Tuesday night/feed the homeless/prayer/a miserable drizzling cool night/keep the food dry/listen to men whose hearts are crying/somebody new from the Plant joined us tonight-his eyes are opened and he is humbled/my friend Bill still looking for a job and running out of time or he gets kicked out...
It's another Cleveland night and it seems lately after I do this ministry I am inspired to write another blog for Project 52. We're about serving and there is great joy in doing it. The above paragraph is all the stuff running through my head as I try to close the evening out.
And I continue to think of Jesus and His Word in John where He said I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is the way when there seems to be no way in your life. Maybe you feel like you have come to a dead end, or you are at the end of the line or its the last straw. Jesus is telling you that He is the way. We all need someone or something to show us the way to heaven. Because this life will end and its either heaven or hell. That Someone is Jesus and He is not only showing us the way He is the way!
He paved the path to heaven with His blood that spilled from the cross. And the empty tomb means there is hope for you and for all the Bill's out there! I prayed with Bill tonight and I'm not sure if we will see each other again in this life. But I know that we will see each other again one day because he knows that Jesus is the way to heaven.
As if being shown the way to heaven isn't enough joy for me, I had the joy of sharing that way with another man whose way in this life is unknown. But he has Jesus and God loves him more than I ever could.
That helps me as I wrestle with another Tuesday night in Cleveland.
Next blog-Jesus and Truth!
In Christ,
Pastor John
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
You Have Value
I started what I call my war series at The Plant. It is a sermon series based on 2 Timothy, the last letter Paul wrote before he died for his Savior. In it he talks about being a soldier for Christ. I showed a clip from the movie Gettysburg. In it Jeff Daniels as Colonel Chamberlain gives a moving speech on the call to be a soldier. He talks about how every man has value and that we are fighting to set men free.
If the church, or any Christian as far as that goes, could truly grasp this concept what a difference it would make in answering the question, why are we here? We are here by God's grace and His Spirit has given us the knowledge of Jesus as our Savior. And now our Commander has issued the order to go and bring others into His army and save them from hell. We truly are in a war to set people free from an eternity without Him.
Tonight I was in downtown Cleveland feeding the homeless and those living in temporary housing while trying to get their lives back on track again. I was asked to say a few words and then pray. I had no idea I would be asked. What do you say to a bunch of guys standing there wondering where their lives are going? What do you say to the guy you know has been looking for a job and can't find one? What do you say to the guy who has been recently divorced and left with nothing and trying to find his way again? Picture it. Their faces looking hungrier than their stomachs.
In a nutshell, I told them that they have value. That I too was once lost and that God loved us so much that Jesus died on a cross for all of us. I told them what a privilege it was to come and serve them and that we do it because Jesus served us with His life.
ALL MEN HAVE VALUE, WE ARE FIGHTING TO SET MEN FREE! A couple of guys talked to me afterward. A relationship is forming. Will you pray to God about these and so many others like them? Will you pray to God to have Him use you?
Tonight the streets were my pulpit and there's nothing like looking in the face of another human being and telling them that they have value.
If you ever personally need to hear it, e-mail me, its part of what Project 52 does because we are in a war to set people free from the junk this world throws at them.
In Christ,
Pastor John
If the church, or any Christian as far as that goes, could truly grasp this concept what a difference it would make in answering the question, why are we here? We are here by God's grace and His Spirit has given us the knowledge of Jesus as our Savior. And now our Commander has issued the order to go and bring others into His army and save them from hell. We truly are in a war to set people free from an eternity without Him.
Tonight I was in downtown Cleveland feeding the homeless and those living in temporary housing while trying to get their lives back on track again. I was asked to say a few words and then pray. I had no idea I would be asked. What do you say to a bunch of guys standing there wondering where their lives are going? What do you say to the guy you know has been looking for a job and can't find one? What do you say to the guy who has been recently divorced and left with nothing and trying to find his way again? Picture it. Their faces looking hungrier than their stomachs.
In a nutshell, I told them that they have value. That I too was once lost and that God loved us so much that Jesus died on a cross for all of us. I told them what a privilege it was to come and serve them and that we do it because Jesus served us with His life.
ALL MEN HAVE VALUE, WE ARE FIGHTING TO SET MEN FREE! A couple of guys talked to me afterward. A relationship is forming. Will you pray to God about these and so many others like them? Will you pray to God to have Him use you?
Tonight the streets were my pulpit and there's nothing like looking in the face of another human being and telling them that they have value.
If you ever personally need to hear it, e-mail me, its part of what Project 52 does because we are in a war to set people free from the junk this world throws at them.
In Christ,
Pastor John
Monday, August 31, 2009
More on Prayer
Get on His Lap for He is your Father..... this was the second part of my prayer series preached last Sunday August 23. I stressed to my people that your view of God will affect how you approach Him. If you look at Him like Dorothy and her friends looked at the Wizard of Oz we will approach His throne with fear and trembling if at all. God wants us to approach with with boldness and confidence. Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Get on His lap I said to God's people, see Him as your Father. We worry so much about things like, am I praying for the right things, does God think I'm silly, oh no, I fell asleep while I was praying- hey, what better way to fall asleep? I remember my kids falling alseep in my lap and then carrying them to bed, tucking them in and the love that wells up inside just thinking of it! If I, a sinful man can feel this what must God feel as He tucks us in!
So climb up on His lap. Talk to Him, and when satan distracts I just say, God satan is distracting me, my mind is wandering, he's creating doubts, and God in His Word reminds me of His love for me and that my prayer life does not have to be perfect. In fact, when I don't even know what to pray it says in the Word that the Spirit prays for me!
Wow! That's a loving God, see Him as the Dad whose lap you can jump up on when the storms of life come your way.
More later,
In Christ,
Pastor John
Get on His lap I said to God's people, see Him as your Father. We worry so much about things like, am I praying for the right things, does God think I'm silly, oh no, I fell asleep while I was praying- hey, what better way to fall asleep? I remember my kids falling alseep in my lap and then carrying them to bed, tucking them in and the love that wells up inside just thinking of it! If I, a sinful man can feel this what must God feel as He tucks us in!
So climb up on His lap. Talk to Him, and when satan distracts I just say, God satan is distracting me, my mind is wandering, he's creating doubts, and God in His Word reminds me of His love for me and that my prayer life does not have to be perfect. In fact, when I don't even know what to pray it says in the Word that the Spirit prays for me!
Wow! That's a loving God, see Him as the Dad whose lap you can jump up on when the storms of life come your way.
More later,
In Christ,
Pastor John
Monday, August 17, 2009
Hold Me Jesus
I'm doing a series on prayer at The Plant. This past week I talked about getting on our knees and realizing who this God really is that we pray to. He is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He is the One who created this world and formed you with His very own hands. And He cares so much for you that He came into this world in the flesh of Jesus and died and rose to give you eternal life. And as He prepares a home in heaven for you He gives us His Spirit to lead and guide us through this life.
Why a series on prayer? Probably because I have so many questions about it myself. I would like you to think about some of these questions: why pray? How is your prayer life? What do you expect from prayer? What is your view of God? Your view of God will affect how you approach Him.
Prayer for me has to be more than just asking God for things because you know I don't always get what I pray for. But I am learning that if He is the true God that He says He is and if He really is my Heavenly Father who has my best interest at heart then pray is simply me coming to Him and saying, "hey Dad, can we talk, I need You"
Someone once said prayer is getting a hold of God not the answers. We always want answers. What we need is Jesus who is already holding on to us. Next week I am going to be talking about getting on His lap for He is our Father who loves us.
It's amazing, you can be 48 years old and still feel the need to crawl up on His lap just to feel safe from this crazy world. And even more amazing is that He will hold you- that's grace and that's His love.
May you feel His arms around you today and always!
In Christ,
Pastor John
Why a series on prayer? Probably because I have so many questions about it myself. I would like you to think about some of these questions: why pray? How is your prayer life? What do you expect from prayer? What is your view of God? Your view of God will affect how you approach Him.
Prayer for me has to be more than just asking God for things because you know I don't always get what I pray for. But I am learning that if He is the true God that He says He is and if He really is my Heavenly Father who has my best interest at heart then pray is simply me coming to Him and saying, "hey Dad, can we talk, I need You"
Someone once said prayer is getting a hold of God not the answers. We always want answers. What we need is Jesus who is already holding on to us. Next week I am going to be talking about getting on His lap for He is our Father who loves us.
It's amazing, you can be 48 years old and still feel the need to crawl up on His lap just to feel safe from this crazy world. And even more amazing is that He will hold you- that's grace and that's His love.
May you feel His arms around you today and always!
In Christ,
Pastor John
Monday, July 13, 2009
Handling Trials
The Lord gives, the Lord takes.....blessed be His Name! (Job 1)
The words of a man who had it all and then lost just about everything, livestock, children, health. And yet Job by the power of the Holy Spirit was still able to say the above words. This trial was tough though. He cursed the day of his birth and that allows us to see his hurting side.
What do you do when you are hurting? I hear people say they are trying so hard to make it through a tough time. I love these words from a Casting Crowns song- "I'm trying so hard, to stop trying so hard..." Theses are words of grace. Psalm 46 says to just be still and know that God is God! Let God bring you through and if you want to be "doing something" until God reveals His plan then practice these 3 W's. I shared this with my congregation as I am doing a series on Job this month.
The 3 W's when trials come your way. (it really works!) 1) Worship- Job simply said, blessed be His Name, shall we accept good but not bad? This world is in rough shape. Sin has changed everything but so has grace! Worship the Giver of grace who promises that in the end all things will work out!
2) Wait- I know its tough. I hate to wait. Isaiah says to wait upon the Lord and He will renew our strength. You either believe it or not. I've found its easier to believe it than fight God all the time asking why. Through my trials, concentrating on the Who is much better than the why? And the Who is Jesus who loves you, yes, you, the one reading this right now!
3) Wonder-Not- Peter tells us that we should not act as though something strange is happening to us when we go through trials. Again, sin is in the world, but so is the Savior! These trials come for the strengthening of our faith. Job says, when I have been tested I shall come forth as gold!
We at Project 52 want to do all we can to help people through tough times. When I think of the tree plantings for people who have lost loved ones it hurts to see them hurt. What helps, if only in a small way, is simply to say, I worship you God, I will wait and I will wonder not for You are the One who gave His life for me, blessed be Your Name!
And God bless you!!!
In Christ,
Pastor John
The words of a man who had it all and then lost just about everything, livestock, children, health. And yet Job by the power of the Holy Spirit was still able to say the above words. This trial was tough though. He cursed the day of his birth and that allows us to see his hurting side.
What do you do when you are hurting? I hear people say they are trying so hard to make it through a tough time. I love these words from a Casting Crowns song- "I'm trying so hard, to stop trying so hard..." Theses are words of grace. Psalm 46 says to just be still and know that God is God! Let God bring you through and if you want to be "doing something" until God reveals His plan then practice these 3 W's. I shared this with my congregation as I am doing a series on Job this month.
The 3 W's when trials come your way. (it really works!) 1) Worship- Job simply said, blessed be His Name, shall we accept good but not bad? This world is in rough shape. Sin has changed everything but so has grace! Worship the Giver of grace who promises that in the end all things will work out!
2) Wait- I know its tough. I hate to wait. Isaiah says to wait upon the Lord and He will renew our strength. You either believe it or not. I've found its easier to believe it than fight God all the time asking why. Through my trials, concentrating on the Who is much better than the why? And the Who is Jesus who loves you, yes, you, the one reading this right now!
3) Wonder-Not- Peter tells us that we should not act as though something strange is happening to us when we go through trials. Again, sin is in the world, but so is the Savior! These trials come for the strengthening of our faith. Job says, when I have been tested I shall come forth as gold!
We at Project 52 want to do all we can to help people through tough times. When I think of the tree plantings for people who have lost loved ones it hurts to see them hurt. What helps, if only in a small way, is simply to say, I worship you God, I will wait and I will wonder not for You are the One who gave His life for me, blessed be Your Name!
And God bless you!!!
In Christ,
Pastor John
Monday, June 29, 2009
Wise Guy
Proverbs 4... I would encourage you to read it. A close friend of mine shared Proverbs 4:23 with me and I ended up reading the whole chapter. It is awesome and its like I can feel health coming into my body and soul as I read it.
The Word is like that-powerful and living by it is the only way to guard your heart. That's what verse 23 is about- "above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life" There are people and things in this life bound and determined to mess around with you and give you heartache.
God wants you to be a wise guy( in a good way) so He has given His Word to help protect your heart. We at Project 52 want to help young people to learn and grow in God's wisdom. I am excited to see how God will grow this ministry. And we as adults continue to seek His wisdom as He leads us.
Read Proverbs 4- you'll be glad you did!
In Christ,
Pastor John
The Word is like that-powerful and living by it is the only way to guard your heart. That's what verse 23 is about- "above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life" There are people and things in this life bound and determined to mess around with you and give you heartache.
God wants you to be a wise guy( in a good way) so He has given His Word to help protect your heart. We at Project 52 want to help young people to learn and grow in God's wisdom. I am excited to see how God will grow this ministry. And we as adults continue to seek His wisdom as He leads us.
Read Proverbs 4- you'll be glad you did!
In Christ,
Pastor John
Monday, June 8, 2009
It Doesn't Matter
I've been talking with people about taking a stand on God's Word. Unfortunately many churches do not even take a stand on what is right or wrong so how can we expect our people to. I heard someone once say, He who stands for nothing falls for everything.
Right now I am thinking of the abortion issue. I can't even stomach what we are doing in America. I wrote this poem many years ago. It is what a baby that's about to be aborted might say.
It Doesn't Matter
In a quiet place, snug and warm
Tucked away from everyone
A place all safe,
But wait...
It isn't safe, what’s happening?
The quiet place… now violent and cold
No longer tucked but thrown to the world
I thought this place was safe,
I guess...
It doesn't matter what I think.
Who does it matter to, do you know?
Do you care, or are you tucked away
In your own world,
I guess...
You only matter and what you think.
Project 52 stands on the Word of God! Listen to this verse: Proverbs 31:8 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.
We are here to speak the truth in love and today I want to speak for all the babies who cannot speak for themselves. I also want to speak words of forgiveness for those that may need them. I went to a post abortion seminar once and learned about helping people who regret having had an abortion. I have had a chance to work with young people who have struggled with accepting God's grace for this sin. There's no greater joy than to see the look of guilt and shame turn to a look of hope and joy.
That's the neat thing about the Word of God- it convicts but it also gives us a place to go so that we can live life again. That place is at the foot of a tree, the cross of Calvary where God gave us all the right to become children of God. (John 1:12)
Have a blessed week and remember Project 52 is here to help you through anything!
In Christ,
Pastor John
Right now I am thinking of the abortion issue. I can't even stomach what we are doing in America. I wrote this poem many years ago. It is what a baby that's about to be aborted might say.
It Doesn't Matter
In a quiet place, snug and warm
Tucked away from everyone
A place all safe,
But wait...
It isn't safe, what’s happening?
The quiet place… now violent and cold
No longer tucked but thrown to the world
I thought this place was safe,
I guess...
It doesn't matter what I think.
Who does it matter to, do you know?
Do you care, or are you tucked away
In your own world,
I guess...
You only matter and what you think.
Project 52 stands on the Word of God! Listen to this verse: Proverbs 31:8 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.
We are here to speak the truth in love and today I want to speak for all the babies who cannot speak for themselves. I also want to speak words of forgiveness for those that may need them. I went to a post abortion seminar once and learned about helping people who regret having had an abortion. I have had a chance to work with young people who have struggled with accepting God's grace for this sin. There's no greater joy than to see the look of guilt and shame turn to a look of hope and joy.
That's the neat thing about the Word of God- it convicts but it also gives us a place to go so that we can live life again. That place is at the foot of a tree, the cross of Calvary where God gave us all the right to become children of God. (John 1:12)
Have a blessed week and remember Project 52 is here to help you through anything!
In Christ,
Pastor John
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