I looked back on that word I shared on January 1st last year and I in my small but feeble way will attempt to correlate them together.

For my wife and I we had a very rocky year with two family members passing away. The emotional trauma was heavy but because of God’s grace He empowered us to sail on through to another blank canvas.

Last year I felt that we as a church at large would experience growth on a grand scale. I viewed that as numerical growth but now I see that it was more in the spiritual realm. Many came to Christ and many were added to our local church but in the same vein some slipped away to places unknown.

We learned many lessons in 2011 and I thank God for them because in my opinion faith is moving forward not knowing exactly what the outcome will be. So some things were a test to see if we can be obedient in small things so He can entrust us with the big things. Anybody understand what I am saying?

Back to Basics or Foundations is what I sense for this year. As this year unfolds we have set some goals that will assure that folk will first have a sure foundation of their faith upon which the outer skins of the vision will rest.

The foundation will rely on us, the individual believer developing a deeper relationship with Him that will catapult us forward.

Beloved, (wow I thought I was Paul for a second there!) Above all He wants us and when He gets us He gets those close to us as they will see, know and believe that the Jesus we claim to be God’s Son is real.

Look to Him first and foremost this year. He is the only One that exact change in the world.

Anyway that’s how I see it…

On Him,

John
Eph.6:19

I got talked into going out with my wife, son, daughter in law and grandchildren shopping on the worst shopping day of the year. (My opinion of course)

It started out okay with the thought that we would have breakfast at a reasonable hour. Boy was I mistaken!

We left and were driving down the road when a deer came out of nowhere and ran into the side of our van. Man glass went everywhere! It reminded me of a time in Florida when someone shot out my truck window. I guess it would have been okay if we knew where it went but alas it ran off. No venison for us.

The reason I am writing about this incident is to remind us all of the blessings we get even in the most adverse of situations.

It started on Thanksgiving and that was just what we did, give thanks to the Lord for His protection and grace in that moment when we did not even know what happened.

How often we forget that even in the mess He is there. Jehovah Shammah, God is there!

He is always there and my mention of Black Friday was to also remind you of the true Black Friday when our Lord was crucified on a hill for the redemption of all mankind.

We pay on Black Friday but He PAID it all on the real Black Friday.

This Christmas season don’t let the holidays make you forget the truth.

In Him.

One of the reasons I even have a blog is to give expression to some of the thoughts, impressions and feelings that are in me. One of those is the fact that people take for granted the facilities that God have given us to worship in and the gifts that He has given us to assist us in our walk.

First of all we are stewards. A steward is to take care of and manage the resources God has given us. They are gifts and I am sure it displeases Him to see us squandering what He graces us with. Trash piles up on the ground on on the carpet and we walk right by as if we are blind? The church is not a building but He does sanctify places where we go to worship. That is why it is sometimes referred to as a sanctuary. That means it is a place that is separated unto God for the gathering of His saints to worship. Moses had to take his shoes off when he approached the burning bush. Why is our Holy Ground any different?
A lack of the fear of the Lord? Okay I will let that sink in for a while.

Second thing I see is a lack of respect for the leadership God has placed over us. It saddens me as I am sure it grieves the Lord when we don’t take care of our pastors and spiritual leaders. We say we love them but we don’t sacrifice our resources so that they can pay essential bills? If we don’t want to take care of those whom God has placed over us how can we say we truly love Him when we reject His gifts? Just saying….
How about those the under shepherds have appointed to help him or her? We balk at the thought of some leaders that have been appointed over us to help shepherd our souls. Al the way saying we love the Lord but rejecting His provision. No fear of the Lord?

My heart is not to condemn but to point out that we all have ideas and thoughts about these issues. I am not trying to be religious, far from it. I pray that we develop a reverence and awe of the Person and Majesty of Almighty God!

As you reflect and maybe even are projecting some anger take this scripture to heart.

Jer. 24:14 “Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD!

Much meat here if you can digest it. Love you all enough to share.

In Him.

Some may say that I am a bit crazy to think that that she is in heaven, but I know better.

As the rest of the story goes we all, mom’s four children, her husband (Pop) and her two in-laws (Brenda Criswell and I) were in the room with her praying in the Spirit and singing songs of praise and worship. It was a very intense time something I personally had never been a part of. There was such a sweet awareness of His Presence that was hard to describe.

At 4:30 the pastor of the church they attend came over and he had the opportunity to also be swept up into the moment. We all prayed and waited until shortly before 5:40PM when the phone rang. Since I was closest to the door I got up to answer it. When I got to the phone it stopped ringing. As I was gone mom was ushered into the very presence of the Lord and as Pastor Buckley said it was as if He ushered her into Him. What and awesome testimony!

However as great a moment as that was I was sad as I was unable to be in the room with them and for a moment I was saddened and mad that a phone call robbed me of the moment with my family.

Now the rest of the story. I brought up the message that was left and what I heard again reinforced His love for us all. See the person that called at the moment of her passing was one of their old pastors who called to say that he was thinking about us and wanted to let us know he was praying for us.

Coincidence?

I don’t think so. After I repented I started to thank Him that even in our time of grief He shows His love and concern for us by moving in the lives of people yielded to Him. Pastor Hurley’s call at that moment helped me realize again how real He really is.

So to say that the end of the story is now here would be wrong as it is only beginning.

Mom left a lasting legacy as a woman of God that can never be minimized. Four pastors gave testimony to her faithfulness and perseverance during the funeral which touched many people. All four of her children are serving the Lord as well as their respective spouses and a great majority of her grandchildren. What a legacy. Ask me I will tell you more.

The End.

I don’t think so………….

As most of you know we lost our sister in law, Linda Criswell on Oct. 6th then on Oct. 19th my mother in law Margaret Criswell went to be with the Lord also.

The story as sad as it may sound is a story of courage and faith that defies all reason. Linda was a fighter that truly loved the Lord, her husband and family with a passion that puts us all to shame. The loss that is here will leave a void that can only be filled when we see her again in Heaven. Her legacy is rich and we who knew her were blessed beyond measure. Her husband Howard, my brother in law, will continue to spread her legacy of faith by his own strong faith.

My mother in law was a strong willed, “feisty” woman of God whose faith inspired many. She was an intercessor of a caliber that this generation will miss. She would love to see a “cloud” of intercessors to take up her mantle. Her family will miss her but as in the above paragraph we will see her again.

I am indebted to her for without her prayers I would not be the man I am today. How many of you can look to someone like that?

Anyway I have much more to say but this will be all for now. Keep us in prayer as the battle rages on but we have victory through Christ Jesus our Lord!

Caio.

Soon as I get my thoughts together I will journal some of the thoughts, impressions revelations (if I can be so bold!) that have flooded my spirit.

Please check back and I will let you know when I publish it.

Look Hope is shining…..

Caio

I woke up this morning and I was tinking about several things but the words tick tock came into my mind. It automatically conjures up images of a clock with time just ticking away. Probably bringing us all to the fact that we sometimes squandor our lives away.

Or is it just me?

However as I thought and prayed a bit more about it I realized that for me tick tock was actually the pendulum swings that my Christian walk has taken me. I am sure some that read this may think that I may be some type of flake but I assure you that I am not.

When I first believed I went through a myriad of experiences that I thought would validate my faith and walk. They were in fact distractions to the overall plan that God has had for me.

I had the opportunity to first attend a “Spirit-Filled” (Pentecostal) church at first even though there were only a handful (if that) that actually knew what that meant.

So my quest for more of Him led me to some extremes on both sides of the pendulum swing. More traditional on one side with no gifts of the Spirit on one side and extreme teachings of the Charismatic movement on the other.

I write this today as I believe more than ever in Discipleship. Where we learn from gifted men and women of God the very Foundation of our beliefs.

I did not have the luxury of learning from someone so now when it’s available I encourage everyone to do so. This Saturday evening we at Crossroads are starting a discipleship program called “The Kiln”. I urge all in our area to take advantage of this teaching opportunity. If not here in the Petersburg Virginia area ask the Lord to find you such an opportunity near you.

Tick Tock should not be the norm. The straight and narrow way ever progressing forward is the route.

That’s were I am heading. How about you?

Always In Him.

Caio.

Here it is in a nutshell. Free Camp is an summer camp geared for those from every economic and social area. The camp is put on for FREE regardless of any circumstances.
This year we had almost 70 kids living, worshiping, eating, playing and doing life together for 4 days. (Kinda makes you wonder why we as adults can’t do that? Alright that is for another day.)

As the week started Brenda and I had the opportunity to assist in feeding the hungry in downtown Petersburg at the Methodist Church. The church was founded in the 1700′s even before Brian O’Dett was born! The sanctuary sat over 1000 people and is sure to become a beacon of light to a dark city. (Again another story.) The people who served and the people who ate gelled together with a common purpose to be a light and not a mouth. Old and young alike serving each other with love as the primary motivator. What a humbling blessing to be a part.

We had a time of prayer before camp in which we all came together for a time of worship and adoration. In that encounter we worshiped with the phenomenal folks from Valley Hill Ministries in Dublin VA. It’s amazing how God can knit the hearts of His people together as we are about the Will of the Father? (You guys are awesome. What a privilege to serve along side you guys!)

Camp started on Wednesday and we all hit the ground running from the get go. In fact we had one child literally run all over the place when he got there! I am sure Valley Harvest and I were looking at each other thinking the same things! Us rookies quickly were filled in as to the situation thank goodness.

The days were fast furious and intense as activity after activity blended together as well as worship made for a taxing and great time. The week ended on a somber note as the campers made their way home and we realized that it was over. At least in the sense of the camp itself. We all will never know how even the smallest of things may have impacted a child’s life and yes even a old guy like me!

I had the chance to work with some of our Crossroads kids that I really didn’t know and as I write this I want to give them a shout out. Marvin, Petey, Marquice, Jerrell, Shawn you guys are awesome. I hope that it sinks in that I really enjoyed our time together.

Before I forget I wanted to also thank Rolls Royce and Joshua from Valley Harvest who made an impact in the service for our Savior.

I have so much to share but little time so if you want just ask one of us that was there.

Another year is over and I may be crazy but when is it next year?

I’m done.

Always in Him,

John

With all the rhetoric going on these days it is imperative for us to understand what truth is. It seems that what was seen as Absolute Truth is not so absolute today. We live in a cynical world where the very fabric of our existence is questioned and tolerance seems to be the rule, unless you are a Christian then we are viewed as bigots.

When did we as a people change and start believing that right is wrong and wrong is right. The core even if you are not Christian is that the Ten Commandments were the very foundation of our moral values at the very least.

Folks I realize that as free moral agents that we have a choice in what we believe and how we act out those beliefs. I take issue however with laws that are passed that regulate marriage between same sex couples as being acceptable. When did we get to the point that we legislate morality?

The few dictate to the uber silent majority how we are to live.
How did we get to the point where we roll over and pretend things are okay?

Okay I know that I will touch a nerve but the point that I am trying to make is that we have forgotten what truth really is. The very foundation for all truth lies in the God of the Bible. Out of the book of Genesis all and I mean all of what we know and believe came about. So bring it forward and see that Jesus who said earlier in the Gospel of John; “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me”; stands before Pilate and declares this when asked if He was a King; Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” (John 18:37)

So what is Truth as asked by Pilate stood right in front of him and he walked away without hearing the answer standing right in front of him.

Do you know the truth?

Do you just see truth as you want it to be?

A truth that allows no real accountability.

There is real Truth out there and whether or not you believe it doesn’t make it less true.

If you really want truth He will reveal Himself to you.

That’s how I see it………..

When I came back I was shaken to discover how I really belong here in Virginia. When Paul in Philippians says to forget the past and move forward in isn’t as easy as it sounds.

Many things tug at you bringing to remembrance places, situations and persons to name a few. Each has it’s own story and pull. The key however is to separate those things from the call of God on our lives and in this case me in particular.

I recognize even more clearly now how He has led me each step of the way. He has allowed those situations to mold me into the man that He has envisioned for the here and now and in the future.

The title of this post in Turn The Page. That was taken from a Bob Seger song that I listened to again just the other day. In it the song says to turn the page and really don’t look back.

Yesterdays page has been written and as I and maybe even you turn the page we have before us a clean page waiting for us to write out our destiny.

So my encouragement today for me probably first and then you is to realize you just have no control on the past but we do have a say in the future. Sounds cliché I know but simple sometimes is best.

You are loved.