Desperate Deliberate Faith

“A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding, and she could find no cure. Coming up behind Jesus, she touched the fringe of his robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped. “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. Everyone denied it, and Peter said, “Master, this whole crowd is pressing up against you.” But Jesus said, “Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me.” When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees in front of him. The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed. “Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” (Luke 8: 43-48)

Here was a woman that had suffered for twelve long years with an “issue of blood.” In another accout from the Gospel of Matthew we learn that she actually had gone to many different sources for her healing but instead of getting better, she got worse. She was tired of looking for her miracle in all the wrong places. Here is a woman that was desperate for a touch from God! She finally came to a point in her life where she was desperate enough to do anything. Fighting through the crowd she came up behind Jesus with a “desperate deliberate faith” and touched the fringe of his robe! Her touch was desperate and deliberate. Desperate because she had suffered for so long and run out of options. Delieberate, because she knew exactly what she needed from God-healing! In her "desperate and deliberate" step in faith, she immediately was healed! Jesus knew that someone had “deliberately touched him” and that healing power had left his body! The disciples tried to tell him that many people had “touched” him but Jesus knew that there was one in the crowd that had really “touched him”! It wasn’t just a brush on the robe, or an accidental encouter. No, this woman deliberately touched Jesus Christ! Her faith touched him!

Maybe you are dealing not with an “issue of blood” but an “issue of life”. Maybe it is a physical issue, but maybe it’s more than that. Maybe it is a spiritual issue. Maybe it is a financial issue or a difficult situation you find your family in. Desperate times call for desperate measures! At what point will you allow yourself to come to before you say, “I don’t care what I have to do, I’m going to touch Jesus Christ! I don't care how much I have to pray and fast--I'm going to touch Jesus! I don’t care what kind of crowd I have to push through! I don’t care what kind of sacrifices I have to make! I don't care how radical my obedience may appear! I don’t care how stupied or foolish I may look to the world or even other Christians-I am desperate! I am desperate to touch Jesus with my faith and in turn have him touch me like only He can!

Desperate people can do all kinds of things so therefore we must be deliberate about approaching the throne of God. It is my prayer that you reach out in faith—desperate faith, and touch not only the robe of Jesus Christ, but the heart of God!

My Confession

My Confession…

May today’s confession be a daily confession unto you God.

You are God…and I am not.
You are Soveriegn…and I am not.
You have always been…and I have not.
You hold the world in your hands…and I do not.
You see my total future…although I cannot.
I can completely trust in you…and I will!

Just me or did you feel perfect peace come over your soul?

Finding Strength in Trust

"Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:28-31)

As human beings, we all are prone to becoming tired, weak, and weary. I'm so glad that the God that we serve never experiences any of these things! He fully understands the things in life that we will never understand and because of his depth of understanding we can rest assured by trusting in Him.

"But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength."

It is when we begin trusting in ourselves, in our flesh, and in our own understanding that we will find ourselves tired, frustrated, and worn out! We are prone to find strength in trusting in ourselves, our education, our emotions, etc. But when we come to the place where we fully put our hope and trust in God, it is there where we will find new strength! It is when we are fully trusting God we will be able to soar high like eagles!

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Because of our experiences in life, we as human beings find it hard to trust. Humans can lie, humans can let us down, but God is the one we can fully trust with all of our heart! We are to walk through life FULLY trusting God in every circumstance, what seems to be good and bad. There are certainly times in life that we do not, in our finite mind, understand everything. We are commanded to not depend on our understanding, which is so shallow at times, but to fully trust in the one who understands all things! So when we find ourselves in situations in life that we don't quite understand, we are to continue to seek HIS will in everything we do and trust in the Sovereignty of God to direct us!

Trust God today and experience new strength and peace like no other!

Children's Home Outreach

Jodi and I took the 9th Grade Boys and the 8th Grade Girls small groups to the Louisiana Baptist Children's Home yesterday. "Joy Cottage" is made up of three girls and two boys and "The Pierce's" are the cottage parents. We all got them gifts and had the priviledge of watching them open them up yesterday! We all hung out, played some XBox, football, archery, and loved on them! I was so pround of how our teens engaged with each of them!

The Gospel According to Scrooge!!!

For over ten years Family Church has blessed the community with the "Gospel According to Scrooge". This is a powerful "broadway like" presentation when Ebenezer Scrooge comes face to face with "another chance" with life concerning Jesus Christ. You DONT want to miss!

Performances start tonight at 7 P.M.!

The dates are Dec. 2-4 & 9-11, 7 P.M. December 12 @ 3 P.M. is the Matinee!

Tickets are available online at www.familychurch.org and General Admission is FREE!
Reserved seating is only $10 and can be purchased online!

There will be opportunities to "meet the cast" after each night's performance as well as hot chocolate, coffe, and spice cider!

Hope to see you there!

Thankful!!!

Here are some things I am thankful for...

1) God's amazing love that he continues to show me daily through Jesus Christ my Lord.

2) An amazing wife he gave me to do life with! God certainly handpicked her for me!

3) Two wonderful daughters! "Children are a gift from the Lord..." I love being a dad!

4) Being able to be apart of the staff team at Family Church!

5) Being able to be apart of the Body of Christ here at Family Church! What a great place to grow your faith and family!

6) The wonderful teens, youth workers, and families that are apart of E3 Student Ministry!

7) Wonderful friends that are apart of my life! I am so thankful for people that pray, encourage, sharpen, and believe in you!

8) Being able to have the resources to help and bless people!

9) Being able to spend a little bit of time in the woods with a hobby that refreshes my soul!

10) Being able to spend time with extended family and friends during this season of the year!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Finally joined the "Twitter" world!

Most teenagers are so engaged in the world of technology that we live in. Me? I'm usually several years behind!

Twitter is a social networking and microblogging service that allows you answer the question, "What are you doing?" by sending short text messages 140 characters in length, called "tweets", to your friends, or "followers."

I'd like to use this resource to stay engaged with friends, students, and parents about life and other things. I may send out random things that are going on personally or send out encouraging messages, challenges, etc.

If you don't "twitter" you can go to www.twitter.com and sign up free today so you can start recieving messages!

Beck

As for Me and My Family

I had the honor of speaking during this past Sunday morning's service at Family Church. I spoke a message entitled, "As for Me and My Family" that was directed towards the men of our congregation.

You can view it via the internet at www.familychurch.org

It should be up this Wednesday afternoon.

What's been going on in my world...

So I've been asked to update my blog so I thought I would do so by updating you all on my life.

First, my wife and I just recently celebrated our "8 Year" anniversary in Natchitoches, LA at the Judge Porter House Bed and Breakfast. When I read Proverbs 31 and Titus 2, I think of my wife Jodi. I couldn't have asked for a better "help mate" to partner with me in our family mission and ministry to the Kingdom of God. I love you Jodi!

Secondly, I've been spending allot of time studying two things in God's word.
1. The family and roles-Although so much of our culture has influenced and blended in to what we as Christians believe and practice the Bible is crystal clear on what the role of a man, woman, husband, wife, and children are to play out. As counter culture (even in the church world) as it is, I am more determined than ever to go by God's game plan. My family's spiritual heritage depends on it!

2. This "love thing". Pastor's messages have been hitting me square in the mouth. This is something God had dealt with me about in my early 20's and now has gone "full circle" to "see if I'm up to par". I realize how immature my love (the way God defines it is) still is and how much growth I have to see happen! I'm not interested in seeing where I am when I compare myself to others. In doing that, I may become proud thinking I am "so far ahead of some" and may also think "I'm so far behind others" so I don't do that. What I do compare myself to is God's word and in doing that, I know I have much more to go.

Thirdly, A lot of what Jodi and I do (especially Jodi) ministry wise, is done at our home. I mentor a couple of young men each hunting season. Jodi does SOOOO many things behind the scenes that will never get praise from men but will one day get praise from God. She is storing up "so many treasures in heaven" by her self-less serving of others and pouring into the lives of our daughters and other young ladies/women. I honestly believe these boys rather come to my house for Jodi's service and home cooking rather than to hear me teach God's word and take them deer hunting! But, we are a team and we work together although we play separate roles. We had Danny and Kyle Phillips out this Saturday evening. We watched some LSU Football, ate some summer, gathered the boys and my girls up for a time of Bible reading and prayer, then off to the woods we went with our bows!

Tonight, I get to spend time with my girls while Jodi gets a much deserved "mom's night out" with some of her sisters in the Lord! I love spending time with the two most precious souls God has entrusted to me-my daughters.

I love what God has called me and my family to do. It is such a privilege to work in the Kingdom of God. Thank you Jesus for calling me to be a slave to such a wonderful master as yourself. I love you.

Beck

Getting close...Grand Re-Opening!

When Pastor and Vicki O'Neal came to what was then, "Claiborne Church of God", in August of 1977, attendance at Sunday services were 50 people. Now, the situation has changed drastically! "Pastor O" has consistently and faithfully preached the Kingdom of God and the vision of "biblically functioning families" for over 32 years! God has truly placed his hand on this place! I think the best opportunity I have in passing the faith to my children and grandchildren are right here at 320 Laird Street!

This Sunday, we are entering into a new chapter of Family Church with our newly renovated worship center. The building campaign has been titled, "Generations" because we want parents and grandparents to pass the faith to the next generation!

What an exciting time this is! We will have the ribbon cutting at 9:15 and worship will begin at 10 A.M.!

Enjoy some pics of the outside! Inside pics are a surprise!

Weekend at a glance...

We had our 3rd Annual "Moving on Up" Family Orientation this Saturday at the R.D.F.C. This is where we host the families of upcoming 6th graders into our student ministry, feed them, and spend the evening casting vision! We have some GREAT families moving up! Our first service for the new semester will be this Wednesday at 7 P.M. We just installed all new sound in the youth room and we are pumped about Wednesday's worship service!

Yesterday after church, the girls and I had lunch with Danny and Kyle Phillips. These two young men have a special place in our hearts ever since we started having them in our home a year ago for our youth hunting mentoring program. We worked over 4 hours in the 100 degree heat putting up bow stands, chasing wasps out of box stands, and putting out deer corn! A little (or a lot) of work will pay off come fall when these boys are watching deer!

One of Jodi's "heros of the faith" is Ruth Bell Graham. Let me just say she is much more closer to being a "Ruth" than I am a "Billy". Anyways, Billy Graham said he and Ruth were a "team" and her way of contributing was to spend her time pouring into raising their kids so that it would allow Billy to travel and preach the gospel.If she wouldn't have done that then he wouldn't have been able to "go". And if he wouldn't have "gone" then people wouldn't have been "reached." She played as much apart of his ministry than he did. She never spoke, never was much on being "out front", just did her God called duties faithfully. She had a heart "for the lost" and although she never preached a message to the lost in front of thousands of people she was "reaching the lost" by freeing Billy to do what God had called him to do. Although I am able to stay near my family I still feel I am able to "go" because of the freedom Jodi gives me. Although a very outgoing woman she never wants to be in front of the crowds and her ministry so, so very often is done "behind the scenes". It is her contributing to the ministry God has called us to both in the home and in the church. So many times we think "ministry" is done AT the church but it is not limited to that one place. Ministry is done with the people who make up the church.

After the boys and I came in she spent the next few hours cooking supper and serving those boys as if they were her own. While she was busy doing that, my daughter Gracen was right along side of her serving as well. Two lessons here: Ministering to the boys while teaching OUR girls about ministry. We as a family where all ministering together as a "team" although we all played different roles and parts in that effort.

I love you Jodi and I thank God for you! I see you working so hard to pour into the lives of our girls and staying busy brining the presence of God into our home. Thank you for all the time you have spent over lunches, etc. pouring into the hearts of young teens and moms. Thank you for never complaining and working alongside me in ministry. As a team we can build our family while striving to head down the journey towards full-devotion with other families.

I am blessed...

Family, Friends, and Foreigners!

This week my family and I are housesitting at the home of Michael and LaTonya Lewis. We are also housing my brother-in-law and also Juan Karlos from Guatemala. I met Juan a few years ago while on a mission trip to Guate. This time around, we get to take care of him! He will be attending Christ for the Nations this fall!

The last few days as well as the remainder of this week will not be a slow one.Saturday evening we had several families over to eat and play some volleyball! Sunday the pretty wife took her little group of small group girls to the movies while I took the bro-in-law to the family clinic! (chrone disease).

Last night we had a wonderful time fellowshiping with some wonderful friends-Fritz and Sarah Niswanger. Today Jodi went on a movie date with the girls and another family while this afternoon she had some women folk over from our small group! Tonight, we ate wonderful home cooked meal. I will spend time with my girls while Jodi heads to her ladies night bible study with our small group.

Tomorrow Jodi will spend her day pouring into the lives of the two most important girls she will ever pour into-her daughters. Pouring into the offspring God has given us and making heart connections with them us a must! We are excited about our last youth summer gathering that will take place tomorrow night at the West home. Josh Taylor and our youth workers have done a GREAT job this summer putting these together! I can't wait for our first service back in a few weeks! I feel like a bull that has been locked in his cage! I'm ready to get my preach on!

Thursday night we will be having supper at the home of another special family-Richared and Angie Richardson. Lee Taylor and his wife Rachel will be there as well so this ought to be a great time of fellowship!

Okay, wheew!!!

Friday is my Sabbath so I will be resting in the Lord all day!

I am so thankful that God has filled our lives with family, friends, and a foreigner!

I'm in a hurry

Let me ask you a question. When was the last time you sat down as a family and ate a meal around your kitchen table? Let me ask you another question. How often do you or do you not do that as a family?

I can remember as a kid waking up almost EVERY single morning to a sit down meal together as a family and then doing the same when dinner rolled around. Sadly, that doesn't happen too often these days. Why? Because our society is one of fast pace and it is a train "blowing and going." Families are usually swinging by McDonalds or Sonic "fastfoods" because that caters to our lifestyle-fast. Now, we stay as busy as the next person and ministry never stops so I'm not condemning families that swing through the fast food line every here and now-we do that. What I am saying is that it takes a family being intentional enough to stop the madness, slow down, and enjoy each other. What's wrong with swinging by and grabbing a burger every night? Well, there is something very spiritual about sitting down and eating a meal together. The Bible is FULL of that. So much conversation can go on around the dinner table at HOME. Also, it is great for a mother/daughter or family to cook the meal themselves. I love coming home and seeing Jodi and Gracen in the kitchen together. Why? Again, so much conversation and relationships can happen when families do just that. To see them building a mother/daughter relationship and Jodi teaching her things she will need to know to take care of her family the rest of her life makes my heart glad!

The country group, "Alabama", sang a song years ago entitled, "I'm in A Hurry". Some of the lyrics go:

"I'm in a hurry to get things done
(oh,) I rush and rush until life's no fun
All I really gotta do is live and die
But, I'm in a hurry and don't know why

I hear a voice
It says I'm running behind
I better pick up the pace
It's a race and there ain't no room for someone in 2nd place

Throughout the rest of the summer, slow down and enjoy each other!

Beck

Family Trip Wrap-up!

What a wonderful week of community we had on our Family Church Beach Trip! Connections with family and friends alllllllll week! We headed back Saturday morning and one of our families vechile broke down in Hattisburg, MS. Within minutes we had Family Church vehicles pulling in from all directions coming to the rescue! It is wonderful to see the body of Christ pull together to help a family in need!

Family Church Beach Trip (Wed. Night)

What a great time we had yesterday evning. "Grillin and Chillin", Worship on the beach at sunset, and a family crab hunt afterwards! We had a few families and a group of teenagers head on up to the room for some "Kimps and Kapades" (fun card game). We munched on some cookies, watermelons, and coffee until midnight! FUN! FUN! FUN! I love what i get to do!

Beck

Family Church Beach Trip!

It's Wednesday afternoon and everyone is having a BLAST!!! A little oil showed up this morning on the shores but Family Church isn't allowing that to stop us from having fun and connecting with each other! This afternoon we are having some family games with teens and parents! This outta be interesting because we have some very competitive families!

Chillin in the condo with the girls so momma could go down to the beach and catch some sun! You know your at the beach when your 3 year old wakes you up in the middle of the night saying, "Daddy, there is a seagull in my bed!". Fun!

Family Church Trip Fun!

So after church Sunday we grabbed a quick bite to go and we were off to the races! The Collies caravaned with us since we all have young children (which means we stop alot). We arrived and ate at the "Barrel" then unloaded at the condo. The lady folks went off to Wal-Mart to do the grocery shopping and us boys watched the kids and tried to find the local Outdoor Channel.

Yesterday families got settled and chilled at the beach. Families arrived most parts of the day and just got settled. We had the Calhoun's over last night for a killer supper then a card game afterwards.

Today we have hung out again at the beach and played some volleyball. My kids are loving the beach and my wife is "Super Woman" taking care of all the so many things that moms take care over. Thank you Jodi!

I love my Family Church Family!

Orangeology

Jodi and I are in Atlanta, Georgia at the 2010 Orange Conference with about 4, 000 other Pastors, Youth Pastors, Family Pastors, Etc. What happens when you blend Family (yellow) and Church (Red)? You get Orange! Enjoying some great speakers like Doug Fields, Mark Batterson, "Rev. Run" (the Old Run DMC), and others! Just got through putting down some PF Changs and topping it off with a Starbucks coffee!

Haman in tha House!

We had some cajun style preachin up here in northeast la these past few days. Pastor Mike Haman of Healing Place Church shared with the students of C.C.S. during a spiritual emphasis week!

Last night we packed the house in E3 Student Ministry as Mike brought a strong word on forgiveness. We were all certainly blessed by the ministry of Mike Haman and were privilidged that he made time for us this week!

Thanks Mike!

Spring Fling!

Even with baseball season in full-swing we have over 70 students and families show up at the Lewis home this past Saturday. Instead of having parents drop their teens off we encouraged them to stay! We desire to help bring families together! The Lewis' are such great hostesses! It was a great afternoon!