If we allow God to work in our lives and follow what we are told through the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, then we will be changed and transformed according to God's Word.

This challenge runs deep, especially here in America, where we see people really out for themselves and loving to celebrate and draw attention to themselves. Look at my favorite sport to watch, Football. The Nfl players celebrate every hit, throw, first-down and when they score a touchdown, WOW…there is going to be a big celebration.

So where is the line with being humble in spirit and the need of self approval? How do we move away from what the world wants to celebrate and what god wants to do with our lives?

It comes down to not only be willing to do God's Word, but also giving God the Glory in all the fullness and goodness that God pours out in our lives. Let's Give God the Glory and recognize his workings in our lives.

I was reading over at Share your story now and found this 

" Tamra B. writes:

It’s all about God! Our lives, our work, our words. As Christians we are to be Ambassadors for Christ so hen someone asks me what I do, my response should be that I am an Ambassador for Jesus Christ through God the Father. I currently minister to my husband and my two children and their school. My focus every minute of every day needs to be through, or with, the mind of Christ."

Well said Tamra

Watch out for pride, it is constantly looking to creep into every good thing in your life and attempting to move you away from God!

I listened to this today and was moved by this story.

God's grace is amazing and he has purpose for our life and here  is a story that reveals a womans walk of teen pregnancy and what her life road led here to where she is today..helping other teenage pregnancies

This has been quite a summer and alot has happened in my life. I would have to call this the Summer of Truth.

It was interesting today as I listened to the radio and heard a story of some protesters in San Francisco as they were explaining about the undocumented workers…I mean lets just say the truth and not twist it! There are millions of people who have crossed our boarders illegally and have broken the law. This is a good example, and by no means am I looking for an arguement or debate on this issue, that is not the purpose of this site. I am merely pointing out how 98% of the truth is a lie.

All summer long I have been dealing with many issues at home and with my own walk and [tag]my search for the truth[/tag]. It is so easy to just change things a little bit so we can either justify or avoid something. But the fact remains that we are lying. The funny thing is, as I was listening to this woman go on and on, it was clear that she does not see anything wrong with breaking the law, that we need illegal….ahem, undocumented workers to do work us Americans do not want to do and our country would be a mess without them. There may be some truth to that, but the fact they broke the law to get here and continue to break the law does not justify this.

I have had to deal with family members who have lied this summer and it has been painful. Even when I thought all of the deception was out in the open. I later found out that there were more layers of deception hidden underneath the surface.

My search for the truth led me to a path of confrontation and also a place of grace. Our church has been running a series called summer breeze and it has been a summer of seeking the lord through worship. It has been amazing and God has revealed his truth to me in a deeper way that has given me peace in the midst of some storms.

[tag]The Truth will set you free[/tag], so many people today are captive to the lies and deceptions that some are starting to believe it as the truth. It is amazing how if you tell yourself something long enough, you will believe it to be true, even though it isn't. And we all know that those convinced against their will, are of the same opinion still.

My Search for the Truth has brought freedom, heartaches, tears and trials, but it has also brought joy, and a deeping o f my love for God and also our family has grown. I thank GOD for revealing some hidden areas in our families life that could of been much more devastating…Thank you God for revealing YOUR truth and for your faithfullness.

My search for the truth starts in YOUR word O Lord.