Seed...

I haven't posted in a while. The holiday season has me running ragged as I'm sure it does most everyone. Some awesome things have happened the last few weeks including the Abigail's Dream Toy Ride. We had 8 people show up with 7 riders, not bad for something that started out small and will grow much bigger next year. At first I was upset that we couldn't get more riders, then I realized that those 8 gifts blessed 8 children that wouldn't have a gift other wise. God showed me that our faithfulness along with our churches faithfulness blessed more than 250 people. Not to mention my best friend, who doesn't believe in God came on the ride with 7 other Christians and got to see that we're just normal people who love God and enjoy riding motorcycles.
Seed! It's all about seed. What seed are you planting in your life? I know now that next years toy run will be much bigger because of the seed we planted this year. I believe my best friend will become a Christian over time because of the seed that was planted. Simple acts of kindness, a witness to a sick friend, or just getting people excited about a toy run can make all the difference in someones life. Seed, get on board and start planting good seed today. Because tomorrow you can watch that seed multiply 30, 60 or 100 fold!!!

3 He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:

“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. 4 As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. 5 Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. 6 But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. 8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! 9 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

SERVANT...

Are you a servant? Sounds strange when you say it. We typically think of servants as people who are low on the totem pole of life. Those who are forced to do things for others to make ends meet or for various other reasons. But, did you know that Jesus said that those who serve will be elevated in His kingdom? I have great examples of those who are willing servants in my life. My wife is one of those people. She takes her time to clean the church every Wednesday and never complains. She sees it as doing a small part to keep God's house in order. She also teaches the dreaded Toddler Room!!! She never complains, but is excited to have the opportunity to show Jesus to these small, energetic children... She has shown me that willingness to serve can overcome any reservations you may have.
We have two friends who truly showed me what being a servant means. We had my sons 3rd birthday party at a local park recently. Complete with a pinata and all the trash that a bunch of small children and adults can make when having a good time. Without being asked our friends, Jaime and Nadia, stayed and cleaned up making life so much easier on me and my wife. They have no idea how much they blessed us through their willingness to serve. It wasn't the hardest thing either one of them has ever had to do, but their act of kindness touched my family. It made me look at myself and ask if I would be willing to do the same?
Serving others doesn't have to be difficult if we are willing to have an open heart and look for any opportunities that may arise. The next time you think about it do something for someone without being asked. I promise the impact it makes on you will be greater than you can imagine.

Matthew 20:26-28

New Living Translation (NLT)
26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Mohawks and Ministry???

Mohawks and ministry... Sounds kinda funny doesn't it? I recently had a friend ask me if I would speak to a family member of his who had just been released from prison. I immediately said sure and that I'd be delighted. Then something funny happened, I told him, " You know I've never been to prison, right?" He looked shocked and said quote, "Oh, I just assumed you had done time!" At first it kind of bothered me that peoples gut reaction to me and my appearance is that I look like an inmate who is in the early release program!!!
Then I had something that was said by a friend that had a profound effect on me. I have a buddy who is as straight laced as you can get and he told me quote,"People who wouldn't talk to me because I look too much like a square would have no problem talking to someone with earrings, tattoos, a fu manchu and that nifty Mohawk." Outlaw bikers, drug addicts, alcoholics, prostitutes, skater dudes, street bike riders and all the people that mainstream society prefers to shun, feel comfortable talking to someone who looks like me. I was blown away!!! I'm not perfect. God's got a long way to go before he perfects me into the man he wants me to be. But I'm proud to be one of those who can get people who wouldn't normally talk to a Christian to talk to me. And maybe one day God will help me be able to lead someone to Him through my scary, sometimes comical, appearance. God can use us as a tool for his kingdom if we let Him. I never thought when I was getting all my ink done that one day it would be used for God's glory. In fact when I got my ink I was looking for just the opposite effect... But that's the beauty of being a follower of Jesus Christ. He can use something that wasn't meant to be good and turn it into something He can use for His purpose!!!

Jeremiah 1:5(NLT)“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”

Healed???

I don't know a single person who can say they haven't had a friend or family member that has been affected by a life threatening illness or some kind of sickness. I personally have seen the effects of cancer on my precious mother. It's difficult to watch someone go through chemotherapy and not have questions/doubts. I found it difficult to understand why God didn't miraculously heal my mother when so many people were praying for her. I let doubt and fear take over and I lost sight of the big picture. My mother however did not! She told me many times that there was only 3 ways that her illness was going to end. 1) God was going to miraculously heal her and she would give Him the glory. 2)The doctors would use treatment to heal her and she would give God the glory for using the physicians to heal her. Or 3) she was going to die, beat us all to heaven and give God the glory!!!
I want to have an attitude like that! I read a story last week about a 39 year old actor that had the same type of cancer as my mother. He was much younger, much healthier, a body builder, and he had the best doctors money could buy. He passed away and my mother is still alive! I read about a mother of three who was a marathon runner who had the same type of cancer as my mother who also died. It was then that God made me realize that He had performed a miracle in my mother and that while people half her age in much better physical health had succumb to the evil onslaught of cancer, my mother was still alive and well! Why? Because of her faith, her attitude and the loving mercy of our God to heal her in His way, not mine!
Remember that God is on the throne, He loves you and He cares about you. He may not heal you the way you want Him to, but that doesn't mean He hasn't made another way to heal your body, mind and spirit!!!

Isaiah 12:2 (NLT) See, God has come to save me.I will trust in him and not be afraid.The Lord God is my strength and my song; he has given me victory.”

BUSY...

BUSY. I know that we've all been there. With kids starting school, work, house work, yard work, church, kids extracurricular activities, home groups... The list goes on and on with no end in site. It's times like these that we can lose our focus on what's truly important in our lives. Relationships. It's our relationships that shape our lives and how we feel about ourselves. It can be our relationship with our kids, our spouses, our friends and families, a coworker or a neighbor. And most importantly our relationship with God. These relationships and the interaction that occurs in them is vital to how we feel each and every day. Has the busy week intruded on your time to talk with God? Have you lost touch with a dear friend? Have you been too busy to sit down with your children and talk to them about their day at school? Have you been too wrapped up in all of life's good and bad things to stop and have quiet time with our Savior?
It happens to the best of us. I heard a pastor of a large church say recently that he came home one day, turned off the t.v., unplugged the computer and just sat and talked to his wife and 3 children for 2 hours. He said it refreshed him and reminded him of how much he loved his family. The same works for God! and we don't even need an appointment to get time with Him. If we can just stop and tune life out and let Him speak to us it will remind us of how much we love Him and just how much He truly loves us.
I challenge you this week to call or e-mail an old friend or loved one that you have lost contact with. Make time for them and for yourself! But, most importantly schedule some time with out Lord on a daily basis. I promise you will see the fruits of just a little quiet time with Him can change your whole week!

Psalm 139:23-24(NLT)
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 Point out anything in me that offends you,
and lead me along the path of everlasting life

Highs and LOWS...

We've all been there, that place where you feel like you are all alone with no friends to turn to. Several months ago I went through that very scenario. I was formerly in a motorcycle "riders" club that disbanded. After every thing came crashing down I was lost. I had asked God to help me get out of that lifestyle, but when He did I had no idea how to move on. I was used to making a phone call and having people meet me at the drop of the hat to go riding, hangout or get into trouble. But after the club life was over and I decided to live for God, it got real lonely real quick...
My former "brothers" had moved on to other clubs or were living their own lives independent of me. I begged God to help me find acceptance. I almost joined a couple of local Christian Motorcycle Ministries/Clubs. But I prayed and I felt like God didn't want me to do that just yet. I would go riding all by myself, making sure I stayed away from bars and other places that would tempt me to fall back into my old ways. So there I was all alone and wondering how I was gonna make it? The amazing part was that when I was depressed and at my lowest, God spoke to my heart. He basically told me that I was never alone, He was with me always, and that He would send the right people into my life.
After 3 months or so I made a friend at church that rides as much as I do. The best part is that he's a cop... If you've ever been involved in the MC world you know that hanging around with a cop is looked down upon. Truth be told for years I hated cops and wanted nothing to do with them. But here again God worked, changing my thoughts and mindset, and brought me a friend and a true brother to give me wise counsel and mentor me on how a Christian man should live his life. I greatly appreciate his and his wife's impact on me and my family. Just last night he and his wife overwhelmed me with the gift of a new bible. I was shocked and also so grateful that they care enough for me to give me such a special gift.
I believe God let me go through that period of loneliness in my life to ready me for something greater. He tested me to see if I would follow Him even when I was depressed and feeling left out. Now I can help someone who comes out of the same situation I was in and understand how they feel when they lose everything that they thought mattered. He also gave me new friends and has allowed me to keep in contact with my old friends and try to show them His Love!
The bottom line is that when you are going through the low of the valley, keep your head up. He will see you through. And you just might be surprised to find out that the valley you hated so much will be used as a tool to make you stronger and give you the ability to help someone else get through their valley!!!

Psalm 55:22 (NLT) Give your burdens to the Lord, and He will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.

Church...

Church, a place that I love. I have been involved in some churches that I didn't love... That's the way it goes. I have currently found a great church home, with great people who love the Lord and are focused on doing their best to follow after Him. What happens is that people have a bad experience at one church and then decide that they can't go to any church! This is a dangerous mind set to have. I have had the same experiences and have felt angry or hurt by the actions of a few people in a church body. This doesn't mean that everyone in the church is bad or that churches as a whole are hypocrites. I have been into churches and felt the look... Inevitably I realize that my tattoos, earrings and fu manchu mustache have drawn negative attention to me... SO WHAT! I'm there for GOD and not what anyone else thinks!
You have to also realize that churches are made up of people who aren't perfect, that's human nature. I'm amazed when someone tells me that they didn't go to church because their pastor upset them when he didn't shake their hand Sunday morning!!! Seriously, you let yourself miss out on hearing God's word and joining in worship with your Christian brothers and sisters because the pastor didn't see you or was preoccupied and forgot to shake your hand...
Find a church that teaches God's word and has strong a strong foundation based on biblical principles. Find a place where you can worship and learn about our Savior with out being distracted. And most importantly don't think that not going to church is an option. "I can have church at home"... Yes you can, God hears us and is all around us. But to give up the interaction with other believers and not have a church family to back you up is a dangerous thing. I'm proud of my church. I'm proud of the people there who give their time and effort to make it a family atmosphere and a place where everyone, regardless of their appearance, can feel welcome and can come and worship and most importantly can learn about God. If you need a good church check out lifecommunitychurch.org You won't be disappointed!

Hebrews 10:25 (NLT) And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

The dangerous word...

What is the most dangerous word in a Christian's vocabulary? It's not what you think it might be... "I". I is the most dangerous word a Christian can use. How you might ask? It's easy to look at all the things that you do every day. I paid my tithes. I volunteered at the church. I gave a love offering to a visiting missionary. I helped organize an outreach program... The list goes on and on. I recently found myself in a situation where I was explaining that "I" quit drinking, cussing and going to bars, and that "I" was doing my best to live for God. "I" didn't do anything. all I did was rely on God and ask for His help and HE is the one who strengthened me to be able to stop doing things that don't glorify HIM. On my own "I" am a weak, selfish, scared, gluttonous person who can't look past his own existence long enough to see the needs of others. But through God's love and vision for my life HE can make me into someone who seeks after HIM every day. Someone who reads his bible and prays for his family and friends. Someone who runs from all the things the old man enjoyed and holds on to the new things that GOD has for me. Someone who longs to see his unsaved family members, friends and coworkers turn their lives to Jesus.
We are nothing without God's love and kindness in our lives. He is the one who gives us the ability to live for HIM. Don't get me wrong, it's a daily choice to live for God. You have to decide if you will glorify HIM through your actions or turn away from HIM. If you ask HE will give you the strength to stand up and do your best to live for HIM. HIS strength is given to us only when we humble ourselves and ask for it. The only reason I am living for HIM today is because of my wife's, families, and church friends prayers for me. HE sent me a wake up call because of all the faithful prayers of those who knew that HE was big enough to do what they were asking HIM to do!!! HE can do all the things that "I" can't and if you humble yourself and ask HIM for help HE will lead you in HIS path.

John 15:5 (NLT) "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing."

The Ride

Yesterdays ride was great! Only 2 people showed up, myself and my good friend Bobby, and we had a great time of fellowship and riding. If you're like me then riding is something that helps you clear your head and regain your focus. There's nothing like rolling down the highway at 75mph handlebar to handlebar with another bike letting your mind focus on the ride and to what God has to say to you. My cousin Angela calls my motorcycle my two wheeled sanctuary, I couldn't agree more!!! Where's your special place that you can go when you need clear your head and talk/listen to God?
Think about that for a minute........
Do you have a place that you go when you need some peace and quiet to just reflect on God or on your life? If you don't I highly recommend it. My beautiful wife tells me than on Wednesday mornings when she is cleaning the church that she just clears her head while cleaning God's house and that she feels closer to Him while cleaning... I said the same thing, huh? But for her she's serving the Lord's house and clearing her mind to be receptive to God's voice at the same time! If you don't have a place or activity that helps you clear your mind and listen to God's voice then find one. Maybe a quiet place in your house, or a local park, maybe a local beach or some place that is peaceful for you. Not everybody enjoys doing 75mph and hearing Vance and Hines pipes splitting the air in a thunderous tone!!! But for me that's my zone and the place where my mind is clear enough that God can examine me and show me what areas I need to work on in my life so that He can shine through in me! I challenge you to look around and find a place that you can go when you need to relax and listen to God and His plan for you. Now if you will excuse me I need to hit the road and spend some time talking to our loving Savior!!!

Proverbs 23:12 (NLT) Commit yourself to instruction; listen carefully to the words of knowledge.

Upcoming Ride

Christian Bikers…? Those two words don't go together, do they? I thought Christians had to have short hair, be clean-shaven and wear a blue suit..."Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.Romans 14:4. "The Lord loves all He has made".

I copied that from the Sons Of God MC web site because I thought it was extremely relevant to Christian Bikers and what they stand for. It is possible to serve God and ride motorcycles. It is possible to be a Christian and a Biker! I'm living proof of that and of what God can do if you allow him to work in your life. On 6-25-11 myself and some fellow bikers from my church, Life Community Church in La Porte, TX, will be taking a ride then stopping to have lunch to discuss plans for a toy run at the church later this year. We have a program at the church called Abagail's Dream that reaches out to the community and provides gifts for families that otherwise wouldn't have a Christmas. I and several others believe this toy run will be an open door to help our community at Christmas time and to open up lines of communication with fellow bikers who may not have a home church or may not know the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. If you are interested you can e-mail me on this blog and I will get back to you ASP. The plan is to leave from the church between 8 and 9am on Saturday June 25th. Come ride and fellowship with us and be blessed by a group of great people who love the Lord.

Proverbs 15:16 (NLT) Better to have little, with fear for the Lord, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil.

My Wife

I have been blessed with a lot of great things. I have a Lord and Savior that has given me so much that I don't even know how to begin to thank Him. I have two beautiful children who are the lights of my life. I have awesome parents who love and support me and raised me to be the man that God has shaped me into today. I have a good job that provides well for my family. I also have some great friends who have stood by my side and been there to mentor me when I need help, which sometimes seems like a daily chore... I also have been blessed with a wonderful, godly, forgiving, loving and extremely beautiful Wife!!!
My wife has stood by me through thick and thin. Through times when most women would have told me to hit the road and never come back. She dealt with a man who had a violent temper and was prone to taking out his anger on strangers. She dealt with some of my verbal abuse, because she knew I would never physically abuse her or our children. She dealt with a husband who wanted to be an "outlaw" biker so bad that he was willing to sell his soul to the devil. She dealt with a husband who would go out riding his motorcycle and drinking, not knowing if I would return home or if I would be shot, killed in a bike wreck or thrown in jail for a bar fight or a DWI. She never knew what the next phone call would bring when I went out riding with my club brothers. She stood by me as a friend when I went through a nasty divorce that sent me spiraling into a depressive state of drinking alcohol and popping pain killers. She dealt with our financial situation when I was not making much money and we could barely pay the bills. She loved me and saw the good in me when everyone told her to run away from me and never look back.
Not a day goes by that I don't thank God for her love and for the changes she made in her life that have helped me to get where I'm at in my life. She prayed for me every day and asked God to deliver me from the destructive lifestyle that I was living. She stood strong and continued to go to church and seek after God and sought after wisdom from women at the church on how to deal with what I was doing to our family. She never made me feel like I was a bad man or that I didn't deserve her love, even though I know I didn't. She ignored all the naysayers and kept praying and kept loving me no matter what. She was so happy when I decide to recommit my life to the Lord and she has helped me grow in my walk with Him every step of the way. I'm so grateful that God has given me such a great friend, lover, soul mate, my biggest supporter and the mother of our wonderful children. I pray that God will help me to continue to be the husband and father she needs me to be and that God richly blesses her for her patience, obedience and love. Thank you baby, I love you so much. Above all else I say thank you God for giving me this wonderful woman.
Proverbs 31:10 (NLT) Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies.

Accountability...

Who are you accountable to? Are you accountable to God? Your husband/wife? Your kids? Maybe a friend or loved one? Accountability is a great tool for any Christian to use in their walk with the Lord. I recently gave a lock with a bandanna on it to the pastor of my church. I did this because I felt like God wanted me to give it to him to show him that God was moving in the hearts of those who attend our church and that God was working in the church. Something told me it was important for me to do this not only for me but for my pastor.
He took it from me after I explained to him that I used to take this and knock off car mirrors and break car windows when someone cut me off or came too close to me when I was riding my motorcycle. I told him that this represented the old man I used to be and that I needed to get rid of it and that God led me to give it to him. He asked if he could share my testimony with the church and I said yes. Little did I know that he would talk about me and the changes I had made and that this weapon that I used to carry represented the life I left behind to follow after Jesus and His path for my life. It was liberating, because now everyone who was at 1st and 2nd service, watched the pod cast or got the CD of the service had heard my story... I then realized that God had used this giving of the lock on a bandanna as a way to keep me accountable to my church body and to all those who were blessed by this service. WOW!!! It made me realize that I have a commitment to keep to God and that I have to make sure that I continue to serve Him and not fall back into my sinful ways!!! It's an awesome thing when God takes something sinful and bad, and uses it for the glory of His Kingdom!
Accountability is a tool that can help you with any struggle you are facing in your walk. Be it alcohol, pornography, lust, cursing, smoking, fighting or just going places that God doesn't want us as Christians to go. Pray to God, then call a Christian friend, a saved family member or a Minister the next time you feel tempted to sin. That one phone call or text message may be the thing that keeps you from making a mistake and going down a path of sin that God doesn't want you to go down!!!
2 Corinthians 5:10 (NLT) For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.
James 5:16 (NLT) Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of the righteous person has great power and produces great results.

The Word!

The Bible, God's Word, The Good Book, Bread of Life, Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth... We've all heard these names before and we probably know a few more names for the Bible. But what does it mean to us? What does it mean to you? I've recently read more of the Bible than any other time in my life. Why? Because I want to learn more about what's in store for me and I want to have the knowledge to help me along my path through life. I have fallen away from God several times in my life, one of the main reasons why was due to my lack of spending time in the study of God's word. I know for a fact that my apathetic attitude towards the study of the Bible helped me fall back into sin. A Christian who doesn't make time to study the Bible is like a soldier who goes into battle with no ammunition for their weapon! The end result is never good.
It is crucial that we make time to read our Bible and time to pray/talk with God. If something is important to you then you will make time for it. If you want to lose weight then you make time to go to the gym. If you want to be a better marksman then you make time to go to the shooting range. If you want to improve your golf swing... I think you see where I'm going. If you want to go where you've never gone before with God you have to spend time in the study of His Word. What does it really cost you to wake up 30 minutes early to read your Bible and pray? What does it really matter if you turn off the t.v. and read a chapter in the Bible? These are small practical things we can do to help us in our walk and to help us stay on the path He has for us. Wake up tomorrow and arm your self for the days battle by reading the Word and praying. Don't be caught in the battle field at work with your ammunition sitting at home!!!
2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV) Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightfully dividing the word of truth.

Freedom

I heard a great minister preach a sermon about freedom yesterday and it got me to thinking about my life. Being a biker when I think of freedom the open road is the first thing that comes to mind. I can't explain the feeling of rolling down the highway at 75 mph with the wind at your back, the sun in your face and nothing but beautiful country side surrounding you. To me that's a great day and I look forward to riding every chance I get. But that's not what this minister was talking about. He was talking about the freedom that the cross and the sacrifice that Jesus made gives us. We are set free from the bondage of sin and death because of Gods love for us.
Freedom doesn't come cheap, there's a cost for it. Jesus paid the ultimate price for our freedom, a freedom and liberty that we can have by just asking for it. What this means is that the bondage of sin in your life is your choice!!! That's right you can be set free if you ask God to set you free and change you! I can't tell you I know what it feels like to be in physical chains, but I do know what it feels like to be a slave to my own desires and sinful nature. It stinks to feel like you have no control over yourself and you continue to do the things that you wish you could stop doing. I have been dipping skoal for the last 6 years and have tried to quit numerous times. Two weeks ago I asked God to help me quit and He did. I haven't had the craving in a few days now and He has given me the strength to stay away form a really bad habit. It's the same thing with my language. I admitted to God that I had a problem with cursing and He helped me to use new words to express myself with out cursing. It wasn't easy and I have slipped up a few times, but the key is to ask forgiveness and continue to walk down the path of freedom knowing that God has set you free and you are changed for good!
Sin is a choice, period. You choose to look at pornography on the internet, you choose to drink alcohol, you choose to curse, you choose to gossip and talk bad about others, you choose to go places that you know you shouldn't, and you can choose freedom if you truly want it. If you are addicted to something in your life ask God to set you free and to take the desires away from you and He will. Freedom comes with a cost, and aren't you glad that our Savior loved us enough to pay the cost for our freedom?
Luke 4:18-19 (NLT)Jesus speaking in the temple- "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for He has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free and that the time of the Lord's favor has come"

Doubt

God is so good to us in so many ways that sometimes it's hard to take it all in. As human beings we tend to look at the negative and we find ways to complain when in reality we are so richly blessed. Just last week a family that goes to the same church as my family and I was in a horrible car wreck that left three small children and their mother with broken bones and multiple bruises. My first reaction was how horrible it was and that I couldn't believe that God allowed that to happen. Then I stopped and asked my self, who am I to question God's divine plan? It was then that I realized that instead of doubting Him, I should be thanking Him for keeping this precious family in His hands. I told my wife as horrible as it seems we could be going to a funeral for one or more of these precious people, versus picking up food to take them to cheer them up! When you look at things that way it shows just how wonderful God is to us and how much gratitude we owe Him for every breath He gives us!!! Sometimes we get caught up in all the things we don't have instead of thanking our loving Creator for all the things we do have! Today when I hop on my motorcycle and head out on a two wheeled adventure I know that He loves me, He has blessed me, and that He cares for me so much he sent His Son to die so that I may truly be free. Think about that next time you doubt His love or divine plan for you!!!

Hebrews 3:14 (NLT) For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ.

Work Place Woes...

The work place can be a difficult battle ground for anyone who wants to make a change in their lives. People are used to hearing you curse, swear, or talk about how much beer you drank last weekend. Then suddenly God makes a change in you and you no longer do those things, and inevitably people around you take notice and ask questions. This is where you need to be strong and ask God to help you answer them the right way. It's a difficult choice to try and live a "changed" life around people who are used to seeing you live like everyone else does. This is an opportunity for you to tell them about the changes that God is making in your life. It can be uncomfortable, you will have someone ask you about it and remind you of your past deeds around co-workers. All you can do is tell them that you are doing your best to change and that you are fully relying on God to change your habits and your lifestyle. You will slip up and say something you don't mean to... The important thing is to realize you messed up, call yourself out on it and make sure you ask God to help you not make that mistake again. I recently had to apologize to a co-worker for saying a curse word I didn't mean to say. He laughed and said it was no big deal and that he couldn't believe I apologized for it. I told him that I shouldn't have said it and that I don't want to use words like that any more. He appreciated my honesty and told me he respected my stand. That made me feel great! It's not easy trying to be the man/woman God wants you to be in the work place. But if you ask for His help, God will never fail you and will give you every opportunity to show His love to your co-workers.
2 Thessalonians 2:14 (NLT) He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Left Out But Not Alone!!!

It can be difficult once you decide to change your life and live for God. I'm not saying that He won't be with you every step of the way and bring people in your life to encourage and help you, it just takes inner strength and total reliance on God to make it through. You come to a realization that you can't go to the places you used to go, do the things you used to do and, here's the tough one, you can't hang out with some of the people you used to hang out with. It's never easy to have to distance yourself from a friend or loved one due to the destructive lifestyle they are living. But this is something that you have to learn to do in order to help you stay on the path that God wants you on. That's not to say you don't pray, witness and be an encouragement to these people it just means you don't go to the bar with them, or to their house if they are doing drugs, or somewhere that you know it's possible for you to be tempted to fall back into sin!!!
This is tough stuff, trust me you are not alone I'm going through it right now myself. I find it difficult to find people who have the same interest as I do, mainly riding motorcycles, that don't drink or want to go places that I refuse to go. You feel left out and tempted to go somewhere that you shouldn't. DON'T!!! If you ask God to give you new friends with the same interests as you He will. He will make a way to open a door for you so that you can find others who love the Lord and enjoy being around other Christians who share a common bond. Rather it's motorcycles, skateboards, boats, cars, sports, music or any other number of hobbies/lifestyles, God will help you find friends that will be a help and not a hindrance. God is awesome and He will see you through the toughest times in your walk, all you have to do is ask for help.
Psalm 30:2 NLT "O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you restored my health".

Grateful

God has richly blessed me in so many ways. But the most important was is His forgiving me for turning my back on Him so many times. I have learned so much about God's love and forgiveness and no matter how far you walk from God he will always be there for you. God will change your lifestyle, your habits and your desires if you will allow Him to. All you have to do is ask and God will give you the ability to change and to grow through His Word and through the Holy Spirit.
I can honestly say that in the last 3 months my life has changed dramatically. I went from being a biker who was trying to live an "outlaw" biker lifestyle, to a man who desires to serve God and be the best father and husband that he can be. Change is possible, you have to be willing to ask for His help, willing to study His word and willing to accept that you have to want to change. God will guide you through if you let Him. I'm so grateful to have a Loving God and a Loving family who were willing to forgive me and give me the opportunity to change. God Bless you and I pray that some of these words will inspire you.
Acts 15:11(CEV) - But our Lord Jesus was kind to us, and we are saved by faith in Him.